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

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.In this episode we talk about: Finding someone better than you challenge you to improve False Data that often supports our sense of how we good we are How to know how well you’re doing with clients Outcome measures, symptom relief, and clients feeling better Why cases get stuck and why we should be focusing on these cases Recording sessions and reviewing later to learn about your process and identify your blind spots How important it is to continue your active learning How the whole person therapist can bring their growth and training in the room How to navigate when someone want you to be an expert – looking at your efficacy, cultural factors, and structuring your increased knowledge and growth Listening closely to your clients Getting on-going supervision, so someone can continue to push us to grow, identify what you’re missing Asking to be challenged at your level of development Identifying who can best supervise you and consult Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Deliberate Practice studies: Anders Ericcson Scott MillerPrevious episodes referenced:Are You Sure You’re a Specialist?Our events this year:The Brand Called “You”: Legal & Ethical Issues in Developing a Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.comKatie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.comA Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey. Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comwww.therapyreimagined.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/ Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.Interview with Maelisa Hall, Psy.D.Maelisa Hall, Psy.D. specializes in teaching therapists how to connect with their paperwork so it's more simple and more meaningful. The result? Rock solid documentation every therapist can be proud of! Check out her free online Private Practice Paperwork Crash Course, and get tips on improving your documentation today.In this episode we talk about: Maelisa’s story and why she’s so good at paperwork How to make documentation meaningful to your practice What your paperwork says about you What kind of language to use in your progress notes Improving your own quality assurance Progress Note templates Legal and ethical responsibilities for documentation Consent for treatment considerations Different policies you should probably consider Medical necessity and the clinical loop Treatment plan review Thoughtful, deliberate treatment How you’re probably overestimating your memory Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.QA PrepMy Biz Bestie PodcastMaelisa’s Free Crash CourseMaelisa’s Paperwork PacketMaelisa’s Meaningful Documentation AcademyOur events:The Brand Called “You”: Legal and Ethical Issues in Developing Your Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!!Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more about Curt at www.curtwidhalm.com.Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more about Katie at www.katievernoy.com.A Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.In this episode we talk about: Similar, non-descript, cliché therapist marketing Duplicating what other therapists do Inauthentic personal branding Ineffective marketing copy Not having a call to action Unclear or incomplete contact information Not having a website or online presence at all Headshots Video missteps Mistakes when creating printed marketing materials How to stand out Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Psychology TodayTiffany McClain – Hey TiffanyJax Anderson – The PsykotherapistFylmit.comPrevious episodes referenced:In-Person NetworkingSocial Media and Video MarketingOur events this year:The Brand Called “You”: Legal & Ethical Issues in Developing a Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.comKatie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.comA Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey. Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comwww.therapyreimagined.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/ Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.Interview with Howard SpectorHoward Spector is the CEO and Co-Founder of SimplePractice. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Howard has been involved with successful technology companies and has developed and established his first product, TrackYourHours. He has his MA in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from the Pacifica Graduate Institute.In this episode we talk about: Howard’s Story – how he went from a previous career to being a therapist to being a tech entrepreneur with TrackYourHours and SimplePractice Instinctual business decisions, trusting himself, pursuing your own why The perils of not trusting yourself or your gut Making decisions from the inside out (not letting society tell you what to do) Investing in yourself as a small business owner Ways to evolve your business, generating different streams of income Business practices needed to be successful in business Automation and delegation What should I be doing and what shouldn’t I be doing as a business owner The irony of therapists charging for time, but not valuing their time How scary it is to be a business owner and invest in something new Howard’s decision to not provide phone support for SimplePractice, for now Why it’s important to be honest about what you can provide in business What’s coming soon for SimplePractice  Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.SimplePractice Carl JungPacifica Graduate InstituteTrackYourHoursOur events:The Brand Called “You”: Legal and Ethical Issues in Developing Your Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!!Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more about Curt at www.curtwidhalm.com.Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more about Katie at www.katievernoy.com.A Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.In this episode we talk about: Choosing your location Parking – free and plentiful, street parking, paid parking with and without validation Personal requirements of the therapist Client and marketing considerations Building your referral network Finding property management that understands the needs of therapists Communicating effectively with officemates, neighbors, property managers Awareness of the atmosphere and community Designing your space How to prioritize amenities Waiting rooms Function and design (and how to balance the two) How to have your office reflect you Leasing, subleasing, sharing offices, and contracts Systems needed to share your office Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsOur events this year:The Brand Called “You”: Legal & Ethical Issues in Developing a Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.comKatie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.comA Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey. Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comwww.therapyreimagined.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/ Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.Interview with Benjamin E. Caldwell, Psy.D. Dr. Benjamin Caldwell is the author of five books, including Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs, which is now on its fourth edition, and Saving Psychotherapy, which has been the focus of several invited conference presentations. He serves as adjunct faculty for California State University Northridge and The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. In his role as Chair of the Legislative and Advocacy Committee for the California Division of AAMFT, he has been directly involved in California's first-in-the-nation ban on reparative therapy for minors, and he drove the change in title from "intern" to "associate" for prelicensed MFTs and PCCs. For his advocacy work, he was awarded the AAMFT Division Contribution Award in 2013. He is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (#42723) and maintains a private practice in Los Angeles, specializing in working with couples. In this episode we talk about: Why psychotherapy needs to be saved, looking at the huge financial barriers to entering the profession and the diminishing amount of money spent on treatment. The advocacy needed to address training requirements, outdated laws and ethical codes, etc. The importance of being clear in communicating what we do, how we’re different from each other, and why we do what we do Why people don’t like or trust therapists How Evidence Based Practices are impacting the field Why we’ve not become more effective as a profession The need to improve therapists, not treatment protocols The “way of being” of a therapist is more important than the clinical interventions used Deliberate Practice How to improve workplaces to take better care of therapists How to advocate at each stage of your career Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Curt’s almost weekly mention of Scott Miller and his work (and Ben chimes in a lot this time)The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference Saving Psychotherapy by Benjamin E. Caldwell Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs by Benjamin E. CaldwellBen Caldwell LabsPsychotherapy NotesOur events:The Brand Called “You”: Legal and Ethical Issues in Developing Your Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!!Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.In this episode we talk about: What does it mean to be a “specialist” or an “expert”? The difference between competence and special skills or expertise Contrasting between clinical focus (or niche or target market) and specialization How to become a specialist when you start out as a generalist The ethical imperative to accurately portray your clinical training Language you can use in marketing when you’re working toward specialization Certifications – the benefits as well as the challenge to identify legitimate certificate programs Not allowing the feeling of being “not good enough” to drive you to get a million certificates Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.Richard Leslie’s Article Advertising RemindersOur events this year:The Brand Called “You”: Legal & Ethical Issues in Developing a Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.comKatie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.comA Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey. Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comwww.therapyreimagined.