Conversations With A Wounded Healer

Disclaimer: No! Anne’s conversation isn’t with that Alex Jones. Instead, it’s with Alex Jones, the creator of Humans of Brighton And Hove, an Instagram account featuring candid street photos and stories of folks in the UK’s eclectic, beloved seaside village.  While Alex’s photography is stunning, the captions create a broader community of compassion. They’re real, raw glimpses into the subject’s world. And they reveal how kindred humans are despite the manufactured divisions of race, religion, or economic status.  GUEST BIO Alex Jones is a storyteller, interviewer, and documentary photographer dedicated to capturing the depth of human experiences through intimate conversations with strangers. His work is driven by a profound desire to bring people closer together through the transformative power of storytelling. Know the Numbers/Navigate the Feelings: Financial Literacy for Group Practice Owners Join Aggie Chydzinski and Sarah Buino for an engaging and interactive online workshop designed specifically for gro

If you’re one of the 43 million Americans currently living under the crushing weight of student loan debt, that’s by design, not personal failure. Under our late-stage capitalist system, the cost of a college degree has far outpaced the wages offered to pay for it.  Tiffany Konyen, a Doctoral Candidate in the Anthropology and Social Change department at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, wants to change how America thinks about financing education for its citizens. Their research offers insight into the impacts of student loan debt on material life conditions and processes of transformation within graduate education in the US.  GUEST BIO Tiffany Konyen (she/they) is a Doctoral Candidate in the Anthropology and Social Change Department at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. Their research offers insight into the impacts of student loan debt on material life conditions, as well as on processes of transformation within graduate education in the US. They

Independent bookshops are magical places. But building that mix of quiet corners and convivial community doesn’t come without a lot of sweat equity. Indie bookshops thrive because of the booksellers behind them, real live humans who concentrate on more than just commerce.  Carolynn Bain, founder, and owner of Afrori Books in Brighton, UK, is “that” indie bookseller, an award-winning entrepreneur whose meticulously curated titles and culturally focused events define what it means to be an indispensable neighborhood resource. Since opening in October 2021, Afrori Books has become a “haven for books by Black authors” in Brighton and one of the only Black-owned, Black-focused shops in the UK. GUEST BIO Carolynn Bain is an award-winning entrepreneur, recognized as British Bookseller of the Year 2023 and Brighton Businesswoman of the Year 2023. She founded Afrori Books, a groundbreaking shop specializing in works by Black authors. Passionate about diversity and representation, Carolynn also created Brighton’s Anti-

With the amount of time folks invest in their news feeds, social scrolls, podcasts, and hot-takes, you’d think we’d have a better grasp on “the whole picture.” But we only operate with a partial perspective regardless of the situation or issue. This universal truth pushes many of us toward the false comfort of binary thinking. Podcast host and Professor of Criminal Justice at Plymouth State University Dr. Mark Fischler says we don’t have to pick sides. He believes that if we can get comfortable holding multiple truths at once, even if we don’t understand them, we can solve society’s most distressing problems. GUEST BIO Mark Fischler is an award-winning professor of criminal justice at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. He is a former NH Public Defender. Mark also hosts a podcast on the Integral Life website called Integral Justice Warrior. Authentic Leaders Group  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumpi

If you like your woo-woo grounded in modern scientific understanding, this convo is for you!  Khaled ElSherbini, PhD, is the founder of Consciousness Academy (CA), the leading IEA-accredited Enneagram school located on the Sinai Peninsula, which is, coincidentally, a place that three of the world’s major religions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) believe holds spiritual significance.  CA quickly became a destination for seeking a deeper understanding of and connection to oneself. Students appreciate Khaled’s thoroughly modern scientific background and his ability to translate ancestral esoteric theories for contemporary living. He relies on the Enneagram, an ancient personality typing tool, to help students gain self-awareness and insight into their motivations and behaviors.  GUEST BIO Dr. Khaled ElSherbini is a transpersonal psychologist and former aerospace scientist. He is the visionary founder of The Consciousness Academy and Enneagram Egypt and also serves as a faculty member at Meridian University. D

