Through the Eyes of a Therapist Podcast

Babies and Boundaries

Did you know there are several types of boundaries? Sexual, physical, emotional, financial, and more! In this episode psychiatrist Dr. Gaiathry Jeyarajan, author of children’s book “Ella’s Choice” talks about how to teach babies and kids about consent and boundaries. Teaching our littles about how to say “no” and how to give “permission” starts at a very young age and with everyday activities like diaper changes and feeding!  
 
Go to https://instagram.com/throughtheeyesofatherapistpod for the Holiday 2021 book giveaway details!
 
Mentioned in the episode: To order your own copy go to Amazon Ella's Choice: Jeyarajan, Dr. Gaiathry: 9780228838982
 
https://instagram.com/lifeofashrink
 

Latinx Therapist Lessons

The interesting thing about being one of the 10% Latinx therapists in the U.S. is all of the UNLEARNING we had to do.  Luis Cornejo, LMFT and I talk about our “Lessons Learned” as therapists. (5.5% of therapists are fully bilingual BTW according to the APA.) Here’s some data about the gap that exists for mental health care for Spanish speaking Americans.
 
TBH, when before recording the episode, I thought it was going to be a straightforward sort of interview with questions like “what have you learned from your clients?” or “what are the hardest lessons you had to wrestle with as a growing therapist?”.  As the conversation unfolded, I quickly came to understand that our identities as Latinxs will ALWAYS color our experiences as professionals. Our therapist identities and cultural identities are inextricably tied…so much so, we can’t even have a philosophical or theoretical conversation without the ideas of marginalization, white supremacy, oppression, and Latinidad being infused into it. It’s not a bad thing! Asi es.
 
Mentioned in the episode:
https://psychosocial.media/
https://www.instagram.com/psychosocial_media/
 

Highly Sensitive Therapists

What is a highly sensitive therapist? Well, firstly what is a highly sensitive person?  Are we empaths? Introverts? Do we have special powers?  
 
In this interview with April Snow, LMFT, we have a candid and informative convo about what it’s like inside of a HST (Highly Sensitive Therapist’s) brain. Yep, it’s different in here.
 
Mentioned in the episode:
www.instagram.com/sensitivetherapist
www.aprilsnowconsulting.com
https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/
 
Correction: the book about introverts I mentioned is actually called the Introvert Advantage”
https://www.amazon.com/Introvert-Advantage-People-Thrive-Extrovert-ebook/dp/B006VUIDIY

Trauma Focused or Trauma Informed?

Can you tell the difference if a therapist is truly providing trauma-informed services or if they are merely providing trauma-focused care? 
In this episode, I explain the difference between the two concepts.  I also provide a list of questions to ask providers to ensure they are actually “trauma-informed”.
Mentioned in the episode:
https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf
 
Register for the upcoming training I’ll be giving at https://tsp2021.Eventbrite.com
You can also drop me an email if you are interested in booking me for trauma-informed training or consultation at cristal@clarityelpaso.com

Horror Stories and the Parallels To Therapy

In this episode my guest, Marilyn Corbin-Burdick, Licensed Professional Counselor, and I discuss how horror films and stories are much like the therapeutic process.  We talk about folklore--stories passed down from previous generations, and why they are important to consider when thinking about dealing with our own traumas and mental illness.  We also discuss Stephen King novels and how insightful they actually are.  
I personally really dislike horror films, especially the gory ones...but now after this interview, I might look at them more analytically.  Thank you Marilyn!
Reach out to me on Instagram @throughtheeyesofatherapistpod and please review on Apple Podcasts!

Motherhood Is Wild

In this episode, Cristal Acosta, Licensed Professional Counselor, speaks with some of her colleagues who also happen to be a part of the new-mom club.  
 
In the first segment, Bianca Balderrama, LPC, talks about her experience giving birth in the middle of the pandemic, perinatal and post-partum anxiety/depression, as well as the grief and loss she and many women felt due to the missed experiences the pandemic caused.
 
In the second segment, another LPC, Monica Garfias talks about her experiences with having a medically fragile baby to care for in the middle of a pandemic, & how she balances work and personal life. Here are the support groups she mentions for parents of kids eight special needs: Trach babies- https://www.facebook.com/groups/momsoftrachbabies/?ref=share
G-tube babies-
https://www.facebook.com/groups/502557586477084/?ref=share
Reach out to me on Instagram-
@throughtheeyesofatherapistpod and please review on Apple Podcasts!

What A Decade This Year Has Been

Today, Cristal Acosta, LPC-S, NCC, speaks with Elisa D, LCSW about what the hell even happened to all of us in 2020 and 2021.  The series of unfortunate events that occurred over the last two years has taken a toll on not only our clients, but on therapists everywhere! We discuss what two therapists could have possibly been up to for the last year and a half.
 
Reach out to me on Instagram @throughtheeyesofatherapistpod and please review on Apple Podcasts!

