You’re a therapist, not a career strategist, right? That’s what I told myself for years—until the zillionth client sat across from me, looked me dead in the eye, and asked, “What should I do with my life?” Cue the record scratch.

Let’s be real: we’re trained to hold emotional space, diagnose, treat, and heal — but when it comes to career development and professional identity? Most of us are flying blind.

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Suzy Welch — NYU professor, bestselling author, and creator of the Becoming You methodology — to talk about how therapists can help our clients (and ourselves!) find professional clarity, direction, and purpose.

We’re talking values alignment, cognitive aptitudes, career mismatches, and that giant existential "Now what?" moment clients bring to our couch. Timestamps: 00:00 - The Noble Work of Therapy 00:38 - The Career Coaching Gap in Therapist Training 01:09 - Meet Suzy Welch: Author, Educator, Career Strategist 02:57 - How “Becoming You” Was Born — and Who It’s For 05:27 - Values, Aptitudes & Purpose: A New Career Coaching Framework 08:24 - Why Most Therapists Are “Winging It” in Career Coaching (and how to stop) 13:10 - Values Mismatch at Work: The Invisible Career Saboteur 15:48 - Coaching ≠ Therapy: Why You Need Both Skill Sets 20:42 - How to Close the Values Gap for You and Your Clients 22:35 - Why Career Coaching Belongs in Therapy Rooms 23:55 - Real-World Tools for Therapists That Create Breakthroughs 25:19 - Becoming You Methodology: Tools, Testing & Transformation 26:26 - Career Discovery for Clients—and Yourself 30:18 - The Emotional Toll of Therapy & Why Specialization Matters 32:34 - Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and Therapist Career Fit 36:37 - Your Career Deserves Purpose Too 42:37 - Where to Learn More: Trainings, Tools, and Next Steps

If you’ve ever felt stuck when clients bring career questions into the therapy room, this conversation will blow your mind and expand your skillset. I’ve also got something for you to get clear on your own career path.

I created a free CEU training, 4 Steps to Finding Your Niche as a Therapist to help support us therapists in our own professional development. It’s all about helping you get clear, confident, and aligned. Because before we coach clients through their next chapter, we have to write our own. 

👉 You can sign up right here and earn 1 CEU credit when you complete the training and the knowledge check.

And hey—let’s stay connected. You can find me on LinkedIn, where I share lots of behind-the-scenes insights, podcast updates, and the occasional nerdy therapist meme.

Xoxo Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby www.growingself.com

P.S. Know a therapist, coach, or clinician who would love this episode? Be a good colleague and share it with your professional community! 💌