Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists

Hey, fellow therapists! 🌟 Welcome to 'Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists,' the podcast that's here to help you level up your career and life. As therapists, we're the ones who create a space for others to grow and connect, but I believe it's high time we started doing the same for ourselves. The world needs us! But without care and support, opportunities to grow, and a commitment to your own well-being, we become depleted... even burned out. Therapists need to be recognized, and deserve love and care too! I'm your host, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby, fellow therapist, and founder of Growing Self Counseling and Coaching, and I'm thrilled to be your guide on this journey. We've chosen a profession that's both demanding and incredibly rewarding. We're the healers, the empathetic hearts, the change-makers who make the world a better place. But let's be real—the world often forgets to give us the support and care we need. Well, that's about to change! Every week, join me as we dive into topics that matter to you and your clients. You'll get real-world strategies that will not only supercharge your therapy practice but also help you create the love and happiness you've been craving while achieving the success you've always envisioned. 'Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists,' is here to be your trusted ally, and partner in your personal and professional growth. I'm bringing you a treasure trove of enlightening podcasts, and invaluable resources that will nourish your mind, heart, and soul. You've dedicated yourself to helping others; now it's time to receive the support and strategies you deserve. Get ready to soar, my friends! 🌱💕

  1. 1D AGO

    Therapist Career Planning: Building a Sustainable Practice Over Time | E93

    Therapist burnout isn’t a personal failure, it’s often a therapist career planning problem. Let’s fix it. If part of you has been thinking, “Something about this isn’t sustainable,” I want to talk about that. Most of us were trained to be competent clinicians. Very few of us were trained in therapist career planning. We weren’t taught how to build a sustainable therapy career that supports our nervous system, finances, relationships, and long-term wellbeing. And 10 or 15 years in, many therapists quietly start wondering whether this path still fits. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, we explore what sustainable therapist career planning actually looks like. We talk about therapist burnout and career change—not as a dramatic exit from the profession, but as an invitation to redesign it. You’ll learn how to think about your career in seasons, how to choose a therapy niche without trapping yourself, and why clarity often comes from experimentation rather than overthinking. We’ll also have an honest conversation about private practice vs agency therapist roles. The “obvious” answer isn’t always the sustainable one. A sustainable therapy career is about more than hourly rate—it’s about structure, lifestyle, emotional bandwidth, and long-term viability. For therapists considering expansion, we’ll discuss coaching certification for therapists, supervision, education, and other multidimensional paths that can make your work feel energizing again—when they’re aligned with who you are. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Therapist Burnout and Therapist Career Planning 10:13 Therapist Career Planning Beyond Traditional Therapy 19:49 How to Choose a Therapy Niche and Align With Your Values 29:49 Private Practice vs Agency Therapist: Identity and Expansion 39:51 Building a Sustainable Therapy Career and Moving Forward If part of you felt seen in this conversation, especially around therapist burnout or wondering what’s next, you don’t have to hold that alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a sustainable therapy career that feels life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day. Inside, you’ll find monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice or navigating therapist career planning with clarity and confidence. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or quietly edging toward therapist burnout, this space was built with you in mind. And if this episode resonated, share it with a colleague who may be quietly asking the same questions. We are all in this together. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

    55 min
  2. FEB 11

    Dating Coaching for Therapists: How to Help Clients Find Healthy Relationships | E92

    Dating coaching for therapists is becoming a common clinical need, yet most of us were never trained to offer step-by-step support when clients want help with dating. Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is joined by evidence-based dating coach Tim Molnar to talk about practical, ethical tools therapists can use when helping clients build healthy relationships. Many therapists feel confident helping clients unpack attachment patterns, anxiety, trauma histories, and relational dynamics. But when a client says, “I feel ready to date. Now what do I actually do?” insight alone often isn’t enough. This is where therapists helping clients with dating can start to feel uncertain about scope, competence, and next steps. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, Tim brings a behavioral science lens to dating and shares coaching-informed frameworks that help therapists recognize when a client is facing a skills gap rather than a clinical barrier. We talk about how dating clients in therapy can benefit from practical structure, values-aligned action, and clear next steps — without therapy drifting into coaching or crossing ethical lines. We also explore coaching vs therapy, how to thoughtfully build therapist coaching skills, and how to know when referral to evidence-based dating coaching is the most supportive and ethical option. This conversation is especially relevant for therapists navigating questions of therapist scope of practice when dating becomes a primary focus of the work. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why dating coaching for therapists has become a common clinical challenge 03:03 When insight isn’t enough and clients want practical dating support 08:53 Skills gaps vs clinical issues when dating stalls 16:22 Turning dating goals into specific, actionable steps 19:01 Reducing rejection anxiety with evidence-based tools 29:43 Online dating burnout and the case for real-world strategies 38:59 Coaching vs therapy, scope of practice, and ethical referrals This episode touches a place many therapists recognize, even if we don’t always say it out loud. We’re often expected to hold complexity, offer clarity, and navigate ethical gray areas without much guidance ourselves. If you want more connection, consultation, and support around these kinds of questions, you can learn more at growingself.com/therapists. And if you’re curious about expanding your skill set with clear ethical boundaries, you can also learn more about coaching certification for therapists here. As always, I invite you to notice where you feel confident offering direction, and where you may be defaulting to insight when a client is actually asking for guidance. Getting clearer about that distinction can make a meaningful difference, for your clients and for you. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Growing Self

