Lessons in Licensure: Dr. TwoSisters on Psychology, Regulation, and Professional Protection

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, hosts Cimone Murphree and MJ Hooper sit down with Dr. TwoSisters, a licensed psychologist, to discuss her journey as a license holder and her experience working with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). Dr. TwoSisters shares the pivotal moments that led her to psychology, her unexpected first major interaction with her regulatory agency, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.

From the anxiety of receiving a regulatory notice to the importance of professional liability insurance, this conversation sheds light on the realities of being a licensed professional. Dr. TwoSisters offers candid advice for fellow license holders on how to stay prepared, respond effectively to agency communications, and find the right legal support when needed.

Tune in to gain insights into the professional licensing process, the role of regulatory agencies, and why every license holder should take their responsibilities—and protections—seriously.

______________________________

Dr. Blythe TwoSisters is a licensed psychologist, who is often recognized as the "funky house call therapist". She prides herself in seeing her patients for who they are today and creating a safe, non-judgmental space where they can develop tools to become the person they have always dreamed of being. Earning her doctorate in clinical psychology in 2012, Dr. TwoSisters is also a certified Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder Specialist, a certified Brainspotting therapist and has completed training in transgender/queer/non-binary identities to help support families of transitioning individuals. You can learn more about Dr. TwoSisters and the impactful work she does here: https://tabularasapsychology.com/dr-blythe-twosisters/ 

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This podcast is for educational purposes only, does
not constitute legal advice anddoes not create an
attorney-client relationship.
If you need legal assistanceabout a legal problem, contact
an attorney.
Welcome to Know your Regulator.
The podcast that inspires youto engage.
I am Simone Murphy, your hostand co-hosting with me today is

(00:23):
the lovely MJ Hooper.
Hey MJ, hey MJ.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hey Simone, thanks for having me on today.
We have an awesome episodelined up for our viewers.
Today we have a very specialguest who is a licensed
psychologist, dr Two Sisters.
She's here to share herexperience working with BHEC.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yes, and that is also sometimes referred to as the
Texas Behavioral HealthExecutive Council.
We just refer to it as BHEC.
Sometimes that's a long agencyname to say.
But before we dive in, I dowant to remind our listeners
that this conversation is justfor general informational and

(01:05):
educational purposes.
We're going to focus on thebroader insights rather than
case-specific details.
So, with that being said, let'sget started.
Dr Two Sisters, thank you forbeing here with us.
To start, could you tell ourlisteners a little bit about
your background and what led youinto the field of psychology?

Speaker 3 (01:26):
That is a big question.
Well, I wanted to be an artistand I was in I guess it was
undergrad, and I was in asilkscreen class and I heard
someone talking about my arttherapist said and it was like a
record scratched.
I was like what did you justsay?
Ran over there, didn't evertalk to this kid who's using her

(01:50):
silkscreen, and I was like tellme more about that.
I had been in therapy since Iwas 18 years old and I guess at
that point it took me 10 yearsto get my undergrad.
So it was pretty close to, youknow, eight years in and I just
was like, okay.
So then I called some arttherapists and they said do not
get a master's, go all the way,get your doctorate.

(02:10):
Because they felt like theywere glorified social workers.
Not that social worker is bad,but you know, 20 years ago it's
not what I think that they hadsigned up for as an art
therapist.
So then here I end up being aclinical psychologist, mostly
working with people who arereproducing or menopausal.
So then here I end up being aclinical psychologist, mostly
working with people who arereproducing or menopausal, so
didn't even hit the art therapyworld, but I'm still an artist.

(02:31):
I still identify as an artistand a fully licensed clinical
psychologist.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Well, it's definitely clear that you're passionate
about making a difference in thelives of others, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Well, let's talk about your first experience with
BHEC.
Aside from receiving yourlicense, which I'm sure is
everyone's first interactionwith them, can you share what
you know subsequent interactionwith your agency was like, and
how did they contact you?

