Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists: Clinical Confidence + Reassurance, Reframing Imposter Syndrome, Overwhelm and Burnout

Can therapists build successful careers, care for their families, make money, and protect their own well-being, without burning themselves out trying to “balance” everything? Whew! It's exhausting just reading that! In Part 2 of our conversation with Carly Costello of EMDR with Carly, we talk honestly about therapist burnout, working motherhood, productivity pressure, money mindset, ADHD, and...

What does it take to move through imposter syndrome, trust yourself as an EMDR therapist, and build a private practice that reflects your strengths? In this episode, we sit down with Carly Costello, EMDR consultant, private practice owner , and the therapist behind EMDR with Carly . Carly shares how she went from using Instagram to attract local therapy clients to building an EMDR consultation bus...

When a child lies, it’s easy for parents and even therapists to focus entirely on stopping the behavior. But lying is rarely just about the lie. In Part 2 of our Behavioral Math series, (Check out Part 1 HERE) we explore how child and family therapists can look beneath lying, dishonesty, and other challenging behaviors to understand the thoughts, feelings, body sensations, attachment needs, and re...

In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists Podcast , we sit down with therapist and entrepreneur Jen Zorb, founder of The Pearl Project , to explore grief support, meaningful human connection, therapist entrepreneurship, and the courage required to bring a deeply personal vision into the world. After years of working as a mental health therapist in private practice and a h...

Why do children lie...even when telling the truth would be easier and safer? In this “use tomorrow” episode, we introduce Behavioral Math, a practical, attachment-informed intervention that helps therapists and families understand what is happening underneath a child’s behavior: Thoughts + feelings + body sensations = behavior Using lying as a clinical example, we demonstrate how to walk children...

Hey there! It's Stefanie with The Gritty Therapist. Before we begin this episode here's what I want you to know: this isn’t an episode telling you to stop drinking. It’s an invitation to get curious about the behaviors you reach for when your internal answer to your Primal Question feels like a “no” or a “maybe.” In this honest solo episode, I share how understanding my Primal Question—“...

But first...let's stay connected with all things Gritty.  Jump on our newsletter list here .  Don't worry, we won't overwhelm your inbox with junk.  Just one Gritty email a week to keep you in the loop.  Now, on to the show!  Part two of our conversation with Seara O’Brien, LIMHP (she was PLMHP at the time of this recording but since then is fully licensed!) about building clinical...

But first...let's stay connected with all things Gritty.  Jump on our newsletter list here .  Don't worry, we won't overwhelm your inbox with junk.  Just one Gritty email a week to keep you in the loop.  Now, on to the show!  Confidence isn't something you wait for, it's something you build. In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists, we sit down w...

What happens when the therapist becomes the one who needs help? In this deeply personal episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists Podcast, Cathy shares the story she's never told publicly: the journey that led to severe therapist burnout, debilitating anxiety, psychiatric hospitalization, and ultimately healing. Through the lens of Mike Foster's Primal Question® , Cathy...

If you're a new mental health therapist, a seasoned clinician, or someone navigating trauma, burnout, or self-doubt, this episode is for you. In this deeply personal episode of The Gettin' Gritty Mental Health Therapist Podcast, Stefanie shares the story behind one of the hardest seasons of her life, including surviving a years-long lawsuit, navigating overwhelming stress, and discoverin...

In this totally unscripted episode of The Gettin' Gritty Podcast for Mental Health Therapists , we reflect on the biggest lessons we've learned after decades of working with children, families, trauma survivors, and fellow clinicians as EMDR therapists, authors, practice owners and humans. Whether you're a new therapist struggling with imposter syndrome, an EMDR clinician building c...

As promised, another use tomorrow intervention just for you! In this episode of The Gettin' Gritty Podcast for Mental Health Therapists we share another one of our favorite "use tomorrow" clinical interventions: the Past, Present, Future Intervention. This simple yet remarkably effective technique helps clients of all ages begin to move out of trauma time, reconnect with present-day...

