Therapist Voices @ ReachLink

ReachLink
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health

OverviewTherapist Voices is a podcast for mental health professionals, hosted by Jessica Hurwitz, Network Manager at ReachLink. In each episode, Jess sits down with licensed therapists to explore their unique approaches to therapy, clinical insights, and experiences in the evolving landscape of digital mental health care. From seasoned clinicians to emerging voices in the field, Therapist Voices offers an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the practice of therapy. Whether discussing therapeutic modalities, client engagement strategies, the transition to teletherapy, or the realities of building a sustainable counseling practice, each conversation provides valuable perspectives for fellow therapists navigating their own professional journeys. Join us for candid discussions that celebrate the diverse expertise within the mental health community and foster connection among therapists committed to providing accessible, quality care. New episodes available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.

  1. 4 days ago

    Why This Therapist Won't Argue With a Delusion | Eli Westfall, LMFT

    Eli Westfall, LMFT, signed up for the Marine Corps before he turned 18. Then his parents suggested a year of Bible college. Church ministry, foster care casework, child protective investigations, and a psychiatric hospital admissions desk all came before the counseling career he spent years insisting he did not want. A missed licensing deadline nearly ended it, until the marriage and family electives he took almost by accident got him licensed. Eli and host Jessica Hurwitz talk about what that winding road gave him as a clinician. They cover meeting people where they are, why arguing with a client's delusion goes nowhere, how to confront clients in a way they can actually hear, and why so many young men are doing "therapy" with ChatGPT. Eli also shares the voice notes he would leave his younger self and every new therapist: believe in yourself sooner, don't take it personally, and it's OK to not know all the answers. Chapters 00:00 Welcome, and meeting Eli Westfall, LMFT 01:33 Signed up for the Marines, then a detour to Bible college 04:22 Church ministry, foster care casework, and a seven-year master's 07:39 Therapy as a student, and losing the LMHC path 11:44 Why he said yes, and the gift of compartmentalizing 16:09 Growing up in a group home and meeting people where they are 19:24 A word from ReachLink 20:41 How a wide background shaped his clinical style 23:41 Don't argue with the delusion: lessons from a psych hospital 27:27 Young men, couples, and therapy by ChatGPT 31:50 Confronting clients in a way they can actually hear 38:20 Why the letters after your name matter less than you think 42:01 The professor who said he was an introvert 45:42 Voice notes: believe in yourself sooner, and don't take it personally 48:43 It's OK to not know all the answers Guest Bio Eli Westfall, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Central Florida and the owner of Eli Westfall, LMFT LLC. His background spans church ministry, child welfare, a psychiatric hospital, and private practice, including years as a foster care case manager and child protective investigator. He works mostly with young men, fathers, and married couples, and believes therapists do their best work when they stay authentic and meet clients where they are. Links Follow Eli Westfall: Website → https://eliwestfall.comInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/eliwestfall/Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/eliwestfalltherapyLinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/eli-westfall-lmft-3b374aa6/Additional Resources: On Becoming a Person by Carl Rogers → https://www.harpercollins.com/products/on-becoming-a-person-carl-rogersUnconditional positive regard explained → https://www.simplypsychology.org/unconditional-positive-regard.htmlConnect with ReachLink Website → https://reachlink.com/LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/reachlinkLearn more about therapist opportunities → https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  2. 29 Sept

    She Was Hospitalized at 10, and Doctors Still Missed Her Diagnosis | Anna Lacey, LCSW

