1 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Hi, guys, and welcome back to Catch Talks, the bonus 2 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: episode of You Need Therapy, where I CAT answer questions 3 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: that you guys send in to me. And if you 4 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: have a question that you want me to attempt to answer, 5 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: you can send it to Catherine k A t h 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: r y n at You Need Therapy Podcast dot com 7 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: and maybe one day you'll be surprised in I'll answer 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: on here. If you don't already follow us on social media, 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: do that. You can follow the podcast at at You 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: Need Therapy Podcast. You can follow me on Instagram at 11 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: at cat dot de fata, and more recently, I have 12 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: dived dove diven't not right. I've dove into why can't 13 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: I figure that? It doesn't matter? What matters is I have? 14 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: I'm in just a different word. I have jumped into 15 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: the world of TikTok accidentally. So I was trying to 16 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: make a real for Instagram on for just for fun 17 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: on Friday, and I had to make it on TikTok 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: so I could like edit it. So I had to 19 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: post it to TikTok not thinking anything. And one I'm 20 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: saying that if you would like to, you can follow 21 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: me on TikTok and that my name is at cat 22 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: dot de fota, so it's the same thing. And this 23 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: kind of brings me into the first thing I kind 24 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 1: of wanted to talk about, which is my love hate 25 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: relationship with social media and the dark and scary place 26 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: that it can be and the light fun place that 27 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: it can be. So all that to say, follow me 28 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: on social media, and also we're going to talk about 29 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: it because more recently I've seen just because you know, 30 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: people are ruthless in comments, and I think that this 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: is something that I think we've all known as a 32 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: society that social media has been really awesome for so 33 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: many reasons, so many reasons. It's been able to help 34 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: give information out, it helps us connect to people. The 35 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: list goes on like it's a it's gonna be such 36 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: a great resource. And you know, I've always had my 37 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: things about, you know, giving too much information out and 38 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: being careful where you get your information from and all 39 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: of that, and that's been one of my things that 40 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: I've kind of been battling with all of the social 41 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: media stuff. And at the same time, it is an 42 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: opportunity for people to be really unkind as well. And 43 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: you know, I think that it is about time we 44 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: talked about it. Maybe we'll do a full episode on it. 45 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: But I just don't think that it's okay. You know. 46 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: It makes me think about when you're younger and like 47 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: the rulest if you don't have anything nice to say, 48 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: don't say anything at all. And I don't know when 49 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: we stopped using that rule, or maybe some of us 50 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: never just got taught that rule. And I don't want 51 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: this to be a rant of me, you know, venting 52 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: about a mean comment that I got, because honestly, not 53 00:02:57,639 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 1: even talking about myself, I just was like, oh wow, 54 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: people are ruthless. But I know so many people who 55 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: have experienced some of this and it's pretty upsetting. And 56 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 1: you know, bullying is something that we can we call 57 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: out in schools and we, I mean, as much as 58 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: we can. And I know I was bullied as a 59 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: kid in school, and I cannot imagine that kid who 60 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 1: was bullied in fifth grade in sixth grade if I 61 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: had Instagram back then, I cannot imagine how much harder 62 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 1: life would have been for me because I got to 63 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: go home and and I had a place where I 64 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 1: could get away from it. And now it's like we 65 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: can't get away from it unless we actually cut ourselves 66 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: off and we say, oh, we're not going to have 67 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: Instagram or this or that or this or that or whatever. 68 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: And I was having a conversation with a client recently. 69 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: We were talking about addiction and how to help with 70 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: the problem that we're facing now, this epidemic of addiction 71 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: in our society, and and I said, you know, it's 72 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: going to be really hard to help. We can do 73 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: little things, but the issue is we really need to 74 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: go bottom up instead of top down on this issue. 75 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: Like we're trying to help addicts find recover or people 76 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: who identify as addicts fine recovery, which is great, obviously 77 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: I love that, that's like my job, but I wish 78 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: there was more effort put into how do we almost 79 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: mitigate and put a barrier into that beautiful human feeling 80 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: like they need to move into a space of addiction 81 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: to feel okay, Like that's really where we should go. 82 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: And that's how I'm thinking about this bullying stuff. It's like, Okay, 83 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: we're asking the kids that are that are being bullied, 84 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: and they get punished twice, right, so they're being bullied, 85 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: and then they have to create all these barriers in 86 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 1: their lives in order to feel safe, when really it's like, 87 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: shouldn't we be working on the real issue, which is 88 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: why people feel like it's okay to be so cruel. 