1 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly 2 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small 3 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: decisions we can make to become the best possible versions 4 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: of ourselves. I'm your host, doctor Joy hard and Bradford, 5 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or 6 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: to find a therapist in your area, visit our website 7 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,639 Speaker 1: love listening to and learning from the podcast, it is 9 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with 10 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: a licensed mental health professional. Hey, y'all, thanks so much 11 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: for joining me for session three sixty eight of the 12 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 1: Therapy for Black Girls Podcast. We'll get right into our 13 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: conversation after a word from our sponsors. Why do friendship 14 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: breakups sometimes hurt more than romantic ones? How do I 15 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: make friends in a new city? Is it true that 16 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: women can't actually be good friends to one another? I'm 17 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: exploring all of these questions and so much more in 18 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: my book, Sisterhood Heels, now available in paperback at your 19 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: local independent bookstore or at sisterhood Heels dot com. Grab 20 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: a copy for you and your girls, and let's talk 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: about it. While therapists are often revered for our contributions 22 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: to the mental wellness of others. Our culture can also 23 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: be guilty of denying us humanity with assumptions that we're 24 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: always willing to provide therapeutic advice at the drop of 25 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: a dime, or that we don't feel things too. Today, 26 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: I've brought the group chat back together to discuss how 27 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: therapists are showing up in our everyday lives. First, we 28 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: have doctor Ayana Abrams, a licensed clinical psychologist who works 29 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: under her solo practice, Ascension Behavioral Health. She's the co 30 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: founder of Not So Strong, a mental health program curated 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: for black women to strengthen their sense of self and 32 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: connection to others through the use of vulnerable storytelling. We 33 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: also have doctor Joy beckw who is a psychologist, resident 34 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: radio expert, speaker, and college professor. Her passion for bridging 35 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: the gap between the mind body connection has allowed her 36 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: to work with executives, entertainers, professional athletes, and entrepreneurs nationwide. 37 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: Some of the points we discuss are the importance of 38 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: setting boundaries with friends and family when seeking therapeutic advice, 39 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: how to ensure we're not allowing our work to bleed 40 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: into our personal lives and the biggest misconceptions people tend 41 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: to have about therapists lives. If something resonates with you 42 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: while enjoying our conversation, please sharing with us on social 43 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: media using the hashtag TVG in session, or join us 44 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: over in the sister circle to talk more about the episode. 45 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: You can join us at community dot therapy for Blackgirls 46 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: dot com. Here's our conversation. Well, hello friends, thank you 47 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: so much for joining me again. We have reconvened, but 48 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: back in our little zoom boxes, not on stage this time. 49 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: Kind of said feels good to be good to be 50 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: always a pleasure, of course, of course, So today we 51 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: are talking about therapists as humans, so really the personhood 52 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: of therapists, because I think sometimes people engage with us 53 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: almost as empathy robots, as opposed to like hold people 54 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: with our own stuff going on, and I think people 55 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: are sometimes surprised that go therapists have feelings too. So 56 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: before we jump into the conversation, though, I don't know 57 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: that we have actually like fully introduced y'all to the 58 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: people in terms of how long you've been practicing like 59 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: you're areas of specialty. So doctor Joy, can you start 60 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: off and just let us know, like how long you've 61 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: been practicing in like what it is you actually do 62 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: as a psychologist. 63 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 64 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 3: Absolutely, So I've been practicing since two thousand and fourteen. Well, 65 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 3: I've been private practice since twenty fourteen. I was at 66 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 3: a hospital before then. My specialty is trauma, but I 67 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 3: see a lot of individuals who have depression, anxiety. I 68 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 3: work with a lot of what I call like high 69 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 3: functioning individuals, so high functioning athletes, entertainers, CEOs, and especially entrepreneurs. 70 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 3: But trauma is my specialty. I am a team psychologist 71 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 3: for a local professional basketball league, so I do some 72 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 3: consult work there, and I'm the co founder off for 73 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: Atlanta and we specialize in trauma. Do a lot of 74 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: trauma work, anxiety work, depression work, so just all the 75 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,239 Speaker 3: things for mental wellness, especially if you are out here 76 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 3: like life is life and so really really busy in 77 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 3: your respect to space and what about you, Dot Diana. 78 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 2: So I have been in practice in Atlanta since twenty twelve, 79 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 2: solo practice. The name is Asension Behavioral Health, where I 80 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: specialize in mood disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, by polar disorder. 81 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: I work with a lot of graduate students, medical professionals 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: from medical school and physicians. I work with a lot 83 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: of entrepreneurs, and I also do an arm of my 84 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 2: practice does corporate consultings or corporate wellness navigating kind of 85 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: the DEI space and corporations more so towards racial equity 86 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 2: in the workplace. And you'll see me on podcasts and 87 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 2: all the such right talking about various things. 88 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: Beautiful, beautiful. So I'm curious for both of you, what 89 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: are some of the challenges that have come up for 90 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 1: you being a psychologist kind of like the tension between 91 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: being a mental health professional but also being like a 92 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: full human. What are some of the unexpected challenges that 93 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: have come up for you there? 94 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 3: I think one of the things that I would say 95 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 3: terms of challenge, it's just I think goes back to 96 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 3: what you were saying earlier, doctor Joyl where people don't expect, 97 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 3: you know, you to have feelings or to be just 98 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 3: as impacted about something. 99 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 2: As they are. 100 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 3: It's like, well, no, like that hurts, and so I 101 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 3: feel the pain as well. And I think also whether 102 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 3: it's like having feelings, having empathy, like being impacted, but 103 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 3: also I think like having the answers, I think because 104 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: this is what we do. Like people do think like okay, 105 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 3: so what do you think or what's best here? And 106 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 3: it's like, well, no, no, no, there are so many 107 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,119 Speaker 3: factors that influence decision, and so it's like I don't 108 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 3: have all the answers. I do have feelings and I 109 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 3: feel I get sad all the things as well, like 110 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: I'm impacted by the world just like you are. So 111 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 3: I think that's a challenge of like, girl, I don't 112 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 3: have the answer. I'm still processing too. 113 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 2: What I would add to that is that I think 114 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 2: that people struggle a lot with me, and I think 115 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: therapists general like having boundaries, right, like not being available 116 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 2: for certain things, whether that be emotionally, whether that be advice. 117 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 2: I think it shows up in my practice right where 118 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 2: I just need to have this availability because someone's in 119 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: pain and needs to be seen when they want to 120 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 2: be seen or need to be seen. So I see 121 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 2: that a lot, and definitely in more personal relationships. I 122 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: do notice this dynamic online as well, though, that when 123 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: therapists show up and have problems with certain things or 124 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: feel annoyed by stuff, there's a sense that like you 125 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: shouldn't have quote unquote the negative feelings you're a therapist, 126 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 2: or you shouldn't struggle with things because you're a therapist. 127 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: And I literally have had people in my personal life say, 128 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: but you know how to get out of that, you 129 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: know how to not feel that. So I don't even 130 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: really understand how you could feel anxious about this or 131 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 2: how you could feel upset about this because you can 132 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: work yourself out of it. It feels really dehumanizing when 133 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 2: people do that, and they quite literally don't understand that 134 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: we cannot work on ourselves in that way. People get 135 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 2: very confused when I say I have a therapist. They're 136 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 2: just like you, all right, So then they also make 137 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: this further association as something must be really wrong if 138 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 2: I have a therapist, So how could I be a 139 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 2: therapist who has a therapist. So depending on the relationship, 140 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 2: people go further with that. But it's usually about this 141 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 2: lack of allowance to be vulnerable essential or to have 142 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: vulnerabilities that shows up a lot. 143 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: And Nade what would you say lead to some of 144 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: that confusion or a misinterpretation of who a therapist is, 145 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: that we wouldn't have our own therapists, or that we 146 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: have all the answers like what do you think contributes 147 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: to people thinking. 