In this episode, Miranda interviews Kailah Tuttle, LPC, a certified geek therapist, about the innovative field of geek therapy. They discuss how incorporating elements of geek culture, such as anime, video games, roleplaying games, and superheroes, can enhance therapeutic practices.

Kayla shares her experiences with therapeutic Dungeon Master training and how geek therapy helps clients connect with their passions, process experiences, and learn skills through relatable characters and stories. They also touch on the importance of play and staying connected to one's inner child.

Whether you're a therapist looking to expand your toolkit or simply interested in the intersection of mental health and geek culture, this episode offers a fascinating insight into an emerging approach to therapy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:25 Diving into Geek Therapy

02:00 Therapeutic Dungeon Master Training

02:41 Play Therapy and Geek Therapy

04:36 Certification and Competency in Geek Therapy

07:27 Practical Applications of Geek Therapy

08:29 Therapeutic Dungeons and Dragons

15:59 Finding Your Niche as a Therapist

19:13 Exploring Art and Geek Therapy

19:24 Narrative Therapy and Superhero Stories

20:09 Creative Activities in Therapy

21:35 Geek Therapy in Practice

22:29 Integrating Geek Culture in Talk Therapy

23:54 Building Rapport Through Shared Interests

28:06 Geek Therapy as a Therapeutic Lens

31:02 Practical Interventions and Techniques

33:58 Connecting with the Inner Child

35:10 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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, licensed clinical social workers Miranda, Gina and Letisha, discuss 'Attached' by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller. They explore the book's insights on attachment styles—secure, anxious, and avoidant—while noting its omission of disorganized attachment. The episode touches on how these styles influence relationships, offers critiques on the book's approach, and provides practical advice on communication and self-awareness in relationships. Listener questions enhance the discussion with real-world applications and experiences.00:00 Introduction and Host Introductions00:55 Discussion on 'Attached' by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller02:27 Attachment Styles and Their Implications05:08 Critiques and Personal Insights on the Book14:27 Q&A Session: Listener Questions25:09 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Link to book: https://amzn.to/41yJBYd

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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, therapists Miranda Barker and Karna Boynton share an in-depth conversation about secondary traumatic stress (STS). Karna, an experienced clinician and licensed marriage family therapist, opens up about her personal experience with STS, describing how the compounded stress from her professional and personal life led her to encounter PTSD-like symptoms.

We're discussing the distinctions between burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and secondary traumatic stress, emphasizing the need for mental health professionals to prioritize self-care and seek support when needed.

Karna offers valuable advice on recognizing warning signs, setting boundaries, and finding coping mechanisms that work. This episode aims to shed light on the significant impact of STS on therapists and the importance of acknowledging and addressing this often-overlooked issue.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Meet the Guest

00:24 Karna's Career Journey

02:06 Understanding Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)

03:24 Burnout vs. Compassion Fatigue

07:14 Vicarious Trauma Explained

11:49 Personal Experiences and Warning Signs

24:55 The Pressure Cooker: Personal and Professional Struggles

33:09 The Breaking Point: Recognizing the Signs

33:21 Physical Manifestations of Stress

34:12 Therapeutic Modalities and Their Impact

35:40 The Emotional Toll of Trauma Work

36:28 Navigating Client-Therapist Boundaries

39:40 Assessment and Realization

41:56 Experiencing Secondary Trauma

48:45 Steps Towards Recovery

51:49 Reevaluating and Rebuilding

53:26 Sharing the Journey

58:36 Final Reflections and Advice

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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Heather Olsson, LCPC and Matthew Toman, APRN, both at Ellie Mental Health in Naperville, IL, join this episode to explore how some physical illnesses or issues can mask as mental health problems.

