Interview with a Therapist
For this week’s blog, I decided to do something a little different. I have a lot of questions about the mental health field, for I want to be a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner when I am older. I know what I want to do, but sometimes I am not so sure of the route I should take to get there. To answer some of my questions, I decided to interview my boss, Amber Madden. I learned a lot from her answers, and hopefully you will too!
How many years of college did it take for you to become a therapist?
I attended 4 years of college for my bachelor's degree and then another 2-3 years for my masters. How much time one may spend on the masters degree is dependent upon how many classes they may choose to take at a time. I was working full time while pursuing my masters, so I took classes at a bit of a slower pace.
What is your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about my job is the amount of creativity it provides. In general, I am the type of person who likes to have the ability to explore different elements of creativity and to have new challenges. I have found the mental health profession to offer a variety of ways to be creative whether it is from developing individualized treatment plans for challenging clients, creating a private practice, utilizing social media to advocate for mental health or writing on a widespread range of topics related to mental health. There are lots of ways to be creative in this field and I find it adaptable to almost any industry as mental health applies to almost everything we do.
To be successful , what are 3 qualities that you believe a therapist should have?
Self-discipline - I say self discipline, because there is a significant part of mental health that requires devoting extra time and attention to clients in order to make sure they are receiving quality services. There are many times I need to devote extra time to researching about mental health conditions and the best and most effective ways of treating those conditions. At times, this can feel a bit like I'm preparing for a research paper, which may not be ideal to some individuals. However, I find this is important in making sure clients needs are met. Along the lines of self-discipline also comes with documentation. Documentation is a HUGE part of mental health practice and one of the areas that many clinicians have the most suffering because it can be unpleasant to have to spend additional time documenting sessions. It takes a great amount of discipline, especially in private practice, to make sure proper documentation is completed.
Interpersonal Skills or "Soft" Skills - I once read a book about becoming a "master" therapist. Actually, the name of the book is, On Being a Master Therapist, by Jeffrey A. Cottler and Jon Carlson. In this book, the duo explored on what elements were believed to become a "master" therapist. Time and time again, they referred to the relationship between the therapist and the client. This was also based on years of research and experience. I also believe this is a very important quality to have for being a good therapist. A therapist needs to have excellent interpersonal skills in order to be able to effectively listen to their clients, as well as convey empathy and caring about their presenting conditions. The relationship often is more important than the therapist skills utilized, as well.
A Knowledge of Ethical Principles - Do no harm continues to be a message in the medical and mental health professional world that is often stated. Therapists have a responsibility to their clients to ensure they are constantly helping them and not harming them. Many times, this can often refer to any ethical dilemmas that may come up during therapy and how the therapist navigates these challenges. A quality therapist needs to be well versed in the ethical guidelines of how to work with clients and what they can and cannot do to help clients.
What college did you attend, and what degrees did you receive?
I attended University of the Cumberlands receiving a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. I attended Union College to receive a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. Lastly, I received a Graduate Certificate in Eating Disorder Treatment from Northern Illinois University.
What made you decide to become a therapist?
I have always thought of myself to be an analytical person and someone who has enjoyed learning about people. When I was in college for my undergrad, I actually started out as a music major. I played violin and piano growing up and I thought I wanted to become a music teacher. However, I found the classes VERY challenging, the competition was steep between students and at the end of the day, I really did not know how much I actually wanted to teach. As part of my undergraduate basics, I was required to take an Introduction to Psychology course. I was completely fascinated by the material in this course. I loved everything I was learning and the learning felt effortless, so I took another course, Abnormal Psychology. Again, I continued to be intrigued by the material and it all felt very effortless because I was so interested in what I was learning. I switched majors and decided to commit myself to becoming a mental health professional, mostly because I really liked learning about people and the different parts of our lives that makeup who we are as individuals.
What is your preferred style of therapy?
I would not say I have a preferred style. I utilize a blend of humanistic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and existentialism. The mode of therapy I utilize tends to be based on the presenting problems of the client and how they perceive their problems.
What are some things you do outside of your work to help you maintain a happy, healthy life?