148 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 2: That, well, we look at a personal relationships without going 149 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: too far depending on who was the person right, it 150 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 2: serves them right to not have to navigate my feelings. 151 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 2: It's beneficial for them for me to either have all 152 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 2: the answers or not need this or whatever it is. 153 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 2: So I think depending on the person and the relationship, 154 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 2: it can show up from that place. I think too, 155 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 2: it's people's lack of understanding of vulnerability and not seeing 156 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 2: therapists as humans. So they really just don't see that 157 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: we would also need and deserve the same kind of 158 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 2: help and care that other people have. So I'll use 159 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 2: you try to give the example of like, well, your 160 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 2: medical doctor has a physician. I've literally had somebody say 161 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 2: like they shouldn't need one. But for the most part, 162 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: when I say that, people understand it, like if your 163 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 2: medical doctor breaks a leg or does this, like they 164 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,599 Speaker 2: still get to go to a doctor. Why would it 165 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,959 Speaker 2: be any different for us? But it seems like, again, 166 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 2: because people see us in this very limited way in 167 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 2: the room, they view us as omniscient, they view us 168 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 2: as all knowing, then it really doesn't click that we 169 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 2: don't have the answers to things. So there's this kind 170 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 2: of strange way where I think people put therapists on 171 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 2: a pedestal as the people who can save a lot 172 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 2: of stuff. Well, at the same time, there's a lot 173 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: of people who don't trust therapists. So I think depending 174 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 2: on who you're coming across, you'll get either respond to 175 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 2: your vulnerability. 176 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: That's great points And doctor Joy, you mentioned this idea 177 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: that you have all the advice or people will come 178 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:50,959 Speaker 1: to you and say like, well, what do you think? 179 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: How do you navigate that? 180 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: So we're talking about like outside of the therapy session, 181 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 3: So I have a lot of loose sayings. Sometimes people 182 00:09:58,360 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 3: are like what do you think. I'm like, no, no, I 183 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 3: don't think. So that you understand that this is a 184 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 3: different type of relationship and I may say something in 185 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,079 Speaker 3: this context of this relationship that isn't necessarily what I 186 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 3: would say in a therapeutic relationship, right because those dynamics 187 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 3: are different. But also knowing when I'm not supposed to 188 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 3: have any advice or I'm not supposed to have the 189 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 3: answers in those. 190 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: Spaces and just being okay with it. 191 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 3: I really don't know or I don't have any thoughts 192 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 3: about that, or saying like I think should talk to 193 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 3: your therapist. I think really clear boundaries about this is 194 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 3: my friends circle, if this is my family. I love 195 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 3: being able to turn off the work that I do 196 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 3: as much as you can when you can turning it 197 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 3: off there to say I don't have the answers or 198 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 3: I don't really know what do you think, and being 199 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 3: able to give it back to them, trying not to 200 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 3: get into this role just because they expect us to 201 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 3: have the answers does not mean I have to have 202 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 3: the answers, and knowing that I don't have to wear 203 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: that hat, because once you start having all the answers, 204 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: then of course they come back to you because you 205 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 3: typically have all. 206 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: Of the answers. 207 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 3: So I usually sometimes say I don't have like what 208 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,319 Speaker 3: do you think? I don't think, or like okay, we're 209 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 3: going to ask out to joy about it and I'm like, 210 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 3: let's not, let's not so, but I make it in 211 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 3: a way where they understand I'm not being funny, but 212 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 3: sometimes I don't have the answers and having really healthy 213 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 3: about just knowing like uh uh no, you don't want me. 214 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: In that, and it does feel like a tight line 215 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: to walk, because I mean in your friendship circles and 216 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: in your other relationships, people naturally like ask for advice, 217 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: and I think that that's human, but it does feel 218 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: like there is a different expectation because of what you do, 219 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: maybe as a mental health professional, that there is like 220 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: an added layer of like, okay, a professional opinion as 221 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: opposed to like just a girlfriend opinion. 222 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and the weight they put on our answers or 223 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 3: even if you do have a thought like you know, oh, girl, 224 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 3: like whatever you want to say, it's like, no matter 225 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 3: what anyone else says, because you are a professional, because this. 226 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: Is what you do. 227 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 3: The weight that they put on your response. And sometimes 228 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 3: I say, like, you know, I don't know, but I 229 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 3: think you should probably talk, so I'll give just a 230 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 3: little bit of something like to guide because you do 231 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 3: have some thoughts, but no, like, I also don't want 232 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 3: that dynamic where I'm responsible for something or start to 233 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 3: wear that hat in my friend relationships, Like I just 234 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 3: want to be like joy in these relationships. And I 235 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 3: think I also have really good friends who they may 236 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 3: what do you think you think that's a problem, Like, girl, 237 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 3: you know, it's a problem but they're not really digging 238 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 3: deep and actually expecting to have therapeutic conversations because they know, 239 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 3: like we are friends for real in real life. But yeah, 240 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 3: the weight that they put on our responses because this 241 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 3: is what we do professionally is pretty significant. 242 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: Anything to answer that back day, No, I. 243 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 2: Agree with that, and I was gonna add the weight 244 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 2: that they put on that and this assumption that we 245 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 2: can't wait to help that I want to be able 246 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: to answer this question or give you advice because I 247 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 2: think I know the right answer. Like I will have 248 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 2: mostly like family members. If I say they're saying something 249 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 2: and I don't jump in, They're just like, are you 250 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 2: not going to say anything? What do you think about this? 251 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 2: And I'm like, I'm listen. I don't feel any different 252 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: than such and such does or such and such does, 253 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 2: But they kind of assume this like eagerness to help 254 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 2: that because we have the skills to help other people, 255 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 2: that we want to be using our skills all over 256 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: the place at breakfast, at brunch, at the family reunion, 257 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: that we just want to help when we see or 258 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 2: hear that they might be a problem, that that's where 259 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 2: we want to be spending our time a lot of 260 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: people don't see this as a profession of ours that 261 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 2: we're just supposed to be these bleeding hearts, which I 262 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 2: also didn't add before, like something that that surprises me. 263 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: It doesn't surprise me anymore. But that whole bleeding heart 264 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 2: piece is that when any conversations come up around fees 265 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 2: or rates, right, there's a different response that I get 266 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 2: when money is involved in stuff because people have this 267 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 2: association of well, that shouldn't be something that costs that much. 268 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 2: That should be something again that I should be able 269 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 2: to access because it's about health and because it's about 270 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 2: care for people. So you putting a barrier what they 271 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 2: see as a barrier to this means that we're doing 272 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: something that's awry in this field. 273 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 3: I think it goes back to what you're saying earlier, 274 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,839 Speaker 3: doctor A, like they expect us to be all knowing 275 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 3: but not necessarily all experiencing, and it's like, well, no, 276 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 3: like I also experience those feelings. I also may have 277 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,599 Speaker 3: some anxiety around the things that I want to be 278 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 3: able to do this year and being able to do 279 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 3: those things or carry those things out. So it's just 280 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 3: making sure that we add the human aspect to it 281 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 3: like no, like, I also have to make a living 282 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: as well, and my goal is to be able to 283 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 3: do both, to be able to give you great service, 284 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 3: to be able to be here and care for you, 285 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 3: but also to be able to afford margin. 286 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 2: You wouldn't work for free. Why would you expect us 287 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 2: to work for free? You literally would not work for 288 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 2: free and or a discounted in them like we are 289 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: expected to do. 290 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 3: Right. 291 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: So I'm curious because we know that so much of 292 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: the work that we do as therapists is mediated through 293 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: who we are as persons, right as people. How do 294 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: you balance or set boundaries around what kinds of clients 295 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: you are seeing or when a client's stuff kind of 296 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: activates your stuff, what kinds of things are in place, 297 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: or how do you think about that as a therapist 298 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: to kind of both protect yourself and the clients jumping. 