Therapy Chat | Psychotherapy | Mindfulness | Trauma | Attachment | Worthiness | Self Care | Parenting

  Welcome to Episode 49 of Therapy Chat! Today’s episode is #8 in the therapist practice building series. Host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews the amazing Melvin Varghese, PhD, who is a psychologist and host of Selling the Couch podcast. Melvin, whose podcast is one of the top 100 business podcasts according to the iTunes rankings, discusses how podcasting can help therapists grown their practices and help them scale their businesses away from simply trading time for money. Melvin shares statistics about how podcasting is growing, and gives concrete examples of the skills most therapists already have that make us naturals at podcasting. He describes specific ways that podcasting can be used to grow a therapist’s business. He shares some of his free resources and invites listeners to check out his Healthcasters course for health, wellness and fitness podcasters, whether their podcasts have already begun or they are just in the ideas phase. He shares the changes podcasting has made to his business and his incom

Welcome to Episode 48 of Therapy Chat! Today’s guest is Eric Greene, also known as “1 Awesome Dad”! Host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C and Eric discuss the random way they reconnected after growing up in the same community, even though neither of them lives there now. Eric talks about what he calls “peaceful parenting.” Eric explains the key to peaceful parenting, which is by definition non-violent – no hitting, spanking, smacking or popping, is to remain calm and connected with the child. Laura and Eric talk about some of the situations which can be challenging for parents and how to implement peaceful parenting when these issues come up. Eric describes how empathizing with your child and teaching them to express emotions can allow connection instead of disconnection when a child exhibits behavior that isn’t appropriate. Eric shares a painful experience which led him to commit to peaceful parenting when his son was born. He shares resources he recommends and how you can work with him for consultation. Enjoy!   Resour

In Episode 47 Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews clinical social worker and practice building coach Allison Puryear. Allison shares her journey from agency work to building a thriving private practices in the saturated market of Seattle, then starting over and building a practice in the saturated market of Asheville, NC. Allison describes the abundance mindset and how it differs from a scarcity mindset. She explains why this matters in practice building and why it’s okay to make a living as a therapist. If you want to work with Allison, check out her website or join her and two other practice coaches for “Brew Your Practice” in Asheville, NC in September 2016! Enjoy this interview with the very funny Allison Puryear!   As always, please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review and subscribe to Therapy Chat so you will receive the latest episodes as soon as they’re released!   Find Abundance Practice Building at: http://abundancepracticebuilding.com   Get the details for Brew Your Practice and

  Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C chatted with friend and colleague Deb Del Vecchio Scully, LPC, a trauma therapist in Connecticut who specializes in helping people affected by communal trauma. Deb has supported survivors of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 as well as the Newtown, Connecticut community affected by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Laura and Deb talk about this concept of communal trauma and how the trauma of a mass tragedy is shared among community members. Listen to Laura and Deb discussing how we often think we aren’t affected by trauma, when it actually is impacting us, and sometimes we don’t recognize the symptoms. Deb talks about what she does for self care to overcome the effects of trauma exposure through work and in life. Deb shares information about her new program addressing the foundational elements of wellness. Host Laura Reagan also shares the details of the new trauma therapist community she has created to help trauma therapists be well and continue

  Therapy Chat Podcast Show Notes Episode 46 – How To Be Assertive with Dr. Julie Hanks   In Episode 46 Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Julie Hanks, who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, private practice consultant and coach, author of two books – The Burnout Cure and The Assertiveness Guide for Women – as well as a performing musician and owner of a successful group psychotherapy practice in Utah. Julie talks about using social media and writing to expand her reach as a helping professional and discusses how women can learn to be more assertive. She talks about her latest book and explains some of the concepts discussed there, including how our attachment relates to our ability to ask for what we need. She shares a link where you can download a free chapter of her new book so you can check it out! Listen in for this interview with the amazing Dr. Julie Hanks!   Host Laura Reagan also shares the details of the new trauma therapist community she has created to help trauma therapists b

  Episode 45 – With Dr. Samantha Rodman, aka “Dr. Psych Mom”   In Episode 45 Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews a friend, colleague, author of two books and the very popular blog “Dr. Psych Mom,” Dr. Samantha Rodman. Samantha, a clinical psychologist in private practice outside of Annapolis, Maryland and the author of How to Talk to Kids About Your Divorce and the upcoming book 52 Emails to Transform Your Marriage (coming in November 2016), shares how she manages to find time to write in between caring for three young children and running her private practice. She explains that her blog and books offer an opportunity to reduce stigma about seeking help for mental health needs and help people feel less alone. She also shares how blogging helped her become an author of two books. Listen in for this interview with the irreverent Dr. Samantha Rodman!   Host Laura Reagan also shares the details of the new trauma therapist community she has created to help trauma therapists be well and continue the w

