The Innovative Therapist

Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD, ABPP
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The Innovative Therapist Podcast

Are you a therapist or a space holder that likes to think deeply and creatively about bringing healing to more people? Do you want to build trust with your body so that you can live a life that feels aligned and amazing, and help inspire others to do the same? Do you hate small talk - your idea of fun is deep and meaningful talks about living more courageous and connected lives? If so, then welcome to the Innovative Therapy podcast where we cover topics like psychology, innovative methods for building body trust and healing, Internal Family Systems, weight inclusive approaches, and unlearning the many messages from oppressive systems that lead us away from body trust. Iโ€™m Dr. Shawn Hondorp, clinical psychologist. My goal is to create safe learning environments for those who want to explore innovative approaches to healing, one authentic conversation at a time. ๐ŸŒˆโœŒ๐ŸปโœŒ๐ŸฝโœŒ๐Ÿฟ๐ŸŒณ Hit subscribe and tune in each week for deep talks, inspiration, and get ready for more connection to yourself and others so you can pursue a life of joy and creativity. Website: DrShawnHondorp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-hondorp-phd-abpp-24229412/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychology.of.wellness/

  1. SEP 2

    How to Thrive as a Therapist (and maybe host a Retreat!) with Megan Gunnell, LMSW

    Episode 125. This week's podcast episode was so good. I had been following โ€‹Megan Gunnell'sโ€‹ work for a while. And then unexpectedly, she reached out to me. (!!) This sort of feels like what it might feel like for a celeb to reach out and ask to hang out. She asked if I might want to meet up and talk about the potential for collaboration. Umm... yes please! We talked about potential for collaboration sometime next year (yay), but first, we decided to record this podcast. A wealth of experience with THRIVING Megan really is a representation of how I want to feel about my business and frankly, she's doing a lot of things that look amazing, like hosting retreats in Costa Rica and Italy. She's such a model of what creative thinking can do for you, and how it can help you develop more healing modalities as a therapist in and out of the therapy room. I think this is a model any human can follow. And we cover the simple, but not easy steps to tapping into her intuition and having the courage to follow her path. Without further ado, let's dive in! What to Expect in this Episode We cover the following: * How Megan came to doing the amazing work she does today, including a story about the time she hosted something that totally flopped * The role creativity has played in her career journey, the times she was disconnected from creativity and how this impacted her * How she incorporated playing the harp into her 1 on 1 therapy sessions and the impact it had for her clients * Guidance for how to determine what work "sets your soul on fire" and the difference between fear because you aren't ready, and fear because you really are * Her journey with 25 years of hosting retreats and some of the many lessons she's learned * The book that lead her to realize that holding a retreat is a calling for her * How to determine if holding retreats is right for you and how to explore this question in a low risk way (including several great questions to reflect on for yourself) * Her specific process the month before holding a large retreat or event * Upcoming offerings including her Costa Rica Summit and a Retreat Intensive Program, see her many offerings for therapists here * And so much more! Who is Megan Gunnell? Megan Gunnell, LMSW is Founder & Director of the Thriving Well Institute, psychotherapist, group practice owner, speaker, #1 bestselling author of โ€œThriving as a Therapistโ€ and international retreat leader with over 25 years experience. She provides coaching, online courses, retreats and summits to therapists who want to learn how to build and scale their business. Sheโ€™s the admin of the Thriving Therapistsยฎ FB group with over 20,000 members. Megan received the Meta Community Accelerator Award for 2022-2023 for having one of the highest engaged facebook communities in all of North America. She has presented and facilitated workshops and retreats globally and nationwide. A recovering perfectionist and recklessly brave, she's not afraid of most challenges. You can find out more at: www.thrivingwellinstitute.

    33 min

  2. AUG 19

    LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Growing Up In a Queer Household in the 80s with Ann Russo