    Anna Lacey, LCSW, spent years cycling through therapists who could not name what she was carrying. She survived a childhood eating disorder that landed her in an adult psychiatric ward at age ten, followed by decades of addiction, shame, and broken trust in her own relationships. It was not until a master's program at UC Berkeley in 2012 that she first heard the term complex PTSD, a full decade before the World Health Organization recognized it as an official diagnosis, and it still is not listed in the DSM. Anna and host Jessica Hurwitz walk through the framework Anna now uses with her own clients: the Wheel of Traumatic Invalidation, a DBT tool that maps nine categories of childhood harm to the specific flavor of shame each one leaves behind, paired with Internal Family Systems to identify and re-parent the wounded parts that carry it. Anna also opens up about her sister Sarah, who died of anorexia at 33, and the grief work involved in healing from a disorder most people, including many therapists, still do not fully understand. Chapters: • 00:00 - Welcome, and meeting Anna Lacey, LCSW • 00:37 - Writing her book while living with complex PTSD herself • 01:56 - Hospitalized for anorexia at age 10, back in 1990 • 02:27 - Carrying complex PTSD into adulthood: shame, addiction, broken trust • 03:20 - Learning the term at UC Berkeley, a decade before it became official • 06:12 - The Wheel of Traumatic Invalidation and its nine categories of harm • 09:00 - The different flavors of shame it leaves behind • 10:36 - Internal Family Systems and identifying your own parts • 18:05 - A word from ReachLink • 19:22 - Why complex PTSD is about identity and shame, not just bad events • 23:20 - Finding ACA, a 12-step community for complex PTSD • 29:39 - Re-parenting herself in the middle of the night • 32:24 - Grieving what complex PTSD costs, and honoring her sister Sarah • 38:40 - Closing thoughts and where to find Anna Guest Bio: Anna Lacey, LCSW, is a therapist based in California and the founder of Let the Light In Therapy, where she specializes in treating complex PTSD. A survivor of severe complex PTSD herself, she also runs complexptsd.com, a resource hub for people navigating the diagnosis, and is finishing a book on her own healing journey. Links: • Website - letthelightintherapy.com • Resources - complexptsd.com • LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/anna-lacey-4816b23b2/ • Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker - pete-walker.com/complex_ptsd_book.html • No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz - ifs-institute.com/nobadparts • Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) - adultchildren.org Connect with ReachLink: • Website - https://reachlink.com/ • LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink • Learn more about therapist opportunities - https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  3. 15 Sept

    The Yoga Pose That Can Unlock Trauma Your Words Can't Reach | Chris McDonald, LCMHCS, RYT

    Chris McDonald, LCMHCS and RYT, spent 16 years as a school counselor before moving into community mental health and private practice, where she found that traditional talk therapy could only take clients so far. That pushed her toward meditation, breathwork, and a yoga certification in 2019, work she now calls nervous system yoga: slow, trauma-informed movement that builds lifelong regulation skills clients can use inside and outside of session. Chris and host Jessica Hurwitz talk through what yoga actually looks like inside a therapy session. It is rarely a full pose, sometimes just a shoulder roll or a slow inhale, and it always stays invitational, paced to the client's window of tolerance, and grounded in counseling theory rather than a standard yoga class. Chris also shares how she now trains and supervises other therapists who want to bring these practices into their own work safely and ethically. They cover how trauma gets stored in the body, why hip and heart openers can surface unexpected emotion, and Chris's advice for any therapist wondering if they can step outside a traditional approach: yes, as long as you build the training to back it up. Chapters: • 00:00 - Welcome, and how 16 years as a school counselor led Chris into yoga • 03:47 - The teacher training that introduced her to mindfulness and breathwork • 07:00 - Building a private practice and helping other therapists do this too • 10:33 - What yoga in therapy looks like versus a traditional yoga class • 14:52 - A word from ReachLink • 16:08 - Chair yoga, shoulder tension, and nervous system regulation • 19:13 - Staying invitational and paced, especially with anxious people pleasers in midlife • 22:36 - Pacing trauma work so it never overwhelms the client • 25:45 - Why trauma-specific training matters, and Jessica's own story of sobbing through a pose • 29:13 - Shoulder rolls, chest openers, and where trauma hides in the body • 32:14 - Advice for therapists exploring holistic work, and where to find Chris's community Guest Bio: Chris McDonald, LCMHCS and RYT, owns Path to Hope Counseling in Raleigh, North Carolina, offering holistic, trauma-informed therapy that integrates yoga, brainspotting, and nervous system regulation into traditional talk therapy. She is a clinical supervisor, hosts the podcast Yoga in the Therapy Room, and trains other therapists to safely and ethically bring yoga into their own practices. Links: • Website - pathtohopecounseling.com • Podcast - yogainthetherapyroom.com • Facebook - facebook.com/cmcdonaldlpc • LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/chris-mcdonald-bb831823 • Bringing Yoga in the Therapy Room (Chris's private Facebook group for therapists) - facebook.com/groups/227234677747980 Connect with ReachLink: • Website - https://reachlink.com/ • LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink • Learn more about therapist opportunities - https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  4. 8 Sept

