Through the Eyes of a Therapist Podcast

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:

1. Visit a local Small Business Development Center
2. Go to https://sos.state.tx.us
3. Choose and register your business structure and name
4. Pay the fees and read the instructions
5. Find and consult with a great accountant (mine is Adriana Alamo from Dallas, TX solutions.alamofinancial@gmail.com)
6. Ask yourself if you want to take insurance.
7. Find out which insurances are most used in your area
8. Go to the “Provider Portals” of those insurance companies
9. Do some market research about self-pay rates
10. Set a sliding scale (if you want)
11. 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

 

Therapists Discuss Sex Education

Hello again, everyone!  Jen Reeves, LMFT-S, CST is back on the podcast giving us her expert opinion on the Netflix show "Sex Education".  We discuss the characters from the show and talk about boundaries, teen development, and sex therapy in pop culture. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Takeaways from the episode:

• Sex education should start at an early age
• Portrayals of sex therapists in pop culture -- can be inaccurate/damaging
• Sex therapists can work with individuals and couples about their relationships and sex lives
• There are certain things that sex therapists (or any therapist) should not EVER DO
• We may not be talking to our teens about sex adequately enough
• Jen has a "Dear Abby" type sex column called "Getting Jiggy With Jen"...ask her a question here: jiggywithjen@gmail.com and follow here https://www.facebook.com/jiggywithjen/

Here is more info about Jen:

 https://houstonrelationshiptherapy.com/more-about-jennifer/

 Watch Sex Education on Netflix here: https://www.netflix.com/title/80197526

*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.*

*We do not own the rights to Netflix or Sex Education materials including the images used here. All discussions about the show are for entertainment purposes only.  No copyright infringement intended.*