The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

Training Therapists in the Age of AI: Preventing Deskilling and Teaching Clinical Judgment As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in mental health care, therapists, supervisors, and educators face a critical responsibility: integrating AI tools without eroding clinical judgment, reasoning, and skill development. In this continuing education episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survi...

Why Food Anxiety Is Not Always About Dieting: Understanding ARFID and Intuitive Eating - An interview with Robyn L. Goldberg, RDN, CEDS-C Diet culture often dominates conversations about eating disorders, but not all struggles with food are driven by weight, body image, or dieting. In this episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk with registered dietitian nutritionist and certified eating disor...

The Epstein Files Fallout: Navigating Client Trauma, Justice Fatigue, and Clinical Responsibility In this episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy explore the emotional and clinical fallout following the release of the Epstein files. Rather than reacting to breaking news, they focus on what happens after the headlines fade—when trauma resurfaces, justice feel...

Why the Math Doesn’t Work: How Student Loan Debt Hits Therapists Harder Than Other Professions – An Interview with Mick MacLaverty Student loan debt affects nearly every corner of the mental health field, but for therapists, the numbers often don’t add up. In this episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk with student loan expert Mick MacLaverty about why therapists carry disproportionately high...

Starting Out After Graduate School: Team-Based Care, Stability, and Early Career Decisions - An Interview with Eden LathemSpecial Series: Becoming a Therapist In this Becoming a Therapist special series episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy welcome back Eden Lathem for a second-year check-in following her graduation from graduate school. Now working under temporary licensure, Eden shares what it...

Becoming a Therapist as a First-Generation Clinician-in-Training: An Interview with Marvin Vasquez Special Series: Becoming a Therapist In this Becoming a Therapist special series episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy welcome back Marvin Vasquez for a second-year check-in as he moves into the clinical phase of his training. Marvin reflects on beginning direct client work as a first-generation cli...

After Graduation: Starting a Therapy Career on a Nontraditional Path - An Interview with Derek Isetti In this Becoming a Therapist special series episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy check back in with Derek Isetti one year after his first appearance on the podcast. Now graduated from his MSW program, Derek reflects on the prelicensed phase of the journey, including navigating post-graduation re...

From Corporate Leadership to Counseling Advocacy: An Interview with Iris Wilson-Farley Special Series: Becoming a Therapist In this special Becoming a Therapist series episode, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy welcome back Iris Wilson-Farley for a second-year check-in on her journey through graduate school. Iris reflects on how her expectations of training have shifted, what the internship search was...

When Does Therapy Really Start? Managing Risk and Responsibility Before the First Session When does therapy actually begin—and when does therapist responsibility start? Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy explore the ethical, legal, and clinical risks that can arise before the first session ever happens, and what therapists can do to protect both their clients and themselves. In this host-led episode, t...

When Therapy Goes Vibe-Forward: The Cost of Losing Clinical Depth An Interview with TJ Walsh, LPC When therapy becomes more about relatability and “vibes” than clinical depth, what gets lost? Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk with TJ Walsh, LPC about how social media culture is shaping therapy expectations, why neutrality and containment still matter, and how supervision and self-work support rea...

REPLAY: Working With Politically Divided Families with Angela Caldwell, LMFT In this Reprise episode, Curt and Katie revisit their timely conversation with Angela Caldwell, LMFT on working with politically divided families. This episode explores family systems, differentiation, distress tolerance, and therapeutic neutrality when political conflict enters the therapy room. Angela offers a hopeful,...

Replay Episode: Therapy As a Political Act with Dr. Travis Heath In this reprise episode, Curt and Katie revisit their powerful conversation with Dr. Travis Heath on why therapy is inherently a political act. Originally recorded in June 2020, just days after the murder of George Floyd, this episode examines how therapists navigate racism, systems of oppression, political overwhelm, and community t...

How Therapists Can Actually Rest During the Holidays: Letting Go of Guilt, Productivity, and Instagram-Worthy Expectations Curt and Katie explore how therapists can create a real holiday break - not a performative or productivity-driven one. They discuss the pressure to rest “perfectly,” the guilt of not fully unplugging, how to shift into restorative downtime, and why passive vs. active rest matt...

