Ask Kati Anything is a weekly mental health podcast where licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, takes deep dives into the complexities of human psychology, relationships, and emotional well-being.
If you are navigating daily anxiety, healing from trauma, or simply trying to understand your own mind, Kati brings over 12 years of private practice experience and the warmth of her 1.5 million+ YouTube community straight to your headphones. This isnât a therapy podcastâitâs an educational, judgment-free space designed to unpack heavy topics so you never have to feel alone with your struggles.
Each episode breaks down specific psychological themes, utilizing listener submissions and real-world experiences to ground clinical concepts into actionable insights.
Core Topics & Deep Dives Include:
Anxiety & Neurodiversity: Panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, OCD, and ADHD.
Mood & Mental Health Conditions: Depression, PTSD, BPD, and eating disorders.
Relationships & Behavior: Attachment styles, narcissistic abuse, boundaries, and self-esteem.
Clinical Tools & Frameworks: Evidence-based CBT and DBT skills, healing childhood trauma, and navigating the process of starting therapy.
Whether you are currently in therapy, considering it, or just looking for deeper self-awareness, this show treats the real struggles of real people like they matter. Because they do.
Hit follow to join the community and never miss a weekly episode.
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Navigating attachment dynamics and discussing sensitive, taboo topics in therapy can feel daunting, but understanding how your attachment style influences your mental health is a major step toward healing. In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton dives deep into attachment theory, explaining the four primary attachment stylesâsecure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganizedâand how they shape your adult relationships and sessions with your therapist. Kati also addresses how to bring up political differences or uncomfortable topics without fear of judgment, and answers your most pressing community questions.
Timestamps
00:00 - Episode Overview
00:46 - Discussing Uncomfortable & Taboo Topics in Therapy
01:59 - Political Polarization, Media Rage-Bait, and Safe Spaces
07:57 - Why Therapists Keep Personal Opinions Private
15:02 - Examples of Kinks, Religion, and Money in Therapy
18:42 - What is Attachment Theory?
20:35 - "What If You Never Tried to Attach to Your Parents?"
Thank you to this week's sponsors!
REBOUND: visit www.hellorebound.com/askkatianything & check your insurance or get matched with a therapist
ONESKIN: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code KATI at www.oneskin.co/KATI
25:48 - The 4 Attachment Styles in Relationships
28:22 - How Attachment Styles Show Up Under Stress
35:35 - Getting Too Attached to Your Therapist
42:11 - Feeling Lost When Your Therapist Goes on Vacation
46:27 - Red Flag: When a Therapist Shares Their Own Personal Drama
53:38 - Rebuttal: Is the Therapeutic Relationship Transactional or Dangerous?
01:00:23 - Healing Your Attachment Blueprint and Final Thoughts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton
My main YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1
Ask Kati Anything ep. 325 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
PUBLISHED BOOKS
Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY
ONLINE THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati - Enjoy 10% off your first month!
(this is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you)
SOCIAL
X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/
Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/
https://www.youtube.com/@askkatianything
https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Your Eating Disorder Is Never Actually About Food
Episode 324
Thursday, July 23, 2026 ⢠Duration 01:11:20
In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed therapist Kati Morton breaks down why eating disorders are rarely actually about the food or your body. We look at whatâs really happening behind the strict rules, rituals, and need for control, and how these behaviors often show up as survival mechanisms to protect us from deeper stress, trauma, and overwhelm. Whether youâre struggling with restrictive eating, binging, purging, orthorexia, or just feel completely exhausted by your relationship with food, this conversation is here to give you clarity, reduce the shame, and help you understand what your brain is actually trying to tell you.
REBOUND: visit www.hellorebound.com/askkatianything & check your insurance or get matched with a therapistONESKIN: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code KATI at www.oneskin.co/KATI
00:00 - Why eating disorders aren't actually about food
00:40 - Pica: Eating non-food items & nutrient deficiencies
05:41 - ARFID: Sensory food avoidance without body dysmorphia
11:13 - Rumination Disorder: Regurgitation & unspoken shame
14:13 - Anorexia Nervosa: Energy restriction & body checking
17:16 - Bulimia Nervosa: Binging, purging & compensatory rules
20:59 - Binge Eating Disorder: Rapid eating, guilt & secrecy
23:56 - Orthorexia: When clean eating & rules run your life
30:43 - Why eating disorders are actually survival mechanisms
49:35 - How loved ones can offer support without triggering shame
MY BOOKS
Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY
ONLINE THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)
This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are You Too Attached to Your Therapist?
Episode 323
Thursday, July 16, 2026 ⢠Duration 56:16
Do you think about your therapist between sessions? Check their social media? Spiral when they cancel? A licensed therapist explains why attachment to your therapist happens, why it's actually part of the process, and the exact signs that tell you when it's crossed into unhealthy territory.
