Finding Community and Retreats for Therapists Hey there, welcome back to Soul Care for Therapists! Get ready for an amazing episode filled with excitement and inspiration. But before we jump right in, let me share something truly special with you. Recently, I attended an extraordinary conference that brought together group practice owners. The energy, friendship, and pure joy I experienced there were absolutely invigorating! This got me thinking about the incredible importance of finding a community of therapists who understand and support us. If you haven't already, I strongly encourage you to seek out a group of like-minded practitioners who can be your rock-solid support system. And hey, if you're having trouble finding one locally, I've got you covered! I offer Sacred Space Community Groups and an incredible retreat that can help you connect with others and experience revitalization. You can find all the details on my website. Picture this: a retreat that promises renewal, rest, and endless fun in the breathtaking beauty of the Colorado mountains. Now, let's dive into the highlights of this week's show! Emotional Reactions in Leading a Team in a Private Practice Dawn introduces her special guest, Aaron Potaz, a licensed professional counselor and the owner of Discover Counseling. Aaron shares insights on the challenges faced by therapists as they lead a team, highlighting the emotional reactions that often arise in such situations. He explains that these emotional reactions can complicate decision-making and hinder problem-solving. Aaron emphasizes the importance of managing and setting aside these emotions to gain clarity. Even though we are therapists we can often struggle to acknowledge and validate our own emotions. Aaron advises therapists to start by acknowledging their emotions and being honest with themselves. He suggests identifying and validating the feelings, recognizing that it's natural to have emotional responses. Aaron shares the importance of permitting oneself to experience these emotions without judgment. By validating and accepting their feelings, therapists can move past them and gain a clearer perspective. "In order to move past your feelings, you've gotta know what your feelings are... Let's look at the facts more objectively now that I'm not really as reactive." - Aaron Potaz As therapists, it is easy to slide into compassion mode and put our business mind and owner responsibilities in the back seat. The trick is to balance compassion and objectivity. Dawn appreciates Aaron's ability to blend compassion with a strong business mindset. Aaron explains that therapists can maintain their compassion while focusing on problem-solving and being objective. He notes that compassion doesn't have to be an "active ingredient" in every situation but can still underlie one's approach to leadership. Aaron shares that by managing their emotions and staying true to themselves, therapists can become better problem solvers. "Why can't you be both?... You can be compassionate without reacting from fear." - Aaron Potaz Navigating Emotional Reactions as a Therapist Business Owner Dawn and Aaron delve deeper into navigating emotional reactions, providing practical tips for therapists leading a team. They emphasize the importance of self-awareness and owning one's feelings rather than suppressing them. By identifying and acknowledging emotions, therapists can move toward problem-solving and taking appropriate action. Dawn highlights the significance of vulnerability and self-reflection in addressing emotional reactions. She mentions how feedback from trusted colleagues helped Aaron recognize his feelings and the need to manage them more effectively. Aaron shares his journey of embracing vulnerability, understanding his feelings, and validating them without allowing them to hinder problem-solving. "I don't need to have those feelings... they're actually very not helpful. And so as I move to understand my feelings and accept