Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists

What if one of your clients was trying to tell you she was gay… and neither of you knew it yet? Women are coming out as lesbians in their 40s, 50s, and beyond…and some are finding other women safer to talk to than their therapists. Not because their therapists are homophobic. Because even well-intentioned, LGBTQ-affirming clinicians can completely misunderstand what’s happening. In this episode, psychotherapist Miriam Grace (who came out herself just before 50) reveals what therapists can get dangerously wrong when a woman begins questioning her sexuality in midlife. We’re talking menopause. Marriage. Grief. Identity. Minority stress. And the surprisingly harmful thing therapists can do when we’re desperate to help a client “figure it out.” You’ll learn: Why a “midlife crisis” may actually be a midlife reckoning How menopause can collide with identity, sexuality, and long-suppressed needs The subtle mistake that can make an affirming therapist feel unsafe Why trying to “figure out” a client’s sexuality can actually increase pressure How your need for certainty can get in the way of good therapy How to help a client navigate coming out, grief, and identity when she doesn’t know the answer yet And then Miriam says something I did not expect: You may not need another certification. You may need to stop needing the answer. If you work with adult women, this is one of those episodes that may make you think back to a former client and wonder: Oh no. Did I miss this? Because sometimes the most affirming thing we can do isn’t help a client find the answer. It’s become a safe enough place for her to discover it herself. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Some of the most damaging experiences clients have in therapy happen with therapists who genuinely wanted to help them…. But wound up harming them. Because they didn’t know what they didn’t know.  Sit with that one for a second. I was talking with psychologist Dr. Brianna Ector at APA 2026 when she told me how often clients come to her after being traumatized by kind, well-intentioned therapists who simply weren't competent to work with the issues or populations in front of them. I stopped her. “Wait. We need to record this.” Because every therapist needs to hear what she said next. Your scope of practice doesn't announce itself with flashing red lights. And sometimes, the most ethical answer isn't simply to refer out. It's to get competent. In this episode, you'll learn: How well-meaning therapists can unintentionally harm clients How to recognize when you've reached the edge of your competence When to refer (and when to expand your skills instead) The scope-of-practice mistake therapists make when working with couples How to refer without making a client feel rejected or stigmatized Why humility and continuing education are essential to ethical practice You don't need to know everything. You do need to know when you don't know enough. If you've ever wondered, “Am I actually qualified to help this person?” — this episode is for you. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Content advisory: This episode discusses sexual violence and homicide. What if your client told you exactly what was happening and you didn’t recognize the danger? A client describes choking. Pain. Humiliation. Control. And suddenly you’re wondering: Is this consensual kink… or abuse? Being a kink aware therapist requires more than being affirming and nonjudgmental. You also need to recognize coercion. And that distinction can be frighteningly subtle. In this live conversation from the APA Convention, I’m sitting down with forensic researcher, trainer, and consultant AJ Greer, whose work focuses on sexual violence, domestic violence, sexual sadism, psychopathy, and extreme offending. The big takeaway? The difference isn’t necessarily the behavior. It’s consent. And coercion can make genuine consent impossible. Listen to learn: How to distinguish consensual kink from abuse The subtle signs of coercive control therapists can miss Why strangulation should raise serious concerns How boundary-pushing can hide behind plausible deniability The questions that can reveal whether someone could safely say no Why being kink-affirming is important, but isn’t enough If this is a distinction you’re not completely confident you could make, this is a conversation worth hearing. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Think you can tell how your client is doing just by looking at them? Think again. What if one of your biggest clinical blind spots is sitting right in front of you and you don’t even know you’re looking at it? You’ve probably done serious work around bias. Race. Gender. Class. Ability. Culture. But have you ever deliberately examined the way a client’s face, body, clothes, grooming, attractiveness, even how “put together” they look changes what you assume about them? Because it does. And here’s the part that should make every therapist sit up a little straighter: The client who looks like they’re doing great may be the client you’re most likely to underestimate. In this special Live From APA conversation, I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks, author of The Problem with Pretty: Beauty, Bias and the Surprising Science of Good Looks, to talk about a form of implicit bias hiding in plain sight: appearance bias in therapy. But this conversation isn't really about beauty. It’s about assessment. Judgment. Attention. And the frightening ease with which “what I see” can quietly become “what I believe.” In this episode you’ll learn: The hidden appearance bias most therapists have never examined Why “she looks fine” can be a dangerous assumption Which clients may be easier to underestimate than you realize What to pay attention to instead of what your eyes are telling you If you consider yourself a thoughtful, culturally responsive, bias-aware therapist, this episode may challenge you most. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Do you work with domestic violence or intimate partner violence survivors? Then what just happened at the APA Council could eventually impact you and your clients. I sat down live at APA 2026 with Dr. Shannon Goecke-Watson, PsyD, LP, Minnesota’s representative to the APA Council of Representatives and Chair of the APA Rural Health Caucus, to find out what actually happens inside APA Council. And honestly? I didn’t realize how much influence these psychologists have. Think of APA Council representatives almost like the state representatives of psychology. They debate and vote on policy, work with APA’s advocacy office, and even go to Capitol Hill to meet with members of the House and Senate. Shannon just helped move forward an APA resolution addressing intimate partner violence and gender-based violence, created in collaboration with APA advocacy to support work around the Violence Against Women Act. You’ll hear: What actually happens at APA Council How APA resolutions can make their way from psychologists to Capitol Hill What Shannon and other APA representatives discuss with members of Congress The new IPV and gender-based violence resolution Shannon helped advance Why therapists may have more power to influence public policy than we realize What clinicians still need to understand about domestic violence, IPV, and competent care This is how psychology moves beyond the therapy room and starts changing systems. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self  If you or someone you’re working with needs immediate support: National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.

Ever had a dream client vanish the second you said, “I don’t take insurance”?  In this rerun episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m breaking down one of the most frustrating, deflating, and pivotal conversations we have in private practice: ⁠⁠how to talk to therapy clients about insurance⁠⁠ and self-pay therapy (without spiraling, apologizing, or selling yourself short). I walk you through exactly how to handle that record-scratch moment with clarity, confidence, and integrity—so you can stop losing ideal clients and start owning your value. We’ll explore why the insurance model was never built for growth work, how to frame your services outside of the medical model, and how self-pay therapy and coaching can be transformational for both you and your clients. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, this conversation will help you rethink the way you show up, speak up, and set yourself up for long-term success. You'll learn: The Insurance Dilemma Empowering Therapists: Navigating Insurance Questions Why Don’t Some Therapists Take Insurance? The Disconnect Between Client Needs and Insurance Ethical Considerations and Challenges Are Self Pay Therapy Clients More Motivated? (Yes. Here's why.) How to Stop Feeling Guilty For Charging Self Pay Rates How to Communicate Your Value Can I Build a Practice Without Taking Insurance? How to Become a Certified Coach as a Therapist Clarity and Confidence in Practice If you’re longing for a practice that aligns with your passion for growth work—it might be time for a new approach. In my ⁠⁠ BCC-Accredited Coaching Certification for Therapists⁠⁠, I guide licensed clinicians just like you to: Ethically expand beyond the limitations of the insurance model Work confidently with self-pay clients who are motivated and ready to change Learn the language, structure, and mindset of transformational coaching psychology Build a sustainable practice doing the work you actually want to do with your dream clients. This program rewards up to 50 CE hours. Come learn how to create a thriving, ethical, and fulfilling practice from someone who’s walked this road. And hey—if we haven’t connected on LinkedIn yet, let’s do so! I’d love to follow your journey, cheer you on, and swap notes on what’s working (and what’s not) in our evolving world of therapy and coaching. Come say hi and ⁠⁠connect with me right here⁠⁠. Xoxo, ⁠⁠Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠⁠ ⁠Growing Self⁠ P.S. If this episode made you nod, scribble notes, or rethink your client scripts, share it with a fellow therapist or drop it in your favorite consultation group. Let’s rise together. 💛

Are you a therapist who's curious about coaching but not sure where to begin? If you've ever felt like your clients need more than insight alone, if you're craving a more energizing, action-oriented way to help people grow, or if you've wondered whether coaching could be the next evolution of your career, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I unpack why coaching psychology isn't a replacement for therapy. It's a powerful complementary skill set that can help you create better outcomes, expand your opportunities, and fall back in love with your work. As therapists, we're experts at helping people heal. But many of us were never trained in how to help clients create meaningful change once they're no longer in crisis. That's where evidence-based coaching psychology comes in. It's a natural extension of the work you already do and one that can transform both your clients' lives and your own professional future. In this episode, you'll learn: Why coaching psychology is becoming one of the most valuable skills therapists can add to their practice The real differences between therapy and coaching, and when each approach is most appropriate How coaching can help your clients create lasting action, not just insight Why coaching psychology can make your work more rewarding, effective, and sustainable How becoming a coach can expand your career options, attract ideal clients, and increase your income What to look for in a coaching certification program designed specifically for licensed therapists Whether you're simply coaching-curious or seriously considering adding coaching to your practice, this episode will give you a clear, ethical framework for understanding what's possible. I hope you'll join me, and that this conversation inspires you to embrace the coach within. Want to learn more? I host regular live information sessions where I answer your questions about the Growing Self Coaching Certification for Therapists, explain the different training pathways, and help you decide whether this program is the right fit for you. Click here to register for an upcoming information session. I hope to see you there! Xoxo,Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Your client may not be stuck for the reasons you think. When a client seems overwhelmed, shut down, or unable to move forward, it's easy to assume trauma is the driving force. But what if there's another important piece of the puzzle? In this conversation, I sit down with nervous system educator Alyssa Blask Campbell to explore how sensory processing influences nervous system activation, and why it's an assessment lens many therapists were never taught to consider. We discuss how sensory experiences can shape behavior, emotional regulation, and a client's capacity to engage, offering a broader framework for understanding what may be happening beneath the surface. In this episode, you'll learn: Why nervous system activation isn't always rooted in trauma How sensory processing can influence behavior, emotions, and engagement The nine sensory systems and why they matter in clinical practice How expanding your assessment lens can lead to more effective interventions Practical ways to integrate these insights into your work with clients Whether you're a therapist, coach, or helping professional, this conversation will expand the way you think about nervous system activation and leave you with practical ideas you can begin using right away. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self P.S. If this conversation sparks your curiosity, don't miss Alyssa's free CEU training on September 17th, where she'll take an even deeper dive into recognizing sensory-driven nervous system activation and share practical strategies you can immediately integrate into your clinical work. We'd love to have you join us. Register here.

