Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your Schedule

Have you ever had a point in your career where it felt as though something shifted for you, and not in a good sense?  Maybe it was a general sense of feeling more drained or perhaps noticing a shift in your ability to keep up with the myriad of tasks and responsibilities related to your professional role.  If so, you’re definitely not alone.  And, unfortunately, when those things set in it’s easy for us to assume that there is something wrong with us and to begin questioning our suitability for our professional role.  But what if the issue isn’t that there is something wrong with you but rather a misalignment between your current seasonal capacity and your expectations for yourself?  The good news is there are ways to better align our work with our values and our capacity, and that’s what we will be exploring today. Episode Highlights:Discernment category #3 (part 2): Seasonal capacity misalignmentValues versus value domainsWhat is seasonal capacity misalignmentHow values and value domains will shift over timeOur own seasonal capacity mis/alignment examplesSelf-care experiments:Identify your current value domains and notice how they show up, or not, in your work weekIdentify one misaligned value domain or capacity expectation and initiate a conversation about it with a trusted colleague Reflect on how your values have been expressed over the course of your careerResources Mentioned:Russ Harris' website:  https://www.actmindfully.com.au/Valued living questionnaire:  https://stevenchayes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-Valued-Living-Questionnaire.pdfDr. Marie-Helene Pelletier's book, The Resilience PlanConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever been good at something (like your work), and still felt drained by it?  It might sound strange, but it is not unusual to be competent and even excellent at what we do, and still feel that something about our work feels heavy, or off.  And that is often the moment that we start to assume something is wrong with us.  But what if that isn’t actually true?What if the issue has nothing to do with your level of competence, but instead is about a misalignment between what is important to you and how your values show up in your work?  And counter-intuitively, when we really value the work that we do, this can even at times contribute to feeling dissatisfied.  The good news is there are ways to better align our work with our values, so that we can get back to enjoying the meaningful work we do.  That's what we are exploring in today's podcast episode.Episode Highlights:Discernment category #3 (part 1): Values misalignmentWhat values are, and are notThe role of discerning values in our work lifeOur own values mis/alignment examplesSelf-care experiments:List your top 5 values and notice how they show up (or not) in your work weekNotice how your top values show up in your treatment of yourself Check out the book, Values in Therapy, by Jenna LeJeune and Jason Luoma Resources Mentioned:Values exercise:  https://www.actmindfully.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Values_Checklist_-_Russ_Harris.pdfConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

If you’re anything like us you probably remember times in graduate school where you told yourself something like “This won’t last forever, once I graduate I’ll have more time for myself.” And, at the time, it made sense, you truly believed it, and it worked, because, these kinds of thoughts helped us say “no” to things that would take us away from our studies and say “yes” to things that ensured our academic success.And because it worked so well we continue to use this as a way of motivating self-sacrifice during other points in our professional journey, by simply substituting the phrase “once I graduate” for things like “once I’m licensed”, “once I get the hang of this new job”, and “once things slow down at work.”But of course, the problem is, there will always be something else we can put into that slot. And, before we know it, we may find ourselves resenting our jobs when, in fact, what we really resent is the fact that we can’t seem to stop saying “yes”.In today’s episode we are talking about boundary misalignment and how discernment can help us start saying “no” to the things that take us away from self-care, and start saying “yes” to things that support our self-care and, by extension, our ability to continue doing great work with our clients.Episode Highlights:Discernment category #2:  Boundary misalignment Common risks and outcomes of misaligned boundariesOur personal misaligned boundaries examplesSelf-care experiments:Commit to ending one meeting exactly on timeDelay responding to non-urgent messagesPractice saying 'Let me think about that and get back to you'Publicly protect one recovery windowResource Mentioned:Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier's book, The Resilience Plan, and our past podcast interview with herConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Pop quiz:  How many of these beliefs resonate for you?If I’m not exhausted, I must not be working hard enough.My schedule reflects my value.My clients’ outcomes are my responsibility.Nice therapists don’t rock the boat.If I charge more, I’m exploiting people.If I don’t know the answer, I’m failing.If you said all of them, congratulations, you are a typical hardworking and dedicated female therapist!  And you suffer one of the most common ailments in our profession – belief misalignment.  Thankfully, in today’s episode, we are kicking off our new discernment mini-series by sharing some ways to combat this ailment, so that the stories we tell ourselves about our work and our self-care can be better aligned with the truth. Episode Highlights:Discernment category #1:  Belief misalignment Common risks and outcomes of misaligned beliefsOur personal misaligned beliefs examplesSelf-care experiments:Consciously evaluate one beliefAsk a trusted colleague for a reality checkReplace 'It's all on me' with 'What is actually mine?'Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

If you’re like most therapists, there have undoubtedly been times in your career when you’ve found yourself struggling with work and trying to figure out why.  Figuring out the “why” to our struggles can be a great step towards finding ways to reduce our struggles.  Yet, at the same time, it’s not always easy to identify the source and, in fact, we believe it can be easy to get it wrong.  And when we misidentify the source of our struggles we’re at risk of feeling even more deflated and discouraged because our self-care solutions don’t create the change we’re hoping for.       In today’s episode we’re kicking off a new podcast mini-series where we’ll be highlighting the importance of discernment by looking at four discernment categories related to beliefs, boundaries, values, and our work environment, and ways of better targeting our self-care to the specific source of our workplace struggles.  Because when we target the true source of our workplace struggles good things start to happen.  Episode Highlights:Why professional dissatisfaction is rarely a binary 'it's me' vs 'it's the job'The 4 discernment categories:        (1) Belief misalignment        (2) Boundary misalignment        (3) Values (and seasonal capacity) misalignment        (4) Genuinely unhealthy environmentsOur own discernment experiencesSelf-care experimentConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Why does self-care feel harder right now, even though I’m doing all the right things?”, you’re not alone. For many therapists, the struggle isn’t a lack of discipline or commitment, but a mismatch between what we’re asking of ourselves and the season we’re actually in.Our energy, capacity, and needs aren’t fixed—they shift over time, just like the seasons do. That’s why in today’s episode, we’re inviting you to pause, step out of self-improvement mode, and intentionally check in with what this season is asking of you, so your self-care can feel more aligned, supportive, and sustainable.Episode Highlights:Why seasonal self-care check-ins matterA 5-step seasonal check-in practiceWhat's standing out for each of us in this seasonSelf-care experiments:Assess your self-care needs in this specific seasonShare your self-care assessment with a trusted colleague or loved oneTake some baby stepsConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you think, “Wait, didn’t I already do this yesterday?  And all the days before?”  Same alarm.  Same email inbox.  Same clients with eerily familiar struggles.  Same promises to yourself that next week will be different.  If that resonates, you’re not alone — and you’re definitely not failing.Today, we’re taking inspiration from the movie Groundhog Day to talk about self-care, burnout, and why so many therapists feel stuck in patterns that don’t seem to change — even though they’re working so hard to make things better.Episode Highlights:How the movie Groundhog Day relates to therapist self-careWhy insight alone isn’t enough to make changes - and what helps insteadWhy being human is better than being perfectSelf-care experiments:The Ned Ryerson The Let’s Drink to World Peace The Nice Young Man From the Motor ClubThe GroundhogConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to talk about self-care with our clients, and how incredibly hard it can be to actually practice it in our own lives? As therapists, we can quote the research, share the strategies, name the patterns. And yet, when it comes time to recognize our own needs, something in us hesitates and our own needs quietly slip to the bottom. But what if self-care isn’t something extra to squeeze in — what if it’s something to build everything else around?In this episode, we’re wrapping up a very special journey — one that’s been all about rewriting the stories we tell ourselves about self-care. Over the past 8 episodes, we’ve been rethinking the myths, guilt, and cultural expectations that have shaped how we care for ourselves. And today, we’re bringing it all together — to reflect, to re-anchor, and to remind ourselves that tending to our own well-being isn’t indulgent.  It's integral.Episode Highlights:Recap of the 8 belief upgradesWhich belief resonates most for you?We can each help shift the culture of care in our fieldSelf-care experiment:Meet old beliefs with curiosity and compassion when they creep back inConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

