The Therapist Thrival Guide – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this episode of the Therapist Thrival Guide, Miranda is joined by Hana, a licensed associate marriage and family therapist and one of the newest content creators at Ellie Mental Health.

Together, we dive into the world of Erotic Blueprints—a framework that explores the different ways people experience and connect with pleasure.

We break down the five blueprint types: energetic, sensual, sexual, kinky, and shapeshifter, and talk about how understanding these “pleasure languages” can support deeper connection, improved communication, and a more fulfilling intimate life—both individually and in relationships.

Whether you're new to the concept or already familiar, Hana shares how this model can be a powerful tool in therapy and self-reflection. We also touch on practical ways to explore your own blueprint (like taking the quiz), what to do when you hit sexual blocks, and how to incorporate this work into self-care and healing.

If you’re curious about expanding your understanding of desire, intimacy, and how to bring more intention to pleasure—this one’s for you.

Episode Breakdown (with Timestamps):00:27 – What Are Erotic Blueprints?01:34 – The Five Blueprint Types Explained04:42 – Using Blueprints in the Therapy Room11:22 – Navigating Blocks and Barriers24:52 – Training & Certification in Erotic Blueprint Work27:06 – Self-Care Through the Lens of Erotic Blueprints

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, ⁠⁠⁠has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Alexa (our go-to Director of Compliance), and Emily Kohler Hanson (one of our amazing Clinical Operations Directors) team up to unpack everything you need to know about treatment planning.

We’re diving into what makes a solid treatment plan—from understanding the difference between goals and objectives to using the SMART format to write ones that actually work. We’ll walk you through how to keep plans client-centered, compliant, and connected to your clinical work using the “golden thread.”

You’ll also get practical strategies for writing measurable goals, choosing effective interventions, and navigating documentation, signatures, and updates. If you’ve ever felt unsure about what a “good” treatment plan really looks like, this one’s for you.

Here’s what we cover (and timestamps):00:37 – What makes up a strong treatment plan01:06 – Why treatment planning actually matters02:45 – Keeping plans client-centered while meeting compliance needs06:18 – What the heck is the “golden thread”?12:41 – How to write SMART goals that make sense17:19 – Tips for effective, actionable plans20:10 – Setting goals that feel realistic (and helpful!)21:25 – Examples: writing SMART goals for depression22:50 – Using the PHQ-9 to guide goals24:10 – How to document context and progress27:55 – Making objectives measurable30:08 – Interactive complexity + care coordination32:48 – Matching interventions to goals36:47 – Who signs what, and when39:17 – Reviewing and updating treatment plans

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, ⁠⁠⁠has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠⁠⁠⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Miranda interviews Kailah Tuttle, LPC, a certified geek therapist, about the innovative field of geek therapy. They discuss how incorporating elements of geek culture, such as anime, video games, roleplaying games, and superheroes, can enhance therapeutic practices.

Kayla shares her experiences with therapeutic Dungeon Master training and how geek therapy helps clients connect with their passions, process experiences, and learn skills through relatable characters and stories. They also touch on the importance of play and staying connected to one's inner child.

Whether you're a therapist looking to expand your toolkit or simply interested in the intersection of mental health and geek culture, this episode offers a fascinating insight into an emerging approach to therapy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:25 Diving into Geek Therapy

02:00 Therapeutic Dungeon Master Training

02:41 Play Therapy and Geek Therapy

04:36 Certification and Competency in Geek Therapy

07:27 Practical Applications of Geek Therapy

08:29 Therapeutic Dungeons and Dragons

15:59 Finding Your Niche as a Therapist

19:13 Exploring Art and Geek Therapy

19:24 Narrative Therapy and Superhero Stories

20:09 Creative Activities in Therapy

21:35 Geek Therapy in Practice

22:29 Integrating Geek Culture in Talk Therapy

23:54 Building Rapport Through Shared Interests

28:06 Geek Therapy as a Therapeutic Lens

31:02 Practical Interventions and Techniques

33:58 Connecting with the Inner Child

35:10 Final Thoughts and Resources

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this podcast episode, we are joined by Kyle Ross, LPCC to discuss navigating tragedies with clients as a therapist and in our personal lives. Therapy is an environment intended to solicit the disclosure of people’s most painful experiences, but tragedies don’t always occur prior to the first session. How do therapists manage an acute tragedy that happened in the off-week of therapy? More so, how do therapists manage tragedies in their personal lives that may likely challenge their ability to stay present with clients? This episode breaks down the complexity of tragedy across aspects of the therapeutic process. 

