In Between Sessions

How to Reclaim Movement with Bianca Simmons

What if exercise was never supposed to be a punishment? What if your meditation practice doesn't have to look like anyone else's? And what if healing your relationship with your body requires understanding not just your personal history but the cultural forces that shaped it?
In this episode, Lili sits down with Bianca Simmons, Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT) and founder of Renewed & Transformed Therapy in Overland Park. Bianca brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to a conversation about movement, embodiment, and what it actually means to be at home in your body.
They talk about journaling and gratitude practices that combat hopelessness, why "ritual" is a more powerful word than "motivation," how to reclaim movement when diet culture has ruined it, the concept of embodiment and bottom-up healing, and why body image work is inseparable from understanding racism, fatphobia, and the systems that taught us to distrust our bodies in the first place. 
Resources Mentioned
Fearing the Black Body — Sabrina Strings (book)
Maintenance Phase — podcast (episodes on BMI, anti-fat bias, and weight science)
YouTube: frequency/binaural beat videos for meditation 
Qigong: QiYoga with LuChin
KU Medical's Center for African American Health on Instagram
Contact Bianca:
Website - https://www.biancasimmonslmft.com/Instagram: @renewedandtransformedtherapy
Contact Lili:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Let Your Values Lead with Mandy Morris

What do a vegan food truck, a wobbly cat, and a life spent performing on cruise ships have in common? They're all part of Mandy Morris's story, and one way or another, they all connect back to mental health.
In the Season 2 premiere, Lili Torre, LPC sits down with Mandy Morris: KC restaurant owner, performer, choreographer, and the woman behind some of the internet's most beloved special needs cats. Mandy opens up about living in alignment with her values, managing anxiety through creativity, building resilience in the face of public criticism, and what it actually looks like to ditch societal expectations and bet on yourself more than once.
Whether you're navigating a career pivot, looking for ways to cope with anxiety, or just need a reminder that it's okay to try new things and be bad at it…this episode is for you.
Mandy’s info:
Tree Hugger Kitchen - https://treehuggerkitchen.com/Instagram and Tiktok: @iamwillywonky and @treehuggerkitchen
Contact Lili:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

What We Learned Together in Season 1

This season of In Between Sessions has been filled with practical tools, meaningful conversations, and gentle reminders that therapy is just one piece of your mental health journey. In this solo season finale, Lili looks back on the themes that came up again and again: from the power of small daily practices, to letting go of perfectionism, to finding joy and creativity as forms of care. She also shares her personal takeaways from Season 1, and what might be in store for Season 2.
We’d love to know what’s stood out to you, too. Please fill out the feedback form. Your input will help shape Season 2!
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
Season 1 Feedback Form
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Make Peace with Sleep (Without the Pressure) with Dr. Ashley Clausen

In this episode, Lili is joined by clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Ashley Clausen for a compassionate and practical conversation about how trauma, stress, and anxiety can disrupt sleep, and how to begin healing that relationship. They talk about the pressure to get the “perfect” eight hours, what to do when your thoughts race at night, and how gentle behavior shifts can help your brain feel safe enough to rest.
Whether you’re navigating insomnia, nightmares, or just want to understand your sleep patterns better, this episode offers supportive and science-backed ways to approach rest.
Ashley’s info:
Website - http://heartlandneuropsych.clientsecure.me/
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Find Balance in Your Relationship with Social Media with Glenn DeVar

Content creator and performer Glenn DeVar joins Lili for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, mental health, and the complicated role that social media plays in our lives. Glenn shares how daily hikes in Los Angeles help him manage his mental health, why cooking has become a grounding ritual, and how his drag-inspired “country boy” persona unexpectedly turned into a thriving online community. Together, they explore body image, coping strategies that actually work, and the resilience it takes to navigate criticism in such a public space. This episode is an honest, thoughtful look at how we can reimagine our relationships with social media.
Glenn’s info:
TikTok: @glennydevvyyInstagram: @glenndevarYouTube: @GlennDeVar
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Build Resilience Through Mindfulness with Pam Hausner

Today’s guest is Pam Hausner, a mindfulness meditation teacher who weaves together wisdom traditions, creative practices, and community care to help people meet life’s joys and sorrows with presence and compassion.
In this conversation, Pam and Lili talk about how mindfulness can help us navigate suffering, build resilience, and reconnect with the creativity that keeps us alive to possibility. They explore what it means to stay rooted in compassion even in the face of uncertainty, and how practices of presence can bring healing not just to ourselves, but to the communities we’re a part of.
RESOURCES:
Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness https://mindfulness-alliance.orgCheck out the Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness resources page
Insight Timer meditation app https://insighttimer.comPam’s Restorative Focus Course on Insight Timer 
HealthyMinds https://hminnovations.org/meditation-app
Lili’s Blog Post on Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) 
Pam’s info:
Website: https://www.pamhausner.com/TikTok: @phausner Instagram: @pamhausnermindfulart
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Heal Through Community with Madoka Koguchi

In this episode, Lili talks with Madoka Koguchi, who is a performer, community builder, and co-founder of Yukari KC, a nonprofit that creates spaces for people with shared Japanese heritage through inclusive gatherings and cultural events.
Madoka shares her journey from New York to Kansas City, and how the search for belonging, identity, and creative expression shaped her work. She and Lili talk about what it means to hold multiple identities at once, how community and culture intersect, and the ways we can make space for ourselves, even when we’re still figuring things out.
Yukari KC@YukariKC@madoka_koguchi
Yukari KC's Japanese Summer Festival Sunday, Aug. 31st from 4pm-9pm Location: Merriam Marketplace 
Cafe Ca Phe
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.

