Interview with a Therapist

For this week’s blog, I decided to do something a little different. I have a lot of questions about the mental health field, for I want to be a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner when I am older. I know what I want to do, but sometimes I am not so sure of the route I should take to get there. To answer some of my questions, I decided to interview my boss, Amber Madden. I learned a lot from her answers, and hopefully you will too!

How many years of college did it take for you to become a therapist?

       I attended 4 years of college for my bachelor's degree and then another 2-3 years for my masters. How much time one may spend on the masters degree is dependent upon how many classes they may choose to take at a time. I was working full time while pursuing my masters, so I took classes at a bit of a slower pace.

What is your favorite part about your job?

       My favorite part about my job is the amount of creativity it provides. In general, I am the type of person who likes to have the ability to explore different elements of creativity and to have new challenges. I have found the mental health profession to offer a variety of ways to be creative whether it is from developing individualized treatment plans for challenging clients, creating a private practice, utilizing social media to advocate for mental health or writing on a widespread range of topics related to mental health. There are lots of ways to be creative in this field and I find it adaptable to almost any industry as mental health applies to almost everything we do.

To be successful , what are 3 qualities that you believe a therapist should have?

       Self-discipline - I say self discipline, because there is a significant part of mental health that requires devoting extra time and attention to clients in order to make sure they are receiving quality services. There are many times I need to devote extra time to researching about mental health conditions and the best and most effective ways of treating those conditions. At times, this can feel a bit like I'm preparing for a research paper, which may not be ideal to some individuals. However, I find this is important in making sure clients needs are met. Along the lines of self-discipline also comes with documentation. Documentation is a HUGE part of mental health practice and one of the areas that many clinicians have the most suffering because it can be unpleasant to have to spend additional time documenting sessions. It takes a great amount of discipline, especially in private practice, to make sure proper documentation is completed.

       Interpersonal Skills  or "Soft" Skills - I once read a book about becoming a "master" therapist. Actually, the name of the book is, On Being a Master Therapist, by Jeffrey A. Cottler and Jon Carlson. In this book, the duo explored on what elements were believed to become a "master" therapist. Time and time again, they referred to the relationship between the therapist and the client. This was also based on years of research and experience. I also believe this is a very important quality to have for being a good therapist. A therapist needs to have excellent interpersonal skills in order to be able to effectively listen to their clients, as well as convey empathy and caring about their presenting conditions. The relationship often is more important than the therapist skills utilized, as well.

       A Knowledge of Ethical Principles - Do no harm continues to be a message in the medical and mental health professional world that is often stated. Therapists have a responsibility to their clients to ensure they are constantly helping them and not harming them. Many times, this can often refer to any ethical dilemmas that may come up during therapy and how the therapist navigates these challenges. A quality therapist needs to be well versed in the ethical guidelines of how to work with clients and what they can and cannot do to help clients.

What college did you attend, and what degrees did you receive?

       I attended University of the Cumberlands receiving a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. I attended Union College to receive a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. Lastly, I received a Graduate Certificate in Eating Disorder Treatment from Northern Illinois University.

What made you decide to become a therapist?

       I have always thought of myself to be an analytical person and someone who has enjoyed learning about people. When I was in college for my undergrad, I actually started out as a music major. I played violin and piano growing up and I thought I wanted to become a music teacher. However, I found the classes VERY challenging, the competition was steep between students and at the end of the day, I really did not know how much I actually wanted to teach. As part of my undergraduate basics, I was required to take an Introduction to Psychology course. I was completely fascinated by the material in this course. I loved everything I was learning and the learning felt effortless, so I took another course, Abnormal Psychology. Again, I continued to be intrigued by the material and it all felt very effortless because I was so interested in what I was learning. I switched majors and decided to commit myself to becoming a mental health professional, mostly because I really liked learning about people and the different parts of our lives that makeup who we are as individuals.

What is your preferred style of therapy?

       I would not say I have a preferred style. I utilize a blend of humanistic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and existentialism. The mode of therapy I utilize tends to be based on the presenting problems of the client and how they perceive their problems.

What are some things you do outside of your work to help you maintain a happy, healthy life?

       I love to take walks and listen to an audiobook or podcast. I also really love cooking when I have the time for it. I enjoy reading and of course, watching some Netflix from time to time. Most importantly, I like to spend time with my family.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring therapist, what would it be?

       I would tell an aspiring therapist to make sure they attend an accredited school, one accredited by CACREP. I did not know about CACREP at the time I pursued my degree and the schools were not as widely recognized. I am credentialed through the National Board of Credentialed Counselors now, but a CACREP degree would have been nice, as well. This is a single decision that could potentially have a large impact on the types of employment you can find when you begin looking. I would also advise aspiring therapist to plan well for student loans. I have been fortunate in that I worked for a place that partnered with the National Health Service Corporation and I was able to trade my service for student loan repayment. This has been a huge saving grace for me. I know many others her struggle with upwards of 200k debt and it is so important to make a plan for that when going into this field and how you will plan to pay back those loans or try to work for a place that may help you pay them back.

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Kylee Roberts, Mental Health Therapist

Co-Written by Amber Madden, LPCC-S

LPCA Supervision and Coaching is Open!

Currently Accepting Supervisees

License Supervision (Kentucky Residents)

Supervision is an opportunity to connect with a Supervisor who shares similar interest and goals as the supervisee. Supervision is ONLY for Kentucky residents and those licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associates with the Kentucky Board of Licensed Counselors.

Supervisees will meet via video conference 3 - 4sessions a month online. Sessions will be small group based for the added benefit of learning from your colleagues. Supervisees will pay for the required 3 sessions each month, and will have the opportunity to attend an additional supervision session for free. Special individual sessions can be arranged for an additional fee. See 201 KAR 36:060 for more information.

Coaching

For all other clients, I also offer coaching and consulting for all areas of practice. For example, if you want help in building your practice website, teletherapy questions, or specific questions about treating eating disordered clients, then this service could be for you. You will also be able to participate in the weekly virtual groups alongside the LPCA supervisees. Please complete the form below and I will be in touch within 48 hours. We can schedule a free consultation.

Practicum/Internship Opportunities

Practicum and Internship students are also welcome to reach out. From time to time we have openings available for qualified candidates that are seeking hours for their educational programs. We have a Licensed Professiona Counselor (LPCC) on staff that can provide supervision. Students will have opportunities to observe, complete documentation and records, practice their counseling and therapy skills and more. All practicum and internships are remote positions facilitated through virtual platforms at this time.

Areas of Interest

Amber has experience and interest in the following:

• Teletherapy

• Building a Private Practice

• Social Media Marketing

• Child Abuse/Neglect Cases

• Domestic Violence Cases

• Incarcerated Populations

• Trauma Focused - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Forensics Counseling

• Eating Disorder Counseling

• Body Image Counseling

• Ethical Practice

• Career Counseling and Development (for the supervisee)

• Federal Government work.

• Speaking and Consultation Engagements

• Study for the NCE or the NCMHCE

  
  If you are interested in any of these services then please follow this link and complete the signup form and I will contact you very soon!

Happy Holidays

From our home to your’s, Happy Holidays!