Find the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/@therapistTHRIVALguide

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast from Ellie Mental Health. We want to take therapists from just surviving to thriving. This is everything you didn't learn in graduate school! This podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW LICSW and Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT. We'll have a different therapist guest for each episode to talk about what they've learned and what they want to teach other therapists. This series will be covering topics like burn-out, client retention, session structure, and balancing professional relationships.   

Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT, has been practicing as a marriage and family therapist for over ten years. He has worked as a couple's therapist, a graduate and undergraduate professor, researcher, author, and now as the Senior Director of Innovation at Ellie Mental Health...But he mostly sees himself as a professional recreational golfer.   

Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for a little over a year. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Executive Producer at Ellie Mental Health and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.   

Therapist THRIVAL Guide is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is an outpatient mental health clinic that began in St. Paul, Minnesota and has continued to expand to over 20 clinics in Minnesota and a growing number of franchises across the country (we'll be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide in the near future!!).

When do you find yourself in the "therapy flow" (i.e. when the work doesn't feel like work)? In this podcast episode, we are joined by Tamara Statz, LMFT to discuss how to go about finding your niche and if therapists should generalize or specialize.

Find the video version on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE1KQgI5Dc4Kkjvlzm1GtuA 

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast from Ellie Mental Health. We want to take therapists from just surviving to thriving. This is everything you didn't learn in graduate school! This podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW LICSW and Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT. We'll have a different therapist guest for each episode to talk about what they've learned and what they want to teach other therapists. This series will be covering topics like burn-out, client retention, session structure, and balancing professional relationships.

Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT, has been practicing as a marriage and family therapist for over ten years. He has worked as a couple's therapist, a graduate and undergraduate professor, researcher, author, and now as the Senior Director of Innovation at Ellie Mental Health...But he mostly sees himself as a professional recreational golfer.

Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for a little over a year. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Executive Producer at Ellie Mental Health and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

Therapist THRIVAL Guide is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is an outpatient mental health clinic that began in St. Paul, Minnesota and has continued to expand to over 20 clinics in Minnesota and a growing number of franchises across the country (we'll be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide in the near future!!).

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast from Ellie Mental Health. We want to take therapists from just surviving to thriving. This is everything you didn't learn in graduate school! This podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW LICSW and Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT. We'll have a different therapist guest for each episode to talk about what they've learned and what they want to teach other therapists. This series will be covering topics like burn-out, client retention, session structure, and balancing professional relationships.  

In this podcast episode, we are joined by Heather Reidinger, LMFT and Gina Young, LICSW to how therapists can balancing professional practice with personal relationships.   Navigating typical social encounters can become complicated once folks learn we are trained professionals!! They will ask you if you’re analyzing them, and even worse, your significant others can reduce every complaint you voice as an attempt to “therapize” them. Noting that therapists can have disproportionately higher divorce rates when compared to other professions, this episode provides a framework for navigating your social relationships while assuming your new role as a mental health professional.   

Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT, has been practicing as a marriage and family therapist for over ten years. He has worked as a couple's therapist, a graduate and undergraduate professor, researcher, author, and now as the Senior Director of Innovation at Ellie Mental Health...But he mostly sees himself as a professional recreational golfer.  

Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for a little over a year. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Executive Producer at Ellie Mental Health and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.   

Therapist THRIVAL Guide is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is an outpatient mental health clinic that began in St. Paul, Minnesota and has continued to expand to over 20 clinics in Minnesota and a growing number of franchises across the country (we'll be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide in the near future!!).

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast from Ellie Mental Health. We want to take therapists from just surviving to thriving. This is everything you didn't learn in graduate school! This podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, MSW LICSW and Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT. We'll have a different therapist guest for each episode to talk about what they've learned and what they want to teach other therapists. This series will be covering topics like burn-out, client retention, session structure, and balancing professional relationships. 

In this episode we are joined with Xoel Gonzalez, LPCC to introduce the podcast and to answer the questions: Why do therapists choose this career path? What does it say about who we are as individuals, and what are the implication of such a peculiar profession on the therapist’s personal life and relationships?