What if the strongest form of self-care isn’t what you do by yourself… but who you allow in? As therapists, we spend our days holding space for others. We encourage our clients to lean into support, to reach out, to know they don’t have to carry it all alone. And yet — how often do we allow the same for ourselves?In this final episode of our Upgrade your self-care belief system mini-series, we’re exploring the powerful truth that self-care isn’t meant to be a solo project. Real self-care grows in community — through connection, accountability, and the gentle presence of people who remind us that we matter, too.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #8:  Self-care needs community.Why the old view doesn't serve us: Thinking that we don't need support and that we can 'do this on our own' keeps us disconnected from each other and reinforces shame.The new view: Self-care is relational; it thrives with support.  Seeking and accepting support makes us more resilient.Self-care experiments:Identify one area of your life or work where you've been 'going it alone'Reach out intentionallyReflect on how receiving support feelsConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

How often do you intentionally sit down to reflect on your self-care?  If you are like most of us, probably not very often!  Even if you are a regular listener of this podcast, and hopefully check in with your self-care more often than not, you are also human!  The reality is that it takes energy and awareness to make our self-care a priority.  And we can do this, but it won’t happen automatically.      That’s why in this episode, we’re talking about what might be the most important belief shift of all: that self-care requires our intentional attention. In other words: self-care doesn’t just happen by accident. It happens because we choose to bring it into focus, and trust that we will be better off for it.  So stick around as we share how to bring more intention to your self-care too.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #7:  Self-care needs our intentional attention.Why the old view doesn't serve us:  Self-care rarely magically fits itself into our lives, yet we rely on hope that it will.  Which leaves us constantly depleted, because hope without intention results in inaction. The new view:  Self-care with intention sends a clear message that we matter.Self-care experiments:Anchor check-inCalendar commitmentEnd-of-week reflectionConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

How many of you remember the ‘set it and forget it’ rotisserie oven infomercials from the 1990’s?  Even if that doesn’t ring a bell, the fact is that as humans we love the idea of only having to do something once, and then not having to think about it again.  In this episode, we’re talking about how this allure creates a sneaky but very common belief: that self-care is also something you can just check off once and be done with. Maybe it’s the spa day. Or the weekend away. Or the one good routine you set up years ago. And while those things can help in the moment, the truth is: self-care doesn’t work like a kitchen appliance that you can just ‘set and forget’. But we are here to convince you that this can be a good thing!Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #6:  Self-care needs to be personalized and revisited often.Why the old view doesn't serve us: We feel disappointed and even ashamed when a one-size-fits-all, one-time fix doesn't address all our self-care challenges. The new view: Self-care is a living practice that evolves with us, and needs to fit our own needs as well as our season of life.Self-care experiments:Self-care inventoryMicro-pivotSeasonal resetConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

When you think about why self-care is hard, what comes to mind? Maybe not enough time, or feeling guilty, or just forgetting until you’re completely burned out. The dominant story says: if you can’t manage your self-care, you’re not disciplined enough. You’re not resilient enough. Maybe you’re just not cut out for this work.But here’s the twist: what if these struggles aren’t actually personal failings at all? What if they’re the result of how we’ve been socialized — shaped by gender expectations and professional norms — in ways that make self-care feel unnatural, even wrong?  This really important point, and how we can counter it, is what we are diving into in this episode.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #5: Self-care challenges are shaped by gender and professional socialization – NOT personal failings!Why the old view doesn't serve us: It turns self-care into a moral failing, so then we blame ourselves for struggling.The new view: Gender norms and professional socialization are powerful forces working against our self-care.  When we recognize this we can release the shame and reclaim our agency.Self-care experiments:Name the scriptFlip the praiseTry a micro-boundary experimentResources Mentioned:Episode 5: You are a human being, not a human giver: 3 ways the self-care game is rigged for women and how you can fight backVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

How many times have you said — or thought — ‘I’d love to take better care of myself, but I just don’t have the time’? Or, ‘I’m way too tired.’ Or maybe, ‘I can’t afford it right now.’  These are probably the three biggest roadblocks therapists and other caring professionals name when it comes to self-care: time, energy, and money.  And we get it — those are real constraints.  But here’s the thing: when we define self-care as something that requires extra time, energy, or money, we actually make it harder to sustain.  We set ourselves up for a cycle of guilt and avoidance.  So in this episode, we are here to convince you of a better way of dealing with these very real but ‘overcome-able’ constraints. Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #4: Self-care doesn't have to cost a lot of time, energy, or moneyWhy the old view doesn't serve us: We wait for 'perfect' conditions — which never occur — that instead make us feel like we are falling shortThe new view: Sustainable self-care happens by weaving it into our daysSelf-care experiments:Anchor to what you already doThe one-minute resetReframe endingsResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Here’s something that might surprise you:  some of the best self-care doesn’t feel good in the moment.  Think about it — how many times have you dreaded going for a run, having that hard conversation, or finally making the dentist appointment you’ve been putting off… only to feel so much lighter, clearer, and better afterward?We often expect self-care to look easy and comforting, like bubble baths and spa days. But sometimes, self-care looks like sweating, crying, or facing something you’ve been avoiding. And if we expect it to feel good all the time, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment — and avoidance.  So stick with us, because in today’s episode we are going to convince you that the best self-care often doesn’t feel so good in the moment, but can have lasting positive effects.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #3: Self-care can be uncomfortable (but worth it!)Why the old view doesn't serve us: We end up chasing quick and easy fixes, that don't actually sustain us, and instead deplete us in the long runThe new view: Real self-care isn't always comfortable, but it is always worthwhileSelf-care experiments:Do the 'one thing' you've been avoidingPractice micro-discomfortJournal on discomfortResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

When was the last time you said ‘no’ to someone? And we don’t mean a playful no, or a no with an apology attached, but a real, solid, unapologetic ‘no.’If you’re anything like most therapists — especially women in our field — that question might make you squirm a little. Because somewhere along the way, we got the message that taking care of ourselves means we’re taking something away from someone else. That it’s indulgent. Or worse — selfish.But what if we told you that choosing yourself isn’t selfish at all — it’s actually one of the most generous things you can do for others? That’s what we hope to convince you of in this episode.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #2: Self-care is not selfish, and is not just about treating ourselvesWhy the old view doesn't serve us: Our worth becomes equated with how much we give to others, and how little we needThe new view: Self-care is in fact stewardship, and resource managementSelf-care experiments:Say no onceProtect one block of timeChallenge your definition of selfishResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

