The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT
464 episodes
6 days ago
The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
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The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
How Therapists Can Help Clients Finally Sleep: An Interview with Jessica Fink, LCSW-S
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
43 minutes
1 month ago
How Therapists Can Help Clients Finally Sleep: An Interview with Jessica Fink, LCSW-S
How Therapists Can Help Clients Finally Sleep: An Interview with Jessica Fink, LCSW-S
Curt and Katie interview sleep specialist Jessica Fink, LCSW-S, about what therapists often misunderstand about sleep—and what actually helps when clients are stuck in cycles of insomnia, nighttime anxiety, or maladaptive sleep behaviors. Jessica breaks down the limits of sleep hygiene, the fundamentals of CBT-I, what to do when clients wake up at 3 a.m. spiraling, how to distinguish tired vs. sleepy, and why wearables and blue light might be overrated concerns. She also shares how therapists can confidently assess sleep disorders and support behavioral sleep change without overmedicalizing the issue.
About Our Guest: Jessica Fink, LCSW-S
Jessica Fink, LCSW-S is a Texas-based therapist who specializes in sleep issues, PTSD, OCD, chronic pain and maladaptive overcontrol. As a CBT-oriented provider, Jessica uses structured, data-driven approaches combined with flexibility and creativity to create real, lasting change. Jessica values client independence, designing therapy to equip individuals with their own tools and coping strategies. Jessica's practice is entirely online and accessible to all Texas residents.
Key Takeaways for Therapists
Sleep hygiene is prevention—not treatment for insomnia.
CBT-I is counterintuitive: don’t go to bed until sleepy, and get out of bed if awake too long.
A consistent wake time matters more than bedtime.
Blue light isn’t the enemy most people think it is.
Wearables can increase anxiety and worsen sleep perfectionism (“orthosomnia”).
Therapists play a crucial role even in medically driven sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
Scheduled “constructive worry” times can reduce nighttime rumination.
Full show notes and transcript available at:https://mtsgpodcast.com
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Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined
Creative Credits
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano – https://groomsymusic.com/
Voiceover by DW McCann – https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.