In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton breaks down the therapeutic relationship: the single strongest predictor of whether therapy actually works. She answers listener questions about feeling "creepy" for looking up their therapist, why therapy can feel transactional and fake, and what therapists are really noticing about you in session. Then she walks through the attachment ladder, the four stages that explain why your therapist starts to feel like the only person who truly gets you, and closes with a complete checklist of healthy vs. unhealthy therapeutic relationship signs.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 What is the therapeutic relationship?
1:21 The #1 predictor of successful therapy
2:26 Q1: "I'm attached to my therapist and feel like a creep"
5:52 Attachment wounds: why your therapist fills the void
11:54 What your therapist is actually noticing in session
15:20 Q2: "I feel closer to my therapist than anyone in my life"
16:56 The attachment ladder: 4 stages of attaching to your therapist
23:13 Q3: "Therapy feels transactional and the care feels bought"
28:21 Why you need to put the phone down and just think
31:17 Q4: "My therapist rescheduled and I spiraled for days"
32:47 What a therapist's role actually is (and isn't)
35:25 Signs of a HEALTHY therapeutic relationship
42:17 Signs of an UNHEALTHY therapeutic relationship
49:08 Why boundaries in therapy matter so much
53:06 How to make sure therapy works for you
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY â REBOUNDâ
Rebound offers virtual, evidence-based treatment for PTSD with trauma-specialist therapists, in-network with most major insurance plans in all 50 states. Check your insurance or get matched: Head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything to check your insurance or get matched with a therapist.
RESEARCH & RESOURCES
Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Relationship https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK608012/
Perceived therapist genuineness predicts therapeutic alliance in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis
https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjc.12059
The Relationship Between Attachment Needs, Earned Secure
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2025-18086-004.html
Client and Therapist Attachment Styles and Working Alliance
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cpp.1944
The experience of closeness and distance in the therapeutic relationship of patients with different attachment classifications https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1029783/full
â â â ASK KATI YOUR QUESTION
Leave your question in the comments below and it may be answered on an upcoming episode.
MY BOOKS & WORKSHOPS https://katimorton.com
THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati - Enjoy 10% off your first month!
(this is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you)SOCIALS
X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/
Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/
Main YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1
Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-kati-anything/id1502476673
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7itqbvflj0Q9IUDqOF5NST
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
DISCLAIMER
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
#therapy #mentalhealth #katimorton
Ask Kati Anything ep. 323 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
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Why Youâre Exhausted Even When "Nothing" is Wrong
Episode 322
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 ⢠Duration 52:16
Do you sleep enough and live a balanced life on paper, yet still feel completely wiped out by Tuesday? You aren't "bad at adulting"âyour nervous system is likely dealing with an invisible, compounded burden.
In this episode, we break down the three overlapping systems that drive modern exhaustion: cognitive load from constant decision fatigue, emotional labor from managing the people around us, and threat system exhaustion caused by chronic hyper-vigilance. We also discuss why physical sleep cannot fix cognitive or emotional burnout, how perimenopause/menopause can stack onto these existing stressors, and why our modern "always-on" remote culture is making it harder to disconnect. Learn how to reclaim your energy by setting better boundaries, creating end-of-day rituals, and giving your brain the "boredom" it desperately needs to recover.
Mentioned in this episode:
⢠The impact of cognitive load and "context switching"
⢠Why "people pleasing" is a form of exhausting emotional labor
⢠Understanding threat system exhaustion and hyper-vigilance
⢠The role of hormone changes (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) in energy levels â¨
⢠Tips for creating effective end-of-day work/life boundaries
3 Key Topics/Chapters:
⢠04:15: The Reality of Cognitive Load & Decision Fatigue
⢠10:30: Why Emotional Labor and People Pleasing Drains You
⢠19:14: Threat System Exhaustion: When Your Body Braces for Danger
Support Our Sponsors
⢠BiOptimizers - Heat and summer travel can deplete your body's magnesium, making it harder to recover and relax đ Get 15% off your entire order + a FREE travel-size bottle of Digestive Enzymes: â https://bioptimizers.com/kati use code: KATI
⢠Rebound - Trauma doesnât just fade on its own. If youâve been hitting a wall in your life or relationships, Rebound offers virtual, evidence-based treatment from trauma specialists who are in-network with most major insurance plans. đ Check your insurance or get matched with a specialist: â http://hellorebound.com/askkatianything
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapy or medical advice.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Your Attempts to Fix Your Relationships Are Making It Worse
Episode 321
Thursday, July 2, 2026 ⢠Duration 01:12:57
Have you ever felt like youâre trying so hard to communicate, but the harder you try, the more things seem to fall apart? Whether itâs that heavy feeling of being misunderstood, the exhausting cycle of the silent treatment, or the fear that youâre accidentally pushing the people you love awayâI want you to know: you aren't broken.