If you’re a therapist who feels like self-care always comes last, you’re not alone. Most of us were trained—implicitly or explicitly—to treat our own needs as optional, something to squeeze in after clients, paperwork, and family demands. But what if that belief is exactly what’s draining your energy, your clarity, and even your ability to show up fully for the people you serve?In today’s episode, we’re kicking off a new series that challenges outdated ideas about self-care and replaces them with essential upgrades. We’ll start with one of the most important shifts: recognizing that self-care isn’t extra—it’s part of the work. Because when we stop treating our well-being as optional, everything changes: our presence in sessions, our resilience, and the sustainability of our careers.Episode Highlights:Self-care belief system upgrade #1: Self-care is part of our workWhy the old view doesn't serve us: Self-care is seen as optional and exhaustion is normalizedThe new view: Self-care is a core professional competence and part of our deliverablesSelf-care experiments:Create a reset/recovery ritualAudit your scheduleProfessional alignment reflectionResources Mentioned:Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid SchulteVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

What if your to-do list isn’t the problem — but rather a quiet signal that one of your self-care pillars is out of balance? As therapists, we’re trained to notice these signs in others, but we often overlook the gentle nudges from within:  things like a creeping sense of resentment, a loss of joy, or a growing disconnection from the parts of ourselves that used to feel vibrant. As we kick off a new season of Putting You In Your Schedule, we’re inviting you to slow down with us and take stock — not with judgment, but with curiosity and compassion.In this episode, we’ll walk you through a seasonal self-care check-in using our 4 C’s framework: Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity. Whether or not you’ve used our self-care assessment tool before, we’ll help you pause to notice what’s working, what’s not, and where there’s room for small but meaningful shifts. Let’s begin this season with intention around the foundation that supports everything else — our own well-being.Episode Highlights:A refresher on the 4 C's modelThe 4 C's self-care assessmentSigns that we might need to pay attention to each of our 4 C'sSelf-Care Experiments:Assess your self-care needs in this specific seasonShare your self-care assessment with a trusted colleague or loved oneTake some baby stepsResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

What if the real secret to sustainable self-care isn’t about working harder—or even trying to be “better”—but simply about noticing, connecting, and giving yourself permission to take small, imperfect steps? In today’s episode, we’re taking a second look at the many self-care experiments we’ve shared throughout the year to reveal a refreshingly doable framework that can support you, not just in theory, but in real life.As we wrap up the season and head into summer, we’re reflecting on the common threads woven through our self-care experiments— and offering you a fresh way to approach your own self-care journey. Whether you’re just tuning in or have been with us all season, you’ll leave today’s episode with a clearer, kinder path forward—and a little extra inspiration to carry you into your next season. Episode Highlights:Round-up of self-care experiments shared throughout this seasonThemes in experimentsNotice/monitor/observe (kindly and non-judgmentally!)Connect with colleaguesChallenge unhelpful beliefs with permission and imperfect actionSelf-Care Experiment:Use the Notice-Connect-Challenge frameworkResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever looked at your schedule and wondered why everyone else’s needs made the cut—but yours didn’t?  In this podcast episode, we’re exploring a question we hear all the time: Why can’t I actually put myself in my schedule?!  If you resonate with this question, know that you are not alone, and, that you are not doing anything wrong.  Please stick around as we explore what contributes to this struggle of protecting the time we want to devote to our self-care.  And most importantly, we will be sharing three practical, intentional ways to support your self-care efforts—without adding more pressure or guilt. These are simple shifts that can help you hold space for yourself, just like you do for everyone else. Let’s talk about how to stop squeezing yourself out of your calendar and start making your needs a priority again.Episode Highlights:Change is hard, even for therapistsImpact of our beliefsImpact of life circumstances and readiness for changeRemember that change is a processSelf-Care Experiments:  Use permission liberallyUse scaffolding liberallyFigure out what doesn’t work for youResources Mentioned:Episode 2 on Toxic Time Messages Episode 11 on Self-Care SabotageEpisode 12 on Personal Rights Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

What does your typical day look like?  Does it include regularly occurring breaks or do you often find yourself constantly on the go?  If you’re like most of the female mental health therapists we’ve spoken with, most of your days probably feel like you’re going non-stop, both at work and at home.  And while there can admittedly be some sense of accomplishment that comes with fitting as many things from our never ending “to-do list” into our days, it comes at a cost.  In today’s episode we’ll talk about the concepts of energy expenditure and energy recovery and three important ways that breaks can contribute to your self-care.  And, as always, we’ll wrap up the episode with some practical self-care experiments, because taking breaks is often much harder than it seems!  So if you’re in need of some justification for yourself, or others, about why we truly need breaks, then stay tuned.Episode Highlights:The importance of both energy expenditure and energy recoveryWork and rest are partnersWe can get better at rest3 benefits of taking breaksSelf-Care Experiments:  Monitor your energy patternsAdd in some breaks to your scheduleExperiment with how you spend your breaks   Resources Mentioned:2021 study by the Microsoft Human Factors LabBook:  The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz Book:  Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang Podcast:  Episode 258 of The Lazy Genius Podcast with Kendra Adachi, about the 7 different kinds of rest Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have your sessions with clients ever incorporated the topic of assertiveness and its related benefits?  If so, then you’re likely familiar with the “Personal Bill of Rights” and how eye opening this resource can be to clients, particularly those who’ve regularly either ignored their needs or put them well below those of others. The Personal Bill of Rights can offer our clients a different way of thinking about themselves which, in turn, can help them start shifting their actions in ways that align more so with their Personal Bill of Rights.  But have you ever thought about how incorporating a Bill of Rights might actually support your self-care?  In today’s episode we take a look at three rights, in particular, that can be particularly powerful in supporting female mental health therapists’ self-care.  So if you’re interested in finding ways to use personal rights to support your self-care, this episode is for you! Episode Highlights:What is a Personal Bill of Rights3 key rights for therapists:I have the right to my own needs for personal space and timeI have the right to make mistakes and not have to be perfectI have the right to change my mind Self-Care Experiments:  Be an objective observerEmbrace a right and act accordinglyImagine a female mental health therapist bill of rights      Resources Mentioned:Kristin Neff's website:  https://self-compassion.org/Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

