Lisa Kays
@lisakays.bsky.social
Shift Happens Collective | Therapist/Social Worker | Co-host: What If Nothing’s Wrong With You? podcast | #stopASWB | Mom | Sober | Comedy & Improv | Therapy, groups, and supervision
This interview I did on the intersections of improv, therapy and decolonization is being re-aired! If you're interested in any of those things, feel free to have a listen now that it's back at the top of the feed again on the Therapist Uncensored podcast.
December 16, 2025 at 3:31 PM
This interview I did on the intersections of improv, therapy and decolonization is being re-aired! If you're interested in any of those things, feel free to have a listen now that it's back at the top of the feed again on the Therapist Uncensored podcast.
New episode drop! We discuss apologizing and way more, from privilege and power to our culture's bizarre messaging around it not being oaky sometimes to just not forgive and/or leave when someone has harmed you.
December 12, 2025 at 3:41 PM
New episode drop! We discuss apologizing and way more, from privilege and power to our culture's bizarre messaging around it not being oaky sometimes to just not forgive and/or leave when someone has harmed you.
If a child doesn't like to do something, there's a reason. It's not because they're lazy or difficult. Human brains are wired for new experiences because that's how we learn about life. When we don't like something, it means we're in protection against it.
December 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
If a child doesn't like to do something, there's a reason. It's not because they're lazy or difficult. Human brains are wired for new experiences because that's how we learn about life. When we don't like something, it means we're in protection against it.
Group therapy often accelerates individual work by bringing dynamics into the room that people spend their whole lives avoiding. It's messier than individual therapy: less controlled, more spontaneous—and that's exactly why it can be so effective.
December 2, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Group therapy often accelerates individual work by bringing dynamics into the room that people spend their whole lives avoiding. It's messier than individual therapy: less controlled, more spontaneous—and that's exactly why it can be so effective.
Some thoughts about the connections between improv and clinical hypnosis in my latest post on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
November 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Some thoughts about the connections between improv and clinical hypnosis in my latest post on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
Here's what might surprise you: Research consistently shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy—sometimes more so. Irvin Yalom has documented this over 60 years of controlled studies.
November 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Here's what might surprise you: Research consistently shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy—sometimes more so. Irvin Yalom has documented this over 60 years of controlled studies.
What Is a Healthy Relationship?
This may sound obvious, but for many people, especially those socialized as women, this question gets blurry fast. A healthy relationship is mutual. Collaborative. Safe.
This may sound obvious, but for many people, especially those socialized as women, this question gets blurry fast. A healthy relationship is mutual. Collaborative. Safe.
November 5, 2025 at 5:57 PM
What Is a Healthy Relationship?
This may sound obvious, but for many people, especially those socialized as women, this question gets blurry fast. A healthy relationship is mutual. Collaborative. Safe.
This may sound obvious, but for many people, especially those socialized as women, this question gets blurry fast. A healthy relationship is mutual. Collaborative. Safe.
New ep drop! We answer a lovely listener's ? about if monogamy can be a good thing (the answer is yes, sometimes, of course, because many things are true at once!) and explore some ways to think about protecting your attention and using it as a force of good for you, and maybe even the world!
November 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM
New ep drop! We answer a lovely listener's ? about if monogamy can be a good thing (the answer is yes, sometimes, of course, because many things are true at once!) and explore some ways to think about protecting your attention and using it as a force of good for you, and maybe even the world!
I was recently led to remember leading a workshop at a recent professional conference called Improvisation for Decolonization. I had no idea when I proposed the workshop that October 7 would happen before I would offer it, meaning that when it was time to lead, I was unsure what I was walking into.
October 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I was recently led to remember leading a workshop at a recent professional conference called Improvisation for Decolonization. I had no idea when I proposed the workshop that October 7 would happen before I would offer it, meaning that when it was time to lead, I was unsure what I was walking into.
I taught improv for about a decade because it was profoundly healing for me—something I felt deeply as I began my MSW. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I knew improv and social work were connected.
October 24, 2025 at 3:37 PM
I taught improv for about a decade because it was profoundly healing for me—something I felt deeply as I began my MSW. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I knew improv and social work were connected.
If you’re curious about whether group psychotherapy may be the right fit for you, here are a few principles/themes from Irvin Yalom that group therapy helps provide:
October 22, 2025 at 4:41 PM
If you’re curious about whether group psychotherapy may be the right fit for you, here are a few principles/themes from Irvin Yalom that group therapy helps provide:
As times get tighter financially, group therapy is an excellent--and misunderstood--option for many. Evidence shows it is often as effective as individual psychotherapy, and has the benefit of costing less to participants while covering therapist labor.
October 15, 2025 at 2:03 PM
As times get tighter financially, group therapy is an excellent--and misunderstood--option for many. Evidence shows it is often as effective as individual psychotherapy, and has the benefit of costing less to participants while covering therapist labor.
Episode drop! Just in time for Halloween and spooky season, horror stories, therapy style!
shifthappenscollective.com/podcast
shifthappenscollective.com/podcast
October 11, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Episode drop! Just in time for Halloween and spooky season, horror stories, therapy style!
shifthappenscollective.com/podcast
shifthappenscollective.com/podcast
My latest Substack, wherein I go to water aerobics and drive to work and end up on a cautionary journey through blame, projection, and the importance of assessing power and systemic issues before we turn on the annoying person next to us.
shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/before-poi...
shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/before-poi...
