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

Am I Honoring My Personal Values OR Am I Discriminating? An exploration of ethics for modern therapistsCurt and Katie chat about what therapists should be considering when their strongly held personal values or moral beliefs conflict with a client’s demographics, lifestyle, or choices. We dig deeply into when it’s okay to make a “values-based referral” and when referring out is discrimination.  This is a law and ethics continuing education podcourse.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we explore the difference between honoring our personal values and discriminationTherapists are people who have their own identities, beliefs, values, and approaches to life. But what happens when those identities come into conflict with the clients that they serve? This CE podcourse explores the ethics behind therapist personal values, when personal values should dictate a client being referred to another treatment provider, and when that referral is actually discriminatory.What is Julia Ward vs. Eastern Michigan University? An Orthodox Christian, master’s student in counseling requested referring out a LGBTQ+ client This student was dismissed from school because it was seen as discrimination and referrals were not allowed at that school There was a summary judgment and an appeal, leading to further lack of clarity The State of Tennessee has a law that allows therapists to deny services to clients The law trying to overcome ethics codes The ACA protested by moving their annual convention out of the state Tennessee How do ethics codes handle the conflict between discrimination and holding to personal values? Do no harm, be truthful, practice within your competence Equity, fidelity and the call to not discriminate with a call to learn and expand competence with clients, and avoid abandoning clients How do we decide whether we can or should refer out a client based on our firmly held beliefs? Ethical decision-making and our responsibility based on our license Sorting out client need, competence, and the benefit of the therapeutic relationship (i.e., common factors) Referral is a last resort and should be based on client need (not therapist preference) Advertising and branding for clients to self-select What happens when clients disclose things later in treatment The differences in the task for clinicians in private practice versus clients in organizations Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival GuideOnce you’ve listened to this episode, to get CE credit you just need to go to learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse, register for your free profile, purchase this course, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation! Once that’s all completed - you’ll get a CE certificate in your profile or you can download it for your records.Continuing Education Approvals:You can verify CE approvals here: Continuing Education InformationResources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!Saving Psychotherapy by Benjamin E. Caldwell, PsyD*The full reference list can be found in our show notes at mtsgpodcast.com as well as on the course on our learning platform.Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Link tree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Addressing Racism in Clinical Licensing Exams: An Interview with Ben Caldwell and Tony RousmaniereCurt and Katie interview Dr. Ben Caldwell and Dr. Tony Rousmaniere about the problems with the Clinical Licensing exams for therapists. We discuss the recent report from ASWB on their pass rates as well as the concerns about the EPPP2 implementation, the poor predictive validity and utility of these licensing exams, and suggestions for what to do with our licensing processes given these concerns.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about recent data that licensing exams are racistFriends of the show, Dr. Ben Caldwell and Dr. Tony Rousmaniere wrote a white paper in response to a recent report from the ASWB that shows their licensing exams appear to be racist. We wanted to talk with them about their calls to discontinue these exams.How are the clinical exams racist?·      The number one predictor of whether you pass the exam is your race·      The structure of the exam seems to advantage those with more affinity to these types of tests (i.e., those who are educationally privileged)·      There may also be content or language concerns leading to these disparitiesWhat is the purpose of the clinical exams for therapists?·      Said that it is to be an assessment of knowledge and training, consumer protection, etc.·      Little predictive validity (of competence or consumer safety) for these tests·      The test is an unfair hurdle for folks without academic privilege·      There does not seem to be a need for this test (due to the rigor of training and supervised experience)What would be better alternatives to requiring a clinical exam?·      Alternate pathways that some states have taken·      Addressing workforce shortages by allowing folks who have gotten through every other requirement (aside from the clinical exam) to be licensed·      Just don’t require a clinical examWhat can therapists do to try to get rid of licensing exams?·      Advocacy to state boards to not implement EPPP2·      Other advocacy related to master’s level clinical exams·      Organizations to #StopASWB and address the EPPP2Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!White Paper: Clinical Licensing Exams in Mental Health Care by Benjamin E. Caldwell, PsyD and Tony Rousmaniere, PsyDASWB Report on Social Work Licensing Exam Pass RatesVery Bad TherapyBenCaldwellLabs.comSentioCC.orgStop the Adoption of EPPP2 WebsiteASWB: End Discriminatory Social Work Licensing ExamsA sample letter you can send to your licensing board will be on our show notes at mtsgpodcast.com.Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:Fixing Mental Healthcare in AmericaUnlearning Very Bad TherapyStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:PatreonBuy Me A CoffeePodcast HomepageTherapy Reimagined HomepageLink tree: 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/