    56 min
  3. FEB 4

    Help Your Therapy Clients Uncover Their Genius | E91

    What if your client’s self-esteem struggles aren’t about deficits — but about being in the wrong role? Many therapists work with clients who feel chronically discouraged, stuck in career dissatisfaction, or locked into exhausting power struggles with their partners. Often, these clients come in believing something is “wrong” with them — when in reality, they’re operating far outside their natural strengths. In this feed-drop episode, I’m sharing a conversation with Patrick Lencioni, creator of the Working Genius assessment, about a framework that helps clients quickly identify where they shine — and where things will always feel harder, no matter how much effort they apply. This is one of my favorite tools right now for: Supporting clients with low self-esteem Helping couples understand recurring conflict patterns Normalizing frustration without diagnosing it Creating forward momentum in career and life decisions You’ll hear how Working Genius brings clarity to: Why capable people feel incompetent in certain environments How different “genius types” clash in relationships and work How therapists can use this tool to depersonalize conflict and shame If you’re a therapist or counselor looking for a fast, accessible assessment that clients actually get, this episode will give you a new lens you can start using immediately. 🎧 Try it yourself. Patrick was so kind to create a special discount offer exclusively for my listeners.  Visit workinggenius.com and use code LHS for a reduced cost. Feel free to share that access code with your clients too so they don't have to pay full price for this assessment if you want to try it out. Tune in to get all the details about how to use this assessment, the kind of change it creates, and the different types of genius that are often undervalued in our culture. If this sparks ideas for your work, come find me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear how you’re using it. Xo,  Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

    1h 12m
  4. JAN 28

    What Your Clients Really Think About Therapy | E90

    There's a mismatch of expectations between therapists and their clients. A lot of therapy clients—especially the high-functioning ones—walk into therapy thinking, “Great. I’m hiring someone who can help me make meaningful changes in my real life.” They’re looking for clarity, strategy, momentum, and better outcomes. But many therapists (often without realizing it) meet them through a clinical-treatment lens: we start assessing, conceptualizing, and listening for pathology, assuming the “real work” is deeper healing, insight, or excavation of old pain. And for these clients, that can feel like we’re missing the point. They didn’t come in to be analyzed—they came in to get unstuck. When the process doesn’t match their goals, therapy can quickly start to feel slow, irrelevant, or not worth the investment. The fix isn’t “do therapy better.” It’s recognizing that different clients need different kinds of help—and being willing to broaden how you work. When we expand our toolkit with more directive, skills-based, and coaching-informed interventions (while staying inside ethical boundaries), we can meet these clients where they actually are—and help them create the change they came for. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why clients may disengage when therapy doesn’t work for their stated goals Common mismatches between therapist training and client expectations in therapy How scope of competence impacts therapy outcomes and ethical decision-making The limitations of insight-oriented therapy for non-clinical or highly functional clients Thanks for tuning in to this episode and sharing it with other clinicians in your professional circle who you think might need to hear it. I'll be so interested to hear what you think about this episode. Connect with me on LinkedIn and let's continue the conversation! Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby More free resources to support your Love, Happiness, and Success as a therapist at GrowingSelf.com!

