The Real Therapists of Austin

By Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC & Taylor Vest, LPC

Welcome to the Real Therapists of Austin! We are two mental health therapists in Austin, TX who have a passion for exploring the intersections of mental health, life, pop culture, and all of the in be... more

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FAQs about The Real Therapists of Austin:

How many episodes does The Real Therapists of Austin have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.

The Real Therapists of Austin episodes:

August 18, 2023 Get Real about Taylor's Maternity Leave!
Hello hi howdy friends!! Welcome to episode 8! Today we are giving lots of love to our lovely hostess with the mostess Taylor as she embarks on her new journey into motherhood! Taylor is going on maternity leave in mid August, so we are going to chat all about her pregnancy journey & share a bit about her experience as she goes into this next chapter. It’s not goodbye! It’s see ya later, brief pause, BRB while she goes have this baby! Added bonus content includes a random tangent about stocktank pools & casual discussion about the practice of placenta eating (spoiler alert... NOT Taylor's fave thing lol!!) Come join us as we say not goodbye... but see ya soon! :)

Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com

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1h 12min
July 27, 2023 Get Real About Being a Healthcare Worker!
Hiiii friends!!!! We had a bit of an unexpected episode hiatus, but honey today we are BACK & better than ever!! Today we have our very FIRST guest on our show - yaaaaay! Our dear friend Michelle Meystedt, PA-C is joining us today. Michelle is a Physician Assistant here in Austin, TX and she’s here to chat with us about her personal experience working in healthcare. Health care workers have been through SO much over the past few years, and as a result many health care workers are struggling with balancing their own mental & physical health, as well as the health & well being of their patients. On today's episode, we are chatting about Michelle’s journey as a PA, her experience with mental health as a health care worker, and how we can better support health care workers with their mental health needs.

Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com
...more
1h 23min
June 23, 2023 Get Real about Becoming a Therapist
Hey howdy hey friends! Welcome to Episode 6! If you think you want to be a therapist, then you’re in luck, because today we’re getting real about becoming a therapist! There’s a lot that has to happen before you can go out into the world to help and serve others as a licensed therapist. We're going to walk you step by step through our journey of becoming Licensed Professional Counselors. From gaining our first inspiration (and yes Sara, Dr. Phil was a bad example of inspiration...) to taking your final exam, to the 3000+ hours needed post graduation (wait - how many?!?!?!) There are so many words & acronyms, so little time! Join us as we spill the tea on our own journey & the impact it has on our mental health along the way.
Disclaimer - This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. We are speaking from our own personal & academic experiences becoming Licensed Professional Counselors. We are not providing academic, legal, or therapeutic advice. The process may look different based on your own personal academic background, type of licensure you are seeking, and state you live in. Please consult your state mental health licensure board & academic institution for specific guidance around your personal journey to your preferred licensure.
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1h 40min
June 05, 2023 Get Real About the Business of Therapy!
Welcome to episode 5 friends!! Today we’re getting real about the business of therapy! Being a therapist is our passion & our most obvious role, but we are also each running a business and that is no small feat! We’re going to share a bit about our journeys as small business owners, as well as the pros and cons of being a business owner AND a therapist. We’re also going to chat about our biggest learning curves & successes in our own businesses, and the impact that owning our practices has had on our mental health.
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1h 41min
May 16, 2023 Get Real About Friendship!
Welcome to episode 4! On today’s episode we are getting real about FRIENDSHIP! Our friendship is the basis of this podcast & we wanna share the friendship love with y’all! Today, we’ll tell y’all how we became friends, our friendship journeys with therapists & non-therapists, and some of the transformations we’ve seen in our relationships as we became therapists. Plus, we’ll share what we value in our friendships & the impact of healthy friendships on mental health.

Warning - language is a bit NSFW :)

Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com
...more
1h 29min
May 02, 2023 Get real about DATING!
Welcome to episode 3! On today’s episode we are getting real about DATING! Relationships come up often in therapy, and are a fundamental part of our lives both inside and outside of the therapy room. Today, we’ll discuss our individual journeys with dating as therapists & share a bit more about our husbands aka The Real Therapist Husbands of Austin! We're also diving into the intersection of dating & mental health, attachment styles 101, and some of our favorite relationship red and green flags. This episode is LONG - don't say we didn't warn ya!
Warning - language is a bit NSFW :)

Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com
...more
1h 58min
April 10, 2023 Get Real About Therapy!
Welcome to episode 2! On today’s episode we are getting real about one of our fave topics - Therapy! Of course two therapists are going to want to chat about therapy, right?! We're diving into some common stigmas & misconceptions about therapy, exploring some barriers people face when seeking therapy, and what people think therapy is versus what it ACTUALLY looks like. We also chat about some tips to help you find a therapist & offer some advice for folks who are looking for a therapist. Served up with a dash of Taylor's thoughts on the public school system (spoiler alert - it ain't good!), Sara's rant about therapists who ghost potential clients (Like, WTF?!), and a hilarious mic check blooper waiting for you at the end. This episode has a little bit of everything - JUST LIKE THERAPY!

Warning - language is a bit NSFW :)

Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com
...more
1h 24min
March 27, 2023 Get Real About US!
Welcome to episode 1! On today’s episode we are getting real about us - your cohosts Taylor & Sara! We are sharing a bit about our therapy practices, our friendship, this podcast, and what we are hoping to create for this space. Bonus content includes tangents about our shared experience of Only Child Syndrome, a review of Tay’s 8000 hobbies, Sara’s cackle laugh, and a few AMA questions from our Instagram friends!
Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX
Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC
@SunstonePsychotherapyTX
www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com
Taylor Vest, LPC
@TaylorVest.Therapy
www.taylorvesttherapy.com
...more
1h 15min

FAQs about The Real Therapists of Austin:

How many episodes does The Real Therapists of Austin have?

The podcast currently has 8 episodes available.