The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

How Much is Too Much? Thoughts on therapists being too branded, niched, and politicalCurt and Katie chat about the delicate balance between authenticity and influence in therapy, with a focus on avoiding bias and discrimination while still being real people. We also navigate the challenges of political discussions in therapy, emphasizing the need to balance political awareness with client needs and goals.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we explore the risks of bringing too much of your own beliefs into your work as a therapistWe have been rethinking the conversations we’ve had about blank slate and the Brand Called You. We look at the risks of being too branded or niched, or too political. We also talk about what might be more beneficial for clients, without losing the work toward authenticity and real connections as therapists.Do therapists bring too much of themselves into their work? Curt and Katie did a CE presentation and then an episode called the Brand Called You, which talks about how to create personal branding as a therapist to refine who seeks you out for therapy When you bring yourself into the therapy room, you want to assess for bias and discrimination If you’ve advertised a specific type of treatment or, especially, a specific type of outcome, you may be unduly influencing clients who may not know if that outcome is right for them How can therapists be “political” without just talking politics or inappropriately influencing their clients? Therapists can successfully navigate political discussions in therapy to benefit clients. It is important to distinguish between political in therapy (systemic pressures, opportunities, access) vs pushing viewpoints (talking about politics, biased) Discussions about the limitations of resources or systemic pressures are political Conversations about voting for a particular party would be talking politics Helping clients to look at things from a different viewpoint may be helpful, but only if you assess your own bias and the client’s readiness It can be challenging to be a political therapist, clients may feel uncomfortable or resistant to discussing political issues in therapy What can therapists do to balance branding and authenticity with effective client care? Tailor your client sessions to their needs and perspectives and values Consider providing additional referral resources for clients whose goals do not directly align with a therapist's specialized approach. Evaluate whether strongly branding oneself risks prioritizing showing one's values over directly addressing what clients are asking for in therapy. Assess the efficacy of your treatment for the client in front of you. Make sure even clients who resonate strongly with a therapist's approach are empowered to think critically and come to their own conclusions. Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

How Can Therapists Help Politically Divided Families? : An interview with Angela Caldwell, LMFTCurt and Katie interview Angela Caldwell, LMFT about family therapy for politically divided families. We explore what therapists get wrong when working with these families as well as what works better. Angela talks us through the goals for family therapy, how to move families from trying to convince each other to understanding each other better, and the importance of distress tolerance and finding ways for families to survive, even when members strongly disagree with each other.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about how therapists can work with politically divided familiesDuring the run up to the 2024 US presidential election, we are seeing more and more political division, even in families. We reached out to our good friend Angela Caldwell, LMFT, to talk through how therapists can support families during this challenging time. What do therapists get wrong when working with politically divided families?·      Therapists inaccurately agree with families that the goal is either communication skills or getting consensus·      The goals for family therapy are increasing tolerance for differing opinions and sustaining relationships even when you disagreeHow can therapists address the societal messages that negatively impact relationships?·      Modeling holding affection while disagreeing on viewpoints·      Hold sacred that everyone in the room has come to their viewpoint honestly·      Focus on the why for the positions people take·      Listen for and mark trigger words to help “opposing party” to stay with the explanation of viewpoint·      Soften the relationship through understandingWhat can therapists do if clients feel frightened of the beliefs of their family members?·      Explore perspective and increase clarity on the real anxious feelings·      Find common ground related to hopes for the world·      Work on distress tolerance with the anxious feelings·      Hold the moment of anxiety and then move to reassurance (i.e., that the relationship can survive opposing viewpoints)What does the work of family therapy look like with politically divided families?·      Set reasonable expectations·      Make sure to give pep talks·      Plan and promise for the next session before ending the previous session·      Personal connection between sessions (like short texts)·      Don’t play “gotcha” when someone is wrong·      Set ground rules at the beginning of therapy related to showing source material for viewpointsStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

Beyond "Being a Therapist is Hard Work": Curt and Katie respond to listener feedbackCurt and Katie received feedback on a recent episode, Don’t Let Tik Tok Fool You: Being a therapist is hard work, an interview with Anita Avedian and Sandra Kushnir. We talk through the feedback that the perspective was too one-sided (primarily from the employer angle) and that it was too much in support of the status quo. We share our perspectives as well as how big of a challenge we’re facing as a profession to become sustainable. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about the challenges of making the therapy profession more sustainableWe received a lot of feedback about our episode with Anita Avedian and Sandra Kushnir. We decided it was worth addressing the feedback directly and continue the conversation.Why is there a tension between experienced and new mental health professionals?·      The “necessary” tension between those who support what is and those who advocate for what should be·      Supervisors or managers who reinforce what has been seen to be unsustainable in the field·      New clinicians coming in and advocating for things to be better and more sustainable·      The challenge with innovating when the system has burned someone outWhat are the primary challenges in the therapy profession in 2024?·      Burnout·      Lower pay (that is not keeping up with inflation)·      A workload that seems unsustainable, especially to newer cliniciansWhat can therapists do to improve their profession?·      Read Saving Psychotherapy by Dr. Ben Caldwell·      Look for opportunities to reimagine the field, by looking at other sectors (or disruptors in the field like technology)·      Support advocacy efforts through unions, professional associations, or lobbying legislatorsStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