How to Use Creativity as a Coping Tool (Even If You’re Bad at It) with Alie B. Gorrie

In this episode of In Between Sessions, Lili is joined by the multi-talented Alie B. Gorrie (artist, educator, and disability advocate) for a conversation about how creativity can support mental health outside the therapy room.
They talk about trying new things without needing to be good at them (pottery, anyone?), how creativity can offer relief from anxiety, and the important distinction between therapy and things that are therapeutic. Alie B. shares what she’s learned from her work in arts in medicine and how cultivating “third spaces” and playful creative rituals can be healing in ways you might not  expect.
Whether or not you identify as an artist, this conversation is a reminder that you don’t need to do it “right”, you just have to do it in a way that feels accessible for you.
Resources Shared:
The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Jen Waldman
Kickstart Creativity Deck
The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Alie B.’s info:
Website: https://www.aliebgorrie.com/
Instagram: @aliebg
TikTok: @aliebgood
Lili’s info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcast TikTok: @lilitorrecounselingwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.
If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

How to Think Differently About Body Image Work with Sarah O’Keefe

Therapist and podcast host Lili Torre, LPC is joined by trauma therapist Sarah O’Keefe, LPC for a refreshing conversation on embodiment, aging, and the lifelong process of connecting with our bodies. Sarah shares how her work with trauma survivors has informed her understanding of how the body holds experience, and how practices like bird-watching, community building, and intergenerational connection can help us relate to our bodies in more compassionate and expansive ways.
This episode offers wisdom, curiosity, and a perspective you might not have heard before, especially if you’re navigating trauma, exploring your relationship with your body and aging, or looking for new ways to slow down and feel more present in your life.
Resources shared by Sarah:
The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Virginia Sole-Smith
Burnt Toast Podcast
“You are Not Considered a Whole Person After a Certain Age” episode of Burnt Toast
Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
Let’s end ageism TedTalk
Audubon Society
Greater KC Chapter of Audubon Society website and instagram
Sarah’s Contact Info:
https://www.wonderwithincounseling.com/Sign up for her quarterly(ish) newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of her amazing work!
Lili’s Contact Info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcastwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.
If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

How to Connect Through Storytelling with Justin Barron

In this episode of In Between Sessions, host Lili Torre, LPC, explores the surprising connection between tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) and mental health. She’s joined by performer, parent, and founder of Tipsy Bard KC, Justin Barron, who shares how TTRPGs like Dungeons & Dragons have helped him build community, encourage vulnerability, and create meaningful immersive experiences for others.
Listeners will also hear insights from Darbi Keene, LCSW and Certified Therapeutic Game Master, who uses TTRPGs in her clinical work with neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ clients. Together, these conversations reveal the therapeutic potential of play, and why fantasy worlds can help us grow, heal, and connect in real life.
Resources for finding a therapist:
Psychology Today
Therapist.com
Mental Health Match
 
Justin’s Contact Info:
Website: tipsybardkc.com
Instagram: @TipsyBardKC
TikTok: @TipsyBardKC
Upcoming Tipsy Bard Events:
Sept. 20th: Return to the fun and fantastical world of Camp Wannarollacrit to explore the "Dungeon of the Death Flame." Expect tons of amazing minis and terrain, fun outdoor activities to earn scout badges, and of course, a unique homemade adventure requiring teamwork and the power of friendship to prevail! All are welcome - regardless of experience level. 
Oct. 5th: Venture into the exciting new Daggerheart system for "Into the Witherwild", a dark and whimsical world of magic and danger. The focus for this event will be on learning/teaching the system in a safe space with themed food, drink, and music. Jump on board for what many are calling the next D&D. 
Tickets for both of these events are on sale now at tipsybardkc.com. While there, be sure to sign up for their newsletter so you don't miss future events!
 
Darbi’s Contact Info: 
Fill out a consultation form at www.walkingwithwildflowers.com 
Reach out directly via email at walkingwithwildflowersllc@gmail.com
 
Lili’s Contact Info:
Email - inbetweensessionspod@gmail.comInstagram: @inbetweensessionspodcastwww.lilitorrecounseling.com - reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult for therapy!
The conversations on this podcast are meant to support, inspire, and inform, but they’re not a substitute for therapy or medical care. Listening to this show doesn’t create a therapeutic relationship. If something you hear resonates and you’d like more support, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your area.
You can search for a therapist at psychologytoday.com.
If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.