Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your Schedule – Details, episodes & analysis

Have you ever felt the weight of your clients' struggles lingering long after your sessions end? Spent evenings and weekends fretting over whether you used the right interventions, or should have tried something different?  We sure have, and we know we aren’t alone in this.  That’s why in this episode, we’re shining a light on the hazards of the mental health profession—those challenges that often go unspoken but can weigh heavily on our shoulders. 

And what if we told you that acknowledging these challenges could be the first step toward building a more resilient practice? Join us as we uncover some unexpected truths about working in the mental health field, as well as share insights to help you embrace the complexity of our work while prioritizing your own well-being.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding the hazards – inherent challenges including challenging patient behaviours, emotional depletion, psychic isolation, and more
• Particular impact of the uncertainty of success
• Risks of highly valuing our work
• Repeat as needed:  Psychotherapy is one of the most taxing endeavours known to mankind
• Self-Care Experiments:  
  • Know your risks
  • Create a strategic resilience plan
  • Build your ability to tolerate uncertainty
  • Reflect on your 4 C’s

Resources Mentioned:

• Book:  Leaving It at the Office by Drs. John Norcross and Gary VandenBos
• Book:  The Resilience Plan by Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier
• Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Ever feel like there’s just never enough time in the day? You’re juggling client sessions, family responsibilities, and maybe even a little bit of a social life—if you’re lucky. And yet, somehow, taking care of yourself always falls to the bottom of the list. Sound familiar? In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the toxic time messages that keep us stuck in this endless cycle of overwhelm. We’re diving into how these hidden beliefs sneak into our everyday decisions and offer some practical tips to reclaim your time—and your energy.

We’ll be talking about why saying, “I can do it better and faster,” or, “I should spend my time doing X, Y, Z,” might be costing you more than you realize. So, if you’re tired of feeling like time is slipping through your fingers and ready to start putting you back in your schedule, please stick around.

Episode Highlights:

• Toxic Time Messages:
  • “I can do it better and faster”
  • “I can save time by doing it myself”
  • “I should be spending my time doing x, y, z”
• Time reframes
  • "Even if I can do it better, that doesn't mean I should be the one to do it"
  • "Saving time now isn't worth the long-term cost to my well-being"
  • "I will not let 'shoulds' rob me of time for myself"

Self-Care Experiments:  

• Delegating a task
• Pausing before agreeing to new commitments
• Setting aside uninterrupted time for yourself

Resources Mentioned:

• Book:  Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
• Visit our website to get your own copy of our FREE 4 C's Self-Care Assessment:  https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

In this special podcast episode, we, Dr. Melissa Tiessen and Dr. Karen Dyck, dedicate our discussion to what is perhaps our favourite 'C' from our 4 C's model of self-care—Courage.  We provide a quick overview of our 4 C’s model of self-care and why Courage is the C that we like discussing the most, as well as why we view it as the essential fuel that helps to move us from thinking about and planning self-care activities to acting on them.  And we had the pleasure of incorporating audio clips submitted by members of our Intentional Therapist community to highlight the importance of Courage in self-care as well as how Courage intersects with our other C’s and with a willingness to be vulnerable.  We end the episode by sharing some of the ways Courage has shown up in our own self-care journeys.     

Episode highlights:

• A brief overview of the 4 C’s model of self-care
• Why Courage is such an important part of our model
• How Courage can show up in both our work and personal life
• The connection between Courage and a willingness to be vulnerable
• How we have incorporated Courage into our own self-care

Thank you so much to all the like-minded Intentional Therapist community members who shared their courageous self-care examples for this episode!
 
We would love to hear your own courageous self-care acts and plans!  Just go to:    https://www.speakpipe.com/IntentionalTherapist 

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Listening to the wisdom of our body is an essential component of self-care, yet how often do we truly embrace this?  Do we even know what that would look like?

In this episode we speak with Courtney Amo, Dr. Julie Beaulac, and Casey Bergland, the authors of the book entitled The Mind Body Way: The Embodied Leader’s Path to Resilience, Connection, and Purpose. Our guests use the term “leader” in a broad sense to include both the traditionally recognized leadership roles but also those that we might not ordinarily think of.  So, whether you’re in a supervisory role where you’re leading a team or simply just leading yourself, this episode is for you.  Our guests discuss exactly what is meant by the term “embodiment” and some of the reasons we struggle to listen to our bodies. We also explore the authors’ 6 pillar framework and it’s overlap with our 4 C’s framework, focusing specifically on the importance of courage and connection.  We end off by hearing about our guests’ favorite “non-conventional” self-care practices.        

