Best Jordan Pickell and Alison McCleary Podcasts (2024)

1
The Meaning of Silence 30:33

14d ago30:33

30:33

In this episode, we explore what might be happening with clients when there is silence. Sometimes it's an awkward silence, sometimes they are contemplating what to say next or they are dissociated, and sometimes they are waiting for us to take the reigns. We share our perspectives on sitting in the silence versus breaking it, and talk about the dif…

1
Rethinking Unconditional Positive Regard 34:26

13d ago34:26

34:26

Unconditional positive regard, a concept introduced by Carl Rogers, emphasizes accepting and supporting clients without judgment regardless of what the client says or does. We have thoughts! Join us on October 26th for our 1-day conference in beautiful North Vancouver. For more information, visit EventBrite and search Edge of the Couch. Secure your…

1
When Clients Dismiss Their Trauma 32:13

20d ago32:13

32:13

What do you do when a client describes a traumatic experience, but then proceeds to shrug it off? In this episode, we explore what might be going on when clients dismiss what we gather are traumatic experiences. We discuss possible reasons behind this phenomenon, including denial, dissociation, or simply seeing it as common and therefore, normal an…

1
Working with Clients who are "Too Emotional" 47:01

27d ago47:01

47:01

Now, we don’t believe that clients can be “too emotional” but many clients come to therapy with narratives around emotion that may make them feel that they are being too much when they are emotional in session - crying is a weakness, anger is a bad emotion, I’m a cry baby, stoicism is best etc. As clinicians we have to sit with the full spectrum of…

1
Are Therapists Becoming Enmeshed? 44:03

1M ago44:03

44:03

This week, we talk about therapist enmeshment - what it is, how it happens, and what therapists can do to ensure they have appropriate boundaries with clients. For this conversation, we’re placing the context at the feet of the therapists and exploring how some therapy practices and some therapists encourage emotional enmeshment with clients. We ta…

1
Why Therapists Aren't Talking about Genocide 17:26

1M ago17:26

17:26

We're in between seasons right now, but we feel it is long overdue to talk about Palestine and what therapists are wrestling with when it comes to speaking up about genocide in session and in public. We are taught "do no harm" but at what point is our silence more harmful than speaking out? As always, we ask for openness and curiosity as we engage …

1
Celebrating 100 Episodes: A Love Letter to Ourselves and to You, Our Listeners 56:26

4M ago56:26

56:26

In this special episode, we look back at the history of our podcast, our favourite episodes, and the vulnerable things about doing the podcast. We read some recent DMs from Instagram, a one-star review, and we listen to some voice notes sent in by listeners. We recorded this one late at night (for us at least!) so we get a little loopy at the end s…

1
Managing Our Own Shit When It's Activated in Session 37:50

4M ago37:50

37:50

Our penultimate episode this season explores what can happen when the content of the session tugs at all of our own shit! Maybe we’re experiencing something similar to our clients in our own lives or the client says something that reminds us of ourselves. Maybe the client experience is pulling forward memories of something we’ve said or done before…

1
When You Feel Like You Need to Prove Yourself 41:24

5M ago41:24

41:24

In this episode, we dive into a common struggle suggested by one of our awesome listeners: the nagging feeling of not "doing enough" in therapy. Join us as we unpack this topic and ask ourselves the question: Do trainings really make you a better therapist? We share our experiences and some controversial opinions. Whether you're a seasoned therapis…

1
When a Client Rejects Us 43:58

5M ago43:58

43:58

This is a highly requested topic that comes with so much charge and tenderness. This week, we’re talking about being rejected by a client. We explore the myriad of rejections that can happen in the relationship - both micro and macro moments. We tenderly share what can come up for therapists when a client stops scheduling sessions or tells us they …

1
Starting and Ending Sessions 34:20

5M ago34:20

34:20

This week we are taking it back to the basics-- how to open and close sessions! We share our favourite opening questions/remarks, talk about why it can be valuable to avoid “how are you” as the opening question, and what to do when clients look to you, the therapist, to lead. On the flip side, we wrap up the session by talking about the benefits of…

1
Responding to "I Don't Know" 39:47

5M ago39:47

39:47

This week, we’re sharing how we respond when clients answer with “I don’t know”s. We talk about why “I don’t know” can feel so discombobulating, how to respond effectively and without panicking, what these responses might mean from clients, and why they can help deepen the therapy work. We explore both when clients who often have robust answers sud…

