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

How to Navigate Shifts in the Mental Health Field and Your Career Path: An interview with Dr. Melvin VargheseCurt and Katie interview Dr. Melvin Varghese about how he’s navigated his career path. We look at a life changing event that helped him to get perspective on what is most important to him. We also explore practicalities of prioritizing personal life as an entrepreneur. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about how to prioritize your personal life while having a successful careerWe invited our friend Melvin Varghese back to the podcast to talk about how he is navigating shifts in the profession and his life. What do therapists get wrong when creating their career?·      Doing too much and not doing things deeply enough·      Shifting too quickly when things get hard·      Failing to look at season of life issues when planning your business·      Having trouble defining success based on what is resonant to oneselfHow can therapists prioritize themselves and sustain a therapy career?·      Pace yourself based on your own life story, not a mentor’s or the “shoulds” from the profession·      Be willing to “fail forward”·      Pushing back against “curated authenticity” and look at how to be real, with boundaries·      Aligning career with morals and values·      Focus on “decades over days”·      Sustainable content creationWhat are Melvin’s predictions about the future of the profession?·      Authenticity and real conversations will succeed where AI posting will not·      Finding content platforms where effort compounds over time·      Discovery platforms leading to relationship-deepening platforms·      Navigating a lot of tech and insurance companies·      People have less discretionary money, so diversifying your income is valuableStay 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/

Are Therapy and Coaching All That Different?Curt and Katie chat about the differences between coaching and therapy, for a second time. We look at some common myths (and how coaches continue to share this misinformation). We also look at how therapists can effectively incorporate coaching into their therapy sessions, with client consent. Finally, we discuss the challenges inherent in coaching and in therapy, and why therapists may feel they need to choose one or the other. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk the differences between coaching and therapyWe’ve come back around to exploring coaching. We look at the differences, the pros and cons, and what therapists can incorporate into therapy.What are the differences between coaching and therapy?·      There are no regulations for coaching·      Therapists are limited to providing services where they are licensed or have practicing privileges·      Coaching is often more directive (but therapy can be directive as well)·      Coaching has flexibility to work outside of session (although therapists can do coaching calls and more experiential work)·      Therapy often requires “medical necessity,” and can treat more serious concerns·      There are sometimes different structures between how therapy and coaching are set up (i.e., coaching has more room for asynchronous courses)·      There is a false story that therapy always looks at the past or sees clients as brokenWhat parts of coaching can therapists incorporate into therapy?·      Therapists can use a more directive, coaching style, even though not all therapists do·      Therapists, within a treatment agreement, can (and should) hold clients accountable and have more specific goals·      Lived experience informing the work·      Marketing with specificity and focused expertiseWhy do therapists feel they need to choose between therapy and coaching?·      It is more complicated to provide different services to your clients·      There is a potential for dual relationships and the rules are different within coaching·      The need for informed consent can hinder some of the other types of services that fit into coaching·      Coaching is for the “worried well” whereas therapy can include folks with deeper issuesStay 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/

Are You Too Burned Out to Work? An ethical assessment of therapist burnout and impairmentCurt and Katie chat about the ethics of working while burned out. We look at what burnout is, how it develops and what the impacts are on clients and treatment outcomes. We also explore individual and systemic strategies to mitigate the risks of burnout. 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 therapist burnoutSo many therapists complain that they are burned out, but then continue to work. Is this ethical? In this continuing education podcourse, we explore what therapist burnout is, how therapists get burned out, potential impacts on the therapeutic work with clients, and when (and whether) it moves into the threshold of unethical behavior. We talk specifically about what makes a therapist impaired and how therapists can assess their own capacity to ethically care for their clients. We also look at how to respond to signs of burnout appropriately. Finally, we dig into systemic concerns that lead to burnout and who really is responsible for a therapist’s burnout and potential impairment.Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival GuideContinuing Education Approvals: Continuing Education Information including grievance and refund policies.Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:Our learning platformModern 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 Therapists Need to Know About Menopause and Perimenopause: An interview with Dr. Sharon Malone, MDCurt and Katie interview Dr. Sharon Malone, MD, author of Grown Woman Talk, about menopause and perimenopause. We explore the mental health impacts as well as the differential diagnosis when assessing a woman over 40 who might be experiencing this phase of life. We also talk about what good treatment can look like, including discussing the debate about hormone therapies.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about mental health impacts of (peri)menopauseAfter Katie was diagnosed with perimenopause, she began looking for sources of information on this seldom-talked-about phase of women’s lives. She found Dr. Sharon Malone’s work and was so excited that she agreed to come on to talk about menopause and perimenopause as well as her new book, Grown Woman Talk!What is perimenopause and menopause?·      Life stages for women in midlife and beyond·      Hormonal shifts (not just dropping, but inconsistent through·      Remodeling of the brain·      Perimenopause is not short, it can be up to a decade·      Too often women think they can power through, but it can and should be treatedWhat are the psychological impacts of perimenopause and menopause?·      Feeling different or more emotional due to hormonal shifts during up to a decade prior to menopause (when hormones drop)·      During perimenopause there is an uptick in depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, late onset ADHD, rage, brain fog·      Perimenopausal mood and psychological changes may be better treated by hormones than by typical psychotropics·      The differential diagnosis should start with ruling out perimenopause for any woman 40+What does good perimenopause treatment look like?·      The most effective treatment of perimenopausal symptoms is estrogen or menopause hormone treatment·      Too often, women get individual symptoms treated by individual specialists rather than a more global impact of hormone imbalances·      Hormone treatments can potentiate antidepressant (synergistic effect) for mood concerns·      We also address the concerns related to hormone treatment (the study was misrepresented)·      Women should be armed with the questions to ask and collaborate and agree on treatment with their doctorsStay 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/