Most of us are just running on a communication "blueprint" we didn't choose. In todayâs episode, weâre peeling back the layers of why we fall into these traps. Weâre talking about:
Why "stonewalling" and passive aggression are actually defense mechanisms (not just "bad behavior").
The difference between being "anxious" versus "avoidant" in a conflict.
How to use the DEAR MAN technique to finally ask for what you need.
Why "repairing" after a fight is actually more important than being perfect.
You don't have to be perfect to have a healthy relationship. You just need to be willing to learn a different way.
Episode Sponsor:
Reddit - Interested in finding a community that you really love and can trust? Download the Reddit app today!
Mentioned in this episode:
Why Do I Keep Doing This?
My Substack
Gottman Institute Research on The Four Horsemen
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The New Science of Depression: Brain Wiring, Inflammation, and Rewiring Your System
Thursday, June 25, 2026 ⢠Duration 50:45
Why does your brain feel like it's working against you when you're depressed? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton answers deep viewer questions to unpack what is actively happening in the body and brain during depressive episodes and periods of suicidal ideation.
We challenge the traditional "chemical imbalance" framework to look at the modern science of mental health: how different regions of the brain communicate, why your HPA axis can get stuck in a chronic stress response, and the clinical data pointing to systemic inflammation as a primary driver of depressive symptoms. Plus, Kati breaks down the absolute differences between clinical depression, situational sadness, grief, and passive vs. active suicidal thoughts.
What We Cover:
The DSM-5 Checklist: The 9 diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder.
The Serotonin Myth: Why modern psychiatric research is moving away from looking at single chemical levels.
The Inflammation Connection: Active clinical trials utilizing anti-inflammatory pathways to treat mental health.
Your Audio Action Plan: How to implement behavioral activation, circadian light exposure protocols, and cognitive tools to stop internal negative loops.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: Go to hellorebound.com/AskKatiAnything to check your insurance or get matched with a virtual trauma specialist today. Real, evidence-based trauma treatment is within reach.
If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, please call or text 988 (US) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. In the UK, you can reach the Samaritans at 116 123. You do not have to fight this alone.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Panic Attacks? Why Your Body Thinks Youâre Dying
Episode 319
Friday, June 19, 2026 ⢠Duration 47:21
Do you feel like you're spiraling when your heart starts racing? Kati Morton breaks down why your body is misinterpreting normal sensations as a threat and how you can break the loop.
In this episode of Ask Katie Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton explores the reality of panic disorder and why it feels so physically life-threatening. We discuss the seven stages of the panic loop, the "suffocation alarm" theory developed by Donald Klein, and why typical advice like "just breathe" can sometimes make anxiety worse. You'll learn specific, science-backed grounding techniquesâincluding the temperature shock method, vagus nerve stimulation, and the "labeling" techniqueâto help you navigate moments of high intensity.
Episode Sponsors
BiOptimizers - If you're ready to finally sleep great and feel like yourself again, head to https://bioptimizers.com/kati and use my exclusive code KATI to get 15% off any order.
Reddit - Interested in finding a community that you really love and can trust? Download the Reddit app today!
Rebound - Offering virtual treatment for PTSD. Rebound is not a general therapy app where trauma is just one checkbox. Their therapists are trauma specialists. Head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything to check your insurance or get matched with a therapist
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Why Panic Feels Like Dying
00:36 - Defining Panic Disorder: DSM Criteria
04:59 - The Difference Between Panic & Anxiety Attacks
08:05 - Is Your Heart Fluttering Normal?
14:21 - The 7 Stages of the Panic Loop
19:16 - Why Fighting Panic Often Backfires
25:23 - The "Suffocation Alarm" Research
34:12 - Homework: Labeling Your Sensations
38:29 - Grounding Tools: Cold Water & Vagus Nerve
42:17 - Community Success Stories & Tips
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How to Spot Toxic Friendships & Make Adult Friends
Episode 318
Thursday, June 11, 2026 ⢠Duration 01:01:10
Welcome back to another episode of Ask Kati Anything! In this episode, we are testing out our new single-topic format and diving deep into a topic you requested: adult friendships.
Are your friendships truly fulfilling, or are you staying in them simply because they are familiar? As we get older, our social dynamics change drastically. Today, we are breaking down the psychological differences between connections that are healthy and those that are just comfortable... because comfortable doesn't always mean healthy.
The Red Flags: How to spot an unhealthy friendship, including passive-aggressive digs disguised as "honesty," scorekeeping, loyalty tests, and a total lack of reciprocity.
The Green Flags: What a healthy, mutually supportive friendship actually looks like, from conflict resolution and repair to being able to celebrate each other's wins.
"Letting Out the Rope": A visualization tool to help you gracefully pull back from one-sided relationships without dramatic confrontation.