    Episode 124. I get a lot of podcast pitches. Many of them, it's clear they've never listened to my podcast and have zero idea about my audience. Others are pitching people that have truly nothing to do with what a do (men's hair removal expert, anyone? Just why?). Someone reached out to me to introduce Ann though and I was intrigued (I mean, read the bullets below, wouldn't you be?). I did my due diligence and listened to another podcast interview she did. And I immediately knew I had to have her on. Her willingness to be open about her unique experiences growing up with her dad, his partner, and her mom all the in same house in the 80s is really fascinating. And her compassionate take on the evangelical conservative Christian approach to LGBTQ+ is really quite inspiring. Without further ado, let's dive in! What to Expect in this Episode We cover the following: * How Ann came to doing the work she does today * What she learned from growing up in a queer household in the 80s * What she learned from attending a religious conversion conference as a queer female * How she is able to cultivate so much compassion for others who believe anything outside of heterosexuality is a sin * The most common issues LGBTQ+ members face and where she sees therapists miss the mark and cause harm * Ways she's engaged in healing that is outside of traditional talk therapy (I loved her answer on this!) * Her main takeaway she wants people to know when it comes to LGBTQ+ emotional well-being and mental health * And so much more! Who is Ann Russo? Ann Russo, is a business founder, psychotherapist, author, and mental health advocate with an MA in Theology from Loyola Marymount and an MSW from Long Beach State. In 2018, she founded AMR Therapy to provide culturally sensitive mental health services to queer communities and other underserved populations. Under her leadership, AMR Therapy has served over 1500 clients with a dedicated team of just 15 therapists and administrators. Ann is a trained domestic violence and sexual assault advocate, specializing in trauma-informed care and first responder crisis management. She is currently developing specialized Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for therapists, focusing on critical topics such as ethical non-monogamy, sexual empowerment, religious trauma, and queerness. These CEUs are essential for professionals seeking to enhance their skills and better serve diverse populations. Ann also offers consulting services to mental health providers on these topics. Her upcoming book, "Her Own Terms," delves into modern female sexuality using cognitive behavioral therapy, sex-positive perspectives, and psychodynamic insights. Raised in a queer, non-monogamous household, Annโ€™s personal and professional experiences enrich her approach, making her a relatable and insightful figure in the mental health field. Ann is a prominent advocate for mental health and sexual positivity, frequently featured in articles, podcasts, and interviews. You can work with a therapist at AMR Therapy or connect with Ann directly by visiting the websites below. You can connect with Ann by joining her email list here. Website for Ann's group practice is: https://www.amrtherapy.com/

  3. AUG 5

    Harnessing the Power of Creativity In and Out of the Therapy Room

    Episode 123. Today's solo episode is all about my thoughts about Creativity. I've been thinking about this topic a LOT lately. And it's been incredibly fun. I read this book recently and already am re-listening to it. It's Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert and I've found it really inspiring. I have really been slowing down to think about how I can add creativity into my personal and professional life and how others can do the same. So this podcast episode is all about my thoughts on creativity, including how I've evolved to use creativity as a psychologist and also in my personal life. I can't wait to share it with you! Words of Wisdom Quote from Elizabeth Gilbert: "You're not required to save the world with your creativity. Your art not only doesn't have to be original, in other words, it also doesn't have to be important. For example, whenever anyone tells me that they want to write a book in order to help other people I always think 'Oh, please don't." Do it for Yourself? That quote actually really makes me laugh out loud. So much of what I've learned in the online marketing world is about knowing your audience and speaking to their pain points. In my training as a psychologist, I was taught to always focus on the other person and their needs, helping them to conceptualize their struggles, and from there, give suggestions to help. None of these suggestions are bad, and yet, none of them teach us how to listen to our own bodies as we are marketing or delivering therapy. And the more I do both of those things, the more I think that's actually the most essential skill to learn... "I'm not a creative person." I've said this so many times. I still sometimes say it. But now at least I'm catching myself. We all have creativity in us. It maybe got shoved down, but it's there. And re-engaging with it can be deeply healing. In IFS it is said that when we can notice and get space and separation from our Parts, the 8 C qualities of self emerge: Creativity, Curiosity, Connection, Courage, Calm, Clarity, Compassion, and Confidence. There are also 5 P words that can emerge, including, Presence, Persistence, Perspective, Playfulness, Patience. Play and creativity are essential for how kids learn and I for one am excited to continue to rediscover this as an adult. Why We Should Care About Creativity โ€œA creative life is an amplified life. Itโ€™s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner โ€“ continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you โ€“ is a fine art, in and of itself.โ€ -Elizabeth Gilbert I'll be perfectly honest, I want to convince you that creativity is important. I went online and started searching in Google Scholar. There are definitely some articles to support this. Liz Gilbert's book has more ideas on this. I come from a heavily science and math focused background. My dad was an engineer, and my mom taught math, and later computers, and then taught technology to other teachers. I can't say that I grew up truly understanding the immense value of creative ...

