Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com for CEs   In this episode, our panel will include professionals and avid comic fans Felix Morton, IV, Wesley Wade, and Anna Hayes. We'll discuss issues related to identity, portrayals of mental illness, and the personal impact comics have had on our guests.   Learning Objectives Explore the role of comics and art in representation of cultural and racial identityIdentify personal connection points between comics and identityExplore how comic hero arcs map onto specific underrepresented groupsQuestion the complex relationship between art and oppressionLearn more about our guests here.

Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com for CEs   Almost all of us have had to navigate uncomfortable situations in which clients crossed boundaries or engaged in behaviors that made us feel uncomfortable or outright victimized. Today’s episode will explore dealing with inappropriate client behaviors. We’ll discuss personal examples and talk with Licensed Psychological Associate Amber Margareten about setting boundaries and seeking support in her work with clients in prison, inpatient, and memory care settings. We’ll also hear from a physician’s assistant working in an outpatient clinic about her experience dealing with sexual behavior and stalking by clients.   Learning Objectives Identify examples of inappropriate sexual behavior that counselors may experience in their work with clientsUnderstand the potential impact of inappropriate sexual behavior on the counselor and counseling relationshipIdentify specific strategies for addressing inappropriate sexual behaviorExplore potential supervisory and policy-based approaches to providing more scaffolding and support for counselors in advance of and in response to inappropriate client behaviors.Meet our guest Amber Margaretten is a licensed psychological associate and is licensed to practice psychology in North Carolina. She went to Appalachian State University and North Carolina State University for her undergraduate degree in psychology and obtained her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from North Carolina Central University. Amber has been in the mental health field for about nine years. Much of her work as a psychologist was in various prisons performing individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological assessments where she worked with all custody levels from minimum custody to death row. She supervised all mental health services and mental health staff at her last facility and developed their treatment program. Other areas of experience include geriatrics, chronic pain, psychoeducational evaluations, working in group home settings, providing critical incident care to first responders, and providing affirming care to diverse populations. Currently, she is the owner and sole provider at Worry Free Psychology, PLLC, a company primarily focused on conducting psychological evaluations.

Want CEs? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com In this episode, Dr. Aisha Al-Qimlass and I will debate the risks and benefits of therapy speak and social media phenomena that relate to mental health. We’ll explore a specific example of therapy speak being used to break up with a friend and discuss the role of social media in stigma, service access, and mental health awareness. Learning objectives: Define therapy speak in social media contextsIdentify research findings related to the impact of social media in a variety of populations stratified by ethnicity, SES, and age. Explore specific ethical principles including non-malfeasance, justice, and beneficence that are implicated in the relationship between social media and counselingIdentify strategies for counselors to integrate the realities of social media into work with clients.

Want continuing education credit? Check out the Beyond Therapy Membership All our courses for $34/year https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Summary In this episode, I'll be talking with therapist and author Dreya Blume about her experience integrating Tarot into her work with clients. We'll explore a brief history of tarot, significant social aspects of the practice, and adaptations that make tarot useful for client introspection and self awareness. Learning Objectives Understand historical development of tarot in social contextsExplore Jungian archetypal images represented in traditional tarotUnderstand the transition of tarot's use as a supernatural tool to a projective psychological tool.Identify strategies for incorporating tarot into counseling work including ethical issues around informed consent.Meet our guest Dreya Blume, LCSW been a licensed clinical social worker for almost twenty years, the same amount of time she's been working with tarot cards. She's always been interested in how therapists can integrate tarot cards into their sessions, and has written several books on the topic.