What is Working Now in Online Marketing: An interview with Katie ReadCurt and Katie interview Katie Read on how the economy has shifted and what works for marketing has shifted. We look at how things have shifted since the pandemic and what therapists can think about now for their therapy and online businesses. Katie gives us simple strategies and clear insights on what isn’t working anymore and what to do instead.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about how therapist marketing must shift post-pandemicKatie Read has been doing research into what is working in marketing for service providers. We thought we’d ask her back to talk about how the shifting economy is impacting therapists.How have the shifts in the economy changed business for therapists?·      After the pandemic, people stopped having time for “personal growth”·      Therapy is seen more as a luxury·      People have lost patience for content marketing (like a very long webinar)·      Potential clients are more likely to pay for services for a specific, acute pain point, rather than non-specific pain points or personal growth·      Big Tech is coming into the space and becoming competitors·      TikTok has changed attention spans, so we must market in shorter, more concise bullet pointsWhat strategies can therapists use to improve their businesses?·      Assess the market and identify specific niches that are harder to treat by big tech·      Capture attention by speaking directly to where it hurts, in bullet points and visuals·      Identify problematic expectations, for example meeting someone when they are in crisis and then keeping them for personal growth (rather than expecting them to seek out personal growth work)Do therapists need to have a big social media presence?·      Many people have been successful selling their services without a big social media following·      If you don’t enjoy social media, you don’t need to spend time on it·      If you enjoy social media and have fun creating compelling content, it can be hugely helpful·      If you aren’t interested in doing social media, one option is the static 9 grid on InstagramHow can therapists get a more specific niche?·      Understand that your niche may evolve over time, so go for what you know now·      Look at what lights you up·      Explore you own story to identify what you’ve learned and what you can shareStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

What to do when supervision goes bad? A guide to supervision ruptures and repairCurt and Katie chat about what to do when there is a loss of trust in supervision. We explore what has already been researched (and the limitations there). We also look at what can make ruptures more likely, different types of ruptures, and how supervisors can mitigate the risk of rupture and then repair when ruptures inevitably happen. This is a continuing education podcourse.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about how to address ruptures in clinical supervisionClinical supervision has the potential for errors and requires management from the supervisor to acknowledge, deal with, and repair from mistakes that could rupture the supervisory alliance. This workshop helps to identify the types of ruptures that can occur and offers a strategy on how to deal with them so that they are no longer a problem.What is the focus within the research base on clinical supervision?·      Most of the research on supervision is focused on clinical supervision without a consideration of the employment element of the relationship·      There is not a lot of research on supervision, much less ruptures in supervision·      Much of the research has been from the supervisee perspective, but that is shifting·      Without supervisors being involved in research, there is a risk of supervisors dismissing itWhat can make ruptures more likely in supervisory relationships?·      Power differential within the clinical supervision relationship may lead to supervisees feeling unable to talk about mistakes that supervisors make·      Expectations of safety and confidentiality that are not discussed or are assumed to be greater than they are, with a lack of transparency·      Supervisors are responsible to address ruptures, but may not know about them·      Supervisors can fall into risk management and punishment or not allowing supervisees to do anything that may challenge their skill levelWhat can supervisors do to avoid supervisory ruptures?·      Acknowledge the fallibility of both the supervisor and the supervisee·      Supervisors share when they don’t know something and learn what they need to learn to support their supervisee·      Understanding the impact of each perspective on expectations (i.e., supervisors in agencies are also impacted by the expectations that they have on them from their own supervisors)·      Identify confrontation versus avoidance rupture risks·      Being more transparent on the process of supervision and about the supervisor’s competence and emotional responses·      Understanding and assessing for cultural ruptures, microaggressions, etc.Can supervisory ruptures also happen based on actions of the supervisee?·      Yes!·      Supervisees can misunderstand their role and not complete what is expected of them·      Supervisees can fail to develop as a clinician·      Supervisees may ask peers rather than their supervisor for what to do and do the wrong thingsHow can supervisors repair the ruptures that happen in clinical supervision?·      Setting the stage for the most positive supervisory experience·      Cultural humility·      Pause, Consider, Reflect, Act (C.E. Watkins, Jr.’s work)Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival GuideContinuing Education Information including grievance and refund policies.Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

