Is the Counseling Compact Good for Therapists?

Curt and Katie chat about the brand-new Counseling Compact and what therapists may not know or understand about these interstate agreements. We explore the proposed benefits as well as the potential risks and complications like regulatory discrepancies and a lack of consumer protections. We also look at how big tech can benefit while individual clinicians may be left unable to compete in a larger market.

In this podcast episode we talk about the new Counseling Compact and Psypact

The counselors got their 10th state and officially have Counseling Compact to practice in other states. We thought it would be a good idea to talk about what that means (and what we might want to pay attention to).

What is the Counseling Compact?

Benefits of Interstate Compacts for Mental Health Providers

Potential Problems with the Counseling Compact

Solving the Problems with the Counseling Compact

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!

Counseling Compact

Psypact

Very Bad Therapy Podcast

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

Special Series: Fixing Mental Healthcare in America

Fixing Mental Health in America: An interview with Dr. Nicole Eberhart, Senior Behavioral Scientist, and Dr. Ryan McBain, Policy Researcher, The RAND Corporation

Online Therapy Apps

Why You Shouldn’t Sell Out to Better Help

Clinical Considerations When Working with Asian Immigrants, Refugees, and Dreamers: An Interview with Soo Jin Lee

Curt and Katie interview Soo Jin Lee, LMFT on the clinical implications of working with Asian American immigrants, refugees, and dreamers. We explore how best to assess these clients, specific clinical considerations related to the immigration experience (and legal status in the country), and ideas for working with these clients clinically. We also talk about the impact of societal views, media portrayals, and representation on AAPI clients.

An Interview with Soo Jin Lee, LMFT

Soo Jin Lee is a co-director of Yellow Chair Collective and co-founder of Entwine Community. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist in CA and has a special focus on training and consulting on Asian mental health related issues. She is passionate about assisting individuals find a sense of belonging and identity through reckoning of intersectional identity work and those that are navigating through difficult life changes.

In this podcast episode, we talk about what therapists should know about Asian American immigrants, refugees, and dreamers

In preparation for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, we wanted to dig more deeply into specific issues relevant to the AAPI community that are often not discussed in grad school or therapist training programs.

What assessment questions should be included for AAPI immigrant clients?

What is the impact of societal views and media portrayals of Asians on AAPI clients?

What are the unique clinical issues for refugees and undocumented immigrants?

How do therapists more effectively work with refugees and undocumented immigrants in therapy?

Reflections on Content Creation and the Therapy Profession

Curt and Katie chat about our principles and philosophies as they relate to the work we do, including podcast creation. We also reflect on the feedback we’ve received on episodes with large listenership as well as other typical responses we get to the work we do. Considering content creation as part of your business? This isn’t a how-to, but it certainly can give you things to consider before you dive in.

In this podcast episode we talk about how we put together the podcast

We’ve received a lot of feedback recently about our episodes and we wanted to talk about how we make decisions on what we talk about, who we interview, whether we call folks out on the podcast, and how we edit the episodes.

Our Philosophy and Principles for creating content for the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide

Responding to Feedback from our Audience on our “What’s New in the DSM-5-TR?” Episode

A Broader View of the Feedback We Receive on the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Podcast

Our Plan Going Forward with the Podcast

 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!

The Therapy Reimagined Mission

Our Patreon

Buy Me A Coffee

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

What’s New in the DSM-5-TR?

A Living Wage for Prelicensees

Mission Driven Work

Therapists are Not Robots

Why You Shouldn’t Sell Out to Better Help

Advocacy in the Wake of Looming Healthcare Shortages

What is Eco Anxiety? An Interview with Dr. Thomas Doherty

Curt and Katie interview Dr. Thomas Doherty about Eco Anxiety. We look at the history of eco anxiety, what therapists should know about the environment, the concept of environmental identity, and how we can support clients with Eco Anxiety in therapy. We look at ways to bring these topics up with our clients as well as empower them to take action.