Episode highlights:

• What exactly is “embodiment” and why is it so important
• Why we ignore the wisdom of our bodies
• How taking on risks and practicing courage contribute to embodied leadership
• The role of connecting with ourselves and others in being an embodied leader
• Julie, Courtney, and Casey’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practices

Courtney Amo is a certified yoga instructor and the founder of Mahaa, an independent yoga, retreat, lifestyle coaching, and consulting practice that promotes inclusive and barrier-free access to well-being.  Dr. Julie Beaulac is a certified yoga teacher and a clinical, health, and rehabilitation psychologist in private practice who helps individuals, groups, and organizations enhance their performance and satisfaction by becoming more engaged in their lives.  And Casey Bergland is a yoga instructor and certified professional coach who recently founded Worthy and Well, an online coaching and training company.  Casey focuses on helping her clients become embodied leaders without burning out or neglecting their bodies’ wisdom. 

Connect with Courtney:
https://mahaa.ca/

Connect with Julie:
https://drjuliebeaulac.com/

Connect with Casey:
https://letyourbodylead.com/

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

As clinicians we often speak with our clients about the importance of boundaries but how often do we actually apply that same wisdom to our own self-care?  

In this episode we speak with psychologist Kim Long about the incredibly important yet uncomfortable topic of boundaries.  Kim shares some of the common misconceptions about boundaries, some of the reasons why this is so hard for female clinicians, and how this might show up differently if we’re working in a public versus private setting.  We go on to explore the warning signs that might suggest we need to strengthen our boundaries and Kim shares her perspective about how resentment is actually envy in disguise.  Kim also explains why listening to our bodies is such an important step in identifying our boundaries.  

 Episode highlights:

• The common misconceptions about boundaries
• Why setting boundaries is so hard for female clinicians
• Warning signs that suggest we need to work on our boundaries
• Why listening to our bodies is such an important step towards identifying our boundaries
• Kim’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practices

Kim Long has a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is a registered psychologist in Alberta.  In 2016 Kim opened Dochas (the Gaelic term for hope) Psychological Services.  Kim’s practice has grown over the years and now includes a team of professionals who work with clients to discover their strengths, identify what’s getting in their way, and help them find the life they want.  Kim and her team have also developed The Dochas Life Jacket App, a free app that provides self-regulation support: https://www.dochaspsych.com/lifejacket-app/

Connect with Kim:
https://www.dochaspsych.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dochaspsych/
https://www.facebook.com/DochasPsych/

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

As female mental health clinicians we receive multiple messages or “scripts” through our socialization as women and mental health clinicians about things like professionalism, productivity, caregiving and even what it means to be a “good therapist” and a “good woman.”  And the reality is, these messages come from systems that are based in a western, capitalist, patriarchal society.  In this episode we speak with Silvana Espinoza Lau about how these “scripts” and oppressive symptoms impact female mental health clinicians in general, as well as some of the unique impact these messages have on female clinicians with marginalized identities.    

Episode highlights:

• How the “scripts” we receive about professionalism, productivity, serving others, and being a “good therapist” impact female clinicians
• The key topics missing from clinicians’ conversations with one another
• Factors contributing to the Imposter Syndrome and how it affects clinicians differently
• What clinicians can do to limit the negative impact of oppressive symptoms on their self-care
• Why embodied connections are so important
• Some of Silvana’s best non-conventional self-care practices

Silvana Espinoza Lau is an embodied liberation and decolonization consultant and coach for mental health professionals. Silvana coaches mental health professionals who want to incorporate decolonized, liberation focused and anti-oppressive values in their practices in an embodied way and consults with mental health agencies that want to center therapy seekers with minoritized identities.  Silvana is also an LMFT in private practice in the unceded Kalapuya territory (Oregon), and a clinical supervisor and consultant to both licensed and pre-licensed clinicians with a focus on anti-oppressive and decolonized practices.

Connect with Silvana:
https://seventhselfcounseling.com
https://www.instagram.com/seventhselfcounseling/

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

In this long overdue episode, we, Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, discuss the factors that led us to start Intentional Therapist and begin hosting this podcast, Thrivival 101.  We also explain why we believe self-care is a four-letter word, share how we are redefining self-care, and how our 4 C’s framework - Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity - can help female clinicians (regardless of our work setting) put more of ourselves into our schedule and create a life from which we don’t need to escape.        

Highlights:

• What led Melissa and Karen to start Intentional Therapist and Thrivival 101
• How self-care has become a four-letter word 
• How we’re redefining self-care for female clinicians
• The 4 C’s framework:  Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity
• How getting “messy” is such an important part of self-care
• Some more of Melissa and Karen’s favourite nonconventional self-care practices

Dr. Karen Dyck completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota.  She currently works in private practice in Oakbank, Manitoba and is also the Executive Director of the Manitoba Psychological Society.  Before shifting to private practice, Karen spent the bulk of her career working within the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology and was the founding chair of the Rural and Northern Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).    

Dr. Melissa Tiessen completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at McGill University and currently works in private practice in Winnipeg, Manitoba, having recently moved from a group practice in Ottawa, Ontario.  Melissa has previously worked in the Rural and Northern Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba’s Department of Clinical Health Psychology, within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program through the University of Ottawa/The Ottawa Hospital Heart Institute, and has served as the Education Director for the CPA, overseeing the organization’s accreditation and continuing education activities.