Heather and Matt share their experiences and insights on how to best support clients and the huge benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

They also discuss the impact of physical health on mental well-being and the role of lab tests in diagnosing and treating various conditions. This conversation aims to empower therapists and healthcare professionals to better support their clients by understanding the connection between physical and mental health and collaborating with physicians.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Therapist Thrival Guide

00:31 Meet the Guests: Heather and Matt

01:27 The Importance of Medication Management

02:07 Personal and Professional Collaboration

05:13 Bridging the Gap Between Mental and Physical Health

05:40 Understanding the Role of Lab Work

11:05 The Impact of Thyroid Function on Mental Health

17:12 GeneSight Testing and Medication Management

24:18 Starting SSRIs and SNRIs: What to Expect

24:38 Overlap of PCOS and Mental Health Symptoms

25:45 Empowering Clients and Treatment Teams

26:01 Key Lab Tests for Mental Health

28:03 Alcohol's Impact on Mental and Physical Health

30:20 SSRIs and Sexual Dysfunction

37:39 Exploring Medication Alternatives

41:45 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What if you could separate your work and personal life—along with all the emotions tied to them? In this episode of The Therapist Thrival Guide, therapists Miranda and Lucas unpack the psychological and philosophical themes of Apple TV+’s Severance.They explore dissociation, compartmentalization, and the human desire to escape suffering, connecting these ideas to real-life therapy. How does avoiding discomfort affect mental health? Is the pursuit of happiness overrated? And what can Severance teach us about meaning and fulfillment?

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Welcome

00:29 Severance Themes & Psychological Concepts

03:27 Dissociation, Compartmentalization & Therapy Insights

06:59 Escaping Suffering vs. Finding Meaning

15:42 Is Happiness the Goal?

26:20 Final Reflections & Practical Takeaways

💬 Would you sever uncomfortable emotions if you could? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Subscribe for more deep dives into psychology, therapy, and pop culture.

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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#Severance #TherapistReact #MentalHealth #Dissociation #Compartmentalization #Philosophy #Happiness #TheTherapistThrivalGuide

In this episode of the Therapist Thrival Guide, join Miranda, a licensed clinical social worker, alongside Letisha and Gina, as they candidly discuss Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

The discussion covers the DSM-5 criteria for ODD, its symptoms, and the stigma associated with the diagnosis. They explore alternative diagnoses, underlying issues like trauma, ADHD, and autism, and talk about effective treatment strategies including parent management training and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

The conversation also emphasizes the importance of seeing each child through a fresh and unbiased lens.

Timestamps:

02:32 Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria of ODD

05:02 Challenges and Controversies in Diagnosing ODD

06:01 Personal Experiences and Case Studies

08:49 The Impact of Labels and Diagnoses on Children

21:59 Differential Diagnoses and Overlapping Conditions

23:42 Understanding ODD and ADHD Differences

24:09 Trauma and Its Impact on ODD

25:15 Foster Care and ODD Diagnoses

28:49 Mood Disorders and Autism in Relation to ODD

31:19 The Unique Aspect of Vindictiveness in ODD

34:06 Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating ODD

38:02 Effective Strategies for Managing ODD

44:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week we are joined by Shelby Finley, a Clinic Director for Ellie Mental Health in Kansas City. Shelby shares her expertise on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), a modality that is especially useful for newer clinicians.

The conversation covers the foundational components of DBT, including mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation. Shelby explains why DBT is beneficial for new therapists and how it can be applied to various diagnoses beyond Borderline Personality Disorder.

The episode also explores practical skills like TIPP (Temperature change, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Progressive muscle relaxation) and the importance of recognizing and managing emotions for effective therapy. Miranda and Shelby discuss the integration of DBT with other therapeutic modalities and the transformative impacts it can have on both clients and therapists. Tune in to learn how you can implement these DBT strategies into your practice.