89 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 1: And you know what, I'm sitting here and I don't know. 90 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: I don't have a solution to this. And this is honestly, 91 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: this is probably one of the most unfiltered couch talcs 92 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: you'll ever get, because I didn't really plan much out, 93 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: but I just knew I want to talk about this, 94 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: and so really this is me sending a message out that, like, 95 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: there's something go on the web, and we need to 96 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: do something about it. And so maybe we do really 97 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: small things, right, So maybe we delete that mean comment 98 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: because nobody needs to see that, nobody needs to see 99 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: the main comment. Or I don't know, maybe we say, hey, 100 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: maybe that really hurt my feelings. So I guess what 101 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: I'm really saying is because social media is something that 102 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: so many people use, right, and and it's such a 103 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: great tool, and I want people to be able to 104 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: use it for fun and to have a tool. I 105 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: want us to do a better job of looking at 106 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: people with compassion and kindness, right, I want us to 107 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: do a better job of walking down the street and 108 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: remembering that we have no idea what that person is 109 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: going through, because when we throw a hateful comment or 110 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: an awful judgment towards somebody, we are not looking at 111 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: the whole picture of that person. We're not We're really 112 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: whittling them down into a very small idea of what 113 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,559 Speaker 1: we think is going on, and we usually have it wrong. 114 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: And so I say that to help us kind of 115 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: speak more kindness in general. And also there might be 116 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: people out there who you think are like killing it 117 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: and having the best day ever, when really they might 118 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 1: be having a really bad day. And so that even 119 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: I'm asking us all to smile a little bit more 120 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: at people, because there's so much opportunity for darkness in 121 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: our world right Like, even with COVID and everything, there's 122 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: so much opportunity for darkness in our world right now 123 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: that we could all use an extra smile, right We 124 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: can all use an extra like head nod as we're 125 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: walking by if we can't smile because we're wearing a mask, 126 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: because there is a lot of just pain that is 127 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: just floating around the air and the internet. So I 128 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: just wanted to put that out there, and if you're 129 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: somebody who's experienced bullying of any kind, my heart is 130 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: there for you. It really is. And again I'm saying 131 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: this as a human and maybe not a therapist. Right now, 132 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: I don't have the solution to this, but I did 133 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 1: want to mention that there's a problem, right and I 134 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: think that we know that, but we haven't talked about 135 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: it here. So maybe my commitment is doing a deeper 136 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,160 Speaker 1: episode on bullying and bullying on the internet and how 137 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: to be kind, Like maybe I should do a tutorial 138 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: on how to be kind. I never thought that we'd 139 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: ever need that. Surely we don't need that, but maybe 140 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: we want it. So you know, I'm gonna ask you, guys, Okay, 141 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: if you're listening to this, I want you to email me. 142 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: And if that sounds like too much work, I'll make 143 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: a deal with you. You can DM me, but I 144 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: might not see it because they usually go to my requests. 145 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: So if you want me to see it, email me. 146 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: Catherine at you need therapy podcast, And I want you 147 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: to tell me what is a little way that you 148 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: offer kindness and sprinkle joy into the world. What is 149 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: a little way that you've been doing that maybe your 150 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: whole life, but especially this past year, And what is 151 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: a little way that you can spread kindness and joy 152 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,679 Speaker 1: through the internet as well, because you know, through the pandemic, 153 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: we've had to rely more on the Internet and more 154 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: on social media and these platforms. So what are some 155 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: ways we can sprinkle some joy? I would love to 156 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: hear them, and then maybe we'll make a list and 157 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: I can read them either next week or maybe I'll 158 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: maybe I'll post them to my tick to talk. You know, 159 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: it'll be a group effort. I would love that. So 160 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: that wasn't a question, But that was the first question. Okay, 161 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: So the second question. I get this one a lot, 162 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: and I'm not going to answer it a lot. I've 163 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: kind of answered it one time, and so I'm gonna 164 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: do it again because I think I did it in 165 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: the very beginning of couch Talks. And I'm not going 166 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: to read the question because I get it so much. 167 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: It's essentially all I'm gonna summarize it into one thing. Basically, 168 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: people want to know, how did I decide that I 169 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: wanted to become a therapist, How did I become a therapist? 