My Private Practice Journey

In this episode I am an open book about my personal journey into why I decided to go into private practice after 10 years of working for other agencies.  Even though I had a steady income, I knew I had to follow my dreams!
(Here’s my referral code for SimplePractice.  You’ll get a free 30 day trial and a $50 subscription credit after you sign up for a paid account. https://www.simplepractice.com/?p=0ad0f07362)
The Realization- Here I talk about how I knew (a long time ago) that private practice was the ultimate goal!
 
The Leap or the Push?-How I knew it was time for me to go into private practice.
 
The Logistics:
Visit a local Small Business Development Center
Go to https://sos.state.tx.us
Choose and register your business structure and name
Pay the fees and read the instructions
Find and consult with a great accountant (mine is Adriana Alamo from Dallas, TX solutions.alamofinancial@gmail.com)
Ask yourself if you want to take insurance.
Find out which insurances are most used in your area
Go to the “Provider Portals” of those insurance companies
Do some market research about self-pay rates
Set a sliding scale (if you want)
Niche yourself.
 
Inspo: YOU CAN DO IT!
 
Reach out to me on Instagram @throughtheeyesofatherapistpod and please review on Apple Podcasts!
 

The Intersection of Politics and Mental Health feat. Veronica Carbajal

The personal is political and the political is personal.  Mental health is both personal and political! It's about viewing the person as a whole within a larger system.  My guest today really, really gets this.
Lawyer and mayoral candidate, Veronica Carbajal, is a guest on today's episode to talk about her views on politics and mental health.  If you are an El Pasoan, this episode provides a window into our city politics.  We talk about #BLM, the City's COVID-19 response, gentrification, and Vero's plan on changing the City's governmental landscape.  Get ready for some truth bombs #realtalk #therealdeal!
More about today's guest:
From www.veroformayor.com
"Verónica Carbajal is a progressive running a grassroots campaign to become the first Latina Mayor of El Paso, Texas.
Vero is a Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. lawyer and an advocate for the people, who has devoted her life to social justice, particularly, environmental justice, fair and affordable housing, disaster assistance, historic and cultural preservation, and animal rights.
Vero is a fourth generation fronteriza, raised in both Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua and El Paso; and she is also a children’s book author. She is a graduate of Burges High School, Brown University and The University of Texas School of Law."
REGISTER AND LEARN HOW TO VOTE SAFELY THIS YEAR: https://www.healthyvoting.org/texas/
https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
Disclaimer: *Recommendations, discussion, and disclosures are for informational/entertainment purposes only.  You should never substitute consultations/information from your own mental health/medical professionals with information from this podcast.*
 

Counseling Amidst Covid-19

Hello, everyone!  Today we discuss what it's like to be a therapist in the times of the Coronavirus epidemic.  Myself and two other therapists located in El Paso, Texas talk about: what it's like to run a small business/private practice during a pandemic, how to prepare yourself as a therapist to see clients via tele-health during these unprecedented times, why you should see a therapist during this outbreak, struggles we see in our communities, and helpful tips/advice (other than washing your hands) for coping with this worldwide stress.
Must have information about today's guests:
Guillermo Castañeda (Memo) is a mental health counselor and hypnotherapist and the director of Counseling of El Paso. He completed his Masters in Education in Mental Health Counseling at The University of Texas at El Paso, and is certified in Hypnotherapy by the Hypnosis Motivational Institute. His clinical approach is eclectic as he believes that one size doesn’t fit all.  His training and modalities range from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and Hypnotherapy. He is passionate about helping others connect with their inner self and have strong and healthy relationships. He specializes in pain management and helps clients who are suffering from depression, emotional distress, or anxiety, as well as relational or environmental stress. It is his belief that as long as we are compassionate and loving to ourselves, we can also work effectively within ourselves, so his focus is on self-awareness. 
Jazmine Silva, LPC-Intern Supervised by Gerardo Rosas, LPC-S, has both a counseling and a teaching heart.  Prior to entering the counseling profession, she was a teacher at Ascarate Elementary for five years. Her profession in education and post graduate work inspired her at a personal level to pursue the field of counseling.  Jazmine graduated with a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from UTEP’s Mental Health Program, CACREP Accredited, in May 2018. Currently, she works at Counseling of El Paso where she serves adults, children and their families.  Jazmine is a Theraplay Foundational Theraplay Practioner and provides interventions based on Theraplay ® principles when working with children and their families.  She is passionate about learning, growing and building better relationships.
 
Mentioned in the episode: 
https://counselingofelpaso.com/
www.instagram.com/helping_hearts_changing_lives
Research by: Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Dan Siegel, Gary Landreth
Disclaimer: *Recommendations, discussion, and disclosures are for informational/entertainment purposes only.  You should never substitute consultations/information from your own mental health/medical professionals with information from this podcast.*
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels