Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your Schedule

Many women at some point in their careers will experience the major milestone of becoming a mother. It's a life-changing experience, yet how often do we talk about how this transition impacts our work?In this month's episode of Thrivival 101 we were so pleased to speak with Lori Mihalich-Levin and Arianna Taboada about the work they do to help parents thrive in both their parenting and professional lives. Lori shares some of her own challenging experiences as a new working parent and how this led to her creation of Mindful Return, an organization supporting parents in their working parent journey.Lori and Arianna discuss some of the biggest misconceptions about integrating parenting into our careers, how parental leave can actually enhance our leadership skills, and some steps we can take to create a more positive workplace for working parents. Arianna and Lori share their favourite non-conventional self-care activities and we end this episode with Lori reading a touching segment from a letter to herself (and to all of us) about being enough.Even if you aren't a parent, this discussion is so valuable for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing working parents.Highlights:What led Lori to create Mindful ReturnThe common misconceptions and mindset challenges for working parentsHow scenario mapping can be a helpful way of addressing catastrophizingHow parenting out loud at work can create positive changeSome impactful steps parents can take to support their successLori and Arianna’s favourite nonconventional self-care activitiesLori Mihalich-Levin, JD, believes in empowering working parents. She is the founder and CEO of Mindful Return, author of Back to Work After Baby, and co-host of the Parents at Work Podcast. Lori is mama to two wonderful red-headed boys and is a health care lawyer in private practice. Arianna Taboada is the co-creator and lead for the Mindful Return Maternity Leave Course for Entrepreneurs. She is a public health social worker by training and author of The Expecting Entrepreneur. Connect with Lori:https://www.mindfulreturn.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lorimihalichlevin/https://www.instagram.com/mindfulreturn/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parents-at-work/id1239258343Connect with Arianna:https://www.linkedin.com/company/81917905https://www.instagram.com/thexpectingentrepreneur/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 clinicians we’re familiar with the concept and importance of resilience but how many of us actually think about resiliency for ourselves?  In this episode we speak with award winning workplace mental health expert and psychologist, Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier about her recent book The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.  Marie-Helene explains how a resilience plan differs from traditional self-care and identifies the key elements involved in developing a strategic resilience plan that’s as unique as our DNA.  She also shares how value-driven work can place us at increased risk of burnout and the importance of not tipping too far toward optimism.  We wrap up the episode by learning about a couple of activities that are regularly part of Marie-Helene’s strategic resilience plan.     Episode highlights:The difference between a resilience plan and traditional self-careThe key elements in developing a strategic resilience plan How value-driven work can place us at risk for burnoutHow optimism can become a liabilityTwo activities that are regularly included in Dr. Pelletier’s strategic resilience planThroughout her career in business management and psychology, Dr. Pelletier has spearheaded the dialogue on the crucial issues of leadership resilience and work performance.  Drawing on her extensive background in corporate, insurance, governance and public sectors, she brings an international perspective and unique expertise on leadership.  She is a practicing leadership psychologist and executive coach with over 20 years of experience and holds a Ph.D. and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.  Marie-Helene is a Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization, and past Director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology.  She has presented and authored and co-authored a number of industry and academic publications and has won numerous academic and industry awards.  In 2024, Dr. Pelletier published her award-winning book, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.Connect with Marie-Helene:www.theresilienceplan.comhttps://drmarie-helene.com/https://twitter.com/drmhpelletierhttps://www.facebook.com/drmhpelletier/https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmhpelletier/?originalSubdomain=cahttps://www.instagram.com/drmhpelletier/?hl=en  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.

In this special podcast episode, we, Dr. Melissa Tiessen and Dr. Karen Dyck, dedicate our discussion to what is perhaps our favourite 'C' from our 4 C's model of self-care—Courage.  We provide a quick overview of our 4 C’s model of self-care and why Courage is the C that we like discussing the most, as well as why we view it as the essential fuel that helps to move us from thinking about and planning self-care activities to acting on them.  And we had the pleasure of incorporating audio clips submitted by members of our Intentional Therapist community to highlight the importance of Courage in self-care as well as how Courage intersects with our other C’s and with a willingness to be vulnerable.  We end the episode by sharing some of the ways Courage has shown up in our own self-care journeys.     Episode highlights:A brief overview of the 4 C’s model of self-careWhy Courage is such an important part of our modelHow Courage can show up in both our work and personal lifeThe connection between Courage and a willingness to be vulnerableHow we have incorporated Courage into our own self-careThank you so much to all the like-minded Intentional Therapist community members who shared their courageous self-care examples for this episode!  We would love to hear your own courageous self-care acts and plans!  Just go to:    https://www.speakpipe.com/IntentionalTherapist 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.

Listening to the wisdom of our body is an essential component of self-care, yet how often do we truly embrace this?  Do we even know what that would look like? In this episode we speak with Courtney Amo, Dr. Julie Beaulac, and Casey Bergland, the authors of the book entitled The Mind Body Way: The Embodied Leader’s Path to Resilience, Connection, and Purpose. Our guests use the term “leader” in a broad sense to include both the traditionally recognized leadership roles but also those that we might not ordinarily think of.  So, whether you’re in a supervisory role where you’re leading a team or simply just leading yourself, this episode is for you.  Our guests discuss exactly what is meant by the term “embodiment” and some of the reasons we struggle to listen to our bodies. We also explore the authors’ 6 pillar framework and it’s overlap with our 4 C’s framework, focusing specifically on the importance of courage and connection.  We end off by hearing about our guests’ favorite “non-conventional” self-care practices.        Episode highlights:What exactly is “embodiment” and why is it so importantWhy we ignore the wisdom of our bodiesHow taking on risks and practicing courage contribute to embodied leadershipThe role of connecting with ourselves and others in being an embodied leaderJulie, Courtney, and Casey’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practicesCourtney Amo is a certified yoga instructor and the founder of Mahaa, an independent yoga, retreat, lifestyle coaching, and consulting practice that promotes inclusive and barrier-free access to well-being.  Dr. Julie Beaulac is a certified yoga teacher and a clinical, health, and rehabilitation psychologist in private practice who helps individuals, groups, and organizations enhance their performance and satisfaction by becoming more engaged in their lives.  And Casey Bergland is a yoga instructor and certified professional coach who recently founded Worthy and Well, an online coaching and training company.  Casey focuses on helping her clients become embodied leaders without burning out or neglecting their bodies’ wisdom.  Connect with Courtney:https://mahaa.ca/Connect with Julie:https://drjuliebeaulac.com/Connect with Casey:https://letyourbodylead.com/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.

In this conversation, psychologist Kim Long digs into the vital topic of setting boundaries for female clinicians. She highlights common misconceptions and the unique challenges women face in maintaining self-care. Kim emphasizes the importance of recognizing warning signs that boundaries need strengthening and how bodily awareness can guide this process. With her engaging insights, she suggests that resentment may often be envy cloaked in discomfort. Listeners will appreciate her unconventional self-care strategies, merging emotional health with physical activity.

As female mental health clinicians we receive multiple messages or “scripts” through our socialization as women and mental health clinicians about things like professionalism, productivity, caregiving and even what it means to be a “good therapist” and a “good woman.”  And the reality is, these messages come from systems that are based in a western, capitalist, patriarchal society.  In this episode we speak with Silvana Espinoza Lau about how these “scripts” and oppressive symptoms impact female mental health clinicians in general, as well as some of the unique impact these messages have on female clinicians with marginalized identities.    Episode highlights:How the “scripts” we receive about professionalism, productivity, serving others, and being a “good therapist” impact female cliniciansThe key topics missing from clinicians’ conversations with one anotherFactors contributing to the Imposter Syndrome and how it affects clinicians differentlyWhat clinicians can do to limit the negative impact of oppressive symptoms on their self-careWhy embodied connections are so importantSome of Silvana’s best non-conventional self-care practicesSilvana Espinoza Lau is an embodied liberation and decolonization consultant and coach for mental health professionals. Silvana coaches mental health professionals who want to incorporate decolonized, liberation focused and anti-oppressive values in their practices in an embodied way and consults with mental health agencies that want to center therapy seekers with minoritized identities.  Silvana is also an LMFT in private practice in the unceded Kalapuya territory (Oregon), and a clinical supervisor and consultant to both licensed and pre-licensed clinicians with a focus on anti-oppressive and decolonized practices.Connect with Silvana:https://seventhselfcounseling.comhttps://www.instagram.com/seventhselfcounseling/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.

In this long overdue episode, we, Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, discuss the factors that led us to start Intentional Therapist and begin hosting this podcast, Thrivival 101.  We also explain why we believe self-care is a four-letter word, share how we are redefining self-care, and how our 4 C’s framework - Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity - can help female clinicians (regardless of our work setting) put more of ourselves into our schedule and create a life from which we don’t need to escape.        Highlights:What led Melissa and Karen to start Intentional Therapist and Thrivival 101How self-care has become a four-letter word How we’re redefining self-care for female cliniciansThe 4 C’s framework:  Connection, Compassion, Courage, and CreativityHow getting “messy” is such an important part of self-careSome more of Melissa and Karen’s favourite nonconventional self-care practicesDr. Karen Dyck completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota.  She currently works in private practice in Oakbank, Manitoba and is also the Executive Director of the Manitoba Psychological Society.  Before shifting to private practice, Karen spent the bulk of her career working within the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology and was the founding chair of the Rural and Northern Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).    Dr. Melissa Tiessen completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at McGill University and currently works in private practice in Winnipeg, Manitoba, having recently moved from a group practice in Ottawa, Ontario.  Melissa has previously worked in the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology, within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program through the University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital Heart Institute, and has served as the Education Director for the CPA, overseeing the organization’s accreditation and continuing education activities.In 2019 Karen and Melissa co-founded Intentional Therapist, which we developed to help female mental health clinicians redefine our approach to self-care and start putting more of ourselves into our schedule. 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.

