A Little Mental (2025)

30/12/2023

Fun fact: the client isn't the only one who can benefit from the therapeutic dynamic!

Sharing your life experiences with your therapist gives them the opportunity to learn more about you and the world you live in. And while your therapist's level of competence should already be at a place that allows them to create a safe and honorable space for you, your therapist doesn't know everything - and that's okay!

Learning together and from one another is beautiful part of the therapeutic process. It can create a lasting positive impact on you as the client and your therapist✨

Want to learn more about the impact of a long term therapeutic relationship? Check out episode 13 of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

29/12/2023

Shoutout to the safe spaces created in therapy to be your messiest self😅

Building rapport with your therapist can open the door for a lot of different opportunities for healing and processing! Allowing yourself to let go of the mask you put on for others, and being willing to be transparent with your therapist leads to great moments of awareness, growth, and healing for yourself.

Want to hear more about Morgan's journey with therapy? Check out the A Little Mental Podcast's season finale, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

28/12/2023

Confidentiality is a big deal when it comes to the therapist dynamic. Your therapist should never "out" the fact that you are their client. That being said, it can absolutely be a conversation around expectations if seen in public.

Dr. George James talks about how he maintains confidentiality and how he adapts to a client's decision about to be open about their relationship, but every therapist addresses this differently!

Want to learn more about the therapeutic dynamic and get a peek inside an almost decade long therapeutic relationship? Check out episode 13 of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

27/12/2023

Finding a therapist can seem like a daunting task, but it can lead to such a beautiful and healing experience! Like many other things in life, taking time to invest in the process and being willing to keep trying usually brings you to an even better result than you originally imagined.

Check out the rest of what Morgan says on finding her best fit with Dr. George James on the season finale of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube🎙

26/12/2023

SEASON 1 FINALE!🎙

Have you ever wondered what it's like to go to the same therapist for years? Have you ever wanted to be nosy about what another person's therapeutic dynamic is like? For this finale episode of Season 1, Morgan is joined by her therapist of over six years, Dr. George James, LMFT.

Listen to the final episode of the season and catch up with the rest of the A Little Mental Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

24/12/2023

Just because one experience isn't fulfilling doesn't mean therapy as a whole isn't for you.

If you've ever shopped somewhere, eaten somewhere, or experienced something that wasn't the best, did it deter you from ever dealing with something like it again? Or did you just try somewhere else?

Finding the best therapist for you is a process. The more you experience, the more you learn about what you do and don't want in a therapist - and that's a really good thing.

Want to learn more about how to navigate finding a therapist? Check out the A Little Mental podcast, available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube🎙

23/12/2023

You're allowed to ask questions and interview a potential therapist! In fact, asking them to break down concepts even as foundational as what therapy actually is can be helpful in your selection process.

How do they answer the question? How do they react to you asking a question? Do you feel like they want to help you learn?

Check out the A Little Mental Podcast to learn more about therapy and how to navigate situations that may come up on your therapeutic journey. You can find the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

22/12/2023

It is the therapist's job to recognize and identify that the connection between them and a client is not working. It is the therapist's job to make space for the client to give feedback on how they think sessions are going. They are ethically obligated to ensure that you are taken care of, regardless if they recognize it should be with them or a different therapist.

But what happens if the therapist doesn't name it?

Check out episode 12 of the A Little Mental Podcast to learn how to deal with this if it comes up. Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

21/12/2023

While the therapist should take the lead in ensuring you are in a safe and healing-oriented space, there are moments in therapy where you may have to take ownership of it yourself.

So how do you deal with the fact that you may need to do this in a space you shouldn't have to? How do you prepare yourself and practice it so you do it in a way that communicates what you want and need in a full way?

Dr. Stevenson goes over the incredible tool known as CLCBE and dives into deeper detail in episode 12 of the A Little Mental Podcast. Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

20/12/2023

Race is difficult to talk about because we're often taught not to talk about it. But to not talk about race, to not name it, can be inherently damaging to our ability to show up in different spaces.

So what happens if this shows up in therapy?

Dr. Stevenson dives into how to navigate conversations around race and experiencing racial stress in the therapeutic setting in episode 12 of the A Little Mental podcast. Available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

19/12/2023

Race and racial stress can be part of the therapeutic dynamic, for better or for worse. You may be processing racial stress in therapy or even encounter racially stressful situations with your therapist. In this episode, our guest, Dr. Howard Stevenson, discusses how you can handle these situations using CLCBE and other tools.