I love to take walks and listen to an audiobook or podcast. I also really love cooking when I have the time for it. I enjoy reading and of course, watching some Netflix from time to time. Most importantly, I like to spend time with my family.
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring therapist, what would it be?
I would tell an aspiring therapist to make sure they attend an accredited school, one accredited by CACREP. I did not know about CACREP at the time I pursued my degree and the schools were not as widely recognized. I am credentialed through the National Board of Credentialed Counselors now, but a CACREP degree would have been nice, as well. This is a single decision that could potentially have a large impact on the types of employment you can find when you begin looking. I would also advise aspiring therapist to plan well for student loans. I have been fortunate in that I worked for a place that partnered with the National Health Service Corporation and I was able to trade my service for student loan repayment. This has been a huge saving grace for me. I know many others her struggle with upwards of 200k debt and it is so important to make a plan for that when going into this field and how you will plan to pay back those loans or try to work for a place that may help you pay them back.
Kylee Roberts, Mental Health Therapist
Co-Written by Amber Madden, LPCC-S
The Differences Between Anorexia and Bulimia
Eating disorders affect about 9% of the population worldwide. No matter your age or your gender, you can still be impacted by an eating disorder. This post is going to focus on two different types of eating disorders, Anorexia and Bulimia. Both of these mental illnesses can have extreme effects on the body and mind. This article will hopefully help you to see the risks of Anorexia/ Bulimia and how to get help if you are struggling with disordered eating.
Eating disorders affect about 9% of the population worldwide. No matter your age or your gender, you can still be impacted by an eating disorder. This post is going to focus on two different types of eating disorders, Anorexia and Bulimia. Both of these mental illnesses can have extreme effects on the body and mind. This article will hopefully help you to see the risks of Anorexia/ Bulimia and how to get help if you are struggling with disordered eating.
What is Anorexia/Bulimia?
Anorexia Nervosa is typically described as an eating disorder where someone restricts their food/calorie intake to the point where they become malnourished and underweight. Typically, people with Anorexia have a fear of being overweight and distorted body image. In some cases, people struggling with Anorexia may exercise compulsively.
Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder where someone binge-eats and then induces vomit, abuses laxatives, or does anything that can undo the effects of their binge-eating. These are called “compensatory behaviors''. Much like Anorexia, people who wrestle with Bulimia have a fear of being overweight while having a problem with binge-eating. Because of this fear, people with Bulimia “purge” after a binge to stop weight gain.
What are the symptoms/signs of these disorders?
Some symptoms/signs of Anorexia include :
Noticeable Weight Loss
Has concern about eating in public
Restricts food intake and/or certain food groups
Stomach cramps
Dizziness
Fainting
Some symptoms/signs of Bulimia include :
Signs of binge eating
Evidence of purging
Goes to the bathroom immediately after every meal
Bloating
Discolored / stained teeth
Swelling around the jaw and/or cheeks
How are these disorders diagnosed?
To be diagnosed with Anorexia according to the DSM-5 , the following symptoms must be present :
Restriction of food intake leading to low weight
Fear of gaining weight or becoming fat , even while being extremely underweight
Denial of the seriousness of their low weight
To be diagnosed with Bulimia , the following criteria must be met :
Recurrent episodes of binge-eating
Uses compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain
These behaviors occur at least once a week for at least 3 months
These behaviors do not occur only during episodes of Anorexia
It is also important to note that if you do not show all of these symptoms, but you are still struggling with some characteristics of an eating disorder, it is imperative that you seek help.
What are the consequences of these disorders?
About 10% of people struggling with Anorexia die because of it. They tend to die due to starvation, suicide, or health-related problems. Also , long-term Anorexia can result in infertility, seizures, and osteoporosis. Anorexia can also result in electrolyte imbalance, which can result in death.
Bulimia can prevent proper digestion, which can cause extreme bloating, constipation, and bacterial infections. Binge - eating can cause the stomach to rupture, and vomiting can create permanent damage to the esophagus. Heart failure can also happen due to the body breaking down its own tissue because of low calorie intake.
