Welcome to Working Phase!
The anti-burnout, pro-human, resource for therapists' professional development.
Always free to subscribers.
Supporters Live: Schedule Change/Deadline Extended 1 DAY (+A Little Joy Intervention From a Real Writer)
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"The Working Phase Perspective" (Main Essay)
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There's no essay this week, Working Phase (and I, Andreana, the human behind it) is in product development mode!Â
If you were busy this month (hahaha she laugh/cries in the language of all 2025 therapists...) Catch up with these:
Is It Time to Sc...
by acm —
Jun 30, 2025
supporters live
Is it time to screen for AI use in client safety planning?
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Being realistic about AI use means acknowledging a few things:Â
Chat-based AI is not going anywhere.
The promises of AI (like any new technology) are a little overhyped.
Until we have developed tech literacy about this new tool, humans will use the tech in both beautiful and terrible ways.Â
T...
Jun 23, 2025
essential downloads
joy intervention
presenting issues
subscriber connect and learn
the working phase perspective
The Free, Low-Tech, #1 Step to Fixing Your Focus at Work
I tell my clients who are struggling with concentration, intense stress, or with completing tasks on time to do the following:
Keep a notebook and pen to the side of your computer during your focused work sessions (like during a pomodoro or during important meetings or writing sessions).
Use that...
by ACM —
Jun 21, 2025
focus
productivity
tip
welcome rainwater readers!
Father's Day 2025, Resources and Jokes for Dads
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Happy Father’s Day to all the fatherly therapists out there!Â
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(Yes, I see you and I’m very glad you’re here; our community needs your presence.)Â
Let me get straight to the point. Fathers are in dire need of support. Immediately.
If you specialize in treating men, you know that the stigma fo...
by acm —
Jun 16, 2025
essential downloads
joy intervention
presenting issues
subscriber connect and learn
the working phase perspective
Is it OK to Eat in Session? (+ Resources for EMDR Tx, LA News, and Pretty Flowers)
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As mental health professionals, we often speak to our clients about healthy habits, boundaries, and self-care. But how do you and I model these principles in our own professional lives? More than just the advice you offer, the way you show up in session communicates volumes about your values a...
Jun 09, 2025
essential downloads
intergenerational exchange
joy intervention
presenting issues
subscriber connect and learn
the working phase perspective
KP Strike Ends, Pride Begins, + This Song Won't Get Out of My Head!
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The Working Phase Perspective
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The Kaiser Mental Health Strike is Officially Over!
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6 months of picketing, arrests, hunger strikes, no pay, to make a stand. You told the system that therapists are just as valuable to the lives of patients as other healthcare professionals.Â
[In fact, often, ...
by acm —
Jun 02, 2025
joy intervention
presenting issues
subscriber connect
wp perspective
"What I've Done:" A Rage Room Review and Community Roundup
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The Working Phase Perspective
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Smashing Through Learned Helplessness: A Therapist Visits a Rage Room
Hey you! I was off last week because I did something a little out of the ordinary, and truly cathartic: I visited a rage room.Â
If you've never heard of a rage room, all it is is a safe space...
by ACM —
May 25, 2025
intergenerational exchange
joy intervention
presenting issues
wp perspective
Expand your definition of the "Maternal Instinct" (Happy Mother's Day 2025)
In honor of Mother's Day, I highly recommend a listen to NPR's Throughline podcast episode on Motherhood.Â
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/01/1248444381/motherhood
As I texted my therapist friend when I became a new mom, I love being the specific mother to my specific kid, (the kid i...
May 11, 2025
Is a sabbatical even realistic?
I’ve been diving into this topic of sabbaticals because let’s face it, this is a hard time for therapists, especially if you work with a vulnerable population.
The biggest, baddest barrier to considering things like intentional leave from work is the idea of how unrealistic it is.
We do this mean...
by acm —
May 05, 2025
burnout prevention
sabbatical
therapists
(corrected) A therapist mentor shares their sabbatical experience. [+Co-work with me!]
Last week I asked ya’ll for your experiences with either:
Leave of absence
Sabbatical
Gap Years
Or any other extended break from work, beyond maternity/paternity leave (which, while wildly transformative, isn’t a break at all). Â
I got a super thoughtful response from Anita, a private practice th...
Apr 28, 2025
A therapist mentor shares their sabbatical experience. [+Co-work with me!]
Last week I asked ya’ll for your experiences with either:
Leave of absence
Sabbatical
Gap Years
Or any other extended break from work, beyond maternity/paternity leave (which, while wildly transformative, isn’t a break at all). Â
I got a super thoughtful response from Anita, a private practice th...
Apr 27, 2025
Sabbatical. "Suh" + "Bat" + "I" + "Kuhl". Sabbatical
This week, I’m writing with a simple question:
Have you ever taken a long leave of absence from therapy work?Â
Maybe it was a formal sabbatical.
Maybe it was just time to focus on yourself or family (ideally beyond the laughable 4-12 weeks of mat leave that's supposed to cover childbirth recovery...
Apr 21, 2025
current events
goals
professional development
q2 2025
quarterly plan
Working Phase
