Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your Schedule

Do you ever find yourself wondering why self-care seems to come so easily for some of your colleagues or why you and your colleagues struggle in different ways with self-care? Or maybe you’ve been disappointed with the “one-size fits” all self-care messages you’ve been fed. If so, you’re not alone.In today’s episode, we’re diving into the topic of individual differences. As female mental health clinicians, we share a lot in common, but we’re also each unique, and that uniqueness can play a huge role in how we approach self-care. We hope you will tune in as we explore how unique aspects of ourselves can impact the way we experience work, self-worth, and even the imposter syndrome. And what we can do to use this information to tackle self-care in a truly personal way.Episode Highlights:3 Individual differences we need to consider:Neurodiversity Image of a “successful therapist”Personal history and life circumstancesSelf-care experiments Review your workdayTalk about individual differences with trusted colleaguesFind colleagues who share similar life circumstancesCelebrate the everyday “wins” at work Resources Mentioned:Our past podcast interview with April SnowOur past podcast interview with Dr. Kelly Yanek & Dr. Michele KindermanOur past podcast interview with Silvana Espinoza LauVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caRegistration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

We’re about to explore something that may surprise you—your brain’s survival instincts are still influencing how you approach self-care, and they might be working against you. Have you ever wondered why saying "no" feels impossible or why you can't seem to prioritize yourself no matter how hard you try? What if the answer lies in how our brains are wired for survival, and how that wiring affects everything from guilt to stress?In this episode, we’re going to unpack how your evolutionary wiring could be sabotaging your best self-care efforts. But here’s the good news—once you understand this, you’ll have the power to work with your brain, not against it. We’re sharing insights on why it’s so hard to break the cycle, along with practical strategies you can start using today to make more room for yourself. So, stick around—by the end of this episode, you’ll have a whole new perspective on your survival and your self-care.  Episode Highlights:4 ways evolutionary wiring impacts self-care:Conservation of energyAcceptance of the tribe and the role of guilt Scarcity of resourcesLiving for todaySelf-Care Experiments:  Recognize your signs of ‘survival mode’Respond kindly to guiltCreate a ‘Not to do’ listResources Mentioned:Healthy Habits Suck: How to Get Off the Couch and Live a Healthy Life...Even if You Don't Want To by Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection by Dr. Yael SchonbrunOur past podcast interview with Dr. Dayna Lee-BaggleyOur past podcast interview with Dr. Yael SchonbrunVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caRegistration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Ever feel like you’re always giving—whether it’s to your clients, your family, or even strangers on the street—and somehow your own needs get pushed aside? You're not alone. In fact, this might be part of a much bigger issue that’s rigged against women when it comes to self-care. If you're a female therapist, juggling the demands of your clients, family, and personal well-being, this episode is going to shine a light on why that balance feels so elusive—and what you can do to break the cycle.Today, we're talking about the hidden forces that keep women stuck in the 'human giver' role and leave little room for genuine self-care. We’ll dive into the cultural expectations and productivity systems that make it harder for women to prioritize themselves. But here's the good news: You can change the game. Join us as we explore how to reclaim your time, passions, and well-being—without guilt, shame, or burnout. Ready to shift the paradigm? Let’s dive in. Episode Highlights:3 ways the self-care game is rigged for women: Seeing ourselves as ‘human givers’Pressure to fit into male-dominated productivity systemsNot feeling permission to have passionsSelf-Care Experiments:  Let yourself be a human being, not a human giverGather up the ‘time confetti’Focus on integration over ‘greatness’Give yourself permission to have passionsResources Mentioned:Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World and Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) Not Enough Time, both by Eve RodskyOverwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid SchulteThe Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra AdachiThis is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something - Anything - Like Your Life Depends On It by Tabitha CarvanOur past podcast interview with Tabatha CarvanVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  Registration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Do you often find yourself working hard, yet questioning your abilities, feeling like you’re just pretending to be competent, waiting to be found out? If you’re a female therapist wrestling with imposter syndrome and the pressures of a lingering student mindset, you’re not alone, and this episode is for you. We’ll explore how these internal struggles can impact your self-care and professional fulfillment.Join us as we explore the traits that once helped you succeed but may now be holding you back.  How can recognizing these patterns empower you to move past the fear of being an "imposter"?  Listen in as we share valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you push back on that inner critic and reclaim your confidence.  Episode Highlights:Understanding the ‘student mindset’ and ‘imposter syndrome’Factors that increase the likelihood of experiencing imposter phenomenaKey starting points: Know that you are not aloneUnderstand how and why imposter feelings show up so can respond with compassion Self-Care Experiments:  Notice your perfectionism cycleRelax your standardsGet to know your inner criticEmbrace your non-student life (*assuming you are no longer a student!)Resources Mentioned:Book:  Imposter No More: Overcome Self-Doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career by Dr. Jill StoddardVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caRegistration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Mental health professionals often carry the emotional weight of their clients long after sessions. The podcast explores the hidden challenges, such as emotional depletion and psychic isolation, that come with the job. It emphasizes the importance of self-care and resilience strategies. Listeners learn about navigating workplace hazards and the significance of embracing uncertainty in therapy. The discussion also includes key self-reflection tools to enhance personal well-being while providing quality care, creating a supportive community for professionals.