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/ Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.Interview with Jennifer Blough, LPCJennifer Blough is a licensed professional counselor, certified compassion fatigue therapist, certified pet loss grief recovery specialist, and the owner of Deepwater Counseling in southeast Michigan. In addition to counseling individuals and couples, she presents compassion fatigue workshops to animal welfare and veterinary organizations. She is the author of the book To Save a Starfish: A Compassion Fatigue Workbook for the Animal Welfare Warrior, and the host of The Compassion Fatigue Podcast.In this episode we talk about: The symptoms of compassion fatigue and how to recognize it Jen’s story and how she became a therapist for animal welfare professionals The buffers for “the normal cost of caring” Self-care and support Compassion satisfaction (getting joy from your work) Focusing her practice on animal welfare professionals and pet loss, without closing herself off to others who she can help The unique challenges of animal welfare professionals and how to support these people with the constant grief and loss associated with caring for animals Considerations for therapists working with animal welfare professionals The vegan lifestyle and how it intersects with the clinical work Suggestions for self-care and coping with compassion fatigue Animal rights activism How to empower yourself rather than traumatize yourself in doing the research and work to support your passion and mission How anger, depression, guilt, and isolation can increase the impact of compassion fatigue Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.The Green Cross Compassion Fatigue Therapist CertificationPet Loss Grief Recovery Specialist CertificationThe Compassion Fatigue PodcastDeepwater Counseling Our events:The Brand Called “You”: Legal and Ethical Issues in Developing Your Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!!Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.In this episode we talk about: Why people become supervisors Models of supervision The importance of good supervision What makes supervision ineffective The problem with the notion of “training the competition” or seeing supervisees money making machines How to nurture the next generation Finding the right supervisor/supervisee match The different aspects of supervision: administrative, clinical, professional development, consumer protection Differences between public mental health and private practice supervision Our anger about people taking advantage of prelicensees The importance of following employment law How supervision impacts the profession The difference between therapy and supervision What supervisees are responsible for (and what they shouldn’t be responsible for, but often are) School and supervisors passing the buck – you should learn about this in school, they should train you in supervision Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists) Certified Supervision ProgramThe Developmental Model of SupervisionReflective Supervision Recovery-Oriented SupervisionTrauma-Informed SupervisionSeven-Eyed Supervision Model by Hawkins and ShohetCurt’s Supervision Workshop: Supervision in Private Practice: Legal & Ethical IssuesOur events this year:The Brand Called “You”: Legal & Ethical Issues in Developing a Personal BrandThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Who we are:Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.comKatie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.comA Quick Note:Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey. Stay in Touch:www.mtsgpodcast.comwww.therapyreimagined.comhttps://www.facebook.com/therapyreimagined/https://twitter.com/therapymovementhttps://www.instagram.com/therapyreimagined/ Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.Interview with Paul GilmartinWe so enjoyed talking with Paul!From 1995 to 2011 Paul Gilmartin co-hosted TBS’ Dinner and a Movie and has been a stand-up comedian since 1987. His credits include Comedy Central Presents: Paul Gilmartin, numerous Bob and Tom albums, comedy festivals and the Late Show with Craig Ferguson.Paul is a recovering alcoholic/addict and has been sober since 2003. He is also an incest survivor and has been in treatment for depression since 1999. He is a big believer in therapy and support groups.Paul hosts a weekly audio podcast, The Mental Illness Happy Hour, consisting of interviews with artists, friends, listeners and the occasional mental health professional about all the battles in our heads; from medically diagnosed conditions, past traumas and sexual dysfunction to everyday compulsive, negative thinking.  It gets about 600,000 downloads per month, has a 5/5 iTunes rating where it frequently occupies the top spot in Self-Help, was chosen by Esquire as one of the best podcasts of 2016 and is featured in the 2013 PBS Documentary "A New State of Mind."You can learn more about Paul and The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast here: www.mentalpod.com.In this episode we talk about: How Paul’s experience of covert incest and battle with depression led to creating The Mental Illness Happy Hour Paul’s mission to decrease mental health stigma and provide a virtual support group The power of conversation and community The importance of empathy and validation How therapists connect best with their clients The survey Paul has on his website about what therapists are doing right and what they are really doing wrong. What therapists are often missing when they become distracted or forgetful How damaging it is when therapists minimize their client’s feelings, trauma, and abuse The importance of overcoming “you’re only nice to me because I pay you” for therapists  Resources mentioned:We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links.The Mental Illness Happy Hour Podcast(Katie’s Episode on Mental Pod) The First Day in Therapy SurveyCurt’s almost weekly mention of Scott Miller and his workThe Therapy Reimagined Conference in Los Angeles in October 2018!! Credits:Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano http://www.crystalmangano.com/