Not Your Therapist
Life is messy, relationships are complicated, and let’s be real—mental health can feel like a full-time job. If you’re looking for down-to-earth, no-BS conversations about navigating stress, relationships, and personal growth, you’re in the right place.
I’m Kayla Reilly, a licensed therapist, entrepreneur, and real-life human who knows that wellness isn’t about perfection—it’s about finding what actually works for you. This show is for anyone who wants approachable mental health tools, relatable insights, and a little humor along the way.
Each episode, we break down the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating parts of life—from managing anxiety and breaking toxic patterns to setting boundaries and creating balance (without the guilt). No therapy jargon, no fluff—just real talk and practical strategies to help you feel more grounded in your everyday life.
Hit play, get comfortable, and let’s figure this life thing out together.
Episodes
51 episodes
ADHD 101: Why Life Feels Harder Than It Should
Ever wonder why everyday tasks feel exhausting, overwhelming, or harder for you than they seem for everyone else? In this episode, we’re breaking down ADHD in a way that actually makes sense — especially for adults who’ve spent years thinking s...
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29:14
TOOLBOX: Using Your Container — An Emotional Regulation Skill for Overwhelm
When emotions spike, it’s easy to feel flooded, anxious, or unable to focus. This TOOLBOX episode teaches you how to use your container—a simple, EMDR-informed emotional regulation skill—to manage overwhelming thoughts and feelings w...
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14:33
TOOLBOX: Create Your Container — An Emotional Regulation Skill for Overwhelm
When emotions feel overwhelming, it can be hard to focus, think clearly, or stay present. This TOOLBOX episode teaches you how to create your container, a simple, EMDR-informed emotional regulation skill designed to help your nervous sys...
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11:36
Why Grieving Feels Harder Today: The Loss of Ritual and How to Heal
Grief feels heavier today—and it’s not just because loss is painful.In this episode, we explore how the loss of ritual in modern life has made grieving harder, lonelier, and more confusing than it used to be. For centuries, religi...
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17:01
4 Minutes a Day to a Better Relationship
What if improving your relationship didn’t require therapy homework, long talks, or weekly date nights?In this episode, we’re breaking down how just 4 intentional minutes a day can dramatically strengthen your relationship—using p...
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11:44
3 Ways to Set Better Boundaries This Year
If setting boundaries is on your New Year list… but you already feel guilty just thinking about it, this episode is for you.In this episode, I break down 3 realistic ways to set better boundaries this year — without over...
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14:51
Hormones & Mental Health: Why HRT Could Be a Game-Changer
We talk a lot about anxiety and depression—but what if the root cause is your hormones? Hormonal imbalance is showing up earlier and more often than it did two decades ago, and it impacts everything from your sleep to your sex drive to your abi...
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12:08
Triggers 101: Understanding Your Reactions
You’re having a normal day—coffee in hand, scrolling your phone—and suddenly your chest tightens, your heart races, and you’re spiraling. That’s a trigger. But what exactly does it mean to be “triggered”?In this episode, I’m breaking dow...
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12:34
Likeability Isn’t Luck: Easy Tips to Boost Your Charisma
Ever met someone who just has it—that mix of confidence, warmth, and magnetism that makes people lean in? That’s charisma. And good news: it’s not some magical personality trait you’re either born with or not—it’s a skill you can actua...
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10:49
EMDR Explained: What It Is and Who It’s For
Ever wondered what EMDR actually is—or why everyone from trauma therapists to TikTok is talking about it? In this episode, I’m breaking down Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (aka EMDR) in plain English. We’ll cover how ...
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16:43
#29 Boundary Boot Camp: From People-Pleaser to Self-Protector
The word "boundaries" has become such a buzzword that many people throw it around without truly understanding what it means. But what exactly are boundaries, and why do so many of us struggle to set them effectively?Boundaries aren't ab...
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17:23
BONUS: Love Island UK Season 12 — A Therapist Breaks Down Harrison, Lauren & Toni
Ever found yourself drawn to someone who couldn't quite decide if they wanted you? The Harrison-Lauren-Tony love triangle from Love Island UK Season 12 offers a perfect case study in toxic relationship patterns that might feel eerily familiar.<...
