What happens when a concert becomes more than entertainment: it becomes an experience that makes people feel seen?

In this episode of Beyond the Window, hosts Sharon Wner and Jennifer Enriquez sit down with Carrie Simmons, LMFT, a clinician-turned-musician whose story blends recovery, creativity, and self-mastery in a way that’s both raw and inspiring.

Carrie shares her journey from a rebellious, angry teen searching for belonging to navigating addiction, reinvention, and sobriety: all while building a creative life in Los Angeles. Along the way, she recounts a bold Hollywood moment that says everything about her personality: pulling over on Sunset Boulevard to rap for Dr. Dre.

The conversation also explores how Carrie uses music and performance to create a safe, welcoming space where people can feel connected, drop the mask, and remember they’re not alone. This is a powerful episode about turning pain into purpose, embracing vulnerability, and building a life rooted in truth, community, and hope.

In This Episode, We Cover

• Clinician to musician: how Carrie’s path evolved
• The Whiskey a Go Go show that felt “therapeutic” to the audience
• Identity, belonging, and finding your voice
• Addiction, sobriety, and the work behind long-term change
• Why vulnerability, community, and spiritual discipline matter in healing
• Turning pain into purpose, and using creativity to give back

Guest Links: Carrie Simmons
Instagram: @carriesimmonsofficial
Website: carriersimmonsofficial.com
YouTube: Carrie Simmons Channel

About Beyond the Window
Beyond the Window is a podcast from La Ventana Treatment Programs, featuring conversations about mental health, recovery, and real stories of transformation.

La Ventana Treatment Programs
Learn more: loveatreatment.com

Disclaimer
This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What does it really take to support men's mental health? In this episode of Beyond the Window, we go inside La Ventana Treatment Programs with the people on the front lines.

Hear from Clinical Directors Bryce Colvard, LMFT and Carla Fernandez, LCSW, Staff Trainer Allison Silipigni, and Mental Health Technician Joshua Peraza as they pull back the curtain on their work. They share raw stories about breaking down stigma, why "anger is just the surface emotion," and the transformative power of holding a boundary with empathy.

This is a candid look at the challenges, breakthroughs, and human connection that define modern mental health treatment.

Listen to discover:

• How to see past surface-level behaviors (like anger) to the real issues.
• The unique experience of women and men working in men's mental health.
• Why a "safe space" is built on structure and boundaries, not just comfort.
• The powerful, reparative work that helps clients rewrite their stories.

#MensMentalHealth #MentalHealthPodcast #Therapy #BreakTheStigma #LaVentana

Why do our children's actions trigger us so deeply? Our CCO, Sharon Volner, LMFT sits down with renowned clinician Dr. Bahareh Talei, Psy.D. for a game-changing conversation that flips the script on parenting. We explore the profound idea that our kids' behavior is often not a personal attack, but a mirror reflecting our own unmet needs and childhood wounds.

Dr. Talei offers her direct, compassionate wisdom on how to break the cycle of projection, stop taking things personally, and learn to parent the child you actually have—not the one you're trying to heal through. We tackle tough topics like setting boundaries without guilt, why doing your teen's homework (or college applications) hurts them, and how to move from reactive parenting to responsive understanding.

This episode is a must-listen for any parent, guardian, or caregiver who wants to build a healthier, more resilient relationship with their child—whether that child is 15 or 50.

Key Topics:

• Why we take our children's behavior personally
• Healing your own wounds so you don't pass them on
• The danger of over-involvement (helicopter parenting)
• The importance of letting kids fail (especially in middle school!)
• How to model emotional regulation and accountability
• Practical steps to parent from a place of understanding, not reaction

Find Dr. Bahareh Talei, Psy.D.
https://www.centerdcs.com/
https://www.hiveofhope.org/

Learn more about our treatment programs:
https://laventanatreatment.com/