About this episode
If the holidays leave you feeling more stressed than joyful, you’re not alone. In this episode, Sarah talks with Kati Morton, licensed therapist and author of Why Do I Keep Doing This? about the real reasons holiday anxiety shows up—and what you can do about it. From family dynamics to people-pleasing to the pressure of packed schedules, Kati shares practical tools to help you feel calmer and more in control this season. Kati Morton is a licensed therapist (LMFT), bestselling author, and longtime mental health educator who has spent more than a decade helping people make sense of their emotions. Her third book, Why Do I Keep Doing This? (December 9, 2025, Hachette), explores the emotional loops we know aren’t helping us and what it actually takes to change them. Since launching her YouTube channel in 2011, Kati has built a global community of over 1.5 million subscribers and 156 million views. What began as a quiet effort to explain therapy online has become a trusted resource for people navigating trauma, anxiety, self-harm, and emotional overwhelm. Her calm, clear approach has made her a consistent voice in a space that changes constantly. Kati’s work often reaches far beyond digital platforms. In the past year, she’s been at the center of two viral cultural moments: her TODAY Show segment on “eldest daughter syndrome,” which went viral and was later covered by Vogue , and her appearance on Pod Meets World , where she guided the cast of Boy Meets World through a raw conversation about trauma on set. Kati has been featured on top-rated shows such as TODAY Show, CNN , E! News, CBS The Doctors, Dr. Phil, and The Dr. Drew Show, she has also appeared in numerous prestigious digital outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter, Glamour UK, Bustle, INSIDER, HUFFPOST, and many more. Kati also hosts the long-running podcast Ask Kati Anything , featuring guests like Khalyla Kuhn, Shane Dawson, and Rosanna Pansino, and speaks regularly for companies like Google, YouTube, and Unilever on emotional resilience and trauma literacy. At her core, Kati makes big emotions feel understandable and reminds people they’re not broken for feeling what they feel. For more information, go to www.KatiMorton.com Follow Kati Morton on Yo