Should We Stop Badmouthing Evidence Based Practice? An interview with Jessica Tappana, LCSWCurt and Katie interview Jessica Tappana, LCSW about evidence-based practices (EBPs). We talk about what EBPs actually are and how to implement them in clinically sound and ethical ways. We look at what therapists usually get wrong about EBPs and what they can do to improve their practice.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about how Evidence Based Practices work in the real worldJessica is a long-time listener of the show and a good friend of ours and has been talking with us about how we have spent too much time bad-mouthing EBPs. We decided it would be good to hash out the ideas around “manualized treatment” and how you can actually bring yourself as a clinician into the work, even when using these interventions that are backed by science.What are Evidence-Based Practices?·      Using well-researched interventions·      Using the expertise of the clinician·      Understanding the needs of the clientsWhat should therapists know about evidence-based practice?·      There is room to implement EBP without full adherence·      Contrasting “eclectic” from “meeting a client where they are” and pulling from other evidence-based interventions·      The ways that EBPs are trained and studied (due to funding sources) lead to strict adherence·      How you teach or implement the EBP can be unique to the clinicians·      Contrasting fidelity of the model with adherence to model·      You can bring yourself as a therapist into the room AND provide evidence-based interventions·      Training and supervision is more challenging when you are not seeking strict adherence·      It’s important to have time to practice therapy outside of sessions with clientsWhat data or assessments should therapists use with Evidence Based Practices?·      Feedback informed care (e.g., FIT)·      Assessments of depression or anxiety consistently to see progress·      Screening tools and measurement to track progress·      It is important for clinicians to believe in and use the data collectionStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

Two Years In: Is 988 Actually Helping People Facing Mental Health Crises?Curt and Katie check back with the now two-year-old program and identify what’s working and what’s not with the crisis hotline. There is data that it is 98% but there are also concerns that have been raised. We look at reports of data sharing without transparency, increases in police involvement and involuntary hospitalization, and inconsistently (and potentially inadequately) trained hotline workers. We also explore what therapists can do to support clients who might need this resource.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about what is work and what is not working with 988Katie became concerned about data use and how well 988 is working after seeing some articles from Mad in America. Curt and Katie thought it would be good to dig a little deeper into what is actually happening with this newer crisis hotline.What are concerns being raised about 988 at this point?·      Data sharing with a lack of transparency·      Different definitions of confidential and confidentiality·      There is not really a guarantee that you can remain anonymous·      Increase of involuntary hospitalization and police involvement·      Lack of infrastructure and lack of local resources to manage crisis response·      Callers may be routed to the call center nearest to their area code, not current location·      Not advertising 988 in high population areas because they will get calls no matter where their community members are due to their area codes·      Training of the hotline workers is inconsistent and may not be sufficient·      Lack of funding to make improvements and develop new resourcesWhat are the risks when someone calls 988?·      The call center staff may not have training to deal with the caller’s issues·      Responses on the call line may be overly focused on psychoeducation·      Lack of time for each caller (without assurance that callers get time to talk through the concerns that led them to call)·      There is a possibility that there will be responses that are truly unhelpful to the caller·      Incarceration or involuntary hospitalization·      Inconsistent follow up if calls are dropped or callers disengageWhat should therapists be aware of as they navigate 988 at this time?·      They are reporting a 98% success rate, so this is a resource worth considering·      Make sure your clients understand what to use 988 for·      Help your clients to assess the risks and benefits of calling·      Work to increase the transparency about data sharing, confidentiality and anonymity·      There is advocacy needed to improve 988 as a resourceStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/ 

Don’t Let TikTok Fool You – Being a Therapist is Hard Work: An interview with Sandra Kushnir, LMFT and Anita Avedian, LMFTCurt and Katie interview Sandra Kushner and Anita Avedian about how the therapy business works now. We talk about how the profession and those who are entering it has changed over the years. We look at what new therapists can expect when they join a group practice, pushing back against some of the broadly held misconceptions of what it is like to be a therapist today.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about what new therapists can expect when entering the fieldWe invited Anita Avedian and Sandra Kushnir to come talk about their latest endeavor: a course called Degree to Practice.What are the misconceptions new therapists have about what it looks like to work as a therapist?·      There is a difference between desired caseload and the capacity to earn money and hours toward licensure·      Expectations don’t seem to be realistic and seem to be impacted by conversations about burnout·      These expectations are being set by grad school, social media, coaching programs·      There doesn’t seem to be an understanding about what it takes to build a practice and what group practice owners are doing to create these workplaces·      Therapists will need to learn how to work with clients that they are not comfortable with·      Developing expertise is essential for attracting clients – be the best at what you do·      Part of developing expertise is learning how to address higher risk with all clientsWhat can therapists expect when they join a group private practice?·      The best group practice owners will have transparency and clarity around expectations·      Often there will be a minimum caseload (Sandra and Anita both require a minimum of 20 clients per week)·      There is an overhead for each therapist, so therapists will not earn the full amount they are charging·      Insurance or sliding fee practices will need to pay therapists less than private pay practices due to the income available·      In many private practices, it will take some time to build a caseload, which means that it will take time to gain consistent income·      Some group practices will teach you how to run your own practice, some will just provide a space for doing clinical work·      Looking at practical limits as “task conflict” rather than “relational conflict” – for example, pay is a factor of the business’ needs and capacity, not a personal evaluation of someone’s worthStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

