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26d ago 35:59

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What Should Not Be Normalized in Our Profession?

The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

Curt and Katie chat about a discussion that came up in the Modern Therapists Facebook group – What is something that you wish other therapists would stop pretending is normal. We explore the normalization of waiting until license renewal for CE, balancing accountability without chastising clients, and acknowledging countertransference in therapy. We also tackle the high costs of specialized training, the problems of treating children in isolation without family involvement, and the systemic issue of unpaid internships and low therapist wages.

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

In this podcast episode we explore frustrations modern therapists have with our profession

Curt and Katie dive into some of the things that therapists normalize that maybe they shouldn’t, gathered from discussions in the Modern Therapist Facebook Group.

What are struggles that are normalized for therapists?

· Waiting until right before license renewal to complete continuing education (CE)

· Not figuring out the difference between holding clients accountable vs. chastising or bullying them

· Failing to acknowledge countertransference and true emotions in therapy

· The high costs of specialized training

· Not recognizing the importance of family involvement in child therapy

· The impact of unpaid internships and low wages for therapists

Is the therapy profession setting itself up for burnout and financial

struggle?

· Many therapists procrastinate CE requirements, leading to unnecessary stress.

· Holding clients accountable is important, but it shouldn't come at the cost of rapport or shame.

· Denying countertransference is unrealistic — therapists have emotions too!

· Expensive training creates barriers to specialization, limiting accessibility.

· Therapists treating children without involving family may not be setting up the child for success.

· Unpaid internships and low wages continue to undervalue therapists’ work, making financial stability difficult.

What can therapists do to improve their profession?

· Plan CE credits early to avoid last-minute stress.

· Frame accountability in a way that supports clients and aligns with their stated goals rather than chastises them.

· Acknowledge emotions in therapy without making sessions about the therapist.

· Seek out reasonably priced training options and advocate for more affordable education.

· Encourage family involvement when working with children (when appropriate).

· Push for industry-wide changes in pay and internship standards.

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

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