The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
Episodes
August 4, 2025 • 40 mins
Mindfulness, EMDR, and Wearable Tech: An Interview with Dr. Steve Dansiger
Curt and Katie chat with Dr. Steve Dansiger about integrating mindfulness into EMDR, what therapists often get wrong about mindfulness, and how wearable technology might enhance trauma healing. Steve shares his journey from punk rock drummer to EMDR trainer to tech innovator—and how sound and vibration may support grounding, resourcing, and trauma reprocess...
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July 28, 2025 • 74 mins
Rethinking Oppositional Defiant Disorder—Children Reacting to the System Around Them
Curt and Katie chat about Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), reframing it as a response to systemic and environmental stressors rather than a characterological flaw in children. They explore diagnostic challenges, systemic bias, and treatment considerations that support children and families more holistically. This episode is designed to help th...
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How Virtual Clinical Supervision is Changing the Field: An Interview with Rachel Ledbetter, LMFT
Curt and Katie chat with Rachel Ledbetter, LMFT, CEO and Co-Founder of Motivo, about how virtual supervision is transforming therapist training and professional development. We explore how technology can remove barriers for prelicensed clinicians, improve the supervision experience, and create space for mentorship beyond administrative...
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Why It’s Hard for Therapists to Be Friends
Curt and Katie chat about why therapists often struggle with friendships—especially with non-therapists. They explore the impact of emotional labor, overidentifying as caretakers, and the challenges of setting boundaries and expressing needs in personal relationships.
Key Takeaways:
Therapists often default to caretaking in friendships, especially if they have a history of being ...
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July 10, 2025 • 54 mins
Special Episode: Modern Therapist's Consumer Guide on Relias
Curt and Katie talk with Candace Wallace, Chief Customer Officer at Relias, about how this tech-enabled platform supports therapist training, infrastructure, and regulatory compliance. Candace explains how Relias helps practices of all sizes reduce admin burdens, improve staff retention, and compete in a changing behavioral health landscape. This episode is part of our M...
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Title: How to Launch Therapy Intensives in Private Practice: An Interview with Steffeny Feld, LCSW
Description:Curt and Katie chat with Steffeny Feld, LCSW, Therapist and Creator of the Intensive Design Lab, about how therapists can bring therapy intensives into private practice. We explore how therapy intensives differ from traditional therapy, how to structure and prepare for intensives, clinical considerations for both clients ...
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June 30, 2025 • 35 mins
Curt’s Guide to Life: Real-World Advice for Therapists Navigating Their Careers
Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy chat about the practical and meaningful life lessons Curt has gathered throughout his career as a therapist, supervisor, and leader. From networking and curiosity to flexibility and reputation, this episode offers real-world advice for therapists trying to build sustainable careers.
Key Takeaways:
Network laterally w...
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How Therapists Can Responsibly Support Disaster Mental Health: An Interview with Dr. Shannon Goodhue, LCSW, PhD
Curt and Katie chat with Dr. Shannon Goodhue about how therapists can ethically support disaster-impacted communities. We explore how disaster mental health differs from traditional therapy, why most people don’t need long-term services, and how trained professionals can provide stabilization and support in both local an...
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How Therapists Can Support Community-Building in Immigrant and Marginalized Populations: An Interview with Adriana Rodriguez, LMFT
Curt and Katie chat with Adriana Rodriguez, LMFT, about how therapists can support clients from immigrant and marginalized communities in building and maintaining safe, affirming relationships. They explore cultural responsiveness, identity, risk appetite, and how therapists can expand their awareness...
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June 9, 2025 • 33 mins
The Business of Therapy: Surviving Economic and Industry Disruptions
Curt and Katie chat about how therapists can adapt to the changing business landscape of private practice, including fewer client inquiries, economic challenges, and increased competition. We share practical strategies for maintaining a sustainable therapy practice, improving marketing efforts, and building strong referral networks.
Transcripts and additional in...
