The Healthy Practice

In today’s episode we are approaching a topic some of you may find yourself avoiding; the importance of getting therapy as a therapist.

Although it is a requirement in many qualifying courses, attending therapy as you progress in your career can be seen as taboo.

To interrogate this somewhat uncomfortable topic, Ellie was joined by the wonderful Patricia Barber. Patricia is an HCPC registered Counselling Psychologist and Director of Psychology at My Psychology Ireland. Patricia is a firm believer in attending her own therapy, and she shares with Ellie why she believes having your own therapy can make you a better therapist.

You can find Patricia at her practice My Psychology Ireland, on Instagram and Facebook. She is also the host of the Thinking about Therapy podcast.

The Facebook group Patricia mentions in the episode for private psychologists in the UK can be found here.

If you’re working in private practice, chances are you’ve heard of burnout. Or perhaps you are dealing with it right now.

Kicking off our wellbeing season, Ellie is joined in this episode by professional coach and burnout expert, Katie Maycock. Katie is founder of Get Your Sh*t Together and GYST Wellbeing. Together they explore why burnout differs from stress, potential causes, and the 6 stages of burnout.

They also discuss warning signs to look out for, resources and strategies for help, and most importantly, how to stop burnout happening again.

You can find out more about Katie and her work on her website, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Chapter Markers:

00:00 Welcome to Season Three!

04:13 Katie's Personal Burnout Journey

17:54 The Six Stages of Burnout

23:08 Recognizing Full-Blown Burnout

24:43 Seeking Help and Support

27:05 Understanding Burnout Demographics

29:06 The Financial Impact of Burnout

31:12 Managing Work Pressure and Stress

35:48 Daily Self-Check to Prevent Burnout

39:12 Personal Practices to Combat Burnout

42:22 Conclusion and Resources

The Healthy Practice is back for Season 3, and this time we’re taking things back to the basics of wellbeing. We know there is so much to juggle when running a practice, and remembering to look after yourself along the way.

That’s where we come in.

From sleep to burnout, to getting your own therapy as a therapist, Ellie will be chatting with guests who are trailblazers in their field, bringing you the latest research and helping to make your founder journey a little less lonely.

Look out for our first episode dropping on 3rd September, and fortnightly thereafter!

Make sure you’re subscribed to The Healthy Practice podcast from WriteUpp, and why not share with a colleague or friend. It might just be the inspiration they need!

In our Season 2 finale, Ellie sits down with Dr Rebecca Lewis, Director at Newson Health, to discuss menopause; a topic still considered taboo by many.

There is somewhat of a menopause revolution going on. Menopause clinics and therapists are popping up, celebrities are talking about the challenges they’ve faced, and myths about HRT are being busted.

But what does this mean for you and your practice? Well, you may very well be experiencing menopause right now, have people in your personal life who are, or you could be treating patients who are struggling with symptoms. We can all do more to better equip ourselves with this overlooked area of women’s health, and treat patients holistically.

From misdiagnosed symptoms, to advocating for yourself at the GP and the workplace, we cover it all with Dr Rebecca Lewis.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Speaking to your GP about menopause: https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/how-to-talk-to-your-doctor-about-hrt-and-get-results/
• CPD-accredited menopause course: https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/confidence-in-the-menopause/
• The Balance app: https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/

You can find Newson Health on their website and Instagram, and follow Dr Rebecca Lewis and Dr Louise Newson too.

Will therapists survive AI? How can we embrace the advantages of this technology whilst maintaining our ethical standards?

To answer these questions, Ellie is joined by Sarah D Rees, BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and host of the podcast Ask The Therapist.

From ChatGPT to Marketing, Data Breaches, and all the ethical concerns AI comes with, we’re going to cover it all.

You can find Sarah on her website, on Instagram, her Substack ‘Therapists Corner,’ and of course her podcast ‘Ask The Therapist Podcast.’

What does it take to run a social enterprise in 2023? Ellie Macdonald is joined by Catherine Gray, Founder and CEO at Cup-O-T, a social enterprise and non-profit organisation focused on offering mental health services to children and young people.

Some of you may already be involved in a social enterprise; be that running your own, offering services at one, or perhaps you’ve always had a yearning to have more of a social impact with your work.

There is so much to learn in this space both as a therapist and a business owner. From funding applications and approaches to therapy, join us for a lovely chat to find out more.

You can follow more of Catherine’s work at https://cup-o-t.co.uk/ and on social media at Cup-O-T Wellness and Therapy Services.

There are so many things to juggle when working for yourself. From setting boundaries with your loved ones, to finding time in your schedule for personal commitments. Having a supportive network in both your professional and personal life is essential to keep you thriving and avoiding burnout.

In this episode, Ellie sits down with Bibi Jamison, Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, Relationship Therapist and Coach to discuss how to build and maintain this supportive network.

Having a supportive network around you can mean you’re not facing the big issues by yourself.

You can find out more about Bibi on Instagram at @restoretolove and her website is https://www.restoretolove.co.uk/

Ellie sits down with Tina Wright, the IBS Therapist, to discuss the mind-body connection. Specifically, the impact perfectionism and stress can have on IBS symptoms. Ellie and Tina discuss why healthcare professionals may be prone to stress, ideas of perfectionism, and IBS symptoms.

You can expect to learn strategies that you can implement to manage stress better and improve your overall well being.

Tina’s services are dedicated to helping people manage and overcome their IBS symptoms. You can find her at https://www.evolve-psychotherapy.co.uk/ or https://www.instagram.com/evolvewithtina

Ellie Macdonald speaks with Catherine Smith, Health Copywriter & Email Strategist.

Catherine gives us her top Do's and Don'ts for effective email marketing for your healthcare practice. She also covers off why email marketing can be an effective way of building stronger relationships with your clients.

Find Catherine over on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcopysmithagency-catherinesmith/

Ellie Macdonald speaks with Margaret Reiser, a therapeutic counsellor based in London. Interestingly, Margaret wasn't always working in private practice. She’s originally from New York, USA, and was trained as a lawyer.

Margaret and Ellie discuss career transitions; from identifying what’s holding us back, financial implications and retraining, to deciding whether making such a drastic career change is right for you.

You can find out more about Margaret on her website: https://sagelondoncounselling.co.uk/ and she's on Instagram @sagelondoncounselling. She also writes advice in the Love Stuck column on Huffington Post.