The Unmasked Therapist Podcast

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy, LPC⁠ and ⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠ explore what happens when therapists become dysregulated and how personal stress, anxiety, and emotions can show up in the therapy space. Kim and Kaitlyn discuss the ways dysregulation can affect therapists at different stages of their careers, including the tendency to take clients h...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT continue their conversation about the contradictions of being a therapist by exploring what happens when therapists are expected to carry the emotional weight of their clients while still functioning as their own people outside the therapy room. Kim and Kaitlyn discuss the challenge of be...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ sits down with Hallie McGuinness, a resident in counseling and sex therapy trainee, to talk about her experiences with supervision, finding her niche as a therapist, and learning to bring more of her authentic self into the therapy space. Kim and Hallie begin by discussing Hallie’s path i...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT explore the many contradictions therapists face in their work. Inspired by the famous monologue from Barbie , Kim and Kaitlyn discuss the often conflicting expectations therapists navigate when it comes to being authentic, building meaningful relationships with clients, and maintaining pr...

Re-release: In this episode, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠ talk about one of the most challenging and confusing parts of early clinical work: cancellations, no-shows, and inconsistent attendance. These moments bring up questions about boundaries, financial policies, client investment, and the balance between being human and being a clinician. We break down t...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ explore a complicated question: Can therapy contribute to relationships ending? Drawing from their experiences working with individuals and couples, Kim and Kaitlyn discuss what happens when clients begin questioning their relationships, setting boundari...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ continue their discussion on intake sessions by taking a closer look at informed consent. While informed consent is often viewed as a required administrative task, Kim and Kaitlyn explore how it can serve as the foundation for a strong therapeutic relationsh...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , explore the therapist's urge to rescue clients from discomfort. Whether it shows up as offering reassurance, searching for answers, softening difficult realities, or trying to ease a client's pain, the desire to rescue often comes from a genuine place...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, explore the challenging intersection of authenticity, countertransference, and ethics in the therapy room. They discuss what happens when a therapist’s own values, experiences, or reactions create a sticking point with a client—and how to determine what comes next...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC ⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT ⁠⁠⁠⁠, continue their conversation about consultation calls by exploring why authenticity is one of the most important factors in creating meaningful client connections. Building on last week's discussion of consultation structure and purpose, they examine how consultat...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast , Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC ⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠⁠ , explore the purpose and power of consultation calls through the lens of authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model. Beginning with an honest conversation about recognizing and correcting blind spots, they model what it looks like to take accountability, learn pu...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC ⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠ , explore what it really means to put life before work. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can identify their core values, prioritize the identities that matter most, and navigate the in...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy, LPC⁠ , and ⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠ , explore the role of body awareness, attunement, and therapist self-awareness in the therapy room. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can learn to distinguish between a genuine attunement to...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC , and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT , explore the role of body awareness, attunement, and therapist self-awareness in the therapy room. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can learn to distinguish between a genuine attunement to a cl...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC , and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT , continue the conversation around imposter syndrome by exploring what happens when therapists work with experiences they have never personally lived. Whether it's supporting clients through parenting teenagers, retirement, religious experiences, political differences, or relationsh...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC , and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT , continue their therapist identity development series by exploring one of the most common challenges clinicians face at every stage of their careers: imposter syndrome. From graduate school and residency to licensure and private practice, Kim and Kaitlyn discuss how self-doubt often em...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC , and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT , take a step away from their therapist identity development series to have an honest conversation about maternal mental health, motherhood, and the realities of showing up as both therapists and parents. Drawing from both personal and professional experience, Kim and Kaitlyn explore ho...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast , Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC , and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT continue their series on therapist identity development by moving from “What is my model?” into the next critical step: understanding how to actually use it in practice. Building on the previous conversation about exploring and “dating” different therapeutic models, this episode clarif...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠ Kim Rippy ⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel⁠⁠ continue their series on therapist identity development by exploring one of the biggest questions early clinicians face: “What is my model?” Rather than encouraging therapists to rush into choosing a theoretical orientation based on popularity, supervision expectations, or graduate school...

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast , Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy⁠ and ⁠ Kaitlyn Steel⁠ introduce the first part of a new series focused on one of the most underdeveloped but essential aspects of becoming a clinician: developing your therapist identity. They explore the “person of the therapist” model and why supervision in the early stages of training often overemphasizes skills...

In this episode of the Unmasked Therapist Podcast, ⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT ⁠, continues her conversation with Michelle Vaughn, LPC—practice owner of Truth and Grace Counseling in Arizona—for part two of this two-part series. Picking up where they left off, Kaitlyn and Michelle dive deeper into Michelle’s clinical work, with a focus on trauma and the modalities that shape her approach. Michelle share...

In this episode of the Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT , is joined by special guest Michelle Vaughn, LPC—practice owner of Truth and Grace Counseling in Arizona and a seasoned clinician with a unique path into the field. Kaitlyn begins by sharing her long-standing personal connection with Michelle, who has been a meaningful presence in her life for decades. From there, the conversa...

In this re-release of Episode 4, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT revisit one of the most nuanced topics in therapy: self-disclosure. When does it help, when does it harm, and how can therapists use authenticity in a way that truly supports the client? Together, they explore authenticity from the client’s perspective and how showing up as a real human can deepen trust, s...

In this episode of the Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠ Kim Rippy, LPC ⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT ⁠⁠ continue their conversation with Keystone Therapy Group’s admin, ⁠ Maeve Englehart⁠ , for Part 2 of this behind-the-scenes look at the role that keeps a practice running smoothly. Building on Part 1, this episode dives deeper into the relational and operational impact of havin...

In this episode of the Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy, LPC ⁠ and ⁠ Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠ are joined by Keystone Therapy Group’s admin, Maeve Englehart , for a behind-the-scenes look at the role that keeps a practice running smoothly. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation, with Part 2 releasing next Monday. Together, they explore the often unseen but essential work o...