In 2019 Karen and Melissa co-founded Intentional Therapist, which we developed to help female mental health clinicians redefine our approach to self-care and start putting more of ourselves into our schedule. 

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

In this episode we connect with Dr. Stephanie Grunewald, psychologist, coach, and entrepreneur, to learn more about her RESET model and how she helps her clients achieve a life and business aligned in purpose.  Stephanie shares some of the common traps impacting ambitious women and how her own experience of connecting with her values resulted in her making the very intentional decision against expanding her own counseling business.  She also explains her RESET model and how her work highlights the importance of community and nature.  We end the episode, as always, hearing about Stephanie’s “non-conventional” self-care practices.  

Episode highlights:

• Common traps impacting ambitious women’s self-care
• How connecting with her own values influenced Stephanie's decision to NOT grow her own business
• How she incorporates her RESET model into her work
• The importance of community and nature 
• Stephanie’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practice

Stephanie Grunewald, PhD is a psychologist and holistic coach. After experiencing burnout while building her group counseling practice, she realized the toll of deprioritizing herself. Following the death of her mother, she felt a calling to incorporate lessons from nature to change the way women build their businesses. She expanded her work to coaching where she focuses on developing the whole person — working on the personal mindset and habits that unlock business growth. Dr. Grunewald offers mastermind groups and reset retreats to help women entrepreneurs prioritize their wellbeing to create intentional and sustainable success.   

Connect with Stephanie:
www.ancorio.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-grunewald-phd/
Instagram: @stephanie_grunewald

FREE Guide to Break Free from Busy: Unlocking Success through Efficiency 
https://ancorio.com/guides/break-free-from-busy

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

For those of you who are familiar with Intentional Therapist and the 4 C’s model of self-care you know our Connection pillar includes not only connecting with others but also connecting with our own values.  For many people, faith and spirituality are important values that we often don't talk enough about. 

In this episode we speak with Whitney Owens about the ways she incorporates faith into her practice.  Whitney talks with us about some of the common misconceptions about faith-based practice, some important considerations for running an ethical faith-based practice, and how connecting with her faith has been an important component of her own “soul-care.”    

Highlights:

• Differences between incorporating faith into our business practices versus clinical practice
• Common misconceptions about faith-based practice
• How Whitney defines ethical faith-based practice
• How to ethically counter religious messages that negatively impact women’s’ self-care
• The distinction between “tired” and “weary”
• Whitney’s favorite “self-care” and “soul-care” practices

Whitney Owens is a licensed professional counselor, group practice owner, and faith-based private practice consultant. She is located in Savannah, Georgia, where she manages a private pay group practice with 10 plus clinicians. Along with running her practice, she consults practice owners around the country on how to start and grow a successful faith-based practice. She hosts summits, a weekly podcast, and a membership community for faith-based practice owners called Wise Practice. She has spoken at numerous events such as both the Georgia and Maryland annual professional counselors conferences as well as trainings for Florida’s Counseling Association. In 2023 she will be speaking at Meet you in Kentucky, which is for group practice owners, as well as hosting her own summit in Savannah. In her free time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls, running, reading, and relaxing in the backyard.

Connect with Whitney:
whitney@whitneyowens.com
https://www.whitneyowens.com/
https://watersedgecounseling.com/

Instagram: @WhitneyOwensConsulting 

FREE PDF on Tips for Marketing with Churches:
https://www.whitneyowens.com/

Free Facebook Membership Community for Faith-Based Practice Owners:

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.

Supervision and consultation are important components of mental health clinicians’ training and professional development.  These activities can also play an important role in clinician wellness and self-care.  In this episode we speak with Shannon Heers, founder of Firelight Supervision, about the differences between consultation and supervision, how these activities contribute to clinician wellness and what we can do to get the most out of supervisory/consultation experiences.  Shannon also shares her perspective about what tends to get in the way of clinicians accessing these beneficial activities.  

Highlights:

• Differences and similarities between supervision and consultation
• How supervision and consultation contribute to clinician well-being
• What clinicians can do to get the most out of their supervisory/consultation experience
• Reasons why clinicians don’t access supervision and consultation
• What clinicians can do to access supervision/consultation supports
• Shannon’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practice

Shannon Heers is a therapist, approved clinical supervisor, and the founder of Firelight Supervision.  Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision to counselors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as clinical consultation for post-licensure professional growth and development.  Shannon is also the owner of Catalyss Counseling, a private-pay group private practice located in Colorado.  Shannon is passionate about burnout prevention in the counseling field and ensuring that all therapists and supervisors get the clinical support they deserve. 

Connect with Shannon:
info@firelightsupervision.com
https://firelightsupervision.com 

Please celebrate with us!

The launch of our new podcast coincides with our 5 year anniversary of Intentional Therapist, and in celebration of both events we are holding a launch giveaway contest throughout December! Three winners will receive a book of their choice from our list of conventional and not-so-conventional self-care resources (see: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/resources). There are two ways to enter:

1. Subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/
2. Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Winners will be notified in early January 2025. Thanks so much for your support!

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
intentional@intentionaltherapist.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.