Katie Vernoy - Therapist, Coach, Consultant, Speaker

This week’s episode tackles something a lot of therapists quietly struggle with:

What happens when you genuinely WANT to be a good ally… but you still get things wrong?

Because honestly, allyship can feel awkward.
Especially when discomfort, defensiveness, fear of saying the wrong thing, or “trying too hard” starts showing up.

In this episode, Curt and I talk about what ally work actually looks like in real life, not just in theory. The missteps. The repair. The discomfort. And why awkwardness isn’t failure… it’s part of the process.

If you’ve ever worried about messing up in conversations around identity, culture, privilege, or difference, this conversation is probably going to resonate.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast477

Image: Podcast cover artwork for Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Episode 477 titled “Allyship is Awkward.” The image shows a diverse group of hands forming a circle with fists touching together in the center against a soft neutral background.

Allyship Is Awkward: How Therapists Can Keep Showing Up Anyway - Therapy Reimagined Curt Widhalm, LMFT, and Katie Vernoy, LMFT explore what it actually looks like to do ally work as a therapist when you hold majority identities the people around you do not share. The conversation moves across three zones where this work plays out: with clients in the therapy room, with colleagues a...

This week, we’re talking about q***r relationships, q***r s*x, and all the things therapists are often NOT trained to talk about comfortably.

And honestly… that discomfort shows up more than people realize.

One thing Tom Bruett said that really stood out was how many q***r couples come into therapy saying they liked their previous therapist… but their therapist seemed uncomfortable talking about s*x.

Not because the therapist was trying to cause harm.
Usually because nobody actually trained them for these conversations.

This episode gets into what therapists often miss when working with q***r couples, the idea of a “second q***r adolescence,” and why traditional relationship models don’t always fit q***r experiences.

And honestly, there are a lot of conversations in here that apply outside the therapy room too.

Listen here:
https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast476

Image: Podcast cover for Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Episode 476 titled “The 7 Stages of Q***r Love.” Background shows two people holding hands in a close-up image with dark blue tones. A headshot of Tom Bruett, LMFT appears in the lower right corner. Text reads: “An interview with Tom Bruett, LMFT” along with the website mtsgpodcast.com.

The Seven Stages of Q***r Love: Therapy with Q***r Couples, Q***r S*x, and the Developmental Model - An Interview with Tom Bruett, LMFT Curt and Katie talk with Tom Bruett, LMFT, about what therapists often miss when working with q***r couples, how the Developmental Model of Relationship Therapy can be expanded to include the realities of q***r relationship development, and why a “second q***r adolescence” deserves a place in an...

Most therapists know they’re supposed to use HIPAA compliant email.

But if we’re being honest… a lot of people don’t actually know what that means behind the scenes.

This week, we sat down with Hoala Greevy, founder and CEO of Paubox, to talk about secure communication, encrypted email, privacy concerns, and why so many “secure portals” create frustration for both therapists and clients.

One thing that really stood out:
The conversation around building tools based on actual customer feedback instead of just checking compliance boxes.

Because at the end of the day, security tools only work if people can realistically use them.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your current systems are actually protecting your practice and your clients the way you think they are… this episode opens up a really important conversation.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast-paubox

Image: Special Consumer Guide episode cover for Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide featuring Paubox. Background has a blue and orange gradient with the Paubox logo centered prominently. A headshot of Hoala Greevy appears below the logo. Text reads: “An in-depth interview with Hoala Greevy, Founder and CEO of Paubox” along with the websites paubox.com and mtsgpodcast.com.

Modern Therapist's Consumer Guide: Paubox. HIPAA Compliant Email, Secure Communication, and Practice Privacy. An Interview with Hoala Greevy, Founder and CEO of Paubox Curt and Katie talk with Hoala Greevy, Founder and CEO of Paubox, a HIPAA compliant email security company built to deliver encrypted messages straight to the recipient's inbox, without portals, plugins, or extra clicks. This episode is part of our Modern Therapist's Consumer Guide series.

This week, we’re talking about teen mental health crises, hospitalization, safety planning, and what support can actually look like before things escalate.

And honestly… one part that really stuck with us was this idea:

Hospitals are meant for stabilization.
Not magic fixes.

A lot of therapists are taught:
“If things get bad, send them to the hospital.”

But this episode talks about what actually happens after that referral and why outpatient therapists can play a much bigger role in helping teens stay supported safely in their communities.

If you work with teens, this conversation is probably going to hit home.

This is also a continuing education podcourse and is eligible for one continuing education hour through CAMFT CEPA (provider #132270).

Listen here:
https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast475

Image: Podcast cover for Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Episode 475 titled “Teens in Crisis: Before You Refer to the Hospital.” The background shows a blurred ambulance with emergency lights in motion. Text near the bottom reads “A Continuing Education Podcourse!” along with the websites mtsgpodcast.com and moderntherapistcommunity.com.

Before You Refer to the Hospital: De-Escalation, Safety Planning, and Wraparound Care for Teens in Crisis Every therapist who works with teens knows the moment: a client’s crisis escalates, the room shifts, and the question of whether to call for a hospital evaluation hangs in the air. The hospital can feel like the safest, most responsible option - and sometimes it is. But the research tells a more c...