What happens when you're a brand-new therapist sitting in sessions thinking, "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing" ? In Part 2 of our conversation with therapist Erika Hanna , we get real about the insecurities, negative beliefs, and growing pains that so many therapists experience but rarely talk about out loud. Erika shares what it was like stepping from graduate school...

What does grit look like when life doesn't follow the plan? In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists, we sit down with therapist Erika Hanna to explore the winding path from teacher to therapist, the challenges of balancing motherhood and career aspirations, and the courage it takes to trust your inner knowing when the next step isn't clear. Erika shares how un...

Have you ever found yourself feeling unusually reactive with a client, struggling to let go of a case, over-functioning in session, or questioning whether you're "doing enough" as a therapist? In Part 2 of our conversation about The Primal Question   by Mike Foster, we're exploring how our deepest emotional wounds can quietly influence the way we show up in our clinical work, s...

What if the behaviors, anxiety, relationship struggles, perfectionism, and even therapist imposter syndrome all trace back to one core question running quietly beneath the surface? In this raw and unfiltered conversation, we dive deep into The Primal Question framework by Mike Foster and explore how these core emotional needs shape us personally, professionally, and clinically. From nervous system...

What if the “big reaction” your client is having to everyday things isn’t manipulation, defiance, or attention-seeking… but a younger part stepping forward asking for care and trying to protect? In this episode of The Gettin’ Gritty Podcast for Mental Health Therapists, we walk you through one of our favorite trauma-informed interventions: the nesting dolls intervention for working with younger pa...

Do you feel like you are a "good therapist" but there's just something missing? In this honest and practical episode of The Gettin’ Gritty Podcast for Mental Health Therapists , we dive into the difference between good intentions and clinical grit . Because empathy, active listening, and caring deeply about clients matter... but they are not always enough to create transformation. T...

What happens when a fourth-grade teacher walks into a counseling class… and never looks back? In this episode, we sit down with Becky Caldwell, therapist and co-host of the  Probably Bad Advice Podcast to talk about her unconventional path into the therapy world and the real, unfiltered experience of becoming a clinician later in life. We get into the stuff that doesn’t make it into textbooks:  –...

How do you actually start trauma work with clients… without overwhelming them or shutting them down? If you’ve ever found yourself thinking,   “I know what to do clinically… but how do I bring this up? ...this episode is for you. In this conversation, we’re breaking down 3 simple, powerful metaphors you can use immediately to help clients safely approach trauma work—without flooding their nervous...

Ever find yourself thinking, “I already tried that with this client… now what?” In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists, we kick off a new series: What Grit Is NOT. And first up is a common trap many therapists fall into the “I already did that” syndrome. When clinicians believe they must constantly bring something new and innovative to every session, it can lead to sel...

You know that stomach-drop feeling when you realize a parent really needs to be in session, but scheduling it stops you cold? Yeah. We've been there. And we're here to tell you: that feeling doesn't mean you're not ready. It means you're about to get gritty. In this episode, we walk you through a simple 3-step framework for your next parent session, so you can stop avoidin...

What if the version of you who feels the most unprepared… is actually the one being shaped into something powerful? In this episode, we sit down with EMDR consultant, therapist and owner of Growing Glimmers: Childhood Trauma Therapy, Wendy Llamas LCSW, who didn’t even want to be a therapist at first. From being thrown into high-intensity community mental health work that fried her nervous system,...

Ever sit in session and think, “Why did I become a therapist… I have no idea what I’m doing?” Yeah. You’re not alone. Us too.  In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists Podcast, we’re getting honest about something most therapists won’t say out loud: sometimes, you feel… stupid . There, we said it.   And instead of pretending that goes away with experience, we’re breaking...

What happens when a powerful clinical model is built from mentorship, courage, and a deep belief that kids and families can heal? In this episode of Gettin' Gritty for Mental Health Therapists, we sit down for part two of our chat with Debra Wesselmann, LIMHP to unpack the story behind the Integrative Attachment Trauma Protocol for Children and Adolescents (IATP-C) , a framework that has help...