Ever feel like something’s “off” in your therapeutic relationships but can’t quite put your finger on it? The answer might lie in hidden power dynamics that could be impacting your clients in ways you didn’t realize. In today's episode, we're revisiting the subtle, often unnoticed imbalances that naturally occur between therapist and client—and more importantly, what you can do to manage them effectively so that they don't sabotage the work. I’ll walk you through practical strategies to create more equitable relationships, promote client autonomy, and avoid the common pitfalls of disempowerment and dependency. With over 50 therapists under my supervision, I’ve seen firsthand how even well-meaning professionals can fall into these traps. I’ll also be sharing personal insights and tools you can start using in your next session. Join me for this vital conversation and let’s work together to ensure we’re empowering our clients in every way possible AND avoiding the pitfalls that can ruin therapy (and even get you in hot water as a therapist).   What You’ll Learn: 03:24:Why Power Differentials Are Unavoidable 11:21: The Consequences of Unmanaged Power Dynamics 22:26: Strategies for Reducing Imbalances in Your Sessions 25:00: How to Collaborate and Be Transparent with Clients  32:11: Final Thoughts & Free Resources for Therapists  I can’t wait for you to tune in! Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby And don’t forget! I have a *FREE* 2-part training just for therapists, where I’ll show you how to get clear about your professional trajectory, and integrate coaching techniques into your practice for even more effective results. You can access it at ⁠growingself.com/coaching⁠

You're fully booked. The money is coming in. So why does your bank account still feel stressed? If you've ever looked around your practice and thought, "I should be making more than this..." you're not imagining it. In this episode, I sit down with CPA and cash flow strategist Emily Bowie to talk about cash flow for therapists and the financial trap nobody warned us about: earning more is not the same thing as keeping more. Here's the uncomfortable truth: You can have a thriving practice. You can bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can even build a multi-million-dollar business... ...and still have no idea where your money is going. I know because I did exactly that. At one point,I was leading a practice that looked to be very successful from the outside, but because I didn't know how to read a financial statement, there was so much I was missing and it caused major problems. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "just get more clients" is often the worst solution to money stress The hidden reason tax season feels like a yearly ambush How to know if your sessions are actually profitable The expense leaks quietly draining your practice Why charging more isn't selfish—and may actually be ethical The financial blind spots that can impact your clinical decisions How to build a practice that supports both your clients and your future Because financial stress doesn't stay in your bank account. It follows you into your boundaries, your burnout, your pricing, and your decisions. And until you understand your numbers, you're flying blind. If you've ever thought, "I'm working this hard. Why doesn't it feel easier?" This episode is for you.

If your practice is growing but you're more exhausted than ever... if you're working nights and weekends just to stay caught up... if you're making more money but somehow feeling less free... this episode is for you. Because here's the truth nobody tells therapists: you can be exceptional at helping clients and still build a practice that quietly burns you out. In this conversation, I'm joined by Dr. Jennifer Wisdom, a consulting psychologist and organizational consultant who has spent more than 25 years studying how organizations actually function. She helps leaders identify the hidden problems that keep businesses stuck, and today we're applying those insights directly to therapy practices. Because the biggest threat to your practice isn't a lack of clients. It's the management skills nobody ever taught you. The same qualities that make you a wonderful therapist—being deeply empathetic, avoiding conflict, carrying more than your share, and putting everyone else's needs first—can become the exact things that create overwhelm, chaos, and burnout when you're running a business. In this episode, you'll learn: Why so many successful therapists secretly feel trapped by the practices they've built The hidden difference between being a great clinician and being an effective practice owner Why more clients and more revenue don't automatically create more freedom The leadership mistake that leaves therapists carrying everything on their backs How "being nice" can quietly undermine your team, culture, and profitability Why AI, EHR systems, and productivity tools can't solve a management problem The burnout warning signs that show up long before the numbers reveal a problem The money metrics every practice owner should understand—but most never look at How to delegate, give feedback, and lead without feeling like the bad guy Where to start when your practice feels disorganized, overwhelming, or out of control This episode is a reality check, but it's also a roadmap. Because if you've been telling yourself that you just need to work harder, be more organized, or somehow get better at juggling it all, I want you to know something: the problem may not be you. It may be that nobody ever taught you how to run the business you built. And once you understand the difference, everything starts to make a lot more sense. Xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

All therapists have blindspots, and learning to recognize them is deep personal and professional growth work. It will make you more empathetic, more insightful, and more insightful, not only as a therapist, but also as a human.   But the thing about blindspots is... we can't see them! ⁠ Uncovering your blind spots to become a more culturally competent therapist⁠ is a process of self-exploration that will unearth perspectives and conditioning that you're not even aware of yet. It requires openness and courage, and it strengthens your capacity for self-reflection and connection to others.  That exploratory process is what we're talking about on this episode of Love, Happiness and Success for Therapists. My guest is Dr. Diane Estrada, a veteran of the craft and my long-time mentor. Diane brings so much heart and wisdom to her practice, as well as to her work helping others become the best therapists they can be. She's a treasure, and I'm so excited that I get to share her with you! Tune in to learn: 02:10 The Impact of Cultural and Identity Biases in Therapy 04:01 How to Develop Self-Awareness as a Therapist 12:08 Recognizing the Influence of Eurocentric Models 23:33 Reckoning with Feelings of Anger and Resentment 28:01 Seeing the Presence of Culture and Belief Systems 35:52 Practices for Growth and Development 39:52 The Importance of Checks and Balances 40:59 The Challenge of Engaging in Difficult Conversations 42:07 Understanding Your Clients' Context 43:30 Creating Courageous Space 44:18 Balancing Emotional Safety and Growth 45:08 Overcoming the Discomfort of Addressing Race   And more!   I hope you'll join us, and that you'll find our conversation as insightful and helpful as I did.    With love,    Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby    P.S. — Are you at risk of therapist burnout? Take my free quiz and find out.

Ever had a client look at you, desperate for help, and ask, “What should I do?” Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on a dilemma that I hear from therapists all the time: “My clients are stuck, they need direction, and they’re asking me for advice. But I’m supposed to stay neutral, right?”  On one hand, we want to help, but on the other, we’ve been trained to stay neutral and let the client find their own answers. So ⁠can therapists give advice?⁠ What’s the right move when your client is stuck and clearly craving direction? In this episode of Love, Happiness and Success For Therapists, we're diving into the inner conflict therapists face between sticking to our non-directive, empathetic listening style and providing the more concrete guidance that many clients are asking for. I’ll also show how evidence-based coaching can complement therapy in a powerful way and provide that direction in your sessions. You’ll get clear, actionable steps on how to navigate this tricky balance—without stepping outside of your ethical boundaries. You don’t want to miss this! Episode Breakdown 00:00 Introduction: The Therapist's Dilemma 02:49 What Is the Role of a Therapist? 06:35 Why Do Therapists Struggle to Be More Direct? 09:16 How to Balance Client Expectations with Therapeutic Boundaries 15:19 Is Coaching the Solution? 20:24 What's the Difference Between Therapy and Coaching? 27:38 How Can Therapists Become Certified Coaches? 34:29 Resources for Therapists and Coaches If you’re feeling inspired by what I’ve shared and you’re ready to give your clients the directive support that they need, I’d love to invite you to take the next step in your professional development with my BCC-Accredited ⁠ Coaching Certification for Therapists⁠.  This program is designed specifically for therapists like you who want to build coaching competencies while staying within the ethical boundaries of your practice. You’ll receive 30 CEU credits for completing the certification and walk away with the skills to deliver more actionable, client-centered guidance that will help your clients get the results they’re asking for.  👉 ⁠ Transform your practice by learning how to coach⁠. If you want to stay updated on the latest podcast episodes, learn about upcoming free CEU webinars, and be a part of a supportive professional network, I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn! ⁠Find me at Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠. I share research, training opportunities, and news updates to help you grow, develop new skills, and thrive! Xoxo ⁠Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠ ⁠ www.growingself.com⁠ PS: If you found this episode valuable, think about someone in your professional community who could benefit from this conversation. Share it with them, and let’s keep the discussion going!

After 25 years as a psychologist, I still catch myself doing it. A client edges toward something sexual, I reflect, I validate, and I quietly move us somewhere safer. If you have done the same thing in a session, you are not a bad clinician. You were just never taught how to stay in that moment, and almost none of us were. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nicole McNichols, the University of Washington professor who teaches the largest human sexuality course in the country, more than four thousand students a year. Nicole is not a sex therapist. She is the person who teaches the next generation of clinicians, and I wanted her read on the gap most of us walked out of grad school with: what to actually do when sex shows up in the room. Her new book, You Could Be Having Better Sex, just landed, and it turns out to be a genuinely useful tool for our clients too. In This Episode: Why generalist training programs skip sex almost entirely, and what that absence quietly costs your clients The assumption that fixing a couple's communication will fix their sex life, and why the research often runs the other way How to open a conversation about sex without feeling like you are prying for salacious details What more than two thousand couples revealed over four years about which kind of satisfaction comes first How a caregiving role can quietly erode desire, and the parenting complaint that is often really about sex The moment a presenting sexual concern is not a sex problem at all, and what scope of competence asks of you then How to handle attraction, transference, and your own discomfort when sexual material enters the room Where your scope as a relationally trained generalist ends and an AASECT-certified sex therapist's begins This episode is for any clinician who has sat across from a client, felt the conversation drift toward sex, and chosen, almost without deciding to, to steer somewhere else. Maybe you told yourself it was outside your scope, or that the client was not ready, or that it simply was not the focus of the work. I have told myself all three. This conversation is about what becomes possible when we stop avoiding the one topic we were never trained to hold, and start treating it as part of the work we are already good at. Episode Breakdown 00:00:00 The Conversation We Quietly Steer Around 00:03:51 Why Sexual Health Is Clinical, Not Peripheral 00:04:43 Fix the Relationship, Fix the Sex? Not Quite 00:08:33 How to Open the Door Without Feeling Intrusive 00:12:30 Sex as the Skill Set That Builds the Whole Relationship 00:15:27 What the Research Actually Shows 00:17:23 Using a Book as a Clinical Tool 00:25:22 When It's Not a Sex Problem 00:34:04 The Transference Nobody Prepped You For 00:40:14 Where Your Scope Ends and a Sex Therapist's Begins Resources Full episode and show notes The Therapist Growth Collective If this episode put words to something you have been quietly carrying, share it with one colleague who would feel the same way. That is the whole game with a show like this. And if you want an ongoing place to keep growing into the parts of the work grad school skipped, come find us. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby  Growing Self

Ever walk out of a session thinking, “Was that okay? Did I do it right? Did I help enough?” If so, you are so not alone.  In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists, I’m diving deep into ⁠therapist performance anxiety⁠ — the kind of internal pressure that doesn’t just keep us up at night, but can actually interfere with the quality of our clinical work.  From subtle fears about being "good enough" to the quiet panic that creeps in when clients stall out, I’m unpacking how this anxiety shows up, what it does to our clinical judgment, and why it's a hidden threat to both our clients and our own well-being. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Therapist Performance Anxiety 01:04 – When Caring Becomes a Liability 06:13 – The Story of Sarah 14:52 – Financial Anxiety in Private Practice 31:19 – Strategies to Manage Performance Anxiety 39:35 – CEU Trainings for Therapists If performance anxiety is making you second-guess whether you’re “doing it right,” you’re not alone. This is particularly true for therapists who are in or headed into the realm of coaching. The waters between therapy and coaching can get murky which creates ethical dilemmas that most of us aren’t trained to identify.  My free CEU training ⁠ Think You’re Coaching? 8 Red Flags You’re Actually Doing Therapy⁠ is designed to clear that uncertainty. When you're not sure where the line is between coaching and therapy — or you're worried you’ve already crossed it — anxiety starts calling the shots. This training will help you get crystal clear on what’s what, so you can show up grounded, ethical, and effective in your work. Even better? When you complete the training and pass the quick quiz, you’ll earn 1 CEU and a certificate — totally free. ⁠ Check out the training here.⁠  And hey, let’s stay connected. If this topic resonated with you, I would love to continue the conversation and support your growth. Join our amazing community of growth-minded clinicians by ⁠connecting with me on LinkedIn⁠. I share insights, free CEU trainings, and sometimes a little healthy debate. Come say hi — I’m always cheering you on. 💛 Xoxo ⁠Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠ ⁠ www.growingself.com