An Interview with Dr. Thomas J. Doherty

Thomas is a clinical and environmental psychologist based in Portland, Oregon, USA. His multiple publications on nature and mental health include the groundbreaking paper “The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change,” co-authored by Susan Clayton, cited over 700 times. Thomas is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), Past President of the Society for Environmental, Population and Conservation Psychology, and Founding Editor of the academic journal Ecopsychology. Thomas was a member of the APA’s first Task Force on Global Climate Change and founded one of the first environmentally-focused certificate programs for mental health counselors in the US at Lewis & Clark Graduate School. Thomas is originally from Buffalo, New York.

In this podcast episode we talk about what therapists should know about Eco Anxiety

In preparation for Earth Day, we wanted to understand more about Eco Anxiety and what therapists can do to support our clients and the planet.

What is Eco Anxiety?

What Should Therapists Know About the Environment?

What is your Environmental Identity?

How Can We Support Clients with Eco Anxiety in Therapy?

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! Dr. Thomas Doherty's Practice Sustainable Self

Climate Change and Happiness Podcast

Dr. Thomas Doherty’s Consultation and Training Program on the Environment

The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change by Thomas J. Doherty and Susan Clayton

NY Times: Climate Change Enters the Therapy Room

Climate Psychology Alliance

Project Draw Down

Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:

What’s New in the DSM-5-TR with Dr. Michael B. First

What You Should Know About Walk and Talk Therapy part 1

What You Should Know About Walk and Talk Therapy part 2 (Law and Ethics)

Shared Traumatic Experiences

Therapists Are Not Robots: How We Can Show Humanity in the Room

Curt and Katie discuss how big life events (a big diagnosis, a huge personal loss, injuries and medical conditions) can show up in the room. We explore how much humanity is okay to share with our clients. How do we decide what we tell our clients (and how do we manage their reactions)? We also look at how we take care of ourselves while also taking care of our clients. Therapists aren't robots, but we certainly need to be aware of our clients when life happens. 

In this podcast episode we talk about appropriate self-disclosure practices for modern therapists going through life events

As therapists it’s important that we hold a professional exterior during therapy. But can it be helpful to share with clients the big moments in our lives? How can we be human in the room?

What are some considerations for therapists when deciding to self-disclose?

Are there ethical considerations for therapists sharing about our lives?

What should new counselors and therapists know?

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! Struggles of the Novice Counselor and Therapist by Thomas M. Skovholt and Michael H. Rønnestad

Abstract: Shared Trauma: The Therapist’s Increased Vulnerability by Dr. Karen W. Saakvitne

What You Should Know About Walk and Talk Therapy and Other Non-Traditional Counseling Settings – Part 2

Curt and Katie chat about non-traditional therapy settings like outdoor walk and talk therapy as well as home-based counseling. In the second of a two-part, continuing education podcourse series, we look at law and ethics, accessibility, informed consent, navigating confidentiality, dual relationships, and what therapist might want to consider before getting started.

In this continuing education podcast episode, we look at the laws and ethics related to non-traditional therapy settings

For our fourth CE-worthy podcourse, we’re looking at the laws and ethics of bringing therapy into non-traditional settings, including walk and talk therapy and home visits. We cover a lot of topics in this episode:

Debunking the hesitations of using non-traditional therapy settings

Accessibility of walk & talk and home-based therapies

Informed Consent for non-traditional therapies

Confidentiality when you’re meeting outside of the therapy office

Dual Relationships that can happen during walk and talk or home-based therapies

What therapists should assess before getting started

What You Should Know About Walk and Talk Therapy and Other Non-Traditional Counseling Settings

Curt and Katie chat about non-traditional therapy settings like outdoor walk and talk therapy as well as home-based counseling. In the first of a two-part, continuing education podcourse series, we look at the basics, including why therapists should consider these settings (and may not), clinical and cultural considerations, and best practices.

In this continuing education podcast episode, we look at non-traditional therapy settings

For our third CE-worthy podcourse, we’re looking at the basics of bringing therapy into non-traditional settings, including walk and talk therapy and home visits. We cover a lot of topics in this episode:

What are non-traditional therapy settings?

Why should therapists consider these non-traditional therapy settings?

