An interview with Jeff Guenther, LPC, about how therapy has been whitewashed and biased for a very long time. Curt and Katie talk with Jeff about his efforts to use his privilege to increase inclusion and diversity and to shine a light on biases that we all hold.
It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.
To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
Interview with Jeff Guenther, LPC
Jeff Guenther, LPC, is a therapist in Portland, OR. He has been in private practice since 2005. Jeff is the creator and owner of Portland Therapy Center, a highly ranked therapist directory. He also hosts a podcast called Say More About That about trending mental health topics. Jeff has launched a new progressive therapist directory at TherapyDen that fights racism, homophobia, transphobia and all other forms of discrimination. Sign up for a profile at TherapyDen and get your first six months free.
In this episode we talk about:
Jeff’s entrepreneurship and his focus on creating access for mental health
Therapy directories and how he came to identify the need to use the directory to fight against racism, transphobia, homophobia, etc.
Using privilege for good and to support inclusion and access for mental health services
Looking at the controversy in developing a progressive therapist directory
The goal to be inclusive, not solely politically progressive
White privilege and bias
The problems with Psychology Today and how this directory is slowly seeming to respond and start addressing racial and gender diversity
The white washing of therapy and the fight to increase access and diversity
Understanding the bias that is being reinforced by Disney Movies
How bias can show up in the therapy room, your marketing, and in your intake
Addressing systemic bias
The history of therapy and how it continues to influence bias
Looking at how implicit bias can be addressed by individual therapists
The biases that are less understood or addressed
The responsibility of therapists to actively work toward societal inclusion
The ability to change things in one generation