Have you ever heard the term coaching psychologist? Probably not. In the United States, it barely exists as a concept. In the United Kingdom, it is a recognized specialty of the British Psychological Society, with peer-reviewed journals, formal credentials, and university-level standards. So the next time someone tells you coaching can’t be a serious discipline, the honest answer is that it already is. We just have to import it. In this episode, I sit down with Christina Theo, a UK-based Coaching Psychologist with twenty-five years across the NHS, the voluntary sector, and international private practice. Christina holds credentials from both the British Psychological Society and the International Coaching Federation, and she practices the kind of integrated, evidence-based work I have spent the better part of two decades arguing for from the US side. She joined me to explain what coaching psychology actually is, what is breaking in the global coaching industry right now, and what every licensed clinician should know about the field before they engage with it, whether or not they ever plan to become a coach themselves. In this episode: The plain-English definition of coaching psychology, and why the UK has a credential for it while the US still does not The moment-to-moment difference between doing coaching and doing psychology, inside a single session How Christina integrates EMDR, IFS, and Pain Reprocessing Therapy inside a coaching framework without crossing the therapy line The four myths therapists believe about coaching, and what is actually true about ethics, supervision, evidence, and triage The biggest mistake therapists make when they add coaching to their practice (and why the financial reasoning behind it usually fails) Why “I healed myself, now I will heal you” coaching is doing measurable harm to trauma survivors who needed treatment instead What rigorous coaching credentials require, and the specific red flags to run from when a program advertises itself Where coaching psychology is headed in the next five years, and the role US clinicians could play in building a domestic version Why This Matters This episode is for any clinician who has watched the coaching industry from the sidelines with one eyebrow raised, and quietly wondered whether there is a serious version of this discipline anywhere. There is. It has a name, a credential, a body of research, and a small group of practitioners who have been doing it well for decades. You do not have to want to become a coach to find this conversation useful. You only have to want to understand the field your clients are increasingly being pulled toward, and to know the difference between the work Christina is describing and the work most of TikTok is calling by the same name. Episode Breakdown 00:00 Why "Coaching Psychologist" Isn't a Term Most US Therapists Know 04:35 How Christina Became a Coaching Psychologist 09:30 What Is Coaching Psychology? The Definition US Therapists Are Missing 13:00 Coaching Psychology vs. Therapy in a Single Session 24:30 The Myths Therapists Believe About Coaching 30:30 What Therapists Should Look For in a Coaching Credential 40:30 What's Actually Wrong With the Coaching Industry in 2026 56:30 What This Means for US Clinicians, and Where Coaching Psychology Goes Next Resources Full blog post for this episode Growing Self Coaching Certification for Therapists Therapist Growth Collective If this conversation cracked something open for you about coaching, I want to keep it going. There is a real, rigorous version of this work, and the people I trust most to do it well are the ones who started as licensed clinicians and added the credentials on top. That is exactly what our Coaching Certification for Therapists is built to support. The link is in the show notes. Come find me, and come find us. XO, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Elliott Connie thinks most of what we were trained to do in couples therapy is, in his words, ridiculous. The way he explains it: if you get shot with an arrow, does it help you to know who shot you, or do you just want the arrow out? That’s the question that anchors solution-focused couples therapy. And it’s the question that’s been quietly changing how a generation of clinicians thinks about the work. In this episode, I sit down with Elliott Connie, founder of The Solution Focused Universe, co-author of The Solution Focused Brief Therapy Diamond with Adam Froerer, and one of the clinicians I most respect in our field. Elliott and I did a consumer-facing conversation last year. This one is the clinician’s cut, and the question I most wanted him to answer: what has to change in the therapist before the technique can land? You’ll hear: Why the entire premise of “understanding the client’s problem” might be what’s keeping them stuck, and Elliott’s arrow analogy that reframes the work in one minute flat The two clinical realizations that almost made Elliott quit graduate school, and the professor who changed everything What “practicing from a solution-focused stance” actually means in the room, and why grafting SFBT techniques onto a problem-focused practice usually doesn’t work Why being a good therapist has more in common with being a good spouse than a good employee, and Elliott’s “relationship, not occupation” reframe The truth about CBT’s research dominance, including the story of the statistics professor who admitted why CBT keeps winning the citation game Why Elliott calls it unethical to graduate from a counseling program and never pick up another research article, and the simple fix if you’ve been guilty of this Where to start if you want to learn SFBT well, including Elliott’s books, his training organization, and the unexpected place his career has taken him This episode is for any clinician who has finished a couples session feeling more depleted than the couple in the room. It’s also for anyone who has wondered, quietly, whether the way you were trained to do this work is the way you actually believe in. Elliott’s argument is that the answer to clinician exhaustion isn’t a new technique. It’s a stance shift. And if you’ve been carrying questions about your own clinical orientation, this conversation will ask you to look at them honestly. Episode Breakdown 0:00 Why understanding the problem might be what’s keeping your clients stuck 05:00 How therapists got indoctrinated into problem-focused work 11:00 From the graduate school Elliott almost quit to the work that found him 27:00 Therapy as a relationship, not an occupation 35:00 What solution-focused brief therapy actually is 37:00 A session that didn’t address the problem (and what happened instead) 47:00 Inside the Solution Focused Universe and Elliott’s mission to train better therapists 52:00 The research, the bias, and the obligation to keep learning 01:03:00 The skeptic’s question and the surprising next chapter of Elliott’s career Resources Read the full article The Therapist Growth Collective for ongoing professional development and peer community If this conversation gave you something to chew on, or made you want to argue with your screen, I’d love for you to share it with a colleague. That’s how this show finds the clinicians it’s meant to find. And if you want to keep having these kinds of conversations week after week, come find us in the Therapist Growth Collective. The link is below. XO, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

You've been recommending Attached for years. Your client has read it twice. They can name their attachment style, walk you through the childhood wound, and articulate exactly why they do what they do. And they are still, every few months, processing another version of the same painful cycle in their relationship. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Amir Levine, the Columbia psychiatrist and molecular neuroscientist whose first book Attached has now sold over three million copies in 42 languages and become a permanent fixture on every therapist's clinical shelf. His follow-up, Secure, just came out from Penguin Random House, and it answers the question therapists keep asking after handing Attached to a client: how do clients actually change their attachment style? In This Episode: Why naming a client's attachment style is not enough to change it, and what the neuroscience actually says about pattern change The Cyberball paradigm and what it tells us about why our clients' brains react so powerfully to small moments of disconnection Why a 50-minute therapy hour can't compete with the thousand social interactions a client encounters before next week's session CARP, the five pillars of secure mode, and how Levine teaches clients to recognize them in others The CARP intervention script you can teach an anxious client to invite secure recruits into their life Wall Tennis With Love, the technique for right-sizing the relationships that keep pulling anxious clients off-center Why most avoidant clients are accidentally creating the very neediness they resent in others, and the Strange Situation parallel that finally helps them see it What to do when your own attachment style is showing up in the therapy room, including the framework that works for therapists with ADHD or non-traditional rhythms Why This Matters This episode is for any clinician who has ever sat across from a self-aware, hard-working client and quietly thought: I am not sure what I am supposed to do with this. The ones who have read every book, named every pattern, and still cannot move. What Amir is offering is a clinical reframe that does not ask you to throw out what you already know, but adds something most of us were never explicitly trained to do. If you have been sitting with a stuck client lately wondering whether your method is the problem or your client is the problem, this conversation is going to land somewhere specific. Resources Therapist Growth Collective, our free professional community for clinicians Practice support and consulting for therapists If this conversation opened something up for you clinically, please share it with the colleague you were thinking about as you were listening. The work we do matters, and so does the way we do it together. XO, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

You had a first meeting with a prospective therapy client that YOU thought went great… but the client never came back. Here’s why: Therapists don’t know how to communicate their value. Why do amazing therapists struggle with ⁠therapy client engagement⁠? Spoiler alert: It’s not about your clinical skills, it's about how you connect. Engaging therapy clients isn’t just about being good at what you do; it’s about helping prospective clients see the unique value you bring. In this episode of Love Happiness and Success for Therapists, I’ll walk you through actionable steps to engage therapy clients, communicate your unique value, and grow a thriving private practice. You’ll learn how to structure consultations that naturally build trust and connection, how to address common concerns around cost, time, and readiness, and how to effectively communicate your process and unique approach to therapy. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Why Client Engagement Matters 00:45 The Common Struggles of Private Practice Therapists 01:47 Overcoming the Fear of Self-Promotion 03:33 Connect with Clients Before They Meet You 11:57 Helping Clients Define Their Goals 15:14 Explaining Your Therapy Process with Clarity 23:59 Tackling Client Objections Gracefully 28:18 Highlighting Your Unique Value Proposition 31:13 Mastering Post-Consultation Follow-Ups 34:12 Reflect, Refine, and Grow Your Practice 38:17 More Resources to Support You Your clients need more than what conventional therapy alone can offer. The reality? “Coaches” without formal training are scooping up the opportunities you’re missing, because they have a structured framework of change that they can communicate - and clients love it. You can learn how to do this too! In my free ⁠ “What Every Therapist Must Know About Coaching” Masterclass⁠, you’ll discover how to integrate evidence-based coaching techniques to stand out in a crowded field and enhance your therapy practice. Coaching tools can help you empower clients to achieve goals faster, deepen their engagement, and create lasting change—all while staying true to your professional integrity. 👉 ⁠ Join the Masterclass Now⁠ and take your practice to the next level! Let’s make 2025 your breakthrough year.  If you found this helpful, check out some of my other episodes for more tips and strategies to elevate your private practice! And hey, share this with your professional community—let’s help each other grow. 🌱 Xoxo ⁠Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠ ⁠ www.growingself.com⁠ P.S. Let’s Connect! I’d love to hear your thoughts and be part of your professional journey. ⁠Connect with me on LinkedIn⁠ to join an amazing community of therapists growing and thriving together.

If you’ve been trying to figure out how to stop thinking about your therapy clients once the workday is over, you’re not alone. One of the hardest parts of being a therapist is that the session may end, but your mind keeps going. You replay what your client said, wonder what you could have done differently, and carry the emotional weight of the work into the rest of your life. In this episode, I’m revisiting a conversation about one of the most common therapist struggles and one of the biggest contributors to burnout: not being able to close the mental loop after a session. I’m talking about why therapists get stuck in post-session rumination, what that lingering activation is often telling us, and how to create more clarity so you can care deeply about your clients without carrying them with you at all hours. We’ll talk about the role of therapeutic orientation, case conceptualization, writing things down in a more intentional way, and learning how to gently redirect your attention back to the present. This conversation is a reminder that therapist self-care is not only about better boundaries. It is also about having a process that helps you trust your work, settle your mind, and return to yourself after doing deep emotional labor. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 How to stop thinking about your therapy clients after sessions 05:25 How your therapeutic orientation helps you find clarity 10:04 Why writing things down helps close the mental loop 12:39 Mental redirection and getting back to your own life 15:56 What post-session rumination may be telling you If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, or quietly wondering how to keep caring deeply without carrying everything alone, I want you to know you’re not alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or edging toward burnout, this space was built with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

