Shows
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE15: Experimenting With Experiments: Season 1 Self-Care Experiments Round UpWhat if the real secret to sustainable self-care isn’t about working harder—or even trying to be “better”—but simply about noticing, connecting, and giving yourself permission to take small, imperfect steps? In today’s episode, we’re taking a second look at the many self-care experiments we’ve shared throughout the year to reveal a refreshingly doable framework that can support you, not just in theory, but in real life.As we wrap up the season and head into summer, we’re reflecting on the common threads woven through our self-care experiments— and offering you a fresh way to appro...2025-06-1614 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE14: Why can’t I actually put myself in my schedule?! 3 ways to more intentionally protect your self-care effortsHave you ever looked at your schedule and wondered why everyone else’s needs made the cut—but yours didn’t? In this podcast episode, we’re exploring a question we hear all the time: Why can’t I actually put myself in my schedule?! If you resonate with this question, know that you are not alone, and, that you are not doing anything wrong. Please stick around as we explore what contributes to this struggle of protecting the time we want to devote to our self-care. And most importantly, we will be sharing three practical, intentional ways to suppor...2025-06-0215 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE13: This is your brain on breaks: 3 benefits of incorporating breaks into our daysWhat does your typical day look like? Does it include regularly occurring breaks or do you often find yourself constantly on the go? If you’re like most of the female mental health therapists we’ve spoken with, most of your days probably feel like you’re going non-stop, both at work and at home. And while there can admittedly be some sense of accomplishment that comes with fitting as many things from our never ending “to-do list” into our days, it comes at a cost. In today’s episode we’ll talk about the concepts of energy expenditure...2025-05-1913 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE12: Therapists have rights too! 3 personal rights to embrace for better self-careHave your sessions with clients ever incorporated the topic of assertiveness and its related benefits? If so, then you’re likely familiar with the “Personal Bill of Rights” and how eye opening this resource can be to clients, particularly those who’ve regularly either ignored their needs or put them well below those of others. The Personal Bill of Rights can offer our clients a different way of thinking about themselves which, in turn, can help them start shifting their actions in ways that align more so with their Personal Bill of Rights. But have you ever thought ab...2025-05-0517 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE11: Self-care sabotage: 3 types of beliefs that may be hurting your self-care from the inside outHow often do you take time to reflect on your beliefs and the ways they might be influencing your self-care? If you’re like most female mental health therapists, you’re likely so busy tending to your professional and personal roles and responsibilities that this hasn’t even crossed your mind. Yet, the reality is many of us may be unknowingly buying into beliefs that could be sabotaging our self-care.In today’s episode we look at three types of unhelpful beliefs and the ways they might be sabotaging your self-care efforts. We're also talking about how connection...2025-04-2116 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE10: Connection in a post-pandemic world: 3 ways connecting with others can change the self-care gameAs a mental health professional, you undoubtedly know the significant role our relationships can have on our overall well-being. In fact, it’s probably something you discuss with most, if not all your clients at some point during therapy. But how often do you take the same time and care to reflect on your own relationships with others? In today’s episode we revisit the connection pillar of our 4 C’s model, this time, focusing on our connections to others and the important role this plays in our self-care. We’ll also be talking about how connection plus courage...2025-04-0714 min
Money Skills For Therapists162: Redefining Self-Care in Private Practice with Karen Dyck & Melissa TiessenDo you struggle to prioritize your own self-care in the face of your clients’ needs? In today’s coaching episode, Linzy talks with Melissa Tiessen and Karen Dyck, co-founders of Intentional Therapist, about the importance of self-compassion for therapists and how it intersects with money and practice sustainability.Melissa and Karen discuss the risks of neglecting self-care, particularly for therapists who are often inclined to put others first. They introduce the Four Cs framework, which provides a comprehensive approach to caring for yourself while also nurturing the quality of care you offer your clients. With insights on sett...2025-03-1843 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE9: Documentation is not the enemy! How to use the 4 C’s to make documentation your self-care allyHave you ever thought of documentation as a form of self-care? Of course, probably not! We know that more likely, documentation often feels like a time-consuming, mentally draining task that takes away from the work you truly care about. But we are here to try to convince you that documentation can