What are some treatment options for Anorexia/Bulimia?
Treatment all depends on the severity of the Anorexia. If it is very severe, the person struggling would need to be hospitalized and tube-fed until the needed amount of nutrients is obtained. Other treatment options include residential/ outpatient treatment and eating disorder therapy.
Extreme cases of Bulimia can call for hospitalization. However, different types of therapy and treatments are available to help if your case does not call for a hospital stay. You could start by seeing a mental health professional and starting a treatment plan to help with your struggles.
If you are struggling with Anorexia or Bulimia, it is important to get help as soon as possible. Even if you cannot see the harm these disorders are causing you right now, in the future some of the consequences mentioned above may begin to show in your life. Recovering from an eating disorder is not an easy thing to do, but there is hope in recovery!
Amber Madden, LPCC-S is a certified in treating eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. She has availability for virtual sessions if you think you may need to schedule an appointment or consultation. Click here.
Resources
“Anorexia Nervosa.” National Eating Disorders Association, 28 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/anorexia
Bothwell, Samantha, et al. “What Is the Most Serious Health Risk from Anorexia Nervosa?” Eating Disorder Hope, 9 June 2022, https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/what-is-the-most-serious-health-risk-from-anorexia-nervosa
Chandler, and Chandler. “What Are the Primary Characteristics of Bulimia Nervosa?” Eating Disorder Hope, 9 June 2022, https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/what-are-the-primary-characteristics-of-bulimia-nervosa
“Bulimia Nervosa.” National Eating Disorders Association, 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bulimia
“Health Consequences.” National Eating Disorders Association, 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences
“Eating Disorder Treatment: Know Your Options.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 14 July 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/in-depth/eating-disorder-treatment/art-20046234
By Kylee Roberts, MH Virtual Assistant
Co-written by Amber Madden, NCC, LPCC-S
LPCA Supervision and Coaching is Open!
Currently Accepting Supervisees
License Supervision (Kentucky Residents)
Supervision is an opportunity to connect with a Supervisor who shares similar interest and goals as the supervisee. Supervision is ONLY for Kentucky residents and those licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associates with the Kentucky Board of Licensed Counselors.
Supervisees will meet via video conference 3 - 4sessions a month online. Sessions will be small group based for the added benefit of learning from your colleagues. Supervisees will pay for the required 3 sessions each month, and will have the opportunity to attend an additional supervision session for free. Special individual sessions can be arranged for an additional fee. See 201 KAR 36:060 for more information.
Coaching
For all other clients, I also offer coaching and consulting for all areas of practice. For example, if you want help in building your practice website, teletherapy questions, or specific questions about treating eating disordered clients, then this service could be for you. You will also be able to participate in the weekly virtual groups alongside the LPCA supervisees. Please complete the form below and I will be in touch within 48 hours. We can schedule a free consultation.
Practicum/Internship Opportunities
Practicum and Internship students are also welcome to reach out. From time to time we have openings available for qualified candidates that are seeking hours for their educational programs. We have a Licensed Professiona Counselor (LPCC) on staff that can provide supervision. Students will have opportunities to observe, complete documentation and records, practice their counseling and therapy skills and more. All practicum and internships are remote positions facilitated through virtual platforms at this time.
Areas of Interest
Amber has experience and interest in the following:
Teletherapy
Building a Private Practice
Social Media Marketing
Child Abuse/Neglect Cases
Domestic Violence Cases
Incarcerated Populations
Trauma Focused - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Forensics Counseling
Eating Disorder Counseling
Body Image Counseling
Ethical Practice
Career Counseling and Development (for the supervisee)
Federal Government work.
Speaking and Consultation Engagements
Study for the NCE or the NCMHCE
If you are interested in any of these services then please follow this link and complete the signup form and I will contact you very soon!
Bloom Book Club: Body Respect
It's that time! The Bloom Book Club members have voted and our next quarter's read has been selected!
We'll be reading Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain to Fail to Understand about Weight by Linda Bacon, Ph. D. and Lucy Aphramor, Ph. D.