The research on psychedelic therapy is becoming too compelling to ignore. While it’s easy to dismiss this work as fringe—or assume it’s not relevant if you don’t plan to practice it—the reality is that, in the hands of skilled providers, these approaches can be profoundly effective. As therapists, it’s our responsibility to stay informed so we can have thoughtful, ethical conversations and help clients access the most powerful healing options available—even if we’re not the ones delivering them. Join me for a free CEU training with Dr. Scott Shannon on May 1st at 11am MT, where we’ll dive deeper into the world of psychedelic therapy. How can psychedelic-assisted therapy create deep, lasting transformation where conventional treatments only manage symptoms?⁠ Psychiatrist and integrative medicine pioneer Dr. Scott Shannon joins me to talk about how this emerging field is reshaping what’s possible for healing, not just for our clients, but for the future of mental health care itself. Dr. Shannon shares his decades of work exploring MDMA, psilocybin, and other psychedelic medicines as catalysts for safety, openness, and profound personal growth. We talk about how these experiences can unlock trauma healing, relational breakthroughs, and spiritual integration in ways that expand beyond traditional talk therapy. We also get into the ethics, boundaries, the training this work requires, and what it means for therapists who feel called to be part of this next frontier in care. Dr. Shannon is a psychiatrist, author, and founder of Wholeness Center, the largest integrative mental health clinic in the U.S., and a leader in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research and education. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 From SSRIs to MDMA Therapy: A Different Model of Care 07:36 MDMA for Couples: Safety, Openness, Breakthroughs 12:25 PTSD Protocol: Prep, Medicine Sessions, Integration, Childhood Trauma 13:33 Psychedelic Treatment Framework: Container, Catalyst, Carrier 20:07 Paths and Policy: Legalization, Medicalization, FDA Outlook 24:55 Ethics and Safety in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy 39:53 Mystical Experience and Long-Term Outcomes 46:24 Training and Career Paths: How to Become a Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist Conversations like this remind me how much our field is growing and how important it is that we grow right along with it, in integrity and community. If you’ve been craving that kind of connection and support in your own work, come join me in ⁠The Growth Collective for Therapists⁠! It’s a space where therapists can show up as real people to talk honestly about the work, get meaningful consultation, and be part of a community that understands what it takes to do this job well and stay well. And if you want to keep this conversation going, ⁠find me on LinkedIn⁠. I’d love to hear what stood out to you from this episode and what’s inspiring your own path forward right now. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby⁠Growing Self

Therapist boundaries are essential to ethical, effective care, but from a client’s point of view, they can sometimes feel confusing, distancing, or just plain weird. A long pause. A declined social media request. No direct advice. No follow-up between sessions after something heavy. If you’ve ever felt a client pull back after one of those moments, this episode is for you. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m revisiting a conversation about the subtle ways therapist boundaries can create misunderstandings in the therapeutic relationship. I’m talking through the real-world moments that can leave clients feeling confused, rejected, or unsure about what’s happening, and how to handle them with more transparency, warmth, and clarity. We’ll walk through some of the most common examples, including public encounters with clients, awkward silence in session, dual relationships, inactive file closures, not giving direct advice, and why therapists usually do not reach out between sessions. More importantly, we’ll talk about how to explain these choices clearly so clients feel safer, more respected, and more connected to the work. This conversation is a reminder that therapist boundaries are not just about ethics. They are also about trust. When clients understand the why behind the work, they are much more likely to experience therapy as collaborative, supportive, and meaningful rather than confusing or distancing. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why therapist boundaries can feel weird to clients 04:35 The importance of explaining boundaries early 09:20 Common therapy moments clients misunderstand 14:50 Why therapists do not give direct advice 20:35 Client autonomy, trust, and rupture repair If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, or quietly wondering how long you can keep doing this on your own, I want you to know you’re not alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or edging toward burnout, this space was built with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Marketing for therapists is harder than it should be and most aren’t getting clients. In this episode, I'm sitting down with marketing specialist Jenny Arroyo to unpack what actually drives client growth in private practice and why so many therapists struggle to gain traction despite being excellent clinicians. Jenny Arroyo is the founder and owner of Strategy Solutions. Her journey into the world of business growth is fueled by a genuine passion for helping others succeed. Together, we’re talking about private practice marketing in a way that feels practical, honest, and reassuring for therapists who want to grow without feeling forced into a version of marketing that does not fit who they are. We talk about why private practice marketing feels so difficult for so many therapists, what may be getting lost on your website, why social media does not have to feel performative, and how AI is changing the way prospective clients search for support. We also get into authority, differentiation, and the quiet truth underneath all of this: private practice marketing is often less about doing more and more about helping the right people quickly understand who you are, what you do, and why they might want to work with you. If you are excellent at the clinical side of the work but feel less confident about visibility, messaging, or growth, this conversation will give you a lot to think about. It is full of grounded ideas you can take back to your practice right away. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Marketing Is So Hard for Therapists 09:03 What Private Practice Marketing Actually Requires 14:54 Social Media Without Feeling Performative 19:21 How AI Is Changing Private Practice Marketing 25:29 How to Stand Out and Attract the Right Clients 29:56 Private Pay, Authority, and Why Clients Choose You If this conversation is stirring up bigger questions about your own practice, I hope it helps you remember that struggling with private practice marketing is not a sign that you’re failing. Most therapists were never taught how to build a business, and there is a lot to figure out along the way. And if you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, second-guessing yourself with clients, or wanting more support as you grow, I’d love to invite you into the Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a professional home for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and thoughtful support as they build a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving. Inside the Growth Collective, licensed therapists come together for monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been craving community, feeling stretched thin, or looking for a place to keep growing, this space was created with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Somatic therapy is changing trauma treatment—but what happens when therapists can’t provide it? In this episode, I'm chatting with Keeley and Michelle, practitioners of a consent-based relational touch modality, to explore a provocative question: what do we do when our clients need experiences we ethically cannot provide? This is a rich conversation about the gap between insight and lived experience. We talk about why somatic therapy for trauma can be so powerful, and why there are moments when even excellent therapy, strong psychoeducation, and all the right language around boundaries still do not create the kind of embodied, relational experience a client may be longing for. If you’ve ever wondered what is somatic therapy when it moves beyond talking and into something more experiential, this episode opens up a fascinating and sometimes uncomfortable question. Keeley and Michelle walk us into the world of consent-based relational touch work and explain how it can support clients healing from relational trauma, childhood sexual abuse, grief, loneliness, people-pleasing, avoidant attachment, and disconnection from their own bodies. We also talk about ethics, referral decisions, and the responsibility we carry as clinicians when we introduce clients to any modality that asks them to be vulnerable in a new way. Keeley has practiced as a full-time Cuddle Therapist since 2015, supporting clients in both individual and group settings. She is a certified Cuddle Party facilitator and has taken every training program that exists for professional cuddlers. She continues her education in IFS, EFT, somatic experiencing, embodiment practices, the Wheel of Consent, and racial equity. In 2017, she became the Director of CuddleXpo, the first-ever professional cuddlers convention. Michelle Renee has been a pioneering force in the field of professional cuddling since joining Cuddlist as a Cuddle Therapist at its inception in late 2015. She is a certified Cuddle Party facilitator and trained surrogate partner, bringing deep experience to the intersection of relational touch and therapeutic practice. From 2016 to 2020, Michelle served as Cuddlist’s Director of Operations. In 2023, she returned to Cuddlist leadership as Director of Training and officially became a co-owner in early 2025. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why This Conversation Matters 08:20 What Cuddlist Work Actually Is 12:05 Somatic Therapy, Trauma, and Safe Relational Touch 24:28 What Happens in a Session 32:55 Boundaries, Consent, and Bodily Autonomy 38:12 Neurodivergence, Sensory Needs, and Relational Safety 41:36 When Therapists Might Consider a Referral 55:00 Ethics, Risk, and Safe Referrals And if this conversation stirred something in you, professionally or personally, I want to offer you a gentle next step. Sometimes the most important shift is not figuring it all out alone, but finding the right kind of support. At Growing Self, thousands of people have transformed themselves, their relationships, or their careers with the help of the right counselor or coach, and you can too. Answer three quick questions so we can help you book your free consultation meeting with the right expert. It’s private, secure, only takes a couple of minutes, and it’s here for you whenever you’re ready. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Sometimes, being a better therapist has less to do with learning a new intervention and more to do with paying attention to the pace of the work. Are you moving too fast with clients, or not moving things forward enough? I’m revisiting this episode because therapy pacing is one of the most common and overlooked reasons clients get stuck, lose momentum, or start to wonder whether therapy is really helping. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m talking about how to recognize when you may be pushing clients too hard, how your own reactions can quietly influence the pace of therapy, and what it looks like when the work slows down so much that it starts to lose traction. We’ll also talk about client readiness, the difference between insight and action, and how to find a pace that feels both thoughtful and productive. This conversation is a reminder that being a better therapist is not about doing more. It’s about learning when to challenge, when to pause, and how to stay attuned to what each client actually needs from you. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 How to be a better therapist through therapy pacing 05:10 Moving too fast in therapy 11:40 When slower therapy is the right call 18:35 Moving too slow in therapy 23:10 Finding the right pace with clients If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, second-guessing yourself with clients, or wanting more support as you grow, I want you to know you’re not alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been missing community, feeling stretched thin, or wanting a place to keep growing, this space was created with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Therapists are being targeted by scams in ways that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect. These therapist scams often involve threats to your license, your clients, or your private practice, and they are designed to create urgency so you act quickly without verifying. If you’ve ever had a moment where something felt off but serious enough that you thought, “What if this is real?” this episode is for you. This week on Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists, I’m revisiting an important conversation about the growing number of scams targeting therapists and private practice owners. These are not rare or hypothetical situations. They are real scenarios that have impacted clinicians in my own practice, including one where a therapist was pressured into handing over money after receiving a call from someone posing as law enforcement. We walk through eight common scams that therapists are facing right now, including fake insurance requests, phishing scams disguised as tech support, fraudulent credentialing services, misleading training and collaboration offers, and internal business scams like payroll diversion. I’ll also help you understand why therapists are uniquely vulnerable to these tactics, and what patterns to watch for so you can recognize them early. This conversation is a reminder that therapist safety, client data protection, and private practice security are essential parts of ethical care. Knowing how to pause, verify, and reality-check before responding can protect not only your business, but the people who trust you with their information. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Therapist scams: why clinicians are being targeted 01:30 The “scary police officer” scam targeting therapists 04:30 Fake insurance scams and client data risks 07:00 Tech, telehealth, and phishing scams in private practice 11:00 Fake trainings, collaborations, and credentialing scams 14:30 EHR risks: the SimplePractice con explained 17:30 Therapist consultation and connection as protection 19:30 How therapists can protect their private practice As you’re thinking about your own practice, I want you to remember that you don’t have to navigate situations like this on your own. One of the most important protections we have as therapists is connection with other professionals who can help us reality-check, consult, and stay informed. That’s exactly why I created The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional community for clinicians who want ongoing consultation, practical support, and a space to build a sustainable, secure private practice. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I share updates, resources, and insights about what therapists need to know, and I’d love to hear what’s coming up for you in your work. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