actually be a key part of our self-care. Yes, you heard that right. There are ways to turn this often stressful task into a tool for personal and professional well-being.So what if, instead of adding to our stress, documentation could be part of the solution? In th...2025-03-1718 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE8: How to use our values to work for our self-care, instead of against itHow often do you think of values when you think about self-care? If you’re like many of us, probably not very often or at all. Yet the reality is our values can play a huge role in our self-care, whether we think about them or not. In this week's episode we explore three important ways values are related to self-care. And although most of the time connecting with our values is truly a valuable thing to do, you might also be surprised to hear that sometimes values can actually get in the way of our self-care. So we h...2025-03-0319 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE7: Let's embrace our differences instead of apologizing for them: 3 ways individual differences factor into personalized self-careDo you ever find yourself wondering why self-care seems to come so easily for some of your colleagues or why you and your colleagues struggle in different ways with self-care? Or maybe you’ve been disappointed with the “one-size fits” all self-care messages you’ve been fed. If so, you’re not alone.In today’s episode, we’re diving into the topic of individual differences. As female mental health clinicians, we share a lot in common, but we’re also each unique, and that uniqueness can play a huge role in how we approach self-care. We hope you will tu...2025-02-1715 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE6: It’s not you, it’s your wiring: 4 ways our evolutionary wiring makes self-care challenging (but not impossible!)We’re about to explore something that may surprise you—your brain’s survival instincts are still influencing how you approach self-care, and they might be working against you. Have you ever wondered why saying "no" feels impossible or why you can't seem to prioritize yourself no matter how hard you try? What if the answer lies in how our brains are wired for survival, and how that wiring affects everything from guilt to stress?In this episode, we’re going to unpack how your evolutionary wiring could be sabotaging your best self-care efforts. But here’s the good n...2025-02-0313 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE5: You are a human being, not a human giver: 3 ways the self-care game is rigged for women and how you can fight backEver feel like you’re always giving—whether it’s to your clients, your family, or even strangers on the street—and somehow your own needs get pushed aside? You're not alone. In fact, this might be part of a much bigger issue that’s rigged against women when it comes to self-care. If you're a female therapist, juggling the demands of your clients, family, and personal well-being, this episode is going to shine a light on why that balance feels so elusive—and what you can do to break the cycle.Today, we're talking about the hidden force...2025-01-2016 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE4: Feeling like an imposter and a perpetual student? You are not alone! And here are 4 things you can do about itDo you often find yourself working hard, yet questioning your abilities, feeling like you’re just pretending to be competent, waiting to be found out? If you’re a female therapist wrestling with imposter syndrome and the pressures of a lingering student mindset, you’re not alone, and this episode is for you. We’ll explore how these internal struggles can impact your self-care and professional fulfillment.Join us as we explore the traits that once helped you succeed but may now be holding you back. How can recognizing these patterns empower you to move past the fear of b...2025-01-0615 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE3: Our work should come with a warning label: How to navigate the #1 hazard of our workHave 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 p...2024-12-1614 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE2: Treat your time like diamonds, not like sand: How to break free from toxic time messagesEver 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...2024-12-0213 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleE1: Traditional self-care is broken! How you can use the 4 C’s to *actually* take good care of yourselfWhen was the last time you felt truly in control of your schedule? Or had a day when your to-do list didn’t just overflow with everyone else’s needs, leaving yours at the bottom? If self-care feels like just another item you’re not quite managing to cross off, you’re not alone – and that’s exactly why we created this podcast.In this first episode, we’re introducing a game-changing approach to self-care – one that’s tailored to the unique challenges of being a female therapist. We’ll be sharing our 4 C’s model, a simple yet powerful fr...2024-12-0214 minIntentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleIntroducing: Putting You In Your ScheduleSelf-care shouldn’t be another task on your to-do list! Hosted by Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, clinical psychologists, founders of Intentional Therapist, and self-care advocates, this podcast is for female mental health therapists who are ready to redefine self-care. Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:intentional@intentionaltherapist.