 In Episode 44 Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews a very inspiring person who has really been a pioneer in the field of trauma exposure. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is today’s guest on the podcast! You may have heard of her book, Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide To Caring for Self While Caring for Others, and her amazing TED Talk entitled, “Beyond the Cliff”. In this episode of Therapy Chat Laura describes what happened AFTER she realized the impact trauma work had in her life. Host Laura Reagan wanted to know what today’s guest did, exactly, to get through that dark time. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky shares what it was like for her during that process, and describes simple, inexpensive and effective techniques to overcome the effects of secondary traumatic stress which affect all of us who work as helpers and healers with survivors of trauma. Then Laura Reagan shares the details of the new trauma therapist community she has created to help trauma therapists be well and continue the work for yea

I've worked with survivors of trauma since 2002 and at various times I've felt alone in my thoughts and feelings about the experience of doing this work. We can't talk about what we see and hear day in and day out with the important non-professionals in our lives, like family, close friends and spouses. Even discussing our feelings about our work can be overwhelming for those loved ones, which contributes to the isolation we trauma therapists often feel. The effects of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue can sneak up on us and bleed into our daily lives, personally and professionally. I don't know a trauma therapist who is unaffected by trauma exposure, and I've learned to manage this in my own life through a lot of inner work. I want to help you develop ways to manage it in yours. We need you to keep sharing your light and doing your work for years to come. Join us! Curious? Keep reading!  Let go of the idea that you have to be a super hero! Consider this y

In Episode 43, the 5th in the therapist private practice building series, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C discusses the benefits of practice management systems with Brad Pliner, the founder and CEO of Therapy Notes. Brad explains how Therapy Notes and other similar practice management systems allow therapists to securely maintain clinical documentation along with recording payments received, balances owed, submit insurance claims, keep track of client appointments and therapist schedules, and more. Most importantly, Brad discusses the benefits to therapists and clients which come from using practice management systems. Any therapist considering starting a private practice needs to hear the information shared in this episode! For more information on Therapy Notes visit www.therapynotes.com and as always, please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review for Therapy Chat! Host Laura Reagan welcomes feedback from listeners via laura@laurareaganlcswc.com. Thanks for listening! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.co

In Episode 42 Therapy Chat host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C again interviews Keri Nola, who is a psychotherapist and coach for healers and the creator of the Messages From Shadow deck. Keri and Laura continue the conversation begun in Therapy Chat podcast Episodes 38 with Renee Beck and 40 with Lourdes Viado. Keri discusses the Shadow in more depth and discusses how she became acquainted with this concept. She and Laura discuss welcoming all the parts of ourselves and Keri offers a Messages from Shadow deck reading for listeners. To learn more about Keri Nola’s work, visit her website at www.kerinola.com and remember to visit iTunes to subscribe, leave an honest rating and review and download current and past episodes of Therapy Chat! Thanks for listening!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

They share that when someone is looking for a therapist, the process can be extremely overwhelming. Kelly and Miranda point out that therapist marketing efforts can, at times, make it worse for people who are trying to find the right therapist for their specific issues. They address the ethical concerns that many therapists have raised about niching and focusing on specific areas of psychotherapy. Kelly and Miranda talk about the culture of therapist education and how it affects therapist confidence. They reveal the most profitable niche for therapists, what a niche is, and the concept of ideal clients. They break down the process of writing to ideal clients on therapist websites, and talk about some of the barriers therapists find in putting what they know into words. Kelly and Miranda talk about how putting ourselves out there helps to reduce stigma about seeking mental health treatment, and how the media contributes to misconceptions about therapy. They explain that therapists who focus on working with the

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In episode 40, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews a fascinating guest. Lourdes Viado, PhD is a psychotherapist in private practice in Las Vegas who is also the host of a new podcast called Women In-Depth. Lourdes explains depth psychology and concepts of Jungian psychology such as the Shadow (if you find that interesting go back and listen to episode 39 too, with Renee Beck). She describes her works with clients in the "Middle Passage" who are feeling out of alignment with themselves. She shares some strategies she uses, including poetry, metaphor and dreamwork, which help her clients find their own way back to themselves while navigating this intense transition. After you listen to this episode be sure to visit Lourdes's website www.lourdesviado.com and check out her new podcast, Women In-Depth.  You'll also find information about working with her in therapy and all of her offerings and contact information. Thanks for listening to Therapy Chat and as always, yo

Welcome back! In Episode 39 of Therapy Chat Podcast, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Kat Love as the third installment in the practice building series. Kat Love is a website designer and founder of www.katlove.com. She specializes in helping therapists build websites with empathy and compassion. The focus is on speaking to clients in a way that expands our ability to be of service, whether by providing useful free information and resources on our websites, or by helping clients find us to begin therapy. Kat and Laura discuss some of the reasons that therapists may be hesitant to create websites, some of the mindset blocks that get in the way of creating a website that speaks to your clients, and overcoming these fears. You can find more of what Kat Love is doing at www.katlove.com and as always, please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review, subscribe to receive the latest episodes as soon as they are released, and you can also visit www.therapychat.com to download new and previous episodes. Enjoy! Ad

