The Therapist Thrival Guide

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Robyn Janssen, Vice President of Clinical Programs at Ellie, and guest Tiffany Farrar, a certified eating disorder specialist and owner of Confluence Counseling.

The discussion revolves around:

- Recognizing the symptoms of disordered eating and eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID, and effective treatment modalities.

- Insights on family-based treatment and the importance of collaboration with dietitians and other healthcare providers.

- Practical advice for therapists on approaching clients with disordered eating patterns is also discussed.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you!

OUR GUESTS

Dr. Robyn Janssen PsyD, LP, has over 20 years experience in the mental health field. She has extensive clinical experience in outpatient, intensive programming, residential and inpatient levels of care. Dr. Janssen is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and a National Registered Health Service Psychologist. Her clinical interests are anxiety disorders, eating disorders and OCD. Dr. Janssen is certified in Exposure Response Prevention by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. She also is passionate about leadership development, teaching, facilitating trainings and CEUs, and program development.

Tiffany Farrar, LPCC has over thirteen years of experience in the mental health field working with adolescents and adults in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Tiffany earned her bachelor’s degree in Community Sports and Recreation, and has a Master's of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, both from Henderson State University.  Additionally, she has a Master’s in Applied Sport Psychology at Adams State University with the goal of becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC).  Tiffany has a passion for working with athletes of all types on developing mental strength.  She is also available to work collaboratively with teams on mental performance and building mental strength.

In her spare time, Tiffany is an avid trail runner, enjoys spending time with her dogs, and loves playing board games with her family.

This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast will be covering topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

Welcome to the Therapist Thrival Guide! In this episode we are joined by clinic directors Jordan Mealey, LPCC and Steve Drzewoszewski, LICSW.

Our guests share valuable insights on how therapists can comfortably handle financial discussions with clients, the importance of early and consistent communication, and tips for ensuring both therapist and client are on the same page.

Learn about effective strategies, the significance of understanding insurance plans, and how to navigate difficult conversations, ensuring financial clarity without compromising the therapeutic relationship.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you!

In this episode of Therapist Thrival Guide, therapists Miranda and Letisha delve into the science of gratitude. As Thanksgiving approaches, they discuss research studies that showcase the significant mental health benefits of gratitude practices, including:

We're sharing practical ways therapists can infuse gratitude into their sessions, and offer tips for families and individuals to incorporate gratitude into daily life. The episode highlights various gratitude exercises, journaling techniques, and meaningful activities to promote a positive mindset.

Links:

Gratitude is My Superpower Book

Gratitude Jar Book

Science of Gratitude Article

Watch this interview on Youtube

Gratitude 5 Senses Meditation

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you!

It's a true crime crossover episode! We brought on our attorney, Suzette Schommer, to discuss the Menendez brothers episode and what the therapist in this case did wrong, plus:

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you!

Hey there, podcast fam! Buckle up for a deep dive into something that affects us all more than we might realize: intergenerational trauma. It's like this invisible thread that weaves through families and communities, shaping our experiences in ways we might not even be aware of.

Terance Dawkins, LISW-CP shares his own stories of uncovering and dealing with this generational baggage, and how it has lit a desire for educating others in his professional career. It's powerful stuff, and we're diving into how understanding our past can help us heal in the present.

Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. The intention is to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a team of rotating therapist co-hosts. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast will be covering topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Terance Dawkins is a compassionate and dedicated Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Terance achieved both his Undergraduate and Masters Degrees in Social Work from Winthrop University, empowering him with the knowledge and skills to excel in his profession. He

Terance recognizes the profound impact of family interactions and daily experiences on one's beliefs and life lessons. This realization sparked his interest in Transgenerational Trauma, inspiring him to explore its implications across multiple generations. Destigmatizing mental health is a core belief for Terance, and he aims to break down self-imposed-barriers that prevent individuals from seeking essential mental health services. 

Today, Zach Eichler, MS, LPCC is joining the podcast again to discuss and reflect on change over time as a therapist. Miranda and Zach discuss:

- What we thought being a therapist was going to be like when in graduate school

- How we navigated being a brand new therapist and

- How our niche and client type has changed over time

- Becoming more confident in yourself

- Diversifying your caseload and job through supervision or other creative pursuits

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast will be covering topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

⁠⁠Miranda Barker⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for nearly three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

Today, Zach Eichler, MS, LPCC is back on the podcast for a mini-episode about:

- Supervision styles

- What to do if you don't have a good clinical supervisor match

- The first meeting and setting expectations with a supervisee

- Their experiences with bad supervision or bad supervisors

LINK TO BOOK: https://amzn.to/45RCnjJ

Stay tuned for next week as Zach joins to discuss what new therapists can expect in their first five years as a clinician!

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast will be covering topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

⁠⁠⁠Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for nearly three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

Join Miranda along with Dr. Sable McElveen and Amber Silva as they discuss the complexities and importance of working with the LGBTQIA+ community in therapy.

This episode covers key topics such as self-disclosure, creating safe environments, addressing the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and handling biases both from therapists and clients.

Learn essential approaches to foster trust and support for queer clients, all while maintaining therapist safety and ethical standards. This episode is perfect for therapists eager to deepen their understanding and practice in serving diverse populations.

Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast covers topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

ABOUT US:

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#mentalhealth⁠

This week guests Michael Atkinson and Alison Affalter join to discuss Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

The episode covers:

- ACT’s origins, key principles, and practical applications

- How clients can live a meaningful life aligned with personal values while accepting inevitable hardships

- ACT's six core principles aimed at enhancing psychological flexibility: acceptance, cognitive defusion, self as context, contact with the present moment, values, and committed action.

The guests share insights on applying ACT in therapy and personal life, and how it can be integrated with other therapeutic modalities to support clients dealing with various issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions.

00:00 Introduction & Meet the Experts: Michael and Allison

01:25 Diving into ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

03:30 Core Principles of ACT

17:54 Applying ACT in Therapy and Life

22:06 Therapist Tools and Initial Experiences

22:46 Integrating ACT with Other Modalities

25:21 Learning and Training in ACT

29:20 ACT for Various Diagnoses and Situations

34:16 Mindfulness Techniques in ACT

41:41 Final Thoughts and Resources

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of THRIVING by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise, clinical interests, and personal experiences of being a therapist. This podcast will be covering topics like burn-out, self of therapist, cultural considerations, client retention, session structure, advancing clinical skills, innovations in therapy, and balancing professional relationships with our personal lives. Every now and then, we'll even cover the happenings of how therapists are portrayed in pop culture.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for nearly three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

Hey there, folks! Get ready for a heart-to-heart episode of the Therapist Thrival Guide, where we're diving into the world of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) tapping and how it can be a game-changer for those riding the perinatal rollercoaster.

Pregnancy and postpartum life? Yeah, they're beautiful, but they can also throw some serious emotional curveballs. That's where EFT tapping comes in – it's like giving yourself a little mental massage to ease the stress and anxiety that can come with the territory.

In this episode, we're chatting with Maria Yakimchuk– mom and EFT pro – who shares her story and spills the beans on how tapping has helped her navigate the ups and downs of the perinatal journey (and yes, you can do it to yourself!).

LINKS:

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Maria Yakimchuk is a Certified Transformational Master EFT Coach who empowers moms to Rise, Heal, and Thrive by embracing their authentic power and inner wisdom, deeply healing themselves and manifesting the motherhood of their dreams. 

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#mentalhealth⁠