    27 min

  4. JUL 22

    ENCORE: How To Develop Unconditional Self-Worth with Dr. Adia Gooden, PhD

    Episode 122. In deciding which episodes were worth replaying for you this summer, this one immediately came to mind for a few reasons. First of all, I've referenced this conversation many times since I had it in July 2021 (3 years ago!!). I've talked about it on the podcast, and I've referenced it in my head. To share how it's impacted me, we have to review one of my favorite Maya Angelou quotes: โ€œI've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.โ€ - Dr. Maya Angelou I'll be honest, it's been 3 years and my memory is not great. So I don't remember exactly all the things Adia and I talked about (although I reviewed some of the topics in the lists below). But I remember exactly how I felt when she was modeling how you might talk to yourself when you were feeling shame. It felt like a gut punch. A big puzzle piece clue. Saying, "Hey Shawn, if you were wondering where else you need to look to take your next step in healing, it's here!" Overall message: "You still have some shame to unpack and work out!" What To Expect in This Interview: * Dr. Gooden opens up about how struggles with self-worth manifested in her life growing up.  * How she learned the hard way that external validation of worth โ€“ be it a doctoral degree or losing 50 lbs โ€“ are common motivators, but don't work long-term. * Her thoughts on the field of psychology and our training to not self-disclose, and how she's shifted this and why * Common barriers to unconditional self-worth * Incredibly valuable language for shifting towards true self-compassion * And so much more! Top Things to Remember While Cultivating Unconditional Self-Worth * You are under-utilizing the skill of self-compassion. I can almost 100% guarantee it. Instead of beating yourself up, or just taking a practical approach (โ€œyou messed up, donโ€™t dwell on it, move on.โ€) you can name and make space for your pain, while still holding yourself accountable. You can talk to yourself as you would a small child who is in pain. โ€œI see you, youโ€™re okay. I got you.โ€ This shift alone, when mastered, can change everything. * Many of the ways we think about mental and emotional well-being are incredibly outdated. And often harmful when they further stigmatize struggle and have groups of us pretending that we donโ€™t struggle, while our clients do. In the field of psychology, the precedent is not to share, to be a blank slate, to be objective and a suggestion or advice dispensary. And yet, when we question that, not only can we help people more effectively, we as professionals can also be more free to bring our full selves to work. This relates to our discussion in Episode 27 about 4 Reasons you should share your story (and why I shared mine). The reality is, we arenโ€™t going to fall into categories or checkboxes. This person has depression and self-worth issues, this one does not. This one has developed self-compassion, this one hasnโ€™t. Itโ€™s a journey that we are all on and we ALL have shame and self-doubt. We can all work on and benefit from the skills mentioned here. * The more you work on your relationship with yourself, the more you will be able to do vulnerable things, and pick yourself up when you inevitably fall. It does not need to be, โ€œdevelop self-worth first, then do uncomfortable things,โ€ OR โ€œfake it until you make it,

    50 min

  5. JUL 8

    ENCORE: The Science Behind Intuitive Eating & Weight Inclusive Care

    Episode 121. One of the questions I get most often from people when they learn that I'm aligned with the Health at Every Sizeยฎ movement is some version of this: "But I've worked for many years in XX setting and I've seen how people suffer when they have excess weight on their bodies. How can we really say that people can be healthy at every size?" Today's encore episode is a replay of my conversation with Dr. Jillian Murphy that answers this question incredibly well. I can't wait to share it with you! What To Expect in This Interview: We cover the following topics: * Why Health at Every Sizeยฎ is not just a social movement, but an evidence-based movement rooted heavily in science. She breaks this down in a way that I truly havenโ€™t heard before, so make sure you stay tuned to really understand why and how this isnโ€™t just a โ€œdonโ€™t judge people for their body sizeโ€ movement (though thatโ€™s of course very important, too!) * We talk about her training as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and where her focus is, as well as the ways that her training, just like pretty much all standard training programs, were steeped in diet culture beliefs. * Her experience with orthorexia and how she finally fully cut the diet culture cord. * We talk about her work learning about competent eating through the Ellyn Satter Institute and the power of this approach for kids and adults. Iโ€™m SO excited for this part of this conversation, because we talk about a nuanced approach to moving towards a flexible, healthy, sustainable relationship with food called Competent Eating that can be really helpful for people who want more structure than Intuitive Eating provides. Super cool. What You Need to Know About Weight Inclusivity, Health at Every Sizeยฎ, and How You can Immediately Start Improving Your Health * The weight-inclusive Health at Every Sizeยฎ movement is social. All bodies deserve dignity and respect and we donโ€™t current provide that. This is well documented and incredibly harmful. * The weight-inclusive Health at Every Sizeยฎ movement is scientific. Not that social and science are separate per se, but there is immense amounts of evidence that the link between weight and health cannot be fully causal, for many of the reasons that Dr. Murphy outlines so well. She talks about the fact that thinner people have all the conditions we blame on weight (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, PCOS) so for that reason alone we know it canโ€™t only be weight that is the problem. We cannot establish a causal relationship with weight causing the health problems itโ€™s blamed on (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, PCOS, cancer, etc). This doesnโ€™t mean there arenโ€™t co-relations, but we know it isnโ€™t as simple as โ€œfat causes Xโ€ as so often is the assumption. There could also be underlying genetic causal relationships that are causing the weight gain and the disease process. * We donโ€™t currently have consistently effective ways to lose weight long-term without sacrificing well-being. We donโ€™t cover bariatric surgery at all in this interview, although frankly Iโ€™d love to hear Dr. Murphyโ€™s thoughts on that, but when talking about long-term significant weight loss (more than just a handful of pounds, although this depends on current body size), without surgery or medications, the odds of that happens without collateral damage is quite low. So, even if we could establish a causal relationship (e.g., excess weight causes disease), we donโ€™t currently have effective ways to help people lose weight and keep it off, without a sacrifice to well-being, physically and emotionally.