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June 5, 2025 • 50 mins
Special Episode: Modern Therapist’s Consumer Guide on Buying Time, LLC
Curt and Katie talk with Bibi Goldstein, of Buying Time, who provides virtual assistant services for therapists. Bibi shares her journey from starting a personal assistant service in 2007 to evolving into a comprehensive VA company. She emphasizes the importance of delegating tasks, using systems like QuickBooks and scheduling software, and maintaining consiste...
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Understanding Sexual Trauma and Hookup Culture in Therapy with Gay Men: An Interview with Michael Pezzullo, LMFT
Curt and Katie chat with Michael Pezzullo, LMFT, about providing affirming and trauma-informed therapy for gay men. We explore common misconceptions therapists hold, the complexities of hookup culture, and how sexual trauma often shows up in subtle and misunderstood ways. We also look at how clinicians can better naviga...
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Therapy Insurance and Billing Trends for Private Practice in 2025: An Interview with Sanjana Sathya
Curt and Katie chat with Sanjana Sathya, co-founder of Thrizer, about the current landscape of mental health billing and insurance. Drawing from the 2025 State of Mental Health Insurance and Marketing report, Sanjana shares insights from hundreds of clinicians on reimbursement trends, hybrid practice models, and strategies for redu...
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May 19, 2025 • 47 mins
Navigating Incel Culture: Therapy Approaches for Manosphere Clients
Curt and Katie respond to all the discussions that popped up about the Netflix series Adolescence and its portrayal of a 13-year-old boy accused of murder. We chat about the complexities of working with clients labeled as "incels." We also explore the importance of understanding the impact of that label (especially when clients are not self-identified as “incels”)...
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Planning for Death or Incapacitation - What Therapists Need to Do: An interview with Dr. Robyn Miller, Ph.D.
Curt and Katie chat with Dr. Robyn Miller, Ph.D., of TheraClosure about professional wills and what therapists need to do to effectively plan for their own incapacity or death. She shares her experience stepping in as a practice executor for colleagues, the trauma that can result when therapists disappear without explanation...
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Interpersonal Branding - Therapist Marketing That Aligns With Who You Are: An interview with Carrie Wiita
Curt and Katie chat with Carrie Wiita about authenticity, first impressions, and why traditional business coaching doesn’t work for most therapists. Carrie critiques traditional business coaching models that rely on anecdotal “success stories” and mindset hype, and instead offers a relational, thoughtful, and research-informed ...
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April 30, 2025 • 49 mins
Special Episode: Modern Therapist’s Consumer Guide on JotPsych
Curt and Katie talk with Nate Peereboom, CEO and co-founder of JotPsych, an AI-powered scribe designed to automate therapy notes and save therapists 90–95% of their note-taking time. Jot Psych supports over 30 languages, integrates with many EHRs, and prioritizes security and privacy. In this conversation, we dive into how AI can support clinicians while protecting the ...
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April 28, 2025 • 69 mins
When Laws and Ethics Conflict: Civil Disobedience, Social Justice, and Our Role as Therapists
Curt and Katie chat about what happens when legal requirements clash with ethical responsibilities—and how therapists can stay grounded in their values while navigating complex decisions. When you find yourself in a situation where the law seems to contradict your ethics, or even violate your clients’ basic human rights, what do you do? In...
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Reproductive Mental Health, Intersectionality, and Systemic Barriers: An
interview with Dr. Loree Johnson
Curt and Katie chat with Dr. Loree Johnson about the intersections of reproductive mental health, race, and systemic injustice. Dr. Johnson shared powerful insights about the shame, grief, and medical trauma that many clients face, especially Black women and other folks from
historically marginalized communities. We dive into h...
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April 17, 2025 • 36 mins
What Therapists Need to Know to Support the Trans Community: An interview with
Artie Hartsell
Curt and Katie chat with Artie Hartsell from ACLU North Carolina about how current anti-trans policies are impacting the trans community. We explore the historical erasure of trans identities, the rise of anti-trans legislation, and the real-world impact on housing, medical care, and documentation. Artie also shares resources for legal aid...
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