This week, we’re talking about the troubled teen industry, including wilderness therapy and residential treatment programs for teens.

And honestly… some parts of this episode are hard to hear.

One of the moments that really stuck with us was when Chelsea Maldonado talked about the use of physical restraints in some facilities and the lasting harm they can cause.

A lot of parents send their kids to these programs believing they’ll finally get help.
But many survivors have been speaking out for years about what they experienced behind closed doors.

If this is something you’ve ever questioned…
Or if you’ve ever laid awake wondering what actually happens in places like this…

This conversation is probably going to stay with you.

Listen here:
https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast474

Image: Podcast cover for Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Episode 474 titled “The Troubled Teen Industry.” Background shows a dim forest trail with pine needles on the ground. Featured guests are Chelsea Maldonado and Dr. Will Dobud, shown in headshots near the bottom right.

Working with kids is not entry-level work.

And for many therapists, it comes with a shelf life.

In this week’s Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide episode, Curt and I unpack why so many clinicians stop working with kids. Not because they lack skill or passion, but because of the structure of the work itself.

One hour a week with a child. The other 167 shaped by everything else.

We explore the sensory load, parent communication, school coordination, and the hidden demands that make this work difficult to sustain. And what therapists can do to stay, adjust or pivot without burning out.

If you work with kids or are thinking about it long term, this conversation is worth your time.

Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast473

Image: Graphic for “Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide,” Episode 473. Background shows a large teddy bear sitting on a couch. Large text reads: “Why Therapists Stop Working with Kids.” Website text at the bottom reads: mtsgpodcast.com.

“I think I’m a bad mom.”

It’s something many mothers say quietly in session. And it often comes with shame, guilt, rage, and exhaustion.

In this week’s Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide episode, Curt and I talk with Jessica Tomich Sorci, LMFT about how therapists can better support mothers using IFS and the Mom Parts Method.

What if those “bad mom” thoughts aren’t signs of failure, but protector parts trying to help someone survive overwhelming demands?

This conversation explores how to meet mothers with more curiosity, more context, and more effective tools.

Listen to the episode:
https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast472

Image: Background shows a grayscale image of a woman with her head down, appearing overwhelmed while a child kisses her cheek. Large text reads: “ ‘Bad Mom’ Parts.” Smaller text says: “An interview with Jessica Tomich Sorci, LMFT.” A headshot of a smiling woman appears in the corner. Website text at the bottom reads: mtsgpodcast.com.

What if the goal with teens isn’t to fix them?

In this week’s Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide episode, Curt and I talk with Dr. Will Dobud about what therapists, parents, and systems often misunderstand about adolescents.

We explore the limits of overmanagement and overdiagnosis, the loss of play and third spaces, rising loneliness, and how youth mental health may improve when we focus less on fixing teens and more on helping them connect, contribute, build mastery, and tolerate discomfort.

An important conversation for anyone working with adolescents.
Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast471

Image: Background shows an overhead view of several teens walking outdoors with backpacks. Large text reads: “Fixing Teens Doesn’t Work.” Smaller text says: “An interview with Dr. Will Dobud, PhD, MSW.” A headshot of a man appears in the lower corner. Website text at the bottom reads: mtsgpodcast.com.

Gifted adults rarely come to therapy saying giftedness is the problem.

More often, they show up with burnout, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, relationship struggles, or the feeling that they’re never living up to their potential.

In this week’s Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide episode, Curtand I explore how gifted adults present in therapy, why their distress is often misunderstood, and what clinicians need to know when working with identity struggles, existential distress, and 2e considerations.

We also unpack the hidden cost of success, masking, overfunctioning, and how to help clients build a life rooted in meaning, not just achievement.

This is a continuing education podcourse. This is eligible for one continuing education hour through CAMFT CEPA (provider #132270).

Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast470

Image: Background resembles a dark chalkboard covered in handwritten equations, formulas, and notes. Large text reads: “The Burden of Potential.” Smaller text below says: “A Continuing Education Podcourse!” Website text at the bottom reads: mtsgpodcast.com and moderntherapistcommunity.com.

Gut symptoms and mental health are often more connected than many clinicians realize.

In this week’s Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide episode, Curt and I talk with Dr. Ali Navidi about IBS, chronic nausea, functional dyspepsia, and other gut-brain disorders therapists are likely seeing in practice.

We explore how to recognize when GI symptoms may be clinically relevant, how to stay within scope, and how therapists can support clients through screening, collaboration, and informed referrals.

This is an important conversation for clinicians who want to better understand the gut-brain connection.

Listen to the episode: https://bit.ly/mtsgpodcast469

Image: Background shows assorted healthy foods including strawberries, nuts, broccoli, and sliced citrus fruit. Text reads: “Gut-Brain Disorders.” A headshot of a smiling man in a blue button-down shirt appears in the corner. Text below reads: “An interview with Dr. Ali Navidi, PsyD.” Website: mtsgpodcast.com.