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapistDisclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clini...2024-11-0302 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleReplay: Owning Your Therapist Sensitivities: A Conversation with April SnowAs regular listeners know, we are (still!) in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future. So please stay tuned!Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance. This month we are re-sharing another one of our favourite podcast interviews, where we discuss the importance of owning our therapist sensitivities. As a self-described Highly Sensitive Therapist (HST), April Snow shares her perspectives on what it means to be a H...2024-10-0445 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleReplay: This is NOT an Episode About Benedict Cumberbatch: A Conversation with Tabitha Carvan About Reclaiming Our PassionsAs you may already know, we are in the process of working on a new format for our podcast which we hope to share in the very near future. So please stay tuned! Until then, we are continuing to go into our podcast archives to replay some past episodes that we feel deserve a repeat performance. This month we are re-sharing one of our favourite podcast interviews, which was with Tabitha Carvan, the author of This is Not a Book About Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something—Anything—Like Your Life Depends on It. As t...2024-09-0557 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleReplay: Fitting Finances Into Your Self-Care: A Conversation with Linzy BonhamAs we shared last month, we are busily working on a new format for our podcast which we’re planning on unveiling in the next few months. Until then, we’re continuing to go into our podcast archives and resharing episodes on topics we thought warrant a repeat performance. So with that in mind, this month we are resharing our podcast interview with Linzy Bonham on the important topic of finances. We hope you’ll join us in revisiting this important and highly relevant topic to self-care. As we often say, self-care isn’t one and done and the real...2024-08-0133 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleReplay: Documentation IS Self-Care! A Conversation with Dr. Maelisa McCaffreyWe are very excited to share that we are in the process of reformatting our podcast! We are aiming to launch the new format in the coming months, and in the meantime we will be sure to share more updates as well as we would love to get your feedback. So please stay tuned for more details!In the meantime, we decided to go into our Thrivival 101 archives to share a replay of our most popular episode: Documentation. In this conversation with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey, we covered not only what gets in the way of clinicians staying on t...2024-07-0439 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleThriving in Our Parenting and Professional Roles: A Conversation with Lori Mihalich-Levin and Arianna TaboadaMany women at some point in their careers will experience the major milestone of becoming a mother. It's a life-changing experience, yet how often do we talk about how this transition impacts our work?In this month's episode of Thrivival 101 we were so pleased to speak with Lori Mihalich-Levin and Arianna Taboada about the work they do to help parents thrive in both their parenting and professional lives. Lori shares some of her own challenging experiences as a new working parent and how this led to her creation of Mindful Return, an organization supporting parents in their...2024-06-0645 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleYou Are Fabulous AND You Need a Resilience Plan: A Conversation with Dr. Marie-Helene PelletierAs clinicians we’re familiar with the concept and importance of resilience but how many of us actually think about resiliency for ourselves? In this episode we speak with award winning workplace mental health expert and psychologist, Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier about her recent book The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health. Marie-Helene explains how a resilience plan differs from traditional self-care and identifies the key elements involved in developing a strategic resilience plan that’s as unique as our DNA. She also shares how value-driven work can place us at increased risk of burn...2024-05-0239 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleCourage is a Requirement for Self-Care: A Conversation with Our Intentional Therapist CommunityIn 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 highli...2024-04-0442 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleLeading Ourselves Through the Body: A Conversation with Courtney Amo, Dr. Julie Beaulac, and Casey BerglandListening 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 supervis...2024-01-1151 min
