Ben Caldwell, Author at Psychotherapy Notes

Why the Kaiser mental health strike matters

December 15, 2018December 12, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

On Monday, roughly 4,000 mental health professionals employed by Kaiser Permanente in California began a planned five-day strike. The therapists (and nurses, who also walked out in solidarity) say they are protesting the massive and continued failure on Kaiser’s part to provide adequate mental health care to its own patients.

This strike is, in some ways, like other strikes you’ve heard about. While the therapists are highlighting client care issues, Kaiser itself notes that those therapists also are demanding better pay and working conditions — common demands to strike over. But this strike is also deeply unusual in the mental health world. Even when therapists are in a union, strikes are very rare. For that reason, this strike is uniquely important.

Preorder Preparing for the 2019 California MFT Law & Ethics Exam

December 3, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

I’ll say it: Our California MFT Law & Ethics Exam prep books kick ass. They’re efficient and effective, and our customers have loved them since they first came out.

But they’re also a little long in the tooth, you know? Laws change quickly, and we’ve seen some significant changes since our blue book first came out in 2015. Our green book (Practice Tests) came out in 2016, and it could use a refresh as well.

So we thought, as we tend to do around here, let’s go big. Sure, we’ve launched a very useful video-based online prep program for the California MFT Law and Ethics Exam, which is less than half the cost of programs offered by our competitors. But we know that a lot of folks still prefer good old-fashioned paper, and if you’re in that group, we’ve got your back.

Great gifts for therapists (updated for 2018)

November 26, 2018November 26, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

Sarah Pflug / Burst / Used under license Looking for holiday gifts for therapists and counselors in your life? Don’t get them another therapy-themed card game. Here are some gift ideas that counselors and psychotherapists of all types might find fun and useful, organized by cost.

We’ve updated this post a bit again for 2018, ensuring all links and prices are current as of publication.

10 years of blogging: Ben’s favorite posts

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

Wait, we’ve been at this for 10 years? Huh. Guess so. Well, happy birthday to PsychotherapyNotes! This little blog is turning 10 years old. We now boast more than 300 articles, many of which are even good! (Some of mine are questionable.) Here are some of my favorites from over the years. They’re still worth a read, I think.

Marketing therapy after disasters

November 15, 2018November 15, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

In response to mass shootings and California’s recent wildfires, many therapists and counselors have sought to support impacted areas. One way they’re doing so is with free services. Marketing therapy after disasters can be difficult, though. Done well, it reinforces our roles as community caregivers. It shows off the best of who we are as professionals. With some common mistakes, it can instead come off as a tacky form of marketing, accidentally pushing people in need away from help. Here’s how to tastefully and effectively offer counseling and therapy services to those in need.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness is a mess

November 4, 2018November 5, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

When the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) started in 2007, mental health professionals all over the country expressed optimism and relief. Student debt is crushing younger mental health professionals — hear two stories, in their own words, here. The PSLF program promised those working in nonprofit agencies and in public service that if they just stuck it out for 10 years, the remainder of their direct student loans would be forgiven.

Any kind of mental health work is challenging, but nonprofit clinics and public systems are notoriously difficult to work in. They offer low pay, low-functioning clients, a ton of paperwork, and often, little support. It’s no wonder that many counties struggle to fill those jobs at all.

For those clinicians who experience the work as a calling, though, the PSLF program offered a lifeline. It would be a reward for staying put in positions that most therapists understandably leave. For those who otherwise faced a possible lifetime of debt, PSLF suggested a way out.

It’s not going well so far.

Studying for counselor licensing exams

October 28, 2018October 29, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

Matthew Henry / Burst / Used under license Licensing exams are a major milestone in the development of a professional counselor (specific license titles vary, but LPC, LPCC, and LMHC are common). While there are differences from state to state, most states use one or both of the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam and National Counselor Exam, and most states require that the exam be taken at the completion of at least two years of full-time, post-masters experience in supervised practice. As you approach completion of the experience necessary to take counselor licensing exams, how can you best prepare? Here are five things that can help:

Why I left full time academic work

October 21, 2018October 22, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

A little more than two years ago now, I left my position as an Associate Professor at Alliant International University in Los Angeles. Many people have asked me since then why I left full time academic work. The position was relatively well-paid, with good job security. I had good colleagues, many of whom are friends to this day. I had the closest thing to tenure that the university offered: A five-year rolling contract. And I was teaching and doing research, both of which I love.

I’ve gotten used to providing a diplomatic answer to that question. My wife and I were starting a family, and the time had come for me to make a change. That’s true, it’s just purposefully incomplete. Here’s the full story.

Shaming is OK

October 15, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

“Shame” is now a verb in therapist circles. It’s usually one we use pejoratively. We scold others for shaming, apparently with no sense of irony. We shame people for shaming other people.

As a noun, shame refers to a sense of sadness and embarrassment upon recognizing (or being told) that you’ve done something wrong. Cultures around the world understand the concept. We can safely say that experiencing shame is part of being human.

I’ve got beef with the Talking Therapy podcast guys

October 9, 2018October 10, 2018 by Ben Caldwell

A couple of years ago, I appeared on an episode of the Talking Therapy podcast. I love the show. RJ Thomas and John Webber are good guys and good hosts, and I’ve thought that since before they invited me on. Their show is rightly popular. They’ve even featured one of the world’s most prominent therapists: Dr. Susan Johnson.

Johnson developed Emotionally Focused Therapy, which I use in my own practice with distressed couples. As you can imagine, a lot of her interview focused on couples and couple therapy. Almost as an aside, early in the interview, Webber noted that half of US marriages end in divorce. That’s flat wrong.

So I went back on the show to yell at him about it.