Private Practice Planning for the Future of Mental Healthcare: An Interview with Maureen WerrbachCurt and Katie interview Maureen Werrbach of the Group Practice Exchange on upcoming trends for mental healthcare. We talk about what is predicted, how to prepare your private practice for success in 2023, and how to plan for unexpected changes to our profession.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!An Interview with Maureen Werrbach, LCPC, The Group Practice ExchangeMaureen Werrbach established The Group Practice Exchange after starting her private practice, Urban Wellness, and growing it into successful group practices in various locations.Spending countless hours researching how to start a private practice (the legal and procedural steps) and then so many more hours learning how to grow it into a group (again trying to figure out the appropriate steps), she remembers wishing there was a place that she could go, or a book that she could read, that would explain not only the steps it would take to launch a group practice, but also discuss topics that relate to group practice ownership.A degree in the social service field doesn’t offer any training on the business side of running a group practice! Maureen learned through trial and error what works and what doesn’t in running a counseling group practice. She enjoys helping others reach their full potential and feel confident in running their business.In this podcast episode, we talk about upcoming trends in Mental Health and what it means for your therapy practiceWe reached out to our friend Maureen Werrbach of the Group Practice Exchange about where our field is moving and how we can plan for success.The way therapy is provided and paid for will be changing·      Insurance: Fee for service versus value-based pricing·      Large tech companies and one-stop shops·      Ease of access and diminished costs via telehealthWhat therapists can do to future-proof their practice·      Strong niche and branding·      Doing what we do best·      Addressing fees, profit margins, hiring·      Dedicate time to researching upcoming trends·      Diversifying offerings·      Determining the best fit for your business, your career, your employmentSpecial considerations for Group Practice Owners in 2023·      The concerns related to large group therapist mills taking employees·      Focus on people, culture, and innovation·      Intentionality related to values, mission, vision·      Avoiding divisiveness and conflict between employers and employees·      The importance of transparency and clarity on how you’ve set up your practice·      Pathways for employees to grow and creative employment opportunitiesResources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!The Group Practice Exchange MembershipThe Group Practice Exchange Facebook GroupRelevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:Maureen’s previous interview: Becoming a Group Practice OwnerFixing Mental Healthcare in AmericaBeyond Reimagination: What is right (and wrong) with mental health appsPost Pandemic PracticeAll Things Group Therapy: An interview with Katie K. May, LPCOnline Therapy AppsStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:PatreonBuy Me A CoffeePodcast HomepageTherapy Reimagined HomepageFacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish: Thoughts on investing and getting paid as a therapist Curt and Katie chat about money: considerations for investing and getting paid as a therapist.  We look at typical unpaid opportunities and how to decide whether to do them. We also talk about client care practices that may take time, but could keep clients.  Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about money mistakes that many therapists makeWe talk a lot about making sure that therapists get paid, but thought it was worth talking about when therapists should invest in their business and when they may want to work for free.  What are the lessons Curt and Katie learned around investing in their businesses?·      Electronic Health Records/Practice Management systems are very helpful·      Automation helps your business to run without you·      Sometimes visibility is worth working for freeHow do you decide if you should do something for your business?“I gave a presentation, it's gotta be more than 10 years ago at this point, for a group of students. I think, like five people showed up… But I still get referrals from one of the people who came there. And it turned into a really wonderful relationship, because I sounded like I knew what I was talking about.” – Curt Widhalm, LMFT·      What are the practical benefits and challenges?·      What are the other potential benefits (like enjoyment)?