Therapy Tea: Demystifying the Mental Health Profession

Hosted by Jazmin Crookes, LPC and Karen Jennett, LPC

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Why, oh why, did I become a therapist? What was I thinking?!? Am I losing it? Or was I just misinformed?.... Join Therapy Tea hosts, Jazmin and Karen, two licensed professional counselors, every other Wednesday, as they, with the help of other mental health professionals, seek to find the answers to these deep, gut-wrenching, existential questions. Each episode, they interview fellow counselors and other professionals working in the mental health field to discuss mistakes they’ve made, career mis-steps, and those “ah-ha!” and “AHHHHHHH!!!!” moments that shift perspective. They cover the real-life practice of mental health work through a pretentious-free lens and reveal the out-of-the-textbook realities of counseling theories. All the while, they hope desperately to gain some hindsight insights on all the things they wish they had known before becoming counselors.

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60 recent

September 2, 20261 hr 52 min

57. Falling In Love in the Psych Ward and Having a Self-Care Song (ft. Christi Goll, LCSW)

This week Jazmin shares the very common automatic fear we often get in this profession that we will get our license revoked after some small dissatisfaction or complaint. It’s a perpetual fear of being reported that rears its ugly head even when we have not actually done anything wrong. This week we are sharing our conversation with Christi Goll who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Texas and Connecticut. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Arizona State University and a Master of Social Work from Texas State University. Christi works as a clinical manager at a recovery facility where she oversees outpatient clinical operations and supervises clinicians and direct care staff. She also runs her own private practice called Moonbeam Wellness where she focuses on working with adolescents and adults struggling with higher acuity mental health disorders. With Christi we talk about how she balances her current work being both a clinical director and a private practice clinician, and how she moved into the way she works in this field. She shares some stories about working in a psychiatric hospital and how her experiences have shaped her capacity to work with high-acuity clients. With Christi we get into some things about picking theories in grad school and the core importance of the therapeutic relationship itself. Christi shares the most important concept: micro self-care! Resources mentioned: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer Take a spin class! Connect with Christi here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/christi-goll-austin-tx/1262910 Christi’s practice, Moonbeam Wellness: https://www.moonbeamwellnessatx.com/ PLEASE SUPPORT! If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

August 12, 20261 hr 46 min

56. Getting in Trouble for Smiling and Being an Inpatient “Stayer” (ft. Lori Stelzer, LPC-S)

This week Karen learned that when it comes to practice management styles, she prefers the “unbundled” approach. When it comes to managing a solo private practice there are almost Too many different ways to do it; it becomes another place for decision fatigue to sink in. But one thing Karen’s using and loving is Ivy Pay. You can use this magic link to get $1000 in free charges: https://app.talktoivy.com/rTeVsZhSu5b (The link has Karen’s code.) This week we are sharing our conversation with Lori Stelzer who is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Master of Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. Lori works at an in-patient rehab facility in Texas, The Meadows, where she is a family education therapist. With Lori we talk about what it’s like to be a “stayer” doing addiction-focused inpatient work. She does all the things, from running groups and working with providing psychoeducation, to supervising others and managing administrative tasks. Lori is a born educator and is always sharing nuggets of information and wisdom in our conversation. It’s also amazing to hear about the hurdles Lori has overcome to get to where she is now, from the death of a supervisor, to her own addiction recovery journey, to having to start over to get her internship hours, we’re just impressed Lori pushed through it all! Resources mentioned: Zarrow Mental Health Symposium: https://www.zarrowsymposium.org/registration I Want to Change My Life: How to Overcome Anxiety, Depression, & Addiction by Steven M. Melemis Addiction and the Brain video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVbT4cMCJ4Q Unraveled to Unrivaled: Embracing the Four Dimensions of Resilience by Jerry Lerner Growing Yourself Back Up by John Lee Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown 12 Smart Things to Do When the Booze and Drugs Are Gone by Allen Berger Youtube, bineural beats, sleep, rain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXxdN0xAvdc The Meadows Texas: https://themeadowstexas.com/ PLEASE SUPPORT! If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