Speaker 3 (03:00):
Yeah, I hadn't really done much with them except for
my licensure, and would go totheir meetings.
You know they have thesemonthly and quarterly meetings
because I was trying to, youknow, stay on top of things and
I got a huge packet in the mailand I was like this is not
normal.
Usually it's an envelope sayingyou know, we're auditing your

(03:20):
CEUs, because that happens allthe time, because my last name
is Two Sisters.
But it was a huge, fat envelopeand my heart just it just
dropped.
I was like, oh my God, what isthis?

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Well, I'm glad you brought that up, dr Two Sisters,
because we always like toremind our listeners and our
viewers that it's imperative topay attention to your mail, make
sure your agency has thecorrect mailing address on file,
because this is how most of theagencies will reach out to
their license holders.

(03:54):
So I appreciate you sharingthat.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah, I got nothing except for this giant thing in
the mail.
So had I not had my accurateaddress, I would have you know I
don't know what they would havedone.
I guess they would have beenknocking.
I would have you know.
I don't know what they wouldhave done.
I guess they would have beenknocking on the door saying
hello.
But I never communicated withthem outside of that giant
envelope.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Interesting.
Do you recall any resources orany guidance that effectively
helped you navigate?

Speaker 3 (04:22):
My liability insurance.
The best tip that I was evergiven was with my partner in
crime during our internship.
We had just graduated.
So I'm looking at liabilityplans and I'd always had my own
in grad school because I didn'ttrust my grad school valid.
And she was just like, makesure you get the representation
part of your liability plan.

(04:43):
And I was like what?
And she goes, yeah, they'll doboard defense or any time that
you know.
If you're sued, they'll helppay for the lawyer.
And I was like, yeah, I don'tknow how much that is.
That can't be, and it's notthat much.
And so that was the best adviceI ever had.
And then so I contacted theliability insurance probably
told them too much in hindsight,because this is the first time

(05:05):
I've ever had this happen andthey're like, oh, here's a
couple attorneys you know youshould seek them out or whatever
.
And the list that they gave mewas you guys weren't on it and
clearly I ended up with you guys, so there's's a reason for that
.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
It is a really big.
Our last podcast episode wasactually geared towards
professional liability insuranceand it is so important for
license holders to just knowthat that's an option, because
obviously no one foreseesthemselves, you know, kind of
getting into a regulatorycomplaint or regulatory
investigation process.

(05:39):
But it can be so that help canbe so impactful throughout the
process that I'm glad that youknow you were aware of it and
can share that knowledge withother license holders too.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, this was expensive, right, Like you have
to find money for an attorney.
Whether it's a valid complaintor invalid, it doesn't matter,
we have to respond.
And knowing that the liabilityinsurance would help offset some
of the fees was just a great,you know comfort, because this
whole thing was terrible, right.
So having that, knowing thatI'm not going to have to go out

(06:15):
here and get a loan or you know,it was just really comforting
to know that I had financialsupport and representation
support.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
Well, it sounds like there were some really valuable
lessons that were learned alongthe way.
In reflecting on yourexperience, Dr Two Sisters, what
advice would you have for otherprofessionals in your industry
who need to interact with BHEC?

Speaker 3 (06:38):
I mean don't fart around.

Speaker 1 (06:40):
Get on it right away obviously.

Speaker 3 (06:42):
That's something my mom would say, right, like,
respond immediately.
It is our responsibility, whenwe have a license, to respond to
the agency that is issuing thelicense, and it's very clear to
me that they are there for thepublic.
They are not there for us.
And so find someone who isthere for you, which was y'all,

(07:04):
and to just kind of provide somecomfort and so like, don't mess
around, respond immediately,have your address up to date,
obviously, and then breathe,right, so even if it's a valid
complaint or unvalid whatever,take a moment and breathe.
Because I just remember, likeeverything left my body seeing

(07:26):
that and opening it up, and Iwas like, right, and so just
take a moment and breathe andthen find someone that matches
what you believe.
Right, so, like when you're,when I'm talking to MJ, I know
that MJ has my back and so likeyou need to feel that with your
attorney because you needsomeone to help interface

(07:47):
between you and the agency.
So I never had to talk to theagency people.
I didn't talk to theirattorneys, they talked to my
attorney, which is great,because I didn't want to get on
there, cause I can talk a lot,I'm a therapist and I can say
some crazy stuff, and I'm a punkrock therapist, right.
So it's like I don't need to betalking to them.
I just need to send them mypaperwork and be on my job, do

(08:08):
my CEUs and be honest, but Idon't need to talk to them.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
Well, thank you for that and I love that.
I think that's awesome advice,dr Two Sisters.
Well, thank you for that and Ilove that.
I think that's awesome advice,dr Two Sisters.
So, with this experience, howwould you say it's changed your
perspective on your professionand or your responsibility as a
license holder?