If ending therapy sessions on time feels harder than it should, you’re not imagining things. Many thoughtful, dedicated therapists struggle with this, especially when meaningful work is happening in the room or when a client brings up something important right as the session is ending. But learning how to end therapy sessions on time is a professional skill that quietly shapes your boundaries, your energy, and the sustainability of your career. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m revisiting a conversation about why ending therapy sessions on time can be surprisingly difficult for even experienced clinicians. Over years of supervising therapists and running my own practice, I’ve seen how easily session boundaries can start to drift. Most of the time it happens for compassionate reasons. We care about our clients, we want to help, and sometimes the work is just getting interesting right when the clock runs out. But when therapy sessions consistently run over time, it can create ripple effects that many therapists don’t anticipate. Clients may begin to expect extra time. Our schedules become compressed and stressful. Breaks disappear. And over time, what feels like a small act of generosity can quietly contribute to therapist burnout, administrative overwhelm, and a sense that the workday never quite has enough breathing room. We also talk about the real reasons therapists struggle with therapist time management and session boundaries. We explore the emotional dynamics that make it hard to wrap up sessions, including empathy, discomfort around money, imposter syndrome, and the classic “doorknob moment” when a client reveals something significant just as the session is ending. I also share practical strategies therapists can use to maintain clear therapy session boundaries without feeling abrupt or uncaring. Because ending therapy sessions on time isn’t about being rigid. It’s about creating a professional container that supports your clients, protects your energy, and allows you to sustain this work over the long term. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why ending therapy sessions on time is harder than it seems 05:40 Why empathy makes it hard for therapists to end sessions on time 11:20 The “doorknob moment” and managing last-minute disclosures 16:30 How poor session boundaries contribute to therapist burnout 22:10 Administrative stress and the importance of time between sessions 25:45 Practical strategies for ending therapy sessions on time If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work or quietly wondering how long you can keep doing this on your own, this work was never meant to be done alone. One of the ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home for clinicians who want meaningful consultation, real connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable rather than depleting. Through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for private practice, The Growth Collective brings together therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they offer their clients every day. If you’ve been missing community or feeling the early edges of burnout, this space was built with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Therapists in therapy often overthink, overanalyze—and miss their own blind spots. What happens when the helper becomes the client? In this candid conversation, I'm sitting down with Dr. Bill Doherty to explore why therapy for therapists can be uniquely challenging, and how our professional training can actually interfere with intimacy, boundaries, and relational intelligence. If you’ve ever wondered whether therapists need therapy too, the answer is yes, but the experience of being a therapist as a client can be complicated. Therapists are trained to understand emotions, analyze patterns, and help others grow. But when it comes to our own relationships, that same training can create unexpected blind spots. We may overanalyze our partners, confuse psychological insight with vulnerability, or assume we already understand our own story. Dr. Doherty brings decades of experience to this conversation about relational intelligence, boundaries, and the occupational hazards of being a therapist. We talk about why therapists sometimes struggle to see their own role in relationship patterns, how psychological language can accidentally become a weapon in conflict, and why therapists can have higher expectations for intimacy than everyday relationships can realistically sustain. If you’re a therapist, coach, or someone who spends a lot of time helping others grow, this conversation may invite you to reflect on your own patterns, and what it looks like to stay humble, curious, and open to growth. Dr. Bill Doherty is an educator, researcher, couple and family therapist, author, consultant, and community organizer. He is also the co-founder of Braver Angels, a national nonprofit working to reduce political polarization across American society. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Therapists Need Therapy Too 02:08 When the Therapist Becomes the Client 11:14 Emotional Intelligence vs. Relational Intelligence 17:29 The Blind Spot: How We Co-Create Relationship Patterns 22:08 Boundaries Over “The Perfect Conversation” 27:42 Why Therapists May Struggle in Their Own Relationships 40:30 When Insight Turns Into a Weapon 46:07 The Mindset That Makes Therapy Work for Therapists If today’s conversation had you reflecting on your own blind spots as a therapist, or reminded you how hard it can be to see ourselves clearly inside our relationships, I’d love to invite you into something special. It’s called the Growth Collective, a professional development community for therapists who want to keep growing personally and professionally. Inside, we have thoughtful conversations about relational intelligence, clinical growth, and the real challenges that come with doing this work. It’s a space where therapists can reflect, learn, and support each other as humans, not just as professionals. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Have you ever walked out of a session wondering if you talked about yourself a little too much? Therapist self-disclosure can be powerful when it’s brief, intentional, and clearly in service of the client. A thoughtful share can normalize an experience or strengthen rapport. But oversharing in therapy is different. When your stories start taking up too much space, when clients feel responsible for your emotions, or when the focus subtly shifts away from their process, therapy boundaries begin to blur. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m revisiting an honest conversation about oversharing in therapy and how it can quietly impact client retention, trust, and even your professional reputation. Therapist self-disclosure is not inherently problematic, but it must always serve the client’s growth — not the therapist’s unmet needs. When boundary drift goes unnoticed, therapy client dropout, strained alliances, and ethical concerns can follow. We’ll walk through real-world examples of how this shows up in practice, from grief disclosures that unintentionally overshadow a client’s pain to subtle validation-seeking that shifts emotional labor onto the client. We’ll explore the difference between empathy and self-centering, and talk about why therapist burnout, isolation, or emotional depletion can sometimes leak into the room without us fully realizing it. Most importantly, we’ll focus on how to protect client-centered care. That means staying grounded in your code of ethics, seeking consultation, monitoring patterns in your practice, and building feedback-informed systems so you know how clients are actually experiencing you. Oversharing in therapy often happens gradually, which is why reflection and structured support matter. As you listen, consider this: Are your disclosures enhancing the work, or competing with it? Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The fine line between self-disclosure and oversharing 04:30 When personal stories overshadow clients 10:15 Subtle boundary drift and validation-seeking 15:40 Client retention and ethical considerations 19:10 Burnout, unmet needs, and emotional leakage 22:00 Best practices for protecting therapy boundaries If this conversation has you reflecting on your own practice, especially around self-disclosure, boundaries, or the subtle impact of burnout, you don’t have to navigate that growth alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home for clinicians who want thoughtful consultation, meaningful mentorship, and support building a practice that feels sustainable, ethical, and aligned over the long term. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Private practice can feel like the ultimate goal — until it becomes financially and ethically overwhelming.⁠ So many therapists dream of starting a private therapy practice for freedom, flexibility, and a higher private practice therapist salary. But what happens when the reality of private practice therapy doesn’t match the expectation? In this episode, I’m breaking down the private practice business fundamentals most therapists were never taught — and why misunderstanding them can quietly turn the dream of starting a private therapy practice into a nightmare. Using a simple “airplane model” framework, I explain what actually keeps a therapy business in the air — and what causes it to crash. If you’ve been wondering how to start a private therapy practice without burning out, under-earning, or compromising your ethics, this conversation is for you. After 20 years as a private practice therapist and founder of Growing Self Counseling & Coaching, I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that doing great clinical work is only a small fraction of what it takes to run a sustainable private therapy practice. Cash flow, operations, marketing for therapists, sales conversations, and understanding what it truly costs to earn revenue all determine whether you build something stable, or something fragile. And if you’re considering starting a private therapy practice, this episode will help you slow down and think clearly before you leap — so you can build something aligned, informed, and sustainable. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Airplane Rule: If You Run Out of Gas, the Business Crashes 03:10 Why Private Practice Feels Like the “Holy Grail” for Therapists 07:40 The Fuel Tank: Cash Flow and Private Practice Therapist Salary Realities 15:25 The Fuselage: Operations, Overhead, and What It Costs to Earn Revenue 23:40 Marketing for Therapists vs. Sales (And Why They’re Not the Same) 34:10 Ethical Risks When Your Practice Isn’t Financially Stable 42:15 Insurance-Based Models vs. Full Fee Private Practice Therapy 52:00 Employment, Supported Group Practice, or Starting a Private Therapy Practice — Choosing Your Path If you’d like more support as you build a sustainable career as a private practice therapist, I’d love to invite you to ⁠The Growth Collective for Therapists ⁠— a professional home where you can receive consultation, community, and guidance around marketing for therapists, business fundamentals, and ethical growth. You don’t have to figure this out alone. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby ⁠Growing Self⁠ Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit⁠ shopify.com/lhs⁠ to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Therapist burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s often a therapist career planning problem. Let’s fix it. If part of you has been thinking, “Something about this isn’t sustainable,” I want to talk about that. Most of us were trained to be competent clinicians. Very few of us were trained in therapist career planning. We weren’t taught how to build a sustainable therapy career that supports our nervous system, finances, relationships, and long-term wellbeing. And 10 or 15 years in, many therapists quietly start wondering whether this path still fits. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, we explore what sustainable therapist career planning actually looks like. We talk about therapist burnout and career change—not as a dramatic exit from the profession, but as an invitation to redesign it. You’ll learn how to think about your career in seasons, how to choose a therapy niche without trapping yourself, and why clarity often comes from experimentation rather than overthinking. We’ll also have an honest conversation about private practice vs agency therapist roles. The “obvious” answer isn’t always the sustainable one. A sustainable therapy career is about more than hourly rate—it’s about structure, lifestyle, emotional bandwidth, and long-term viability. For therapists considering expansion, we’ll discuss coaching certification for therapists, supervision, education, and other multidimensional paths that can make your work feel energizing again—when they’re aligned with who you are. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Therapist Burnout and Therapist Career Planning 10:13 Therapist Career Planning Beyond Traditional Therapy 19:49 How to Choose a Therapy Niche and Align With Your Values 29:49 Private Practice vs Agency Therapist: Identity and Expansion 39:51 Building a Sustainable Therapy Career and Moving Forward If part of you felt seen in this conversation, especially around therapist burnout or wondering what’s next, you don’t have to hold that alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a sustainable therapy career that feels life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day. Inside, you’ll find monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice or navigating therapist career planning with clarity and confidence. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or quietly edging toward therapist burnout, this space was built with you in mind. And if this episode resonated, share it with a colleague who may be quietly asking the same questions. We are all in this together. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

Dating coaching for therapists is becoming a common clinical need, yet most of us were never trained to offer step-by-step support when clients want help with dating. Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is joined by evidence-based dating coach Tim Molnar to talk about practical, ethical tools therapists can use when helping clients build healthy relationships. Many therapists feel confident helping clients unpack attachment patterns, anxiety, trauma histories, and relational dynamics. But when a client says, “I feel ready to date. Now what do I actually do?” insight alone often isn’t enough. This is where therapists helping clients with dating can start to feel uncertain about scope, competence, and next steps. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, Tim brings a behavioral science lens to dating and shares coaching-informed frameworks that help therapists recognize when a client is facing a skills gap rather than a clinical barrier. We talk about how dating clients in therapy can benefit from practical structure, values-aligned action, and clear next steps — without therapy drifting into coaching or crossing ethical lines. We also explore coaching vs therapy, how to thoughtfully build therapist coaching skills, and how to know when referral to evidence-based dating coaching is the most supportive and ethical option. This conversation is especially relevant for therapists navigating questions of therapist scope of practice when dating becomes a primary focus of the work. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why dating coaching for therapists has become a common clinical challenge 03:03 When insight isn’t enough and clients want practical dating support 08:53 Skills gaps vs clinical issues when dating stalls 16:22 Turning dating goals into specific, actionable steps 19:01 Reducing rejection anxiety with evidence-based tools 29:43 Online dating burnout and the case for real-world strategies 38:59 Coaching vs therapy, scope of practice, and ethical referrals This episode touches a place many therapists recognize, even if we don’t always say it out loud. We’re often expected to hold complexity, offer clarity, and navigate ethical gray areas without much guidance ourselves. If you want more connection, consultation, and support around these kinds of questions, you can learn more at growingself.com/therapists. And if you’re curious about expanding your skill set with clear ethical boundaries, you can also learn more about coaching certification for therapists here. As always, I invite you to notice where you feel confident offering direction, and where you may be defaulting to insight when a client is actually asking for guidance. Getting clearer about that distinction can make a meaningful difference, for your clients and for you. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