299 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: Into my therapy sessions, Doctor Joey my business because I 300 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 2: have a right I had. We know I have a 301 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 2: soft spot and I had to have a very hard 302 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 2: time saying no to black women who want to be 303 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 2: clients in my practice, and I still have a hard 304 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 2: time with that now. I have boundary issues around that. 305 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 2: So I'm probably seeing too many clients right because of that, 306 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 2: So I think again kind of consultation supervision, right, that 307 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 2: the things that we've been trained right to make sure 308 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 2: that we are doing to support ourselves. But I know 309 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 2: that one of my softer spots or kind of vulnerabilities 310 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: is black women are black people in pain. And I 311 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 2: really need to remember the aspects of my burnout and 312 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: how it shows up and when I'm doing too much. 313 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: And I've had to really come into that practice and 314 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: attunement the last five or so years because I wasn't 315 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 2: screening right in a certain way in terms of like 316 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: who I was taking in my practice. I was just 317 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: so concerned about the systemic barriers and not wanting to 318 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 2: be one of those barriers and wanting to make sure 319 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 2: that people got good care, but also having to really 320 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 2: remind myself that I am human. There's but so many 321 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 2: hours in a day that it is safe for me 322 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 2: and for clients in terms of how many people I'm 323 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 2: seeing and how much time I'm spending with clients that 324 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 2: I can do but so much paperwork and still be 325 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: on top of my business kind of acumen in my 326 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 2: practice as well as serving clients well and having to 327 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 2: really grieve that I can't do more, that I can't 328 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: see as many clients as I want to do. And 329 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 2: that's been this ongoing practice for me, the grieving, the 330 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 2: boundary work, the acceptance of my humanity, I mean, just 331 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: what that means in terms of my limits. So maybe 332 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 2: finding some other ways to have larger impact because I 333 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 2: can't take you all in my kind of one to 334 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: one or one to two practice. 335 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 3: In terms of couples, Yeah, that makes sense. I think 336 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 3: I did some of the exact same things, doctor A. 337 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 3: Just the heaviness that I feel when I feel like, ooh, 338 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 3: this person would really be a good fit, or I 339 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 3: feel that I could really help this person, but also 340 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 3: knowing that I don't have the capacity and being able 341 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 3: to sit with that. I think for me, I had 342 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 3: to navigate or had to explore what's the story that 343 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 3: I'm telling, Like what's driving this need for me to 344 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 3: want to see as many people as possible and the 345 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 3: effect of that like Okay, so now you're sad and 346 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 3: now you're feeling down. Are you afraid? What are you 347 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 3: afraid of? And also the narrative that like, hey, there 348 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 3: are some other excellent people that can provide this service 349 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 3: or it does not have to be mean, Like as 350 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:06,199 Speaker 3: much as I would love for it to be me, 351 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 3: but it's like, if not me, I have a great 352 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 3: nice circle of capable therapists, Like let me send you 353 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 3: to this person. I know you'd be in really good hands. 354 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 3: But I think it starts off with screening really, really 355 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 3: well as much as possible, so you'll know, like, hey, 356 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 3: who do I work well with, and trying to be 357 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 3: able to find that ideal client that you feel that's 358 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 3: a really good match early on, and then definitely the consultation, 359 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 3: the supervision, the groups have been very very helpful, and 360 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 3: then knowing that it does not have to be me. 361 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 3: It does not have to be me. I can also 362 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 3: refer them out to somebody, but it is really tough. 363 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 2: Because it's like, well, you know, well. 364 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 3: I could put them in on Friday at twelve and 365 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 3: it's like, okay, so what are you gonna have lunch? 366 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 3: But being able to sit in that space like no, 367 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 3: you can't. You said you were going to do notes 368 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 3: during that time, but really thinking about by you doing that, 369 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 3: what are you giving up? So you're adding this person 370 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 3: and what are you taking away from yourself, whether it's 371 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 3: my time that I set aside to do notes or 372 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 3: to basically just have lunch. 373 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 2: You know, something that I wish we had more training 374 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 2: on in our or at least I know my graduate 375 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 2: program didn't do the best at this. I think that 376 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 2: a lot of therapists, emerging therapists, and even therapists I 377 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 2: guess I'm considered mid career now, really struggled with internalizing 378 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: the brokenness of the mental health care system, so really 379 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 2: internalizing this responsibility that, oh, I know that there are 380 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,959 Speaker 2: barriers so let me not perpetuate the barriers in this. 381 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: We know the barriers and the stigma associated with black people. 382 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: So oh my goodness, if a black person has done 383 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,640 Speaker 2: all the work to do this courageous thing and ask 384 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 2: for therapy, I can't turn them away now because I've 385 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,439 Speaker 2: internalized that they not ever going to try again. Right, So, 386 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 2: it was all that stuff that was really really taking 387 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 2: over that I still have to keep an eye on, 388 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 2: but I've put some distance in between it being my 389 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 2: responsibility to like save the mental health care system, right 390 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 2: that none of us can do that as one therapist 391 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 2: or even like a group practice. But I don't think 392 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: that that is offered to us I don't think we 393 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 2: are taught about the importance of that kind of differentiation, 394 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 2: but I know that for a long time, I really 395 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 2: took it in as my responsibility to not be the 396 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 2: broken system. 397 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, and then doctor A also thinking about too though, 398 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 3: if we do feel to capacity or if we are 399 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 3: taking on all of that, what is it due to us? 400 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 3: We talked about burnout earlier and just making sure that 401 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 3: we don't show up like you know, Okay, finally we 402 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 3: schedule them, we have them in for a session, but 403 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 3: are you getting the best me? Because we know what 404 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 3: we're like when we're seeing we know what our sweet 405 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 3: spot is, we know what it's like when we're really 406 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 3: full of energy and ready to see the clients that 407 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 3: we see, and knowing that if we're over that limit, 408 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 3: am I doing them a disservice? Like we talk about 409 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 3: doing no harm. It's like, okay, so what point am 410 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 3: I exhausted? What point am I tired? And the things 411 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 3: where you know, I love reading and just finding articles 412 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 3: and things for clients sometimes outside of session, and it's like, well, 413 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 3: if you're so packed, then you're tired. It's like, okay, 414 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 3: I'm going to bed instead of doing that stuff. That 415 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 3: I normally would do in order to assist a client. 416 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 3: So really just taking it back to, yeah, there are 417 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 3: these barriers and it's tough, but I want to make 418 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 3: sure that when you do see me, if you do 419 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 3: see me, that you're having the best experience. I'm giving 420 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 3: you my best self too. 421 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:03,959 Speaker 1: Such an important point, doctor A. I don't think I 422 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,719 Speaker 1: ever had that conversation in grad school either, And I 423 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: think that it is only through conversations with y'all and 424 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: working with my own therapist that I do realize how 425 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 1: much wait, I feel to like you said, give people 426 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: this good experience and we don't want to become a 427 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: part of the barriers, and like all of these systemic 428 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: pieces that I think are really really important for us 429 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: to think about. And I also love that you shared 430 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 1: that because I think it also taps into one of 431 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: these things that I think is a misconception about therapist 432 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: that we are not thinking about our clients post session. 