In this episode of The Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene shares productivity tips tailored for neurodivergent therapists navigating the complexities of running a private practice. Jeanene, who is neurodivergent herself, emphasizes leveraging unique strengths like creativity, empathy, and big-picture thinking while addressing common challenges such as scheduling, admin tasks, and time management. She encourages therapists to experiment with strategies, adjust systems when needed, and practice self-compassion.

“Remember the ND brain loves affirmation. Now I encourage you to experiment and adjust. Not every system or strategy will work for you, and that's okay. The key is to keep experimenting until you find what feels natural and sustainable. And for many neurodivergent people, something works great until it doesn't. I find this especially true as an ADHDer, or offer yourself some kindness and flexibility. When this occurs, you just need to find a new system, and you already have the skills for doing that. So instead of feeling shame that it's no longer working, put that energy into finding the next best thing.”

Key takeaways include:

***Embrace Strengths: Recognize the value of neurodivergent traits like empathy and intuition to build a thriving practice

***Flexible Goal Setting: Experiment with a variety of strategies to find what works for you

***External Structures: Leverage digital tools

***Time and Energy Management: Honor energy patterns

***Environment Optimization: Create organized workspaces that suit your needs

***Wellness Matters: Prioritize your own needs

Get updates about future Fictionalized Clinical Consultation Groups: www.CollabOasis.com/FCC_live

Connect with Jeanene:

*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook

*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/

*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt

*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/

In this episode of The Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene Wolfe dives into a timely topic for therapists: managing the reality of increased client cancellations during the holiday season. From early scheduling conversations to reinforcing cancellation policies and encouraging self-care, Jeanene shares practical strategies to prepare for and navigate the challenges this time of year brings.

Learn how to anticipate cancellations, adjust your workload, and use unexpected downtime effectively. Whether it's consolidating schedules, offering telehealth options, or setting boundaries, this episode provides invaluable insights to help therapists balance client needs with their own well-being. Remember, the holidays can be hectic, but with preparation and flexibility, they can also be an opportunity for growth and rest.

“Bring up scheduling early, proactively ask clients about their holiday plans and how they might impact their sessions. For example, you can say “The holidays are coming up and I know things get busy for many people. Let's look ahead and see if there are any sessions you might need to cancel or reschedule”. This gives clients an opportunity to make changes with plenty of notice.”

Key takeaways:

***Proactive Planning for Client Cancellations: Address holiday scheduling early with clients by discussing potential conflicts and rescheduling options. Reinforce cancellation policies while deciding whether to maintain flexibility during the season.

***Adjusting and Condensing Work Schedules: Anticipate lower caseloads by consolidating appointments into fewer days or offering telehealth options to accommodate clients’ travel and holiday commitments.

***Maximizing Downtime: Use any cancellations or lighter schedules productively by focusing on administrative tasks, professional development, practice growth, or personal care. This ensuring a refreshed start to the New Year.

***Encouraging Therapy as Self-Care: Highlight the importance of therapy during the holiday season, emphasizing its value in managing stress, complex family dynamics, and maintaining mental health amidst the busy time.

Get updates about future Fictionalized Clinical Consultation Groups: www.CollabOasis.com/FCC_live

Connect with Jeanene:

*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook

*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/

*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt

*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/

In this another episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene Wolfe sits down with Darlene Sousa, a testing psychologist and former counselor, to discuss how professional development can promote access and culturally responsive care in the evaluation process. Darlene shares her journey, including her motivation to create training programs that address the challenges of traditional evaluation methods, such as their often invalidating nature and lack of therapeutic value. They explore critical topics, including the complexities of 2e (twice-exceptional) individuals, the gatekeeping mentality in psychology, and the importance of accessible training for Master's level clinicians and more. The conversation concludes with a hopeful look at the future of assessment, including more inclusive training opportunities and the potential for Master's level clinicians to play a larger role in addressing public need.

“We have people who are mislabeled under-identified, misidentified women, in particular, individuals of color, who are not getting the diagnosis they need. And one of the growing groups right now is women, and it isn't until they hit menopause where they start to go like, wow, things were a struggle for me, but perimenopause hit, and now I'm at a complete loss. What is this? Am I losing my mind? Am I becoming psychotic? They just, they really don't know, if you don't know, you don't know, you're a lay person, and you come to find out that they just didn't have a diagnosis, or they're mislabeled, usually with a personality disorder or some kind of mood instability, and it wasn't until that point that they sought help, and someone properly trained in evaluation was able to really identify what was going on.”- Darlene

Key takeaways:

***Culturally Responsive Care: Traditional evaluation methods can feel invalidating and overly rigid. A collaborative, therapeutic approach fosters better understanding and outcomes.

***Challenges in Accessing Evaluations: Long waiting lists for evaluations can delay critical support; and evaluations often lack therapeutic elements, leaving clients uncertain about next steps.

***Understanding Neurodivergence and 2e (Twice-Exceptional) Individuals: Mislabeling and underidentification of certain groups, including women and people of color, are common.

***Quality and Accessibility in Reports: High-quality reports that are standardized, detailed, and respectful are crucial. Coaching and feedback during evaluations ensure client satisfaction and better outcomes.

***The Role of Master's Level Clinicians: Many clients are unaware of distinctions between Master's and doctoral clinicians, emphasizing the value of skill and reputation.

About Darlene Sousa:

Darlene is a testing psychologist and former counselor. She saw and experienced for herself as a neurodivergent person in a new culture, how systems of support did not connect, with each having different requirements for entry, leaving families lost.

She has since found her path through consulting and advocacy. In 2023, she co-launched an edtech start-up focused on promoting access and culturally responsive care through quality professional development in areas often protected by the “old guard.” Many clinicians are unable to return to graduate school to further their education, nor should they need to with technology. Darlene’s mission is to promote greater access to progressive services for the community, through the promotion of practical training for clinicians, all within the neurodiversity, cultural, and gender affirming framework.

Connect with Darlene:

Website: www.mindfulu.net

Get updates about future Fictionalized Clinical Consultation Groups: www.CollabOasis.com/FCC_live

Connect with Jeanene:

*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook

*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/

*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt

*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/