Speaker 3 (08:29):
I mean, it's real clear how caged psychologists
are.
I don't know about LPCs andLCSWs because that's not my role
, that's not my license, butwhen I go to the medical doctor,
I'm walking out and I see thislittle sign saying give us a
Google review.
We're not allowed to do that.
So if you look up anythingabout us, we're not able to ask

(08:52):
people to give us testimonials,anything about us.
We're not able to ask people togive us testimonials.
You know, tell how great of ajob that you've, you know, done
working with us.
We're not allowed to do that.
So what's out there is very Idon't know, it's one-sided or
it's just really difficult tokind of live in a cage and know
that.
When I was in grad school theytalked a little bit about, you

(09:13):
know, professionalism and thereare some rules and regulations.
But then you get out in the realworld and you're like, wow, you
know I walk into Target and ifthere's a whole family right
there that I know, it's my jobto leave if they look
uncomfortable, like I am nolonger the boss of my life, and
so I just don't think that thatwas as real as it was until

(09:34):
after I had my license.
So it's a very bigresponsibility to be a therapist
, it's a very big responsibilityto be a psychologist and then,
after having just going throughthis battle for like nine months
, I was like yep, and I'm prettytight.
I am very private.
You know, like what's out thereis out there because I want it
to be out there, but outside ofthat, like I'm a pretty private

(09:56):
person and so I just can'timagine if someone doesn't know
that I hope that they know thatthey are going to be very caged
and it's worth it.
It's worth it for me to do thework that I'm doing with my
patients and the people I careabout, but it comes at a high
cost, wow.

Speaker 1 (10:13):
Yeah, it sounds like it.
I mean I can imagine that wouldbe.
You are.
You know I'm an incredibletherapist, but you can't tell
everyone.
You're an incredible therapistand I've helped so many people.
I could try and help you, but Ican't tell you that.
Now, I can imagine that can bekind of frustrating and, like
you said, if you're, you know,fresh out of school and you're
trying to establish yourself orestablish your own practice,

(10:34):
you've got to be really, reallycareful about maintaining that
compliance as a license holder,for sure.
Yeah Well, thank you again, drTwo Sisters, for joining us, and
you know this is a reallypowerful reminder of
understanding and working withyour regulatory agencies.

Speaker 3 (10:53):
It's important, it's important to you know, have that
agency.
I'm not scared of them, I justwe, we have parallel experiences
, right, they have a job and Ihave a job and my job is to
follow the rules and their jobis to create rules to protect
the public Right.
And so, like I'm not scared ofthem but I have a healthy
respect for them and I hope theyhave a healthy respect for me

(11:15):
too.

Speaker 1 (11:16):
Them and I hope they have a healthy respect for me
too, but this is how the worldworks, right?
Yeah, that's such a great.
I love how you laid that out.
I think every license holdershould hear that it's parallel
You're doing your job, they'redoing their job.
Obviously they're intertwined,but they have different goals

(11:36):
and it's about kind of findingthat delicate balance of working
together in parallel,absolutely.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
So, ladies, it was great chatting with you today
and I definitely appreciate yourtime, dr Two Sisters, but
before we let our viewers andlisteners go, I wanted to remind
everyone to please be sure tosubscribe to the Know your
Regulator for more stories andinsights that are similar to
this.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
Yes, yes, and until next time, stay inspired and
keep engaging with yourregulatory agency.
Thanks, guys, thank you forhaving me, thank you Know your
Regulator.
The podcast that inspires youto engage.