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We explore childhood memories of our elementary school club "The Midnight Players" and share essential advice for new therapists struggling with performance anxiety in clinical sessions.

• Our childhood club "Midnight Players" had airbrushed sweaters, monthly dues, and official roles including a "Sergeant-at-Arms"
• Childhood clubs reveal our deep desire for belonging and community-building from an early age
• Creating a supportive environment at sports tournaments shows how community forms around shared experiences
• Three essential principles for new therapists: Be Slow, Be Lazy, Be Dumb
• Being slow means creating spaciousness in therapy and resisting the urge to rush through client stories
• Being lazy means trusting the therapeutic process rather than forcing predetermined interventions
• Being "dumb" in session (while smart outside session) means approaching clients with genuine curiosity instead of presumed understanding
• New therapists often try too hard to analyze clients rather than being present in the relationship
• The golf lesson analogy: sometimes simpler approaches yield better results than technical overanalysis

Reach out to us if you're doing something innovative in the counseling field and would like to be featured on a future episode!

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

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We explore the complexities of parenting, professional growth, and navigating difficult conversations in therapeutic and educational settings. From toddlers mimicking adult language to teaching children independence, the episode weaves together insights about embracing discomfort as a pathway to growth.

• Discussing the challenges of children saying inappropriate things in public while balancing professional identity with parenting reality
• Exploring the parallel between helping a child climb down a ladder independently and guiding therapy students through practicum challenges
• Examining how suffering becomes useful when embraced rather than avoided, particularly in therapeutic contexts
• Addressing how existentialism informs therapeutic practice by making suffering a "best friend" in the growth process
• Confronting the challenge of difficult classroom dynamics, particularly in multicultural courses where sensitive topics arise
• Balancing responsibility between students and faculty in maintaining respectful learning environments

If you have questions for us, reach out at thetwintherapists@gmail.com. We'll be back next week as we continue our commitment to consistency!

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

Instagram: thetwintherapists

Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

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The twin therapists explore the concept of outgrowing your therapist and when it's appropriate to end a therapeutic relationship despite feelings of loyalty.

• Distinguishing between dependency and loyalty in the therapeutic relationship
• Recognizing when clients have achieved their therapeutic goals and are ready to move on
• The responsibility therapists have to acknowledge when they can no longer facilitate further growth
• Drawing parallels between the loyalty to barbers and loyalty to therapists
• The importance of "warm handoffs" when transitioning clients to new therapists
• How difficult it can be for therapists to initiate the end of a therapeutic relationship
• Why successful therapy ultimately leads to the client no longer needing the therapist

If you have questions for us, reach out to thetwintheapist@gmail.com. Stay until the end of the episode to hear a special message from our grandpa – the last voicemail he left before he passed away.

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

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Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

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Twin therapists Jude and Julius Austin share a candid, humor-filled conversation about finding peace, love, and self-care in the counseling profession while staying true to your authentic self.

• Peace in counseling isn't about perfection but creating structures that allow for freedom and authenticity
• Jude finds peace through session structure while Julius finds it through permission to be real
• Treating counseling as your "second relationship" helps maintain realistic expectations
• Differentiation from the profession is essential – get value and purpose from multiple life areas
• Self-care evolves developmentally throughout your career beyond basic "drink water" advice
• Client expectations have changed – today's clients want authentic therapists, not just techniques
• Taking care of yourself includes charging what you're worth and setting appropriate boundaries
• The real relationship with clients requires being your true self, not a sanitized professional facade
• Creating contracts with fellow professionals to genuinely care for each other throughout careers
• Finding a balance between structure and authenticity allows for deeper therapeutic connections

Come see us at ACA 2026 where we'll be presenting and signing our books. Look for our upcoming book "The Business of Counseling" – the business class we wish we had in graduate school!

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

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Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

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The hosts return to discuss AI's growing role in mental health therapy and what makes human therapists irreplaceable despite technological advances.

• The rising trend of AI applications in clinical psychology beyond administrative tasks
• A UK startup called Limbic developing AI "agents" for intake, triage, and therapy delivery
• How AI therapy could make mental health support more accessible and affordable
• The "technician" therapists who follow rigid protocols may be more vulnerable to AI replacement
• What human therapists uniquely offer: instinct, timing, authentic connection, and lived experience
• Why mastering the "art" of therapy rather than just the technical aspects protects against obsolescence
• The importance of student initiative and self-challenge in clinical training programs
• Personal stories highlighting the unpredictable human elements of both parenting and therapy

Check back next week as we continue our exploration of therapy evolution and practice challenges in our regular weekly episodes!

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

Instagram: thetwintherapists

Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

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We catch up after months away, discussing our completed book "Mind Your Business: Merging Meaningful Work with Financial Wisdom" and sharing stories about our rapidly growing children. Our conversation explores the delicate balance between challenging clients to grow and respecting their boundaries.

• Julius and Jude share updates about family life and their unusually tall, deep-voiced children
• We discuss the completion of our book and how our writing process has evolved
• Reflections on our second year in academia and changes in counseling education approaches
• Exploration of "the two-way street" - different approaches to pushing clients toward growth
• Analysis of the difference between resilience and fragility in mental health
• Discussion of a viral video suggesting mental health isn't something to protect but to use
• Consideration of how boundaries can sometimes become avoidance strategies

If you have thoughts about what we discussed or suggestions for future topics, reach out to us at thetwintherapist@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

Instagram: thetwintherapists

Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

Send us a text

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

Instagram: thetwintherapists

Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com

Send us a text

Therapy isn't about perfection—it's about practice. Two seasoned counselor educators reunite to tackle one of the most profound challenges facing new therapists: finding authenticity in clinical work.

Breaking through the idealized image of the flawless therapist, we explore why students often hide behind passive, non-directive approaches rather than bringing their genuine selves into the therapy room. The conversation reveals how our own unmet relational needs inevitably emerge during sessions, creating opportunities for growth if we're willing to examine them honestly.

"You can't go into therapy perfect. You can't go into it healed. You can't go into it ready," we acknowledge, highlighting the transformative power of simply showing up and practicing the art of human connection. Through humorous anecdotes about everything from backyard trampolines to our days as young soccer players navigating cultural differences, we demonstrate the value of bringing your full, imperfect self to professional relationships.

The discussion particularly resonates for therapists approaching that crucial 700-hour mark, when confidence begins to emerge and the ability to confront unhealthy patterns becomes possible. We challenge the "helpfulness conundrum" that leads new therapists to judge sessions as "good" or "bad" based solely on immediate outcomes rather than relational depth.

Whether you're a counseling student terrified of making mistakes or a seasoned clinician looking to reconnect with your authentic voice, this candid conversation offers permission to practice, fail, repair, and grow—the true heart of therapeutic work.

If you have any questions about any counseling related topics or would like the twins to share their thoughts about a particular counseling case - reach out with the info below:

https://thetwintherapists.com/

Instagram: thetwintherapists

Contact: thetwintherapists@gmail.com