Yoga in the Therapy Room: Tips for integrating trauma informed yogaEpisode 162 Redefining Self-Care For Female Mental Health Clinicians With The 4 C's Approach: Interview With Dr. Melissa Tiessen & Dr. Karen DyckThis episode is sponsored by Alma. Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.Sign up today at https://helloalma.com/for-providers/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=holisticcounselingWhat is the 4 C’s model? How can it help female mental he...2024-01-0340 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your Schedule“No” is a Complete Sentence: A Conversation with Kim Long about the Importance of BoundariesAs 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 stren...2023-12-0146 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleThe Impact of 'Scripts' and Oppressive Systems on Our Self-Care: A Conversation with Silvana Espinoza LauAs 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...2023-11-0246 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleBehind the Scenes of Intentional Therapist & Thrivival 101: A Conversation with Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa TiessenIn 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...2023-10-0552 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleIntentionally Incorporating Self-Care to Create Sustainable Success: A Conversation with Dr. Stephanie GrunewaldIn 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...2023-09-0743 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleEmbracing Spiritual Self-Care: A Conversation with Whitney OwensFor 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...2023-07-0631 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleHow Supervision & Consultation are Fundamental to Self-Care: A Conversation with Shannon HeersSupervision 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 consultationHow supervision and consul...2023-06-0148 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleThis is NOT an Episode About Benedict Cumberbatch: A Conversation with Tabitha Carvan About Reclaiming Our PassionsRemember that feeling you had as a kid, when your interests were held with such intensity and passion that they couldn’t help but bring you joy? When was the last time you experienced - or allowed yourself to experience - that type of passionate interest in something? In this special bonus episode we speak with author Tabitha Carvan about how Benedict Cumberbatch helped her do just that, and why it’s so hard, yet so important, for women to reclaim this part of themselves. Although Tabitha may not be a mental health clinician by trainin...2023-05-1854 min
Continuing Education for Mental Health Counselors: Therapy Show with Lisa MustardWhat Makes a Good Therapist?Recently I was asked the question, what makes a good therapist? I’m sharing my list in this episode. The qualities and skills that make a good therapist are crucial in facilitating effective and impactful therapeutic outcomes. A good therapist demonstrates empathy, actively listens to their clients, and maintains a non-judgmental attitude, creating a safe and trusting environment. Trustworthiness, effective communication, and adaptability are also essential, as they allow therapists to tailor their approach to meet individual client needs. Emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and a commitment to lifelong learning contribute to the therapist's ability to navigate diverse cl...2023-05-1716 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleDeveloping an Authentic, Energy Protecting Lifestyle: A Conversation with Enid De JesusFemale mental health clinicians face many barriers to engaging in truly meaningful self-care practices, perhaps the most powerful of which are societal messages that encourage us to adopt a self-sacrificing way of being that focuses primarily on the needs of others. In this episode we have the pleasure of speaking with Enid De Jesus, a Florida Licensed therapist and coach who’s made it her mission to help sensitive introverted women create lives that honor their own needs. Enid shares how her own experiences of breaking free from unhelpful narratives and unapologetically honouring her own introverted needs led...2023-05-0442 min
Private Practice Elevation with Daniel Fava133 - The 4 'C's' of Self Care & Creating A Life You Don't Need to Escape From with Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa TiessenDo you feel like you’re intentionally creating a life from which you don’t need to escape? Or are you finding it incredibly difficult to create a balance between caring for others’ needs and caring for yourself? In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to receive a framework that you can apply to your life so that you can embrace self-care in a way that works for you. Let’s face it… incorporating self-care into our daily lives is hard. It s...2023-05-0137 minPrivate Practice Elevation with Daniel Fava133 - The 4 'C's' of Self Care & Creating A Life You Don't Need to Escape From with Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa TiessenDo you feel like you’re intentionally creating a life from which you don’t need to escape? Or are you finding it incredibly difficult to create a balance between caring for others’ needs and caring for yourself? In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to receive a framework that you can apply to your life so that you can embrace self-care in a way that works for you. Let’s face it… incorporating self-care into our daily lives is hard. It s...2023-05-0137 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleThe Benefits of Working in Alignment with Your Values and Priorities: A Conversation with Lisa MustardWhen’s the last time you sat down to really reflect on your values? In this busy world it’s so easy to go through life without really giving this much thought. Yet, setting some time aside to do just that can help us truly create a life from which we don’t need to escape. In this episode we speak with Lisa Mustard, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (and co-member of the PsychCraft Network), about a pivotal time in her career and how examining her values