    Security Walked Him Out With a Box. He Says It Was the Best Day | Luis Cornejo, LMFT & CST

    Luis Cornejo, LMFT and CST, spent years chasing the version of himself his immigrant parents dreamed of: a doctor. Three years into a biology degree at Cal State East Bay, one open house on child development changed his path completely, eventually leading him through education, nonprofits, and a hospital job that left him crying before and after work, even while hitting what the field calls the gold standard: six figures, his own office, every resource. The job was never the problem. The environment was. Luis and host Jessica Hurwitz talk about leaving that hospital system behind (he was escorted out by security carrying a box of his own decorations), building a private practice centered on queer and BIPOC mental health, and why he calls himself a unicorn in a field where providers like him are so scarce that people reach out from states where he isn't even licensed. They also cover his first generation college journey, the phone call that changed his life, and his advice to his younger self: trust yourself. Chapters: • 00:00 - Welcome, the unicorn quote, and meeting Luis Cornejo, LMFT and CST • 03:17 - Premed dreams and his immigrant parents' expectations • 08:38 - The campus open house that changed his major • 13:44 - Discovering therapy and applying to grad school • 17:38 - A word from ReachLink • 19:25 - The phone call that changed his life • 22:32 - Six figures, his own office, and still burned out • 25:38 - His mom hospitalized, his manager said no • 31:52 - Walked out by security with a box • 34:40 - Why he calls himself a unicorn in the field • 37:12 - Choosing the LMFT title and finding his specialty • 42:33 - Advice to his younger self: trust yourself • 46:08 - Closing thoughts and where to find Luis Guest Bio: Luis Cornejo, LMFT and CST, owns PsychoSocial Therapy, a private practice specializing in queer and BIPOC individuals and couples. Licensed in California and Florida and based in Mexico City, he has spent over ten years in the field, working across education, community mental health, and hospital systems before starting his own practice five years ago. Luis is also a creative, working in fashion and content alongside his clinical work. Links: • Website - psychosocialtherapy.com | luis-cornejo.com • Instagram - @luis_thee_lmft • LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/luis-cornejo-m-s-lmft-90a84161 • Latinx Therapy, founded by Adriana Alejandre - latinxtherapy.com Connect with ReachLink: • Website - https://reachlink.com/ • LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink • Learn more about therapist opportunities - https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  5. 2 Sept

    This Therapist Left Clinical Work to Fix Broken Systems | Dr. Mariah Maurice

    Dr. Mariah Maurice spent over a decade in social work across substance abuse treatment, hospitals, private practice, and community mental health before deciding the biggest barriers to healing weren't the clients, they were the systems built around them. She joins Jessica to talk about the doctoral research that changed her career path: a study on patient autonomy at the end of life that uncovered why even well-meaning social workers struggle to carry out what their patients actually want. They dig into why patients get labeled non-compliant when the real issue is a missed ride or an unpaid bill, why hospitals resist changing systems that clearly aren't working, and why showing up with lived experience matters more than showing up with a title. Mariah also shares what she'd tell herself before starting her doctorate. Chapters: 00:00 - Episode Introduction 00:59 - A Decade in Social Work, Then a Shift 02:58 - The Dissertation Topic She Didn't Want 04:06 - What Her Patient Autonomy Research Revealed 07:31 - Turning Research Into Conference Talks 09:22 - The Part of This Work She Doesn't Look Forward To 11:55 - From Dissertation to a Framework for Change 16:53 - ReachLink Ad Break 18:09 - Why the Big Problems Get Ignored 20:53 - Coordination of Care and System Breakdowns 24:05 - What She'd Tell a Therapist Stuck in the System 26:42 - Confronting Burnout Without Fear 28:32 - Voice Notes: Advice to Her Younger Self About Dr. Mariah Maurice: Dr. Mariah Maurice has spent more than a decade working across the mental health field, including substance abuse treatment, hospital social work, private practice, and community mental health. After years of feeling limited by the systems she worked within, she pursued a doctorate to move into research, advocacy, and policy level change. Her dissertation examined patient autonomy at the end of life among hospice social workers, revealing how family dynamics, healthcare system gaps, and provider burnout consistently get in the way of honoring what patients actually want. She now speaks at conferences on applying that research to real-world practice, from healthcare to education, and is developing a framework to help organizations put it into action. Connect with ReachLink: Website - https://reachlink.com/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink Therapist opportunities - https://reachlink.com/for-providers/ Dr. Mariah Maurice: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmariahmaurice/ Email - Hello@innergco.com Resources mentioned: Maurice, M. (2025). Social workers' perceptions of facilitating autonomous decision-making in hospice care (doctoral dissertation, California Baptist University). Key takeaway: autonomy is shaped by relationships, systems, and access to information, not practiced in isolation. NASW Code of Ethics Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory Beauchamp and Childress Principlism Approach Relational Autonomy LABA Ethical Decision-Making Loop (Listen, Assess, Balance, Act), Dr. Maurice's own framework for navigating ethical complexity in practice