It's the season finale! What a fun journey this has been with you all. We will be back in July with Season 2, which will include Using tarot in counselingSupervising neurodivergent counselorsHelping clients develop intuition post trauma, and MORE! In the meantime, our CE membership program launches April 1st for more information, head over to https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Summary The "Let's Get Critical" series explores current social and cultural movements, moments, and events from a counseling perspective.  In this episode, Dr. Aisha Al-Qimlass discusses how public fascination with Prince Harry and Meghan Markel impact perceptions of family estrangement and mental health stigma. Learning Objectives Identify types of family estrangement - precipitating factors, relational types, and common beliefsUnderstand the role of gender on social perceptions of family estrangementIdentify difference between speculation and confessional phases of celebrity mental health disclosureExplore ways to mitigate socially conditioned expectations around mental illness and treatment in counseling and counselor education. Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit?  Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Summary Self promotion can feel outside of our scope as counselors. In today's episode, we'll talk with social media specialist, Devon Brown, about her work helping BIPOC therapists overcome internal and external barriers to marketing their practices and products. Learning Objectives Identify potential uses for developing a social media presence as a counselorIdentify ACA ethical codes that address social media use in the field and their application to self-promotionExplore values-based ways to approach marketing as a counselorIdentify specific strategies for promoting your practice or other income streams with attention to time, financial, and emotional resourcing. Meet Our Guest Devon Brown is the owner of Let’s Write Your Future and is dedicated to helping successful mental health professionals become industry thought leaders using social media. Much of her expertise was cultivated when she worked as a travel influencer and a writer, having written for Time Out New York and National Geographic Traveler. Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit?  Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Summary Today's episode looks at decolonizing counseling practice and narratives of grief that are central to this work. Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Shaniqua Ford shares her unique approach to incorporating indigenous wisdom practices into work related to transitions, grief, and identity. Learning Objectives Define the difference between decolonizing and deconstructing as it relates to counselingIdentify strategies for incorporating social determinants of health into support frameworksIllustrate the role of community and connection in indigenous and ancestral grief processes Identify community and family challenges associated with attaining higher education through predominantly white institutions and systemsExplore the connection between capitalism, ambiguous grief and self worth. Meet our guest Shaniqua Ford, LCSW is a group practice owner in the state of Illinois. She earned her MSW from the University of Chicago. Shaniqua has over 10 years of experience holding space for folx within ministry and professional training through transition, loss and grief. As a spiritualist and therapist she helps folx utilize their faith traditions to cultivate healthy healing rituals to navigate both physical and ambiguous grief.   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   In this episode, I'll be talking with Anna Smith, MSW, LCSWA, RYT500 about her experience working with and advocating for male sex trafficking survivors. Learning objectives Define trafficking and its impact on counseling clientsIdentify critical changes that have come about through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and how these changes affect mental health service seeking and provision.Understand the role of white feminism as a barrier to mental health care for male-identified survivorsIdentify strategies for assessing for trafficking history in outpatient therapy settingsExamine vulnerability factors for individuals who are trafficked to improve counselor awareness of risk in counseling settings. Meet our guest Anna Smith, MSW, LCSWA, RYT500 has spent nearly 10 years working in therapeutic services, focusing on developing an understanding of the mind-body connection and best approaches for clinical interventions. Prior to coming to clinical work, she collaborated with trauma experts to develop innovative approaches to care for boys and men who’ve exited the life of sex trafficking. As a result of her findings she co-produced a full length documentary film on the issue. Anna is also an adjunct faculty at Metropolitan State Denver, School of Social Work and UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work. As an anti-trafficking advocate, Anna enjoys using her knowledge and personal experience to strengthen and stand in freedom with others through speaking, writing, teaching, and consulting. Journeying through her own recovery process, she understands that healing is a painful yet beautiful path we must take to receive freedom. Anna believes healing is possible for everyone, no matter age, gender, or situation - it is possible.     Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   In this episode, I'll be talking with Dr. Marie Huggins about the unique challenges facing caregivers from diverse cultural backgrounds, with an emphasis on working with caregivers of color. We'll look at systemic factors that impact the wellness of caregivers, and learn strategies for connecting and providing effective support.  