Psyched to Practice

What happens when the symptoms fit… but the diagnosis doesn’t?

In this episode of Psyched to Practice, Paul Wagner and Ray Christner break down the messy reality of differential diagnosis and why so many mental health conditions can look nearly identical on the surface. From ADHD and anxiety to autism, depression, sleep problems, medical conditions, and substance use, they explore how clinicians can avoid jumping to con...

Why do so many therapists hesitate to use exposure therapy for PTSD, even when the research strongly supports it?

In this episode of the Psyched to Practice podcast, Ray sits down with Dr. Carmen McLean and Dr. Elizabeth Goetter to unpack the myths, fears, and misunderstandings surrounding Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE). Together, they explore why avoidance keeps PTSD symptoms alive, why many clinicians feel anxious delivering trau...

As the school year winds down, many students hit a wall. They’re tired, overwhelmed, and often feel like it doesn’t even matter anymore. Missing assignments pile up, motivation drops, and even high-achieving students start to question whether it’s worth the effort.

In this episode, Paul and Ray break down what’s really happening during this final stretch. They explore why students feel “over it,” ...

What if the problem isn’t that your clients don’t have the right tools—but that the tools don’t feel usable in real life? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jesse Finkelstein to unpack how DBT moves beyond worksheets and into everyday decision-making. We break down what DBT actually is, why it works across diagnoses, and how its core ideas—like holding two truths at once—can shift the way clin...

School refusal isn’t just about kids staying home. It shows up in subtle ways—frequent nurse visits, missed classes, late arrivals, and quiet disengagement that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a major problem.

In this episode, we break down what’s actually driving school refusal behavior and why a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Drawing from real clinical and school-based experience, we explore...

Social media isn’t going anywhere, but the way we’re handling it with kids and teens might be making things worse. In this episode, we sit down with Kelly McCullough, LCSW, to unpack what’s actually happening when kids spend hours on their phones. From sleep loss and anxiety to comparison and constant pressure to respond, we explore why this generation is struggling and why it’s not just a “self-contro...

Many clinicians leave graduate school with strong foundational skills but very little guidance on how to shape their professional path. Over time, therapists begin to notice patterns in their work—certain populations, problems, or clinical questions that keep showing up in the therapy room. The question is what to do with those patterns. In this episode, Paul Wagner and Ray Christner explore how clinicians develop areas of fo...

Most clinicians enter this field wanting to help everyone. But over time, we learn a hard truth: being willing isn’t the same as being the right fit. In this episode of the Psyched to Practice Podcast, Paul Wagner and Ray Christner unpack what “fit” really means in clinical work. They explore how scope of practice, availability, client preferences, professional development, and even our own life circumstances shap...

Most mental health professionals have felt it at some point but rarely say it out loud: the fear that they don’t really belong, that they’re one mistake away from being exposed as a fraud. In this episode of the Psyched to Practice Podcast, Paul Wagner and Ray Christner unpack imposter syndrome as it shows up in clinicians across all stages of their careers. They explore why imposter syndrome is more common in thoughtfu...

Hey everyone, quick heads up.

For the first time in our recording history, we ran into some technical issues, and the audio from a really solid conversation between Ray and Paul on imposter syndrome didn’t survive. We’re still holding out hope that an uncorrupted version turns up, and if it does, we’ll get it posted immediately. So keep an eye on the feed.

Because of that, we’re not able to release a full epis...

Adult ADHD is often misunderstood as a motivation problem or a lack of effort. In this episode, psychologist and researcher Dr. Laura Knouse joins Psyched to Practice to explain why that framing misses the mark—and how cognitive behavioral therapy can actually work for adults with ADHD when it’s done right.

We explore how ADHD shows up as a self-regulation challenge, why behavior change often has to come before thought w...

Social anxiety isn’t just about nerves in social situations, it slowly shrinks lives through avoidance, self-judgment, and fear of being seen. In this episode, Dr. Deb Dobson joins The Psyched to Practice Podcast to talk about what actually keeps social anxiety going, why reassurance and comfort can backfire, and how exposure really works in the real world. We explore subtle safety behaviors clinicians often miss, how avoidan...

Too often continuing education is expensive, rigid, or disconnected from real clinical work, until now. Our Bright Minds Subscription is officially live, and it’s built for how clinicians actually live and practice. This all-access membership gives you unlimited entry to a growing library of high-quality CE courses, live webinars, and expert-led trainings, all in one place. No waiting for scheduled dates. No pressure to finis...

In this episode, Paul and Ray sit down with psychologist Marie Hooper to break open one of the most misunderstood autism profiles: PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), or the pervasive drive for autonomy. Marie explains why these kids look oppositional on the surface but are actually responding to a nervous-system threat, why typical behavior plans often backfire, and how masking—especially among girls—keeps PDA hidden ...

In this episode, Paul and Ray take on gratitude in a way that cuts deeper than the usual holiday routine. Instead of listing three things you’re thankful for or posting something online that sounds good, they explore what it looks like to experience gratitude from the inside out. They break down the difference between goals and intentions, why slowing down matters, and how savoring small moments can turn gratitude into a stea...

This episode explores how naming and checking intention — the deeper “why” behind a goal — helps clients (especially those with ADHD and executive-function challenges) keep going when motivation fades. Paul explains how intention works with common tools (SMART goals, time blocking, task chunking) and gives concrete examples clinicians can use in-session to build lasting buy-in, turn shame into course-correct...

Every therapist can talk for days about difficult cases. But what about the cases that work? In this episode, Paul and Ray break down how success leaves clues — from therapist strengths to client readiness to the role of meaning and expert identity in change. You’ll learn how to reflect on what actually makes you effective, reshape your marketing to match your true impact, and confidently choose the right clinical fits ...

‼️Continuing Education Series‼️

This week on the Psyched to Practice podcast, Ray and Paul dive into a REMIXED three-part Practice in Action series: Beliefs, Blindspots, and Biases. Across these episodes, they explore the fascinating world of cognitive biases—how they shape our thoughts, influence behavior, and show up in the therapy room. From uncovering hidden blind spots to recognizing the role of bias in both our clients a...

Stop dreading your next CEU scramble—this episode of Psyched to Practice flips the script on continuing education for mental health professionals. Hosts Ray Christner and Paul Wagner dig deep into what it really means to grow as a clinician, sharing personal strategies to move from last-minute credit-chasing to a purposeful, energizing professional development plan. From the ethical imperative behind ongoing learning, to the ...