    38 min
  5. JAN 7

    How to Discover Your Niche as a Therapist | LHSFT Classic

    If you don’t have a clear answer to the question, “What kind of therapist am I?”, your work may feel harder than it needs to be. Discovering your niche as a therapist isn’t about branding or boxing yourself in. It’s about professional clarity, clinical confidence, and building a practice that feels focused rather than scattered. Many therapists default to being generalists, especially early in their careers, without realizing how much that diffusion can erode satisfaction, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. If you’ve ever felt unsure how to describe your work, or noticed that doing a little bit of everything leaves you drained or unfocused, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m revisiting an essential conversation about why therapy specialization is a core part of ethical professional development, not a marketing trend. I walk through a realistic, thoughtful process for clarifying your niche over time, including self-assessment, gaining experience, pursuing training, and communicating your expertise with intention and integrity. We also talk about how personal values, lived experience, and natural strengths shape professional identity, why niche clarity often evolves across a career, and how coaching psychology can complement therapy for clinicians who are drawn to growth-oriented work. This episode is an invitation to move out of diffusion and into alignment, in a way that supports both you and the clients who rely on your expertise. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why discovering your niche as a therapist matters 01:50 How therapy specialization supports confidence and career satisfaction 06:25 Step 1: Self-assessment and career clarity as a therapist 10:16 Step 2: Gaining experience before choosing a therapist niche 12:24 Step 3: Training, certification, and therapist credibility 16:56 Step 4: Communicating your therapist niche ethically in private practice 21:32 Ethical considerations for therapists on social media 23:46 Resources and encouragement as your therapist niche evolves If you’re in the middle of figuring out who you are as a therapist and where your work is headed, I want you to know this process takes time, and you don’t have to rush it. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home for clinicians who want thoughtful consultation, meaningful mentorship, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and aligned over the long term. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

    28 min
  6. 12/31/2025

    The Baby’s Fine... But She’s Not: What Therapists Need to Know about Perinatal Mental Health | E89

    Perinatal mental health is one of the most important clinical issues therapists encounter and one of the most frequently overlooked. When a client is pregnant or newly postpartum, distress is often minimized as “just part of the transition,” even when something more serious is happening beneath the surface. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re asking the right questions, or worried you might be missing something with a pregnant or postpartum client, this episode is for you. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by my colleague Catherine Fredrickson, LMFT, a perinatal mental health–certified therapist at Growing Self. Catherine brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to a grounded, practical conversation about how perinatal mental health concerns actually show up in the therapy room. We talk about how to assess for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, how to differentiate between expected hormonal shifts and clinically significant symptoms, and the subtle language cues that can signal deeper distress, including disconnection, self-blame, and feelings of unworthiness as a parent. This conversation is a reminder that perinatal mental health is not a niche specialty but a core clinical competency for therapists working with adults, couples, and families. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why perinatal mental health is often missed in therapy 06:09 How therapists can get trained in perinatal mental health (PSI and more) 09:12 The “it’s just pregnancy” myth and perinatal mental health statistics 12:21 Perinatal mental health assessment: what therapists should ask and screen for 16:30 Hormonal shifts vs. perinatal mental health disorders 24:55 Supporting perinatal mental health through planning and social support 27:23 Perinatal mental health and couples after baby 34:35 Perinatal mental health in military families and solo parenting If you’ve been feeling isolated in your work, or quietly wondering how long you can keep doing this on your own, I want you to know you’re not alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists beyond this podcast is through The Growth Collective for Therapists, a professional home I created for clinicians who want real consultation, meaningful connection, and support building a practice that feels sustainable and life-giving, not depleting. The Growth Collective brings together licensed therapists who are ready to receive the same level of care they give every day through monthly consultation, clinical supervision, CEU trainings, and practical guidance for building a stable, fulfilling private practice. If you’ve been missing community, feeling isolated in your work, or edging toward burnout, this space was built with you in mind. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

    47 min
  7. 12/24/2025

    When Being a Therapist Feels Heavy: Acceptance Commitment Therapy for Therapists | E88

    If you’re a therapist who uses acceptance commitment therapy with clients but quietly struggles to apply those same principles to your own life or practice, this conversation is for you. Acceptance commitment therapy offers powerful tools for values-based living, psychological flexibility, and sustainable change, yet many therapists find it surprisingly hard to turn that wisdom inward. In this episode of Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill, a world-recognized expert in acceptance commitment therapy, to talk about why therapists so often mismanage their energy, undervalue their own genius, and stay stuck in versions of their work that no longer fit. We explore how ACT principles can help therapists evolve without burning out, abandoning the profession, or losing what makes this work meaningful. Diana shares how stories about who we’re “supposed” to be as therapists can quietly limit growth, why flexibility with identity matters just as much as flexibility with thoughts, and how the future of therapy will increasingly reward depth, attunement, and humanity over rigid protocols. We also talk candidly about career evolution, second chapters, and what it looks like to build a practice that supports your life rather than consumes it. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why therapists struggle to follow their own advice and how acceptance commitment therapy helps 03:24 The “leftovers” problem: energy depletion, burnout, and clients sensing it 05:15 Getting flexible with the stories that keep you stuck in one version of your career 07:30 Therapist genius, identity, and why this matters in a changing field 11:48 What can’t be replaced: attunement, challenge, and real change moments 22:47 Wings clipped vs. wings weighed down: overcommitting and the “buffet” trap 28:03 Process-based therapy and moving beyond manuals 35:09 The two common therapist traps: “shoulds” and undervaluing your work 39:09 Why therapists leave the profession and what actually supports sustainability If you’re feeling pulled toward a second chapter in your work as a therapist, or simply craving more support, clarity, and room to breathe, I want you to know you don’t have to figure this out alone. One of the primary ways I support therapists who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled in this profession is through The Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and community with people who truly understand the weight and responsibility of this work. It offers the support of a high-quality group practice without giving up your independence, values, or financial autonomy, so you can build a career that feels sustainable and alive over the long haul. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn. I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

