Preventing Burnout in Private Practice | Dr. Julie Merriman | TPOT 416
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 01/19/2026
Preventing Burnout in Private Practice | Dr. Julie Merriman | TPOT 416
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
There are some conversations you record where you know right away that they’re going to land differently. In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Julie Merriman, a therapist, professor, and longtime advocate for helpers who are quietly burning out. We talk about something that hits close to home for many of us in this profession: what happens when we’re really good at helping everyone else, but don’t know how to receive ourselves. Julie shares how so many therapists become what she calls “floating heads of competence.” We’re full of knowledge, skill, and clinical insight, yet...
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When Narcissism Walks Into Your Therapy Office | Dr. Anthony Mazzella | TPOT 415
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Why is this client so hard to reach?” or “Why does every conversation turn into a power struggle?” this episode is for you. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Anthony Mazzella, a psychoanalyst who specializes in working with narcissistic dynamics. We go far beyond surface-level conversations about narcissism. This isn’t about labels, buzzwords, or quick fixes. It’s about what’s actually happening underneath the behavior and what truly helps. We talk about why arguing over “reality” never works, why confrontation often backfires, and how...
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The Unconventional Path: Why Your Practice Doesn’t Need Another Resolution | TPOT 414
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
As we step into a new year, many of us feel it—that quiet but persistent pressure to do more, fix more, and somehow have everything figured out right now. New goals, new systems, bigger numbers—and for practice owners, that pressure can feel especially heavy and often pretty lonely. In today’s episode, I want to invite you to think about January differently—not as a month for pushing harder or becoming more efficient, but as a chance to slow down and get honest about what you can actually hold. Drawing on Barbara Brown Taylor’s Home by Another Way and Oliver Burkeman’s 4,000 Weeks,...
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How AI Can Transform Private Practice Marketing | Greg Goodman | TPOT 413
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
I am so excited for today’s episode because we’re diving into one of the most transformative tools in private practice right now: AI. And joining me is someone who has been living at the intersection of mental health, creativity, and digital marketing for nearly two decades—Greg Goodman of Goodman Creatives. Greg isn’t a therapist, but his story is rooted deeply in the world of mental health. Inspired by his father’s work as a clinician, he built a career helping therapists share their voice, grow their practices, and create meaningful impact through smart, authentic marketing....
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Why Private Practice Owners Feel Overwhelmed (and How to Fix It) | Samantha Parrinello | TPOT 412
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
If you’ve ever ended a workday wondering, “Where did all my time go?”—this episode is going to change the way you run your business. In today’s conversation, I sit down with executive coach Samantha Perinello, a powerhouse in helping business owners reclaim their time, streamline their operations, and finally build the kind of practice that doesn’t rely on them for every little task. Samantha has a remarkable track record—her clients regularly get back 10 to 14 hours every single week—and she’s here to break down exactly how that happens. We dive into the real reasons so many...
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How Personal Calling Shapes Your Private Practice | Derrick Boger | TPOT 411
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
In today’s episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I’m excited to introduce you to someone who made a big impact on me at the Wise Practice Conference—Derrick Boger. Derrick is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, military veteran, former firefighter, and the founder of Transformation Christian Counseling in Greensboro, North Carolina. His journey into the therapy world is rooted in a lifelong commitment to serving others, and you’ll hear that passion come through in every part of our conversation. In this episode, Derrick and I dive deep into what it really looks like to...
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The Exit Plan Every Therapist Should Have (But Most Don’t) | Carla Titus | TPOT 410
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Welcome back to the Practice of Therapy Podcast! I’m Gordon Brewer, and I am so glad you’re here today because we’re diving into a topic that every private practice owner needs to be thinking about—whether you’re brand new or decades into the work. I’m thrilled to welcome back my friend and financial powerhouse, Carla Titus. Every time Carla joins us, she brings clarity, strategy, and a whole lot of honesty about what it really takes to run a profitable, sustainable practice. And today, we’re talking about something most of us don’t think about until we’re exhausted, burned...
