The Real Therapists of Austin

Get Real about Taylor's Maternity Leave!

Hello hi howdy friends!! Welcome to episode 8! Today we are giving lots of love to our lovely hostess with the mostess Taylor as she embarks on her new journey into motherhood! Taylor is going on maternity leave in mid August, so we are going to chat all about her pregnancy journey & share a bit about her experience as she goes into this next chapter. It’s not goodbye! It’s see ya later, brief pause, BRB while she goes have this baby! Added bonus content includes a random tangent about stocktank pools & casual discussion about the practice of placenta eating (spoiler alert... NOT Taylor's fave thing lol!!) Come join us as we say not goodbye... but see ya soon! :) Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy www.taylorvesttherapy.com

Get Real About Being a Healthcare Worker!

Hiiii friends!!!! We had a bit of an unexpected episode hiatus, but honey today we are BACK & better than ever!! Today we have our very FIRST guest on our show - yaaaaay! Our dear friend Michelle Meystedt, PA-C is joining us today. Michelle is a Physician Assistant here in Austin, TX and she’s here to chat with us about her personal experience working in healthcare. Health care workers have been through SO much over the past few years, and as a result many health care workers are struggling with balancing their own mental & physical health, as well as the health & well being of their patients. On today's episode, we are chatting about Michelle’s journey as a PA, her experience with mental health as a health care worker, and how we can better support health care workers with their mental health needs. Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy www.taylorvesttherapy.com

Get Real about Becoming a Therapist

Hey howdy hey friends! Welcome to Episode 6! If you think you want to be a therapist, then you’re in luck, because today we’re getting real about becoming a therapist! There’s a lot that has to happen before you can go out into the world to help and serve others as a licensed therapist. We're going to walk you step by step through our journey of becoming Licensed Professional Counselors. From gaining our first inspiration (and yes Sara, Dr. Phil was a bad example of inspiration...) to taking your final exam, to the 3000+ hours needed post graduation (wait - how many?!?!?!) There are so many words & acronyms, so little time! Join us as we spill the tea on our own journey & the impact it has on our mental health along the way. Disclaimer - This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. We are speaking from our own personal & academic experiences becoming Licensed Professional Counselors. We are not providing academic, legal, or therapeutic advice. The process may look different based on your own personal academic background, type of licensure you are seeking, and state you live in. Please consult your state mental health licensure board & academic institution for specific guidance around your personal journey to your preferred licensure.

Get Real About the Business of Therapy!

Welcome to episode 5 friends!! Today we’re getting real about the business of therapy! Being a therapist is our passion & our most obvious role, but we are also each running a business and that is no small feat! We’re going to share a bit about our journeys as small business owners, as well as the pros and cons of being a business owner AND a therapist. We’re also going to chat about our biggest learning curves & successes in our own businesses, and the impact that owning our practices has had on our mental health.

Get Real About Friendship!

Welcome to episode 4! On today’s episode we are getting real about FRIENDSHIP! Our friendship is the basis of this podcast & we wanna share the friendship love with y’all! Today, we’ll tell y’all how we became friends, our friendship journeys with therapists & non-therapists, and some of the transformations we’ve seen in our relationships as we became therapists. Plus, we’ll share what we value in our friendships & the impact of healthy friendships on mental health. Warning - language is a bit NSFW :) Get Real with us on Social Media! @RealTherapistsOfATX Sara Balkanli Watkins, LPC @SunstonePsychotherapyTX www.sunstonepsychotherapytx.com Taylor Vest, LPC @TaylorVest.Therapy www.taylorvesttherapy.com