Dr. Lucas Volini, LMFT has been practicing as a marriage and family therapist for over ten years. He has worked as a couple's therapist, a graduate and undergraduate professor, researcher, author, and now as the Senior Director of Innovation at Ellie Mental Health. He likes to say that he's a professional recreational golfer.

Miranda Barker, MSW LICSW has been practicing as a therapist for a little over a year. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Executive Producer at Ellie Mental Health and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care. 

This show is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is an outpatient mental health clinic that began in St. Paul, Minnesota and has continued to expand to over 20 clinics in Minnesota and a growing number of franchises across the country (we'll be opening over 400 locations in communities nationwide in the near future!!). More about us here: https://elliementalhealth.com/about/

In this episode, licensed clinical social workers Miranda, Gina and Letisha, discuss 'Attached' by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller. They explore the book's insights on attachment styles—secure, anxious, and avoidant—while noting its omission of disorganized attachment. The episode touches on how these styles influence relationships, offers critiques on the book's approach, and provides practical advice on communication and self-awareness in relationships. Listener questions enhance the discussion with real-world applications and experiences.00:00 Introduction and Host Introductions00:55 Discussion on 'Attached' by Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller02:27 Attachment Styles and Their Implications05:08 Critiques and Personal Insights on the Book14:27 Q&A Session: Listener Questions25:09 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Link to book: https://amzn.to/41yJBYd

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, therapists Miranda Barker and Karna Boynton share an in-depth conversation about secondary traumatic stress (STS). Karna, an experienced clinician and licensed marriage family therapist, opens up about her personal experience with STS, describing how the compounded stress from her professional and personal life led her to encounter PTSD-like symptoms.

We're discussing the distinctions between burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and secondary traumatic stress, emphasizing the need for mental health professionals to prioritize self-care and seek support when needed.

Karna offers valuable advice on recognizing warning signs, setting boundaries, and finding coping mechanisms that work. This episode aims to shed light on the significant impact of STS on therapists and the importance of acknowledging and addressing this often-overlooked issue.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Meet the Guest

00:24 Karna's Career Journey

02:06 Understanding Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)

03:24 Burnout vs. Compassion Fatigue

07:14 Vicarious Trauma Explained

11:49 Personal Experiences and Warning Signs

24:55 The Pressure Cooker: Personal and Professional Struggles

33:09 The Breaking Point: Recognizing the Signs

33:21 Physical Manifestations of Stress

34:12 Therapeutic Modalities and Their Impact

35:40 The Emotional Toll of Trauma Work

36:28 Navigating Client-Therapist Boundaries

39:40 Assessment and Realization

41:56 Experiencing Secondary Trauma

48:45 Steps Towards Recovery

51:49 Reevaluating and Rebuilding

53:26 Sharing the Journey

58:36 Final Reflections and Advice

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.

The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Heather Olsson, LCPC and Matthew Toman, APRN, both at Ellie Mental Health in Naperville, IL, join this episode to explore how some physical illnesses or issues can mask as mental health problems.

Heather and Matt share their experiences and insights on how to best support clients and the huge benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

They also discuss the impact of physical health on mental well-being and the role of lab tests in diagnosing and treating various conditions. This conversation aims to empower therapists and healthcare professionals to better support their clients by understanding the connection between physical and mental health and collaborating with physicians.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Therapist Thrival Guide

00:31 Meet the Guests: Heather and Matt

01:27 The Importance of Medication Management

02:07 Personal and Professional Collaboration

05:13 Bridging the Gap Between Mental and Physical Health

05:40 Understanding the Role of Lab Work

11:05 The Impact of Thyroid Function on Mental Health

17:12 GeneSight Testing and Medication Management

24:18 Starting SSRIs and SNRIs: What to Expect

24:38 Overlap of PCOS and Mental Health Symptoms

25:45 Empowering Clients and Treatment Teams

26:01 Key Lab Tests for Mental Health

28:03 Alcohol's Impact on Mental and Physical Health

30:20 SSRIs and Sexual Dysfunction

37:39 Exploring Medication Alternatives

41:45 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you!This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Miranda Barker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from ⁠Ellie Mental Health⁠.

Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#therapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