What if your client’s self-esteem struggles aren’t about deficits — but about being in the wrong role? Many therapists work with clients who feel chronically discouraged, stuck in career dissatisfaction, or locked into exhausting power struggles with their partners. Often, these clients come in believing something is “wrong” with them — when in reality, they’re operating far outside their natural strengths. In this feed-drop episode, I’m sharing a conversation with Patrick Lencioni, creator of the Working Genius assessment, about a framework that helps clients quickly identify where they shine — and where things will always feel harder, no matter how much effort they apply. This is one of my favorite tools right now for: Supporting clients with low self-esteem Helping couples understand recurring conflict patterns Normalizing frustration without diagnosing it Creating forward momentum in career and life decisions You’ll hear how Working Genius brings clarity to: Why capable people feel incompetent in certain environments How different “genius types” clash in relationships and work How therapists can use this tool to depersonalize conflict and shame If you’re a therapist or counselor looking for a fast, accessible assessment that clients actually get, this episode will give you a new lens you can start using immediately. 🎧 Try it yourself. Patrick was so kind to create a special discount offer exclusively for my listeners.  Visit workinggenius.com and use code LHS for a reduced cost. Feel free to share that access code with your clients too so they don't have to pay full price for this assessment if you want to try it out. Tune in to get all the details about how to use this assessment, the kind of change it creates, and the different types of genius that are often undervalued in our culture. If this sparks ideas for your work, come find me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear how you’re using it. Xo,  Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

There's a mismatch of expectations between therapists and their clients. A lot of therapy clients—especially the high-functioning ones—walk into therapy thinking, “Great. I’m hiring someone who can help me make meaningful changes in my real life.” They’re looking for clarity, strategy, momentum, and better outcomes. But many therapists (often without realizing it) meet them through a clinical-treatment lens: we start assessing, conceptualizing, and listening for pathology, assuming the “real work” is deeper healing, insight, or excavation of old pain. And for these clients, that can feel like we’re missing the point. They didn’t come in to be analyzed—they came in to get unstuck. When the process doesn’t match their goals, therapy can quickly start to feel slow, irrelevant, or not worth the investment. The fix isn’t “do therapy better.” It’s recognizing that different clients need different kinds of help—and being willing to broaden how you work. When we expand our toolkit with more directive, skills-based, and coaching-informed interventions (while staying inside ethical boundaries), we can meet these clients where they actually are—and help them create the change they came for. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why clients may disengage when therapy doesn’t work for their stated goals Common mismatches between therapist training and client expectations in therapy How scope of competence impacts therapy outcomes and ethical decision-making The limitations of insight-oriented therapy for non-clinical or highly functional clients Thanks for tuning in to this episode and sharing it with other clinicians in your professional circle who you think might need to hear it. I'll be so interested to hear what you think about this episode. Connect with me on LinkedIn and let's continue the conversation! Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby More free resources to support your Love, Happiness, and Success as a therapist at GrowingSelf.com!

If you don’t have a clear answer to the question, “What kind of therapist am I?”, your work may feel harder than it needs to be. Discovering your niche as a therapist isn’t about branding or boxing yourself in. It’s about professional clarity, clinical confidence, and building a practice that feels focused rather than scattered. Many therapists default to being generalists, especially early in their careers, without realizing how much that diffusion can erode satisfaction, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. If you’ve ever felt unsure how to describe your work, or noticed that doing a little bit of everything leaves you drained or unfocused, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m revisiting an essential conversation about why therapy specialization is a core part of ethical professional development, not a marketing trend. I walk through a realistic, thoughtful process for clarifying your niche over time, including self-assessment, gaining experience, pursuing training, and communicating your expertise with intention and integrity. We also talk about how personal values, lived experience, and natural strengths shape professional identity, why niche clarity often evolves across a career, and how coaching psychology can complement therapy for clinicians who are drawn to growth-oriented work. This episode is an invitation to move out of diffusion and into alignment, in a way that supports both you and the clients who rely on your expertise. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why discovering your niche as a therapist matters 01:50 How therapy specialization supports confidence and career satisfaction 06:25 Step 1: Self-assessment and career clarity as a therapist 10:16 Step 2: Gaining experience before choosing a therapist niche 12:24 Step 3: Training, certification, and therapist credibility 16:56 Step 4: Communicating your therapist niche ethically in private practice 21:32 Ethical considerations for therapists on social media 23:46 Resources and encouragement as your therapist niche evolves If you’re in the middle of figuring out who you are as a therapist and where your work is headed, I want you to know this process takes time, and you don’t have to rush it. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home for clinicians who want thoughtful consultation, meaningful mentorship, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and aligned over the long term. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Perinatal mental health is one of the most important clinical issues therapists encounter and one of the most frequently overlooked. When a client is pregnant or newly postpartum, distress is often minimized as “just part of the transition,” even when something more serious is happening beneath the surface. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re asking the right questions, or worried you might be missing something with a pregnant or postpartum client, this episode is for you. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by my colleague Catherine Fredrickson, LMFT, a perinatal mental health–certified therapist at Growing Self. Catherine brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to a grounded, practical conversation about how perinatal mental health concerns actually show up in the therapy room. We talk about how to assess for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, how to differentiate between expected hormonal shifts and clinically significant symptoms, and the subtle language cues that can signal deeper distress, including disconnection, self-blame, and feelings of unworthiness as a parent. This conversation is a reminder that perinatal mental health is not a niche specialty but a core clinical competency for therapists working with adults, couples, and families. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why perinatal mental health is often missed in therapy 06:09 How therapists can get trained in perinatal mental health (PSI and more) 09:12 The “it’s just pregnancy” myth and perinatal mental health statistics 12:21 Perinatal mental health assessment: what therapists should ask and screen for 16:30 Hormonal shifts vs. perinatal mental health disorders 24:55 Supporting perinatal mental health through planning and social support 27:23 Perinatal mental health and couples after baby 34:35 Perinatal mental health in military families and solo parenting If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, or quietly wondering how long you can keep doing this on your own, I want you to know you’re not alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or edging toward burnout, this space was built with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

If you’re a therapist who uses acceptance commitment therapy with clients but quietly struggles to apply those same principles to your own life or practice, this conversation is for you. Acceptance commitment therapy offers powerful tools for values-based living, psychological flexibility, and sustainable change, yet many therapists find it surprisingly hard to turn that wisdom inward. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill, a world-recognized expert in acceptance commitment therapy, to talk about why therapists so often mismanage their energy, undervalue their own genius, and stay stuck in versions of their work that no longer fit. We explore how ACT principles can help therapists evolve without burning out, abandoning the profession, or losing what makes this work meaningful. Diana shares how stories about who we’re “supposed” to be as therapists can quietly limit growth, why flexibility with identity matters just as much as flexibility with thoughts, and how the future of therapy will increasingly reward depth, attunement, and humanity over rigid protocols. We also talk candidly about career evolution, second chapters, and what it looks like to build a practice that supports your life rather than consumes it. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why therapists struggle to follow their own advice and how acceptance commitment therapy helps 03:24 The “leftovers” problem: energy depletion, burnout, and clients sensing it 05:15 Getting flexible with the stories that keep you stuck in one version of your career 07:30 Therapist genius, identity, and why this matters in a changing field 11:48 What can’t be replaced: attunement, challenge, and real change moments 22:47 Wings clipped vs. wings weighed down: overcommitting and the “buffet” trap 28:03 Process-based therapy and moving beyond manuals 35:09 The two common therapist traps: “shoulds” and undervaluing your work 39:09 Why therapists leave the profession and what actually supports sustainability If you’re feeling pulled toward a second chapter in your work as a therapist, or simply craving more support, clarity, and room to breathe, I want you to know you don’t have to figure this out alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled in this profession is through The Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and community with people who truly understand the weight and responsibility of this work. It offers the support of a high-quality group practice without giving up your independence, values, or financial autonomy, so you can build a career that feels sustainable and alive over the long haul. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

If you’ve ever noticed this work starting to feel heavier, flatter, or more draining than it used to, this is for you. “Why therapists need to grow too” is a question many clinicians never stop to ask, even though the answer is often at the heart of burnout, boredom, and long-term career dissatisfaction. When growth slows, even deeply meaningful work can begin to feel exhausting. This week on Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists, I’m revisiting an essential conversation about why intentional personal and professional growth is critical for a sustainable, satisfying career as a therapist. Over the years, I’ve seen how easy it is for growth to quietly stall once you’re licensed and established, even for deeply committed clinicians. Self-care matters, but it isn’t enough on its own. What truly restores energy and engagement over time is learning, stretching, being challenged, and continuing to develop both clinically and personally. I share what I’ve seen over decades of practice about how stagnation shows up for therapists, how it affects our clients, and why checking the continuing education box is not the same as pursuing growth that is genuinely life-giving. We explore mentorship, consultation, self-of-the-therapist work, and new learning as powerful ways to reconnect with curiosity, confidence, and purpose in your work. We also talk about how growth looks different for different therapists. For some, that means new clinical modalities or specialization. For others, it may involve coaching psychology, research, leadership, or deeper self-reflection with trusted mentors. There is no single right path, but there is a shared responsibility to keep evolving alongside the clients who place their trust in us. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Therapists Need to Grow Too 02:23 Growth, Energy, and Long-Term Career Satisfaction 04:49 What Happens When Therapists Stop Learning 07:07 Why Therapist Growth Matters for Clients 09:27 Mentorship, Feedback, and Finding New Professional Energy 16:37 Self-of-the-Therapist Work and Sustainable Practice 19:01 Growth as a Powerful Protection Against Burnout As you’re thinking about your own growth as a therapist, I want you to know this work was never meant to be done alone. One of the most meaningful ways I support clinicians who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled over the long haul is through The Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and a community that understands the weight and responsibility of this work. If you’re ready to invest in your own growth with the same care you bring to your clients, I’d love to share this space with you. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn! I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Clinical hypnosis may be the closest thing we have to an “easy button” for helping clients follow through on the changes they want to make. This time of year, therapists and coaches see a surge of motivated clients. They're setting big goals for the new year, dreaming about who they want to become, and walking into sessions full of intention. But what happens next is all too familiar: action stalls, patterns repeat, and clients feel stuck between what they want to do and what they actually do. In this episode, I'm sitting down with Dr. David Spiegel, Stanford professor, past president of the American College of Psychiatrists, and author of over 400 peer-reviewed studies on clinical hypnosis. We’re exploring a powerful, research-backed tool that bridges the gap between intention and action and helps clients create real change. We talk about the science of clinical hypnosis and how it can shift thought patterns, physiological responses, and entrenched behaviors, why it works when insight alone doesn’t, and how technology is making it accessible to everyone. Dr. Spiegel also guides me (and you) through a live mini-session so you can feel what this approach is like yourself. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Therapists Should Be Using Clinical Hypnosis 03:12 What Clinical Hypnosis Is and How It Works 07:26 How Hypnosis Changes Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior 11:16 Hypnotizability: Who Benefits Most From Hypnosis 16:47 Why Hypnosis Fails and What Makes It Effective 23:58 Hypnosis vs Meditation for Behavior Change 27:47 Rapid Results With Self-Hypnosis Techniques 31:53 Inside the Reveri App and Scalable Clinical Hypnosis 34:19 The Neuroscience Behind Hypnosis and Mind-Body Change 39:09 Evidence for Hypnosis in Anxiety, Pain, and Medical Care 49:01 Guided Self-Hypnosis Session for Reducing Phone Use 57:50 Dr. Lisa’s Results Using Reveri for Better Sleep 59:55 Free CEU Training on Clinical Hypnosis for Therapists Dr. Spiegel’s work reframes hypnosis from a fringe intervention to an accessible, evidence-based technique that can help clients reduce anxiety, sleep better, and finally take the action they’re ready for. And the best news? Dr. David Spiegel is joining us for a free, 1-hour CEU-accredited training on clinical hypnosis on January 9th at 10am MT, exclusively for therapists. Dr. Spiegel has been teaching this to medical students and psychiatrists at Stanford for 40 years, he’s presented on this topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and he’s now making his time available for YOU. You’ll walk away with: A solid understanding of how clinical hypnosis supports neuroplasticity and mind-body connection The clinically proven uses of hypnosis for stress relief, pain management, addiction, sleep challenges, performance anxiety, and habit change Why clinical hypnosis works when other approaches don’t How technology is making hypnosis more accessible than ever 🔗 Register for the free clinical hypnosis CEU: https://courses.growingself.com/ceu-trainings-for-therapists Whether your clients want to reduce stress, change habits, or step into a new version of themselves in the new year, this is a training you won’t want to miss. Let’s learn from the best. I’ll see you there! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