433 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: So this idea that like therapists are only paid friends 434 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: kind of thing until once you're gone, we're not thinking 435 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: about you. And I think what you're articulating is not 436 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: that we don't ever turn it off, but that we 437 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 1: are always I think in a lot of ways, thinking 438 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: about how to improve the system, how to do the 439 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: best things for our clients. How do you all keep 440 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: a balance there to not be thinking about that all 441 00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: the time. 442 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 3: I think it goes back to what it was saying 443 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 3: earlier too, like it does it penetrates all of your 444 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: little open mind space because we want to do good work. 445 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: We want to do work that is expansive. I think 446 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 3: it goes back for me the supervisions, the consultation and 447 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 3: having like our friend group, being able to say, okay, friend, 448 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 3: do you have time for that? Okay, friend, how is 449 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 3: that going to look or where are you going to 450 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 3: put that at? 451 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 2: Having somebody hold me. 452 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 3: Accountable for these big ideas or these big dreams or oh okay, yep, 453 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 3: and tell me where you're putting that with all of 454 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 3: your free time. Because we do think, we do care, 455 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: and there is so much like we see the difficulties, right, 456 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 3: we see the systemic problems, and we want to be 457 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 3: the answer. We want to be a part of the 458 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 3: solution and not the problem. But having someone say, Okay, 459 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 3: what's another idea where it's not all on us, It's 460 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 3: not all on me to fix it, right, or if 461 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 3: you do want to do something like a group, it's like, okay, 462 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 3: well you cannot be just you doing this group. Can 463 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 3: you split it with another therapist? You have the first one, 464 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 3: they have the second one. So thinking about how you 465 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 3: are able to still do the work but you don't 466 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 3: have to do all of their work yourself, and being 467 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 3: in spaces to explore other opportunities of still targeting the 468 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 3: problem without taking yourself out in the process. 469 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think what's been really helpful for me to 470 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 2: strike that balance, which still I do practice boundaries around it, 471 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 2: is using other resources. So I think earlier in my 472 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 2: career it would be like, oh, the therapy space has 473 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 2: to be the space that creates all this change. But 474 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 2: now there's so many more podcasts, there's articles on stuff, 475 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 2: there's stuff on TV or in the media that's doing 476 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 2: a more kind of ethical job of showing care and 477 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 2: kind of showing mental health concerns. So I now will 478 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,639 Speaker 2: balance out a bit more of those resources with the 479 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 2: hour that we have together. But I'm gonna send you 480 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 2: a podcast episode that talked exactly about what we talked about, 481 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 2: and you can do some learning on your own, right 482 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 2: so that I do not feel all of this pressure 483 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 2: to be the one space that gives you all of this. 484 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 2: So for me, it's been really helpful in terms of 485 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 2: taking in other resources and just having this breath of 486 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 2: resources just filtering through my brain. When I do think 487 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 2: about clients outside of session to be able to share 488 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 2: some things with them. What I usually need to practice 489 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 2: boundaries around is because I'm listening to so many podcasts 490 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 2: because I'm reading so many articles, I ain't gonna be 491 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 2: talking to you all time every time I read something, 492 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 2: so I just need to be like, Okay, I can 493 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 2: share this with them in the next session. I don't 494 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 2: have to share this with them in between. But offering 495 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 2: or kind of creating those adjuncts like a book is 496 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: also really helpful. So me also being able to lead 497 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 2: them to other resources I think also augments the work. 498 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 2: So I personally feel less pressure to be the space. 499 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 2: And I know that's about me and my ego stuff 500 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 2: as therapist, but it's been helpful to redirect them to 501 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 2: other resources. 502 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 3: And I think in terms of balancing doctor Joyce, so 503 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 3: that my brain is typically thinking about what can I 504 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 3: offer whatever I read that may be helpful. 505 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 2: Oh oh, this is really good. 506 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 3: It helped me to have this diverse friend group where 507 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 3: they will say, oh, this is what we're reading. And 508 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 3: so I don't want to be left at FOMA when 509 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 3: it comes to oh, my friends are reading about this 510 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 3: or they're talking about this show. So it forces me 511 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,400 Speaker 3: where I really am reading this book or I'm looking 512 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,159 Speaker 3: for podcasts that may be helpful for someone. It forces me, 513 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 3: like to turn that brain off and remember the other 514 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 3: part of me, this other side of me, that hey, 515 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 3: you actually have friends who go to their own therapists, 516 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 3: the don't need for therapy, they don't really want to 517 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 3: read about this anxious book or whatever they're talking about 518 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 3: another book. It holds me accountable and calls me to 519 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 3: the carpet, like you don't have anything to share, like 520 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 3: you haven't read any book this year, but books and 521 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 3: podcasts that are helpful, and so to do that and 522 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 3: to read books and listen to podcasts that are helpful 523 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 3: for my work that I do, and to make sure 524 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 3: I don't forget about this other part. So that's one 525 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 3: of the ways that I turn it off from always thinking. 526 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 3: Because people download from the cloud, I'm like, oh, this 527 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 3: would be really really good for them. Yeah, so I 528 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 3: try to make sure I balance it out with some 529 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,199 Speaker 3: other stuff and having great friends who are just like 530 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 3: or they're sending recipes, they're doing other things to remind 531 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 3: you that there's this other part of you than this 532 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 3: person that's just like this caregiver. 533 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break. So something I 534 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: know that none of our grad programs really tapped into 535 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: because of when we were trained is the way that 536 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,399 Speaker 1: our humanity and personhood has been extended because of social 537 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: media platforms. Right, So we are people, which means that 538 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: we are also engrossed in this social media landscape, and 539 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 1: so we are using platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok all 540 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: the things as people, but also as mental health professionals. 541 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: So I'd love for you to share, like how you 542 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: manage joy using TikTok as like just joy versus doctor 543 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 1: joy on TikTok, Like how do you think through what 544 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: you share, what you like, what you repost, and your 545 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: thoughts about like the responsibility that we have as clinicians 546 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: in using mental health platforms. 547 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 3: So I think that's an excellent question, and that's one 548 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 3: of the areas that I struggled with early on. So 549 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 3: I have my ask doctor Joy platform, and it took 550 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 3: me a while to make. So you may see like, oh, 551 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,679 Speaker 3: she's not super active on there because I feel a 552 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 3: sense of responsibility for whatever I put on there, because 553 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 3: there's so many pages out there with information about various topics, 554 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,360 Speaker 3: and so I felt a heaviness of whatever you put 555 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 3: on there. It's almost like they're expecting this to be 556 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 3: like really good information. It's your ass start to Joy page, 557 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 3: it's your professional page. So being responsible there. But every 558 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 3: time I go on there, I don't want to like 559 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 3: be in my therapy hat. I want to sometimes look 560 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 3: at things that like TikTok, make me buy it or whatever, 561 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 3: And so for me, I set some boundaries around when 562 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 3: I'm on that page. I had to really turn it 563 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 3: off and turn it down because I'm on there and 564 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 3: all the algorithms for that are just, you know, everything 565 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 3: that moves my heart strings, like all the books, all 566 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 3: the therapy books, all the issues of the world, and 567 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 3: that page was very heavy for me. So I have 568 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 3: to basically decide and when am I going to opt 569 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 3: into that hat in that world because I already know 570 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 3: what's going to feed me, and then creating this other 571 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,400 Speaker 3: page where this is more of my whatever else you're 572 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 3: interested in, whether it's recipes, and so really knowing just 573 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 3: remembering that I am human too, and I don't want 574 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 3: to always be in the therapy world and helping world, 575 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 3: and I have feelings and then this other side of me. 576 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 3: So trying to have boundaries around what I put on 577 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 3: the page, knowing that it is a weight and acknowledging 578 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 3: for me that I feel that what you put out there, 579 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 3: people are like, ooh, what does she have to say 580 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 3: about this? Or hey, this is Mental Health Awareness Month? 581 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 3: The pool of you have to make five or six posts, Well, 582 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 3: do you what feels authentic and what feels good to you? 583 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 3: Or if you just want to be on men and 584 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 3: see what your friends are doing, do you need to 585 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 3: get off of that page because those dms are popping 586 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 3: and go to another page. So I had to really 587 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 3: wrestle with what is social media going to look like 588 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 3: for you? And do you feel like you have to 589 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,199 Speaker 3: be on all the platforms all the time given all 590 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 3: of the information, and the answer for me there was no. 591 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 3: I didn't have the capacity to do that and show 592 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 3: up the way I want to show up in my 593 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 3: friend circles and in my practice. 