After 18 episodes featuring conversations with burnt-out (and not burnt-out) practice owners and some of their employees, I’ve got survey responses that prove we can band together to form the practices we desperately want to participate in. But, owners, we gotta have a chat… Employees feel underpaid, undervalued, and undersupported, while a lot of practice owners feel underappreciated and overwhelmed. The data also emphasized chasms in our understanding of daily practice life––caseloads and onboarding, supervision and power differentials, profit distribution, and benefits packages. I can now recognize that I caused my staff a lot of harm as I tried to figure out how to run the business. You, dear practice owner, don’t have to make those same mistakes. Get on the waitlist for Group Practice (R)evolution! Download a copy of the survey data slide deck from this episode at Gumroad! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.   SUPPORT THE SHOW Conversations With a Wounded Healer Merch Join our Patreon for

There’s a universal truth that goes something like this: To get where we’re going, it’s a good idea to examine where we’ve been. I’ll add that it’s also in our best interest to chat up the elders. Charlotte Sills, MA, MSc, is a psychotherapist in private practice in the UK and also an elder with intelligence and foresight to spare, literal textbooks worth of knowledge, as her conversation with co-host Anne Remy demonstrates. Charlotte and Anne occupy opposite ends of the age spectrum. Still, they’re committed to learning from each other and working together to realize dreams for our profession (less racism, more connection) and humanity (less hurt, more healing). GUEST BIO Charlotte Sills (she/her) is a psychotherapist, coach, supervisor, and trainer in private practice in London UK, and on the teaching faculty of Metanoia Institute and Ashridge Hult Business School, UK. She is also Professor of Coaching at Ashridge and on the Steering Committee of the International Association of Relational Transactional Ana

All good things must end, including this special series. But not before my chat with the delightfully analog David Clinton, a dear friend and former practice owner.  After exiting his group practice just as the pandemic hit, David found his happy ending (or beginning) as a solo therapist with a limited online presence. His 20+ year career reminds us that we can contribute good things to this field by cultivating stubborn hope and an embodied way of being no matter which professional space we inhabit.  GUEST BIO David Clinton (he/him) is a licensed counselor who has worked in private practice for over 20 years in the western suburbs outside of Chicago. During that time he has served as a clinician, supervisor, and group practice owner. Authentic Leaders Group  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggles? Our Authentic Leadership Group is here to help you become the authentic and wholehearte

As therapists, we’re famous for not doing our own work, so, of course, we shy away from acknowledging that we hold any power at all. Worse, we conflate power and cruelty, an assumption that keeps us mired in fear and inaction. But now that we’ve identified the issue, we can transform it.  Dr. Amanda Aguilera is one of my favorite facilitators for this kind of work. She’s the executive director of The Right Use Of Power Institute (RUPI), a global non-profit that helps people utilize their power with “awareness, wisdom, compassion, and skill.” I've been training with RUPI for a couple of months now and I’m thrilled to report that the entire organization is aligned with the vision set forth by its founder, Dr. Cedar Barstow, to inspire and support anyone who wants to use their power in the most ethical way possible. GUEST BIO Dr. Amanda Aguilera (she/her/ella) is a consultant and facilitator in the area of power-and-equity consciousness and conflict resolution. Driven by her core values of curiosity, courage, an

Hey, white practice owners! The secret to building a business that embodies the principles of equity, inclusivity, and anti-racism is… Actually, I’ll let my guests do the honors. Gabi Granoff, PsyD., is the co-owner of Solway Psychology, a racially diverse practice in Chicago. Evelyn Williams, LSW, is a clinician and intake manager at the practice. They personify what’s possible when everyone takes responsibility for strengthening their side of the owner-employee relationship. GUEST BIO Gabi Granoff, PsyD., (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist and the co-owner of Solway Psychology, a group private practice in Chicago. At Solway, Gabi serves as the Clinical Director and feels honored to support other therapists to connect to their most authentic selves. Her own clinical work is focused on complex trauma with psychodynamic, relational, feminist, multicultural and somatic lenses. Evelyn Williams, LSW, (she/her) completed her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana

Confession time: I harbor biases against folks who call themselves coaches. The profession is completely unregulated, and many (most?) coaches lack the education necessary to help clients navigate change. Anne’s conversation with longtime friend and, ahem, executive and team coach Whitney Capps challenged my prejudices as much as it corroborated my rationale for remaining skeptical. GUEST BIO Whitney Capps (she/her) is on a mission for transformation! Learning is best when it's experiential, community-based, personal, and fun. She has been facilitating, training, coaching, hosting development programming for humans for over ten years. Currently, Whitney is sharing her gifts and sharpening her practice with emerging leaders and teams via her own LLC Rootworks and with a number of other coaching/development organizations. Authentic Leaders Group  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggles?

I live for the day when mental health providers can accept houseplants as payment for services rendered. Until then, money remains both the glue and the wedge of any practice owner/employee relationship.  Thankfully, Casey Gromer, founder of C-Suite Boutique, can help us all navigate the sticky financial realities of small business life and feel more empowered regarding “the money stuff.”  GUEST BIO Casey Gromer, the founder of C-Suite Boutique and host of the Female Founders Breaking Boundaries podcast, specializes in helping visionary practice owners create profit by implementing leadership and accountability systems. She offers valuable insights on topics like effective delegation of ownership, performance accountability, and creating leadership structure. Authentic Leaders Group  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggles? Our Authentic Leadership Group is here to help you become the

Finally! A catch-up with Rayell Grayson, LCPC CADC, owner and president of Head/Heart Therapy, the practice I built, owned for a decade, and sold last year. Tea is spilled, fears are expressed, and love is freely shared.  Our convo demonstrates the myriad ways owners can show up––for ourselves, our employees, and the leaders who will one day succeed us, especially if that future owner holds multiple intersectional identities. GUEST BIO Rayell Grayson, LCPC CADC, (she/her/hers) is a therapist, a mentor, and the owner of Head Heart Therapy. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified addictions counselor, holding a Master's of Arts degree in clinical counseling psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. AUTHENTIC LEADERS GROUP  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggles? Our Authentic Leadership Group is here to help you become the authentic and whole

Part II of my conversation with Trace Bell shall forever more be referred to as “The One Where We Dig Into Spiral Dynamics”. If you're new to SD, it helps to think of it as a modern language that expands our understanding of the stages of evolutionary development in individuals, organizations, or whole societies.  Still confused? Don't be. SD is simply another tool that therapists can reference, easily coexisting alongside Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Erickson's stages of development, or any other preferred model. GUEST BIO Trace Bell is an integration guide, transformational coach, and cultivator of emergence. He is passionate about the intersection of consciousness and systems change and co-founded a non-profit called Holon Institute that is dedicated to helping people heal the separation from themselves, each other and nature. AUTHENTIC LEADERS GROUP  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new s

The context of this rare two-part conversation is Spiral Dynamics (SD), a model that gauges the evolutionary development of individuals, societies, cultures, and organizations. Shepherding us through the details of this model is Trace Bell, an integration guide and transformational coach. Part I of our chat delves into Trace's background and the childhood forces that shaped his adult perspective. It's an origins story that includes the poli-sci track at UCLA,  megachurches, and an influential pastor father. GUEST BIO Trace Bell is an integration guide, transformational coach, and cultivator of emergence. He is passionate about the intersection of consciousness and systems change and co-founded a non-profit called Holon Institute that is dedicated to helping people heal the separation from themselves, each other and nature. AUTHENTIC LEADERS GROUP  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggle

Liberation is a two-way street, dear practice owner. Making an innovative, enlightened leap forward means going up against old ways of doing things.  Unsustainable management practices! Limiting mindsets! Antiquated business models! To say nothing of capitalism, racism, or the patriarchy. Jessica Eubanks Chavira, LCSW-S, wanted to liberate herself and her community. Once she articulated that desire, Jessica divorced herself from white supremacy culture and created Purple Couch Counseling, a sacred space cultivated specifically for Black womxn healing.  GUEST BIO Jessica Eubanks-Chavira, LCSW-S, is the owner and founder of Purple Couch Therapy. She is a mother, wife, goofy, human, imperfect, rooted, system disrupter, norm shifter, and grief warrior. Jess uses a historical, intergenerational, institutional, and interpersonal lens when working with people. Basically, we know it’s not all on you; there are many factors that play into our mental health… and you’re doing your best to thrive despite everything. AUTH

I know from burnout, that combination of bone-deep mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion that manifests in feelings of overwhelm, joylessness, and desperation. Sadly, you probably do, too. Anne's unexpectedly musical convo with author and choir director Amelia Nagoski, DMA, is the burnout primer we all need: the science behind it, the antidote for it, and why women experience it differently than men. Because, of course, we do. Amelia shares the good/bad news from her book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, which she co-wrote alongside her twin sister Emily Nagoski, PhD. GUEST BIO Amelia Nagoski, D.M.A., was an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music at Western New England University. She co-authored the New York Times bestseller Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle with her sister Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. Amelia's work involves helping singers connect with their internal experiences through dynamic techniques. She lives in New England with her husband, one cat, and two rescu

Welcome to the reckoning––mine, not yours. I made dozens (hundreds?) of mistakes as a practice owner, and while I can’t take any of them back, this series is a way of paying my accountability forward.  Jenna Alfaro, LCSW, CADC, is here to hold me to that promise. She’s a former employee of mine and, while our professional association didn’t end Bravo-Reunion-Special bad, its demise does confirm my blindspots (onboarding, task delegation). It also illustrates where Jenna might have claimed more agency. GUEST BIO Jenna Alfaro, LCSW, CADC, specializes in trauma, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Jenna is passionate about shifting the pulse of mental health care to a holistic model of wellness.  AUTHENTIC LEADERS GROUP  Are you a therapist stepping into leadership for the first time?  Or maybe you've been in a leadership position for a while, but are bumping up against new struggles? Our Authentic Leadership Group is here to help you become the authentic and wholehearted leader you aspire to be. And we be

TLDR: Elder wisdom is essential to our revolution. That’s it, that’s the episode. But my guest deserves the elaboration and accolades of a full summary––as do many of the folks who came before us in work and life. Harry J. Aponte, Ph.D., is a legend for many reasons. However, this OG coalition-builder and advocate for culturally informed care is probably best known in professional psychology circles for developing The Person of the Therapist Training Model, which has become a cornerstone of his professional philosophy. I’m honored to share Harry’s fascinating origin story and anecdotes from his amazing career with y'all.  GUEST BIO Harry J. Aponte, Ph.D., was born in the United States to Puerto Rican parents, he earned his Master's in Social Work from Fordham University in 1959. His career took a significant turn when he began working with Sal Minuchin at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, eventually becoming the Clinic's Director. He has delivered lectures across Europe, South America, Korea, and throug

I am the mother of many things: plant babies, doggos, and multiple podcasts. I’ve also birthed several businesses and quite a few artistic endeavors. But I’m not mama to any little humans. So, when Rachael Sytsma-Ramos, Psy.D, suggested an episode focusing on the dynamics of practice ownership and parenting, I was instantly intrigued.  Rachael is mama to two children under five (!!), the founder of Relational Psychology Group, where she also manages a full caseload of 22-24 clients per week beyond typical ownership duties like marketing, bill paying, and supervising.  GUEST BIO Rachael Sytsma-Ramos (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist in the Chicagoland area and mom of 2. Her primary clinical specialties are working with queer and transgender/gender-diverse clients, polyamorous/ethical non-monogamy relationships, and neurodivergent clients. Sprinkle in women's issues, intimate partner violence, and sexual abuse survivors and that's her typical clientele. She practices from a feminist-relational lens and is he