  6. 5 Aug

    Why This Therapist Says Her Job Isn't To Fix You | Candida Crane, LMHC

    Candida Crane, LMHC, a longtime Washington based provider now practicing with ReachLink, joins Jessica to talk about her move from community mental health and school counseling into full time virtual practice, and why teletherapy holds up just as well as in-person care for most clients. They also cover the self-talk and mindfulness tools she leans on most right now, the toll the current political climate is taking on her clients, and the hard lesson every new therapist has to learn: your job is to hand clients tools, not fix them. Chapters00:00 – Episode Introduction 00:33 – Candida's Path Through Community Mental Health and School Counseling 01:48 – Does Virtual Therapy Work As Well As In-Person? 03:30 – How ReachLink Lightens the Non-Clinical Workload 05:33 – The Political Climate and Client Stress in Washington 06:57 – Self-Talk, Mindfulness, and Building Client Trust 10:00 – Practicing What She Teaches to Avoid Burnout 12:16 – The Biggest Lesson From Working the Streets of Seattle 12:56 – Why Her Job Isn't to Fix Her Clients 14:22 – When Clients Push Back on the Process 17:35 – The Most Common Issues Clients Bring to Session 20:32 – Isolation Before and After Joining ReachLink Guest BioCandida Crane, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor in Washington state with a psychotherapy career spanning more than two decades. She began in community mental health in Seattle before earning a master's in school counseling, spending over 16 years supporting students, including group work with kids on the autism spectrum. When the pandemic accelerated the shift to virtual care, she moved into telehealth and now practices full time as a provider with ReachLink. Her approach blends cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and relational therapy, with a focus on helping clients build healthier self-talk and a stronger sense of safety in session. LinksCandida practices exclusively through ReachLink and doesn't maintain a separate practice website or social accounts. Professional Profile → https://www.zocdoc.com/professional/candida-crane-lmhc-554225 Connect with ReachLink Website → https://reachlink.com/ LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink Learn more about therapist opportunities → https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  7. 14 Jul

    Is Your ADHD Actually Rooted in Trauma? | Michael Drag, LPC

    Michael Drag, LPC, founder of Space Between the Words, joins Jessica to talk about his own adult ADHD diagnosis, the symptoms that never make it into the DSM (like limerence and rejection sensitive dysphoria), and the client pattern that led him to write his book, Heir of Narcissism, tracing a link between narcissistic parenting and ADHD-like symptoms. They also cover OCD, undiagnosed autism, repeating family patterns, running affordable group therapy, and balancing private practice with new parenthood. Chapters00:00 - Episode Introduction01:27 - Michael's ADHD Diagnosis02:56 - DSM-Silent ADHD Symptoms04:46 - The Pattern Behind Heir of Narcissism06:29 - The Narcissistic Inner Voice09:35 - OCD & Neurodivergence13:05 - The Autism Diagnosis Question13:45 - COVID & Rising Narcissism14:42 - His Own Trauma Story16:47 - ReachLink Ad Break18:04 - Family Patterns in Relationships & Careers20:01 - Making Group Therapy Accessible22:14 - Building the Practice23:49 - Practice, Parenthood & Waitlists26:02 - Next Book & GenuinenessGuest BioMichael Drag, LPC, founded Space Between the Words, a group practice in Pennsylvania, and has practiced since 2014. His background spans community mental health and drug and alcohol rehab settings before moving into private practice, with a specialty in trauma, addiction, and neurodivergence. Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, he now works to raise awareness of this often-overlooked area of care. He is the author of Heir of Narcissism: Exploring ADHD in the Context of Complex Trauma. LinksFollow Michael Drag: Website - https://spacebetweenthewords.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/spacebetweenthewords/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SpaceBetweentheWordsResources mentioned: Heir of Narcissism (book) - https://spacebetweenthewords.com/our-book/Three Approaches to Psychotherapy ("Gloria Films") - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7919988/Connect with ReachLink: Website - https://reachlink.com/LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/reachlinkTherapist opportunities - https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