594 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 2: I am not as developed in this area as Star 595 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 2: to back with this. I ain't made it there yet. 596 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 2: I'm trying. I ain't made it there. And I've always 597 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 2: been in this tussle with social media. So Facebook came 598 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 2: about when I was in college. For me, it feels 599 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 2: like I did grow up with social media and sharing 600 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 2: and just beginning to post stuff. I was twenty years 601 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 2: old when I was posting stuff on social media, and 602 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,959 Speaker 2: my Instagram page, my first one, like originally started as 603 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 2: my personal page, and then I started posting mental health 604 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 2: stuff and then transitioned it into my business page. So 605 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 2: it was always this mix of stuff anyway, it was 606 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 2: always this mix of personal people that were there. I mean, 607 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 2: I think I struck a fine balance because I'd always 608 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,919 Speaker 2: say that anything I post, if a client or somebody 609 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: was to ask me about it, I'm fine with what 610 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 2: I post. I don't post anything that I would feel 611 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 2: embarrassed or if that feels too vulnerable for me. But 612 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 2: I did realize that, and this was even just in 613 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 2: the past few years, that my lens when I'm in 614 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 2: that business account, when I'm even looking at social media, 615 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 2: I'm looking at stuff to make my own to post 616 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,719 Speaker 2: to like put it into my own words and post it. 617 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 2: So even when I believe I was using social media 618 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 2: for leisure, it was still content work for me. It 619 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 2: was like, oh, yeah, yeah, but I would have added this, 620 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 2: so let me turn that into a post next week, 621 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 2: like oh, I would say it like this. I'm like, oh, 622 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 2: that is something that came up. Let me put my 623 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 2: spin on it in this way. And that was the 624 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 2: burnout for me that it wasn't this space of leisure 625 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 2: or like mindless whatever it is that people scroll social 626 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: media for. It was always work for me because I'm 627 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 2: looking at other people's ideas and this new content thing 628 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 2: that came up. Were like, oh, there's this trend to 629 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 2: pay attention to, and there's this. So when I then 630 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 2: did a personal page a few years ago, that gave 631 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 2: me a bit of that break. But still I still 632 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 2: find myself doing stuff on my personal page that's related 633 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 2: to me being a therapist. I'm still interested in the 634 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 2: same things. It's just me using a different page. But 635 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 2: who I'm interacting what is different on both pages. But 636 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 2: I did recognize that because I'd gone into more content creation, 637 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: all the content I was seeing was still me thinking 638 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 2: about how I could do that and what that looks like. 639 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 2: You know, I like that idea. So I'm saving all 640 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 2: these things that other people were doing so I can 641 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 2: make some content. And what I ended up doing. I 642 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 2: think at some point, maybe a few years ago, I 643 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 2: was following thousands of people on my business page, and 644 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 2: a lot of them were therapists, and I just unfollowed 645 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 2: nearly everyone. So I unfollowed thousand of people a few 646 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 2: years ago, and I would say it was a lot 647 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 2: of therapists because it was just too much. It was 648 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 2: too much of me thinking and constantly working. And also 649 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 2: in the same thing of like, when you follow a 650 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 2: lot of therapists, you are constantly reevaluating yourself, and like, 651 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 2: this is something I could be doing, not even for 652 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 2: content stuff, but just me everything a therapist says, I'm 653 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 2: thinking about for my personal self. So me on following 654 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 2: a ton of therapists was really good for my mental health. 655 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: So I will sometimes recommend, like, don't follow too many 656 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 2: of us, because we just always have you thinking about 657 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 2: yourself and you need a break from that. I was 658 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 2: feeling like I was just a constant self improvement project 659 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 2: all the therapists I was following. So now I follow 660 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 2: significantly less. I still follow a lot, but I really 661 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 2: needed to step away from therapists of Instagram just to 662 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 2: preserve the time that I was spending on social media. 663 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I have definitely tried to trick my TikTok algorithm 664 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: into not knowing that I'm a therapist because I'm like, 665 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to see who did a coach Hall 666 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: of this Week or one of the fun Baby video. 667 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: It was like all of those kinds of random things. 668 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: So I try not to like engage very much in 669 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: the therapy world on TikTok because Instagram then quickly learns like, oh, 670 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: she wants to see more of this, right, And I 671 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,360 Speaker 1: do think you bring up a good point of following 672 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: too many kind of personal developments, self help kinds of 673 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: pages then makes you always think there's something wrong that 674 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: you could be working on and doing things differently. Yeah, 675 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: So what suggestions would you all have for maybe like 676 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: newer mental health professionals or people who may be younger 677 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: in their career in terms of like how to ask 678 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: themselves some questions about like managing this and like keeping 679 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: the balance between not only for social media but also 680 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: just generally when you're thinking about preserving yourself as a 681 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: therapist versus your humanity and needing to strike a balance there. 682 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 3: I think what worked best for me was for me 683 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 3: to be mindful of my energy, so like what gave 684 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 3: me energy and then what took away my energy? Just 685 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 3: really being aware of that. It's like going back to you, 686 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 3: doctor AA. It's like I'm on Instagram a whole lot. 687 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 3: You're looking at all of this. Are you leaving that 688 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 3: feeling like, Okay, I'm getting ready to go look at 689 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 3: puppy clothes, make something to eat, or am I now 690 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 3: trying to play with reels for another two hours? I'm 691 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 3: really wanting that space to give me energy or to 692 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 3: help me disconnect, But is it really occupying more space 693 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 3: and doing almost like more damage than is doing good 694 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 3: for me? And I'm using damage really lightly. But am 695 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,080 Speaker 3: I coming off of that feeling rejuvenated, feeling refreshed and 696 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 3: feeling like I disconnected? Or did my to do list 697 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 3: get longer? Because now I'm about to go and learn 698 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 3: how to do reels or some type of dance or whatever. Right, 699 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 3: So I was aware of my energy and like what 700 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 3: fed me and then what kind of drained me? And 701 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 3: being okay with that it's like, okay, so you're going 702 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 3: to post more for example, like social media, like for 703 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,640 Speaker 3: what because the world says you should because you feel 704 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 3: like it gets you more visibility, and then really understanding, 705 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 3: well you're actually visible, like people are finding you. So 706 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 3: really just exploring like what are you doing, why are 707 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 3: you doing it? And what works best for you and 708 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 3: trying not to be afraid of Hey, this works best 709 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 3: for me. And it may be a season like this 710 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 3: may be your season where you post a whole lot, 711 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 3: do you post a little bit right or you are 712 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 3: doing a lot of lives and being okay with being 713 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 3: in tune with myself. So I think that was my thing, 714 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 3: like what's my energy? Does that feel good to me? 715 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:10,840 Speaker 3: Or am I doing it because people say we should 716 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 3: be doing this now or this is good? What is 717 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 3: it that you need and what's going to get you there? Right? 718 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 3: If I need to relax more, is this helping the 719 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 3: mission or going against it? Or if I need to 720 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 3: be more visible, what does that look like? So I'm 721 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 3: doing just enough to do that and not too much. 722 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 3: So it was a lot for me, a lot of 723 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 3: self exploration and same thing with what I'm reading and 724 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 3: how much I'm doing outside of therap Sometimes I'll put 725 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 3: together something I'm like, this feels so wonderful. I can't 726 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 3: wait for her to get it or him to get 727 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 3: it or listen to it, like this is exciting, and 728 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: doing more of those things that feed my soul and 729 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 3: make me feel as if I'm doing really good work 730 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 3: in the world, like I'm happy there or oh my gosh, 731 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 3: I feel heavier. So it's a lot of like, you know, 732 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 3: not vibes, but energy for me, not our alpha vibes. Yeah. 733 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 2: One thing I recommend is having friends or people who 734 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 2: are not therapists. My goodness, the therapist bubble is real, 735 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 2: and at one point I only talking to therapists, and 736 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 2: I would be aghast when I would talk to somebody 737 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 2: who's not a therapist, Like people think like this, what 738 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,800 Speaker 2: are you doing? Like what do you? What do you? 739 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 2: You can't say that, and like it really threw me. 740 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 2: And I was just like, oh, because I spend all 741 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 2: day talking to clients or I'm talking to other therapists. 