The Expansive Therapist

Caitlan Siegenthaler

Therapists have been told to be a blank slate, that they AREN”T doing it for the money (that’s greedy…), that insurance reimbursement should be enough to live on (it’s NOT) and that coloring outside the lines is unethical —or some other lie designed to keep us in line. We’re broke, we’re bored and we’re burnt out. What if we colored outside the lines of a 50 minute sessions with reimbursable “interventions” for healing? I imagine a world where therapists are NOURISHED- creatively, financially, spiritually, SOULFULLY. N O U R I S H ED. Where the expansive way to be is THE WAY to work and live.  What if, we expanded the definition of healing? This podcast is a space to be E X P A N S I V E Where curiosity is our guide and judgement doesn’t come along for the ride Where we take inspiration from each other, from guests, from the world around us Where other expanders satellite into our world Where therapists expand themselves and their businesses 

  1. 3d ago

    What I would do if I was starting my therapy business from scratch in 2026 (as a Projector in Human Design)

    Season 1 Episode 2: What I would do if I was starting my therapy business from scratch in 2026 (as a Projector in Human Design) There are 7 things I would do FOR SURE if I was starting all the way over with my business.  Here they are: Create my business around my capacity and not what i saw everyone else doing - BIGGEST piece of importance as a projectorFigure out my legit income needs, goals & desires and not— “what is someone willing to pay me?” or what am I worth?Start a newsletter/ email list. You need a place to have conversations with people that have opted in to your work, that isn’t going to disappear tomorrow.Be more clear about who I wanted to help but also steer away from the formulaic I help _ do _ so they can ___Work with my people pleasing part wayyyyy soonerImmediately start supervision ( I did start like 6 months in but I would’ve started ASAP)Work with a biz coach who gets the ethical components therapists have to deal with outside of the biz world What would you add?  Links mentioned: Email Service Provider Flodesk: Get 25% off your first year click here.Business Parts Mapping Exercise click here---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, as a thank you for interacting with this episode I'm giving away an Expansive Human Design Reading to one lucky listener.  To enter: Write a review of this podcast on Apple podcasts OR leave a comment on this episode on Spotify between September 30th and October 7th at 11:59 pm ESTSend an email with a  screenshot of your comment or review to: hello@caitlansiegenthaler.com The winner will be notified via email! Support the show Produced by Caitlan Siegenthaler If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me. And if you really loved it, the best thank-you is a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.  That is a beautiful energetic exchange for Caitlan creating the show.

    What I would do if I was starting my therapy business from scratch in 2026 (as a Projector in Human Design)
  2. 3d ago

    Welcome to The Expansive Therapist Podcast

    THE NEW PODCAST IS HERE! SAY HELLO TO THE EXPANSIVE THERAPIST 🦋 Season 1 Episode 1: Goodbye Return, Hello Expansive Therapist (and why the change?)  If you've been here a while you know that I follow wild 2 am whispers that make no sense at the time but later on turn out to be some of the most aligned changes in my life.  The call to change the direction, intention and name of the podcast came once again out of the blue in the middle of the night for *seemingly* no reason at all.  In this episode I share more about the change, the reasons behind selecting The Expansive Therapist as the name, my going away letter to Return and so much more.  I also share my manifesto for The Expansive Therapist, a calling for us to take up space as therapists and to expand into wild unknowns.  Also, as a thank you for interacting with this episode I'm giving away an Expansive Human Design Reading to one lucky listener.  To enter: Write a review of this podcast on Apple podcasts OR leave a comment on this episode on Spotify between September 30th and October 7th at 11:59 pm ESTSend an email with a  screenshot of your comment or review to: hello@caitlansiegenthaler.com The winner will be notified via email!  Support the show Produced by Caitlan Siegenthaler If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me. And if you really loved it, the best thank-you is a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.  That is a beautiful energetic exchange for Caitlan creating the show.