When Good Intentions Lead to Bad Policy: Why the BBS Needs Therapist Feedback – An Interview with Dr. Benjamin E. Caldwell, LMFT Curt and Katie talk with Dr. Benjamin E. Caldwell about the California BBS’s new regulatory proposals and why several well-intended ideas may actually undermine therapist education and professional standards. We discuss the proposal to award CE hours simply for providing...

How Therapists Can Help Clients Finally Sleep: An Interview with Jessica Fink, LCSW-S Curt and Katie interview sleep specialist Jessica Fink, LCSW-S, about what therapists often misunderstand about sleep—and what actually helps when clients are stuck in cycles of insomnia, nighttime anxiety, or maladaptive sleep behaviors. Jessica breaks down the limits of sleep hygiene, the fundamentals of CBT-I,...

Navigating Client Crises When Your Own Life Hits Hard Curt and Katie talk about what therapists can do when client crises show up at the exact wrong time—during holidays, illness, personal stress, or overwhelming seasons of life. They explore capacity, boundaries, communication, safety planning, and how to ethically support clients without becoming a 24/7 crisis line. This is a practical, validati...

When Crisis Hits Home: How Therapists Can Survive and Support Each Other — An Interview with Jeanine Rousso Curt and Katie chat with Jeanine Rousso, a licensed counselor and supervisor in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina and founder of Therapist Resource Network, about how therapists can care for themselves when natural disasters or crises directly impact them. They discuss why therapists ofte...

Surviving Family Gatherings Without Becoming the Family Therapist: Emotional Boundaries for the Holidays Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy explore how therapists can navigate family gatherings without slipping into the role of “family therapist.” They discuss emotional boundaries, guilt, codependency, and the importance of authenticity during the holiday season. Learn how to recognize old family patte...

Designing a Sustainable Therapy Career: Reflections on Burnout, Legacy, and Letting Go Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy reflect on what it takes to build and sustain a meaningful therapy career and how to leave the profession well. They explore professional identity, burnout, and how to stay connected to the work without losing yourself in it. Drawing from recent interviews with Lynn Grodzki, Margare...

When Burnout Ends Your Therapy Career: An Interview with Ofra Obejas Curt and Katie speak with Ofra Obejas, LCSW (Retired), about what happens when even the most dedicated therapists reach their limits. After 20 years in practice, Ofra recognized she could no longer sustain the emotional and systemic demands of the work and chose to close her practice with integrity. She shares what burnout really...

How Therapists Retire: Planning, Ethics, and Letting Go of the Work You Love – An Interview with Lynn Grodzki, LCSW and Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD Curt and Katie talk with Lynn Grodzki and Margaret Wehrenberg about how therapists can plan for retirement with intention and integrity. They explore the emotional, ethical, and practical considerations of closing a practice, navigating readiness, and re...

Modern Therapist’s Consumer Guide: SimplePractice Curt and Katie talk with Jonathan Seltzer, CEO of SimplePractice, about how the company continues to evolve to meet the needs of independent mental health professionals. They discuss SimplePractice’s mission to empower clinicians with intuitive tools, transparency around investors, and the responsible use of AI to reduce administrative burdens whil...

Protecting Clients Through Better Notes: An Interview with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey about how therapists can document ethically and protectively in a politically charged climate. They explore how to handle sensitive topics like gender identity, reproductive rights, and immigration status while keeping documentation accurate, ethical, and s...

How Conscious Awareness Shapes Leadership, Therapy, and Collective Healing: An Interview with Pardis Mahdavi, PhD Curt and Katie chat with Pardis Mahdavi, PhD, about how consciousness and intentional awareness can transform therapy, leadership, and community. Pardis shares how cultivating our “inner state," moving from suffering to a “beautiful state,” impacts how we lead, connect, and heal collec...

The Crisis in College Mental Health: An Interview with Dr. Pardis Mahdavi, PhD Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk with Dr. Pardis Mahdavi about the growing mental-health crisis among college students. Pardis shares insights from her years in higher education leadership—revealing how rising costs, outdated systems, and lack of purpose are driving student anxiety and burnout. Together they explore w...