Ever feel like there’s just never enough time in the day? You’re juggling client sessions, family responsibilities, and maybe even a little bit of a social life—if you’re lucky. And yet, somehow, taking care of yourself always falls to the bottom of the list. Sound familiar? In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the toxic time messages that keep us stuck in this endless cycle of overwhelm. We’re diving into how these hidden beliefs sneak into our everyday decisions and offer some practical tips to reclaim your time—and your energy.We’ll be talking about why saying, “I can do it better and faster,” or, “I should spend my time doing X, Y, Z,” might be costing you more than you realize. So, if you’re tired of feeling like time is slipping through your fingers and ready to start putting you back in your schedule, please stick around.Episode Highlights:Toxic Time Messages:“I can do it better and faster”“I can save time by doing it myself”“I should be spending my time doing x, y, z”Time reframes"Even if I can do it better, that doesn't mean I should be the one to do it""Saving time now isn't worth the long-term cost to my well-being""I will not let 'shoulds' rob me of time for myself"Self-Care Experiments:  Delegating a taskPausing before agreeing to new commitmentsSetting aside uninterrupted time for yourselfResources Mentioned:Book:  Fair Play by Eve RodskyVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caRegistration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

When was the last time you felt truly in control of your schedule? Or had a day when your to-do list didn’t just overflow with everyone else’s needs, leaving yours at the bottom? If self-care feels like just another item you’re not quite managing to cross off, you’re not alone – and that’s exactly why we created this podcast.In this first episode, we’re introducing a game-changing approach to self-care – one that’s tailored to the unique challenges of being a female therapist. We’ll be sharing our 4 C’s model, a simple yet powerful framework to help you start putting more of you back into your day. It’s a fresh approach that goes far beyond bubble baths and massages to help you carve out space for what actually matters to you. If you’re tired of self-care advice that doesn’t stick, and you’re ready to learn how to make real, sustainable changes, please tune in. Episode Highlights:Why we created this podcastOur new definition of self-care:  Putting more of you in your schedule and creating a life from which you don’t need to escapeThe 4 C’s model:  Connection, Compassion, Courage, and CreativitySelf-Care Experiments:  Which of your 4 C’s pillars feels strongest?  Which needs more attention?  What is one thing you can do to give that pillar a bit more attention?Resources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca Registration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Self-care shouldn’t be another task on your to-do list!  Hosted by Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, clinical psychologists, founders of Intentional Therapist, and self-care advocates, this podcast is for female mental health therapists who are ready to redefine self-care.   Registration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

As regular listeners know, we are (still!) in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future. So please stay tuned!Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance. This month we are re-sharing another one of our favourite podcast interviews, where we discuss the importance of owning our therapist sensitivities.  As a self-described Highly Sensitive Therapist (HST), April Snow shares her perspectives on what it means to be a HST and why honouring our unique qualities is essential in setting up a practice that truly allows us to thrive, both at work and beyond.   So, whether you identify as a HST or not, we hope you will join us in re-visiting this important and highly relevant topic for us all.  Because the reality is effective self-care involves knowing ourselves and aligning our self-care to our unique qualities and circumstances.  And, for some of us, that might just mean working in bed!  And that’s okay.    Episode highlights:What it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)What lead April to specialize in working with Highly Sensitive Therapists (HSTs)Some of the biggest misconceptions of being a HSTOne step listeners can take today to work in alignment with being a HSTApril’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceApril Snow, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and consultant in California who specializes in working with Highly Sensitive Introverts. April strongly believes that being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) doesn’t have to stop you from living a fully engaged life and is on a mission to help HSPs create a life on their own terms so they can manage the overwhelm and start to thrive. Connect with April:https://www.aprilsnowconsulting.comRegistration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

As you may already know, we are in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future.  So please stay tuned!  Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance.  This month we are re-sharing one of our favourite podcast interviews, which was with Tabitha Carvan, the author of This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something—Anything—Like Your Life Depends on It.  As the name might imply, what this book is really about is the importance of women reconnecting with our passions and joyful pursuits.  Tabitha does a wonderful job of mixing humor and levity with some profound insights into why women often struggle with doing things that can give us pleasure.  So we hope you will join us in revisiting this important and highly relevant topic to self-care because we can all use reminders (and perhaps even permission) to truly reconnect with our passions and joyful pursuits.     Episode highlights:What brought Tabitha to write a book full of references to Benedict Cumberbatch but ultimately not actually about him at allWhy its so easy for us, as women, to get disconnected from our passionsWhy connecting with joyful pursuits can cause women to feel like there’s something “wrong”How embarrassment and shame get in the way of our passionsTabitha’s important take-home messageTabitha’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceTabitha Carvan is the author of This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch and a science writer for the Australian National University.  She lives in Canberra, Australia.  Connect with Tabitha:http://www.tabithacarvan.com/Registration is now open through September 29th for Thrivival Skills for Therapists, with your choice of formats! More info at the links below: Option 1: Fall 2025 Cohort Option 2: Independent Study Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.