Learning objectives Define caregivingIdentify cultural narratives that impact the experience of caregivingUnderstand the importance of taking an ecological over individual stance in the counseling relationshipIdentify strategies for assessing caregiver needs in a counseling settingExamine systemic factors that impact stress and wellness of caregivers of color, and ways to address these in the counseling relationship. Meet our guest Dr. Marie Huggins, PhD, NCC, LCMHCA (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in North Carolina and holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; as well as M.Ed. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a concentration in College Counseling and Student Development in Higher Education and a BA in Applied Psychology and Africana Studies Minor from North Carolina State University. She also holds the credentials of National Certified Counselor and a Global Career Development Facilitator. She currently works as an counselor at Duke University. Dr. Huggins has provided counseling to various culturally diverse adults who have been caregivers and also been a primary caregiver for her immediate and extended family members.    Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkfic.com In this episode, I'll be talking with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Michelle Helms about working with folks experiencing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS). We'll explore the impact of stigma, culture, and social messaging about motherhood on the course of this family of disorders. We'll also discuss the nuances of treating these conditions based on fetal development, parent choice, and resourcing. Learning objectives Define PMADS diagnostic features in a counseling contextIdentify vulnerability factors that contribute to the development of PMADS that may be assessed in a counseling setting.Understand the role of culture, systemic inequities, and socialization in how clients seek mental health and/or medical treatment  for PMADSIdentify resources for ongoing support for clients with PMADSExamine the role of exposure related to treated and un-treated PMADS for mom and baby as it may present in a counseling setting. Meet our guest Michelle Helms, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C has been a nurse for over 30 years.  She was a women's health nurse practitioner working in OB for almost 10 years prior to becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner.  She holds an additional certification for perinatal mental health through Postpartum support International.  She works as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner treating women's mood disorders across the lifespan with a specialty focus on women's mood disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period.     Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   In this episode, I'll be talking with Cassie Hamrick, MA, ATR-BC, LCMHC about her journey to become an art therapist, her experience of encountering her own whiteness, and how she uses art to inform her work toward embodiment and liberation. Learning objectives Learn to mindfully connect with emotional content that arises around White supremacy.Name ways the art therapy and counseling fields maintain oppressive and exclusive systems.Understand the ways in which White supremacy impact identity beyond race (including body shape, size, and gender).Identify individual barriers to addressing White violence that can impact counseling relationships. Meet our guest Cassie Hamrick (they/them) MA, LCMHC, ATR-BC, CCTP is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Art Therapist, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, artist, and educator rooted in social justice theory and community-centered praxis. They have received numerous fellowships, scholarships, and grants for their work both in art and in art therapy, have authored several papers on social justice issues in the counseling field, and are currently in private practice.    Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com In this episode, I'll be talking with Kelsey Domann, MA, LPC (OR), NCC about Intuitive Eating as a framework for body liberation. We'll cover the basics of Intuitive Eating and talk through examples of how diet culture can impact clients in medical and counseling settings. Learning Objectives Identify the 10 basic principles of Intuitive EatingExplore scope of practice and ethical issues to consider when clients want to make weight loss goals part of counseling workUnderstand the role of racism and misogyny on client body image and beliefs about healthDefine healthism and understand how it can show up in the counseling relationship. Meet our guest Kelsey Domann MA, LPC (OR), NCC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor in Northeast Portland specializing in helping clients reconnect with their bodies, make peace with food, heal from religious trauma, and navigate the world through a LGBTQ+ lens. She received a Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology: Professional Mental Health Counseling from Lewis and Clarke College and has worked in college counseling, inpatient psychiatric, and outpatient clinics. She has served as adjunct faculty as instructor and practicum supervisor for Lewis and Clarke and UNC- Greensboro. Additionally, she provides support and training to healthcare and community organizations that are committed to making their practices and policies more accepting and welcoming to diverse bodies.     Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com In this episode, I'll be talking with Brean'a Parker, PhD, NCC  about deconstructing counselor education to better align our professional goals to embody multiculturalism, social justice, problem-based inquiry and creativity. We'll discuss the importance of aligning our training to support critical awareness, inquiry, practice to support diverse clients and clinical populations. Learning objectives Define Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies (MSJCC) and understand historical context of their development.Identify milestones in the development of MSJCCs as they relate to practice of counselingName ways in which the counseling and other psychiatry-based professions have either contributed to or maintain racism in the practice of counseling.Identify strategies for aligning counselor education programs with current MSJCC standards.Consider barriers to implementing change in counselor education programs in the context of higher education. Meet our guest Dr. Brean'a Parker, PhD, NCC is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development’s Counselor Education Program at NC State University. Her research interest focus on stories and experiences of violence and trauma within Black communities especially for community members occupying multiply marginalized positions; healing and pleasure praxis for survivors and victims of interpersonal violence; and cultivating a social justice based counseling training curriculum that embodies the lived realities, strengths and power within communities historically disenfranchised and oppressed. Additionally, Dr. Parker focuses on how mediums such as storytelling can inform counseling interventions, education, training and future research within different communities historically overlooked by academia.     Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com In this episode, I'll be talking with Social Work Professor and Researcher on the ins and outs of clinical intuition. We'll explore how instances of connection can bring about healing, and barriers to accepting intuition as a valid form of knowledge. Learning Objectives Define clinical intuition - citing examples of use in counseling settingsUnderstand the difference between intuition and countertransferenceLearn skills for improving intuition and implementing it effectively in sessionIdentify ways in which intuition and trauma are linked Meet our guest Margaret Arnd-Caddigan PhD, LCSW is an academic clinical social worker and director of the Greenville Psychoanalytic Study Group. She has studied clinical theory and practice, with an emphasis on Relational Psychoanalytic theory and practice.  Prior to her work as a clinical social worker she studied the History of Religions, and is very interested in the intersection of spirituality and psychotherapy.   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTSfun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   In this episode, I'll be talking with Nikki Birkenstock, MEd, LCMHCA, NCC  about the unique challenges facing first generation, Spanish speaking students and their families.  Learning Objectives Identify barriers to learning that are common in public school settings.Explore cultural implications of family dynamics for Spanish speaking students.Define strategies for creating more accessible learning environments for Spanish speaking students.Develop strategies for exploring biases that could negatively impact Spanish speaking clients in counseling settings. Meet our guest Nicole (Nikki) Birkenstock (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Nikki is passionate about working with children (5+), teens and adults addressing issues related to anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/loss, adjustment issues, social & academic issues, self-esteem issues, developmental concerns, multicultural issues, and life transitions through individual and family therapy.   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   As awareness of perinatal mood disorders and loss increases, clinicians are addressing these issues more frequently in the course of treatment. In today's episode, we'll talk with Perinatal Mental Health Specialist, Kayce Hodos about her work with perinatal clients. Today's episode centers the experiences of white, cis-gendered, heterosexual mothers. Stay tuned for our upcoming episode on supporting Racially and gender-diverse birthgivers. Learning Objectives Identify common beliefs about motherhood that could be impacted by PMADS Identify aspects of social conditioning around motherhood that may predispose birthgivers to PMADSName types of pregnancy loss, and specific impacts of loss at various stages of pregnancyExplore counseling styles that can strengthen rapport with perinatal clients Meet our guest Kayce Hodos, LCMHC, PMH-C Kayce is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and National Certified Counselor with a Master of Education in Counseling from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She has received special training in perinatal mental health through PSI (Postpartum Support International), and is a proud supporter of the Secular Therapy Project.  Although she’s been working in the mental health field as a licensed therapist for over 16 years, it was her  own experience with postpartum depression and anxiety that led her to focusing on the perinatal population. Once she had recovered, she jumped into educating herself through books, trainings, and earning the perinatal mental health certification.    Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit: https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   Traditional corporate structures can put a strain on counselors, particularly those from historically marginalized groups. In today's episode, Dr. Mona Nour discusses her journey as an Egyptian American to creating a mentorship model for private practice after years of emotional labor in higher education. Learning Objectives Identify types of emotional labor minoritized counselors may be asked to do in education and work environmentsExplore resources new counselors can leverage to find employmentIdentify questions counselors can ask potential employers to determine values-alignment Meet our guest Mona Nour, PhD (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and adjunct professor, who has held numerous roles over the last 20 years in consulting, counseling, advising, administration, and teaching at the university and community college levels. Her research and special interests include belonging, bicultural identity development and integration, student and employee engagement, and consulting in various settings. She has served as a higher education administrator and consultant to revamp college programs, specifically regarding culturally-centered curriculum development, policy, and procedures aimed at fostering student development both academically and psychosocially. Dr. Nour currently owns a group private teaching practice focused on providing mental health access to historically marginalized and minoritized communities. Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com   Supervision is one of the most protective factors when it comes to burnout, but many counselors stop supervision after getting their licenses. In today's episode we talk with experienced clinical supervisor, Shannon Heers to learn about reasons for supervision, characteristics of good supervision, and how to make the most of supervision at different points in your career.  Learning Objectives Define burnout in a counseling settingIdentify how demands and resources contribute to or protect against counselor burnoutExplore the role of supervision in beginner, intermediate, and advanced practice counselorsExplore identity-based issues in supervision such as lack of representation. Meet our guest Shannon Heers LPC, LMHC, CAS, ACS is an experienced therapist, clinical supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision. Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision and clinical consultation to counselors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as post-licensure professional development. Shannon is also the owner of Catalyss Counseling, a group private practice located in Colorado. Shannon specializes in providing clinical supervision to beginner to advanced therapists, and is passionate about burnout prevention in the counseling field.   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Today's episode features Dr. Brittany Bate, a psychologist and activist for LGBTQ2IA+ rights. We address treatment approaches that center the unique needs and challenges of LGBTQ2IA+ folx, advocacy strategies, and practical approaches to effective intervention. Learning Objectives Identify differences between gender identity and expressionIdentify common gender blind spots counselors may haveUnderstand the complicated relationship between psychotherapy's history and the LGBTQ2IA+ communityLearn specific strategies for advocating along with issues to target. Meet Our Guest Dr. Bate is the owner of Be BOLD Psychology and Consulting, a queer-centered group practice offering mental health services throughout North Carolina. As a queer-identified psychologist, Dr. Bate’s clinical practice, advocacy work, training, and consultation is centered upon improving access to culturally competent, affirming, inclusive care for queer+ folx, including transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse folx. Her practice is centered on providing psychotherapy and letters for gender affirming care for transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals. She holds membership in several professional organizations and peer consult groups centered on regular consultation on best practices in providing gender affirming care. She was also an active contributor in authoring three statements based on psychological science to oppose the North Carolina General Assembly anti-transgender legislation.   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!

Want NBCC-approved continuing education credit? Visit https://beyondtherapy.thinkific.com Rachel Lewis Marlow offers us a primer on her paradigm, Embodied Recovery for trauma, eating disorders, and dissociation. We'll discuss the basic principles of Embodied Recovery, which offers an intersectional, non-pathologizing paradigm blending polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and ecological approaches to identity. Learning Objectives Name the 4 basic principles of Embodied RecoveryIdentify connections between disordered eating behaviors and attachment injuriesExplore how our threat-response and connection-seeking neural networks are impacted attachment at individual, family, and institutional levelsDistinguish safety from protection. Meet Our Guest Rachel Lewis Marlow is the Director of the Embodied Recovery Institute which provides training to interdisciplinary eating disorders treatment teams in trauma-informed, attachment-based and somatically integrative approaches to eating disorders recovery.  Rachel is a somatically integrative psychotherapist, certified in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.  She is also a Licensed Bodywork and Massage therapist with advanced training and 30+ years of experience in diverse somatic therapies. Rachel has extensive experience as a teacher and presenter, focusing on accessing the body’s unique capacity to give voice to the subconscious and to lay the foundation for healing and maintaining psychological and physical health. In her private practice in Chapel Hill, NC, Rachel specializes in working with people exploring recovery from trauma, eating disorders, and dissociative disorders   Don't forget to follow us on instagram for updates, BTS fun, and more!