It's that time! The Bloom Book Club members have voted and our next quarter's read has been selected!
We'll be reading Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain to Fail to Understand about Weight by Linda Bacon, Ph. D. and Lucy Aphramor, Ph. D.
Begins April 15th! (but feel free to join in anytime)
The excerpt about the book from Amazon:
Weight loss is not the key to health, diet and exercise are not effective weight-loss strategies and fatness is not a death sentence.
You’ve heard it before: there’s a global health crisis, and, unless we make some changes, we’re in trouble. That much is true—but the epidemic is NOT obesity. The real crisis lies in the toxic stigma placed on certain bodies and the impact of living with inequality—not the numbers on a scale. In a mad dash to shrink our bodies, many of us get so caught up in searching for the perfect diet, exercise program, or surgical technique that we lose sight of our original goal: improved health and well-being. Popular methods for weight loss don’t get us there and lead many people to feel like failures when they can’t match unattainable body standards. It’s time for a cease-fire in the war against obesity.
Dr. Linda Bacon and Dr. Lucy Aphramor’s Body Respect debunks common myths about weight, including the misconceptions that BMI can accurately measure health, that fatness necessarily leads to disease, and that dieting will improve health. They also help make sense of how poverty and oppression—such as racism, homophobia, and classism—affect life opportunity, self-worth, and even influence metabolism.
Body insecurity is rampant, and it doesn’t have to be. It’s time to overcome our culture’s shame and distress about weight, to get real about inequalities and health, and to show every body respect.
Join Us!
Interested in becoming a Bloom Book Club member? We read a book every quarter with themes advocating Intuitive Eating, HAES, positive body image and more. Check out some of the benefits:
The Book Club includes:
- Tiered membership levels, including a FREE membership!
- Quarterly LIVE discussions of the current selection participants can attend as a group.
- Action challenges and homework assignments emailed directly to you to help you implement the material of the reading.
- The ability to vote and recommend upcoming selections.
- A written review of the quarterly selection.
- A separate, private Facebook group with weekly discussions, live videos and lively debate about the current selection.
- A way to improve your learning, continue your recovery and promote positive change without attending sessions or webinars.
Signup for your first quarter for just $5 or select the FREE membership option!
Join Us
Basic Membership Free!
Ongoing Support for Your Non-Diet Journey
Recovery work for body image and binge eating can be riddled with lots of up's and down's along the way. It will be helpful for you to have supportive resources to turn to in times you're feeling the struggle a bit more.
(This page is continously updated. Be sure to bookmark it and visit again!)
Recovery work for body image and binge eating can be riddled with lots of up's and down's along the way. It will be helpful for you to have supportive resources to turn to in times you're feeling the struggle a bit more.
Directions: Challenge yourself to engage DAILY for at least 20 - 30 minutes in some type of helpful resource outlet. Below you will find a list of different methods and outlets for resources.
Podcasts
The Food Psych Podcast - Chrissy Harreleson, RD
Nutrition Matters - Paige Smathers, RDN, CD
The BodyLove Project - Jessi Haggerty
Life. Unrestricted. - Meret Boxler
The Love, Food Podcast - Julie Duffy Dillon
Body Kindness - Rebeccas Scritchfield, RDN
Books
Intuitive Eating - Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FA, DA
Body Respect - Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor
Body Kindness - Rebecca Scritchfield
Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight - Linda Bacon
Blogs
Immaeatthat.com - Kylie Mitchell, MPH, RDN
Thereallife-rd.com - Robyn Nohling, RD, NP
The Joy of Eating - Raychel Hartley, RD
Instagram Feeds
The Body Love Society - @thebodylovesociety
Beating Eating Disorders - @beatingeatingdisorders
Project HEAL - @projectheal
The Moderation Movement - @moderationmovement
Facebook Groups
Bloom Nutrition - Disordered Eating Support
Food Psych Podcast Listener Crew
Intuitive Eating Support Group
Join our Book Club community! It’s free!
Bloom Book Club
A supportive reading community for individuals and professionals.