The Testing Psychologist Podcast

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In this 600th episode of The Testing Psychologist Podcast, I reflect on nearly nine years of hosting the show and synthesize six core principles that drive long-term clinical excellence and practice sustainability. Grounded in literature spanning deliberate practice, therapeutic alliance, systems-level burnout interventions, and knowledge implementation, this episode provides a high-level roadmap for both early-career psychologists and seasoned evaluators. I explore why experience alone does not equal expertise, how systemic hygiene outperforms individual resilience tactics, and why community consultation serves as a vital clinical engine. Whether you’re seeking to streamline administrative friction or audit your core clinical beliefs, this framework offers actionable strategies to elevate your practice.

00:01: Reflecting on 600 episodes and the science of deliberate practice

03:52: Principle 1: Epistemic humility and updating mental models

07:42: Principle 2: The primacy of working alliance and clinical communication

11:14: Principle 3: Prioritizing systemic hygiene over individual resilience

14:48: Principle 4: Bridging the knowledge-to-action gap in clinical practice

17:11: Principle 5: The power of microinterventions and incremental gains

19:29: Principle 6: Leveraging community as a clinical engine

Resources Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

Featured Resources

TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing

NovoPsych brings 150+ standardized measures into one platform. If you’re interested in high quality measures for personality, disability, ADHD or Autism, try NovoPsych with a 15-day free trial via this link: https://novopsych.com/testingpsychologist

The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!

I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!alth to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!st episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to join our Waitlist!

Join the Waitlist

Click here to read the transcript

As clinical evaluators, we frequently encounter cases where diagnostic criteria overlap, leaving us to navigate the complex intersection of co-occurring neurodevelopmental conditions. In this episode, Sara Woods and I explore the emerging construct of AuDHD, examining whether the co-occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder represents a distinct phenotypic presentation rather than merely two additive diagnoses. We discuss qualitative insights from community self-advocates, neurobiological evidence including gray matter variations, and the complex clinical dynamics of diagnostic overshadowing, double-counting, and autistic masking. Furthermore, we address the practicalities of selecting assessment batteries, evaluating sensory profiles, accounting for socioeconomic privileges in special interests, and navigating neurodiversity-affirming practices without abandoning diagnostic rigor.

Main Topics Covered

03:02: Defining AuDHD as an emerging construct in clinical and community spheres

04:48: Qualitative perspectives on internal tension and the cat-dog analogy

11:38: Neurobiological research and gray matter variations in dual presentations

19:42: Life-span clinical presentation from childhood masking to adult niche-seeking

26:45: Intersections of socioeconomic status, special interests, and sensory needs

32:46: Key diagnostic pitfalls: overshadowing, double-counting, and masking

44:35: Assessment battery selection and collaborative diagnostic feedback

48:34: Navigating client self-identification, social media trends, and ethical boundary setting

Cool Things Mentioned

Cool Things Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

CatDog animated series: www.nick.com

Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire: www.autismresearchcentre.com

Embrace Autism website: www.embrace-autism.com

DIVA-5 Diagnostic Interview: www.divacenter.eu

Childhood Autism Rating Scale: www.wpspublish.com

Monteiro Interview Guide for Diagnosing Autism Spectrum: www.wpspublish.com

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function: www.parinc.com

Raising the voices of AuDHD women and girls: exploring the co-occurring conditions of autism and ADHD. Craddock, E. (2024).

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology: www.thechicagoschool.edu

Featured Resources

TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing

NovoPsych brings 150+ standardized measures into one platform. If you’re interested in high quality measures for personality, disability, ADHD or Autism, try NovoPsych with a 15-day free trial via this link: https://novopsych.com/testingpsychologist

The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!

I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!

About Dr. Sara Woods

Dr. Woods is a clinical psychologist at the University of Washington Autism Center and in private practice at Discover Psychology. She specializes in neurodiversity-affirming differential diagnosis across the lifespan with special expertise in autism and ADHD. She also offers consultation and training to other professionals and community members.

