Psyched to Practice

What if you could ask questions about hundreds of research articles, find the exact sources behind an AI-generated answer, and even turn your reading materials into a podcast? In this episode of Beyond the Bot: AI and Mental Health, Dan Florell and Adam Lockwood explore Gemini Notebook, formerly known as NotebookLM, and what source-based AI could mean for mental health professionals and school psychologists.

Dan and Adam walk through practical ways to use this tool to organize research, review professional guidelines, support psychological report writing, find citations for research papers, and create shared knowledge libraries for teams. They also discuss how AI can help professionals spend less time searching through documents and more time applying what they learn.

But there’s an important catch: AI is only as reliable as the information it uses, and being able to trace an answer back to a source doesn’t mean you should automatically trust it. Dan and Adam explain why checking citations, choosing strong research, and protecting confidential information remain essential.

Whether you’re a school psychologist, counselor, researcher, or other mental health professional, this episode offers practical ideas for using AI more thoughtfully in your work.

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

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To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

Psyched to Practice is teaming up with Guilford Press to create new ways for mental health professionals to learn from some of the most respected authors and clinical resources in the field.

In this episode, Paul and Ray talk about what led to the partnership, how Guilford’s extensive collection of mental health books can become new learning opportunities, and why they believe professional development can be more interactive and connected to real clinical practice.

They also share a preview of an upcoming professional book club that will combine reading, discussion, continuing education, and the chance to ask questions directly to the author. Rather than simply reading a book and moving on, participants will have opportunities to discuss the material, explore how it applies to practice, and earn CE credit along the way.

The first books will be announced soon, along with more details about how you can take part.

Psyched to Practice + Guilford Press

We’re excited to partner with Guilford Press to bring you more opportunities to learn from leading authors and experts in mental health and school psychology. Through this collaboration, we’ll be developing new webinars, podcast content, and continuing education opportunities that connect great professional resources with practical clinical learning.

Read the Press Release →

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Explore the AI Report Writer here:

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

AI is moving into mental health practice at a pace that is hard to ignore.

In this episode of Beyond the Bot, Dan Florell and Adam Lockwood look beyond AI report writers and talk about how psychologists, school psychologists, and other mental health professionals are actually using AI in their work. They discuss the rapid growth in adoption, the role AI is playing in reports, treatment plans, recommendations, emails, documentation, and other everyday tasks, and what current research is beginning to tell us.

They also tackle some of the concerns that come with this shift, including confidentiality, bias, environmental impact, hallucinations, and the risk of relying too heavily on technology.

One of the bigger questions throughout the conversation is whether AI should simply give us answers or become something closer to a working partner. Dan and Adam discuss how customization, feedback, professional judgment, and psychology-specific tools may shape the way AI fits into clinical practice.

The technology is moving quickly. The question for mental health professionals is how we use it without giving up the knowledge, judgment, and responsibility that still belong to us.

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

Private practice is often presented as the goal for mental health professionals. But what if it isn’t the right goal for you?

In this episode, Paul Wagner and Dr. Ray Christner talk about the many directions a mental health career can take. They discuss what clinicians can learn from community mental health and school-based settings, how to recognize when it may be time for a change, and why moving too quickly can sometimes mean leaving valuable growth opportunities behind.

Ray also shares how his own career developed through mentorship, supervision, teaching, private practice, consulting, writing, presenting, test development, and entrepreneurship. Along the way, the conversation challenges the idea that clinicians need to follow one straight path or eventually own a private practice.

The bigger question is not simply what you should do next. It is what you actually want from your career, what you enjoy, what you are willing to take risks on, and how your interests outside of mental health might create unexpected opportunities within it.

Your career does not have to be a straight line. It can grow, change, and take you places you never expected.

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

Are we more likely to trust AI when we know less about a subject?

Dan and Adam explore the surprising gap between how experts and novices use AI, and what that could mean for mental health and school psychology. They talk about the risks of relying on AI when you do not know enough to spot mistakes, the importance of using multiple sources to check AI-generated information, and why AI should support professional judgment rather than replace it.

The conversation also covers major AI developments discussed at the APA conference, including AI report writers, electronic medical records, school data systems, AI agents, and recent changes to Google NotebookLM. Along the way, Dan and Adam consider a bigger question: How can professionals use increasingly powerful AI tools without losing the skills and critical thinking that make them experts?