    Welcome to The Expansive Therapist Podcast
  3. Aug 12

    Human Design for Therapists: Ethics, Career, Sacral Authority + the 2027 Shift

    Episode 121: Human Design for Therapists: Ethics, Career, Sacral Authority + the 2027 Shift It’s the end of an era: this is officially the last episode of the Return Podcast before the show gets a new name, a new look, and a whole new chapter. And for our final episode as Return, we’re going deep into one of my favorite subjects: Human Design for Therapists. I’m answering questions submitted by Return+ subscribers and exploring what it actually looks like to use Human Design as a tool for self-understanding, decision-making, business, and even therapeutic work....without turning your chart into another set of rules about who you’re supposed to be. We talk about whether Human Design can tell you what career you should have, the biggest mistake I see therapists make with their charts, and the ethical considerations therapists need to think about before bringing Human Design into work with clients. I also get into the bigger Human Design questions: What exactly is happening in 2027 with the shift into the Cross of the Sleeping Phoenix? What does it mean if the Sleeping Phoenix is your incarnation cross? What do you do as a Generator when your sacral response feels quiet? And what the hell do single, split, triple split, and quadruple split definitions actually mean? Plus, I share something I've changed my mind about after years of working with Human Design—and why I think your chart becomes much more interesting when you stop asking it to tell you what to do and start using it to experiment with how you are actually designed to move through the world. In this episode, we cover: Can Human Design tell you what career you should have?Why your Authority and Incarnation Cross can offer insight without prescribing your pathThe biggest Human Design mistake I see therapists makingHow Human Design can become another tool for self-judgment—and what to do insteadCan therapists ethically use Human Design with clients?Informed consent, scope of practice, clinical competence, and avoiding determinismWhy Human Design should be used as a lens, not a truthWhy a Human Design chart cannot diagnose trauma, ADHD, anxiety, or other clinical concernsHow I think about combining Human Design with IFSWhat Human Design says is happening in 2027The shift from the Cross of Planning into the Cross of the Sleeping PhoenixWhat the Sleeping Phoenix represents: individuality, inner authority, transformation, and authentic self-expressionWhat it means if the Sleeping Phoenix is your Incarnation CrossHow Generators can strengthen their relationship with their sacral responseWhat to do when your sacral feels quiet or unclearSingle vs. split vs. triple split vs. quadruple split definitionWhat I’ve changed my mind about after doing hundreds of Human Design readingsWhy I moved away from one-off readings and toward deeper containersUsing your design to create a business that actually fits you, rather than copying what other therapists are doingJoin The Expansive Experiment Want to stop just learning about your Human Design and actually experiment with it? The Expansive Experiment begins August 17. We’re spending three days experimenting with our Human Design Strategy in our businesses, with a day to prepare beforehand and a day to reflect afterward. You’ll get a daily email, access to our Slack community, and a chance to notice what changes when you actually put your design into practice. It’s completely free. → [join us here] Resources mentioned: Next Level Decisions My free audio course exploring Human Design Authority, decision-making, and the parts that can get in the way of hearing your own inner guidance. → [sign up here] Human Design + Incarnation Cross Episode Want to understand the part of your chart connected to life purpose and the larger themes you're here to explore? → [listen to the episode here] And with that, we officially say goodbye to Return. Three and a half years of conversations, experiments, pivots, becoming, and returning to ourselves—and now it’s time for something new. Next week, I’ll introduce you to The Expansive Therapist. See you on the other side.... Support the show Produced by Caitlan Siegenthaler If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me. And if you really loved it, the best thank-you is a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.  That is a beautiful energetic exchange for Caitlan creating the show.

    Human Design for Therapists: Ethics, Career, Sacral Authority + the 2027 Shift
  4. Jul 29