Get in touch:

Website: www.laceypsychology.com

Email: drsara@discoverpsychservices.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drsarawoods

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to join our Waitlist!

Join the Waitlist

Watch the accompanying video here.

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here.

Today, I’m bringing you another Business Boost episode to highlight a tool that I’ve been using for nearly 10 years: TextExpander. Our work often involves repeating routine phrasing, administrative boilerplate, and complex diagnostic explanations, all of which consume substantial time. I demonstrate how utilizing software like TextExpander allows practitioners to build standardized snippet repositories, insert digital signatures seamlessly, and automate repetitive clinical text blocks. Additionally, I look at my decade-long metric tracking data, demonstrating how even modest shortcut integration generates compound efficiency gains and saves dozens of hours of report-writing time.

Main Topics Discussed

00:06: Overview of text expansion software and snippet repository organization

01:00: Accessing shared snippet groups for psychological evaluation reports

02:14: Walkthrough of creating custom text expansion shortcuts and prefix selection

04:34: Demonstrating cross-platform functionality in Google Docs and email fields

05:40: Advanced applications for digital signatures and standardized clinical paragraphs

06:50: Cost-benefit analysis of subscription software for practice management

08:45: Analyzing 10-year usage metrics and cumulative typing time saved

Cool Things Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

TextExpander

Jeremy’s TextExpander snippet group: https://snippets.textexpander.com/group/8a09df8dae851d8d57e9ef38bb12f6fd 

Featured Resources

TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing

NovoPsych brings 150+ standardized measures into one platform. If you’re interested in high quality measures for personality, disability, ADHD or Autism, try NovoPsych with a 15-day free trial via this link: https://novopsych.com/testingpsychologist

The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!

I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!st episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to join our Waitlist!

Join the Waitlist

Click here to read the transcript

Today, I’m sharing a conversation with psychologist and musician Dave Juncos to explore the nuanced world of music performance anxiety (MPA). We examined how MPA presents across cognitive, physiological, and subtle behavioral spectrums, and we dive into the underlying psychological mechanisms that perpetuate it. Dave shared insights from his research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as an effective framework for musicians, highlighting how psychological flexibility allows performers to reconnect with artistic expression rather than engaging in subtle avoidant behaviors. We also discussed the development of the Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (MAAQ) and explored actionable strategies clinicians and educators can implement to support performing artists.

03:58: Defining music performance anxiety through Diana Kenny’s framework and Barlow’s tripartite model

09:37: Diagnostic considerations and classifying MPA within social anxiety disorder performance sub-types

13:15: Identifying subtle behavioral avoidance patterns and performance rigidity in musicians

19:28: Developing the Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (MAAQ) for domain-specific assessment

28:25: Research findings on psychological flexibility as a predictor of performance outcomes and competition entry

36:54: Applying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions in clinical and coaching settings

42:46: Comparing ACT with traditional approaches like Alexander Technique and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cool Things Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

The Psychology of Music Performance Anxiety (Dianna Kenny): https://www.academia.edu/24452238/The_Psychology_of_Music_Performance_Anxiety_Phenomenology_of_music_performance_anxiety

Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: https://contextualscience.org/

Voice Study Center: https://www.voicestudycentre.com/

ACT for Musicians: www.actformusicians.com

Musicians Acceptance and Action Questionnaire: http://actformusicians.com/maaq-questionnaire/

Featured Resources

TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing

NovoPsych brings 150+ standardized measures into one platform. If you’re interested in high quality measures for personality, disability, ADHD or Autism, try NovoPsych with a 15-day free trial via this link: https://novopsych.com/testingpsychologist

The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!

I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!

About Dr. Dave Juncos

David Juncos, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, lecturer, performance coach, author, and music performance researcher based in Philadelphia, PA. He has over 20 years’ experience in treating a variety of clinical problems, including anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. He specializes in treating music performance anxiety (MPA) and has presented internationally on his research in using ACT to treat MPA and enhance music performance. He is the primary author of ACT for Musicians: A guide for using Acceptance and Commitment Training to enhance performance, overcome performance anxiety, and improve well-being (2022), published by Universal Publishers. He is also affiliated with the Voice Study Centre, a UK-based provider of postgraduate study in Voice Pedagogy. There he lectures on MPA, ACT, achieving peak performance, and he trains clinical and non-clinical professionals in ACT to help them manage students’ MPA and other performance-related problems.

Get in touch:

Website: www.actformusicians.com

Email: drdavidjuncos@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-juncos-psy-d-b688a53b/

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to join our Waitlist!

Join the Waitlist

Click here to read the transcript

Today, I’m talking with Dr. Erika Frieze about the inspiration and structural vision behind the upcoming Bridging of the Minds Assessment Summit in Sacramento. Driven by a desire to bridge the practical gap between clinical, school, and pediatric assessment domains, Erika designed this conference to provide clinicians with immediate, actionable tools rather than purely theoretical research. We explore the two distinct presentation tracks, covering critical topics such as neuroaffirming evaluation practices, multicultural assessment, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder screening, and high-stakes accommodation ethics. Erika also details the intentional design of the event, including sensory-friendly spaces, hosted networking opportunities, and APA-approved continuing education credits.

00:34: The gap in practical assessment-focused conferences across clinical and school domains

02:10: Bridging diverse testing specialties into a unified event format

04:40: Designing the attendee experience, networking spaces, and sensory considerations

08:09: Overview of the two primary presentation tracks and flexible session access

10:25: Detailed breakdown of Track 1 speakers on neuroaffirming and multicultural frameworks

12:39: Detailed breakdown of Track 2 speakers on clinical precision and specialized evaluations

15:10: Highlighting community lived experience through the Fly Brave story

20:08: Continuing education credits, virtual access, and event registration details

Cool Things Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

Register for the event

American Psychological Association: www.apa.org

National Association of School Psychologists: www.nasponline.org

Society for Personality Assessment: www.personality.org

American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology: www.theaacn.org

National Academy of Neuropsychology: www.nanonline.org

International Neuropsychological Society: https://the-ins.org/

Kimpton Sawyer Hotel: www.sawyerhotel.com

Fly Brave Foundation: www.flybrave.org

Echo and Rig Steakhouse Sacramento: www.echoandrig.com

Featured Resources

TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing

NovoPsych brings 150+ standardized measures into one platform. If you’re interested in high quality measures for personality, disability, ADHD or Autism, try NovoPsych with a 15-day free trial via this link: https://novopsych.com/testingpsychologist

The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!

I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!

About Dr. Erika Frieze

Dr. Erika Frieze is a licensed clinical psychologist, entrepreneur, and founder of Bridges of the Mind Psychological Services, a neurodiversity-affirming practice specializing in comprehensive psychological and neurodevelopmental assessment. Under her leadership, Bridges of the Mind has grown from a solo practice into a multi-site organization serving communities across California and Nevada, while also developing robust training programs for the next generation of psychologists. Bridges of the Mind is an APPIC member for both its doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship programs and recently completed its APA accreditation site visit for their doctoral internship program. In addition to her clinical work, Erika is a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alumna and was recently recognized as a 2026 Sacramento Business Journal Women Who Mean Business honoree. She is passionate about improving the assessment experience for individuals and families, mentoring developing clinicians, and building innovative, sustainable systems that create meaningful change within the field of psychology.

Get in touch:

Website: www.bridgesofthemind.com

LinkedIn: Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-frieze-85596ba5/ and

Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridges-of-the-mind/?viewAsMember=true

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgesofthemind/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgesofthemind

Email: erika@bridgesofthemind.com

About Dr. Jeremy Sharp

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to join our Waitlist!

Join the Waitlist