  8. 7 Jul

    Why Couples Therapy Fails When You're Not Ready | Lara Asous, MA, MFT, CCTP

    In this episode of Therapist Voices @ ReachLink, we speak with Lara Asous, MA, MFT, CCTP, founder of Mindful Growth Therapy, about couples work, trauma healing, and what it means to build a practice rooted in personal experience and cultural awareness. Lara shares her unexpected path into therapy, from switching majors on a whim to finding her calling after navigating divorce and a fibromyalgia diagnosis that led her to her own healing. She opens up about the cultural stigma around therapy in Arab communities, why she chose to become a bridge for that population, and how her own life experiences shaped the specialties she works with today. We explore how she approaches couples who arrive at very different stages of readiness, how trauma stored in the body can quietly shape relationships and partner choices, and why tools like EMDR and genograms are central to her work with clients who feel something but cannot quite name it. Chapters 00:00 – Episode Introduction 00:55 – How Lara Found Her Way to Therapy 02:27 – Serving Arabic-Speaking Clients and Breaking Stigma 04:02 – When Your Own Family Does Not Accept Your Career 05:39 – When Clients Blame the Therapist for Their Partner's Growth 07:35 – How Lara Starts With Couples 09:49 – Reteaching Communication From the Ground Up 11:43 – Individual Therapy During Couples Work 13:45 – Cancer Survivors, Caregivers, and Sliding Scale Support 16:16 – Support Groups for Caregivers 18:22 – Specialties Rooted in Personal Experience 21:40 – How Trauma Shows Up Without a Label 29:07 – Trauma Is Stored in the Body 31:26 – EMDR and Healing Stored Trauma 34:17 – Genograms: A Family Tree for Therapy Guest Bio Lara Asous, MA, MFT, CCTP, is a registered intern marriage and family therapist based in Tampa, Florida, and founder of Mindful Growth Therapy. With over six years of experience, she works with couples, families, and individuals navigating trauma, narcissistic abuse, PTSD, divorce, and major life transitions. Lara integrates trauma-informed care, EMDR, and mindfulness-based approaches within a culturally sensitive framework, offering sessions in both English and Arabic. She also provides school-based counseling for elementary students and facilitates support groups for caregivers of cancer patients. Links Follow Lara Asous and Mindful Growth Therapy Website: https://www.mindful-growth-therapy.org/ Resources mentioned in this episode: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score Genograms (Murray Bowen): a therapeutic mapping tool that traces relational and behavioral patterns across generations Connect with ReachLink Website: https://reachlink.com/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/reachlink Learn more about therapist opportunities: https://reachlink.com/for-providers/

See All (31)

About

OverviewTherapist Voices is a podcast for mental health professionals, hosted by Jessica Hurwitz, Network Manager at ReachLink. In each episode, Jess sits down with licensed therapists to explore their unique approaches to therapy, clinical insights, and experiences in the evolving landscape of digital mental health care. From seasoned clinicians to emerging voices in the field, Therapist Voices offers an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the practice of therapy. Whether discussing therapeutic modalities, client engagement strategies, the transition to teletherapy, or the realities of building a sustainable counseling practice, each conversation provides valuable perspectives for fellow therapists navigating their own professional journeys. Join us for candid discussions that celebrate the diverse expertise within the mental health community and foster connection among therapists committed to providing accessible, quality care. New episodes available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.

Information

  • Creator
    ReachLink
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ReachLink