170 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: And then how did I build my practice? That's a 171 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: long story, and we're not going to make a long 172 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: story out of this, so I'm gonna give you the 173 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: condensed story. So I did not know that I wanted 174 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: to be a therapist when I went to undergrad. Anybody 175 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: who was in college, it's okay if you don't know 176 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 1: what you want to do with the rest of your life. 177 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: I did not know until really my end of my 178 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: junior year. Probably actually I think it was the beginning 179 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: of my senior year, Like I really didn't know. I 180 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: picked a major that I thought was interesting and fun, 181 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: had no idea what was going to do with it. 182 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: I took a class called Marriage and Family therapy, and 183 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, I think I might want to 184 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: do this. So I met with my advisor, I talked 185 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: with some people, I did an internship, and I decided, 186 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: I think this is something I want to do. At 187 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,559 Speaker 1: the same time, I was struggling with my own mental health, 188 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: but not really knowing that I was struggling with it, 189 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: And so that's all part of my story too. I 190 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: applied to some schools. I I originally was going to 191 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: go to school to be a marriage and family therapist. 192 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: That's what I really wanted to do, and I was enrolled. 193 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: I actually, this is a funny story. I was enrolled 194 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: at Virginia Tech. Their marriage and family therapy grad program 195 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: was I enrolled there. I was going to move. Their 196 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: campus was in Falls Church, Virginia. I was going to 197 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: move in with my grandma. Had my bags packed, and 198 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: like three days before I was supposed to move, I 199 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: got a phone call from Vanderbilt. Which I had applied 200 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: to Vanderbilt, but their grad program was human development and 201 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 1: mental health counseling, so it's different. It's a different kind 202 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: of license. So anyway, I wasn't going to go there 203 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: because I was like, I can't afford that. And so 204 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: I get this phone call three days before and it's 205 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: the one of the people that works at Vanderbilt, and 206 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: they said, Hey, we a grant and we have this 207 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: assistant ship. I know you said you couldn't afford our program. 208 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: Would love to offer you this assistant ship and it 209 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: will pay for a portion of your tuition and give 210 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: you a stipend every semester for three years, the whole 211 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: time I was in school. I remember getting that phone 212 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: call and I ran downstairs. I'm almost in the basement, 213 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: and I was like, mom, Mom, Vanderbilt just offered me 214 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: this thing, like what do I do. I'm supposed to move, Like, 215 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: I'm already packed, already have my classes picked out, I've 216 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: already have a job in Virginia. And she was like, 217 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: I don't know, and I was like, I don't know. 218 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: And obviously, eventually I was like, I've got to take 219 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: this opportunity because it also allowed me to stay in Nashville. 220 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: So long story short, in a week's time, I changed 221 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: my plan. I went to Vanderbilt, and I honestly think 222 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: that that was God because I was struggling back then 223 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: a lot with my eating disorder, in my own sense 224 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: of self, and I think I needed to be in 225 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: Nashville to find my healing. I really do. And I 226 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: don't really know that. I believe everything happens for a reason, 227 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,079 Speaker 1: but I do think things are create ripple effects, and 228 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: that was a ripple effect for my healing journey. So 229 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm so thankful. So I went to Vanderbilt. UM I 230 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: got my degree in Human Development Counseling, so my license 231 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: is LPC Licensed Professional Counselor, and so I went to 232 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: that program. I had an internship at a treatment center 233 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: where I got to work with all different kinds of populations. 