How often do you take time to reflect on your beliefs and the ways they might be influencing your self-care?  If you’re like most female mental health therapists, you’re likely so busy tending to your professional and personal roles and responsibilities that this hasn’t even crossed your mind.  Yet, the reality is many of us may be unknowingly buying into beliefs that could be sabotaging our self-care.In today’s episode we look at three types of unhelpful beliefs and the ways they might be sabotaging your self-care efforts.  We're also talking about how connection, compassion, and  courage can provide powerful antidotes to these unhelpful beliefs. So if you are ready to stop “shoulding” on yourself, please tune in!Episode Highlights:Three types of beliefs that can sabotage our self-careTherapist "musturbations""Shoulding" on our self-care"Canning" our self-careSelf-Care Experiments:Be an objective observerConnect with othersChallenge your unhelpful beliefsResources Mentioned:Book:  Leaving It at the Office by Drs. John Norcross and Gary VandenBosVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As a mental health professional, you undoubtedly know the significant role our relationships can have on our overall well-being.  In fact, it’s probably something you discuss with most, if not all your clients at some point during therapy.  But how often do you take the same time and care to reflect on your own relationships with others? In today’s episode we revisit the connection pillar of our 4 C’s model, this time, focusing on our connections to others and the important role this plays in our self-care.  We’ll also be talking about how connection plus courage can offer a particularly powerful boost to our self-care and our self-care culture and how all of this relates to compassion.       Episode Highlights:The powerful benefits of connection plus courageConnection and compassionConnection as a way of overcoming limiting beliefsSelf-Care Experiments:Taking stock of our connections with others Adding a dose of courage to our connectionsConnection as a way of overcoming limiting beliefsResources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever thought of documentation as a form of self-care?  Of course, probably not!  We know that more likely, documentation often feels like a time-consuming, mentally draining task that takes away from the work you truly care about.  But we are here to try to convince you that documentation can actually be a key part of our self-care.  Yes, you heard that right.  There are ways to turn this often stressful task into a tool for personal and professional well-being.So what if, instead of adding to our stress, documentation could be part of the solution? In this episode, we’ll discuss how our 4 C’s model—Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity—can transform your approach to notes and reports. Whether you’re already overwhelmed by your documentation or just looking for a more intentional approach, we’ll share actionable strategies and experiments to help change the way you think about both self-care and documentation.  Episode Highlights:How documentation fits into self-careHow normal it is to struggle with documentationApplying the 4 C's to documentationSelf-Care Experiments:Create a notes templateEnd your sessions on timeResources Mentioned:Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey's website, QA Prep, and her book, Stress Free DocumentationOur past podcast interview with Dr. Maelisa McCaffreyVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

How often do you think of values when you think about self-care?  If you’re like many of us, probably not very often or at all.  Yet the reality is our values can play a huge role in our self-care, whether we think about them or not.  In this week's episode we explore three important ways values are related to self-care.  And although most of the time connecting with our values is truly a valuable thing to do, you might also be surprised to hear that sometimes values can actually get in the way of our self-care.  So we hope you will stick around to hear more about how we can get our values to work for us, not against us!    Episode Highlights:3 ways values can impact our work life and self-careValues and our work settingSelf-care as value-driven Value-driven work and burnoutSelf-Care Experiments:Ideal work dayRelationship valuesPlanning for getting wetResources mentioned:Book:  Values in Therapy by Drs. Jenna LeJeune and Jason LuomaBook:  The Resilience Plan by Dr. Marie-Helene PelletierOur past podcast interview with Dr. Marie-Helene PelletierVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Do you ever find yourself wondering why self-care seems to come so easily for some of your colleagues or why you and your colleagues struggle in different ways with self-care? Or maybe you’ve been disappointed with the “one-size fits” all self-care messages you’ve been fed. If so, you’re not alone.In today’s episode, we’re diving into the topic of individual differences. As female mental health clinicians, we share a lot in common, but we’re also each unique, and that uniqueness can play a huge role in how we approach self-care. We hope you will tune in as we explore how unique aspects of ourselves can impact the way we experience work, self-worth, and even the imposter syndrome. And what we can do to use this information to tackle self-care in a truly personal way.Episode Highlights:3 Individual differences we need to consider:Neurodiversity Image of a “successful therapist”Personal history and life circumstancesSelf-care experiments Review your workdayTalk about individual differences with trusted colleaguesFind colleagues who share similar life circumstancesCelebrate the everyday “wins” at work Resources Mentioned:Our past podcast interview with April SnowOur past podcast interview with Dr. Kelly Yanek & Dr. Michele KindermanOur past podcast interview with Silvana Espinoza LauVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

We’re about to explore something that may surprise you—your brain’s survival instincts are still influencing how you approach self-care, and they might be working against you. Have you ever wondered why saying "no" feels impossible or why you can't seem to prioritize yourself no matter how hard you try? What if the answer lies in how our brains are wired for survival, and how that wiring affects everything from guilt to stress?In this episode, we’re going to unpack how your evolutionary wiring could be sabotaging your best self-care efforts. But here’s the good news—once you understand this, you’ll have the power to work with your brain, not against it. We’re sharing insights on why it’s so hard to break the cycle, along with practical strategies you can start using today to make more room for yourself. So, stick around—by the end of this episode, you’ll have a whole new perspective on your survival and your self-care.  Episode Highlights:4 ways evolutionary wiring impacts self-care:Conservation of energyAcceptance of the tribe and the role of guilt Scarcity of resourcesLiving for todaySelf-Care Experiments:  Recognize your signs of ‘survival mode’Respond kindly to guiltCreate a ‘Not to do’ listResources Mentioned:Healthy Habits Suck: How to Get Off the Couch and Live a Healthy Life...Even if You Don't Want To by Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection by Dr. Yael SchonbrunOur past podcast interview with Dr. Dayna Lee-BaggleyOur past podcast interview with Dr. Yael SchonbrunVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Ever feel like you’re always giving—whether it’s to your clients, your family, or even strangers on the street—and somehow your own needs get pushed aside? You're not alone. In fact, this might be part of a much bigger issue that’s rigged against women when it comes to self-care. If you're a female therapist, juggling the demands of your clients, family, and personal well-being, this episode is going to shine a light on why that balance feels so elusive—and what you can do to break the cycle.Today, we're talking about the hidden forces that keep women stuck in the 'human giver' role and leave little room for genuine self-care. We’ll dive into the cultural expectations and productivity systems that make it harder for women to prioritize themselves. But here's the good news: You can change the game. Join us as we explore how to reclaim your time, passions, and well-being—without guilt, shame, or burnout. Ready to shift the paradigm? Let’s dive in. Episode Highlights:3 ways the self-care game is rigged for women: Seeing ourselves as ‘human givers’Pressure to fit into male-dominated productivity systemsNot feeling permission to have passionsSelf-Care Experiments:  Let yourself be a human being, not a human giverGather up the ‘time confetti’Focus on integration over ‘greatness’Give yourself permission to have passionsResources Mentioned:Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski Find Your Unicorn Space and Fair Play, both by Eve RodskyOverwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid SchulteThe Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra AdachiThis is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something - Anything - Like Your Life Depends On It by Tabitha CarvanOur past podcast interview with Tabatha CarvanVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Do you often find yourself working hard, yet questioning your abilities, feeling like you’re just pretending to be competent, waiting to be found out? If you’re a female therapist wrestling with imposter syndrome and the pressures of a lingering student mindset, you’re not alone, and this episode is for you. We’ll explore how these internal struggles can impact your self-care and professional fulfillment.Join us as we explore the traits that once helped you succeed but may now be holding you back.  How can recognizing these patterns empower you to move past the fear of being an "imposter"?  Listen in as we share valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you push back on that inner critic and reclaim your confidence.  Episode Highlights:Understanding the ‘student mindset’ and ‘imposter syndrome’Factors that increase the likelihood of experiencing imposter phenomenaKey starting points: Know that you are not aloneUnderstand how and why imposter feelings show up so can respond with compassion Self-Care Experiments:  Notice your perfectionism cycleRelax your standardsGet to know your inner criticEmbrace your non-student life (*assuming you are no longer a student!)Resources Mentioned:Book:  Imposter No More: Overcome Self-Doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career by Dr. Jill StoddardVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Have you ever felt the weight of your clients' struggles lingering long after your sessions end? Spent evenings and weekends fretting over whether you used the right interventions, or should have tried something different?  We sure have, and we know we aren’t alone in this.  That’s why in this episode, we’re shining a light on the hazards of the mental health profession—those challenges that often go unspoken but can weigh heavily on our shoulders. And what if we told you that acknowledging these challenges could be the first step toward building a more resilient practice? Join us as we uncover some unexpected truths about working in the mental health field, as well as share insights to help you embrace the complexity of our work while prioritizing your own well-being.Episode Highlights:Understanding the hazards – inherent challenges including challenging patient behaviours, emotional depletion, psychic isolation, and moreParticular impact of the uncertainty of successRisks of highly valuing our workRepeat as needed:  Psychotherapy is one of the most taxing endeavours known to mankindSelf-Care Experiments:  Know your risksCreate a strategic resilience planBuild your ability to tolerate uncertaintyReflect on your 4 C’sResources Mentioned:Book:  Leaving It at the Office by Drs. John Norcross and Gary VandenBosBook:  The Resilience Plan by Dr. Marie-Helene PelletierVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Ever feel like there’s just never enough time in the day? You’re juggling client sessions, family responsibilities, and maybe even a little bit of a social life—if you’re lucky. And yet, somehow, taking care of yourself always falls to the bottom of the list. Sound familiar? In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the toxic time messages that keep us stuck in this endless cycle of overwhelm. We’re diving into how these hidden beliefs sneak into our everyday decisions and offer some practical tips to reclaim your time—and your energy.We’ll be talking about why saying, “I can do it better and faster,” or, “I should spend my time doing X, Y, Z,” might be costing you more than you realize. So, if you’re tired of feeling like time is slipping through your fingers and ready to start putting you back in your schedule, please stick around.Episode Highlights:Toxic Time Messages:“I can do it better and faster”“I can save time by doing it myself”“I should be spending my time doing x, y, z”Time reframes"Even if I can do it better, that doesn't mean I should be the one to do it""Saving time now isn't worth the long-term cost to my well-being""I will not let 'shoulds' rob me of time for myself"Self-Care Experiments:  Delegating a taskPausing before agreeing to new commitmentsSetting aside uninterrupted time for yourselfResources Mentioned:Book:  Fair Play by Eve RodskyVisit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