    53 min
  8. 12/17/2025

    Why Therapists Need to Grow Too | LHS Classic

    If you’ve ever noticed this work starting to feel heavier, flatter, or more draining than it used to, this is for you. “Why therapists need to grow too” is a question many clinicians never stop to ask, even though the answer is often at the heart of burnout, boredom, and long-term career dissatisfaction. When growth slows, even deeply meaningful work can begin to feel exhausting. This week on Love, Happiness, and Success For Therapists, I’m revisiting an essential conversation about why intentional personal and professional growth is critical for a sustainable, satisfying career as a therapist. Over the years, I’ve seen how easy it is for growth to quietly stall once you’re licensed and established, even for deeply committed clinicians. Self-care matters, but it isn’t enough on its own. What truly restores energy and engagement over time is learning, stretching, being challenged, and continuing to develop both clinically and personally. I share what I’ve seen over decades of practice about how stagnation shows up for therapists, how it affects our clients, and why checking the continuing education box is not the same as pursuing growth that is genuinely life-giving. We explore mentorship, consultation, self-of-the-therapist work, and new learning as powerful ways to reconnect with curiosity, confidence, and purpose in your work. We also talk about how growth looks different for different therapists. For some, that means new clinical modalities or specialization. For others, it may involve coaching psychology, research, leadership, or deeper self-reflection with trusted mentors. There is no single right path, but there is a shared responsibility to keep evolving alongside the clients who place their trust in us. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Why Therapists Need to Grow Too 02:23 Growth, Energy, and Long-Term Career Satisfaction 04:49 What Happens When Therapists Stop Learning 07:07 Why Therapist Growth Matters for Clients 09:27 Mentorship, Feedback, and Finding New Professional Energy 16:37 Self-of-the-Therapist Work and Sustainable Practice 19:01 Growth as a Powerful Protection Against Burnout As you’re thinking about your own growth as a therapist, I want you to know this work was never meant to be done alone. One of the most meaningful ways I support clinicians who want to stay engaged, energized, and genuinely fulfilled over the long haul is through The Growth Collective for Therapists. It’s a professional home I created for therapists who want real consultation, thoughtful mentorship, and a community that understands the weight and responsibility of this work. If you’re ready to invest in your own growth with the same care you bring to your clients, I’d love to share this space with you. And if you’d like to stay connected, come find me on LinkedIn! I truly enjoy hearing what this work brings up for you and where you’re feeling ready to grow next. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie BobbyGrowing Self

    27 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Hey, fellow therapists! 🌟 Welcome to 'Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists,' the podcast that's here to help you level up your career and life. As therapists, we're the ones who create a space for others to grow and connect, but I believe it's high time we started doing the same for ourselves. The world needs us! But without care and support, opportunities to grow, and a commitment to your own well-being, we become depleted... even burned out. Therapists need to be recognized, and deserve love and care too! I'm your host, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby, fellow therapist, and founder of Growing Self Counseling and Coaching, and I'm thrilled to be your guide on this journey. We've chosen a profession that's both demanding and incredibly rewarding. We're the healers, the empathetic hearts, the change-makers who make the world a better place. But let's be real—the world often forgets to give us the support and care we need. Well, that's about to change! Every week, join me as we dive into topics that matter to you and your clients. You'll get real-world strategies that will not only supercharge your therapy practice but also help you create the love and happiness you've been craving while achieving the success you've always envisioned. 'Love, Happiness, and Success for Therapists,' is here to be your trusted ally, and partner in your personal and professional growth. I'm bringing you a treasure trove of enlightening podcasts, and invaluable resources that will nourish your mind, heart, and soul. You've dedicated yourself to helping others; now it's time to receive the support and strategies you deserve. Get ready to soar, my friends! 🌱💕

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