Welcome to Therapist Grad School!

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

Welcome to Therapist Grad School!

Curt and Katie chat about what the career is like, what is important to know starting out in grad school. We look at what prospective therapists need to know as they enter school, including hard truths and tips for social support. We also talk about what changes are needed in the profession and how students and new therapists can navigate these challenges. We provide suggestions on how to best take advantage of the opportunities in graduate school. We also unveiled a new project for the podcast.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode we talk through what the therapist career is like

We decided to talk through what it is like to be a therapist and how to best navigate your grad school education.

What do prospective therapists need to know as they enter grad school?

· Grad school doesn’t cover all that you’ll need to know to be an effective therapist

· Lived experience is valid and definitely informs your work

· It is important to assess what you already know, what you need to unlearn, what interventions you can add to what you already know

· Learning how to be a “safe therapist” is not the same as learning to be a “good therapist”

· Theories and orientations are foundational, but you can’t know them all

· Once you graduate, that’s when you actually start learning how to be a therapist

What can grad school students and new therapists expect regarding needed changes in the profession?

· Changes may happen, but slowly

· There can be times for advocacy to help increase the sustainability of the practice

· You don’t need to worry about getting a job immediately, but you can start working with clients or in the field, if you would like or need to do so financially

· There are a number of students who burnout before graduation, so pay attention to your capacity and self-care practices

What opportunities are important to take advantage of while you are in grad school for therapy?

· Consider taking the hardest or more complex practicum sites to learn how to work with the most challenging populations

· Volunteer to do roll plays and risk making mistakes in your classes

· Make mistakes while you are a student and prelicensed individual to get the supervision and oversight, to learn from these mistakes

What are some hard truths about becoming a therapist?

· The therapy profession is not for everyone

· Not all students will make it through to graduation or to licensure (whether by choice or not)

· Grad schools are not always transparent with how long it will take to get through the program, whether you will have support in getting a practicum site

· The entry level jobs in the field may not pay very well (i.e., some are at or only slightly above minimum wage)

· There is a risk of becoming disillusioned by the state of the world and the profession

What are the social elements of becoming a therapist?

· If you’re only friends and socializing with therapists, your view of the world may become more limited

· There can be echo chambers, especially around social justice topics within mental health

· Having friends who are therapists, so you can have the validation and understanding of other therapists

· Socialization can be too focused on alcohol-forward events. It is important to find other ways to socialize to avoid the risks of substance abuse and dependence, especially as therapists are held to a higher standard through licensure

· Take responsibility for self-care/self-maintenance

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/