July 29, 20261 hr 12 min

55. Making Imago Cool Again and Relationship Intensives Exclusively (ft. Shlomo Slatkin, LCPC)

This week Jazmin learned that her habits really do keep happening, even though she’s made some big changes. She shares what she’s been noticing about how taxing “small” "thoughtless" daily tasks can be and what impact it’s having on her to shift out of those as her work changes. How do you manage mundane, monotonous soul-sucking tasks?? How often are you checking your work email when you’re not *technically* working?? This week we are sharing our conversation with Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin who is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Maryland. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies from George Washington University in DC and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Loyola College in Baltimore. Shlomo is a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist and currently is in private practice where he works with couples, but he’s also on the faculty at the Imago Training Institute. With Shlomo we talk about what’s different about being a couples counselor vs. an individual counselor AND what’s unique about the Imago modality. Shlomo shares how his personally rewarding experience with Imago therapy motivated him to learn more about it, specialize in it and work exclusively with couples using this modality. We love that Shlomo shares his secret to navigating the marketing morass of private practice: marry a marketing minded Resources mentioned: Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt Doing Imago Relationship Therapy in the Space-Between: A Clinician's Guide by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt Dr Joe Dispenza: https://drjoedispenza.com/ Imago Certification Training with Shlomo: https://themarriagerestorationproject.com/product/imago-certification-training/ Find Shlomo here: www.theMarriageRestorationProject.com PLEASE SUPPORT! If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

July 15, 20261 hr 13 min

54. An Athlete, A Band Nerd, and A Theater Kid Get on a Podcast... (ft. Jeremy McCall, LMSW)

This week Karen learned it’s an absolute pain and the as to switch EHRs/practice management software systems in private practice. Karen shares about how it’s been a black hole of research, trial runs, and repetitive work trying to find a system that does just what she wants and not a ton more than that. She’s still undecided and taking applications for virtual assistants…more to come as the decision-making saga unfolds! This week we are sharing our conversation with Jeremy McCall who is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Certified Mental Health Performance Coach in Michigan. He holds both a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work from Wayne State Universi ty. Jeremy currently works as a social worker in an elementary school in a Detroit area school district, but he’s worked with all ages and levels in the school system. Jeremy also has a private practice where he provides therapy and coaching for individuals, teens, and families and focuses on the mental health and performance issues of elite athletes, coaches and teams in a variety of sports and activities. With Jeremy we talk about his experiences working in an underprivileged public school setting. Jeremy shares how he got started working with athletes on mental health and performance issues, and the unique challenges and circumstances of that population. Resources mentioned: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How. by Daniel Coyle, The Art of War by Sun Tzu Find Jeremy here: https://talktherapyjeremy.clientsecure.me If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

July 1, 20261 hr 38 min

53. We Can Do Assessments Too and Private Practice Gumption (ft. Caitlin DeWeese, LPC)

This week Jazmin learned that it’s a lot of work changing jobs as a counselor: ethical termination is tough! She shares how it’s been as she is transitioning out of the group practice she has been with for awhile as she is working through that transition thoughtfully with her clients. For her, it’s been more intense all around. What’s job change been like for you as a mental health professional? This week we are sharing our conversation with Caitlin DeWeese who is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. Caitlin holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Spanish from Baylor University and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Texas State University - San Marcos. Caitlin is currently in private practice based in Austin, Texas. Her practice is called Live Better Austin Therapy and she focuses on working with neurodivergence and providing ADHD and Autism assessments for adults. With Caitlin we talk about her initial career as a Spanish language teacher in Texas schools and how the mental and physical toll of that career shifted her into becoming a counselor. Caitlin shares her own experience of grappling and coming to terms with her own ADHD diagnosis and how that has impacted her as a clinician. Also, this comes up in our conversation: NARM is NeuroAffective Relational Model. Something we explore with Caitlin is how there are maybe certain personality traits and interests - like being a self-motivated problem solver for fun - that are pretty important if one wants to succeed in private practice. Resources mentioned: Autism & ADHD Assessment Training by Amanda Moses: https://www.amandamosespsychology.com.au/autismadhdassessmenttraining/ The Chicago School Tests & Measures Collection: https://library.thechicagoschool.edu/collections/test-collection Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price Unmasking Autism by Devon Price Degrassi The Next Generation (2001 TV series) Caitlin’s website and assessments: https://livebetteraustin.com/adult-adhd-autism-testing/ Caitlin’s Private Practice Kick Start Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/ppkickstart/?referralCode=C750D9F127D7E0A3D602 If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

June 27, 202613 min

ANNOUNCEMENT: Please Support the Show!

