What Goes in Your Notes? Interstate therapy practice and documentation for clients considering abortion or gender affirming care
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Release Date: 08/29/2022
Private Practice Planning for the Future of Mental Healthcare: An Interview with Maureen Werrbach
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Private Practice Planning for the Future of Mental Healthcare: An Interview with Maureen Werrbach Curt and Katie interview Maureen Werrbach of the Group Practice Exchange on upcoming trends for mental healthcare. We talk about what is predicted, how to prepare your private practice for success in 2023, and how to plan for unexpected changes to our profession. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! An Interview with Maureen Werrbach, LCPC, The Group Practice Exchange Maureen Werrbach established The Group Practice Exchange after starting her private practice, Urban Wellness, and...
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Penny Wise and Pound Foolish: Thoughts on investing and getting paid as a therapist
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Penny Wise and Pound Foolish: Thoughts on investing and getting paid as a therapist Curt and Katie chat about money: considerations for investing and getting paid as a therapist. We look at typical unpaid opportunities and how to decide whether to do them. We also talk about client care practices that may take time, but could keep clients. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about money mistakes that many therapists make We talk a lot about making sure that therapists get paid, but thought it was worth talking about when therapists...
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How to Manage Your Practice as a Traveling Therapist: An Interview with Kym Tolson, LCSW
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
How to Manage Your Practice as a Traveling Therapist: An Interview with Kym Tolson, LCSW Curt and Katie interview Kym Tolson, the traveling therapist. We look at how a modern therapist can be a digital nomad, including what business logistics to consider as well as how to travel well. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! An Interview with Kym Tolson, LCSW I'm Kym Tolson, I'm an LCSW and CSAC licensed in the state of Virginia. I have an online insurance-based therapy practice. I lived in Florida until 2/2/22 when we (my BF and I) became digital nomads. Now, we will live in...
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Smarter than SMART: How therapists can improve goal-setting with clients
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Smarter than SMART: How therapists can improve goal-setting with clients Curt and Katie chat about setting goals. We look at why goals are important to therapists, SMART goals (what they are, what works and what doesn’t), and how to move beyond SMART goals to more robust goal setting and behavior design. This is a continuing education podcourse. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about how to strengthen your goal-setting skills Many therapists learn SMART Goals and objectives as the primary tools for creating treatment plans. Oftentimes, goal...
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Navigating the Social Media Self-Diagnosis Trend
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Navigating the Social Media Self-Diagnosis Trend Curt and Katie chat about the TikTok Mental Health and the self-diagnosis trend. We dig into what diagnosis is (and what is actually useful about diagnosis). We also explore the concerns with social media self-diagnosis as well as how we can support our clients with getting accurate assessment and treatment. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about self-diagnosis and the impact of social media We have both heard about TikTok diagnoses in our practices and wanted to talk about how therapists...
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What Therapists Should Know About Sexual Health, Monkey Pox, and the Echoes of the AIDS Epidemic: An Interview with Mallory Garrett, LMFT
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
What Therapists Should Know About Sexual Health, Monkey Pox, and the Echoes of the AIDS Epidemic: An Interview with Mallory Garrett, LMFT Curt and Katie interview Mallory Garrett about sexual health as well as the current concerns related to Monkey Pox. We discuss what therapists usually get wrong when working with sexual health, what therapists need to know about STIs, as well as Monkey Pox. We talk about the relevant history of the HIV/AIDs epidemic and the community responses to Monkey Pox. We also look at how therapists can be most helpful to clients within our scope of practice. Resources...
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It’s the Lack of Thought That Counts: Ethical Decision Making in Dual Relationships
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
It’s the Lack of Thought That Counts: Ethical Decision Making in Dual Relationships Curt and Katie chat about dual relationships. We talk about the types of dual relationships, how often therapists get in trouble for these types of relationships, how to manage dual relationships, and the ethical decision making process to go through to decide whether to engage in a dual relationship. This is a law and ethics continuing education podcourse. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about ethical decision making to navigate dual relationships We take a...
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How Can Therapists Help Couples Recover from Infidelity?: An Interview with Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
How Can Therapists Help Couples Recover from Infidelity?: An Interview with Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem Curt and Katie interview Dr. Talal H. Alsaleem, Psy.D, LMFT about System Affair Recovery Treatment (SART) and how therapists can better address infidelity in treatment. We discuss what therapists usually get wrong when working with infidelity, the difference between typical couples counseling and affair recovery, and why infidelity happens. We also look at the SART Model as well as tactics and treatment teaming. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! An Interview with Dr. Talal H....
