Transforming Trauma: Episode 173

Therapists and healers often find themselves navigating the weight of their clients’ trauma—and sometimes their own. But what happens when a psychiatrist places the therapeutic relationship and reflective inquiry at the heart of healing, not just for the client, but for themselves? In this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth sits down with Dr. David Puder to explore the rewarding and relentless work of trauma treatment, from reshaping health-based identity to the deep waters of dissociation and dreams.

On this episode, Dr. Puder, psychiatrist and host of the Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast, invites listeners into a candid conversation about the realities of clinical work and the vital power of connection. He recounts how a late-career pivot led him to psychiatry and the mentorship that shaped his practice: “He was just such a warm, loving human being…I was just on the edge of my seat, trying to grasp the depths of human connection and decreasing shame.” Together, Emily and Dr. Puder trace his journey from medical wards to running complex trauma programs, breaking down how patients with psychosomatic or dissociative disorders can inadvertently come to define themselves by illness. Dr. Puder shares, “So when they come into therapy…we try to not give the illness as much attention and look at the strengths.”

Dr. David Puder, a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist, leads Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, PLLC in Winter Park, Florida. He is renowned for his integrative approach, balancing lifestyle, medication, and psychotherapy. As the creator of the Microexpression Training Program on “Emotion Connection,” founder of Mental Health Education & Research, and developer of the “Connection Index,” he is passionate about training clinicians and improving patient outcomes. Dr. Puder hosts the Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast and is active on social media as @Dr.DavidPuder and @DavidPuder. More at psychiatrypsychotherapypllc.com.

The conversation reaches into the heart of developmental trauma, the function and experience of dissociation across the lifespan, and the way clinicians’ own histories and countertransference can become sources of insight or obstacles. Dr. Puder weaves together attachment research, clinical stories, and personal practices, such as centering strengths or encouraging patients—and even his own family—to ground identity beyond pathology. “In my family…whenever we’re at a birthday party, me and my wife say, ‘let’s go around and say something about this person that we appreciate.’ And that’s the identity of this person, right?”

A key theme is the importance of reflective function, both in clinicians and clients. “What makes a great therapist is reflective function,” Dr. Puder notes, explaining how the capacity to ask and answer “why” questions about one’s own story powerfully predicts therapeutic outcome. He’s candid about countertransference, enactment, and the real emotional labor clinicians face: “It’s very normal to enter into an enactment with a client…don’t feel bad that you get pulled into the enactment, but process the enactment in your own therapy.” Practical strategies for working with dissociation, integrating dreams, and revitalizing supervision round out the dialogue, emphasizing that curiosity and connection undergird both healing and growth.

Throughout, gratitude for the shared journey and unsparing honesty in facing suffering shine through. “We are together suffering in a sense. Most of my week is seeing patients, and even if I was more successful, I probably would continue to do that,” Dr. Puder reflects. Emily echoes this spirit of inquiry and humility, inviting us all—clinicians and clients alike—to keep learning, stay curious, and root identity in what is life-giving.

 

GUEST BIO

Dr. David Puder is a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in Winter Park, Florida, leading a private outpatient practice at Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, PLLC. He holds medical licenses in CA, TX, SC, KY, and FL. Dr. Puder is the creator of the Microexpression Training Program on “Emotion Connection,” founder of the non-profit Mental Health Education & Research, and developer of the “Connection Index.” He hosts the Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast and is recognized for his holistic approach, integrating lifestyle, medication, and psychotherapy. Connect: @Dr.DavidPuder (Instagram/Facebook), @DavidPuder (X). Website: psychiatrypsychotherapypllc.com.