What are the hesitations therapists have in considering alternative settings for therapy?

What are the clinical and cultural considerations when doing therapy outside or in someone’s home?

Clinical How-To for Non-traditional Settings

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

Curt and Katie discuss a recent citation from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to a therapist for cursing while in session. We explore: How do we document ruptures during the therapy session? Is the BBS over-reaching by controlling what therapists document? What are the best practices for note taking? All of this and more in the episode.

In this podcast episode we talk about appropriate documentation practices for modern therapists

As therapists it’s important that we take accurate notes. But what is important to include in the notes, and how much should we really be documenting?

Wait – Is it alright to use curse words in session?

What should modern therapists document in clinical notes?

Does the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) outline what we should say in our notes?

Support The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide on Patreon!

If you love our content and would like to bring the conversations deeper, please support us on our Patreon. For as little as $2 per month we're able to bring you more content, exclusive offerings, and more opportunities to engage in our growing modern therapist community. These contributions help us to expand our offerings for continuing education events and a whole lot more. If you don't think you can make a monthly contribution – no worries – we also have a buy me a coffee profile for one-time donations support us at whatever level you can today it really helps us out. You can find us at patreon.com/mtsgpodcast or buymeacoffee.com/moderntherapist. Thanks everyone.

Do Therapists Curse in Session?

Curt and Katie discuss a recent citation from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to a therapist for cursing while in session. We explore: Can therapists swear in session? Should they? Are there times when cursing is appropriate in session? Are therapists allowed to make errors without the fear of citation from their board? We explore these and more in this episode. 

In this podcast episode we talk about the ethics and responsibilities of cursing in session.

After hearing about the citation for a clinician who had cursed in session, we wanted to explore what is acceptable related to using curse words in session. We know as therapists that what we say matters, and now more than ever our choice of language matters. Who is allowed to curse in the therapy room? We tackle this question in depth:

Is swearing or cursing ever appropriate in session?

What does the research show us about swearing?

What do professional organizations say now about cursing in session?

Is there an ideal language for therapists to use? … I caution against blanket rules. – Curt Widhalm

Support The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide on Patreon!

If you love our content and would like to bring the conversations deeper, please support us on our Patreon. For as little as $2 per month we're able to bring you more content, exclusive offerings, and more opportunities to engage in our growing modern therapist community. These contributions help us to expand our offerings for continuing education events and a whole lot more. If you don't think you can make a monthly contribution – no worries – we also have a buy me a coffee profile for one time donations support us at whatever level you can today it really helps us out. You can find us at patreon.com/mtsgpodcast or buymeacoffee.com/moderntherapist. Thanks everyone.

Thriving Over Surviving: Growing a Practice without Burn Out

Curt and Katie interview Megan Gunnell, LMSW, coach, and Founder and Director of Thriving Well Institute. We explore: What changes are therapists facing as they grow their practice in the telehealth age? How do therapists scale their businesses and what should they be aware of? Can a therapist and their practice thrive, or does something have to give? All of this and more in the episode.

Interview with Megan Gunnell, LMSW and Founder & Director of Thriving Well Institute

Megan Gunnell LMSW, is Founder and Director of Thriving Well Institute which aids therapist in building the private practices of their dreams. Megan offers a series of courses and individual coaching to aid therapists in expanding their private practices through building group therapy programs, building online courses, creating in person retreats, and even how to build a group practice. Megan teaches therapists how to build not only their practices but themselves up. Megan has been a practicing clinician for over 20 years working as an individual therapist in addition to her coaching and advisory work. Megan started her work as a music therapist, a passion which she still carries to this day. 

In this podcast episode we talk about how therapists can build their practices without burning out.

With the increase in telehealth therapy options, therapists are confronted with a unique problem. How does a therapist build their practice with so many therapeutic options out there, while simultaneously avoiding burn out? Curt and Katie connect with Megan Gunnell to discuss how therapists can make sure they, and their practices, thrive.

How can therapists’ network as telehealth therapists?

What is scaling and how does it avoid burn out?

What can therapists do to scale their businesses?