·      What is the investment of time, money, and expertise?·      What is the return on investment?Specifics on deciding to take unpaid work“There are elements of this where it's really looking at is the audience strong enough? Is there any money eventually? And do you actually want the referrals from the audience that you're going to be in front of? Because if all of those things are yes… I would consider – at least the first time out – doing some content creation (because I love content creation) without getting paid to see does it actually pan out. But you want to make sure you track that to determine: am I going to actually get anything from this this relationship and from this work that I'm doing?” – Katie Vernoy, LMFT·      What new relationships will be developed?·      Will you get visibility with the audience you’re seeking?·      Will you obtain access to relevant learning?·      Is the entity that is asking you legit and established?·      Are there other forms of compensation (like photos or videos)?·      Are you able to get clients from this work? (And what are new clients worth to you?)Client care versus getting paid“I don't think it's helpful, at least not for customer service purposes, to view your client as trying to take advantage of you.” – Katie Vernoy, LMFT·      Setting up appropriate boundaries and policies·      Avoiding additional costs, if you can (i.e., setting fees in a private pay practice to include these extras)Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimaginedRelevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:Why You Shouldn’t Just Do It All Yourself: An interview with Bibi GoldsteinWhy You Shouldn't Sell Out to Better Help: An interview with Jeff GuentherI Just Graduated, Now What? Career Advice for New Clinicians

How to Manage Your Practice as a Traveling Therapist: An Interview with Kym Tolson, LCSWCurt and Katie interview Kym Tolson, the traveling therapist. We look at how a modern therapist can be a digital nomad, including what business logistics to consider as well as how to travel well.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about working as a therapist when travelingWe reached out to our friend Kym Tolson who lives and works as a digital nomad. “It's kind of like being on vacation every day.” – Kym Tolson, LCSWWhat are the most important considerations when working as a digital nomad?·      Checking the Wi-Fi before booking your accommodations·      How long to stay in each place (Kym says about 2.5 weeks)·      Finding a schedule that works and only takes small tweaks when you change time zones·      Planning around the seasons and ideal locationsWhat are the business considerations for traveling therapists?·      Consult with tax attorney and accountant, where to register your business·      Reach out to boards for the state you are traveling to (to determine if you can practice within the state)·      Considerations for business write offs and expensesManaging work-life balance as a digital nomad·      Finding the right times for work·      Setting a schedule·      Compartmentalize fun and work separatelyWhat are the necessities when traveling as a digital nomad?·      Specific creature comforts or life necessities (for Kym it’s pots/pans to manage Celiac disease)·      Computer·      Numerous Wi-Fi options (different carriers for cell-phone coverage and portable mobile hotspot)·      Understanding of the impacts of mode of travel and type of accommodationsHow do clients react to therapists who are on the road?·      Decide on the level of transparency on traveling or location·      Virtual background for continuity·      Clients are usually pretty flexible with traveling therapistResources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!www.thetravelingtherapist.comwww.privatepracticeinsurancebilling.comKym’s Facebook Group The Expert’s Guide to Becoming a Traveling Therapist Course coupon code for 25% off is MODERNTHERAPISTBill Like a Boss – Kym’s Insurance Billing MembershipRelevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:How Can Therapists Actually Retire: An interview with David FrankPartners of TherapistsThriving Over Surviving – Growing a Practice Without Burning Out: An interview with Megan Gunnell, LMSWPost Pandemic PracticeStay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:PatreonBuy Me A CoffeePodcast HomepageTherapy Reimagined HomepageFacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeModern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

Smarter than SMART: How therapists can improve goal-setting with clientsCurt and Katie chat about setting goals. We look at why goals are important to therapists, SMART goals (what they are, what works and what doesn’t), and how to move beyond SMART goals to more robust goal setting and behavior design. 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 strengthen your goal-setting skillsWe're looking at SMART goals and how to make them better. AND Katie helps Curt with his goal setting!Why is goal-setting important to therapists?Therapeutic benefit, Ethical responsibility, Ability to achieve goalsWhat are SMART Goals? Do they work?Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timebound; The benefits of effort or progress goals versus outcome goals, May need to add steps to create a more robust planHow can you improve SMART goals?Using the Grip on Life model, Digging deeper into the elements of SMART goals, Finding life skills that help to reach the goalWhat is the key difference between setting goals and behavior design?Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, Motivation is fickle, Finding the smallest behavior change that can move you toward the goal, Create a habit, put it into something you’re already doing, and celebrate the accomplishmentReceive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival GuideOnce you’ve listened to this episode, to get CE credit you just need to go to learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse, register for your free profile, purchase this course, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation! Once that’s all completed - you’ll get a CE certificate in your profile or you can download it for your records. For our current list of CE approvals, check out moderntherapistcommunity.com.Continuing Education Approvals:When we are airing this podcast episode, we have the following CE approval. Please check back as we add other approval bodies: Continuing Education InformationCAMFT 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.Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Tiny Habits: The small changes that change everything by BJ Fogg, PhDReferences mentioned in this continuing education podcast:Bertelsen, P. & Ozer, S. (2021). Grip on life as a possible antecedent for self-control beliefs interacts with well-being and perceived stress. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 62, 185–192.Fogg, B. J. (2020). Tiny habits: the small changes that change everything. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.*The full reference list can be found in the course on our learning platform. Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:Structuring Self-CareAll Kinds of Burned OutThriving Over Surviving – Growing a Practice Without Burnout: An interview with Megan Gunnell, LMSWWhy You Shouldn’t Just Do It All Yourself: An interview with Bibi GoldsteinTherapy for Executives and Emerging Leaders

Navigating the Social Media Self-Diagnosis TrendCurt and Katie chat about the TikTok Mental Health and the self-diagnosis trend. We dig into what diagnosis is (and what is actually useful about diagnosis). We also explore the concerns with social media self-diagnosis as well as how we can support our clients with getting accurate assessment and treatment. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about self-diagnosis and the impact of social mediaWe have both heard about TikTok diagnoses in our practices and wanted to talk about how therapists might navigate this new trend. What are concerns with social media self-diagnosis?“The point of having a professional be able to properly evaluate is looking through that more nuanced clinical eye in order to look at where the threshold is that actually meets diagnostic [criteria] versus actually just having some characteristics in common with [the diagnosis]. Somebody can be nervous, does not mean that they have anxiety… What is pathologizing normal feelings?” – Curt Widhalm, LMFT Focusing in on small elements and then having that frame their full life experience Seeking only confirmatory diagnosis versus allowing for differential diagnosis Clinicians who are not doing full assessments to support clients who have self-diagnosed Clients who do not need treatment taking slots from those who do need assessment and treatment Lack of nuance in the social media content that doesn’t include information on differential diagnosis Inaccurate treatments based on inaccurate self-diagnosis Malingering and factitious disorder risk Pathologizing normal feelings Being inundated with so much information Confirmatory bias How to support clients who have sought diagnostic information on social media and google?“What started the whole thing… clinicians under diagnosing, undervaluing client feedback, not asking all the right questions. And so, folks are feeling dissatisfied with what we're doing and heading to the interweb to understand better what it is that's going on.” – Katie Vernoy, LMFT Therapists need to listen to their clients, so they don’t feel the need to go elsewhere for information Identify what is resonating for clients and explore what it means to them Educate clients about differential diagnosis Walk through their research (to listen and to help vet sources) Take your client seriously and support them in getting the help they need  

What Therapists Should Know About Sexual Health, Monkey Pox, and the Echoes of the AIDS Epidemic: An Interview with Mallory Garrett, LMFTCurt and Katie interview Mallory Garrett about sexual health as well as the current concerns related to Monkey Pox. We discuss what therapists usually get wrong when working with sexual health, what therapists need to know about STIs, as well as Monkey Pox. We talk about the relevant history of the HIV/AIDs epidemic and the community responses to Monkey Pox. We also look at how therapists can be most helpful to clients within our scope of practice. Resources to stay up to date with Monkey Pox and sexual health are also included in the show notes. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!An Interview with Mallory Garrett, LMFTMallory Garrett is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and New York. She graduated with a BA in Comparative Literature from UCLA and an MS in Counseling from CSU-Northridge. She began working in the social services sector as a Resident Services Intern with a low-income housing corporation for people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic health conditions. She continued working in this field during her traineeship and internships as she worked towards licensure. She loves speaking to therapists about destigmatizing HIV/AIDS and STIs and has co-facilitated a workshop through Simple Practice Learning. When not working she enjoys going to the theater and traveling.In this podcast episode, we talk about sexual health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)We talk about sexual health broadly as well as the recent concerns about Monkey Pox and the historical context of HIV/AIDs. What do therapists need to know about sexual health, STIs, and Monkey Pox? Monkey Pox is not technically a STI, but is primarily transmitted sexually in the US The stigma and concerns of being ignored, especially from those who lived through the HIV/AIDS epidemic Gay Rights and Sexual Liberation has relevance to these diseases The extreme societal bias toward the gay community during that time, medical neglect The emergence of Monkey Pox brought back the fears, stigma, and neglect

It’s the Lack of Thought That Counts: Ethical Decision Making in Dual RelationshipsCurt and Katie chat about dual relationships. We talk about the types of dual relationships, how often therapists get in trouble for these types of relationships, how to manage dual relationships, and the ethical decision making process to go through to decide whether to engage in a dual relationship. This is a law and ethics continuing education podcourse.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about ethical decision making to navigate dual relationshipsWe take a deeper dive into the complex relationships that we can have with our clients, our supervisors and our supervisees.What are dual relationships? Therapists know a lot about a very specific dual relationship: having sex with your clients, which is not acceptable There are many different types of potential dual relationships (we talk about the definitions of each type) The different hats we may wear with clients and colleagues What is a strong formal process for ethical decision making? Pope and Vasquez have a 17 Step Process for ethical decision making Deeply examining the question, the impact, and exploring any bias Identifying and understanding relevant laws and ethics Consultation, documentation, and evaluation We walk through a specific dual relationship question: what happens if your client refers a friend and colleague to you? How do you decide whether to take the client or not? For more information about the podcourse: learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse 

How Can Therapists Help Couples Recover from Infidelity?: An Interview with Dr. Talal H. AlsaleemCurt and Katie interview Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem, Psy.D, LMFT about System Affair Recovery Treatment (SART) and how therapists can better address infidelity in treatment. We discuss what therapists usually get wrong when working with infidelity, the difference between typical couples counseling and affair recovery, and why infidelity happens. We also look at the SART Model as well as tactics and treatment teaming.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!An Interview with Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem, PsyD, LMFTAward-winning marriage counselor and researcher, Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem is recognized as a leading expert in the field of infidelity counseling. He is the author of the acclaimed book, Infidelity: The Best Worst Thing that Could Happen to Your Marriage, and the founder of the Infidelity Counseling Center. His research interests and clinical work are focused on identifying the causes of infidelity and providing the best treatment for recovery from its impact. He developed Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy (SART) ™, a method of infidelity counseling that has helped hundreds of couples navigate the challenges of the healing journey from affairs. Dr. Alsaleem is an international lecturer and speaker. His engaging talks have helped many counselors broaden their understanding of infidelity and gain the necessary clinical tools to help their clients recover from affairs. Learn more at TalalAlsaleem.com.In this podcast episode, we talk about InfidelityWe explore with Dr. Talal Alsaleem what good infidelity counseling can look like and what therapists often get wrong when approaching this type of therapy. What is the Systemic Affair Recovery Treatment (SART) Model?“So in their quest to understand why the infidelity happened, we have to accept that the unfaithful is 100% responsible for the decision that they make for being unfaithful. So even in the worst case scenario, whether there was a huge relationship deficit, and you have the worst partner in the universe, that doesn't give you permission to cheat, you can take them to counseling, you can end the relationship before you cross those lines.” – Dr. Talal Alsaleem Seven milestones with clinical objectives and interventions Setting the stage for healing Getting the narrative of the affair Acknowledging the impact of the affair Choosing a path of recovery (individual or within the relationship) Creating an action plan Implementation Sustainability Infidelity can be the “best worst thing” that happens because you directly address what has happened