Welcome back to The Innovative Therapist Podcast! This episode marks a small milestone for the show—I’ve officially upgraded my mic setup! After 137 episodes of recording with a free noise-canceling headset (and occasionally in my car on my phone), I finally invested in a proper mic and pop filter. Let’s just say my tech journey involved a bit of user error, but here we are, and I hope the sound quality is noticeably better for you!

But that’s not the heart of today’s episode. Instead, we’re diving into a topic that’s been front and center in my mind lately: the delicate balance between joy, rest, and purpose in the work we do as therapists and healers.

This episode is a chance for us to take a pause together, reflect on the intersection of healing work, creativity, and rest, and celebrate the progress we’ve made. If you’ve ever felt torn between your love for your work and your need for downtime—or wondered how to tap more deeply into your gifts—this one’s for you.

Free PDF with ideas for Creative Ways to Make Money as a Therapist

Grab a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice) and join me for this honest, reflective, and slightly vulnerable episode. Let’s explore how we can continue to show up in the work we were called to do—joyfully, meaningfully, and with plenty of room for rest.

Listen to the episode now, and let me know your thoughts! What does rest look like for you at this stage in your journey? How are you leaning into your Zone of Genius? Drop me a message or share your reflections—I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s to a restorative end to 2024 and an inspired start to 2025!

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 136. I’m feeling more called to share things about the food relationship again lately, which has been kind of fun. I talk about this stuff all day every day with many of my 1 on 1 clients, and sometimes I forget that it isn’t second nature to people, since I’ve spent many a year focusing on improving my relationship to food and body for myself.

Today’s episode walks you through what I did with my Halloween candy recently and why. It was also an opportunity to reflect on my business and the Body Respect Program I ran a few years ago.

I cover the following:

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 135. Today’s episode is Part 2 of 2 of my conversation with Becca Gibson. Please make sure to go back and listen to Part 1 first.

In this part of the conversation we dive into the good stuff. The ways that therapists and other helpers accidentally cause harm, how to avoid this, and some of the things Becca really wishes people knew about people who have diagnoses of ADHD and Autism.

Becca is a therapist who works primarily with high masking, late identified and late diagnosed autistic and ADHD people.

Let’s dive in!

We cover the following:

Becca Gibson, LCSW-C, LICSW, is an Autistic and ADHD independent clinical social worker, as well as the founder and owner of Wired Differently Therapy, a private practice serving clients in the states of Maryland and Massachusetts. After spending years supporting disabled students in public school classrooms, Becca began a career in social work with a specialization helping neurodiverse couples, families, and neurodivergent individuals through a neurodiversity affirming lens. Becca’s clinical work focuses on Autistics and ADHDers – especially those who are considered “gifted”, or “twice-exceptional” –  and the intersection of LGBTQIA+ identities and neurodivergence. In addition to their work as a therapist, Becca provides professional development training, clinical consultation, and clinical supervision.

Neurodivergent is an umbrella term. According to Nick Walker, neurodivergent refers to “having a mind that functions in ways which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of ‘normal.’” 

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 134. I am so incredibly grateful for this conversation. I’m especially grateful for Becca’s knowledge and openness about their personal and professional experiences in this realm. I’m also so glad I live in a time when therapists can come on a podcast and be open about their personal experiences. What a freaking gift.

Becca is a therapist who works primarily with high masking, late identified and late diagnosed autistic and ADHD people.

This conversation is a 2-parter, filled with information, resources and interwoven with Becca’s story of becoming a therapist and late diagnosis of ADHD and autism.

You’re going to love it.

We cover the following:

Becca Gibson, LCSW-C, LICSW, is an Autistic and ADHD independent clinical social worker, as well as the founder and owner of Wired Differently Therapy, a private practice serving clients in the states of Maryland and Massachusetts. After spending years supporting disabled students in public school classrooms, Becca began a career in social work with a specialization helping neurodiverse couples, families, and neurodivergent individuals through a neurodiversity affirming lens. Becca’s clinical work focuses on Autistics and ADHDers – especially those who are considered “gifted”, or “twice-exceptional” –  and the intersection of LGBTQIA+ identities and neurodivergence. In addition to their work as a therapist, Becca provides professional development training, clinical consultation, and clinical supervision.

Neurodivergent is an umbrella term. According to Nick Walker, neurodivergent refers to “having a mind that functions in ways which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of ‘normal.’” 

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 132. Well this conversation has been a long time coming and it was sooo worth the wait. Elise Kutt is so creative, so authentic, and such an innovative trailblazer when it comes to photography as healing, building businesses that truly help people, and building diverse and supportive communities.

Elise shares so much knowledge as she shares her story with pursuing her creative passions, how she learned and continues to learn to listen to her body, and what has guided her along this journey.

She’s built a business and a life that involves traveling the world with her closest friends and doing what she loves, so that alone makes her someone I really want to listen and learn from.

I loved her quote about an early failure and what she learned after finding photography:

“I knew I wanted to do something creative every day for the rest of my life.” – Elise Kutt

If this isn’t a story about the power of creativity… I don’t know what would be.

Enjoy this incredible conversation with Elise Kutt of ModBettie!

We cover the following:

Multi-passionate entrepreneur, speaker, educator, photographer, boutique owner

With over 15 years experience behind the camera, Elise Kutt has established herself as a trailblazer of the industry, opening her portrait studio, Mod Bettie in 2014 followed by her lingerie boutique, Naughty Bettie in 2018. She’s co-hosted over 20 retreats around the world with entrepreneur bestie Wandering Roots, was named west Michigan’s Remarkable Woman of the Year in 2023, and continues to build community around her alternative wellness lifestyle brand. 💪🏼

You can join the free online community on Facebook called #SquadBettie here.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 131. The 1st Annual Innovative Therapist Retreat is in the books! It’s been almost 3 weeks, and it’s time to share how it went. This episode is more about my experience hosting and some early reflections.

More later on the healing power of community, and other’s experiences.

If you are thinking of creating something innovative, this episode is for you!

I cover:

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 130. This episode is the first I’ve talked about my relationship to food in a while, but I woke up feeling compelled to share on this topic, so I went with it.

I cover how our relationship with food can have parallels to our relationship to money and how all of this can impact our ability to trust ourselves and pursue work that feels aligned and good to us.

I hope you find it helpful!

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

I cover:

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 129. I have loved this quote from Howard Thurman for years:

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

The concept of Zone of Genius was introduced to me 2 years ago and I find it so incredibly helpful. So today, I’ll be sharing it with you.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

I cover:

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 128. I’ve never been more convinced of the power of creativity in creating amazing things in the world, in our bodies, and in our businesses.

Today’s episode is a solo episode where I dive into my thoughts on this based on my conversation last episode with Marlys Woods, LMFT.

Check out that conversation here.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

I cover the following:

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).

Episode 127. Saddle up and get ready listeners! We are talking about music and healing today. Yes! I hope you are as excited as I am. I’ve been searching for the perfect guest to come on and talk about this, and let me tell you, I found her.

Marlys Woods of Get In Tune Music Therapy is a board certified music therapist and also a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

We cover the following:

Watch Marlys’s video about how music can harm here.

Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).