The Practice of Therapy Podcast

One of the things I've learned over the years is that the work we feel most drawn to often has some connection to our own experiences. That doesn't mean our story becomes the center of the therapy room, but it can absolutely shape the populations we care about, the problems we notice, and the kind of practice we want to build. In this episode, I talk with Hannah Short about how her own experiences with eating disorder recovery and postpartum helped shape her clinical niche. We also get into thoughtful self-disclosure, creating a practice where clients feel genuinely understood, moving from virtual work into an in-person office, and using systems and AI to make solo practice a little more manageable. There's a lot here about finding meaningful work, building a practice around it, and remembering that sometimes the best clues about your niche are already part of your story. Watch on YouTube Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Hannah Short, LCSW, BCBC Hannah Short, LCSW, Board-Certified Bariatric Counselor, is the founder of Rooted & Nourished Psychotherapy, a solo private practice in Waco, Texas, offering in-person and virtual therapy services across Texas. She specializes in women's mental health, body image, eating disorders, bariatric surgery preparation and recovery, perinatal and postpartum support, and trauma-informed care, including EMDR. Hannah has struggled with her own eating disorder and is 10 years in recovery. She also built her practice while navigating her own postpartum journey, bringing both lived and professional expertise to her work with women in transition. She's known for her direct, relatable approach both in clinical work and through her "Between Sessions" newsletter and content. Her mission is to create space for women's stories without shame, diet culture, or clinical distance. Website Instagram TikTok

When therapists think about branding, it's easy to immediately think about logos, fonts, colors, and websites. But your brand is so much more than what your practice looks like online. It is also the feeling people get when they encounter you, the story they associate with you, and ultimately, whether they feel like they can trust you. In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Ritu Riedweg about personal branding, marketing, and what therapists can do to make their practices easier to find and easier to connect with. Ritu brings an interesting perspective to this conversation because her career has crossed both the marketing and therapy worlds. She originally studied social work before building a career in marketing, branding, and design. Later, after experiencing the transformational impact of therapy in her own life, she trained as a therapist herself. Eventually, she realized she could combine those two areas of experience by helping other therapists become more effective at marketing and branding their practices. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Ritu Riedweg Ritu Riedweg is a brand strategist, web designer, and personal branding expert who helps therapists, coaches, and healers stand out online, get found on Google, and connect with their ideal clients. With a background spanning marketing, coaching, therapy, and web design, Ritu brings both strategy and a deep understanding of the helping professions to her work. After building her own therapy practice, Ritu returned to her marketing roots and launched a personal branding and website agency focused on helping heart-centered professionals build businesses that reflect who they are and the people they are called to serve. Her approach blends thoughtful branding, clear strategy, and authentic storytelling to create an online presence that feels personal, professional, and aligned. Website LinkedIn Instagram

Working with high-risk teens can feel overwhelming, especially when self-harm, suicidal thoughts, emotional dysregulation, or repeated hospitalizations are part of the picture. So how can therapists provide both compassion and structure without letting fear drive the treatment? In this episode, Gordon talks with Katie K. May about working effectively with high-risk teens and their families. Katie shares why validation matters, how therapists can provide strong clinical leadership, and why caregiver involvement is such an important part of the process. They also discuss proactive safety planning, recognizing patterns before a crisis, helping teens build skills they can actually use outside the therapy room, and why therapists need clear frameworks and support when doing high-risk clinical work. Katie also shares ideas from her book, Teen DBT in Practice, including how therapists can help teens move toward a life worth living while creating more confidence and sustainability in the work. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Katie K. May Katie K. May is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, trainer, and group practice owner whose mission is to stop the revolving door of hospitalizations for teen self-harm, suicidal behaviors, and shutdowns by giving families and clinicians practical tools that create lasting change. She is the founder of Creative Healing, a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area, and the author of the #1 Amazon best-seller You're On Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors. Her second book, Teen DBT in Practice, provides clinicians with a practical framework for applying DBT with adolescents and moving beyond surface-level behavior management toward meaningful, lasting change. One of a select few Linehan ("Lynn-a-hayn") Board-Certified DBT Clinicians in Pennsylvania, Katie specializes in evidence-based treatment for self-harm, suicidal behaviors, and complex emotional challenges in teens. She is an ongoing guest expert on Good Day Philadelphia, where she shares practical guidance on teen and parent mental health. Known for her clinical practicality and lived experience as a teen who once turned to self-harm herself, Katie bridges the gap between the therapy room and the family living room. Her work helps parents and professionals decode behavior as survival, regulate the nervous system, and create new coping strategies that last because the whole family is integrated into the treatment plan. Website Instagram Treating High-Risk Teens Course Teen DBT in Practice: A Comprehensive Guide for Therapists Treating High-Risk Behaviors How to Assess Teen Suicide Risk

Building rapport isn't just about helping clients feel comfortable. It can play a major role in whether they trust you, open up, and keep coming back. In this episode, I sit down with Nora Anger, LPC, to talk about building stronger therapeutic relationships in private practice. We discuss what clients really want from their therapists, common reasons they leave therapy, thoughtful self-disclosure, creating safety and trust, and how to balance compassion with challenging clients when they need it. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Nora Anger Nora Anger, MS, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than a decade of experience in the mental health field. She specializes in trauma, grief, anxiety, and depression, helping clients navigate difficult life transitions and experiences. Known for her warm, direct, and down-to-earth approach, Nora has a particular strength in building rapport with clients who may have struggled with therapy in the past. She earned her master's degree from Chestnut Hill College and currently provides counseling in the greater Philadelphia area. Nora's Website Nora's Instagram

What happens to your private practice when you step away? In this episode, Gordon talks with TaVona Denise about what her Private Practice Vitality Report revealed about owner dependency, burnout, delegation, and the systems that keep a practice running. They explore why hiring more staff doesn't always create more freedom, how to tell if your practice still depends too heavily on you, and the simple 30-day question that can uncover exactly where your systems need work. If you want to build a practice that can grow without requiring you to be involved in every decision, this conversation is a great place to start. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet TaVona Denise TaVona Denise is a strategic operations consultant for independent practice owners who are making money but can't take a vacation. A former clinic director and PT with 13 years running her own contracting company, she knows what it's like to be the best thing that ever happened to your patients and show up sick because calling out would lead to chaos. She is the author of the Private Practice Vitality Report 2026, a cross-disciplinary study of 43 practice owners that challenges what most owners assume about stability and freedom. TaVona's on a mission to ensure there are no martyrs in medicine. LinkedIn Instagram @TaVonaDenise Facebook Page The 2026 Practice Vitality Report is free