41. The Progress Note Dilemma: Insights, Tips and the Use of AI with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey
Release Date: 12/14/2023
64. Emotional Echoes: When Our Work Hits too Close to Home
Colleague Down the Hall
In this episode of the Colleague Down The Hall Podcast, I dive into the concept of “Emotional Echoes” and how our clients’ experiences can sometimes resonate with our own life experiences. I talk about ways for therapists to recognize and manage these emotional reactions to maintain professional efficacy and personal well-being. I touch on the importance of self-awareness, support systems like peer consultation, and self-care strategies to navigate these challenges, and encourage sharing these experiences with colleagues to normalize and address them within the therapeutic community....
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63.Treating Religious Abuse in Private Practice: A Primer for Clinicians with Chris Conley
Colleague Down the Hall
In today’s episode of the Colleague Down The Hall Podcast, Chris Conley joins me to talk about religious and spiritual abuse, which is the manipulation or exploitation of a person by a religious or spiritual authority. Chris shares a variety of dynamics for assessing and treating this type of abuse including knowing when to refer out. He also discusses how important it is to be mindful of one's own biases and limitations when dealing with clients' spiritual concerns and the role of therapists in maintaining professional boundaries. “You as the therapist are somebody who is feeling...
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62. Online Video Content: Boost Your Private Practice's Digital Presence
Colleague Down the Hall
In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, I delve into how to enhance your marketing strategy for your private practice using a simple and accessible method. I share insights to guide you on how to create short, engaging, and authentic videos to enhance your online presence. I also touch on leveraging these videos for SEO benefits and building connections with potential clients and other therapists. The more accessible and authentic your marketing, the more clients you attract and connect with. “As therapists, we know the issues that our clients deal with, we...
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61. Breathing Space for Healing: Empowering Therapists To Care for Themselves
Colleague Down the Hall
In this new episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, I provide some supportive suggestions and activities for therapists to make sure they are taking care of themselves. I reflect on my observations of stress and challenges among my peers. I also talk about the necessity of therapists incorporating self-care into their routines, similar to the advice they give their clients. I provide practical tips on managing workloads, offer sensory and somatic exercises for stress relief, and encourage building a supportive community among therapists. This episode not only highlights...
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60. When to Refer Out: Professional and Practical Guidelines for Therapists
Colleague Down the Hall
In today’s episode, I discuss the importance of referring clients out when their needs exceed a therapist's training or specialization along with some personal needs for the therapist. Therapists need to consider clinical competence, ethical and legal considerations, and dual relationships when deciding to refer a client out. I also address common concerns and challenges therapists face when deciding to refer clients as well as provide strategies for managing challenging cases in therapy. “We also need to look at personal and logistical factors. We've all had those...
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59. Fictionalized Case Consultation: A Therapist Is Contacted By A Former Client Who Now Lives In Another State
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In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, I am joined by some colleagues to process a fictionalized case. Client Molly has moved to another state and is contacting her former therapist for support. The discussion involves client safety, state jurisdiction laws, licensure requirements, and ethical dilemmas, especially in scenarios involving inter-state practice and teletherapy, “One of the things that I would be looking at is in the dynamics of the therapy that we did do, what is this client's propensity to say I need help? Is this someone who, you know easily...
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58. Aligning Values: The Foundation of Your Private Practice
Colleague Down the Hall
In this episode, I explore the significance of aligning personal values in private practice. Drawing from my own experiences and discussions with colleagues, I highlight the pivotal role that values play in shaping decisions regarding policies, client interactions, niche selection, and self-care. "Values act as a compass guiding us in how we show up in the world and in our work." Key Points: Examining personal values is essential for creating a private practice that aligns with individual identity. Values serve as a reference point for making practice decisions regarding...
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57. Transformative Techniques: EMDR, Brainspotting, and ART Explained
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If you're intrigued by the intersection of psychology, therapy techniques, and professional development, you're in for a treat. In this new episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Audrey Schoen and Jenny Hughes join me for an insightful discussion where we discuss the use of EMDR, Brainspotting, and ART. We touch on the foundational aspects of these therapeutic approaches, including their development, application, and the unique benefits they offer to both therapists and clients. We explore the nuances of each technique, share personal experiences and insights, and discuss the...