742 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 2: Those are my closest people from graduate school, from internship, 743 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 2: from post doc. Because also a piece of like let 744 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:25,359 Speaker 2: me talk to the people who get it, who get 745 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 2: what my life looks like now, but at the same time, 746 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 2: you get it a little bit too much, and I'm 747 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,400 Speaker 2: a bit disconnected from how a lot of other people 748 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 2: think who don't either not necessarily have these skills but 749 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 2: just don't have to think and talk like this all 750 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 2: the time, or don't have to hold all these things 751 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:41,800 Speaker 2: in the same way. So it's been really helpful for 752 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 2: me to stay connected to people who, you know, I 753 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 2: was friends with before graduate school, people who I might 754 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 2: have been able to make friends with while I was 755 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 2: in graduate school, people who have made friends with since, 756 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 2: who are able to help me tap into those other 757 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 2: parts of me when sometimes I might be having a 758 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:00,320 Speaker 2: hard time. So staying connected with people who were not 759 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 2: in the field, I think could be really helpful. And 760 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 2: another thing that's been really helpful for me that I've 761 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 2: only done more recently, like reading like leisure books. For 762 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 2: a while, I was only reading books from other therapists, 763 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:13,880 Speaker 2: self help kind of stuff, because I still wanted to 764 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 2: learn and do all these different things personally and professionally. 765 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 2: But this past few years, I've been reading murder mysteries, 766 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 2: I've been reading romance stuff. I've been reading all these 767 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 2: different kind of thrillers, and I'm just like, oh, this 768 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 2: is fun. I can get through this book in a 769 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 2: few weeks versus taking me three months to get through 770 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 2: right these other books that are so heady, that are 771 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 2: so like every three pages, I got to sit and 772 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 2: reflect and do all this stuff versus being able to 773 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 2: move through fiction books and fiction. I hadn't read fiction 774 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 2: since before grad school. Up until a few years ago, 775 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:49,280 Speaker 2: it was just always taking in something that I could 776 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 2: learn from, something that I could apply to my clients, 777 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,359 Speaker 2: something that could help me in my own therapy. I 778 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:59,839 Speaker 2: was constantly thinking about self improvement, mine or others so being. 779 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:02,440 Speaker 2: But to get into fiction for the purpose of fiction 780 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 2: and documentaries and stuff like that has been a really 781 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:07,319 Speaker 2: helpful balance for me and also reminds me that there 782 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 2: are other things that exist outside of this field, or 783 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,319 Speaker 2: other things that exist outside of working on yourself and 784 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 2: just being right. Like I said, thrillers, romance, stuff like 785 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 2: having different kind of feelings come up, imagination, creativity. I 786 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 2: had lost a lot of that because I was so 787 00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 2: in the field, and that's been really helpful for me 788 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 2: to strike a balance having hobbies and not having a 789 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,360 Speaker 2: hobby that you're trying to turn into a side hustle, 790 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 2: but like just a literal hobby, right that you do 791 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:36,280 Speaker 2: because you do it and do it with other people 792 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,240 Speaker 2: even has also been really helpful for me that. 793 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 3: I'd recommend that goes with having that diverse friend group 794 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 3: because it happened to me where my friends were like 795 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 3: have you. 796 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 2: Read this book? 797 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 3: And I was like, no, I haven't read it, and 798 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 3: they're all talking about it, and then the next one 799 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:51,640 Speaker 3: you're like, okay, maybe that's just something that came up 800 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 3: with and they had dinner, and then the next one 801 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,319 Speaker 3: is like, oh, have you read this book? And it's 802 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 3: like no, because guess what, it doesn't have to do 803 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 3: with trauma, mother depression or whatever, so have I read it? 804 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,760 Speaker 3: But it holds you accounta before like what are you doing? 805 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 3: I think friends remind you that there's more to you 806 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 3: than like basically you are a therapist, right, and so 807 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:10,719 Speaker 3: there's more to you than just being a therapist. It's like, okay, 808 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 3: so you're not running with us today? No, Like okay, 809 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:16,440 Speaker 3: so you can only say no so many times and 810 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:18,520 Speaker 3: they're just like okay, girl, what are you doing? And 811 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 3: being mindful like okay, you're not really watering all of 812 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 3: these other aspects of you. You have no idea about 813 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 3: the shows they're talking about, the books that they're reading, 814 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:28,240 Speaker 3: and you haven't been to a lunch at dinner. 815 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 2: So just being in. 816 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,440 Speaker 3: Tune with is this who I am? And does this 817 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:32,839 Speaker 3: feed like all the parts of me. 818 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 2: I tell you? In twenty thirteen, I was going to 819 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 2: dr on a girl's trip and I took the book 820 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 2: A Man Search for meeting with me and my friends 821 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 2: were like, what are you? And that's not a romantic 822 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 2: that the books to take for me? What I saw 823 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 2: and sometimes that I've now been taking like fiction and 824 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 2: kind of leisure. I saw this as like, finally I 825 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:00,719 Speaker 2: have some downtime to read this book. I'll be on 826 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 2: a i'll be at the pool, I'll be on a beach, 827 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 2: and I can actually get through this dense book. And 828 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,239 Speaker 2: they were upset with me, like they were like, I 829 00:38:10,239 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 2: cannot believe that that is what you are choosing to 830 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 2: do on vacation. And for me, vacation wasn't be present 831 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,320 Speaker 2: with vacation. Vacation was time to do all the stuff 832 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,760 Speaker 2: I haven't been able to do that I can bring 833 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 2: with me on vacation. And that was an abrupt like girl, 834 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 2: What are you doing? What are you doing? They wouldn't 835 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:30,279 Speaker 2: let me read the book. One of them gotten to 836 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 2: my bag one of the first nights and took I 837 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 2: was upset. I'm not saying that I went gracefully, but 838 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 2: they didn't allow me to read. And that actually ended 839 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 2: up being really really helpful for me, because it turned 840 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,959 Speaker 2: into me using downtime as time to fill in time 841 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 2: that I felt that I lost or just didn't have 842 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 2: in my day to day. And that was the antithesis 843 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 2: of what I actually wanted to experience in terms of 844 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 2: vacation and what I also promote to clients, and that 845 00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:00,239 Speaker 2: was I will never forget that. That's what I tried do. 846 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 2: I really tried to do. 847 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 1: Thank goodness for that intervention. 848 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:09,399 Speaker 3: It's on a school, your whole vacation, anybody else. 849 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:11,840 Speaker 2: I was really gonna go deep and have the sunshine 850 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,240 Speaker 2: to really reflect. It will allow me just roumin space 851 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,480 Speaker 2: to do, wasn't it. There wasn't that type of vacation. 852 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 2: That wasn't it, and it wasn't going to allow it. 853 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:23,640 Speaker 1: So I appreciate y'all more from our conversation after the break, 854 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 1: But I do think that that is something that therapists 855 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:37,880 Speaker 1: struggle with like this idea of vacation being an actual 856 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:40,520 Speaker 1: vacation and not like just an opportunity to catch up 857 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 1: on paperwork, or like, oh, I finally don't have to 858 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,319 Speaker 1: like do all this so I can do all these 859 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 1: other things. It sounds like your support systems have been 860 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:49,399 Speaker 1: very helpful in forcing that, But what kinds of other 861 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,880 Speaker 1: things have been helpful in you changing your mindset around, 862 00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 1: Like the necessity of vacations where you actually check out. 863 00:39:57,120 --> 00:39:59,920 Speaker 3: That's an area that is still being worked on, because 864 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:03,400 Speaker 3: it's exactly that where Okay, I'm off the grid for me, 865 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:05,880 Speaker 3: vacation meant I'm not seeing clients, and so now I 866 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:07,920 Speaker 3: can catch up with all of the notes, I can 867 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 3: read this book I've been wanting to read, and it's 868 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 3: not at leisure book. It's like, oh, this other book 869 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:13,839 Speaker 3: about one of our favorite authors that just came out, 870 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:15,480 Speaker 3: So it's all the stuff that I haven't been able 871 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:17,920 Speaker 3: to do. It really took people saying you better not 872 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 3: touch your phone, or you know what, you're not actually 873 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 3: bringing your computer or you know, we're going somewhere like oh, 874 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:24,879 Speaker 3: they don't have Wi Fi? First ever won have Wi Fi? 875 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:27,680 Speaker 3: But it takes people on the vacation. I just really 876 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,680 Speaker 3: don't want to be that person too where it's like, oh, 877 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:32,719 Speaker 3: where's joy, Like she's going to do some work or 878 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:35,040 Speaker 3: she's going to log into this meeting. So for me, 879 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 3: it was really all by force, and it was really 880 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,760 Speaker 3: my support system. I'm still working on. Oh, you deserve 881 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:42,400 Speaker 3: rest and rest is important. So I am telling myself 882 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:44,440 Speaker 3: all of those things that I'm working on them and 883 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,120 Speaker 3: trying to strengthen that muscle because I know it, and 884 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 3: I you know, I tell myself, like, you don't want 885 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:50,759 Speaker 3: to burn out. This is what you actually preach and 886 00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 3: if you need some time after your vacation to like 887 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,359 Speaker 3: now do this work where you don't have clients, then 888 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 3: to do that. But it has really been by force. 