Conversations With a Wounded Healer

The answer to righting the world's many wrongs is more love. Love is also the problem. If you're new here, then solving this conundrum may seem hopeless. Fear not! In part one of my conversation with Michael Sykes, we began with a simple question: How can we encourage ideas or policies rich in love for each other when so many of us struggle to love ourselves? In part two, Michael and I dig into the societal pressures, inherited traumas, and self-doubts that have disconnected us from our authentic loving natures. GUEST BIO Michael Sykes is the founder of Equitable Solutions and author of the workbook Easy Equity. He guides individuals and organizations in centering self-value and affirmations as the foundation for equity. His work is rooted in vulnerability and authenticity, offering tools that encourage reflection, mindfulness, and intentional practices for healing and growth. Inspired by the love and resilience of his family, Sykes dedicates his journey to creating spaces where people feel seen, validated, and empowered to honor themselves and others. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Some people remind us to trust the process, even when it seems hopeless. Michael Sykes is one of those people. He's the cheerleader encouraging us on the uneasy journey to authenticity. What I appreciate most is his commitment to integrity, even when the path toward that innate wholeness feels inaccessible. He doesn't shy away from sharing the most heart-centered version of himself with the world. Sure, he may metaphorically faceplant from time to time (who hasn't?!). But, Michael stays the course—and he's created a guide to help us do the same. GUEST BIO Michael Sykes is the founder of Equitable Solutions and author of the workbook Easy Equity. He guides individuals and organizations in centering self-value and affirmations as the foundation for equity. His work is rooted in vulnerability and authenticity, offering tools that encourage reflection, mindfulness, and intentional practices for healing and growth. Inspired by the love and resilience of his family, Sykes dedicates his journey to creating spaces where people feel seen, validated, and empowered to honor themselves and others. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Chats with group practice employees are more fun when you're not their practice owner! Maybe a bit more revealing, too. Such is the case with my guest, Sierra Waller, LCPC, an early-career therapist working at Health In Tandem, a small group practice in Chicago. Apologies if you've landed here hoping for a gripe-and-gossip session. Instead, Sierra and I dig into her experiences as a newer therapist in a group practice setting. This trajectory from grad school straight into private practice has become increasingly common. Subsequently, there's a learning curve to be aware of on both sides of the owner/therapist dynamic. GUEST BIO Sierra Waller is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at a small group practice in Chicago. She primarily works with clients navigating anxiety, stress, life transitions, and relationship issues. Guided by the belief that mental health deserves the same care as physical health, Sierra fosters a collaborative, non-judgmental space where clients can explore patterns, identify strengths, and take meaningful steps toward growth. Originally from Colorado, Sierra enjoys spending time in nature when she isn't in the therapy room. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

How do leaders keep their heads clear and hearts open in the heat of difficult conversations? I ask because it's only natural for leaders (and any human, really) to bristle at opposition to their ideas, critique of their efforts, or recommendations for improvement. Being in community with each other requires a high level of mutual responsibility. But the practice of accountability can activate deeply entrenched defense mechanisms, even in the most self-aware among us (note to self). In part two of my conversation with Julianne Guinasso, LMFT, and co-founder of Level Up Leaders, we explore the challenges leaders face as they try to balance the needs of the collective and the desires of the individual. GUEST BIO Julianne Guinasso is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice and co-founder of Level Up Leaders Inc., where she partners with Poonam Natha to support group practice owners in cultivating psychological safety through trauma-informed leadership. With over a decade of leadership experience, she helps practice owners move beyond performative policies to tend their relational ecosystems, creating collaborative cultures that reclaim joy and sustain vision. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Outward change (to our profession, our communities, and our world) can only happen when we start from within—and we're gonna need all the help we can get. Julianne Guinasso, LMFT, is a role model for these contentious times. She's a therapist in private practice and the co-founder of Level Up Leaders, a partnership that helps mental health group practice owners cultivate psychologically safe, trauma-informed work cultures. Our two-part conversation begins with an honest assessment of the "becoming" process and offers some helpful reframes for when things feel especially sticky. GUEST BIO Julianne Guinasso is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice and co-founder of Level Up Leaders Inc., where she partners with Poonam Natha to support group practice owners in cultivating psychological safety through trauma-informed leadership. With over a decade of leadership experience, she helps practice owners move beyond performative policies to tend their relational ecosystems, creating collaborative cultures that reclaim joy and sustain vision. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