    1h 6m

  6. JUN 24

    ENCORE: Body Liberation & Wellness for All with Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD

    Episode 120. Iโ€™ve said it before and I will say it again, I am often profoundly changed by the impact of the conversations I have on this podcast. I still remember quotes and concepts from people I interviewed a year ago, and I still sometimes re-listen to the conversations to remind myself of the lessons I learned from them. This conversation with Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD, from May 2022 was extra special though. And Iโ€™m actually having a hard time putting into words why exactly that is. I think part of it is Daliaโ€™s presence, and the generosity and vulnerability that is shared, including the process from behind the scenes of this weekโ€™s. Beyond that, however, Daliaโ€™s compassion for others, myself included, who have very much missed the mark with wellness, health, and lack of diversity in related fields, made this conversation all the more meaningful. Inviting Dalia on the podcast was important to me because I truly believe that moving towards true wellness and health means we must un-learn a lot of what we have been taught. Not only about what is healthy from a weight-centric model, but so much of what we have been taught about race, sexuality, and generally how so many of our systems, educational models, and structures are set up to serve white people, not persons of marginalized backgrounds. Iโ€™ll admit: I have total imposter syndrome when I talk about or write about topics related to diversity. Iโ€™m afraid Iโ€™ll mess things up, like say the wrong things or offending someone (my deepest fear). But I know deep down itโ€™s a privilege to be able to choose to learn about and talk about these topics or not, and I am working on continuing to choose the (typically mild) discomfort, so I can continue to learn and grow. I hope you will listen in on this conversation and hear the incredible gift that Dalia has given to the world by sharing this book with the world. I truly believe what I said, that I think this book truly benefits anyone who wants to learn about wellness and inclusion as an individual or as a healthcare provider. I hope wherever you are in your journey of learning about diversity and where we in the US and other countries have greatly missed the mark, that you will remain open, curious, and humble and continue to be open to learning more. And remember that (as I often have to remind myself) you donโ€™t need to know it all, you just need to ask question and listen. Thereโ€™s so much value to be gained from learning about the amazingly diverse experiences of humans and Iโ€™m incredibly grateful that Dalia shared with us via Decolonizing Wellness, but also that I was able to have this incredible conversation as well. What To Expect in This Interview: We cover the following topics: * How Dalia came to doing this work, and the courage it took for Dalia to write Decolonizing Wellness, and the incredibly vulnerable process of doing so * Some examples of the many ways that health and wellness spaces miss the mark when it comes to persons of diverse and/or marginalized identities * What Dalia means by โ€œWhen you queer anything it becomes more inclusiveโ€ (and why Iโ€™ve never been more convinced of this after tal...

  7. JUN 10

    How To Stop Overworking (Or Doing Other Things You You Wish You Didnโ€™t Do)