and priorities set her on a journey to becoming a Coach and podcast h...2023-04-0552 minContinuing Education for Mental Health Counselors: Therapy Show with Lisa MustardExploring the Four C's Self Care Model for Women Mental Health Clinicians with Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa TiessenIn this week's episode I interview Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen, two mid-career psychologists working in private practice. They founded Intentional Therapists out of a recognition that self-care is incredibly important for mental health clinicians, yet they receive little to no training in this area. The mission of Intentional Therapists is to help female mental health clinicians thrive in their professional roles and normalize self-care in all its forms. During the episode, Karen and Melissa discuss the four C's of their self-care model and how it can help female mental health clinicians move from surviving to thriving...2023-04-0536 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleMaking Organizational Systems Part of Self-Care: A Conversation with Liz GrayWhen female clinicians think of self-care the term “organizational systems” probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind (probably not even the last thing). Yet, having effective organizational systems in place at work (and home) can be such an important step in our self-care journey as they have the potential to help us feel less overwhelmed, work more efficiently, and (by doing so) can help us put more of ourselves into our day. In this episode we speak with Liz Gray, the founder of Organize and Thrive, about her passion for organizational systems, why so many of us avoid...2023-03-0945 min
The Practice of Therapy PodcastThe PsychCraft Network | Why We Podcast | TPOT 269In this special episode, Gordon Brewer shares the purpose of his podcast network, the Psychcraft Network. Lisa Mustard, Daniel Fava, Aaron Potratz, Melissa Tiessen, Karen Dyck, James Marland, and Whitney Owens join the show to discuss why they podcast. Hear from these podcasters about creating revenue, giving valuable insights, connecting with the world, and making an impact in all the right places through podcasting. If you want to make an impact in the world, consider podcasting and see how you can make a difference in the lives of others. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: Check Out...2023-03-0647 min
Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural TherapyDrs. Melissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck: Imposter Syndrome in CliniciansComments or feedback? Send us a text! Imposter syndrome combined with the somewhat curious & paradoxical phenomenon of over-identification with being a clinician is a familiar combination for many psychotherapists. Drs. Melissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck of the Intentional Therapist join us for a discussion of these important barriers to clinician well-being. In this conversation we cover: imposter syndrome & ill-suited syndromethe rigours of the profession vs. the personal and coping resources the majority of clinicians are able to bring to bear to manage these demandsdangers of unaddressed imposter syndrome in clinicians both related to the delivery of c...2023-03-061h 04
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleWork-Family Enrichment: A Conversation with Dr. Yael SchonbrunIf you’re like us, there was probably a time in your career when you sought after that oh so elusive “work-life balance” and saw that as the true mark of self-care. The only problem, of course, is that “balance” is incredibly hard (if not impossible) to find and, as it turns out, may not actually be what we truly need to thrive. In this episode we speak with clinical psychologist and parent of three, Dr. Yael Schonbrun about “work-family enrichment” and how adopting this mindset can help us appreciate the gifts inherent in our multiple roles and how these ro...2023-02-091h 00
Prevention Over Prescription with Dr. K#211 Intentional Therapists, Dr. Melissa Teissen and Dr. Karen DyckEpisode Summary"In this episode we welcome back to the show clinical phycologists Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen. This one is all about self-care. Getting in touch with yourself, wellness and more!"SHOW SPONSORBETTERHELPBetterHelp is the largest online counselling platform worldwide. They change the way people get help with facing life's challenges by providing convenient, discreet and affordable access to a licensed therapist. BetterHelp makes professional counselling available anytime, anywhere, through a computer, tablet or smartphone.Sign up today: http://betterhelp.com/solvinghealthcare...2023-01-1540 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleIntentional Time Off: A (Second) Conversation with Arianna SmithIn this episode we reconnect with Arianna Smith, licensed professional counselor (LPC) and copywriting coach for therapists, to learn more about her 2-month sabbatical and her transition back to work. Arianna shares some of the challenges associated with planning and returning from a sabbatical, what she learned about herself as a person and a therapist, and how she’s used this information to reshape her work and personal life. She also shares some tips for how to make the most of a sabbatical and talks about other ways therapists can intentionally take breaks in meaningful ways. We end this episo...2023-01-0948 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleSide Business as