889 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:00,360 Speaker 3: It's been trips where is it really worth it for 890 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:02,960 Speaker 3: you to pay that much your WiFi or everyone's out 891 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:04,680 Speaker 3: you want to be the only one doing notes, like 892 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 3: with all these papers, like look at yourself. So it's 893 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:10,040 Speaker 3: been forrest and some stern conversations. 894 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,440 Speaker 2: I agree, like I said, I'm not fully there. I 895 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 2: am the person who has paid for Wi Fi on 896 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 2: the plane before, right in order to still kind of 897 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:21,279 Speaker 2: get something done because again, I've got four hours where 898 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 2: I can't do anything else. Now's the time to do. 899 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 2: So what's been helpful for me is that I will 900 00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:29,279 Speaker 2: and I now have a stack of leisure books that 901 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,439 Speaker 2: I do want to get to and they're not self help. 902 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 2: The only nonfiction ones will be like memoirs and stuff, 903 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,600 Speaker 2: but no self help or kind of self development. I 904 00:41:36,640 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 2: will also download shows and episodes onto my computer for 905 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:43,040 Speaker 2: when I'm traveling, so I have leisure stuff to watch 906 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:45,359 Speaker 2: on the plane or when i'm there. Like those are 907 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,319 Speaker 2: the things that help me to not go into the 908 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:50,759 Speaker 2: work related stuff as much as I can. And like 909 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 2: I said, usually when I'm traveling, the people who I'm 910 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 2: traveling with are not colleagues and it's not a work trip, 911 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,720 Speaker 2: so they are like, what are you doing you shouldn't 912 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:00,400 Speaker 2: be doing, and I'll close your computer. I have not 913 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 2: gone to a point where I do not take my 914 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:06,120 Speaker 2: work computer. I don't I'm not ready. I'm not ready. 915 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 3: I'll tell you what works there, doctor A. So I 916 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,920 Speaker 3: almost had a panic attack, but two baby steps. So 917 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,000 Speaker 3: on my last vacation, the agreement was to not take 918 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,320 Speaker 3: my computer and to take my iPad. You can still 919 00:42:19,320 --> 00:42:21,359 Speaker 3: do a whole lot on the iPad. But guess what, 920 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:23,240 Speaker 3: I don't know when the last time I used the iPad, 921 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:25,440 Speaker 3: so it would take a lot of learning and trying 922 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:28,160 Speaker 3: to like scroll and the little keyboard, so it made 923 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 3: it more difficult, Like you're really not about to do 924 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:32,520 Speaker 3: a whole bunch of notes on your iPad because I 925 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:34,440 Speaker 3: don't use it regularly. So it's like baby steps. So 926 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:36,080 Speaker 3: I still feel that I can connect to the world 927 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:38,240 Speaker 3: if I need to. I don't have as many apps 928 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,439 Speaker 3: on there, so it's like baby steps, so you don't 929 00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:41,880 Speaker 3: totally go cold turkey. 930 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 2: My tablet is my work computer essentially, but I need 931 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:45,600 Speaker 2: like a Kindle. 932 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:48,360 Speaker 3: I need a kaboodle with the baby version look caboodle 933 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 3: like Stething where you know you got all you gotta 934 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:52,200 Speaker 3: play is Tetris pac Man. 935 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:54,719 Speaker 2: You know You're about? 936 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,799 Speaker 3: Is what I would need. 937 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:00,839 Speaker 2: And again, because I have my I could do most 938 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:04,160 Speaker 2: things anyway, but I would need that kind of device, 939 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:06,680 Speaker 2: like not having a smartphone getting a flip phone again, 940 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:08,840 Speaker 2: that would really need that that doesn't have all of 941 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:11,840 Speaker 2: the different distractions because it's very easy for me to 942 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:14,560 Speaker 2: go into an email, it's very easy for me to 943 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 2: also be working and you would name something. I think 944 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:20,279 Speaker 2: it's therapists entrepreneurs. It's the entrepreneur part that gives me. 945 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,799 Speaker 2: If I worked for probably like an agency, and turned 946 00:43:23,840 --> 00:43:25,520 Speaker 2: in all my stuff and I'm done at the end 947 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:27,960 Speaker 2: of my day and I'm actually done, that's different. But 948 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 2: because I am running a business, it's relentless. There's always 949 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:34,719 Speaker 2: something to do, so that I know that that makes 950 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:36,960 Speaker 2: it harder for me. There's always something to look at 951 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,640 Speaker 2: and review and a system to pay attention to, and 952 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:43,080 Speaker 2: something to improve and something to edit on the back end. 953 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:45,399 Speaker 2: So I think that also makes it a lot harder 954 00:43:45,480 --> 00:43:47,600 Speaker 2: if you are also running a business. 955 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 3: One of the things that does work for me is 956 00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:53,600 Speaker 3: instead of giving myself all or nothing, I do well 957 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:55,840 Speaker 3: with goals and like checkbox. It's like, okay, so you 958 00:43:55,840 --> 00:43:58,560 Speaker 3: can only do one hour of work today, you can 959 00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:00,160 Speaker 3: only do blah blah blah, so you can check your 960 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:02,919 Speaker 3: email twice. And so I love being able to hold 961 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:05,440 Speaker 3: myself accountable giving myself some It's like, well, you're actually 962 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:07,200 Speaker 3: not going to be the most pleasant person if I 963 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 3: tell you to get off all email the entire day, 964 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:11,200 Speaker 3: so you have twice you want to do it at 965 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:12,960 Speaker 3: breakfast and lunch or you want to spread that thing 966 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 3: out for breakfast and dinner. So really figuring out how 967 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 3: can I take care of that little aspect of me 968 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:19,839 Speaker 3: that is wondering how the business is going and making 969 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:22,919 Speaker 3: sure that there are no major fires and being able 970 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,239 Speaker 3: to be present too. So give me the kaboodle and 971 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:26,760 Speaker 3: give me a little bit of permission. 972 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:27,359 Speaker 1: Let me do that. 973 00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:29,839 Speaker 2: I can do that. Boodle starts with a see or okay, 974 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:32,040 Speaker 2: because I'm listening, I don't know. 975 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: What I think that was something to join made up. 976 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:38,560 Speaker 3: That's not it's a kaboodle. It sounds like something that 977 00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:42,080 Speaker 3: kids play with, you know, like fancy names doodle. 978 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:43,640 Speaker 2: It's probably not real. 979 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:46,200 Speaker 1: But there is something that is like my first ibhead 980 00:44:46,239 --> 00:44:48,880 Speaker 1: kind of thing is where he's basically what would. 981 00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:51,440 Speaker 2: You give keys a kid's kindle? Right that has all 982 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:53,200 Speaker 2: these controls and all that kind of stuff. I can't 983 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:58,440 Speaker 2: even go on YouTube basically, Yeah, yeah, to say that 984 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:01,759 Speaker 2: I'm thirteen that I can't do nothing on so exactly. 985 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:03,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know we can set it up like how 986 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:06,600 Speaker 3: old are you? Thirteen? So therefore it's a lot you 987 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:07,720 Speaker 3: maybe shut that off. 988 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, like you can send time limits and all kinds 989 00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:11,080 Speaker 1: of stuff. 990 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:14,120 Speaker 2: On those kind of things. That's what I do. 991 00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:18,840 Speaker 1: So this conversation is a part of our larger celebration 992 00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:21,759 Speaker 1: of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in July, and our 993 00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:24,719 Speaker 1: theme this year is holding space for Healers. And so 994 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:28,000 Speaker 1: since you two our mid career past, the early part 995 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:29,919 Speaker 1: of your career, I would love for you to wrap 996 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,440 Speaker 1: us up by sharing something with maybe younger therapists or 997 00:45:33,560 --> 00:45:37,720 Speaker 1: newer people to the field about how you have persevered 998 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:42,560 Speaker 1: and really prevented yourself from maybe experiencing burnout as a professional. 999 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,360 Speaker 2: I would say not doing things alone. Ask the questions. 1000 00:45:47,360 --> 00:45:50,640 Speaker 2: I did so many things the first five years, even 1001 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:52,719 Speaker 2: though I had supports, I had people who I could ask, 1002 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:56,120 Speaker 2: but I didn't ask questions right. I didn't ask questions 1003 00:45:56,160 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 2: about tax stuff. I just was figuring stuff out. I 1004 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:03,200 Speaker 2: didn't ask questions about business structure stuff. I didn't ask 1005 00:46:03,320 --> 00:46:05,640 Speaker 2: questions about how to set up paperwork and those kinds 1006 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:09,120 Speaker 2: of things. So asking questions often and early to help 1007 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,319 Speaker 2: yourself get set up. Because what I have found, and 1008 00:46:11,360 --> 00:46:13,319 Speaker 2: I noticed this across a lot of other kind of 1009 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:16,600 Speaker 2: mid career clinicians, is that we are now figuring out 1010 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:18,760 Speaker 2: a lot of steps because now there's all these different resources, 1011 00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:20,840 Speaker 2: particularly with social media, and I has all these different 1012 00:46:20,840 --> 00:46:24,400 Speaker 2: resources to help you go into private practice. There's more coaches, 1013 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:27,520 Speaker 2: there's allline stuff, there's tax stuff for therapists. There's all 1014 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 2: this stuff that wasn't there and when I was coming 1015 00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:32,480 Speaker 2: into the field, that now helps you figure those things out. 1016 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:34,480 Speaker 2: But I think a lot of us in mid career 1017 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:38,000 Speaker 2: are now getting those things together in this way in 1018 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:41,319 Speaker 2: terms of structure, in terms of habits, in terms of patterns, 1019 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:43,440 Speaker 2: in terms of paperwork, all this kind of stuff. So 1020 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:45,960 Speaker 2: the earlier you can do those things and really focus 1021 00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:49,239 Speaker 2: on those kind of foundational aspects of your business, you 1022 00:46:49,280 --> 00:46:51,360 Speaker 2: get to kind of build and grow in a different 1023 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,719 Speaker 2: way with a different kind of foundation that I just 1024 00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:55,799 Speaker 2: wished was there. But I also wish that I took 1025 00:46:55,800 --> 00:47:00,600 Speaker 2: advantage of. I wasn't offering myself the vulnerability to ask 1026 00:47:00,719 --> 00:47:03,960 Speaker 2: more questions of colleagues who are already in the field more. 1027 00:47:04,280 --> 00:47:06,080 Speaker 2: I think I was just reacting to a lot of stuff. 