In this episode we connect with Dr. Stephanie Grunewald, psychologist, coach, and entrepreneur, to learn more about her RESET model and how she helps her clients achieve a life and business aligned in purpose.  Stephanie shares some of the common traps impacting ambitious women and how her own experience of connecting with her values resulted in her making the very intentional decision against expanding her own counseling business.  She also explains her RESET model and how her work highlights the importance of community and nature.  We end the episode, as always, hearing about Stephanie’s “non-conventional” self-care practices.  Episode highlights:Common traps impacting ambitious women’s self-careHow connecting with her own values influenced Stephanie's decision to NOT grow her own businessHow she incorporates her RESET model into her workThe importance of community and nature Stephanie’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceStephanie Grunewald, PhD is a psychologist and holistic coach. After experiencing burnout while building her group counseling practice, she realized the toll of deprioritizing herself. Following the death of her mother, she felt a calling to incorporate lessons from nature to change the way women build their businesses. She expanded her work to coaching where she focuses on developing the whole person — working on the personal mindset and habits that unlock business growth. Dr. Grunewald offers mastermind groups and reset retreats to help women entrepreneurs prioritize their wellbeing to create intentional and sustainable success.   Connect with Stephanie:www.ancorio.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-grunewald-phd/Instagram: @stephanie_grunewaldFREE Guide to Break Free from Busy: Unlocking Success through Efficiency  https://ancorio.com/guides/break-free-from-busyConnect 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.

For those of you who are familiar with Intentional Therapist and the 4 C’s model of self-care you know our Connection pillar includes not only connecting with others but also connecting with our own values.  For many people, faith and spirituality are important values that we often don't talk enough about. In this episode we speak with Whitney Owens about the ways she incorporates faith into her practice.  Whitney talks with us about some of the common misconceptions about faith-based practice, some important considerations for running an ethical faith-based practice, and how connecting with her faith has been an important component of her own “soul-care.”    Highlights:Differences between incorporating faith into our business practices versus clinical practiceCommon misconceptions about faith-based practiceHow Whitney defines ethical faith-based practiceHow to ethically counter religious messages that negatively impact women’s’ self-careThe distinction between “tired” and “weary”Whitney’s favorite “self-care” and “soul-care” practicesWhitney Owens is a licensed professional counselor, group practice owner, and faith-based private practice consultant. She is located in Savannah, Georgia, where she manages a private pay group practice with 10 plus clinicians. Along with running her practice, she consults practice owners around the country on how to start and grow a successful faith-based practice. She hosts summits, a weekly podcast, and a membership community for faith-based practice owners called Wise Practice. She has spoken at numerous events such as both the Georgia and Maryland annual professional counselors conferences as well as trainings for Florida’s Counseling Association. In 2023 she will be speaking at Meet you in Kentucky, which is for group practice owners, as well as hosting her own summit in Savannah. In her free time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls, running, reading, and relaxing in the backyard.Connect with Whitney:whitney@whitneyowens.comhttps://www.whitneyowens.com/https://watersedgecounseling.com/Instagram: @WhitneyOwensConsulting FREE PDF on Tips for Marketing with Churches:https://www.whitneyowens.com/Free Facebook Membership Community for Faith-Based Practice Owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533909554128629 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.

Supervision and consultation are important components of mental health clinicians’ training and professional development.  These activities can also play an important role in clinician wellness and self-care.  In this episode we speak with Shannon Heers, founder of Firelight Supervision, about the differences between consultation and supervision, how these activities contribute to clinician wellness and what we can do to get the most out of supervisory/consultation experiences.  Shannon also shares her perspective about what tends to get in the way of clinicians accessing these beneficial activities.  Highlights:Differences and similarities between supervision and consultationHow supervision and consultation contribute to clinician well-beingWhat clinicians can do to get the most out of their supervisory/consultation experienceReasons why clinicians don’t access supervision and consultationWhat clinicians can do to access supervision/consultation supportsShannon’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceShannon Heers is a therapist, approved clinical supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision.  Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision to counselors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as clinical consultation for post-licensure professional growth and development.  Shannon is also the owner of Catalyss Counseling, a private-pay group private practice located in Colorado.  Shannon is passionate about burnout prevention in the counseling field and ensuring that all therapists and supervisors get the clinical support they deserve.  Connect with Shannon:info@firelightsupervision.com https://firelightsupervision.com 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.