LINKS:

Marsha Linehan's book: https://amzn.to/4hJmvVH

PMR Recording: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7jTsJbdEh7SOR0OOwnORBP?si=3809c5b2cb5e4439

00:16 Meet Shelby Finley: Clinic Director and Therapist

00:58 Why DBT is Essential for New Clinicians

03:58 The Foundations of DBT

06:16 Applying DBT Skills in Therapy

12:29 Distress Tolerance: Handling Crisis Moments

13:19 The TIPP Skill: Temperature, Intense Exercise, and More

19:35 Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Paced Breathing

24:54 Practicing Skills in Therapy

26:44 Interpersonal Effectiveness

34:48 Emotional Regulation and Wise Mind

38:47 Integrating EMDR with DBT

42:09 Resources and Training for DBT

45:59 Conclusion and Future Discussions

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, 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 over 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This second episode of a two-part series features Karna Boynton, LMFT and Gina Young, LICSW, both board-approved supervisors. We're talking about how to structure group supervision, some creative ideas for your groups, and how to be a kick-@$% group supervisor!

00:00 Introduction to Group Supervision Series

00:52 Common Group Ruptures and Attendance Policies

07:12 Introducing New Group Members

11:11 Managing External Distractions and Humor in Groups

16:16 Enhancing Group Supervision with Creative Resources

18:53 Diverse Learning Methods in Group Supervision

20:34 Test Preparation and Continuous Learning

27:22 Flexibility and Continuous Improvement in Group Supervision

28:11 Sharing Training Experiences

28:23 Creative Self-Care Ideas for Therapists

29:17 Feedback and Evaluation in Group Sessions

30:09 Structuring Group Consultations

31:00 Creating and Sharing Agendas

33:54 Welcoming New Group Members

35:12 Establishing Group Norms

36:35 Identifying Group Goals

37:26 Brainstorming Topics and Content

38:13 Effective Case Consultations

46:05 Documenting Group Sessions

49:36 Best Practices for Virtual Groups

51:28 Handling Challenging Group Members

53:51 Q&A and Conclusion

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, 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 over 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. 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 first of a two-part series features Karna Boynton, LMFT and Gina Young, LICSW, both board-approved supervisors, who jump into the theory, benefits, dynamics, and common myths about group supervision.... and how you can be a kick-@$& group supervisor!

Learn how group settings can enhance clinical skills, reduce isolation, and improve personal well-being. Discover practical tips for managing group cohesion, addressing ruptures, and understanding legal and ethical considerations.

Tune in next week for part two!

00:37 Meet Your Presenters: Karna and Gina

01:24 Learning Objectives and Common Myths

03:42 Group Dynamics and Time Management

16:39 The Benefits of Group Supervision

22:52 Enhancing Presentation Skills Through Group Work

24:56 The Importance of Group Cohesion

26:28 Creating a Brave Space for Authenticity

27:17 Fostering Equitable Group Dynamics

27:58 Addressing Ruptures and Repairs in Groups

29:50 Supervisors' Role in Group Dynamics

33:14 Building on Individual and Collective Strengths

36:50 Conclusion and Next Steps

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, 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 over 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. 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

In this episode of the Therapist Thrival Guide, we are diving into the complexities of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and complex trauma (C-PTSD). We're discussing the stigma surrounding BPD, the challenges clinicians face in diagnosing and treating it, and the overlap with complex PTSD.

Kielyr Luthi, LICSW, PMH-C, R-PLC explains her approach to treatment, emphasizing trauma-informed care and discussing various therapeutic modalities such as EMDR, brain spotting, and trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT).

The conversation also covers the importance of treating symptoms over labels and the benefits of certain diagnoses. Essential listening for clinicians and anyone interested in understanding BPD and complex trauma.

GUEST BIO:

Kielyr Luthi, MSW, LICSW, PMH-C, R-PLC is a group private practice owner licensed in several states. She specializes in perinatal mental health and trauma. She is an EMDR trainer and certified in several evidence-based trauma treatment modalities. Her passions include supporting individuals overcome childhood trauma, supporting parents through new life transitions, and supporting with pregnancy and postpartum.

00:48 Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder and Complex Trauma

04:33 Symptoms and Traits of Borderline Personality Disorder

09:04 Differentiating BPD from Complex PTSD

13:05 Exploring Trauma-Focused Modalities

21:30 Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating BPD

33:26 The Importance of Accurate Diagnoses

40:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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!