August 26, 2024

How Much is Too Much? Thoughts on therapists being too branded, niched, and political

32 minutes

Curt and Katie chat about the delicate balance between authenticity and influence in therapy, with a focus on avoiding bias and discrimination while still being real people. We also navigate the challenges of political discussions in therapy, emphasizing the need to balance political awareness with client needs and goals.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode we explore the risks of bringing too much of your own beliefs into your work as a therapist

We have been rethinking the conversations we’ve had about blank slate and the Brand Called You. We look at the risks of being too branded or niched, or too political. We also talk about what might be more beneficial for clients, without losing the work toward authenticity and real connections as therapists.

Do therapists bring too much of themselves into their work?

Curt and Katie did a CE presentation and then an episode called the Brand Called You, which talks about how to create personal branding as a therapist to refine who seeks you out for therapy

When you bring yourself into the therapy room, you want to assess for bias and discrimination

If you’ve advertised a specific type of treatment or, especially, a specific type of outcome, you may be unduly influencing clients who may not know if that outcome is right for them

How can therapists be “political” without just talking politics or inappropriately influencing their clients?

Therapists can successfully navigate political discussions in therapy to benefit clients.

It is important to distinguish between political in therapy (systemic pressures, opportunities, access) vs pushing viewpoints (talking about politics, biased)

Discussions about the limitations of resources or systemic pressures are political

Conversations about voting for a particular party would be talking politics

Helping clients to look at things from a different viewpoint may be helpful, but only if you assess your own bias and the client’s readiness

It can be challenging to be a political therapist, clients may feel uncomfortable or resistant to discussing political issues in therapy

What can therapists do to balance branding and authenticity with effective client care?

Tailor your client sessions to their needs and perspectives and values

Consider providing additional referral resources for clients whose goals do not directly align with a therapist's specialized approach.

Evaluate whether strongly branding oneself risks prioritizing showing one's values over directly addressing what clients are asking for in therapy.

Assess the efficacy of your treatment for the client in front of you.

Make sure even clients who resonate strongly with a therapist's approach are empowered to think critically and come to their own conclusions.

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

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By Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT

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