No Cap: It’s Time to Glow Up Your Teen Therapy SkillsCurt and Katie chat about how to work effectively with teen clients. We look at what adults often get wrong about teens as well as how therapists can develop real relationships with their teen clients. We also look at the differences that can show up in how you do therapy with teens.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about effective therapy with teenaged clientsCurt and Katie have both specialized in working with teens at different points in their careers and figured they should share what they’ve learned to support other therapists who’d like to work with teens.What do therapists (and caregivers) get wrong about teenagers?·       You won’t reach teens if you treat them like behavioral problems to solve·       It is helpful to show teens that they will be listened to, rather than just subject to whatever their parents or caregivers want them to do in therapy·       Therapists can seem less authentic if they try to be “the cool therapist”What is needed in an effective therapeutic alliance with teen therapy clients?·       Identifying what the teen needs from the therapist (e.g., confidant, older sibling, parental type)·       Authenticity is key as teens will often see through it if you’re not·       Defining boundaries of the relationship·       Looking toward client autonomy·       Showing stability and constancy·       Encouraging safety and agency·       Being a trusted, consistent adultWhat are differences in therapy with teens and adults?·       Having caregivers involved in schedule and decision-making, having a huge impact on teens·       Therapy for teens is often a relationship where identity can be tested·       Therapists can be an outside voice for both teens and adults, but teens may need this more·       Caregivers are more likely to be a part of treatment for teensStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

More Than Cogs in the Machine: Bringing trauma-informed principles into the workplaceCurt and Katie chat about trauma-informed workplaces. We explore what a trauma informed workplace is, why it is important to implement, and how best to do so. We also explore some practical challenges to creating a trauma-informed workplace and ideas for how to handle these challenges. This is a continuing education podcourse.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about how to create a trauma-informed workplacePeople affected by trauma are expected to perform in the workplace, but often have difficulty with environments that treat them as replaceable. This can lead to employee underperformance, burnout, and turnover in the workforce. Healthy interactions with the workplace can help both the individual and corporate performance. This workshop addresses principles and practices that allow for employers to create a trauma informed workplace.What is a trauma-informed workplace?·       Remembering that all workers are human·       Collaboration and encouraging autonomy for employees·       Acknowledging that trauma exists for everyone·       Trauma is addressed in the workplace (e.g., mitigating secondary or vicarious trauma)·       4 R’s of Trauma can give guidance to how to identify and respond to trauma·       Supportive policies go beyond self-care·       There is a systemic mechanism to support staff and improve·       Based in trust and trustworthinessWhat are the risks of not having a trauma-informed workplace?·       Lower employee productivity, lower quality work·       Higher levels of burnout, absenteeism, presenteeism·       Recreating past traumas when we’re not aware of the dynamics in playHow can therapists create and benefit from a trauma-informed workplace?·       Create supportive policies and procedures·       Evaluate how well trauma informed principles are being implemented·       We discuss an evaluation tool for this purpose·       CTIPP Toolkit (Campaign for Trauma Informed Practice and Policies)·       Acknowledge shared humanity·       Creating connection and collaboration between team members·       This may be something that needs to be repaired or built within a workplace that has problems·       Understanding how to build, sustain trust, and effectively take feedback and implement it·       Transparency and accountabilityWhat are some challenges in implementing a Trauma-Informed Workplace?·       Very challenging conversations needing repeated repair·       Avoiding conversations about trauma·       Digging deeply into emotional life of employees (i.e., with the potential of HR violations)·       Practical limitations to what employers can provide to their employees·       Us versus them mentalities and not seeing opportunities to collaborateReceive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival GuideCAMFT CEPA: Therapy Reimagined is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #132270). Therapy Reimagined maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Courses meet the qualifications for the listed hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. We are working on additional provider approvals, but solely are able to provide CAMFT CEs at this time. Please check with your licensing body to ensure that they will accept this as an equivalent learning credit.Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:PatreonModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/