Conscious and Trauma-Informed Leadership: An interview with Kelly L. CampbellCurt and Katie interview Kelly Campbell about her work with leaders. We explore the ways in which trauma can impact leaders, their teams, and their organizations. We also look at what trauma-informed leadership coaching can look like, including overarching goals for trauma-informed and high conscious leadership.     Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we explore trauma-informed leadershipWhile writing her book, Kelly Campbell reached out to Curt and Katie to connect with a previous interviewee, Dr. Sidney Stone -Brown. We loved that she is talking about trauma-informed leadership, so we invited her to come on the podcast to talk with us about it.    What is trauma-informed leadership coaching?·      Recognizing that past traumas can impact how someone leads a group·      Identifying impacts of trauma on a client’s ability to perform the tasks of leadership·      Working to shift dynamics within leaders (and their teams) based on impacts of past traumaWhat are the common impacts of trauma on leaders and their leadership skills?·      People-controlling behaviors (like micromanagement)·      People-pleasing behaviors (like not holding people accountable)·      Lack of trust·      Impostor Syndrome·      Attrition of employees·      Lower profitability (as a lagging indicator)What is the goal for trauma-informed leadership?·      High conscious leaders·      Vulnerability and trust·      Healing the impacts of trauma on the workplace·      Refraining from people-controlling or people-pleasing behaviors·      Modeling a new way of being to shift the company culture·      Self-advocacy, clear boundaries, and improved communicationStay 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/

Is It Worth It? Analyzing return on investment for your therapy practiceCurt and Katie chat about different types of return on investment (ROI) for a therapist in private practice. We look at what therapists often get wrong when deciding how to invest their time, money, or energy. We also give some ideas of what can be more effective in getting the highest ROI (of all types) for your therapy business and career.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk return on investmentIn response to last week’s episode on managing your money, we had additional ideas on the concept of a return on investment.What are the different types of return on investment that therapists have in their practice?·      The financial ROI of money in versus money out·      How much time spent versus the benefit to your practice and yourself·      The amount of energy spent (or saved) or the type of energy you have available at different types of day·      Connections made while networking and how they can be valuable to a therapist (e.g., referral sources, friends, support system, business collaboration)·      Learning and expertise, continuing education·      Enjoyment and fun·      Supporting mission, vision, and/or values, legacyWhat do therapists typically invest time, money, or energy in, that don’t have a good ROI?·      Saying yes to everyone and every opportunity·      Going to networking with only financial ROI (getting referrals for your therapy practice) as a goal·      Insufficient marketing (i.e., not staying consistent through enough touch points before someone refers or signs up as a client)·      Not assessing return on investment for the different types of activities you perform for your practice·      Getting additional certifications without a clear ROI for your practiceStay 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 Forget to Pay Yourself and Other Money Planning Strategies: An interview with Carla TitusCurt and Katie interview Carla Titus, Fractional CFO about what therapists get wrong when budgeting for their private practice. We explore financial strategies to maintain a viable business as well as how you can grow your business responsibly. We talk about making sure to pay yourself first, then set up a rainy-day fund, and follow that with saving additional extra funds for hiring or new services before you scale.    Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we explore what therapists need to know about financial planning for their businessCurt and Katie talk with Carla Titus about financially planning for your business. We look at common mistakes as well as how you can grow while still paying yourself.   What does financial planning look like for a therapy practice?·      Managing cash flow·      Understanding the Return on Investment for new ventures·      Running the numbers on costs and revenue, the gross margin·      Calculating the profitability of adding clinicians or trying new programs·      Working to get a total profit margin of 10-20%·      Creating a reserve fund and saving profit to reinvest, when neededCommon Mistakes therapists make when financially planning for their practice·      Not paying attention to their expenses·      Not tracking cash flow (i.e., not getting billables timely and having expenses that are due before you have the money on hand)·      Therapists often avoid looking at numbers·      Scaling before you have another reserve of money to fund it (2-3 payroll runs for a new employee for example)What should therapists do before hiring a clinician into their private practice?·      Save money from profit to reinvest into the business·      Making sure you have your rainy-day fund prior to adding additional funds to float a new person as they get up to speed·      Make sure you’re able to pay yourself while bringing on the new hire·      Order of priority: pay yourself, save for a rainy-day, then save for scalingHow can a therapist manage their “money,” even when they are just starting out?·      If you’re taking out a business loan or grant, have a plan for how you’re going to use that money·      Focus on revenue generating ideas to be able to get money and/or pay back loans·      Expenses should also have a high return on investment for the business longevity and the bottom line·      Try to avoid shiny object syndrome·      Know the expectation of the outcome for the money you are spending (for example on marketing)·      Evaluate outcomes and course correct when needed·      Beware the sunk cost fallacyStay 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/

