Episode 27: How to Discover Your Theoretical Orientation

Episode 35: Consultation Calls That Build Connection

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠⁠Kim Rippy, LPC [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kim-rippy/]⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠⁠ [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kaitlyn-steel/], explore the purpose and power of consultation calls through the lens of authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model. Beginning with an honest conversation about recognizing and correcting blind spots, they model what it looks like to take accountability, learn publicly, and approach growth with humility and compassion. From there, Kim and Kaitlyn break down the consultation process itself, discussing how therapists can move beyond simply gathering information to creating an authentic first experience of therapy. They explore how consultation calls allow both therapist and client to assess goodness of fit, demonstrate intentionality, and begin building trust before the first official session. Drawing from both individual and couples therapy perspectives, they share practical examples of how they structure consultation calls while remaining true to their own therapeutic styles. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize that consultation calls are more than administrative conversations—they are an opportunity to model the type of therapeutic relationship clients can expect. By approaching these conversations with authenticity, clarity, and genuine curiosity, therapists can help clients feel seen, understood, and confident in taking the next step toward therapy. In this episode, we discuss: • Taking ownership of mistakes and modeling authentic accountability • Why consultation calls are about more than gathering information • Helping clients determine whether a therapist is the right fit • Creating a first experience that reflects your authentic therapeutic style • Balancing information gathering with genuine human connection • Structuring consultation calls for both individual and couples therapy • Demonstrating competence without sounding scripted or rehearsed • Helping clients understand what therapy with you will actually feel like • Setting appropriate boundaries while avoiding "doing therapy" during consultations • Building trust and hope before the first official session Connect with us: Supervision: ⁠⁠www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/⁠⁠ Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapist Email: ⁠⁠⁠Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com [Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com]⁠⁠⁠ If this episode resonated with you, leave a five-star review and subscribe for more conversations about authentic, grounded, human-centered therapy. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction. #TheUnmaskedTherapist #UnmaskedTherapist #TherapistPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #ClinicalSupervision #ConsultationCalls #PrivatePractice #TherapistIdentity #PersonOfTheTherapist #Authenticity #TherapistGrowth #ClientConnection #CouplesTherapy #IndividualTherapy #TherapyPractice

Episode 34: Prioritizing Life Beyond the Therapy Room

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠⁠Kim Rippy, LPC [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kim-rippy/]⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠⁠ [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kaitlyn-steel/], explore what it really means to put life before work. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can identify their core values, prioritize the identities that matter most, and navigate the inevitable tension between caring for clients and caring for themselves and their families. Drawing from both personal and professional experiences—including recording the episode while balancing the realities of parenthood—Kim and Kaitlyn reflect on the challenges of maintaining a healthy life-work balance. They discuss the guilt therapists often feel when personal responsibilities interrupt clinical work, the importance of setting boundaries with clients, and how modeling authenticity and self-respect can strengthen the therapeutic relationship rather than diminish it. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize that therapists are people first. Whether the identity that grounds you is being a parent, partner, caregiver, friend, or something else entirely, honoring those values creates a more sustainable career and a more authentic therapeutic presence. Rather than striving to be everything for everyone, therapists can better serve their clients by remaining connected to the people they are outside of the therapy room. In this episode, we discuss: • Why life-work balance may be a healthier perspective than work-life balance • Identifying the personal identities and values that guide your life • Navigating guilt when family responsibilities conflict with client care • How supervisors and colleagues can reinforce healthy boundaries • Why authenticity sometimes means letting clients see your humanity • Modeling healthy priorities and self-respect within the therapeutic relationship • The connection between personal identity, burnout prevention, and therapist sustainability • Giving yourself permission to prioritize what matters most • Supporting therapists through seasons of changing identities and responsibilities • Building a career that aligns with your values rather than competing with them Connect with us: Supervision: ⁠⁠www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/⁠⁠ Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapist Email: ⁠⁠Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com [Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com]⁠⁠ If this episode resonated with you, leave a five-star review and subscribe for more conversations about authentic, grounded, human-centered therapy. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction. #TheUnmaskedTherapist #UnmaskedTherapist #TherapistPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #ClinicalSupervision #TherapistIdentity #PersonOfTheTherapist #LifeWorkBalance #TherapistBurnout #Authenticity #Boundaries #TherapistGrowth #PrivatePractice #WorkingParents #SelfCare

Episode 33: Navigating the Gap Between Graduation and Residency as a New Therapist

