{"podcast":{"title":"The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy","slug":"the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171","podcast_index_feed_id":410171,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/HEGNI6334972089","website_url":"https://therapyreimagined.com/podcast/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/652afa5a-690e-11ed-8058-874130407439/image/cf657d2d5c7ee2741fcc46cf7c733767.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Katie Vernoy","episode_count":498,"summary":"The Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Where Therapists Live, Breathe, and Practice as Human Beings It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when clinicians must develop a personal brand to market their private practices, and are connecting over social media, engaging in social activism, pushing back against mental health stigma, and facing a whole new style of entrepreneurship. To support you as a whole person, a business owner, and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-06T14:18:58.524043+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171"},"episode":{"title":"How Clients Experience Therapy: From First Inquiry to the Waiting Room: An Interview with Michael Ashford","slug":"how-clients-experience-therapy-from-first-inquiry-to-the-waiting-room-an-interview-with-michael-ashford","published_at":"2026-04-16T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171/how-clients-experience-therapy-from-first-inquiry-to-the-waiting-room-an-interview-with-michael-ashford","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/HEGNI2342643831.mp3?updated=1775085594","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/HEGNI2342643831.mp3?updated=1775085594","summary":"How Clients Experience Therapy: From First Inquiry to the Waiting Room: An Interview with Michael Ashford Curt and Katie talk with Michael Ashford about how clients experience therapy before the clinical work even begins. They explore what therapists can learn from customer service, communication, and marketing to create a smoother, more supportive experience from first inquiry through intake, onboarding, waiting room logistics, and practice policies. This conversation looks at how clarity, thoughtful systems, and strong boundaries can improve client experience while also supporting therapists. About the Guest Michael Ashford is the Senior Director of Marketing at Sign In Solutions and has spent the past decade building and leading marketing teams at companies large and small. Michael is a former award-winning journalist, a two-time TEDx speaker, and holds a Master’s degree in Communication from Kansas State University. Michael’s approach to marketing focuses on scaling companies through the power of effective communication, storytelling, and humanizing brands. Key Takeaways Client experience starts before the first session Clear expectations reduce client stress and confusion Website messaging, intake, and onboarding should feel seamless Waiting room and check-in systems matter more than many therapists realize Good customer service includes strong boundaries around time, fees, and cancellations Full show notes and transcript: mtsgpodcast.com Join the Modern Therapist Community: Podcast Homepage: https://mtsgpodcast.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/therapyreimagined Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits: Voice Over by DW McCann: https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/ Music by Crystal Grooms Man…","meta_description":"How Clients Experience Therapy: From First Inquiry to the Waiting Room: An Interview with Michael Ashford Curt and Katie talk with Michael Ashford about h…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2678,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171/episodes/how-clients-experience-therapy-from-first-inquiry-to-the-waiting-room-an-interview-with-michael-ashford/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-modern-therapist-s-survival-guide-with-curt-widhalm-and-katie-vernoy-410171/how-clients-experience-therapy-from-first-inquiry-to-the-waiting-room-an-interview-with-michael-ashford.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}