Self-Care?! A Conversation with Dr. Tamara SolesWhen most of us think of self-care we probably don’t think about developing a side business. We know that wasn't our expectation when we started Intentional Therapist. And yet, enhanced self-care is exactly what a side business can offer!In this episode we speak with Dr. Tamara Soles about what led her to create her side business (including a podcast and online parenting course) and how these activities fit into her self-care. We specifically talk with Tamara about how the 4 C’s of self-care (connection, compassion, courage, and creativity) show up in her side business, as well as...2022-12-0150 minThe Practice of Therapy PodcastMelissa Tiessen & Karen Dyck | Rethinking Self-Care In Private Practice | TPOT 256Dr. Karen Dyck & Dr. Melissa Tiessen are two mid-career(ish!) psychologists working in private practice. They started Intentional Therapist out of recognizing that self-care is so incredibly important for the work we do as mental health clinicians, yet we get little to no training in this area. In this episode, Melissa Tiessen and Karen Dyck discuss female therapists' unique challenges in their personal and professional environments. Pursuing a balance between your individual needs and the well-being of your clientele is the most significant way to ensure your ability to provide the best level of care possible. Although...2022-11-2144 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleIntegrating Wellness Into Your Practice: A Conversation with Dr. Kimberly GrocherAll of us undoubtedly know firsthand how challenging it can be to regularly incorporate wellness strategies into our workday. The idea of moving into private practice can become particularly appealing as it is often seen as providing opportunities for us to take more control over our work life and build a practice that supports our wellness. Sadly, many female clinicians quickly learn that by moving into private practice they have simply traded one demanding boss (and work environment) for a new one (those darn unrelenting high standards!). Sound familiar? If so, please know that you’re not alone and that i...2022-11-0350 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleBuilding a Full and Happy Clinical Practice: A Conversation with Allison PuryearUnfortunately as women and mental health clinicians, we receive many messages (from society, and also through our training and work experiences) that contribute to us developing beliefs and behaviours that get in the way of creating full, sustainable, and happy private practices. In fact, these messages are so strong that many of us can’t even imagine what a full and happy clinical practice might look like. Allison Puryear knows this experience all too well and is using her “nearly diagnosable obsession with business development” to help other therapists break free from these unhelpful beliefs and behaviours and build practic...2022-10-1342 min
Against the Grain - The PodcastExperimenting and Implementing Evidence-Based Selection Options For eBook InvestmentsJoin us for our latest podcast episode featuring audio from a webcast titled “Experimenting and Implementing Evidence-Based Selection Options For eBook Investments” presented by Andrée Rathemacher, Head, Acquisitions in the University Libraries, University of Rhode Island; Liz Mengel, Associate Dean Collections and Academic Services, Johns Hopkins University; Melissa Milazzo, Senior Product Manager, Elsevier; and Robert Tiessen, Collections Librarian, University of Calgary Library The last 3 years have brought several changes to library collection strategies. Learn how user demand options, including evidence-based selection, are gaining interest across institutions. Understand how libraries have been experimenting with and implementing access models...2022-09-261h 00
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleCreating a Practice that Enhances Your Self-Care: A Conversation with Dr. Kelly Yanek & Dr. Michele Kinderman“I’m not sure I’m well suited for this profession.” Sound familiar? We’ve heard this from other female therapists more times than we can count. But is it really about us being ill suited for this profession or is it really more so that our practice/work setting is ill suited for us?In this episode we speak with psychologists, Dr. Kelly Yanek and Dr. Michele Kinderman, about what led them to leave their standard jobs and develop their innovative therapy practice, Wellness Outside the Box – Therapy Redefined. Kelly and Michele talk with us about how they inc...2022-09-0848 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleHow Copywriting Fits into Self-Care: A Conversation with Arianna SmithCopywriting and self-care? In this episode Arianna Smith, licensed professional counselor (LPC) and copywriting coach for therapists explains exactly what copywriting involves, its appeal to her personally, and how it relates to self-care for therapists in both public and private practice settings. Arianna also shares how the pandemic contributed to her own burnout and the steps she took to plan her 2-month sabbatical. She offers some suggestions for therapists who are interested in attracting more of their ideal clients or are looking for ways to infuse more creativity into their work. We end this episode with all 3 of us shar...2022-06-2648 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleHow Rest Actually Leads to Success: A Conversation with Maegan MegginsonCan rest and success actually co-exist in the lives of female mental health