1028 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:07,840 Speaker 2: I just got to figure out how to get clients, 1029 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,600 Speaker 2: and figure out how to keep getting clients and figure 1030 00:47:10,640 --> 00:47:11,880 Speaker 2: out how to do this. I got to learn how 1031 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:14,640 Speaker 2: to accept money, like doing all these things and wasn't 1032 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:17,200 Speaker 2: really focused on the outside of the business. I was 1033 00:47:17,239 --> 00:47:19,799 Speaker 2: so much in it. So I think utilizing those resources 1034 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:24,239 Speaker 2: as much as you can. So these Facebook groups, these consultation, 1035 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:27,040 Speaker 2: all those kinds of things that are available, use those 1036 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:29,120 Speaker 2: as early as you can, because they're really going to 1037 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:31,279 Speaker 2: help you solidify stuff so that you can actually tap 1038 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,240 Speaker 2: into creativity and like either other parts of your business, 1039 00:47:34,239 --> 00:47:36,279 Speaker 2: but just the other parts of your life because these 1040 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:38,279 Speaker 2: things are taken care of. I love that. 1041 00:47:38,320 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 3: So I think definitely using your resources, being able to 1042 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 3: ask for help. And I think I'd add two more 1043 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 3: to that. I think not being afraid to pause and 1044 00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:48,160 Speaker 3: pivot because I think when we're going and we're doing, 1045 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,760 Speaker 3: we're just going and we're doing, and it's just like, okay, 1046 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:53,040 Speaker 3: we're trying often to not let the bottom fall out 1047 00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:55,359 Speaker 3: or what's the next thing that's on the to do list. 1048 00:47:55,440 --> 00:47:57,600 Speaker 3: It's knowing that there's enough, we have enough, we have 1049 00:47:57,719 --> 00:48:00,600 Speaker 3: enough time, there's enough support, there are enough client there 1050 00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:02,840 Speaker 3: is enough to pause for just a second and to 1051 00:48:02,840 --> 00:48:05,160 Speaker 3: see if what I'm doing does it serve me, does 1052 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:08,480 Speaker 3: it feel good? Am I enjoying the work that I'm doing, 1053 00:48:08,760 --> 00:48:10,520 Speaker 3: or is there a better way for me? To do it, 1054 00:48:10,680 --> 00:48:12,640 Speaker 3: or you know, I'm doing these three things, but these 1055 00:48:12,680 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 3: two really feed my soul. So if I pause for 1056 00:48:15,080 --> 00:48:17,640 Speaker 3: a second to self evaluate and be able to evaluate, 1057 00:48:17,640 --> 00:48:19,760 Speaker 3: and then if I need to pivot, then I can pivot. 1058 00:48:19,800 --> 00:48:22,280 Speaker 3: I think so not only like asking for help, asking 1059 00:48:22,320 --> 00:48:26,360 Speaker 3: for support, pausing and pivoting, but I also think continuously learning, 1060 00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:29,279 Speaker 3: just reminding myself I don't know all the things. I 1061 00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:31,640 Speaker 3: don't have all the answers. Like you were saying, doctor A, 1062 00:48:31,719 --> 00:48:33,600 Speaker 3: there's so many resources that are out there. 1063 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:34,319 Speaker 2: It's like if you. 1064 00:48:34,280 --> 00:48:36,560 Speaker 3: Don't know how to do that, then sometimes it comes 1065 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:38,360 Speaker 3: up in our console groups like oh, this is a 1066 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:40,880 Speaker 3: new platform people are using and being okay with Oh 1067 00:48:40,920 --> 00:48:42,839 Speaker 3: I don't know that, or how are people doing that, 1068 00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:45,000 Speaker 3: what's a new technique for doing that? Or how are 1069 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:47,719 Speaker 3: you doing onboarding or you know, new patients. So being 1070 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:50,240 Speaker 3: not afraid to just continuously learn you don't have the answers. 1071 00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:52,520 Speaker 3: I'm always learning something new, and I'm not afraid to 1072 00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:54,759 Speaker 3: pause and pivot and going back to doctor A like 1073 00:48:55,120 --> 00:48:57,400 Speaker 3: ask for help. I think it helps us to not 1074 00:48:57,480 --> 00:48:59,440 Speaker 3: be able to bring out I would. 1075 00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:02,360 Speaker 2: Also add something that I'm seeing more in emerging therapists, 1076 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:04,760 Speaker 2: I think because of social media of all these different groups, 1077 00:49:04,760 --> 00:49:08,520 Speaker 2: that there is this assumption and or pressure to have 1078 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:12,920 Speaker 2: this like six figure practice really really soon out of school, 1079 00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:15,279 Speaker 2: and not saying it's it possible, y'all, don't come for me, 1080 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:17,360 Speaker 2: not saying it's not possible, and not saying don't be 1081 00:49:17,400 --> 00:49:21,920 Speaker 2: motivated towards it. But I'm seeing a lot more therapists, 1082 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:25,799 Speaker 2: really really early therapist having a lot of pressure to 1083 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:29,640 Speaker 2: fill a practice immediately, to fill a practice, to have 1084 00:49:30,160 --> 00:49:33,960 Speaker 2: perfectly niched down, to have two populations that they're really 1085 00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:36,680 Speaker 2: really seeking to build their practice, and if it doesn't 1086 00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:38,600 Speaker 2: happen in the first like six months or a year, 1087 00:49:39,200 --> 00:49:41,560 Speaker 2: really being in a tail spin because they see all 1088 00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:45,799 Speaker 2: this stuff online about established practices. And it's so subjective, 1089 00:49:46,040 --> 00:49:48,759 Speaker 2: right that I have colleagues who have established practices that 1090 00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:51,239 Speaker 2: are seeing thirty five people a week, and I have 1091 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:54,360 Speaker 2: colleagues whose full time is eleven people a week. There's 1092 00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:57,120 Speaker 2: so much, I guessay, kind of just subjectivity to that, 1093 00:49:57,600 --> 00:50:00,239 Speaker 2: but really being mindful of being able to nuance like 1094 00:50:00,360 --> 00:50:04,600 Speaker 2: motivation versus pressure, because there is this story or this 1095 00:50:04,760 --> 00:50:08,239 Speaker 2: sense that any of us with full practices did it 1096 00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:11,239 Speaker 2: very quickly, and that we're just always getting clients all 1097 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:14,600 Speaker 2: the time, and that every screening converts to a client, 1098 00:50:14,680 --> 00:50:18,080 Speaker 2: and every client converts to a long term client and everything. Right, 1099 00:50:18,160 --> 00:50:21,360 Speaker 2: So I think there's some type of disservice that's happening 1100 00:50:21,480 --> 00:50:25,360 Speaker 2: right in terms of feeding this beast around productivity and 1101 00:50:25,480 --> 00:50:29,160 Speaker 2: growth and whatever six figures means to people now that 1102 00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:32,200 Speaker 2: that should happen in this unique space in the private 1103 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:32,920 Speaker 2: practice space. 1104 00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:35,880 Speaker 3: But that's why that self awareness stuff comes into It's like, 1105 00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:38,279 Speaker 3: do I really want to have thirty five people a week? 1106 00:50:38,360 --> 00:50:38,560 Speaker 2: Right? 1107 00:50:38,680 --> 00:50:40,040 Speaker 3: Is that what it's going to take for me to 1108 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:42,879 Speaker 3: make the six figures? Like at what cost? Or do 1109 00:50:42,920 --> 00:50:44,840 Speaker 3: I do this and do this very well? And so 1110 00:50:44,920 --> 00:50:46,560 Speaker 3: I can still get to my six figures, but it 1111 00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:48,400 Speaker 3: may take me a little more time and I'm not 1112 00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:51,160 Speaker 3: burning out and I am watering this other part of 1113 00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:53,920 Speaker 3: me with my other friends and so yeah, it's not 1114 00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 3: always doing, but taking some time to really be and 1115 00:50:57,480 --> 00:50:58,960 Speaker 3: that's to be self aware. 1116 00:51:00,000 --> 00:51:02,520 Speaker 1: That such beautiful advice. Thank y'all so much for sharing that. 1117 00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 1: I think that that would be really helpful to younger 1118 00:51:05,120 --> 00:51:07,560 Speaker 1: clinicians in the field. So I appreciate you sharing that. 1119 00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:11,640 Speaker 1: So remind us all where we can stay connected with you. 1120 00:51:11,719 --> 00:51:14,200 Speaker 1: What is your website? I know, doctor Joey, you talked 1121 00:51:14,200 --> 00:51:16,960 Speaker 1: about not really being on social media, so any social 1122 00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:19,520 Speaker 1: media handles you want to share are places where people 1123 00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:20,480 Speaker 1: can connect with you. 1124 00:51:21,280 --> 00:51:23,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm definitely on there. Listen, it's not popping every 1125 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:25,160 Speaker 3: single day, but when it's. 1126 00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:25,919 Speaker 1: On there, it's on there. 1127 00:51:26,040 --> 00:51:28,759 Speaker 3: But I'm at ask doctor Joy that's a s K 1128 00:51:29,120 --> 00:51:31,880 Speaker 3: D R j O Y on all platforms online. 1129 00:51:32,080 --> 00:51:33,080 Speaker 1: And what about you, doctor A. 1130 00:51:33,920 --> 00:51:37,520 Speaker 2: So my practice can be found at www dot ascension 1131 00:51:37,520 --> 00:51:41,480 Speaker 2: behavioral health dot com. That's a s c N SiO 1132 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:44,479 Speaker 2: N behavioral health dot com. And I can be found 1133 00:51:44,520 --> 00:51:48,760 Speaker 2: on Instagram at doctor Ayana A, which is doctor dr 1134 00:51:48,920 --> 00:51:52,720 Speaker 2: underscore A y A n N A underscore A perfect. 1135 00:51:52,719 --> 00:51:54,239 Speaker 1: We will be sure to include that in the show 1136 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:55,960 Speaker 1: notes so that people don't have to look too hard 1137 00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:58,799 Speaker 1: to find either of you. Well, thank y'all so much 1138 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:03,200 Speaker 1: for joining me again. Always a pleasure, always, always a pleasure. 1139 00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:08,960 Speaker 1: I'm so glad doctor Ayana and doctor Joror were able 1140 00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:11,840 Speaker 1: to join me for this conversation. To learn more about 1141 00:52:11,840 --> 00:52:13,959 Speaker 1: them and their work, be sure to visit the show 1142 00:52:13,960 --> 00:52:16,839 Speaker 1: notes at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash session three 1143 00:52:16,920 --> 00:52:19,600 Speaker 1: sixty eight, and don't forget to text two of your 1144 00:52:19,640 --> 00:52:22,160 Speaker 1: girls right now and tell them to check out the episode. 1145 00:52:23,040 --> 00:52:25,719 Speaker 1: If you're looking for a therapist in your area, visit 1146 00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:29,600 Speaker 1: our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash directory. 1147 00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,520 Speaker 1: And if you want to continue digging into this topic 1148 00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:35,600 Speaker 1: or just be in community with other sisters, come on 1149 00:52:35,640 --> 00:52:38,160 Speaker 1: over and join us in the sister Circle. It's our 1150 00:52:38,200 --> 00:52:40,800 Speaker 1: cozy corn of the Internet, designed just for black women. 1151 00:52:41,400 --> 00:52:44,160 Speaker 1: You can join us at community dot Therapy for Blackgirls 1152 00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:48,040 Speaker 1: dot com. This episode was produced by Elise Ellis and 1153 00:52:48,160 --> 00:52:53,200 Speaker 1: Zaria Taylor. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank y'all 1154 00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,680 Speaker 1: so much for joining me again this week. I look 1155 00:52:55,719 --> 00:52:58,759 Speaker 1: forward to continuing this conversation with you all real soon. 1156 00:52:59,320 --> 00:52:59,960 Speaker 1: Take good care. 1157 00:53:02,840 --> 00:53:04,160 Speaker 2: What what what what what