When was the last time you felt truly in control of your schedule? Or had a day when your to-do list didn’t just overflow with everyone else’s needs, leaving yours at the bottom? If self-care feels like just another item you’re not quite managing to cross off, you’re not alone – and that’s exactly why we created this podcast.In this first episode, we’re introducing a game-changing approach to self-care – one that’s tailored to the unique challenges of being a female therapist. We’ll be sharing our 4 C’s model, a simple yet powerful framework to help you start putting more of you back into your day. It’s a fresh approach that goes far beyond bubble baths and massages to help you carve out space for what actually matters to you. If you’re tired of self-care advice that doesn’t stick, and you’re ready to learn how to make real, sustainable changes, please tune in. Episode Highlights:Why we created this podcastOur new definition of self-care:  Putting more of you in your schedule and creating a life from which you don’t need to escapeThe 4 C’s model:  Connection, Compassion, Courage, and CreativitySelf-Care Experiments:  Which of your 4 C’s pillars feels strongest?  Which needs more attention?  What is one thing you can do to give that pillar a bit more attention?Resources Mentioned:Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Self-care shouldn’t be another task on your to-do list!  Hosted by Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, clinical psychologists, founders of Intentional Therapist, and self-care advocates, this podcast is for female mental health therapists who are ready to redefine self-care.   Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As regular listeners know, we are (still!) in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future. So please stay tuned!Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance. This month we are re-sharing another one of our favourite podcast interviews, where we discuss the importance of owning our therapist sensitivities.  As a self-described Highly Sensitive Therapist (HST), April Snow shares her perspectives on what it means to be a HST and why honouring our unique qualities is essential in setting up a practice that truly allows us to thrive, both at work and beyond.   So, whether you identify as a HST or not, we hope you will join us in re-visiting this important and highly relevant topic for us all.  Because the reality is effective self-care involves knowing ourselves and aligning our self-care to our unique qualities and circumstances.  And, for some of us, that might just mean working in bed!  And that’s okay.    Episode highlights:What it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)What lead April to specialize in working with Highly Sensitive Therapists (HSTs)Some of the biggest misconceptions of being a HSTOne step listeners can take today to work in alignment with being a HSTApril’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceApril Snow, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and consultant in California who specializes in working with Highly Sensitive Introverts. April strongly believes that being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) doesn’t have to stop you from living a fully engaged life and is on a mission to help HSPs create a life on their own terms so they can manage the overwhelm and start to thrive. Connect with April:https://www.aprilsnowconsulting.comConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As you may already know, we are in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future.  So please stay tuned!  Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance.  This month we are re-sharing one of our favourite podcast interviews, which was with Tabitha Carvan, the author of This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something—Anything—Like Your Life Depends on It.  As the name might imply, what this book is really about is the importance of women reconnecting with our passions and joyful pursuits.  Tabitha does a wonderful job of mixing humor and levity with some profound insights into why women often struggle with doing things that can give us pleasure.  So we hope you will join us in revisiting this important and highly relevant topic to self-care because we can all use reminders (and perhaps even permission) to truly reconnect with our passions and joyful pursuits.     Episode highlights:What brought Tabitha to write a book full of references to Benedict Cumberbatch but ultimately not actually about him at allWhy its so easy for us, as women, to get disconnected from our passionsWhy connecting with joyful pursuits can cause women to feel like there’s something “wrong”How embarrassment and shame get in the way of our passionsTabitha’s important take-home messageTabitha’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceTabitha Carvan is the author of This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch and a science writer for the Australian National University.  She lives in Canberra, Australia.  Connect with Tabitha:http://www.tabithacarvan.com/Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As we shared last month, we are busily working on a new format for our podcast which we’re planning on unveiling in the next few months.  Until then, we’re continuing to go into our podcast archives and resharing episodes on topics we thought warrant a repeat performance.  So with that in mind, this month we are resharing our podcast interview with Linzy Bonham on the important topic of finances.  We hope you’ll join us in revisiting this important and highly relevant topic to self-care.  As we often say, self-care isn’t one and done and the reality is we often need reminders to keep us on track.  Whether you are in private practice or in a salaried position, this episode has great information that will help you reflect on your own finances and provide some potential steps you can take to start making this part of your self-care plan.  Because as Linzy points out finances are foundational to self-care!Episode highlights:  What led Linzy to create her signature course, Money Skills for Therapists How money skills fit into self-care Factors that contribute to unique money related issues for female therapists Steps you can take today to start feeling more on top of your finances Linzy’s best “non-conventional” self-care practice Linzy Bonham is a therapist in private practice, a consultant who helps therapists feel calm and in control of their finances, and the creator of the Money Skills for Therapists course. As the daughter of an accountant, Linzy inherited a good dose of bookkeeping brain. She's like half therapist, half bookkeeper. So when she went into private practice, she dug right into all the ways to build a healthy business that pays for her life and always has extra money in the bank. Now Linzy helps therapists develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many of us were never taught about money, she focuses on the 'how' of making the financial side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying - feeling competent and calm about your money is pretty swell! Resources:  Free Mini-Training: The Secret to Getting Unstuck in Your Business Finances (this and other resources are available on this page):https://moneynutsandbolts.com/resources Connect with Linzy: https://www.moneynutsandbolts.com [email protected] Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