    The Yes You Didn't Mean with Kiara Hartwell Opara

    Episode 120: The Yes You Didn't Mean with Kiara Hartwell Opara This is for the high achievers who still feel depleted.... You checked the boxes. You got the degrees. You built the career. From the outside, your life looks successful. So why doesn't it feel that way? In this episode of Return, I'm joined by my friend, fellow IFS therapist, and Human Design Projector Kira Hartwell Opara for a conversation about the hidden cost of overfunctioning, perfectionism, and people-pleasing—and why insight alone often isn't enough to create lasting change. Together, we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps us move beyond simply understanding our patterns and into building genuine relationships with the protective parts that have spent decades trying to keep us safe. We also dive into how culture, race, family systems, and legacy burdens shape the ways we learn to survive—and what it takes to finally experience peace instead of just competence. Whether you're a therapist, entrepreneur, high achiever, or simply exhausted from carrying the weight of always being "the capable one," this conversation offers a compassionate invitation to return to yourself. In this episode, we discuss: Why high achievement doesn't automatically create inner peaceThe hidden nervous system logic behind perfectionism and overfunctioningWhy people-pleasing isn't a personality flaw—it's a survival strategyThe powerful IFS insight that "the yes isn't about the request—it's about protection"Why self-awareness alone rarely creates lasting changeHow Internal Family Systems works differently than insight-based therapiesThe role of race, culture, family systems, and legacy burdens in shaping our protective partsHow social media amplifies overfunctioning and comparisonWhat it actually looks like to build a relationship with your protective parts instead of fighting themSmall ways to return to yourself when life pulls you away Connect with Kiara: website: https://kjhartwell.com/ instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjhartwell/ Connect with Caitlan: website: https://www.caitlansiegenthaler.com/powermove instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitlansiegenthaler/ Support the show Produced by Caitlan Siegenthaler If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me. And if you really loved it, the best thank-you is a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.  That is a beautiful energetic exchange for Caitlan creating the show.

    The Yes You Didn't Mean with Kiara Hartwell Opara
  5. Jul 23

    The Success You Were Taught vs. The Success You're Here For

    Success Isn't What You Think It Is: Redefining Success Through Human Design What if the version of success you've been chasing was never actually yours? In this episode of Return, Caitlan explores one of the biggest questions we can ask ourselves: Who taught me what success looks like—and do I still agree? Inspired by a simple question she was asked after moving to Switzerland—"How do you spend your time?" instead of "What do you do for work?"—this conversation unpacks the cultural, familial, and internal beliefs that quietly shape our definition of success. Through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Human Design, you'll be invited to examine the inherited metrics you've been measuring yourself against and begin creating a definition that actually fits your life. You'll also learn how each Human Design energy type experiences success through its unique signature, from satisfaction and peace to surprise and success itself, offering a fresh framework for recognizing when you're truly in alignment. Whether you're navigating a career pivot, questioning old expectations, or simply feeling boxed in by someone else's version of achievement, this episode offers thoughtful reflection, practical journal prompts, and a reminder that success is allowed to evolve as you do. In this episode, we cover: Why the question "What do you do?" shapes our identity more than we realizeThe surprising cultural lesson Caitlan learned after moving to SwitzerlandHow family, achievement, and societal expectations influence our definition of successExploring your own "parts" and the beliefs they hold about achievementThe Human Design signature of success for each energy type:Generators: SatisfactionManifesting Generators: Satisfaction + PeaceManifestors: PeaceProjectors: SuccessReflectors: SurpriseJournal prompts to help you redefine success on your own termsWhy success may look more like presence, authenticity, freedom, and meaningful impact than checking another boxIf this episode resonates with you, share your own definition of success by leaving a comment, sending Caitlan a message on Instagram, or sharing the episode with someone who could use permission to define success differently. If you're ready to stop overthinking and make the next aligned move in your business, applications for Power Move, Caitlan's 7-day business intensive for therapists and healers, are open through the end of August before pricing increases. Support the show Produced by Caitlan Siegenthaler If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, post it to your Instagram stories, and tag me. And if you really loved it, the best thank-you is a written review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify.  That is a beautiful energetic exchange for Caitlan creating the show.

    The Success You Were Taught vs. The Success You're Here For

Ratings & Reviews

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About

Therapists have been told to be a blank slate, that they AREN”T doing it for the money (that’s greedy…), that insurance reimbursement should be enough to live on (it’s NOT) and that coloring outside the lines is unethical —or some other lie designed to keep us in line. We’re broke, we’re bored and we’re burnt out. What if we colored outside the lines of a 50 minute sessions with reimbursable “interventions” for healing? I imagine a world where therapists are NOURISHED- creatively, financially, spiritually, SOULFULLY. N O U R I S H ED. Where the expansive way to be is THE WAY to work and live.  What if, we expanded the definition of healing? This podcast is a space to be E X P A N S I V E Where curiosity is our guide and judgement doesn’t come along for the ride Where we take inspiration from each other, from guests, from the world around us Where other expanders satellite into our world Where therapists expand themselves and their businesses