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8:51
#28 Emotional Incest: When Parents Cross the Line
Have you ever felt responsible for a parent's emotional wellbeing? Been called "the only one they can talk to" or "their rock"? That special closeness you felt might actually have been something therapists call emotional incest—a hidden form of...
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16:47
#27 The Only Child – Mature, Independent… and Maybe a Little Emotionally Overloaded
Were you the only child who was “so mature for your age”—but never really got to be a kid? In this episode, we dive into what it’s really like growing up without siblings and how that shapes your identity, relationships, and emotional ha...
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Episode 27
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20:12
#26 The Youngest Child – Fun, Free-Spirited, or Forever the Baby?
Are you the youngest child who’s always been seen as “the fun one”—but never quite taken seriously? In this episode of Not Your Therapist, we’re breaking down the psychology of the youngest child: how being the “baby” of the fam...
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Episode 26
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19:04
#25 The Middle Child – Chameleon, Peacemaker, or Just Forgotten?
Were you the middle child—the one who stayed out of the way, kept the peace, and quietly handled your own emotional needs? You’re not alone. In this episode of Not Your Therapist, we dive deep into the psychology of middle child...
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Episode 25
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22:10
#24 The Eldest Child – CEO in Training or Resentful Parent #2?
Are you the firstborn and secretly exhausted? You’re not alone. In this episode, we dive deep into the eldest child experience—how being the “responsible one” often leads to perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout, and emotional overfunc...
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Episode 24
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22:50
#23 Why Birth Order Actually Matters (Yes, Even If You’re 35 and Over It)
Did your family birth order shape your personality? Spoiler: yep. In this episode, we explore how birth order influences your identity, temperament, and adult relationships. Whether you're the eldest child, middle child, youngest, or onl...
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Episode 23
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17:47
#22 Why Rest Feels Impossible: Understanding Your Productivity Addiction
Ever feel like you're constantly running on a productivity treadmill, unable to step off without experiencing overwhelming guilt and anxiety? You're not alone. What looks like ambition and high achievement might actually be anxiety masquerading...
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Episode 22
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15:04
#21 Validate Yourself in 3 Steps and Build Confidence
Ever hit a milestone and still feel... kinda hollow? Or find yourself needing everyone else’s opinion before you can trust your own? Been there. And spoiler alert: It’s not because you’re broken.It’s because most of us were rais...
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Episode 21
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14:19
#20 Emotional Invalidation: Why You Feel Small In Your Own Family
The quiet dismissal of your feelings? That sh*t cuts deeper than yelling ever could.When someone avoids eye contact, scrolls their phone mid-convo, or chuckles at your story like it’s a joke—they might not say anything cruel, bu...
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Episode 20
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16:55
#19 Divorced But Not Damaged: What NOT to Do If You Don’t Want to Mess Up Your Kids with Dr. Larry Waldman
Dr. Larry Waldman brings decades of forensic psychology experience to this raw, insightful conversation about the hidden casualties of divorce – the children caught in the crossfire between warring parents. Drawing from twenty years as the expe...
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Episode 19
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54:14
#18 Career Burnout Is Real—Here’s How to Bounce Back with Dr. Jesseca Tighe
Are you staring at your calendar wondering how you'll face another workday? That crushing exhaustion isn't just tiredness—it's burnout, and it's reached epidemic levels among high-achievers and caregivers.In this eye-opening conversatio...
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Episode 18
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30:19
#17 Struggling to Be Heard? How to Improve Communication in Love + Life with Erin Darden
Ever wondered why it's so hard to simply ask for what you need in relationships? Former attorney turned emotional intelligence coach Erin Darden brings clarity to this struggle, revealing how societal expectations, fear of rejection, and our ow...
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Episode 17
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43:39
#16 Emotional Intimacy in Long-Term Relationships: What You’re Missing and How to Get It Back with Amy Phillips LCSW
Struggling to feel close to your partner in a long-term relationship? Tired of fighting about the same things over and over—like dishes, chores, or who's doing bedtime? You’re not alone—and the issue probably isn’t what you think it is...
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Episode 16
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39:47
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