Making Friends as an Adult: Actionable strategies to beat the loneliness epidemic using proximity, repetition, and the scientific "50-Hour Rule" to turn acquaintances into true friends.
The Physical Toll of Ambivalence: Fascinating research from the University of Utah revealing how "ambivalent" friendships (people you have mixed positive and negative feelings about) cause higher cardiovascular stress and blood pressure spikes than consistently negative ones.
00:00 - Introduction: The Reality of Adult Friendships
02:24 - Is Your Friendship Healthy, or Just Comfortable?
05:33 - Spotting the Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship
14:55 - Sponsor Break: Rebound
16:47 - The Green Flags: What True Connection Looks Like
25:59 - When to Stay vs. When to Walk Away
38:15 - Setting Realistic Expectations with Friends
45:55 - Actionable Tips for Making New Friends (The 50-Hour Rule)
54:12 - Psychological Research: How Ambivalent Friends Harm Your Health
Today's Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by Rebound, offering virtual, evidence-based trauma treatment with specialized therapists. Rebound is in-network with most major insurance plans across all 50 states. You deserve a therapist who truly understands what you've been through. Go to hellorebound.com/askkatianything to check your insurance and get matched today!
Join the Conversation: What resonated with you the most in this episode? Do you have any friendship "green flags" to add? Let me know your thoughts and leave your questions for next week's episode in the comments below! Have a wonderful week, do your homework, and report back!
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Rewriting Your Family Blueprint: Hypervigilance, Weaponized Worry, and Reclaiming Your Energy with Alison Canavan
Episode 317
Friday, June 5, 2026 ⢠Duration 01:36:16
On this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton is joined by globally recognized keynote speaker and wellness expert Alison Canavan. Alison is the creator of the Energy Bank Method, a framework built on the foundational belief that human energyânot timeâis our absolute most valuable currency.
In this raw and insightful conversation, Alison shares her transformative journey through the high-pressure international modeling industry as a teenager, navigating addiction, recovering from severe burnout, and addressing systemic mental health challenges. Together, Kati and Alison pull back the curtain on generational family gaslighting and look closely at why so many of us grow up treating constant anxiety and hypervigilance as a badge of love. They unpack the toxic trap of learned compliance, look at the overlapping clinical symptoms of anxiety, ADHD, and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), and explain why passive family systems leave adults entirely blind to the process of proper conflict repair.
Tune in to discover how to stop playing an active role in your own ongoing suffering, how to shift from default nervous system reactivity into a state of presence, and how to rewrite your emotional blueprint using non-judgmental awareness.
Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything
⢠Rebound - virtual treatment for PTSD. Please visit https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything
⢠Reddit - Download the Reddit app today!
More Alison Caravan!
https://alisoncanavan.com/
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Why Over-Giving is Ruining Your Health & Relationships
Episode 316
Thursday, May 28, 2026 ⢠Duration 55:23
Do you constantly over-do, over-give, and over-perform to "earn your keep" in your relationships? On this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton transitions to an all-new, single-topic format to take a deep, evidence-based dive into the world of over-functioning.
Through real community stories and personal reflections, Kati maps out the 6-stage cycle that leads from automatic over-giving straight into quiet resentment, eventual blowups, and toxic guilt. But this isnât just an emotional burden. Kati shares fascinating, decades-spanning clinical researchâincluding the concept of "unmitigated communion," a 7-year study following 1,340 couples, and a chilling 2022 medical study linking "self-silencing" directly to physical cardiovascular risks like carotid plaque.
If your body is carrying what your mouth refuses to say, it is time to break the loop. Tune in to get a clear, 4-step actionable framework to practice "deliberate under-functioning," express specific needs, and tolerate the discomfort of choosing growth over chronic exhaustion.
Chapters:
00:00 - A New Format for Ask Kati Anything
02:00 - What is Over-Functioning? Community Stories
04:00 - Fawning, People-Pleasing, and the Need to Feel Safe
07:40 - Earning Love: Katiâs Personal Story with Perfectionism
11:50 - The 6 Rungs of the Over-Functioning Cycle
22:02 - Episode sponsor message: BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough - go to https://bioptimizers.com/kati and use code KATI for 15% off your entire order Plus a Free bottle of Masszymes
23:34 - Unmitigated Communion: When the Self Disappears
30:23 - The Relationship Trap: 7-Year Study of 1,340 Couples
35:36 - The Cardiovascular Cost of Self-Silencing
38:27 - Step 1: Identify Your Current Rung
40:34 - Step 2: Deliberate Under-Functioning
45:30 - Step 3: Make a Single, Specific Ask
49:15 - Step 4: Tolerate the Discomfort (Data vs. Danger)
52:43 - Next Week's Preview: Understanding Health Insurance
Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it, leave your questions for next week's topic in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe!
Books
Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY
ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month)
While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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