234 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: It was amazing, and then they hired me. When I graduated, 235 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 1: they created a position so I could stay there, and 236 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: they hired me, and I became a primary therapist in 237 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: the eating disorder program. I also, during my time working 238 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: at that treatment center, transitioned and became an adventure therapist 239 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 1: for a little bit of time, which was the coolest 240 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: job ever. I was a group therapist for the adventure 241 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: program at this treatment center, where all these kinds of 242 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: experiential modalities and we did ropes courses, and we went hiking, 243 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: and we did I mean tons of stuff team abuilding 244 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 1: and all, I mean all this stuff that got to 245 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: We got to create experiences for people to add to 246 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 1: their experiens treatment and it was amazing and so much fun. Anyway, 247 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: long story long, I'm really making the story long. I 248 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: then eventually outgrew my time at the treatment center. And 249 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: anybody who works at a treatment center, you guys are 250 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: doing literally the lord's work because it's a hard job 251 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: to really really tough job, and there's a lot of pressure. 252 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: And anyway, I left and went out on my own 253 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: to start my own practice, and I did that and 254 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: I did that with the help of some mentors. And 255 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: I did that with some help from my friends and 256 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: family who helped me learn how to be very frugal. 257 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 1: And I mean, I didn't know anything about how to 258 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: start a business. So if I was going to honestly 259 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: give anybody advice on developing a private practice, don't do 260 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: it straight out of grad school. Or if you're going 261 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: to make sure you have a really awesome mentor above 262 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: you who can help guide you and teach you and 263 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 1: offer some trainings for you as well, and and and 264 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: some supervision of sorts, because this girl had not a 265 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: clue about anything. You can't start on your own because 266 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: you're not licensed. But I really would reck me thinking 267 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: about getting the most experience you can before you you 268 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: settle into a private practice setting, because there's a lot 269 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 1: of things that I think that I would be doing differently, 270 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: not in a good way if I didn't have that 271 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: experience at the treatment center. I really value it. If 272 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 1: you can't tell, Yeah, I started my practice and it 273 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: was small for a while, and I in August hired 274 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: somebody on to join the team, and it's continuing to 275 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: grow and it's done that through time like this, we're 276 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: in our fourth or fifth year, and it takes like 277 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: two years to grow a real full caseload really on 278 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: your own. Even in a city like Nashville worth therapies, 279 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: Like a lot of people go to therapy here. So 280 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: I would would offer you, guys, some patients and if 281 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: that's something you want to do that. I had another 282 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: job to help me for a while while I grew 283 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: my practice and and grew my caseloads. So I'll not 284 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: to say that's what I did. There's more details in it, obviously, 285 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: but that was the trajectory of my path to becoming 286 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: a therapist. I don't know if I'm going to be 287 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: doing this forever, you know. People ask me that too 288 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: all the time, of do you think that you will 289 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: be doing you know, individual counseling and individual therapy forever 290 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 1: and will you be working with eating disorders forever? And 291 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: I don't think that's a fair question to ask anybody. 292 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: I think right now, it's what I want to do, 293 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: you know, And I don't have to figure out what 294 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to do next year or the year after 295 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: or in fifteen years. Kind I'm gonna let life guide me, 296 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: just like it guided me to where I am now 297 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: and it's had ups and downs, but I'm not disappointed 298 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: so far. So yeah, if there's specific questions, send him 299 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: my way. But that, in a nutshell, is how we 300 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: started from the bottom, not knowing a clue about what 301 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: we wanted to do with our lives, and now we 302 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: are here still not knowing what we want to do 303 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: with our lives. I just know what I want to 304 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: do right now. Anyway, Guys, I hope you are having 305 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: the Wednesday you need to have or whatever date you're 306 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: listening to this on, and I will be back with 307 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 1: speaking of Oh my gosh, speaking of my internship on Monday. 308 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: Um spoiler alert. My first supervisor, I first supervisor when 309 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: I was an intern at the treatment center, is on 310 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: the podcast on Monday, and I'm telling you she if 311 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: if I didn't know her personally, she would be my therapist. 312 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: She's incredible. She's an incredible human and all the things. 313 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: But that's just funny that I just talked about this 314 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: and then she's going to be here on Monday, So 315 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: that's awesome. Have the day you need to have, Like 316 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: I said, send me in the ways that you sprinkled 317 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: kindness through the world. Catherine at you need therapy podcast 318 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: dot com, and I will talk to you soon.