I'll start by stating the obvious. Being a group practice owner or group practice therapist in "unprecedented times" is a challenging endeavor. Our people and profession are struggling under the pressures of late-stage capitalism, antagonistic politics, and rage-bait algorithms —the same forces that affect our clients. I'll follow up the obvious with a hard truth. Some of the ills are coming from inside the house, er, practice. I believe in the good and essential aspects of the group practice model. I also believe that the only way out is through. And together. As does Gabrielle Juliano-Villani. She's a business mindset coach and consultant who helps therapy practice owners scale, sell, and thrive without burning out. GUEST BIO Gabrielle Juliano-Villani is a business mindset coach and consultant who helps therapy practice owners scale, sell, and thrive without burning out. After successfully selling her own 7-figure group practice, she now combines her clinical expertise as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with proven business strategies to help other practice owners create sustainable success. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Are you an n'betweener? Before you answer, I recommend queuing up part one of my conversation with Nora Alwah, LPC, the coach, therapist, TEDx speaker, and community-builder. She coined the term n'betweener© to describe those who, like herself, feel suspended between two (or more) identities; not fully inhabiting one or the other. In part two, Nora and I explore ways that folks can expand their capacity for understanding in a world that increasingly devalues the experiences of n'betweeners. GUEST BIO Nora Alwah (she/her) - Coach. Therapist. TEDx speaker. Writer. Community-builder. Nora Alwah is the founder of n'betweener®, a global platform and space of belonging for those who don't fit the mold—often misunderstood, frequently overlooked, and always n'between. Through n'betweener®, she helps outliers feel seen, come home to themselves, and step into their purpose. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Many of us know what it feels like to navigate a middle space. Folks who are gender-fluid come to mind. But I'm also thinking of those who balance a privileged identity with their relationship to a traditionally oppressed group. Or anyone whose ethnicity is not commonly associated with the culture in which they grew up. How do we express this complicated identity in terms that others might understand or empathize with? Nora Alwah, founder of n'betweener©, a global platform and space of belonging, helps folks voice their truth and transform the pain of being an n'betweener into revolutionary joy. GUEST BIO Nora Alwah (she/her) - Coach. Therapist. TEDx speaker. Writer. Community-builder. Nora Alwah is the founder of n'betweener®, a global platform and space of belonging for those who don't fit the mold—often misunderstood, frequently overlooked, and always n'between. Through n'betweener®, she helps outliers feel seen, come home to themselves, and step into their purpose. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

There's an obvious throughline that runs from productive feedback to authentic relationships. And vice versa. Rebecca Slusher, LPCP, is the owner of Balanced Life Counseling in Chicago. She understands that managing the group's needs for connection, empathy, and equitable conflict resolution, while navigating the daily realities of doing business, is a work in progress — and that's okay! GUEST BIO Rebecca Slusher (she/her) is the owner of Balanced Life Counseling and has been in practice for 15 years in the Logan Square community. The practice specializes in working with both individuals and relationships in the LGBTQ+ community. Their clients are often struggling with mood and have a history of traumatic experiences. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy

Welcome to Part 2 of my catch-up with Annie Schuessler Zam. If you haven't already, I recommend starting with Part 1: A Continuum of Connection: Parent-Child Relationships, Caregiving, and Self-Healing. I consider Annie as a case study in remaining open to possibility. She embodies a fearlessness that we all possess but often shy away from activating. Courageousness is scary, after all. GUEST BIO Annie Schuessler Zam (she/they) is a therapist turned healer and the host of the Rebel Therapist™ podcast. She helps people who are estranged from a parent or caregiver who want to heal trauma and live their most beautiful lives. *** Join the Group Practice (R)evolution! GPR is a new platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts, and resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future. For a limited time, podcast listeners can get a full year of membership for only $19.99 by using the discount code PODCAST. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GPRPodcast and click on "have a coupon" and enter PODCAST to enjoy all the perks of Group Practice (R)evolution for a year! Get Support! Earn CEs! Care in Chaos: https://tinyurl.com/CareInChaosRec Bridging Heart and Practice: https://tinyurl.com/TheSarahsOnlineSupe SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for gifts & perks Shop our Bookshop.org store and support local booksellers Share a rating & review on Apple Podcasts *** Let's be friends! You can find me in the following places… Website Facebook @headheartbiztherapy Instagram @headheartbiztherapy