The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Sara created a therapy group she wished she had as a queer Afghan American. What is it like to create a group filled with people just like you? What’s it like to create a group that affirms an identity other people say you shouldn’t have? In this episode, we discuss the ins and outs of creating an identity-based therapy group. 

Sara Stanizai is an LMFT who focuses on working with and affirming the identities of first-generation Afghan Americans. 

“I made this group because I needed this group”

What we discussed:

(00:00) Who is Sara Stanizai and how she got her first clients

(04:20) Why have a group for Afghan women?

(08:20) Becoming more visible and getting hate 

(09:20) How to join the closed group (+ an inconvenient step)

(10:41) Main transformation of the group 

(13:28) “I’ve never bee...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Ever felt like a woo-woo healer trapped in a therapist’s body? Is coaching for you? How can you run a scalable coaching business while still facilitating intimate group sessions? 

Teresa Kaplan is a psychotherapist turned energy healer and coach. She discusses how she runs her group “Unstoppable” where she helps people get unstuck and finally act upon the vision they have for their life. Learn about how her group and her business work in this episode.

“Once our nervous system is relaxed, every aspect of our life is impacted.” - Teresa Kaplan

What we discussed:

(00:00) Who is Teresa Kaplan? 

(03:09) Clearing mental blocks OR Personal vs. professional life 

(06:05) What is energy editing?

(11:17) The “Unstoppable” group 

(15:47) How to do what you’ve always wanted to do 

(17:48) How coaches...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary

Groups for teens are not enough. Teens need to be part of a holistically validating environment. When teens go through rigorous group therapy but their caregivers are excluded from the healing journey, there is a disconnect. Healing is slower, rockier, and more painful. Having parent support groups reduces the friction for teens and their families. What I’m saying is, that when parents are informed, invested, and involved, you’ll stop receiving really long emails from parents asking you why therapy hasn’t worked yet.
In this episode, I walk you through why you want to have parent support groups, how to run these support groups, and even give you an opportunity to swipe my entire parent support group curriculum.

Timestamps
[00:31] Episode overview: group for parents of teens who self harm
[00:55] Why run ...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Today, Katie discusses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) graduate groups with Kerrie Toole and Stefanie Sugar. Graduate groups give participants more autonomy and a louder voice than a DBT skills group. They are principle-based treatments rather than a fully structured step-by-step program. Tune in to learn what a graduate group is, how experienced you have to be to run one, how to inaugurate your very first group session, and the logistics you would need to take care of. 

Kerrie Toole, LICSW is the Director of Castlebrook Counseling Services. She specializes in DBT with adolescents and adults.

Stefanie Sugar, Psy.D. is the Director of Behavioral Psych Studio. She specializes in providing CBT and DBT to adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

Timestamps

[00:00] Who are Kerrie Toole and St...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Dr. Tara Sanderson joins Katie to discuss how she empowers interns to be skilled therapists who run great groups in her private practice. During the episode they discuss how to transfer your wisdom to interns in your private practice, how to create meaningful learning experiences for them, and why teaching interns with the end in mind is so powerful. 

Dr. Tara Sanderson is a licensed psychologist and MBA. She is a supervisor and group practice owner. She teaches courses on how to start a private practice and how to have interns in your practice. 

Timestamps

[00:00] Who is Dr. Tara Sanderson?

[01:26] Why does Dr. Tara focus on supporting interns in her private practice?

[04:08] How to hire associates who are receptive to training interns OR How to make sure your private practice interns receive the ...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Lori McGruder joins Katie to discuss her men’s relapse prevention group. Many doctors and teachers struggling with substance use join Lori’s group - this makes the work more challenging but the group composition also provides a unique experience for its members. For example, physicians are reminded that other physicians face the same problems they do. Throughout the conversation, they discuss what it’s like to run a substance use therapy group, what to do when someone relapses, and why group therapy can be better than private therapy in these instances. 

Lori McGruder is an EMDRIA approved EMDR therapist and Board Certified National Counselor. She has been providing counseling services for more than 20 years.

Timestamps

[00:00] Who is Lori McGruder? 

[01:37] Why she specialized in substance use trea...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Stefanie Sugar and Kristin Ortiz join Katie to discuss their DBT group focused on the LGBTQ+ population who are battling shame and anxiety that has resulted from chronic invalidation. DBT and CBT practices can be invalidating to marginalized folks, the AFFIRM group aims to overcome this gap. The group is 8-weeks long. 

In their discussion, they explore the importance of integrating the structural issues of power and race in groups focused on marginalized people, why the AFFIRM group doesn’t have a formal intake process, and how to have an iterative and flexible relationship with the curriculum you follow in your group.

Stefanie Sugar, Psy.D., is the Director and Founder of the Behavioral Psych Studio.

Kristin Ortiz is a DBT therapist who leads the AFFIRM group at Behavioral Psych Studio.

 Timestamps...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Yoga therapist Kanjana Hartshorne joins Katie to discuss what it’s like to run yoga therapy groups. Kanjana runs a group called Taking Your Time to Shine which requires a 2-3 hour weekly commitment from its members. In their discussion, they explore what yoga therapy is like, how to run an evidence-based yoga group, what you need to do to be certified as a yoga therapist, and plenty of ideas on how to create and structure your own yoga group. 

Kanjana Hartshorne, LCSW is a psychotherapist and IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist. Her 8-week group Taking Your Time to Shine amounts to 30 CE units for therapists.

“All yoga is therapeutic, but one yoga class isn’t going to help every single individual” 

-  Kanjana Hartshorne

Timestamps

[00:00] Who is Kanjana?

[01:14] What is yoga therapy and how do you get c...

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Erica Tatum-Sheade, LCSW joins Katie to discuss her girls empowered group where they tackle self-esteem issues that girls 8-18 face. In their conversation, they discuss how children of different ages influence the dynamics of therapy groups, an innovative way to include caregivers in children-based groups, and why some groups are better off held in person than online. 

Erica Tatum-Sheade, LCSW is a certified Daring Way Facilitator and the creator of G.E.M.S.® (Girls Empowered Motivated and Strong). Girls leave G.E.M.S.® with deeper knowledge and greater confidence about who they are.

Timestamps

[00:00] - [00:17] cut out 

[00:18] Who is Erica Tatum-Sheade, LCSW? 

[01:48] Adding BIPOC perspectives to Daring Way facilitation. 

[04:38] Balancing working with teenagers with working with adults. 

[06:5...

Page Description:

The Group Work Podcast. Find out what happens in the space where group therapy takes place.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts here

Listen and subscribe on Spotify here

Summary 

Julie Mizak joins Katie to discuss how she uniquely blends weight lifting with therapy. They explore the mind-body connection, why gym-based therapy can boost confidence and self-esteem, and best practices for running a gym-based group. 

Through gym-based group therapy, Julie creates a communal vibe where women can feel better about themselves and discover deeper dimensions of who they are and why they are worthy. Fittingly, her group’s motto is women in weightlifting, women lifting each other up. 

Julie Mizak is a licensed social worker and a certified personal trainer. She combines her expertise to create a unique, and relatively new,  offering for her clients. 

Timestamps

[00:28] Episode overview and who is Julie Mizak? 

[01:40] Why Julie decided to merge personal training ...