clinicians? Indeed they can! In this episode we speak with Maegan Megginson, about her own experiences with burnout and how this ultimately led her to developing the Rest and Success Code. Maegan talks about how deep rest is an integral component of our success as therapists, some of the biggest barriers to adopting a less pressured approach to our work, and what we can start doing today to adopt a less pressured, more fulfilling approach to our work. Highlights:What lead Maegan to deve...2022-05-1847 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleOwning Your Therapist Sensitivities: A Conversation with April SnowAn essential component of having a sustainable and enjoyable psychotherapy practice is ensuring it’s set up in a manner that truly honors our unique qualities and needs. What happens, however, if what we truly need to thrive in our practice looks different than that of our colleagues? Unfortunately, that can lead many clinicians to incorrectly assume it says something negative about them as a therapist or their suitability for the profession. As a self-described Highly Sensitive Therapist (HST), April Snow, LMFT, knows this experience all too well and has made it her mission to help Highly Sensi...2022-05-0243 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleDocumentation IS Self-Care: A Conversation with Dr. Maelisa McCaffreyMost therapists likely wouldn’t include “documentation” in their list of self-care activities but the reality is many of us struggle with documentation, whether that be writing progress notes or reports. If you’ve ever gotten behind in your documentation or struggled to know what to include then you know firsthand how overwhelming this can feel and the impact this can have on our perception of ourselves as therapists and on our overall well-being. In this episode we speak with the founder of QA Prep, Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey (who you might also know as Dr. Maelisa Hall) about how documentat...2022-03-2937 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleUsing Values to Guide Our Self-Care Journey: A Conversation with Dr. Dayna Lee-BagleyLet’s face it: self-care is a journey. And like any journey, we’re bound to run into unexpected roadblocks and detours that are beyond our control (think pandemic, home schooling, client crises, etc.). Fortunately, we all have a built-in global positioning system (GPS) called values, that can help us navigate our journey, even in the face of roadblocks and detours. It can help keep us moving in the right direction, even if that might mean taking a slightly different path than we had initially planned. In this episode, clinical psychologist and author, Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley, shares how her v...2022-02-0546 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleInfusing Some Creativity Into Our Self-Care: A Conversation with Dr. Jo EcklerWith all the heaviness and responsibility that often comes with our work - especially throughout the pandemic - it’s easy to lose touch with the more playful and creative side of ourselves. Yet the reality is, these are foundational to our existence as human beings (yes, even adult human beings) and can actually help us build complex, skilled, responsive, socially adept and flexible brains. Which, in turn, build complex, skilled responses, socially adept and flexible people and societies. Sounds pretty good hey? In this episode we speak with Dr. Jo Eckler about their awesome books (with some o...2022-02-0428 min
Intentional Therapist: Putting You In Your ScheduleFitting Finances Into Your Self-Care: A Conversation with Linzy BonhamFinances and self-care? Yep, that’s right! Although not typically considered part of traditional self-care, money and finances figure prominently in our fresh take on self-care for female mental health clinicians. In this episode we speak with Linzy Bonham, MSW, RSW, founder of Money Nuts & Bolts, about the important role finances and money play in self-care, some of the warning signs that we might need some assistance with money related issues, and what we can do to start feeling more on top of our finances. Episode highlights: What led Linzy to create her signature course, Money Skills...2022-01-3131 min
The Time Is NowPrioritizing self-care and keeping up with business in tough times – Part 2 with Melissa Tiessen and Karen DyckOne of the biggest challenges as a solo entrepreneur (or probably any entrepreneur) is that if you are not doing well personally, your business is likely to struggle too.
It is really important to understand that you are human and it is totally normal that there will be times when you cannot be on the top of your game, but how can you create a sustainable business for the long-term that continues to provides real revenue if you struggle in your personal life, be it physically, mentally, family wise, or have a lot to carry on your shoulders?
Self-care is...2021-12-1330 minThe Time Is NowPrioritizing self-care and keeping up with business in tough times – Part 1 with Melissa Tiessen and Karen DyckFor many solo entrepreneurs it’s already tough to practice self-care while running a business and managing the usual obligations of life. So, when things go wrong and you need to slow down and face some difficult challenges in your personal life - such as supporting family members in distress or through illness, taking care of aging parents or going through grief - the first areas that often suffer are self-care and the sustainability of your business.