    Episode 119. In today's solo episode, I'm going to share some of what I've learned about IFS and how it works based on both my personal and professional experiences thus far. I'm also going to talk about learning to slow down, how it's a journey I'm still on, and how IFS helps me actually do it, specifically focusing on my example of my Overworking Part, which I learned as I talked through this episode is very linked with my "Optimizing my Experience" Part (also described in my episode with Randi Rubenstein). In this episode I share my process of recognizing my Overworking/Optimizing Parts, appreciating them, and helping to do things (like record this episode for you!) from a more embodied and grounded place. In the middle of the episode, I lead you through an IFS based meditation to get to know a Protector Part of yours, Overworking Part or otherwise. Then I cover 3 of the main lessons I've learned from experiencing IFS. Without further ado, let's dive in! But First, Words of Wisdom โ€œCompassion as a spontaneous aspect of Self blew my mind, because Iโ€™d always assumed and learned that compassion was something you had to develop. Thereโ€™s this ideaโ€”especially in some spiritual circlesโ€”that you have to build up the muscle of compassion over time, because itโ€™s not inherent. Again, thatโ€™s the negative view on human nature at play. To be clear, what I mean by compassion is the ability to be in Self with somebody when theyโ€™re really hurting and feel for them, but not be overwhelmed by their pain. You can only do that if youโ€™ve done it within yourself. That is, if you can be with your own exiles without blending and being overwhelmed by them and instead show them compassion and help them, then you can do the same for someone in pain whoโ€™s sitting across from you.โ€โ€• Richard C. Schwartz, No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model The Top 3 Lessons I Have Learned Through Experiencing IFS * Cognitive Self-Compassion is Very Different Than Heart Self Compassion. It's totally different. And I was definitely always practicing the cognitive type. This really came to light for me when I talked with Dr. Allyn Richards in episode 108 (you can listen here). We both experienced compassion for ourselves by practicing IFS in a way that was totally different than anything we've tried to do in the past. * You Have to Life it to Give It. Hearing this always felt annoying to me. But also so true. I always heard that you shouldn't teach meditation if you don't have a meditation practice. Well, I occasionally taught it, but I definitely didn't have a practice. * Talking About Parts is Very Different than Talking to and Building a Relationship with Parts. One of my trainers in my Level 1 mentioned that she often sees therapists saying they are doing IFS, when really they are talking about parts with clients, which can be helpful. Many of us, therapists especially, have developing amazing conceptualization and analyzing parts that helped us a TON. And also, they are still parts. When you truly build a relationship with and honor these parts, new levels of healing and embodiment open up, likely that you didn't believe were truly possible.

    38 min

  8. MAY 27

    Writing a Childrenโ€™s Book While Working Full Time as a Psychologist with Dr. Amy Neeren

    Episode 118. Today's episode is a special conversation with Dr. Amy Neeren who has shown amazing resilience in terms of finding a career in psychology that felt right for her, and a big piece of that has been pursuing a career outside of her full-time work as a psychologist in writing fiction. She has published two children's books in the traditional publishing world (NO SMALL FEAT, as we learn in this conversation) and is working on a novel now. All of these writings have a tie to mental health, and to her story to some degree. We talk about how writing can be so healing, and so hard, why she does it, why she chose traditional publishing route, and what keeps her going. I really enjoyed this conversation and I'm sure you will too. What to Expect in this Episode We cover the following: * Amy's journey to getting a PhD in Clinical Psychology and how stuck she felt after getting her degree and not finding private practice to be right for her * How Amy got into writing (including whether she always wanted to be a writer or not) * Why she chose traditional publishing over self-publishing * How long it took Amy to publish her first and second books (these answers shocked me) * The new project she's working on now * How she feels about and deals with rejection (and how often she gets to practice this!) * A discussion on how to incorporate creativity in our lives as therapists * Why she wrote her children's book series Nellie in Knots (Book 1 in the series here, Book 2 here) (and how much my daughter and I LOVE this series!) * What the two types of writers are (Plotters and Pantsers) and which one Amy is * And so much more! Join the Innovative Therapist Book Club Today! Want to learn about the Top 4 books I wish I had read many years ago that have shifted my view of healing and human relationships? Download the free guide today to find out โ€“ I bet some of them will surprise you! You can grab it at DrHondorp.com/Books Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider-patient relationship.

    57 min
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About

Are you a therapist or a space holder that likes to think deeply and creatively about bringing healing to more people? Do you want to build trust with your body so that you can live a life that feels aligned and amazing, and help inspire others to do the same? Do you hate small talk - your idea of fun is deep and meaningful talks about living more courageous and connected lives? If so, then welcome to the Innovative Therapy podcast where we cover topics like psychology, innovative methods for building body trust and healing, Internal Family Systems, weight inclusive approaches, and unlearning the many messages from oppressive systems that lead us away from body trust. Iโ€™m Dr. Shawn Hondorp, clinical psychologist. My goal is to create safe learning environments for those who want to explore innovative approaches to healing, one authentic conversation at a time. ๐ŸŒˆโœŒ๐ŸปโœŒ๐ŸฝโœŒ๐Ÿฟ๐ŸŒณ Hit subscribe and tune in each week for deep talks, inspiration, and get ready for more connection to yourself and others so you can pursue a life of joy and creativity. Website: DrShawnHondorp.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-hondorp-phd-abpp-24229412/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychology.of.wellness/

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD, ABPP
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ยฉ The Innovative Therapist All Rights Reserved
  • Show Website
    The Innovative Therapist

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