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

What happens when we start treating normal human experiences as symptoms of a mental disorder?

In this episode of the Psyched to Practice Podcast, Paul Wagner and Dr. Ray Christner take a closer look at the line between normal distress and clinical pathology. They discuss how referral bias, self-diagnosis, rating scales, symptom matching, and even our own clinical expectations can lead us to see a diagnosis before we fully understand the person sitting in front of us.

They also explore why context, culture, proportionality, persistence, and functional impairment matter when deciding whether a reaction is clinically significant. From grief and anxiety to ADHD, OCD, sleep problems, food preferences, and passive suicidal thoughts, the conversation looks at why a symptom alone does not tell the whole story.

Most importantly, the episode asks a difficult question for clinicians: What if our attempts to help can sometimes reinforce the idea that normal emotions are problems that need to be eliminated?

Mental health is not about never feeling sad, anxious, angry, or uncomfortable. It is about developing the capacity to experience those emotions without becoming controlled by them.

For clinicians, this episode offers a reminder to slow down, stay curious, and understand the experience before deciding what it means.

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

AI can fix your grammar, rewrite a sentence, summarize your notes, generate recommendations, and eventually start making decisions for you. But where should the line be?

In this episode of Beyond the Bot: AI and Mental Health, Dan Florell and Adam Lockwood break down the different levels of AI-assisted report writing, from simple editing to recommendations and clinical judgment. They discuss data security, HIPAA and FERPA concerns, enterprise accounts and BAAs, and why even seemingly harmless AI tools can create privacy risks.

They also tackle a bigger question: What happens to our professional skills when we let AI do too much of the thinking?

For newer professionals, the risks may be even greater. Dan and Adam discuss why developing strong report-writing and clinical reasoning skills should come before handing those tasks over to AI. They also explore using AI as a thought partner, the limits of AI-generated perspectives, and why clinicians need to remain the expert in the loop.

The bottom line is simple: If AI is helping you write the report, you still need to know the data well enough to know when AI is wrong.

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

It’s that time of the year again, one of the biggest transitions for families is back with back to school. Whether you’re a parent or student this is a time of change. And that’s exactly what Ray and Paul explore in this week’s episode. They review some helpful and healthy recommendations to ease back into the school routine, and make this school year the best it can be. We hope you enjoy this Living Psyched episode Schools Back, Bye Summer. 

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

This episode focuses on AI report writing in psychological assessment, with a special emphasis on school psychology. Dan Florell and Adam Lockwood look at why AI is being adopted so quickly, where it genuinely helps, and where human judgment still matters. They also dig into the tension between compliance-heavy technical reports and the need for parent-friendly, usable summaries.

In this episode, Dan Florell, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University and founder of Psyched to Practice, is joined by Adam Lockwood of Kent State University, who consults on AI implementation and AI report writing. Together, they explore report quality, defensibility, readability, and the practical realities of using AI in educational and clinical settings.

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This episode is brought to you by PAR.

Explore the AI Report Writer here:

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"

Social media often makes it sound like there’s only one answer to difficult family relationships: cut them off. But is that always the healthiest choice?

In this episode, Paul Wagner and Dr. Ray Christner take a thoughtful look at family estrangement, toxic relationships, and the role of boundaries in protecting your well-being. They explore why the word “toxic” has become so common, how clinicians can avoid black-and-white thinking, and why firm but flexible boundaries often deserve consideration before permanent no-contact decisions.

You’ll hear practical ways to think through difficult family dynamics, the potential long-term costs of estrangement, situations where immediate separation is appropriate, and how therapists can support clients without steering them toward a predetermined outcome.

Whether you’re a mental health professional or someone navigating a challenging family relationship, this conversation offers a balanced, compassionate framework for making decisions that align with your values instead of reacting from the moment.

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This episode is brought to you by PAR.

Explore the AI Report Writer here:

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Learn more about the RIAS-2 NU here:

https://www.parinc.com/product/groups/rias-rist-assessments?utm_campaign=38111624-Psyched%20to%20Practice%202026&utm_source=P2P%20Podcast&utm_medium=Related%20Podcasts

To hear more and stay up to date with Paul Wagner, MS, LPC and Ray Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP visit our website at: 

http://www.psychedtopractice.com 

“Be well, and stay psyched"