If you’re a therapist who’s quietly thinking, “I cannot do 30 more years of back-to-back sessions… but I don’t know what else is possible,” you are so not alone. Also, you have tons of transferable skills and deep knowledge that could be deployed to help not just individuals, but organizations flourish and thrive. Most therapists are never exposed to organizational consulting or executive coaching. However, this can be a really exciting and lucrative career path for professional therapists. In fact, becoming an organizational consultant or executive coach is one path that opens far more doors than most clinicians realize. If this idea just lit something up inside of you, I am so glad that you are here for today's episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists. I’m talking with psychologist and trusted leadership advisor Dr. Shannon Sheehan Jennings (Dr. J), a PsyD in Business Psychology who supports mid-market CEOs with the “sticky human stuff” behind growth and change: hard conversations, power dynamics, trust ruptures, and decisions that actually stick. Dr. Shannon walks us through her own pivot from therapist to organizational consultant, what executive coaching really looks like in the wild (small businesses vs. big corporate settings), and the specific business concepts you’ll want to learn so you can take your existing clinical skills into boardrooms, leadership teams, and workplace systems with confidence and integrity as an organizational consultant or executive coach. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Work Systems “Suck” (and Why Therapists Are Needed in Organizations) 01:48 Dr. Shannon’s Journey from Therapist to Organizational Consultant 08:20 How Therapists Help Leaders, Teams, and Workplace Systems 16:20 First Steps for Therapists Becoming Organizational Consultants and Executive Coaches 20:10 What Executive Coaching Really Involves in Small Business vs Corporate Settings 30:36 Coaching vs Therapy, Ethics, and Staying Within Your Scope 46:20 Community, Networking, and Next-Step Resources for Therapists Pivoting Careers We also talk honestly about coaching vs. therapy, scope of practice, and how to protect both yourself and the public in a largely unregulated coaching and organizational consulting landscape, while still giving yourself permission to grow past the therapy room and into the kind of work that lights you up. If you’re craving more support as you sort out your next professional chapter, including a possible move into work as an organizational consultant or executive coach, I’d love to invite you to The Growth Collective for Therapists - a space I created so you don’t have to do this work in isolation anymore. It’s a genuine professional home for therapists who want real consultation, real community, and guidance for building a career that feels sustainable and alive. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn! I truly enjoy hearing your thoughts, questions, and ideas about how we as therapists can step into leadership, coaching, and organizational life in a bigger way. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Holidays can bring up a lot - gratitude, tenderness, loneliness, longing. It’s a season that puts belonging under a spotlight. That’s why this felt like the right time to bring back this conversation about A Home Within and the impact of being one steady, caring adult in the life of a young person who hasn’t had that before. Many young people in foster care grow up without one consistent adult who stays. In this conversation, Candice Simonds, Chief Program Officer at A Home Within, shares how their model changes that by pairing youth with therapists who can remain a steady presence without insurance limits or agency cutoffs. We talk about how A Home Within began, what repeated loss does to young people, and why one long-term, caring relationship can shift a life. Candice also shares how the organization supports therapists through consultation groups, CEUs, and community so no one is holding this work alone. Their long-term research is hopeful: less anxiety and depression, more stability, more possibility. We also name the hard reality that without support, many former foster youth end up unhoused or involved in the justice system. Through it all, Candice points out the resilience she sees in her clients and why this work continues to matter so deeply. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 A Home Within and Its Mission 02:32 How A Home Within Began and Why the Mission Matters 09:37 Dr. Lisa’s Experience Supporting a Young Adult Aging Out of Foster Care 13:51 How A Home Within Supports Therapists Through Community and Consultation 21:03 Long-Term Outcomes for Foster Youth With Consistent Therapy 38:42 How Therapists Can Get Involved With A Home Within Conversations like this always remind me how much heart therapists bring to their work and how much we hold behind the scenes. Being that steady person for someone else is sacred work, but it can also feel incredibly lonely when you don’t have your own circle of support. That’s why I created The Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a place where you don’t have to be the strong one all the time. A place to think through hard cases with people who truly get it, to feel grounded again, and to have colleagues who care about you as a whole person, not just as a clinician. If you’ve been craving that kind of connection and steadiness in your own professional life, I’d love to welcome you in.  And if you want to stay connected in a simpler way, come find me on LinkedIn! I love hearing from fellow therapists who believe in relational, heart-forward work. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

How can psychedelic-assisted therapy create deep, lasting transformation where conventional treatments only manage symptoms? Psychiatrist and integrative medicine pioneer Dr. Scott Shannon joins me to talk about how this emerging field is reshaping what’s possible for healing, not just for our clients, but for the future of mental health care itself. Dr. Shannon shares his decades of work exploring MDMA, psilocybin, and other psychedelic medicines as catalysts for safety, openness, and profound personal growth. We talk about how these experiences can unlock trauma healing, relational breakthroughs, and spiritual integration in ways that expand beyond traditional talk therapy. We also get into the ethics, boundaries, the training this work requires, and what it means for therapists who feel called to be part of this next frontier in care. Dr. Shannon is a psychiatrist, author, and founder of Wholeness Center, the largest integrative mental health clinic in the U.S., and a leader in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research and education. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 From SSRIs to MDMA Therapy: A Different Model of Care 07:36 MDMA for Couples: Safety, Openness, Breakthroughs 12:25 PTSD Protocol: Prep, Medicine Sessions, Integration, Childhood Trauma 13:33 Psychedelic Treatment Framework: Container, Catalyst, Carrier 20:07 Paths and Policy: Legalization, Medicalization, FDA Outlook 24:55 Ethics and Safety in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy 39:53 Mystical Experience and Long-Term Outcomes 46:24 Training and Career Paths: How to Become a Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist Conversations like this remind me how much our field is growing and how important it is that we grow right along with it, in integrity and community. If you’ve been craving that kind of connection and support in your own work, come join me in The Growth Collective for Therapists! It’s a space where therapists can show up as real people to talk honestly about the work, get meaningful consultation, and be part of a community that understands what it takes to do this job well and stay well. And if you want to keep this conversation going, find me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear what stood out to you from this episode and what’s inspiring your own path forward right now. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Therapists hold the power to transform not only individual lives but the systems that shape mental health care itself. In this episode, I’m joined by Gino Titus-Luciano, a licensed mental health counselor, nationally certified counselor, and the CEO of Kokua Mental Health & Wellness Group. As president of the Hawaii Counselors Association, Gino has spent years advocating for systemic change in mental health, and he brings so much insight into what that actually looks like - from expanding telehealth access to supporting the next generation of therapists. We talk about how systemic issues in mental health (like underfunded internships, rigid policies, and burnout) affect both clients and clinicians, and how meaningful advocacy starts with us. Gino shares examples of how small policy shifts can open big doors for access and equity, and how we can all engage in systemic advocacy in our own ways: through community, policy, education, and mentorship. We also explore how supervision, consultation, and community keep us grounded and ethical in this work. And if you’ve been feeling the weight of isolation in private practice, I think this one will really speak to you. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why a Systemic Lens in Therapy Matters 03:03 When Systems Fail Clients: Beyond Symptom Management 07:09 Policy Win: Expanding Telehealth Access in Hawaii 11:21 Internship & Workforce Reform: Funding, Training, Shortage 15:15 Burnout and Exploitation: Fixing Systemic Issues in Mental Health 21:49 How Therapists Engage in Systemic Advocacy (Orgs, Policy, Culture) 36:18 Supervision That Prevents Burnout: Separate Self vs. Clinician 48:03 Get Involved: Hawaii Counseling Association Trainings & Advocacy 53:00 Join the Growth Collective for Therapists I’d love to invite you to join The Growth Collective For Therapists - a space I created so you don’t have to do this work in isolation anymore. You’ll find a genuine professional home where therapists can show up as real people, not just clinicians. It’s a place for deep consultation, honest connection, and meaningful continuing education that supports your growth in every sense - personally, professionally, and emotionally. If you’ve ever wished for a trusted circle of colleagues to lean on, to talk through hard cases, to celebrate wins, or to simply remind you that you’re not alone in this work, this is that space. The Growth Collective was designed to care for you the way you care for others - with warmth, integrity, and community. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I love hearing your thoughts, reflections, and ideas about how we can all be part of systemic change in our field. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Your client’s mood might be shaped as much by their gut and their screen as by their thoughts. We talk so much about emotions, attachment, and insight in therapy - but what if physiology and media are quietly steering the wheel? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Tatyana El-Kour, a psychologist and registered dietitian who studies how media and technology shape our everyday choices. Together, we’re unpacking how the gut-brain axis and digital exposure affect mental health, and why understanding these forces matters for our work as therapists. Dr. Tatyana shares her “Three Ps” framework (plate, physiology, and platform), a simple, science-backed way to think about how nutrition, stress, and media interact to influence mood and behavior. We explore how inflammation, poor sleep, and doomscrolling can drive anxiety and irritability, and how even small “circuit breakers” like more fiber, deep breathing, or curating your digital feed can help restore balance. This is an invitation to expand your clinical lens - to look beyond the purely psychological and consider the full system your clients live in: body, brain, and the world around them. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Therapists Must Look Beyond Psychology 01:40 The Gut–Brain Axis Explained for Therapists 05:40 The “Three Ps” Framework: Plate, Physiology, and Platform 08:20 How Therapists Can Expand Client Assessments 16:20 Simple Circuit Breakers for the Gut–Brain Loop 21:10 Digital Diets and Algorithmic Hygiene 27:10 The Future of Gut–Brain Research in Mental Health I’d love to keep learning together. You can explore our free CEU trainings library to watch on-demand trainings and sign up for upcoming live webinars. These are my way of supporting you in deepening your work, while also earning CEUs that actually feel meaningful. And if you’d like to stay connected and get updates when new free CEU trainings for therapists are released, come join my For Therapists newsletter. I’ll share resources, reflections, and real conversations about what it means to grow in this field, personally and professionally. Connect with me on LinkedIn - it’s one of my favorite spaces to connect with colleagues, share reflections, and hear what’s inspiring you lately. And if something from this episode is staying with you, I’d love to hear about it. Let’s talk - tell me what came up for you, what questions you’re sitting with, or what you’d love for me to explore in a future episode.  This podcast is for us, and your voice always matters here. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