We’re sharing how we broke the show, fixed the show, and confronted our morals and values to arrive at the same place we had originally started: full-length conversation episodes every other week with no ads at all. Fuck the corporate attention miners! Choose where you personally put your attention and support! That’s what we’re all about and want to keep doing. If you agree and want us to keep the show going, please consider directly supporting our efforts in whatever way you can. If you are so inclined to support the show financially, please consider giving us a donation here: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/SM42FSQD6C3GG THANK YOU!!! We can only do this through the support of generous listeners like you! (yes, that’s a PBS reference ;-) ) Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Listen to us on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmM3_WRulJpvstPLZiKOBQ Follow us on social media: Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482 Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

June 24, 202638 min

52. PART 2: Education Advocate and She Always Be Teaching (ft. Megan Silvestri, LMHC)

This week we are sharing the rest of our conversation with Megan Silvestri who is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida, originally, but she is also licensed in Virginia, South Carolina and Kentucky. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education and Humanities from University of Central Florida, and a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling from Webster University. She also has a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Florida Southern College. Resources mentioned: Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM): https://cdc.thehcn.net/promisepractice/index/view?pid=864 Dr. Frank Anderson (IFS): https://www.frankandersonmd.com/ Megan’s website: www.tranquilseastherapy.com Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Listen to us on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmM3_WRulJpvstPLZiKOBQ Follow us on social media: Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482 Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

June 18, 20261 hr 4 min

52. PART 1: Education Advocate and She Always Be Teaching (ft. Megan Silvestri, LMHC)

This week Karen shares how she learned about discernment counseling and what it is and why you should learn about it too if you want to work with couples! Helping Couples on the Brink of Divorce: Discernment Counseling for Troubled Relationships by William Doherty and Steven. Harris Wanna get trained?!?: https://discernmentcounseling.com/ This week we are sharing Part 1 of our conversation with Megan Silvestri who is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida, originally, but she is also licensed in Virginia, South Carolina and Kentucky. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education and Humanities from University of Central Florida, and a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling from Webster University. She also has a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Florida Southern College. She currently has a fully virtual private practice called Tranquil Seas Therapy. She works with individuals and groups on a variety of issues like anxiety, grief and trauma. One of her niches is working with people about school-related issues, which is something we talk a lot about with her. Megan’s licensed in multiple states and so we get to talk to her about some of those differences and how that impacts her practice. Also with Megan we learn about IEPs and 504s and how to better understand the education system so you can help others advocate for themselves through it. Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Listen to us on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmM3_WRulJpvstPLZiKOBQ Follow us on social media: Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482 Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

May 27, 202645 min

51. PART 2: Managing Burnout and Making the Bread They Want (ft. Shanaz Ikonne, LPC)

This week we are sharing the rest of our conversation with Shanaz Ikonne who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist in Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Texas-Dallas and a Master of Science in Counseling from University of North Texas. She currently has a private practice based in Texas where she focuses on working with high-functioning, driven individuals like moms, entrepreneurs, business professionals and leaders specifically on things like stress, burnout, and emotional overwhelm. Resources mentioned: Request, Send, or Make a Lasagna!: https://lasagnalove.org/ Shrinking (2023 TV show) Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (2012 kids show) Bluey (2018 kids show) The LEGO Batman Movie (2017 Movie) Shanaz’ digital products: https://buymeacoffee.com/shanazikonne Shanaz’ website: www.shanazikonne.com Shanaz’ social media: Instagram: @shanazlpc Tiktok: @shanazikonne YouTube: @shanazikonne Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Listen to us on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmM3_WRulJpvstPLZiKOBQ Follow us on social media: Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482 Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.

May 20, 202654 min

51. PART 1: Managing Burnout and Making the Bread They Want (ft. Shanaz Ikonne, LPC)

This week Jazmin learned that she can make changes in her home-based work environment to help her thrive by adding a walking pad and a rolling desk to her virtual counseling set up. Being more active while working as a burnout prevention tool and Getting Those Steps In! LOVE IT! Grab one for yourself on Ebay (non-affiliate link): https://www.ebay.com/shop/walking-pad?_nkw=walking+pad This week we are sharing Part 1 of our conversation with Shanaz Ikonne who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist in Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Texas-Dallas and a Master of Science in Counseling from University of North Texas. She currently has a private practice based in Texas where she focuses on working with high-functioning, driven individuals like moms, entrepreneurs, business professionals and leaders specifically on things like stress, burnout, and emotional overwhelm. With Shanaz we talk about building a business with multiple parts as a way to get ahead of burnout. Shanaz has great practical suggestions for how to create and market speaking engagement work as a mental health professional. Thank you for listening! By the way, if you're curious about how we produce this show, we use Alitu. It's straightforward to use and has made podcasting actually sustainable for us. Use code tea50 at Alitu.com for 50% off if you want to try it yourself! Thoughts? Questions? Email us at therapyteapod@gmail.com Listen to us on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjmM3_WRulJpvstPLZiKOBQ Follow us on social media: Facebook: Therapy Tea Podcast https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552953196482 Instagram: @therapyteapod https://www.instagram.com/therapyteapod/ Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and does not establish a professional, therapeutic counseling relationship. All statements made on this podcast by hosts and guests are their individual personal perspectives only and are not necessarily shared by anyone else. The hosts and guests on this podcast are not speaking on behalf of all mental health professionals or the profession as a whole.