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56. Reflections from Year One of Podcasting: Embracing Diversity, Learning, and Resilienc
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In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, I celebrate my first year of podcasting. This episode is a reflection of the key insights and themes that have emerged over the past year. I talk about the importance of fostering a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative community within the psychotherapy profession. I reflect on the past year's achievements in aligning with these virtues and set forth a vision for continuing to address the complexities of the profession through shared learning, ongoing professional development, and embracing diversity. This episode is all about...
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55. Deep Healing, Less Burnout: The Power of Therapy Intensive with Steffeny Feld
Colleague Down the Hall
In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, Steffeny Feld joins me to explore the concept and benefits of therapy intensives. This is an alternative therapeutic approach that allows for deep, focused work over a condensed period, rather than traditional weekly sessions. We touch on the flexibility of intensives across different treatment modalities and client populations, the challenges of insurance billing, and the importance of aligning practice decisions with personal values and lifestyle needs. This episode emphasizes the transformative impact of therapy intensives for...
info_outline“Any note is better than no note.” In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey joins me to talk about her expertise; clinical documentation in therapy work. She discusses the challenges therapists face when it comes to writing treatment plans and progress notes. She delves into issues such as getting behind on progress notes, lack of confidence in note-writing and not understanding the implications of certain documentation choices. She provides practical tips for therapists to improve their documentation, including the key components of a progress note and the need for customization based on individual needs and legal considerations. She also touches on the use of AI in private practice.
The goal of this episode is to normalize the challenges therapists face with clinical documentation, review the basics that need to be in every progress note, provide guidance on common mistakes, encourage therapists to approach documentation with confidence and practical strategies, and explore the use of AI in private practice
“If you're going to have a private practice and do this stuff on your own, you have to be willing to take a little bit of that extra step. A little extra time to review those things and make sure that it is personalized to you and same with note templates. I see so many people who are like, you'll hear people say, you know, I thought I was supposed to put this in a note, and I thought I was supposed to put this in a note, and someone told me this or when I worked at this agency or this group practice, we had to write our notes this way. 99% of those are arbitrary guidelines. There are very few guidelines around what goes into note and so it does require a little critical thinking about one - what should go in and out for you based on your clients in your profession, but also two - what's helpful, what's useful.”- Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey
The key highlights:
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The importance of understanding the "why" behind documentation recommendations and thinking outside the box while maintaining ethical standards.
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The impact of the pandemic on increasing the number of therapists seeking support for documentation issues.
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Addressing the common struggle of therapists feeling unprepared due to a lack of training in documentation during graduate school.
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The stigma and stress surrounding documentation issues, creating a cycle of shame in the profession. Therapists often feel hesitant to seek help or admit their struggles with documentation due to fear of judgment.
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The common mistakes therapists make, including being behind on paperwork and lacking confidence in their notes.
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The lack of specific guidelines for documenting and decision-making in the gray areas of therapy work.
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Specific tips for more efficient and effective progress note writing.
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The insights on AI adoption in private practice.
About the guest:
Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey is a licensed psychologist, nail design enthusiast, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. Through her business QA Prep, she empowers therapists with trainings and consultation on clinical documentation. Maelisa focuses on the “why” behind the usual recommendations and encourages clinicians to think outside the box, while also keeping their ethics intact. As someone with ADHD who’s had to figure out what works through trial and error, Maelisa aims to make sure her trainings are practical, while also allowing for plenty of laughter and fun.
Connect with Dr. McCaffrey:
QA Prep website: https://www.qaprep.com (Sign up for the FREE Private Practice Paperwork Crash Course)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCytXRIFI17MtbmTh5QTJhsg
Connect with Jeanene:
*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook
*Join a clinical consultation group: https://oasisfortherapists.thrivecart.com/enrollment
*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/
*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt
*Connect on LInkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/