I Just Graduated, Now What? – Career Advice for New Mental Health Clinicians

Curt and Katie discuss how clinicians can decide what types of jobs to pursue when they first graduate from their clinical program. We look at whether you should go into a community mental health organization or a private practice. We also dig into what you might want to consider when making these choices and looking for these jobs. Curt and Katie share their own perspective and experiences to help you consider many different options at this stage in your career.

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

In this podcast episode we talk about a new therapist’s career path 

We received a listener email asking advice for how to approach getting their first job after graduating. We decided to answer that listener and to address the question of how to start your career more broadly. 

Should you go into a community mental health organization or private practice?

“I'm of the philosophy that, especially if where you imagine yourself being is in private practice at some point, my recommendation is start doing that as soon as reasonably possible” – Curt Widhalm, LMFT

What to consider when looking to join a group private practice

“When you are looking for a group practice, don’t look for something that’s just a duplication of a community mental health organization… there is a discernment that needs to happen to identify: is this actually preparing you for the private practice that you want to have in five years? Or is it a mill, where you're churning through insurance clients that don't align or… you're working for a fee that you wouldn't be able to sustain?” – Katie Vernoy, LMFT

What are the job options for therapists when they graduate?

What Therapists Should Know about the Rollout of 988

Curt and Katie discuss the new suicide hotline, 988, that is set to roll out July 16, 2022. We talk about the legislation for 988 as well as what the primary concerns are for the launch. We explore the resources and infrastructure that is promised (but not ready) as well as ideas that might improve the success of this new initiative.

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

In this podcast episode we talk about what is already going wrong with the 988 roll out. 

We have been paying attention to the 988 roll out and are concerned by the lack of preparation and funding for its implementation. We talk about why we’re freaked out about the upcoming roll out.

What is 988?

What are the primary concerns with the launch of 988?

Ideas to improve 988 and the United States Mental Healthcare program

Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

SAMHSA 988 webpage

RAND Report: How to Transform the US Mental Health System

RAND Working Paper – Preparedness for 988 Throughout the United States: The New Mental Health Emergency Hotline

Find Your Legislators

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

Fixing Mental Healthcare in America

A Living Wage for Prelicensees

Episodes on Suicide

The Clinical Supervision Crisis for Early Career Therapists: An Interview with Dr. Amy Parks

Curt and Katie interview Dr. Amy Parks about the lack of resources for pre- and provisionally licensed mental health professionals to find a clinical supervisor. We discuss the current state of clinical supervision, the barriers for folks becoming clinical supervisors, what makes a good supervisor, navigating online supervision, and what licensed folks might consider when seeking consultation.

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

An Interview with Dr. Amy Parks, Founder of the Clinical Supervision Directory

Dr. Amy Fortney Parks brings with her over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents and families as both an educator and psychologist. She is a passionate “BRAIN -ENTHUSIAST” and strives to help everyone she works with understand the brain science of communication, activation and relationships.

Dr. Parks has a Doctorate in Educational Psychology with a specialty in developmental neuroscience. She is a Child & Adolescent Psychologist as well as the founder and Clinical Director of WISE Mind Solutions LLC and The Wise Family Counseling, Assessment & Education in Virginia. She is also the founder of the Clinical Supervision Directory – a connection super-highway for supervision-seekers working towards licensure in counseling and social work across the US.

Dr. Parks serves as a Clinical Supervisor for Virginia LPC Residents, as well as Dominion Psychiatric Hospital. Additionally, she is an adjunct professor at George Washington University & The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Parks is a frequently sought-after parent coach and speaker for families and groups around the world. 

In this podcast episode, we talk about clinical supervision for modern therapists

We look at the gap in clinical supervision for prelicensed or provisionally licensed mental health professionals.

What is the state of clinical supervision for mental health professionals?

What are the barriers to folks becoming clinical supervisors?

What makes a good supervisor?

Navigating Online Supervision

Supervision or Consultation After Licensure

What is Parental Alienation and How Can Therapists Successfully Treat it?

Curt and Katie chat about a controversial topic: Parental Alienation. We look at what parental alienation is, the controversies and complexities surrounding this process, how to assess for parental alienation, and how to effectively treat the family system. We talk about how traditional therapy methods are inadequate and potentially harmful in these cases and what to do instead. This is a continuing education podcourse.

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

In this podcast episode we explore Parental Alienation

We both have worked with families that 

What is Parental Alienation?

How do you assess for Parental Alienation?