1
Cancellations, Late Cancellations, and No-Shows 48:33

6M ago48:33

48:33

No-show and cancellation conversations are some of the most charged and controversial among therapists. There are constant debates about whether to charge for cancellations or not, how much notice is reasonable to therapists, and how strict or flexible to be with these policies. This week we deep dive into the huge importance of having clear polici…

1
Helping Clients Take Relational Risks 36:39

6M ago36:39

36:39

Many clients come to therapy with a history of charged relationship dynamics. Maybe they’ve been people-pleasing, maybe they shut others out, maybe they have difficulty being vulnerable with friends, maybe they crave closeness but don’t know how to get it, maybe they dance between investing too little in relationships to putting everything into the…

1
Disillusionment, Exhaustion, and the Economy: Why so many therapists are leaving the field 33:12

6M ago33:12

33:12

If you’re on any therapy forums, part of a therapist group, or even currently becoming a therapist, you’ve undoubtedly seen people talking about therapists leaving the field. One of the most common questions we get from new therapists is how to know if the field is right for them given how much of a hard time they are having. This week we discuss o…

1
The Differences and Similarities Between In-Person and Virtual Sessions 45:47

6M ago45:47

45:47

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the landscape of therapy. Where before 2020 online therapy was met with a great deal of skepticism and judgment, once in-person sessions were no longer possible, clinicians across the world had to pivot into virtual work. At first, it seemed that the changes may only be temporary (“just until it’s safe to b…

1
When Clients Talk about "Small Things" 47:25

7M ago47:25

47:25

Major major MAJOR caveat: what clients bring to sessions is important regardless of the ‘size’ of it. We used the terminology “small things” as it felt that it explained the situation in the most precise way but we know that nothing is ever really “small” when we consider context, our clients’ lives, and the power of little things in our day-to-day…

1
Therapist Boundaries 31:02

7M ago31:02

31:02

Join us in a candid conversation about policies and power in therapy. We delve into the topic of therapist boundaries, drawing parallels with dynamics with supervisors and bosses. We get real about the challenges of asserting boundaries within complicated power dynamics, whether you're the therapist with your own clients or you're navigating dynami…

1
Naming the Elephant in the Room 27:52

7M ago27:52

27:52

Let’s imagine that in the course of a session, a client casually mentions something that feels big but the conversation moves beyond it quickly. As the therapist, we may have a sense that we need to go back to that big thing (such as a history of abuse or an upcoming grief anniversary or that they lost their job) but we may not know how or when to …

1
Working with Shame 30:41

7M ago30:41

30:41

Shame is often talked about in pop psych, but what does it mean? In this episode all about this tender emotion, we describe how the different theoretical frameworks understand how shame operates and how to work with it to move the therapy forward. From childhood trauma and abuse to marginalized identities and privilege, we unpack how shame might sh…

1
The Therapist as Fellow Traveller 25:43

8M ago25:43

25:43

In our therapeutic work, we think of ourselves as ‘fellow travellers’ who journey alongside our clients in the evolving, changing, learning etc. But recently we were asked by a listener, “what does being a fellow traveller actually mean?” We realized then that we’ve never taken the time to dive into what we really mean when we use this metaphor. Th…

1
What We Look for in Practicum Students 34:00

8M ago34:00

34:00

We’re back and excited for Season 6!! We’re opening the season with a juicy question that we get a lot - what are practicum supervisors looking for? We can’t speak for all supervisors but we had a great time recording this episode explaining what we both look for in student applications. Applying to a practicum site or a new therapist job is a pret…

1
Hardest Moments, Most Joyful Moments 44:16

11M ago44:16

44:16

From celebrating clients' milestones and triumphs to helping them navigate the darkest seasons of life, in our final episode of Season 5, we'll share what makes being a therapist especially meaningful. We also discuss what happens when clients have news and we have very different feelings about it than our clients. If you have enjoyed listening alo…

1
The Dreaded Summer Slump 32:44

11M ago32:44

32:44

Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordanpickellcounselling.ca @jordanpickellcounselling on Instagram Edge of the Couch www.edgeofthecouch.com @edgeofthecouchpod on Instagram We have partnered with Janeapp, an all-in-one practice management software. You can learn more at Jane.app/men…

1
The Basic Skills of Therapy, According to Us 40:31

1y ago40:31

40:31

We’ve often joked that if we were to start a counselling school, the basic skills training would look very different than the program we completed together. In this episode, we share with you the foundational therapy skills that guide our practice and that we think therapy school should focus on instead-- empathy, presence, comfort, attunement, and…