We are very excited to share that we are in the process of reformatting our podcast!  We are aiming to launch the new format in the coming months, and in the meantime we will be sure to share more updates as well as we would love to get your feedback.  So please stay tuned for more details!In the meantime, we decided to go into our Thrivival 101 archives to share a replay of our most popular episode:  Documentation.  In this conversation with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey, we covered not only what gets in the way of clinicians staying on top of their clinical documentation, but also what any of us can start doing today to make this a little easier. And most importantly, Maelisa shares how incredibly common of a challenge documentation can be.  If you haven't listened to this episode before, we really encourage you to do so now.  And if you have listened to this episode, we also encourage you to give it another listen!  Self-care is never a 'one-and-done' (just like documentation!), and we absolutely benefit from revisiting these topics on a regular basis. New resource mentioned in the introduction to the episode:  Maelisa's Reviews of AI for Progress NotesEpisode highlights:What led Maelisa to create QA PrepHow staying on top of our documentation fits into self-careFactors that contribute to clinicians’ struggles with documentationSome warning signs that we need to change our approach to documentationOne step you can take today to start getting on top of your documentationMaelisa’s best non-conventional self-care practiceDr. Maelisa McCaffrey is a licensed psychologist, nail design enthusiast, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. With her business QA Prep, she empowers therapists through trainings and consultation on clinical documentation. Maelisa focuses on the “why” behind the usual recommendations and encourages clinicians to think outside the box, while also keeping their ethics intact. As someone with ADHD who’s had to figure out what works through trial and error, Maelisa aims to make sure her trainings are practical, while also allowing for plenty of laughter and fun.Connect with Maelisa:https://www.qaprep.com/ https://www.instagram.com/maelisamccaffrey/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maelisa-mccaffrey/  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCytXRIFI17MtbmTh5QTJhsg Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Many women at some point in their careers will experience the major milestone of becoming a mother. It's a life-changing experience, yet how often do we talk about how this transition impacts our work?In this month's episode of Thrivival 101 we were so pleased to speak with Lori Mihalich-Levin and Arianna Taboada about the work they do to help parents thrive in both their parenting and professional lives. Lori shares some of her own challenging experiences as a new working parent and how this led to her creation of Mindful Return, an organization supporting parents in their working parent journey.Lori and Arianna discuss some of the biggest misconceptions about integrating parenting into our careers, how parental leave can actually enhance our leadership skills, and some steps we can take to create a more positive workplace for working parents. Arianna and Lori share their favourite non-conventional self-care activities and we end this episode with Lori reading a touching segment from a letter to herself (and to all of us) about being enough.Even if you aren't a parent, this discussion is so valuable for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing working parents.Highlights:What led Lori to create Mindful ReturnThe common misconceptions and mindset challenges for working parentsHow scenario mapping can be a helpful way of addressing catastrophizingHow parenting out loud at work can create positive changeSome impactful steps parents can take to support their successLori and Arianna’s favourite nonconventional self-care activitiesLori Mihalich-Levin, JD, believes in empowering working parents. She is the founder and CEO of Mindful Return, author of Back to Work After Baby, and co-host of the Parents at Work Podcast. Lori is mama to two wonderful red-headed boys and is a health care lawyer in private practice. Arianna Taboada is the co-creator and lead for the Mindful Return Maternity Leave Course for Entrepreneurs. She is a public health social worker by training and author of The Expecting Entrepreneur. Connect with Lori:https://www.mindfulreturn.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lorimihalichlevin/https://www.instagram.com/mindfulreturn/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parents-at-work/id1239258343Connect with Arianna:https://www.linkedin.com/company/81917905Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As clinicians we’re familiar with the concept and importance of resilience but how many of us actually think about resiliency for ourselves?  In this episode we speak with award winning workplace mental health expert and psychologist, Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier about her recent book The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.  Marie-Helene explains how a resilience plan differs from traditional self-care and identifies the key elements involved in developing a strategic resilience plan that’s as unique as our DNA.  She also shares how value-driven work can place us at increased risk of burnout and the importance of not tipping too far toward optimism.  We wrap up the episode by learning about a couple of activities that are regularly part of Marie-Helene’s strategic resilience plan.     Episode highlights:The difference between a resilience plan and traditional self-careThe key elements in developing a strategic resilience plan How value-driven work can place us at risk for burnoutHow optimism can become a liabilityTwo activities that are regularly included in Dr. Pelletier’s strategic resilience planThroughout her career in business management and psychology, Dr. Pelletier has spearheaded the dialogue on the crucial issues of leadership resilience and work performance.  Drawing on her extensive background in corporate, insurance, governance and public sectors, she brings an international perspective and unique expertise on leadership.  She is a practicing leadership psychologist and executive coach with over 20 years of experience and holds a Ph.D. and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.  Marie-Helene is a Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization, and past Director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology.  She has presented and authored and co-authored a number of industry and academic publications and has won numerous academic and industry awards.  In 2024, Dr. Pelletier published her award-winning book, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health.Connect with Marie-Helene:www.theresilienceplan.comhttps://drmarie-helene.com/https://twitter.com/drmhpelletierhttps://www.facebook.com/drmhpelletier/https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmhpelletier/?originalSubdomain=caConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