In this episode, you will learn:

🔘 How race and racial stress may play a role in your therapeutic dynamic.
🔘 How you can stand up for yourself in racially stressful situations.
🔘 What CLCBE is and how you can use it to increase introspective awareness.
🔘 What questions you should come in ready to ask a new therapist.
🔘 What to do if you don't like your first therapist and are nervous to try a new one.

Check out episode 12 of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

18/12/2023

We all hold multiple identities and typically when we think of types of identities, we consider things like race, gender, sexuality, and ability. But another type of identity to consider, especially when determining if a therapist is right for you, is social roles.

We get into this more in the latest episode of the A Little Mental Podcast. Listen to the rest of the episode on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube🎙

16/12/2023

While gravitating to a therapist that has similar identities to you is completely warranted, it's important to still ensure there is a genuine connection between the two of you.

Just because someone is like you on paper, doesn't always mean they can relate or understand your experiences. And just because someone doesn't present in society like you do, doesn't mean they can't relate or understand the impact of your experiences.

The goal is to make sure that whoever your therapist is, they are able to provide a safe space for you to engage in your therapeutic experience.

Want to learn more? Check out episode 11 of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

15/12/2023

Have you considered breaking up with your therapist because the vibe was off?
Have you stayed with a therapist because they just got you?

Rapport is the major factor in both of these decisions.

It's the connection you and your therapist build over time so they can help you navigate your therapeutic journey. Whether that's from laughing the same things, to them going off on a tangent with you about the latest episode of your favorite show, to them sharing parts of their own journey, rapport is a tool that therapists use to help you feel safe and secure in a space where you may be talking through experiences that may make you feel the exact opposite.

Want to learn more about how that works? Check out the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

14/12/2023

In the latest episode of the A Little Mental Podcast, we talk about whether your therapist needs to look like you, and how identities impact your therapeutic dynamic.

In this episode, we answer:
🎙 Does your therapist have to look like you to understand you?
🎙 Why do folks seek therapists with similar race and gender identities?
🎙 How do the origins of talk therapy impact the experience of people with marginalized identities seeking therapy?
🎙 What are social roles?
🎙 How does having similar social roles with your therapist improve your therapeutic experience?
🎙 What is disclosure in therapy?
🎙 Will your therapist talk about themselves in therapy?

If you want to hear the answers to these questions, check out episode 11 of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube🎙

12/12/2023

Have you ever wondered, "Does my therapist have to look like me to get me?" While it's a normal and important question, it's really referring to a bigger question: "What about my therapist will help me feel safe and comfortable while giving me the best chance of having my experiences validated?" So in this episode, we talk about whether your therapist needs to look like you, and how identities impact your therapeutic dynamic.

In this episode, we answer:

🔘 Does your therapist have to look like you to understand you?
🔘 Why do folks seek therapists with similar race and gender identities?
🔘 How do the origins of talk therapy impact the experience of people with marginalized identities seeking therapy?
🔘 What are social roles?
🔘 How does having similar social roles with your therapist improve your therapeutic experience?
🔘 What is disclosure in therapy?
🔘 Will your therapist talk about themselves in therapy?

Check out the latest episode of the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube!

11/12/2023

There are all sorts of amazing resources out there but finding the energy to do the work to find what works for you can be tough, especially when you're at a point where you know you need help.

That's why A Little Mental exists - to help you access resources, learn about mental health, and heal on your mental wellness journey.

Want to start getting answers to your questions and find what you're looking for? Check out our website alittlemental.org, and listen to the A Little Mental Podcast, available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube🎙

09/12/2023

It is so important to find the therapist that works for YOU.

The best therapist for one person may not be the best therapist for the next, and that's okay!

Finding a therapist that understands your intersecting identities, especially when those identities are historically marginalized, can literally be life saving. Brittany talks about why she is committed to working with folks with marginalized identities, and how that impacts the effectiveness of her work with her clients for the better.

Want to learn more about why alignment between a therapist and client are important? Check out episode 10 of the A Little Mental podcast, available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube🎙

A Little Mental