1
Q&A: Big Questions Answered 47:09

1y ago47:09

47:09

We met on zoom with listeners for a LIVE Q&A episode where members of our community asked questions in real time. We discuss how to help clients sit with their difficult feelings, how to manage the moments when a client is seeking answers but doesn’t seem satisfied with the tools you’re offering, how to be thoughtful about maintaining privacy durin…

1
Sitting with Grieving Clients 46:53

1y ago46:53

46:53

Grief and loss are inevitable parts of therapeutic work. Clients' pain (or anger or confusion) is sometimes so big and it can feel delicate for new therapists to know how to hold all of the bigness. Many programs don’t prepare new therapists for how to support clients who have experienced a significant loss. We know that new and seasoned therapists…

1
The Unsettling Truth of Bad Therapists 43:50

1y ago43:50

43:50

There is a welcome discourse about the humanity of therapists. But with this new perspective, we risk losing sight of the reality that some therapists are actively harmful. In this episode, we talk about egregious mistakes therapists make. Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordanpick…

1
Clients Who Exclusively Talk About Other People 51:40

1y ago51:40

51:40

The therapeutic hour is such a unique space in which full attention is dedicated to the client. As clinicians, we are all set to really centre the client in the conversations and skill-building. We want to know all about that singular person and we want them to take up the space for their hour. Not only do they pay for that time, but it’s also a sa…

1
Do Clients Owe Us The Truth? 37:13

1y ago37:13

37:13

The big question this week is about whether clients owe us the truth. We believe that as therapists, we are always working from the foundational assumption that clients are telling us the truth. We listen and believe their stories, offering reactions to whatever is present at any given time. Even if we are getting partial truths, stories without sp…

1
Being Selective about Clients: Are we allowed work solely with ideal clients? 50:26

1y ago50:26

50:26

At the midway point of our season, we’re talking all about what an ideal client really is. We’re also navigating the controversial topic about whether therapists are permitted to be highly selective about the clients they work with. While these topics tend to come up in marketing conversations (how to ensure your website attracts your ideal client,…

1
The Difference Between Theoretical Orientation and Personal Approach 39:37

1y ago39:37

39:37

As new therapists, we are often exploring what we like, how we want to speak, what our approach really is. And as such, we may adopt an approach that we think fits with our theoretical orientation (“this is probably how an AEDP therapist does therapy”). This week’s episode is all about how to hold our theoretical orientation in mind as a framework …

1
Finding Levity in Therapy 45:40

1+ y ago45:40

45:40

Lots of the conversations about being a therapist are heavy and that’s simply the nature of the work. We know that and we love being in the heaviness. But therapy isn’t all heaviness. As therapists, we share many moments with our clients that are sunny and joy-filled, too. This week’s episode is all about lightness, fun, and silliness being used as…

1
Metaphor and Analogy as Therapeutic Tools 39:52

1+ y ago39:52

39:52

In this episode, we discuss the various ways metaphor and analogy come up in therapy. We invite you to use these as tools for deepening the therapeutic relationship, deepening client understanding, and creating a shared vocabulary that you can use with each client. And we have a great time swapping stories of times that these tools have been most h…

1
Parents, Parenting, and Parental Estrangement 57:44

1+ y ago57:44

57:44

Content note: Mentions of childhood sexual abuse No matter what your modality, the client goals, or the presenting issue, all clients will mention parenting at some point. This episode explores the complex nature of parents and parenting. We talk about how to do therapy with adult children processing how they were parented. We discuss how to work w…

1
How Much Relational Processing is Too Much? 41:34

1+ y ago41:34

41:34

In this listener-requested episode, we define what relationship processing is, why it’s valuable in therapy, and how to have conversations with clients about the therapeutic relationship. We also gently examine if there are moments where relational processing is ill-advised and if there can be too much of a good thing? Alison McCleary www.alpenglow…

1
When Clients Say They Aren't Getting Anything Out of Therapy 41:51

1+ y ago41:51

41:51

This week’s episode is all about navigating the moment when a client can’t (or won’t?) see the impact and/or benefits of therapy. We share all of the ways that we respond in these types of hard moments. We also share how we have learned to reframe these moments as opportunities for deepening the relationship with the client and for understanding th…

1
Showing Up When You Don’t Feel Your Best 39:14

1+ y ago39:14

39:14

Welcome to Season 5 of Edge of the Couch. For this season, every episode will focus on a topic requested by listeners. In this episode, we discuss something that every therapist will inevitably face at some point in their career: how to show up for sessions when you're not feeling your best. Whether it's due to illness, a family emergency, a breaku…

