S3 E7 | Sex Therapy, OCD, and Chronic Pain with Caryn Sherbet, LMSW

Caryn Sherbet, LMSW (they/she) is a trans nonbinary therapist who specializes in OCD, chronic pain, and sexual trauma. Often, they work at the intersection of all three. Caryn talks about how patterns of avoidance tie all three together. They talk about the need to move away from "fixing" and "controlling" in order to heal. They talk about learning to tolerate existentially intolerable phenomena. They talk about making sacrifices in order to be true to yourself and true to your body. And they talk about how healing does not happen easily for everyone. Healing, sometimes, is a long, deep project, especially for people living with a lot of trauma and with a lot of fear. We talk about managing expectations in Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Caryn highlights the difficulties the trans community faces when it comes to feeling “safe.”

And let me say: we, as a society, need to do better. We need to create the possibility of safety for all people. That includes trans people. On that front, we have a lot of work to do.

This is a great conversation. Join us.

Also, in this episode, Caryn and I discuss various therapies, most of which are referred to by acronyms. So – if you’re interested, or if you’re confused – here’s a list of the therapies we mention:

PRT: Pain Reprocessing Therapy

CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

IFS: Internal Family Systems Therapy

ERP: Exposure and Response Prevention (treatment for OCD)

ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

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Find Caryn:

Website: www.carynsherbettherapy.com

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/caryn-sherbet-new-york-ny/1043122

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Find Sean:

Visit my website: Request a consultation for individual therapy

Click here to: Ask a question on the podcast

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Other Resources from Today’s Episode:

Kristina Armenakis: www.kristinaarmenakis.com

B. F. Skinner and Extinction in Psychology

Triska Psychotherapy: www.triskapsychotherapy.com

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…and you’re listening to Mindbody Medicine for Chronic Pain.

Therapist Sean Hershey, LCSW teaches you how to use psychological and emotional modalities to heal from chronic pain. Common conditions treated: Back Pain, Neck Pain, Hip Pain, Shoulder Pain, Knee Pain, Elbow Pain, Pain from Disc Bulges, Pain from Disc Degeneration, Sciatica, Neuropathy, Chronic Headaches, Migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Pelvic Pain, Fibromyalgia, Many Eczema and Skin Conditions, Many Arthritic Presentations, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid, Depression, and Anxiety.

Inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. John Sarno and all who’ve built upon his theories including: Nicole Sachs, Christina Sarno Horner, Dr. Howard Schubiner, Dr. Dan Ratner, Alan Gordon, the ATNS, and so many others.

Join us as we discuss: TMS, pain as a danger signal, the pain/threat cycle, healing through psychological work, healing through emotional work, healing through patiently attuning to your true self, trauma, healing as a work in progress, maddening frustration, glimmers of hope, elating successes... But most of all, join us because you don’t have to be alone in your pain. You don’t have to be alone in the hard work of healing. And you don’t have to be alone as this starts to work for you, and you begin to get better.

We’re all walking this path together. We’re right here with you.

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