Effective Case Conceptualization and Treatment for Parental Alienation

Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide

Hey modern therapists, we’re so excited to offer the opportunity for 1 unit of continuing education for this podcast episode – Therapy Reimagined is bringing you the Modern Therapist Learning Community!

 Once you’ve listened to this episode, to get CE credit you just need to go to learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse, register for your free profile, purchase this course, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation! Once that’s all completed - you’ll get a CE certificate in your profile or you can download it for your records. For our current list of CE approvals, check out moderntherapistcommunity.com.

You can find this full course (including handouts and resources) here: learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse

Continuing Education Approvals:

When we are airing this podcast episode, we have the following CE approval. Please check back as we add other approval bodies: Continuing Education Information

The Practicalities of Mental Health and Gender Affirming Care for Trans Youth: An Interview with Jordan Held, LCSW

An Interview with Jordan Held, LCSW

Jordan Held (he/him/his), LCSW is a Primary Therapist and Gender Specialist at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. Prior to Visions, Jordan was a Therapist and Intake Coordinator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in the Center for Trans Youth Health and Development, the largest trans youth health clinic in the USA.

Jordan’s mental health practice centers around creating a trauma-informed and healing-centered space for both adolescents and their families. Jordan’s expertise is working with gender and sexual minority youth with complex histories of PTSD and trauma. Jordan speaks internationally about creating and supporting affirmative LGBTQ+ environments with an emphasis on informed consent and enhanced family communication. As a queer-identified, transgender man, Jordan brings an important dual perspective to his work as a mental health provider.

Prior to social work, Jordan worked extensively in secondary school education, with a decade of experience teaching, coaching, and developing health and wellness curricula. Jordan’s work focuses on gender violence prevention, diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultivating strength and belonging for teens. Jordan is on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Laurel Foundation, JQ International, and Mental Health America of Los Angeles. Jordan is also a long-time facilitator at Transforming Family, a support group for gender-diverse youth and their family.

 In this podcast episode, we talk about trans mental health

What is gender-affirmative care?

Different types of transition for trans individuals

Conversations in therapy for trans youth

The Politicization of Trans Individuals

Culture, privilege, and being trans

Portrayals of Mental Health and Therapy in the Media: An Interview with Danah Davis Williams, LMFT

Curt and Katie interview Danah Davis Williams, LMFT on the portrayals of mental health and therapy in the media. We explore responsible portrayals as well as the harmful practices that some writers and studios engage in. We also talk about the opportunities for modern therapists to have an impact on how diagnoses and mental health treatment are represented on film and television.

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

An Interview with Danah Davis Williams, LMFT

Danah Davis Williams is a Licensed Psychotherapist, an Actor, a Psychological Creative Consultant, a Podcast Host and current Past President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).

As a therapist, Danah is in private practice in Santa Barbara, California (California Coastal Counseling) where she specializes in helping people break destructive patterns of coping through the use of practical, evidenced-based coping skills and personal process. She is extensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

As a consultant, Danah provides personalized psychological consultation for filmmakers, executives and creatives committed to socially responsible, captivating storytelling through authentic characterization of mental health, its treatment and interpersonal impact. She runs a psychological consulting business helping entertainment industry leaders ensure accurate representation of mental health: working with filmmakers, writers, execs, and high-profile actors from networks like FX, CBS, ABC, NBC, Freeform and MGM.

What does the media get wrong when portraying mental health and therapy?

The opportunities for therapists to be creators and consultants

How the storytellers look at mental health and healing

Shows that get it right when it comes to mental health and treatment

Diversifying Media and the Portrayals of Mental Health and Therapy

How to advocate for accurate mental health portrayals in the media

Beware of Scams Targeting Therapists

Curt and Katie discuss common scams that specifically target therapists. We look at how to identify scams or sketchy business practices that can be very confusing as well as dangerous to clinicians. We also talk about how to protect yourself as well as solid business practices that you can implement to stave off some of these scammers. 

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

In this podcast episode we talk about scams that target therapists

We have heard about a lot of scams in our careers. We figured it was time to do another “survival guide” episode on how to protect ourselves as therapists.

What are the most common scams targeting therapists?

How can modern therapists protect ourselves from these scams?

Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

Abundance Practice Building Article on Copyright Infringement

From Joe Borders: Currently Active Scams Targeting Therapists

From APA: Protect your practice from scams targeting psychologists

From APA: More reports surface of telephone scammers targeting psychologists

From the SF Chronicle: ‘He held me hostage with no gun but with his words’: The phone scam gaslighting therapists

From Counseling Today: Technology Tutor: Scams aimed at counselors

From Psych Today: The Phone Scam That Targets Psychologists

From CPH & Associates: Scam Targeting Therapists: What You Need to Know

From 10News.Com: The jury duty scam you should know about

Beyond Reimagination: Improving your client outcomes by understanding what big tech is doing right (and wrong) with mental health apps

Curt and Katie chat about the big tech “disruptors” in the mental health space and what therapists can learn from their tactics to support clients. We look at who is using mental health apps, what mental health apps are getting right (and wrong), and how therapists can take what is working and work differently to more effectively serve our own clients. This is a continuing education podcourse.

Looking at the gaps in mental health treatment and how big tech is working to “fix” them

The types of technology used in mental health apps and the risks and benefits of these advances

What mental health apps are doing well for clients

What mental health apps are getting wrong

Concerns about the additional risks that can happen with mental health apps

Who is using app-based mental health services?

What we can do to move our therapist practices forward?

Using the benefits of technology to decrease friction for your clients accessing therapists

Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide

Hey modern therapists, we’re so excited to offer the opportunity for 1 unit of continuing education for this podcast episode – Therapy Reimagined is bringing you the Modern Therapist Learning Community!

 Once you’ve listened to this episode, to get CE credit you just need to go to learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse, register for your free profile, purchase this course, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation! Once that’s all completed - you’ll get a CE certificate in your profile or you can download it for your records. For our current list of CE approvals, check out moderntherapistcommunity.com.

You can find this full course (including handouts and resources) here: https://learn.moderntherapistcommunity.com/pages/podcourse

Continuing Education Approvals:

When we are airing this podcast episode, we have the following CE approval. Please check back as we add other approval bodies: Continuing Education Information

The Risks and Consequences of Failing to Report Child Abuse

Curt and Katie discuss the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences case against Barbara Dixon, LMFT who failed to report child abuse for Gabriel Fernandez and Anthony Avalos who both subsequently died from abuse by caregivers. We look at what this therapist missed as well as appropriate child abuse reporting, including the nuance of when to report. CW: details of child abuse discussed.

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

In this podcast episode we talk about the importance of child abuse reporting

We talk about the failure to report abuse by Barbara Dixon, LMFT that has recently been in the news related to the deaths of Gabriel Fernandez and Anthony Avalos.

The case related to the child abuse death of Gabriel Fernandez

Who is responsible to decide to report child abuse – the clinician or the supervisor?

How do you decide whether you should report child abuse?

The consequences of failing to report child abuse or adequately document services or risks

Appropriate Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting

Navigating the gray areas in child abuse assessment

Getting past the discomfort to report child abuse report

Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

Los Angeles Times Article: Counselor who didn’t report abuse of Gabriel Fernandez, Anthony Avalos put on 4-year probation

Citation/Enforcement Decision on Barbara Dixon

LA Times Article: Charges dismissed against social workers linked to Gabriel Fernandez’s killing

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

Now Modern Therapists Have to Document Every F*cking Thing in Our Progress Notes?

Do Therapists Curse in Session?

Toxic Work Environments

Giving and Getting Good Supervision

Make Your Paperwork Meaningful: An interview with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey Hall

Noteworthy Documentation: An interview with Dr. Ben Caldwell, LMFT

CYA for Court: An interview with Nicol Stolar-Peterson, LCSW

Should Therapists Correct Clients?

Curt and Katie chat about whether therapists should correct clients who use offensive language. We look at what we should consider when addressing what clients say (including treatment goals and the relationship), how therapists can take care of themselves to be able to treat clients who hold a different worldview, and how (and when) therapists can address problematic language appropriately.

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

In this podcast episode we talk about whether therapists should call out their clients on words they find inappropriate

We decided to address the language that clients use in session and what to do when we find the language offensive or harmful.

Should therapists correct clients when they use language we find offensive or harmful?

What should therapists consider when addressing what clients say?

How can therapists show up with clients who see the world differently than they do?

What can therapists do to appropriately address problematic language with their clients?

 Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:

We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!

Therapist–Client Language Matching: Initial Promise as a Measure of Therapist–Client Relationship Quality

Feedback Informed Treatment

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

Do Therapists Curse in Session?

How to Fire Your Clients (Ethically)

How to Fire Your Clients (Ethically) part 1.5

When is it Discrimination?

Conspiracy Theories in Your Office