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy, LPC⁠ [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kim-rippy/], and ⁠Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT⁠ [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kaitlyn-steel/], explore the role of body awareness, attunement, and therapist self-awareness in the therapy room. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can learn to distinguish between a genuine attunement to a client's experience, their own body memories, and countertransference. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, Kim and Kaitlyn examine how therapists' bodies often provide valuable information about what is happening in a session. They discuss how noticing physical sensations, emotional reactions, and internal shifts can deepen connection with clients when approached thoughtfully and ethically. At the same time, they explore the importance of recognizing when a therapist's own unresolved experiences may be influencing the therapeutic process. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the value of ongoing self-reflection, supervision, and personal growth, emphasizing that therapists do not need to be blank slates to be effective. Instead, meaningful therapeutic work often emerges when clinicians learn to honor their own experiences while remaining grounded in the client's reality. In this episode, we discuss:• What therapists mean when they talk about attunement and limbic system reactions• How body awareness can strengthen therapeutic connection• The difference between attunement, empathy, body memory, and countertransference• Why therapists often experience emotions before clients consciously recognize them• The role of the Person of the Therapist model in clinical work• Staying with emotion instead of moving too quickly into psychoeducation• How personal experiences can both support and interfere with therapeutic attunement• Recognizing when unresolved experiences may be impacting clinical work• Ethical considerations when therapists encounter emotionally activating client material• Using supervision and self-reflection to grow as a clinician Connect with us: Supervision: ⁠www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/⁠ [http://www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/]Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapistEmail: ⁠Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com⁠ [Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com] If this episode resonated with you, leave a five-star review and subscribe for more conversations about authentic, grounded, human-centered therapy. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction. #TheUnmaskedTherapist #UnmaskedTherapist #TherapistPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #ClinicalSupervision #TherapistIdentity #PersonOfTheTherapist #Countertransference #TherapistGrowth #BodyAwareness #Attunement #EFTTherapy #ClinicalDevelopment #TherapeuticRelationship #Authenticity

Episode 32: Listening to Your Body as a Therapist

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kim-rippy/], and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kaitlyn-steel/], explore the role of body awareness, attunement, and therapist self-awareness in the therapy room. Building on their ongoing conversations about authenticity and the Person of the Therapist model, they discuss how therapists can learn to distinguish between a genuine attunement to a client's experience, their own body memories, and countertransference. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, Kim and Kaitlyn examine how therapists' bodies often provide valuable information about what is happening in a session. They discuss how noticing physical sensations, emotional reactions, and internal shifts can deepen connection with clients when approached thoughtfully and ethically. At the same time, they explore the importance of recognizing when a therapist's own unresolved experiences may be influencing the therapeutic process. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the value of ongoing self-reflection, supervision, and personal growth, emphasizing that therapists do not need to be blank slates to be effective. Instead, meaningful therapeutic work often emerges when clinicians learn to honor their own experiences while remaining grounded in the client's reality. In this episode, we discuss: • What therapists mean when they talk about attunement and limbic system reactions • How body awareness can strengthen therapeutic connection • The difference between attunement, empathy, body memory, and countertransference • Why therapists often experience emotions before clients consciously recognize them • The role of the Person of the Therapist model in clinical work • Staying with emotion instead of moving too quickly into psychoeducation • How personal experiences can both support and interfere with therapeutic attunement • Recognizing when unresolved experiences may be impacting clinical work • Ethical considerations when therapists encounter emotionally activating client material • Using supervision and self-reflection to grow as a clinician Connect with us: Supervision: www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/ [http://www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/] Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapist Email: Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com [Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com] If this episode resonated with you, leave a five-star review and subscribe for more conversations about authentic, grounded, human-centered therapy. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction. #TheUnmaskedTherapist #UnmaskedTherapist #TherapistPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #ClinicalSupervision #TherapistIdentity #PersonOfTheTherapist #Countertransference #TherapistGrowth #BodyAwareness #Attunement #EFTTherapy #ClinicalDevelopment #TherapeuticRelationship #Authenticity

Episode 31: When Your Client's Story Isn't Your Story

In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors Kim Rippy, LPC [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kim-rippy/], and Kaitlyn Steel, LMFT [https://keystonetherapygroup.com/kaitlyn-steel/], continue the conversation around imposter syndrome by exploring what happens when therapists work with experiences they have never personally lived. Whether it's supporting clients through parenting teenagers, retirement, religious experiences, political differences, or relationship dynamics that differ from our own, therapists regularly encounter situations where they don't have a personal frame of reference. Kim and Kaitlyn discuss how these moments can trigger self-doubt and uncertainty, especially for newer clinicians, while also creating opportunities for deeper authenticity and connection. Drawing from their own clinical experiences, they explore how curiosity, empathy, and attunement allow therapists to show up effectively even when they cannot directly relate to a client's lived experience. The conversation highlights the importance of distinguishing between understanding a client's emotions and sharing their exact circumstances, while emphasizing that meaningful therapeutic connection does not require identical life experiences. Throughout the episode, Kim and Kaitlyn encourage therapists to lean into authenticity rather than perfection, using curiosity and self-awareness as guides when navigating unfamiliar territory in the therapy room. In this episode, we discuss: • Why not sharing a client's lived experience can trigger imposter syndrome • The difference between understanding a client's emotions and sharing their circumstances • How curiosity can strengthen therapeutic connection • Working with clients whose identities, beliefs, or life stages differ from your own • Using vulnerability appropriately in the therapeutic relationship • The role of empathy when working across differences • How EFT concepts can help therapists attune to experiences that don't come naturally to them • Finding connection through underlying needs rather than surface-level similarities • Using body awareness to improve attunement and clinical effectiveness • Why authenticity often matters more than having the "right" personal experience Connect with us: Supervision: www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/ [http://www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/] Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapist Email: Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com [Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com] If this episode resonated with you, leave a five-star review and subscribe for more conversations about authentic, grounded, human-centered therapy. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction. #TheUnmaskedTherapist #UnmaskedTherapist #TherapistPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #ClinicalSupervision #TherapistIdentity #ImposterSyndrome #TherapistGrowth #TherapeuticRelationship #Empathy #Curiosity #PersonOfTheTherapist #EFTTherapy #ClinicalDevelopment