1
Responding to Feedback about the Podcast 39:17

1+ y ago39:17

39:17

[Content note: Mention of abortion] In the closing episode of Season 4, we break our typical format to talk about the feedback we've received about the podcast, specifically when people have told us they have disagreed with us. We appreciate your questions, feedback, and ideas for the podcast, and please keep them coming! Alison McCleary www.alpeng…

1
When You Have a Mediocre Session 40:43

1+ y ago40:43

40:43

Sometimes you end the video chat or close the therapy room door at the end of session and there's a feeling of confusion, missed opportunity, or incompletion. The session was a dud. In this episode, we talk about our own experiences with sessions that don't really feel like they go anywhere, the feelings that come up, and our unique self-critical v…

1
Can Clients Become Too Dependent on Therapy? 43:44

1+ y ago43:44

43:44

Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordanpickellcounselling.ca @jordanpickellcounselling on Instagram Edge of the Couch www.edgeofthecouch.com @edgeofthecouchpod on Instagram We have partnered with Janeapp, an all-in-one practice management software. You can learn more at Jane.app/men…

1
When Your Clients Take Your Words and Run with Them 35:55

1+ y ago35:55

35:55

Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordanpickellcounselling.ca @jordanpickellcounselling on Instagram Edge of the Couch www.edgeofthecouch.com @edgeofthecouchpod on Instagram We have partnered with Janeapp, an all-in-one practice management software. You can learn more at Jane.app/men…

1
The Art of Asking Questions 44:45

1+ y ago44:45

44:45

In this episode, we unpack some of the messages we received in graduate school around the use of questions in session. We share some of our favourite question phrases and encouragement to continue developing your skills (and self-compassion!). Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordan…

1
Are Boys and Men a Special Population? - Interview with Jake Ernst 1:05:23

1+ y ago1:05:23

1:05:23

This week, we talk with Jake Ernst, also known as @mswjake on Instagram. He's a social worker, a Clinical Director, and co-host of the This is Not Therapy podcast. Today, we explore what it looks like working with men and boys, trends he's seeing with young people right now, and what it is like being a therapist on social media. Jake is such a warm…

1
Honouring All of Your Identities as a Therapist 38:42

1+ y ago38:42

38:42

Grad school sometimes tries to separate the various parts of our identity into “therapist” and “everything else” but we don’t think therapists need to do that necessarily. In this episode, we talk about the power of integrating all different parts of ourselves into our work as clinicians, whether it’s sharing with clients our love of gardening or d…

1
Understanding Your Scope of Practice 40:30

1+ y ago40:30

40:30

Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_counselling on Instagram Jordan Pickell www.jordanpickellcounselling.ca @jordanpickellcounselling on Instagram Edge of the Couch www.edgeofthecouch.com @edgeofthecouchpod on Instagram We have partnered with Janeapp, an all-in-one practice management software. You can learn more at Jane.app/men…

1
What You Deserve From Supervision: An Interview with Jennifer Hollinshead 53:56

1+ y ago53:56

53:56

We are joined by Jennifer Hollinshead, the clinical director at @peakresilience, a therapist/supervisor and all around cool person who is going to be talking about what supervisees deserve from their supervisors. She shares her personal (and theory backed) approach to supervision that emphasizes the relationship above all else, how supervisees can …

1
There are Consequences to Therapy 50:56

2y ago50:56

50:56

Therapy undoubtedly changes our clients! But how exactly are clients changed? This week, we’re exploring what we have noticed are the consequences of therapy. As you’ll hear, it’s hard to call changes either “good” or “bad”. Oftentimes what feels hard for clients is still good in the long run but it can still really suck right now! Alison McCleary …

1
What Does Authenticity Mean as a Therapist? 41:41

2y ago41:41

41:41

We talk about authenticity on our podcast all the time but we haven’t yet slowed down to define what we mean by ‘authenticity’ and what showing up authentically as a therapist really looks like. We share our evolving definitions of authenticity including the characteristics present in an authentic therapist (reciprocity, curiosity, self-reflection)…

1
Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and the Myth of Self-Care 41:36

2y ago41:36

41:36

This week’s episode was highly requested from listeners. We are exploring the causes of burnout for therapists and what we can do about it! Listen more to hear Alison get on her "soap box" about the myth of self-care and learn how Jordan can tell she has been impacted by vicarious trauma. Alison McCleary www.alpenglowcounselling.com @alpenglow_coun…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Jordan Pickell And Alison McCleary Podcasts

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