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How Traditional Therapy Misses the Mark for Men | Marc Azoulay | TPOT 409
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Today’s episode is one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. We’re diving into a topic that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough in our field—men’s mental health—and why so many traditional therapy approaches miss the mark when it comes to helping men heal. My guest is Marc Azoulay, LPC, LAC, CGP, ACS—the founder of Men’s Therapy Online and host of The Men’s Therapy Podcast. Marc brings a powerful blend of psychoanalysis, neuroscience, and Buddhism to his work, and he’s built an incredible community that helps men get real, get connected, and get results. In...
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Integrating Sexuality and Somatic Work in Private Practice | Darshana Avila | TPOT 408
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
In today’s episode, I am sitting down with Darshana Avila for a truly fascinating and important conversation about the intersection of sexuality, somatic work, and trauma healing. As therapists, we often talk about the mind and body connection, but many of us shy away from exploring how that connection relates to our clients’ sexuality, intimacy, and sense of pleasure. Darshana brings a deeply trauma-informed and culturally sensitive approach to this work, helping clients reconnect with their bodies, navigate consent, and move beyond shame into embodied wholeness. In our discussion,...
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Boundaries, Growth, and Private Practice Success | Dr. Jason Branch | TPOT 407
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Well, y’all are in for a treat today. My guest, Dr. Jason Branch, brings some serious fire and fresh perspective to this conversation. He’s been in the counseling world for over two decades, as a clinician, educator, and entrepreneur, and what I love most about him is how real he gets about the struggles we all face in private practice: imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and finding the courage to just keep showing up. Jason has an incredible way of using analogies that stick: salamanders, gators, and what he calls being D.U.N. - doing things that are different, uncomfortable, and new....
info_outlineThere are some conversations you record where you know right away that they’re going to land differently.
In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Julie Merriman, a therapist, professor, and longtime advocate for helpers who are quietly burning out. We talk about something that hits close to home for many of us in this profession: what happens when we’re really good at helping everyone else, but don’t know how to receive ourselves.
Julie shares how so many therapists become what she calls “floating heads of competence.” We’re full of knowledge, skill, and clinical insight, yet deeply disconnected from our bodies, our needs, and our sense of purpose beyond performance. We talk honestly about burnout, compassion fatigue, money, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and why private practice itself isn’t what burns us out. Disconnection is.
This isn’t a conversation about working harder or pushing through. It’s about staying human in a profession that asks a lot of us, and learning how to stay in it without losing ourselves.
If you’ve ever felt tired in a way that rest doesn’t fix, this episode is for you.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
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Meet Dr. Julie Merriman
Dr. Julie Merriman is a licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, professor, and author, and the voice behind From Burnout to Freedom—a movement helping high-achieving women in healthcare over 50 heal from burnout and reclaim their freedom.
With more than 30 years of experience in clinical practice and counselor education, Dr. Merriman has trained hundreds of emerging therapists, served as an associate dean, department director, and clinical coordinator, and led CACREP accreditation work. Her scholarship and teaching span compassion fatigue, burnout, trauma-informed care, polyvagal theory, spiritual integration, and the lived experience of long-term helpers.
After experiencing a profound, career-shaping burnout that ultimately contributed to her breast cancer diagnosis, Dr. Merriman rebuilt her life and work from the inside out. Today, she blends neuroscience, embodiment practices, and decades of clinical wisdom to guide women healers through identity transitions, emotional exhaustion, and the “scorched earth” season that often arrives after 50.
Her podcast, From Burnout to Freedom, offers honest conversations and research-backed strategies for women who have spent a lifetime caring for everyone else and are finally ready to reclaim creativity, joy, and purpose.
Dr. Merriman brings a relatable, deeply human presence to every interview. She combines academic rigor with ranch-life storytelling, humor, and a fierce commitment to helping helpers heal.