How can solo entrepreneurs and small business owners continue to keep the lights on and maintain their important business activities while prioritizing their se...2021-12-1337 min
Mind Full: The Canadian Psychological Association podcastMelissa Tiessen And Karen Dyck of The Intentional TherapistDr. Melissa Tiessen and Dr. Karen Dyck created the Intentional Therapist network to help female mental health professionals (themselves included!) stay healthy and happy through intentional and playful self-care. See their website here:
https://www.intentionaltherapist.ca/2021-11-0237 minThoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural TherapyDrs. Karen Dyck & Melissa Tiessen: Navigating the Workplace Hazards of Providing PsychotherapyComments or feedback? Send us a text! While self-care is widely acknowledged as being critical to effective and sustainable engagement in the provision of mental health services, it is an area of focus that is frequently neglected by mental health professionals for a variety of complex reasons. Co-founders of the website Intentional Therapist, Drs. Karen Dyck & Melissa Tieseen, return to Thoughts on Record to discuss workplace hazards that mental health professionals must navigate. We also review fundamental aspects of self-care necessary to effectively navigate these hazards. In this discussion we cover: General 'workplace hazards' that must b...2021-10-041h 29
This Hour Has 50 minutesSelf-Care with Dr. Melissa Tiessen and Dr. Karen DyckEarn Continuing Education Credit for This EpisodeBecome a Member and Get Unlimited Continuing Education Credits for a YearIn today’s episode, I’m joined by Drs. Melissa Tiessen and Karen Dyck, as we explore the topic of self-care. We talk about the barriers to self-care, especially for women and women therapists in particular. Melissa and Karen share fascinating research about time usage and gender disparities. We also talk burn-out, human giver syndrome, and intentional self-care. If you want to find creative, playful ways of injecting even micro self-care practices into your life, don’t go a...2021-05-2258 min
IN TRANSIT with Sundae Bean220: Simplified Self-Care with Dr. Melissa Tiessen“Care Bears Countdown, 4, 3, 2, 1.”
If you’re around my age, that should trigger some serious childhood memories: Saturday morning cartoons, sitting in front of the TV, eating some marshmallowy cereal.
And for those of you who don’t know the Care Bears, they’re fictional, multi-colored characters who live together in a place called Care-a-lot. Each bear has their own unique belly-badge that shoots love beams, and their sole purpose is to care for humans in need.
Of course, caring power has limits. There’s only so much one can do alone before the magic runs o...2021-03-2138 min
Sundae Schneider-Bean, LLC.220: Simplified Self-Care with Dr. Melissa Tiessen“Care Bears Countdown, 4, 3, 2, 1.”
If you’re around my age, that should trigger some serious childhood memories: Saturday morning cartoons, sitting in front of the TV, eating some marshmallowy cereal.
And for those of you who don’t know the Care Bears, they’re fictional, multi-colored characters who live together in a place called Care-a-lot. Each bear has their own unique belly-badge that shoots love beams, and their sole purpose is to care for humans in need.
Of course, caring power has limits. There’s only so much one can do alone before the magic runs o...2021-03-2138 minIN TRANSIT with Sundae Bean220: Simplified Self-Care with Dr. Melissa Tiessen“Care Bears Countdown, 4, 3, 2, 1.”
If you’re around my age, that should trigger some serious childhood memories: Saturday morning cartoons, sitting in front of the TV, eating some marshmallowy cereal.
And for those of you who don’t know the Care Bears, they’re fictional, multi-colored characters who live together in a place called Care-a-lot. Each bear has their own unique belly-badge that shoots love beams, and their sole purpose is to care for humans in need.
Of course, caring power has limits. There’s only so much one can do alone before the magic runs o...2021-03-2138 minThoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural TherapyDr. Karen G. Dyck, C. Psych., & Dr. Melissa Tiessen, C.Psych: Intentional Therapist - Convenient, Creative, & Playful Self-care for Female Mental Health ProfessionalsComments or feedback? Send us a text! Despite widespread acknowledgment that self-care is an essential component of sustainable practice for mental health professionals, it is an area where many clinicians struggle to implement consistent healthy habits or necessary behavioural change. In 2019, Drs. Karen G. Dyck, C.Psych and Melissa Tiessen, C.Psych became the co-founders of the website Intentional Therapist and since then, have been actively engaged in efforts to help female mental health professionals find convenient, intentional, creative, and playful ways to incorporate self-care into their lives. On the podcast we explore: their motivation to c...2020-11-021h 49Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural TherapyDr. Melissa Tiessen, C.Psych & Dr. Karen Dyck, C.Psych: Self-Care for Mental Health Professionals During the COVID-19 PandemicComments or feedback? Send us a text! Dr. Melissa Tiessen, C.Psych and Dr. Karen Dyck, C.Psych, founders of www.intentionaltherapist.ca, speak to self-care for mental health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020-05-1242 min