An Expert Witness Weighs in on Therapist Malpractice: An interview with Dr. Frederic ReamerCurt and Katie interview Dr. Frederic Reamer about his perspective as an expert witness opining on therapist conduct. We talk about the three types of cases he sees (mistakes, challenging decisions, and misconduct) as well as what therapists can do to protect and set themselves up for success.   Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we share an expert witness perspective on therapist mistakesCurt and Katie talk with Dr. Frederic Reamer about how therapists can get in trouble as well as what an expert witness does when evaluating these therapist mistakes.  What do Expert Witness do for cases involving therapists?·      Evaluate malpractice and standard of care·      Opine on whether therapists have acted appropriately in their role as professionals·      Reviewing records, reports, depositions, and testifying on trialWhat are the different types of cases that are brought against therapists?·      Good people making mistakes·      Challenging ethical dilemmas (i.e., making a decision that is not wrong, but leads to a bad outcome)·      Misconduct (e.g., having sex with clients, inappropriate dual relationships, impaired therapists)How can therapists set themselves up to avoid getting sued or licensing board complaints?·      Appropriate documentation·      Consultation with colleagues or supervisors (and document this consultation)·      Have sufficient malpractice insuranceStay 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/

Are You Burned Out or Are You Bored?Curt and Katie chat about another type of burnout, “bore out.” We explore the difference between burnout and boredom. We talk about what might be unique to therapists’ jobs that would lead to boredom. We also dig into how dissociation can show up as either burnout or boredom. Finally, we share ideas on how modern therapists can mitigate some of the impacts of burnout, boredom, and vicarious trauma.Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode we talk about both burnout and “bore out”Katie has been feeling a little bit bored lately, so she decided to do some research on what might be happening. She uncovered a concept “bore out” which seems to be the opposite of burnout, but with similar consequences. We decided to dig into this topic to see what therapists can do to try to avoid (or address) burnout.What are the differences between burnout and boredom?·       Burnout is overstimulation to the point of running out of energy·       Boredom is under-stimulation to the point of lack of creativity and stagnation·       Burnout is a pretty common topic, but “bore out” never really took off·       People more likely to leave a job due to boredomWhat are the types of boredom that therapists face?·       Clinical boredom (repeated stories, lack of progress)·       Repetitive clinical work (due to niche, evidence-based practice)·       Notes and documentation are frequently described as boring·       Trauma therapists may become cynical·       Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and moral injury·       Desensitization and disengagement of vicarious trauma can feel like boredom·       Dissociation may also be part of this disengagementWhat can therapists do to address boredom?·       Clinical consultation and your own therapy·       Professional development and continuing education·       Refreshing your knowledge and bringing new techniques into session·       Adequate stimulation to get work done·       Doing things in small doses·       Reframing things to make them more positive (not “onerous” or “boring”)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/ 

Seeking Purpose Beyond Accomplishment: An interview with Kasey ComptonCurt and Katie interview Kasey Compton, LPCC, on her new book, In Search of You. We explore her journey of healing and what it was like to put that healing into a public space. We also talk about Kasey’s challenges with being bullied in her home town due to the choices she has made (getting divorced and then choosing a same-sex relationship) and how her “hard head” has helped her to get through it all. She also shares some ideas for therapists in their own healing journeys.  Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!In this podcast episode, we talk about how even successful therapists may need their own healing journeyCurt and Katie talk with Kasey Compton about her new book, In Search of You: When Doing More Isn’t Doing It Anymore. What is “In Search of You” about?·       Kasey wrote a book while going through therapy about her healing process·       Looking at moving away from accomplishment and toward making meaning·       Getting to a place of self-love·       Using Kasey’s stories she wrote during therapy, in real timeHow can a high achiever, people pleaser, or “seeker” move toward self-love?·       Understanding the relationship between love and accomplishment (or lack of relationship between these two)·       Understanding the difference between authenticity and vulnerability·       Shifting one’s relationship with shameWhat is it like to heal in public?·       Coming to terms with vulnerability·       For Kasey, her hometown is religiously conservative who were very judgmental about her stages of healing (including her divorce, a new relationship with a woman, and now writing this book)·       Putting on emotional armor in unsafe places·       Finding community support·       Moving forward with boldness and self-acceptance·       Detaching from outcomesHow do these lessons apply for therapists?·       Taking a holistic, full person look at who you are professionally·       Using a timeline to understand ourselves and how our lives have impacted us·       Doing our own work with a therapist or through journaling and doing a timeline·       Finding balance·       Moving away from self-sacrifice as a mechanism toward accomplishmentStay 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/