In this special podcast episode, we, Dr. Melissa Tiessen and Dr. Karen Dyck, dedicate our discussion to what is perhaps our favourite 'C' from our 4 C's model of self-care—Courage.  We provide a quick overview of our 4 C’s model of self-care and why Courage is the C that we like discussing the most, as well as why we view it as the essential fuel that helps to move us from thinking about and planning self-care activities to acting on them.  And we had the pleasure of incorporating audio clips submitted by members of our Intentional Therapist community to highlight the importance of Courage in self-care as well as how Courage intersects with our other C’s and with a willingness to be vulnerable.  We end the episode by sharing some of the ways Courage has shown up in our own self-care journeys.     Episode highlights:A brief overview of the 4 C’s model of self-careWhy Courage is such an important part of our modelHow Courage can show up in both our work and personal lifeThe connection between Courage and a willingness to be vulnerableHow we have incorporated Courage into our own self-careThank you so much to all the like-minded Intentional Therapist community members who shared their courageous self-care examples for this episode!  We would love to hear your own courageous self-care acts and plans!  Just go to:    https://www.speakpipe.com/IntentionalTherapist Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Listening to the wisdom of our body is an essential component of self-care, yet how often do we truly embrace this?  Do we even know what that would look like? In this episode we speak with Courtney Amo, Dr. Julie Beaulac, and Casey Bergland, the authors of the book entitled The Mind Body Way: The Embodied Leader’s Path to Resilience, Connection, and Purpose. Our guests use the term “leader” in a broad sense to include both the traditionally recognized leadership roles but also those that we might not ordinarily think of.  So, whether you’re in a supervisory role where you’re leading a team or simply just leading yourself, this episode is for you.  Our guests discuss exactly what is meant by the term “embodiment” and some of the reasons we struggle to listen to our bodies. We also explore the authors’ 6 pillar framework and it’s overlap with our 4 C’s framework, focusing specifically on the importance of courage and connection.  We end off by hearing about our guests’ favorite “non-conventional” self-care practices.        Episode highlights:What exactly is “embodiment” and why is it so importantWhy we ignore the wisdom of our bodiesHow taking on risks and practicing courage contribute to embodied leadershipThe role of connecting with ourselves and others in being an embodied leaderJulie, Courtney, and Casey’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practicesCourtney Amo is a certified yoga instructor and the founder of Mahaa, an independent yoga, retreat, lifestyle coaching, and consulting practice that promotes inclusive and barrier-free access to well-being.  Dr. Julie Beaulac is a certified yoga teacher and a clinical, health, and rehabilitation psychologist in private practice who helps individuals, groups, and organizations enhance their performance and satisfaction by becoming more engaged in their lives.  And Casey Bergland is a yoga instructor and certified professional coach who recently founded Worthy and Well, an online coaching and training company.  Casey focuses on helping her clients become embodied leaders without burning out or neglecting their bodies’ wisdom.  Connect with Courtney:https://mahaa.ca/Connect with Julie:https://drjuliebeaulac.com/Connect with Casey:https://letyourbodylead.com/Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As clinicians we often speak with our clients about the importance of boundaries but how often do we actually apply that same wisdom to our own self-care?  In this episode we speak with psychologist Kim Long about the incredibly important yet uncomfortable topic of boundaries.  Kim shares some of the common misconceptions about boundaries, some of the reasons why this is so hard for female clinicians, and how this might show up differently if we’re working in a public versus private setting.  We go on to explore the warning signs that might suggest we need to strengthen our boundaries and Kim shares her perspective about how resentment is actually envy in disguise.  Kim also explains why listening to our bodies is such an important step in identifying our boundaries.   Episode highlights:The common misconceptions about boundariesWhy setting boundaries is so hard for female cliniciansWarning signs that suggest we need to work on our boundariesWhy listening to our bodies is such an important step towards identifying our boundariesKim’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practicesKim Long has a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is a registered psychologist in Alberta.  In 2016 Kim opened Dochas (the Gaelic term for hope) Psychological Services.  Kim’s practice has grown over the years and now includes a team of professionals who work with clients to discover their strengths, identify what’s getting in their way, and help them find the life they want.  Kim and her team have also developed The Dochas Life Jacket App, a free app that provides self-regulation support: https://www.dochaspsych.com/lifejacket-app/Connect with Kim:https://www.dochaspsych.com/https://www.instagram.com/dochaspsych/https://www.facebook.com/DochasPsych/Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

As female mental health clinicians we receive multiple messages or “scripts” through our socialization as women and mental health clinicians about things like professionalism, productivity, caregiving and even what it means to be a “good therapist” and a “good woman.”  And the reality is, these messages come from systems that are based in a western, capitalist, patriarchal society.  In this episode we speak with Silvana Espinoza Lau about how these “scripts” and oppressive symptoms impact female mental health clinicians in general, as well as some of the unique impact these messages have on female clinicians with marginalized identities.    Episode highlights:How the “scripts” we receive about professionalism, productivity, serving others, and being a “good therapist” impact female cliniciansThe key topics missing from clinicians’ conversations with one anotherFactors contributing to the Imposter Syndrome and how it affects clinicians differentlyWhat clinicians can do to limit the negative impact of oppressive symptoms on their self-careWhy embodied connections are so importantSome of Silvana’s best non-conventional self-care practicesSilvana Espinoza Lau is an embodied liberation and decolonization consultant and coach for mental health professionals. Silvana coaches mental health professionals who want to incorporate decolonized, liberation focused and anti-oppressive values in their practices in an embodied way and consults with mental health agencies that want to center therapy seekers with minoritized identities.  Silvana is also an LMFT in private practice in the unceded Kalapuya territory (Oregon), and a clinical supervisor and consultant to both licensed and pre-licensed clinicians with a focus on anti-oppressive and decolonized practices.Connect with Silvana:https://seventhselfcounseling.comhttps://www.instagram.com/seventhselfcounseling/Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

In this long overdue episode, we, Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, discuss the factors that led us to start Intentional Therapist and begin hosting this podcast, Thrivival 101.  We also explain why we believe self-care is a four-letter word, share how we are redefining self-care, and how our 4 C’s framework - Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity - can help female clinicians (regardless of our work setting) put more of ourselves into our schedule and create a life from which we don’t need to escape.        Highlights:What led Melissa and Karen to start Intentional Therapist and Thrivival 101How self-care has become a four-letter word How we’re redefining self-care for female cliniciansThe 4 C’s framework:  Connection, Compassion, Courage, and CreativityHow getting “messy” is such an important part of self-careSome more of Melissa and Karen’s favourite nonconventional self-care practicesDr. Karen Dyck completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota.  She currently works in private practice in Oakbank, Manitoba and is also the Executive Director of the Manitoba Psychological Society.  Before shifting to private practice, Karen spent the bulk of her career working within the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology and was the founding chair of the Rural and Northern Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).    Dr. Melissa Tiessen completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at McGill University and currently works in private practice in Winnipeg, Manitoba, having recently moved from a group practice in Ottawa, Ontario.  Melissa has previously worked in the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology, within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program through the University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital Heart Institute, and has served as the Education Director for the CPA, overseeing the organization’s accreditation and continuing education activities.In 2019 Karen and Melissa co-founded Intentional Therapist, which we developed to help female mental health clinicians redefine our approach to self-care and start putting more of ourselves into our schedule. Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

In this episode we connect with Dr. Stephanie Grunewald, psychologist, coach, and entrepreneur, to learn more about her RESET model and how she helps her clients achieve a life and business aligned in purpose.  Stephanie shares some of the common traps impacting ambitious women and how her own experience of connecting with her values resulted in her making the very intentional decision against expanding her own counseling business.  She also explains her RESET model and how her work highlights the importance of community and nature.  We end the episode, as always, hearing about Stephanie’s “non-conventional” self-care practices.  Episode highlights:Common traps impacting ambitious women’s self-careHow connecting with her own values influenced Stephanie's decision to NOT grow her own businessHow she incorporates her RESET model into her workThe importance of community and nature Stephanie’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceStephanie Grunewald, PhD is a psychologist and holistic coach. After experiencing burnout while building her group counseling practice, she realized the toll of deprioritizing herself. Following the death of her mother, she felt a calling to incorporate lessons from nature to change the way women build their businesses. She expanded her work to coaching where she focuses on developing the whole person — working on the personal mindset and habits that unlock business growth. Dr. Grunewald offers mastermind groups and reset retreats to help women entrepreneurs prioritize their wellbeing to create intentional and sustainable success.   Connect with Stephanie:www.ancorio.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-grunewald-phd/Instagram: @stephanie_grunewaldFREE Guide to Break Free from Busy: Unlocking Success through Efficiency  https://ancorio.com/guides/break-free-from-busyConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

