I get really passionate when talking about data and using data to direct clinical decisions. Although I’m aware that I am often alone in that passion, it’s worth acknowledging that we all use data to direct all of our decisions. We’re not just guessing in the dark. We may not always directly attend to the data available to us, but I have yet to meet anyone who makes a decision without using some form of information to guide them.
Previously, I wrote about the importance of using assessments to collect data on clients, both for the purpose of diagnosis and evaluating progress. I continue to promote the value of those assessments and want to take one more opportunity to encourage you to use them in your own practice if you are not doing so already. That client data can be tremendously helpful in a variety of ways. This post, however, is meant to discuss a different category of data. One that I would argue is equally important: Therapist data.
I’ve been doing couple therapy (
I can hardly believe that Psychotherapy Notes has been around now for a decade! For 10 years, we’ve challenged you (and ourselves) to think differently, reconsider professional boundaries, and actively work to improve the field of psychotherapy. Since long before I started here, Psychotherapy Notes has had a positive impact on my professional career and the way that I interact with both clients and colleagues.
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.
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.
When the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) started in 2007, mental health professionals all over the country expressed optimism and relief. 
If you weren’t able to attend the first-ever