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In Episode 38 host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Oakland, CA psychotherapist Renee Beck, LMFT. Renee specializes in dreamwork, tarot and transpersonal psychotherapy. In this episode she explains the shadow that is in all of us - the unconscious parts of ourselves which are hidden from our awareness. She describes how she works with her clients using dreamwork and tarot as well as other creative methods to bring the shadow to conscious awareness. She is available for clinical supervision in California and offers consultation on dreamwork and tarot anywhere in the world. She can be found at www.reneebeckmft.com. Hope you enjoy this episode and please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review and subscribe for all the latest episodes as soon as they're released! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to the Practice Building Series on Therapy Chat! In Episode 37, the second episode in the practice building series, you will hear Laura Reagan's episode with Joe Sanok, who is a podcaster, counselor, business coach and successful entrepreneur. Joe shares tons of tips and techniques for building a practice which runs effectively, efficiently and highly productively. Joe also offers several freebies for listeners! You can find more about Joe by visiting his website, www.practiceofthepractice.com and listening to his Practice of the Practice podcast on iTunes. And don't forget to visit Therapy Chat on iTunes to subscribe and leave a rating and review! Let us know what you think of this practice building series!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to Episode 36 of Therapy Chat! In this episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews author and psychotherapist Tim Ambrose Desmond, LMFT. Tim is a student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn who wrote a book called Self Compassion in Psychotherapy: Mindfulness-Based Practices for Healing and Transformation. Laura and Tim discuss how he became interested in self compassion, how it has helped him, and how it can be used in psychotherapy. He explains concepts from the book. To learn more about Tim and try out his online course teaching self compassion, visit his website, http://www.timdesmond.net or visit  Morning Sun Mindfulness Center online at http://www.morningsuncommunity.org to learn more about his work. Thanks for listening to Therapy Chat, and as always, please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review and subscribe to receive the latest episodes!  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back! In Episode 35, the first episode of the Practice Building Series, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C speaks with counselor, coach and podcaster Colleen Mullen, PsyD, LMFT. Colleen is a psychologist and coach practicing in San Diego, CA and hosts a popular podcast called Coaching Through Chaos.  She is also the co-host of a new podcast she will talk about in this episode. With so much going on, Colleen understands that burnout is an occupational hazard for entrepreneurs. She offers some ways to identify when you are at risk for burnout, and some strategies to avoid entrepreneur burnout. You can find out more about what Colleen is doing by visiting her website, www.coachingthroughchaos.com. Listen in on this conversation for some key points therapists need to think about when considering going into private practice. Enjoy! And please visit iTunes to leave a rating and review for Therapy Chat, as well as subscribing and downloading episodes! You can also listen and download episodes at www.therapychatpodcas

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! If you’re a therapist, my guest today is someone who needs no introduction. Dr. Dan Siegel is my guest, and he explains the concept of interpersonal neurobiology, the nature of the mind, integration and “Mwe”. He shares his story of becoming interested in the brain and the mind beginning in college, and continuing through his medical school training. He explains his disappointment at discovering in medical school in the late 1980’s that there did not seem to be a science of the mind that psychiatry was using to inform mental health work. He wanted to understand both how the body functions and how our mental lives play a part in keeping us alive. He explains that interpersonal neurobiology is not a branch of neurobiology, but a framework combining many disciplines including the mental health fields of psychology, psychiatry, counseling, social work, as well as sociology, philosophy, quantum physics, math and others to answer the question “what is the mind?” He explains that he has

Welcome! Today we’re discussing Perfectionism, Worthiness, and Self-Compassion. I’m using a personal example from my own experience as the basis for our discussion. Join me! What you’ll hear in this episode: The “growth ceiling” can cause anxiety as we exceed our expectations. As an example of a “growth ceiling,” I never imagined having a thriving full-time practice where I love going to work and serving my clients, or having a podcast, or interviewing prominent guests. Brene’ Brown refers to this as “foreboding joy,” the dread that “good things just can’t happen for me.” The solution to these attitudes is to stay in the moment and to realize that no one is more worthy of good things than another. Kristin Neff identifies Three Elements of Self-Compassion: Self-Kindness Common Humanity Mindfulness Scarcity—What does it mean to operate from this focus? My personal example is when I was overjoyed to interview Dr. Dan Seigel for the podcast. Listen in to hear the disastrous story of my recording attempt! I no

Welcome! My guest for this episode is Dr. Andrea Brandt, a psychotherapist, speaker, and author who has much knowledge and experience to bring to the table. Her book, Mindful Anger: A Pathway to Emotional Freedom, explores revolutionary thinking on the topic of anger. Join us as we discuss mindful anger. What you’ll hear in this episode: Mindfulness and anger are not usually thought of as partners. Anger is almost always viewed as a negative emotion. “The Pleasure Principle” that humans live by teaches us to avoid anger. The goal? To get wisdom from your anger Anger helps us set boundaries, meet needs, and accomplish change. Andrea shares a personal example from her own family, where a passive-aggressive approach to anger stemmed from the murder of her grandfather by the Chicago mob in the 1920’s! Andrea later went through therapy and learned to get in touch with her feelings. She remembers being startled by the power of the energy in tandem with anger. “Anger is a very corrosive emotion if you don’t have th