For those of you who are familiar with Intentional Therapist and the 4 C’s model of self-care you know our Connection pillar includes not only connecting with others but also connecting with our own values.  For many people, faith and spirituality are important values that we often don't talk enough about. In this episode we speak with Whitney Owens about the ways she incorporates faith into her practice.  Whitney talks with us about some of the common misconceptions about faith-based practice, some important considerations for running an ethical faith-based practice, and how connecting with her faith has been an important component of her own “soul-care.”    Highlights:Differences between incorporating faith into our business practices versus clinical practiceCommon misconceptions about faith-based practiceHow Whitney defines ethical faith-based practiceHow to ethically counter religious messages that negatively impact women’s’ self-careThe distinction between “tired” and “weary”Whitney’s favorite “self-care” and “soul-care” practicesWhitney Owens is a licensed professional counselor, group practice owner, and faith-based private practice consultant. She is located in Savannah, Georgia, where she manages a private pay group practice with 10 plus clinicians. Along with running her practice, she consults practice owners around the country on how to start and grow a successful faith-based practice. She hosts summits, a weekly podcast, and a membership community for faith-based practice owners called Wise Practice. She has spoken at numerous events such as both the Georgia and Maryland annual professional counselors conferences as well as trainings for Florida’s Counseling Association. In 2023 she will be speaking at Meet you in Kentucky, which is for group practice owners, as well as hosting her own summit in Savannah. In her free time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls, running, reading, and relaxing in the backyard.Connect with Whitney:[email protected]://www.whitneyowens.com/https://watersedgecounseling.com/Instagram: @WhitneyOwensConsulting FREE PDF on Tips for Marketing with Churches:https://www.whitneyowens.com/Free Facebook Membership Community for Faith-Based Practice Owners: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533909554128629 Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Supervision and consultation are important components of mental health clinicians’ training and professional development.  These activities can also play an important role in clinician wellness and self-care.  In this episode we speak with Shannon Heers, founder of Firelight Supervision, about the differences between consultation and supervision, how these activities contribute to clinician wellness and what we can do to get the most out of supervisory/consultation experiences.  Shannon also shares her perspective about what tends to get in the way of clinicians accessing these beneficial activities.  Highlights:Differences and similarities between supervision and consultationHow supervision and consultation contribute to clinician well-beingWhat clinicians can do to get the most out of their supervisory/consultation experienceReasons why clinicians don’t access supervision and consultationWhat clinicians can do to access supervision/consultation supportsShannon’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceShannon Heers is a therapist, approved clinical supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision.  Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision to counselors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as clinical consultation for post-licensure professional growth and development.  Shannon is also the owner of Catalyss Counseling, a private-pay group private practice located in Colorado.  Shannon is passionate about burnout prevention in the counseling field and ensuring that all therapists and supervisors get the clinical support they deserve.  Connect with Shannon:[email protected] https://firelightsupervision.com Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Remember that feeling you had as a kid, when your interests were held with such intensity and passion that they couldn’t help but bring you joy?  When was the last time you experienced - or allowed yourself to experience - that type of passionate interest in something?  In this special bonus episode we speak with author Tabitha Carvan about how Benedict Cumberbatch helped her do just that, and why it’s so hard, yet so important, for women to reclaim this part of themselves.  Although Tabitha may not be a mental health clinician by training, the insights she shares with us offer a very therapeutic and fresh perspective on the importance of connecting with joyful pursuits and how this is such a foundational part of our self-care.    Highlights:What brought Tabitha to write a book full of references to Benedict Cumberbatch but ultimately not actually about him at allWhy its so easy for us, as women, to get disconnected from our passionsWhy connecting with joyful pursuits can cause women to feel like there’s something “wrong”How embarrassment and shame get in the way of our passionsTabitha’s important take-home messageTabitha’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practiceTabitha Carvan is the author of This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch and a science writer for the Australian National University.  She lives in Canberra, Australia.  Connect with Tabitha:http://www.tabithacarvan.com/Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

Female mental health clinicians face many barriers to engaging in truly meaningful self-care practices, perhaps the most powerful of which are societal messages that encourage us to adopt a self-sacrificing way of being that focuses primarily on the needs of others.  In this episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Enid De Jesus, a Florida Licensed therapist and coach who’s made it her mission to help sensitive introverted women create lives that honor their own needs.  Enid shares how her own experiences of breaking free from unhelpful narratives and unapologetically honouring her own introverted needs led her to creating an authentic, energy protecting lifestyle.  Now if that isn’t self-care, we don’t know what is!  Enid also discusses the fears that showed up along the way, what she found helpful to overcome them, and how protecting her energy was an integral component of this process.Highlights:What is meant by the terms “introverted” and “highly sensitive” womenSome of the unhelpful narratives that were particularly impactful for EnidThe patterns/trends of energy draining activities for womenHow Enid managed the fears that showed up in her journey to live a more authentic lifeOne step listeners can take to develop a more authentic, energy protecting lifestyleEnid’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practicesEnid De Jesus is a Florida licensed therapist and introvert coach for sensitive women around the world. She’s figured out the secret to being a successful, sensitive, introverted woman — and loves to help other ambitious introverts do the same. As a highly sensitive person (HSP) and introvert herself, Enid knows the challenge of balancing authenticity with societal pressures. That is why she created The Radical Introvert coaching program designed specifically for sensitive introverted women who want to live life on their terms.Connect with Enid:https://eniddejesus.com - The Radical Introvert Coaching ProgramConnect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.  

When’s the last time you sat down to really reflect on your values?  In this busy world it’s so easy to go through life without really giving this much thought.  Yet, setting some time aside to do just that can help us truly create a life from which we don’t need to escape.  In this episode we speak with Lisa Mustard, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (and co-member of the PsychCraft Network), about a pivotal time in her career and how examining her values and priorities set her on a journey to becoming a Coach and podcast host of The Therapy Show.  Lisa speaks with us about how these side businesses align with her values and how the concepts of “grace” and “fail forward” have helped her remain compassionate towards herself and stay motivated even in the face of disappointment.    Highlights:The “wake-up” call that triggered Lisa’s revised self-care journeyLisa’s top values and how these shape her workThe importance of adopting “grace” and a “fail forward” attitude to move through challengesHow the concept of “courage” showed up in Lisa’s journeyHow creativity shows up for LisaOne step female clinicians can take today to start developing a work life that aligns with their valuesLisa’s best non-conventional self-care practiceLisa Mustard is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in South Carolina. She’s also a wife to Billy, mama to two daughters, puppy wrangler, lover of health, wellness, and fitness, and a personal development junkie.  When she turned 40 she decided to pivot her skill set and try some new things which has brought her to where she is today – a Podcaster and Coach.  Her podcast, The Therapy Show, provides therapists with a convenient way of accessing continuing education and professional development and her coaching sessions help her clients move forward in living their best lives.     Connect with Lisa:https://lisamustard.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lisamustardpodcaster/ https://www.facebook.com/thetherapyshowwithlisamustard Access a FREE CE hour by competing one of Lisa’s podcourses: https://www.lisamustard.com/podcoursesUse the code: intentional (before June 1, 2023)Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/  |  [email protected]  |   https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at:  https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistReady to upgrade your self-care?  Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits!  Because self-care is PART OF our jobs!  More info at:  https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study  Disclaimer:  This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice.  Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.