When Crisis Hits Home: How Therapists Can Survive and Support Each Other — An Interview with Jeanine Rousso
When Crisis Hits Home: How Therapists Can Survive and Support Each Other — An Interview with Jeanine Rousso
Curt and Katie chat with Jeanine Rousso, a licensed counselor and supervisor in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina and founder of Therapist Resource Network, about how therapists can care for themselves when natural disasters or crises directly impact them. They discuss why therapists often push past their limits, how to assess capacity and step back ethically, and the importance of financial preparedness and peer support.
About Our Guest:Jeanine Rousso is a licensed counselor and supervisor in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. She founded the nonprofit organization Therapist Resource Network to provide emergency financial support, burnout prevention and recovery, and advocacy for mental health professionals.
Key Takeaways for Therapists:
Therapists often try to maintain pre-crisis workloads after disasters, leading to burnout.
It’s essential to check your own capacity before showing up for clients.
Build financial documentation and savings as a personal safety net.
Disaster recovery requires both individual resilience and systemic advocacy.
Full Show Notes: mtsgpodcast.com
Join the Modern Therapist Community:Linktree | Patreon | Facebook Group
Credits:Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano | Voiceover by DW McCann
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Surviving Family Gatherings Without Becoming the Family Therapist: Emotional Boundaries for the Holidays
Surviving Family Gatherings Without Becoming the Family Therapist: Emotional Boundaries for the Holidays
Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy explore how therapists can navigate family gatherings without slipping into the role of “family therapist.” They discuss emotional boundaries, guilt, codependency, and the importance of authenticity during the holiday season. Learn how to recognize old family patterns, manage emotional triggers, and show up as a whole human (not just a clinician) when family dynamics get complicated.
Key Takeaways for Therapists:
Therapists often revert to caretaker or mediator roles during family gatherings.
Emotional boundaries matter as much as physical ones: protect your energy.
“JADE” doesn’t go to Thanksgiving: Don’t Justify, Argue, Defend, or Explain.
It’s okay to have emotions and step away from unproductive conversations.
Clarify your role (family member, not therapist) and engage authentically.
Listen to the full episode and access resources:Full show notes at mtsgpodcast.com
Join the Modern Therapist Community:
Patreon
Creative Credits:
Voice Over by DW McCann
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano
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Designing a Sustainable Therapy Career: Reflections on Burnout, Legacy, and Letting Go
Designing a Sustainable Therapy Career: Reflections on Burnout, Legacy, and Letting Go
Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy reflect on what it takes to build and sustain a meaningful therapy career and how to leave the profession well. They explore professional identity, burnout, and how to stay connected to the work without losing yourself in it. Drawing from recent interviews with Lynn Grodzki, Margaret Wehrenberg, and Ofra Obejas, they share insights on sustainability, capacity, and creating a “good finish” for your therapy career.
Key Takeaways for Therapists:
Therapists need intentional career design. Sustainability doesn’t happen by accident.
Burnout can distort your love for the work and your professional identity.
Regular reflection helps ensure your career still aligns with your values and capacity.
Building community and connection is essential to avoiding isolation in private practice.
Planning early for closure allows for a more graceful and fulfilling finish.
Link to Full Show Notes:https://mtsgpodcast.com
Join the Modern Therapist Community: Linktree
Creative Credits:
Voice Over by DW McCann
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano
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When Burnout Ends Your Therapy Career: An Interview with Ofra Obejas
When Burnout Ends Your Therapy Career: An Interview with Ofra Obejas
Curt and Katie speak with Ofra Obejas, LCSW (Retired), about what happens when even the most dedicated therapists reach their limits. After 20 years in practice, Ofra recognized she could no longer sustain the emotional and systemic demands of the work and chose to close her practice with integrity. She shares what burnout really looks like, how unrealistic professional expectations fuel it, and what therapists can do to protect themselves before it’s too late.
About Our Guest: Ofra Obejas, LCSW (Retired)
Ofra Obejas, LCSW Retired, has just closed her practice after 20 years and many letters after her name. Over her career, she provided individual and group therapy to thousands, was on the faculty of a university therapy training program, and presented CEs to hundreds. Despite this clear proof of her expertise, she feels like a failure, a fate she wishes to save newer therapists from.
Key Takeaways for Therapists
Burnout isn’t a personal weakness—it’s a mismatch between what therapy demands and what clinicians can sustainably give.
“Self-care” can’t fix systemic overload or chronic emotional depletion.
Therapists must honor their own limits and values to avoid running out of gas.
Leaving the field can be an act of integrity, not failure.
Listen to the full conversation and find resources at: mtsgpodcast.com
Join the Modern Therapist Community
Patreon
Creative Credits
Voice Over by DW McCann
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano
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How Therapists Retire: Planning, Ethics, and Letting Go of the Work You Love – An Interview with Lynn Grodzki, LCSW and Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD
How Therapists Retire: Planning, Ethics, and Letting Go of the Work You Love – An Interview with Lynn Grodzki, LCSW and Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD
Curt and Katie talk with Lynn Grodzki and Margaret Wehrenberg about how therapists can plan for retirement with intention and integrity. They explore the emotional, ethical, and practical considerations of closing a practice, navigating readiness, and redefining identity after a lifetime of therapeutic work.
About Our Guests
Lynn Grodzki, LCSW-C, MCC is a pioneer in private practice development and the author of six influential books on therapy and coaching.Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D. is an internationally recognized expert on anxiety and depression and the author of 13 books, including The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques.
Together, they offer a rare blend of clinical experience, practical strategies, and heartfelt compassion.
Key Takeaways for Therapists
Retirement is one of the most consequential transitions in a therapist’s professional life.
Lynn and Margaret’s Readiness for Retirement Model helps therapists plan across four stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action.
Planning early supports ethical closure and a smoother emotional process for both therapist and client.
Common barriers include guilt, grief, and identity shifts—as well as lack of business or financial planning.
Creating a professional will and protecting intellectual property are essential parts of ending well.
Therapists can honor their legacy by recognizing the lasting impact of their work and embracing new opportunities in retirement.
For more information and full show notes
Visit: mtsgpodcast.com
Join the Modern Therapist Community
Linktree
Creative Credits
Voice Over by DW McCann
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano
About The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
Listen to The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy, Just Between Us with Jennifer Zamparelli and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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