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Why Aren’t Men Becoming Therapists Anymore?
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Why Aren’t Men Becoming Therapists Anymore? Curt and Katie chat about the lack of male therapists and the decreasing number of male students in the profession. We look at current statistics and reported experiences of men in the field. We also dig into what needs to change to balance gender representation and increase the number of men becoming therapists. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about male therapists Continuing forward within men’s health month, we are looking at the state of the profession for male therapists....
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Why Men Don’t Stay in Therapy
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy
Why Men Don’t Stay in Therapy Curt and Katie chat about men’s mental health. We look at why men typically go to therapy, their experiences while in therapy, what therapists get wrong when working with men, and how therapists better support the needs of men seeking mental health treatment. Transcripts for this episode will be available at ! In this podcast episode we talk about men seeking therapy For Men’s Health Awareness month, we want to explore men seeking mental health services. Why do men typically go to therapy? Others telling men to go to therapy Career or...
info_outlineWhat Goes in Your Notes? Interstate therapy practice and documentation for clients considering abortion or gender affirming care
Curt and Katie chat about documentation and practice questions related to abortion or gender affirming care when providing therapy to folks in states where these types of medical care are banned or will be banned soon. We look at medical documentation privacy concerns (related to HIPAA and the 21st Century Cures Act), how therapists avoid “aiding and abetting” a client to get an abortion, what to include in your notes, and special considerations related to duty to warn and child abuse reporting. This is a law and ethics continuing education podcourse.
Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!
In this podcast episode we explore post-Roe documentation for therapists
We’ve heard a lot of questions about what therapists should do now that Roe has been overturned. We decided to dig into practice and documentation guidelines to help modern therapists navigate the changing times.
Medical documentation privacy concerns with interstate practice and the new abortion bans
“Your records aren't as private as you think that they are.” - Curt Widhalm, LMFT
- HIPAA and the 21st Century Cures Act
- The impact on clients who move from safe haven states to states with abortion bans
- The impact of the Counseling Compact (and similar mental health compacts) and how many participating states have trigger laws to ban or limit abortion
- Paying attention to jurisdictional differences and where the client lives
- Who qualifies as a HIPAA covered entity?
- Psychotherapy (Process) Notes versus Progress Notes
- Psychotherapy notes are not defined the same and/or protected in every state
- The impact of civil law suits on confidentiality of process notes
- The huge challenge of information blocking and who may pass along your treatment information
- Talk to an attorney or your professional organization when subpoenaed
How do you avoid “aiding and abetting” a client to get an abortion during mental health treatment?
- Processing feelings and helping client to make their own decisions
- Aiding and abetting can include telling them where to go, encouraging them to get an abortion, or providing practical support (like money or a ride)
- How to provide resources without aiding and abetting
- Self-empowerment and clients making their own decisions
- Liability and risk in practice (check with your malpractice insurance)
- Whether/how you let your clients know where you stand on the overturn of Roe v Wade
What do you include in your notes when talking about abortion and gender affirming care?
“You need to give meaningful consideration to what goes in [the mental health] record and you also want to be clear in what you're talking about with your clients. So, that way you're not unintentionally aiding and abetting a client who's living in one of these states where an abortion ban is currently in place.” – Curt Widhalm, LMFT
- What is relevant to your treatment goals?
- Documenting progress toward treatment goals
- Creating a policy related to medical decision-making
- Phrases that you can use to briefly describe what is happening in session
- How much to document and the recommendation to be less specific in progress notes when discussing medical decisions
The special considerations related to duty to warn and child abuse reporting when talking about abortion and gender affirming care
- No case law to guide us here
- The difference between permissive versus required reporting
- Vast differences across the states with all of the different pieces
- HIPAA says that we should not report, but we will be impacted by state laws
- Recommendations to pay attention to what is happening in the states where you practice and to identify advocacy opportunities to protect information, safe haven laws
Our Generous Sponsor for this episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide:
Thrizer
Thrizer is a new modern billing platform for therapists that was built on the belief that therapy should be accessible AND clinicians should earn what they are worth. Their platform automatically gets clients reimbursed by their insurance after every session. Just by billing your clients through Thrizer, you can potentially save them hundreds every month, with no extra work on your end. Every time you bill a client through Thrizer, an insurance claim is automatically generated and sent directly to the client's insurance. From there, Thrizer provides concierge support to ensure clients get their reimbursement quickly, directly into their bank account. By eliminating reimbursement by check, confusion around benefits, and obscurity with reimbursement status, they allow your clients to focus on what actually matters rather than worrying about their money. It is very quick to get set up and it works great in completement with EHR systems. Their team is super helpful and responsive, and the founder is actually a long-time therapy client who grew frustrated with his reimbursement times The best part is you don't need to give up your rate. They charge a standard 3% payment processing fee!