This episode originally aired on May 21, 2025 (Episode 67), and I’m bringing it back because it changes the way we treat our clients’ mental health diagnoses. Metabolic psychiatry invites us to look beyond the mind - to the brain, the body, and the biological energy systems that make healing possible. I’m joined by Nicole Laurent, a licensed mental health counselor, founder of the Brain Fog Recovery Program, and a leading voice in metabolic psychiatry, to explore how chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial dysfunction may be driving the mental health symptoms we’ve been trying to treat with insight and coping skills alone. Nicole breaks down what a medical ketogenic diet can do that medications can’t, and why more clients with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia are experiencing full psychiatric recovery when metabolic interventions are part of a coordinated treatment plan. We also talk about her personal recovery journey, what therapists need to know before discussing ketogenic interventions, and how to practice ethically and within scope when clients bring this into the therapy room. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 What Full Psychiatric Recovery Really Looks Like 02:55 Understanding Metabolic Psychiatry: A Clinical Overview 11:20 How Metabolic Dysfunction Drives Mental Health Symptoms 15:43 What Ketogenic Diets Do That Medications Can’t 22:42 Nicole’s Personal Story of Cognitive Recovery 27:07 Real-Life Transformations: From Surviving to Thriving 31:10 Scope of Practice, Ethics, and Building Treatment Teams 43:12 GLP-1 Medications vs. Ketogenic Intervention 46:41 What Makes a Medical Ketogenic Diet Different 50:50 How Nicole’s Nonprofit Expands Access to Care If this topic made you rethink how you understand “treatment resistance,” you’ll want to stay in touch because Nicole is joining me for a free CEU webinar on Metabolic Psychiatry this November. We’ll dig deeper into the science, the ethics, and how to start thinking metabolically in your own clinical practice. It’s one of the most important conversations we can be having right now, and I’d love for you to be part of it! If we’re not already connected on LinkedIn, let’s fix that! I share new opportunities, therapist reflections, and honest behind-the-scenes thoughts on the work we do. I’d also love to stay in touch and hear how these ideas are landing for you. What did it bring up for you? Are you starting to see your clients, or even yourself, through a new lens? Share your reflections with me - let’s talk! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Are you a therapist struggling to figure out how to run a business? Valid! Most of us became therapists to help people, not to run a business. But, ironically, close to 50% of therapists are doing exactly that. If you’re in private practice without an entrepreneurial mindset, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, overworked, and wonder if this was a terrible idea. Help is here: We’re getting advice from a business legend, and you’re going to love her perspective. In this episode, I’m talking with Melissa Bernstein, the creative force behind Melissa & Doug and now founder of the wellness brand Lifelines, about what it really takes to build a private practice that’s not just sustainable, but joyful and aligned with who you are. We talk about offloading the parts of your business that drain you (yes, even if you’re just starting out), how to build a team as a solo practitioner, and the mindset shift that helps therapists stop trying to be everything to everyone. Melissa also shares her own mental health journey and how it led her to create sensory-based tools that help regulate the nervous system and how therapists are using them to support their clients and expand their practices. This conversation is full of heart, hope, and wisdom for any therapist who’s ready to rethink how they work. If you’ve been feeling stuck or secretly burned out, I hope this episode cracks open a new path for you! Episode Breakdown: 00:00 The Hidden Challenges of Private Practice 05:18 Melissa Bernstein’s Journey to Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship 08:33 Why Therapists Burn Out in Private Practice 10:30 Building a Support Team (Even If You're Solo) 17:20 Regulating the Nervous System with Sensory Tools 29:05 Helping Clients Carry Therapy Into Daily Life 38:22 Creative Revenue Streams for Private Practice 44:00 Tapping Into Your Entrepreneurial Mindset as a Therapist If this episode left you thinking, “I needed to hear that,” come connect with me on LinkedIn where I share behind-the-scenes reflections, resources, and conversations with other therapists who are reimagining what’s possible in this field. Lastly, I’d genuinely love to know what’s on your mind after this one. What part of Melissa’s story resonated with you? What are you dreaming about building next? Let’s talk! Your thoughts and questions shape where we go next, and this space was made for us. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Relationships are breaking under the weight of political differences, and more clients are bringing these divides into the therapy room. So what do we do when values-based conflict becomes the problem in the relationship - and the therapist is part of the system too? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Bill Doherty: Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, creator of the discernment counseling model, and co-founder of Braver Angels - a national initiative that brings liberals and conservatives together to bridge America’s political divide. Together, we unpack what it takes to stay steady and clinically effective when you’re working with couples, individuals, or families caught in ideological conflict. From understanding the macro-forces of affective polarization to the subtle ways therapists may reinforce it in the room, Dr. Doherty offers an honest, deeply human, and skillful path forward. We talk about the self-of-therapist work required to manage our own reactivity, the ethical tension between neutrality and our personal values, and how to avoid misattunement that can subtly harm the very relationships we’re trying to help. You’ll also hear real consultation examples and learn about the free resources Braver Angels offers to therapists ready to deepen their competencies in this area. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 When Political Conflict Enters the Therapy Room 02:10 Understanding Affective Polarization and Its Impact on Relationships 05:26 The Three Therapist Challenges in Politically Charged Cases 10:54 Hidden Bias in Consultation Groups and Clinical Culture 12:57 How Braver Angels Helps Heal Political Division 18:59 Internalized Polarization: What It Is and Why It Matters 21:19 A Real-World Case: Reframing Ideological Conflict with Curiosity 45:31 Setting Boundaries Without Demonizing Clients or Loved Ones 48:53 Courageous Citizenship and the Therapist’s Role in Divided Times 59:19 Free Tools to Support Clients Caught in Political Conflict If you’re still turning this over in your mind (like I have been), you’ll want to keep the conversation going. When you sign up for my For Therapists newsletter, I’ll send you more interviews with thought leaders like Dr. Doherty, along with fresh insights, real tools, and honest reflections to help you grow - both as a clinician and as a person. Come say hi on LinkedIn! I share behind-the-scenes updates, new episodes, and the kind of therapist-to-therapist support I wish more of us had. If something from this conversation is still sitting with you or showing up in your work, I’d truly love to hear about it. Let’s stay in this together. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

I’ll be honest with you. I’ve had moments in my own career where I sat with that quiet, terrifying thought: I don’t know if I want to be a therapist anymore. If you’ve ever felt that, you know how disorienting it is. You’ve invested so much of yourself into this path, and suddenly the work that once gave you meaning begins to feel heavy, lonely, or even incompatible with who you are becoming. That’s why I’m so grateful to have Dr. Jen Blanchette back with me for this conversation. She’s the host of The Therapist Burnout Podcast, left private practice in 2023, and now helps therapists who want to close their practices and figure out their next steps. Considering leaving your therapy practice is bigger than burnout. It touches your integrity, your grief, and the permission you give yourself to change. Jen shares her own story of reaching this truth in the aftermath of the pandemic, why the private practice dream can quietly become a trap, and the deeply emotional process of exiting the profession - not just logistically, but at the level of identity. I’ve lived through every stage Dr. Jen talks about in this episode, and I know how isolating it feels. My hope is that this conversation helps you feel less alone and reminds you that walking away is not a failure. Sometimes it’s the bravest and healthiest choice you can make for yourself and for your clients. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 “I Don’t Know If I Want to Be a Therapist Anymore” 01:20 The Existential Crisis of Leaving the Therapy Profession 05:30 Shame, Expectations, and the Myth of Private Practice Success 09:41 Clinical Stagnation and Ethical Questions in Long-Term Work 11:37 Isolation, Burnout, and the Hidden Admin Load 15:48 When Caregiving at Work and Home Drains Everything 23:20 Bridge Jobs, Finances, and Finding a Way Forward 31:02 Grieving Your Therapist Identity and Saying Goodbye to Clients 37:02 How to Ethically Exit: When Private Practice No Longer Fits And because I know how hard this crossroads can be, I want to give you something that might help. Jen and I are hosting a free CEU training! We’ll walk you through how to know if it’s time to leave, the steps to close a practice responsibly, and ways to begin imagining what could come next. Don’t miss out: 🎓 How to Ethically Exit: When Private Practice No Longer Fits 🗓️ October 17 | 11am MT / 1pm ET  👉 Reserve your spot now! If we’re not connected yet on LinkedIn, come say hi! That’s where I share behind-the-scenes reflections and continue conversations like this with thoughtful therapists like you. And if this episode stirred something in you, I’d truly love to hear from you. Share what’s on your heart, suggest a future topic, or just let me know you’re out there - let’s talk! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Therapists, it’s not a “maybe” to prioritize self-care - it’s part of our JOB! We can’t be of service to others (or have this be a sustainable career path) if we don’t. In this episode, we’re getting real about what self-care for counselors actually means in practice. Not the Instagram version but the deep daily practices that keep  you grounded, present, and well enough to keep showing up for others and for yourself. We’ll talk through how to recognize your personal red flags - those subtle dashboard lights that tell you something’s off - and what it looks like to build a sustainable self-care system around five essential pillars: space, physical well-being, mental clarity, social connection, and personal alignment. This is to help you reconnect with your own needs, create stronger boundaries between life and work, and remember why self-care isn’t a luxury in this field - it’s a clinical responsibility. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Self-Care Is Essential for Counselors 04:52 Recognizing Early Warning Signs of Burnout 11:42 Building a Daily Self-Care System That Works 14:05 The Five Pillars of Self-Care for Counselors 30:05 Aligning Your Career with Your Values I know how easy it is to put yourself last when you're a helper. If this episode nudged you to start tuning back in to you, I made something I hope will help: Take the Flourish + Thrive Quiz. This free, research-informed quiz is designed to help you get real about where you’re thriving - and where your reserves might be running low. It’ll give you personalized insight into how you”re doing, along with reflection prompts to help you reconnect with your values and your “why.” Want a tool to help you take action, not just reflect? Come connect with me on LinkedIn, and I’ll personally send you my Self-Care Action Plan Workbook - the same one I use with my supervisees. It’s totally free, thoughtfully designed, and gives you a gentle structure to start building your own sustainable self-care system. Just message me and I’ll send it your way. And if you're sitting with something this episode brought up… let’s talk. This podcast is for you, and your voice matters here. You can share what’s on your heart, what support you’re craving, or what you’d love to explore in future episodes by filling out this quick form. I’d truly love to hear from you! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

Can we really change our personalities? Dr. Dan Siegel says “NO” but also that nobody needs to. We can help our clients heal, grow, and unleash the fullest of their potential by helping them lean into who and what they really ARE. Crazy but true: We therapists are not taught how to work with personality in therapy. Unless you have a “personality disordered” individual (as we used to call it back in the day) we don’t tailor our interventions or our conceptualization to accommodate someone’s intrinsic way of being. Who else is ready to change this? (Lisa raises hand!) Well, help is here: In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Dan Siegel to explore his Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDP) model: a science-based framework that weaves together neuroscience, attachment, and developmental psychology to help us understand personality more deeply and work with it more effectively. We unpack the nine core patterns, explore how to differentiate temperament from attachment conditioning, and look at how healing at the right level can help clients shift from limitation to possibility. Whether you’re new to PDP or already exploring it, this conversation will expand your clinical lens and give you tools you can use right away. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Freeing Personality from the Prison of Pathology 05:51 The Nine Patterns of Personality 25:59 Emotions, Energy, and the Body’s Personality Response 35:25 Mapping Personality to Clinical Strengths 44:59 Dr. Dan Siegel’s Personal PDP Pattern 01:04:15 Flexibility and Growth Through PDP Integration If this episode lit you up, I hope you’ll check out my Free CEU Trainings for Therapists! These on-demand workshops (each worth 1–2 CEUs) are designed to support your growth—both as a clinician and as a human. You can also stay in the loop about live CEU events, new podcast episodes, and exclusive resources by subscribing to my For Therapists newsletter. It’s the best way to get fresh ideas, practical tools, and meaningful support for the work you do. I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn, where I share reflections, behind-the-scenes updates, and continue the conversations we start here. And if something from this conversation is staying with you, whether it’s showing up in your clinical work or sparking something new, I’d truly love to hear about it. This podcast is a space for us, so don’t be a stranger. Let’s talk! xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self P.S. This is Dr. Siegel’s second time joining me on the podcast - don’t miss Episode #39, where we explore the foundations of attachment styles and how they connect to the PDP model.