Psychotherapy Notes

Kill the teaching evaluation

June 6, 2025December 11, 2014 by Ben Caldwell

(c) Copyright 2014 AAMFT California Division — I’m doing a great job, apparently.

Kudos to the online magazine Slate for saying out loud what university faculty have known for years: Teaching evaluations are unfair to women (and likely to minorities as well), and reflect a view of students as “consumers” that isn’t good for learning. They might actually undermine the learning process.

It’s time to put an end to them.

Therapy by text? Yes, and that’s good

November 17, 2014November 12, 2014 by Ben Caldwell

Earlier this year, Talkspace raised eyebrows when it raised $2.5 million in venture-capital funding for its platform linking therapists with clients by video or simple text messaging. The site offers video therapy for $29 for 30 minutes, or unlimited text-messaging contact with a therapist (that is, therapy by text) for $25 a week.

This is good. Here’s why.

Want to set up a private practice in California? Here’s where you should do it

January 28, 2016September 17, 2014 by Ben Caldwell

Some bar-napkin math on income and therapist density by county.

Finding MFT jobs

November 12, 2014August 30, 2014 by Ben Caldwell

Originally posted June 2009; updated August 2014.

The most common question I hear these days from marriage and family therapists (MFTs) is simple: “Where can I find a job as an MFT?”

The more pessimistic ones ask the same question, they just leave out the word “Where.”

Should your treatment contract have an arbitration clause?

June 6, 2025August 26, 2014 by Ben Caldwell

As I often tell my students, a client can sue their psychotherapist for anything. It doesn’t mean the client will win, but they can sue. Even if you as the therapist have done everything right, staring down a lawsuit can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming. It’s little wonder that health care professionals would want to find any way possible to avoid that risk.