October 1, 2025 at 7:18 PM
My latest Substack, wherein I go to water aerobics and drive to work and end up on a cautionary journey through blame, projection, and the importance of assessing power and systemic issues before we turn on the annoying person next to us.
shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/before-poi...
shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/before-poi...
As new President Elect of the Board of MAGPS, I am thrilled to invite you to consider this upcoming conference in Baltimore. MAGPS is a wonderful conference for learning about and experiencing group therapy skills and dynamics, but it's also relevant for any therapist or social worker! Join us!
September 24, 2025 at 4:33 PM
As new President Elect of the Board of MAGPS, I am thrilled to invite you to consider this upcoming conference in Baltimore. MAGPS is a wonderful conference for learning about and experiencing group therapy skills and dynamics, but it's also relevant for any therapist or social worker! Join us!
In this episode, we discuss a relatively new treatment for depression, ketamine, as well as the power and importance of friends in our lives. We also discuss how and why our culture doesn't support the value and importance of friends. Fight fascism...make friends! And more, in this episode...
September 23, 2025 at 4:44 PM
In this episode, we discuss a relatively new treatment for depression, ketamine, as well as the power and importance of friends in our lives. We also discuss how and why our culture doesn't support the value and importance of friends. Fight fascism...make friends! And more, in this episode...
Feeling tired, depleted, exhausted, or like you can't keep up? This tool may help you explore if that's a "me" problem or something bigger going on with how the world around you is supporting you.
open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
August 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Feeling tired, depleted, exhausted, or like you can't keep up? This tool may help you explore if that's a "me" problem or something bigger going on with how the world around you is supporting you.
open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
open.substack.com/pub/shifthap...
Two GenX therapists raised by Boomers and who see many of their children in therapy discuss this perplexing generation and offer some theories, guesses, and perspectives. Links to the full episode here: open.substack.com/pub/winwwu/p...
August 20, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Two GenX therapists raised by Boomers and who see many of their children in therapy discuss this perplexing generation and offer some theories, guesses, and perspectives. Links to the full episode here: open.substack.com/pub/winwwu/p...
Need a therapist in Virginia? Our new associate, Robyn Gearey, may be a good fit for you. We're so glad she's joining us next month at the Shift Happens Collective!
August 13, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Need a therapist in Virginia? Our new associate, Robyn Gearey, may be a good fit for you. We're so glad she's joining us next month at the Shift Happens Collective!
Women are not only silencing themselves to a great degree, but we're often not letting our friends or therapists know what's really going on with us. The reason? Patriarchy, of course. More here: shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/are-you-tr...
July 30, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Women are not only silencing themselves to a great degree, but we're often not letting our friends or therapists know what's really going on with us. The reason? Patriarchy, of course. More here: shifthappenscollective.substack.com/p/are-you-tr...
In Episode 23, we get into therapy terms that are sometimes not used correctly, and why we think that is. Join us to learn more about boundaries, narcissism/toxic people, depression, trauma bonding, and more! Substack summary: open.substack.com/pub/winwwu/p...
July 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
In Episode 23, we get into therapy terms that are sometimes not used correctly, and why we think that is. Join us to learn more about boundaries, narcissism/toxic people, depression, trauma bonding, and more! Substack summary: open.substack.com/pub/winwwu/p...
New substack article with resources on choosing a therapist now available, also with a link to the workshop I'm co-leading this Saturday on Zoom with @lsherper.bsky.social on relationship education for women in heterosexual relationships. Spots still open if you want to register!
July 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
New substack article with resources on choosing a therapist now available, also with a link to the workshop I'm co-leading this Saturday on Zoom with @lsherper.bsky.social on relationship education for women in heterosexual relationships. Spots still open if you want to register!
Online dating! People shopping! What a strange thing to do! And yet, it's hard to date or find friends these days without doing it! What to do? We have thoughts! Episode summary here, or listen to me and @pauladatkinson.bsky.social blab on anywhere you listen to your podcasts! tinyurl.com/bdd7bp8a
June 30, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Online dating! People shopping! What a strange thing to do! And yet, it's hard to date or find friends these days without doing it! What to do? We have thoughts! Episode summary here, or listen to me and @pauladatkinson.bsky.social blab on anywhere you listen to your podcasts! tinyurl.com/bdd7bp8a
A brilliant piece by my colleague, Lisa Sherper, LICSW, LCSW, LCSW-C, on her reflections on heterosexual marriages after years as a couple's counselor and therapist to women and men. She and I are collaborating on the upcoming workshop,
June 18, 2025 at 2:53 PM
A brilliant piece by my colleague, Lisa Sherper, LICSW, LCSW, LCSW-C, on her reflections on heterosexual marriages after years as a couple's counselor and therapist to women and men. She and I are collaborating on the upcoming workshop,
Some parents are out here doing what some call "next level parenting," and it's much less about their kids, and much more about how unaccommodating our culture is to different ways of being, different learning styles, different developmental speeds and paths.
June 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Some parents are out here doing what some call "next level parenting," and it's much less about their kids, and much more about how unaccommodating our culture is to different ways of being, different learning styles, different developmental speeds and paths.