Thrizer lets you become more accessible while remaining in complete control of your practice. A better experience for your clients during therapy means higher retention. Money won't be the reason they quit on therapy. Sign up using bit.ly/moderntherapists if you want to test Thrizer completely risk free! Sign up for Thrizer with code 'moderntherapists' for 1 month of no credit card fees or payment processing fees! That’s right - you will get one month of no payment processing fees, meaning you earn 100% of your cash rate during that time.
Receive Continuing Education for this Episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide
Hey modern therapists, we’re so excited to offer the opportunity for 1 unit of continuing education for this podcast episode – Therapy Reimagined is bringing you the Modern Therapist Learning Community!
Once you’ve listened to this episode, to get CE credit you just need to go to moderntherapistcommunity.com/podcourse, register for your free profile, purchase this course, pass the post-test, and complete the evaluation! Once that’s all completed - you’ll get a CE certificate in your profile or you can download it for your records. For our current list of CE approvals, check out moderntherapistcommunity.com.
You can find this full course (including handouts and resources) here: https://moderntherapistcommunity.com/podcourse/
Continuing Education Approvals:
When we are airing this podcast episode, we have the following CE approval. Please check back as we add other approval bodies: Continuing Education Information
CAMFT CEPA: Therapy Reimagined is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #132270). Therapy Reimagined maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Courses meet the qualifications for the listed hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. We are working on additional provider approvals, but solely are able to provide CAMFT CEs at this time. Please check with your licensing body to ensure that they will accept this as an equivalent learning credit.
Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:
We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance!
Person-Centered Tech (help to become HIPAA compliant)
Frequently asked questions about abortion laws and psychology practice (apaservices.org)
HIPAA, Psychotherapy Notes, and Other Mental Health Records by Holland and Hart
Additional references mentioned in this continuing education podcast:
Holloway, J.D. (2003). More protections for patients and psychologists under HIPAA. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/hipaa#:~:text=Under%20HIPAA%2C%20psychotherapy%20notes%20are,can%20contain%20information%20that%20is
Stranger, K. (2020). HIPAA, Psychotherapy Notes, and Other Mental Health Records. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/hipaa-psychotherapy-notes-and-other-42359/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2013). Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html#:~:text=The%20Privacy%20Rule%20protects%20all,health%20information%20(PHI).%22
Zubrzycki, C. (2022) Abortion’s Interoperability Trap: How the Law of Medical Records Will Facilitate Interstate Persecution of Contested Medical Procedures, and What to Do about It. Yale Law Journal Forum, Forthcoming, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4147900
*The full reference list can be found in the course on our learning platform.
Relevant Episodes of MTSG Podcast:
Working with Trans Clients: Trans Resilience and Gender Euphoria: An interview with Beck Gee-Cohen
Is the Counseling Compact Good for Therapists?
Now Therapists Have to Document Every F*cking Thing in Our Progress Notes?
Noteworthy Documentation: An interview with Dr. Ben Caldwell (on the 21st Century Cures Act)
Who we are:
Curt Widhalm, LMFT
Curt Widhalm is in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is the cofounder of the Therapy Reimagined conference, an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and CSUN, a former Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, former CFO of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.com
Katie Vernoy, LMFT
Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant supporting leaders, visionaries, executives, and helping professionals to create sustainable careers. Katie, with Curt, has developed workshops and a conference, Therapy Reimagined, to support therapists navigating through the modern challenges of this profession. Katie is also a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.com
A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.
Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:
Patreon
Buy Me A Coffee
Podcast Homepage
Consultation services with Curt Widhalm or Katie Vernoy:
Connect with the Modern Therapist Community:
Our Facebook Group – The Modern Therapists Group
Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:
Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/
Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/