When the Therapist is Grieving: Navigating Shared Human Experience in the Therapeutic Space
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Episode Description: In this powerful episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, dives into a profound and often challenging topic: navigating personal grief as a therapist while upholding the integrity of the therapeutic alliance. Joined by expert guest Olga Montgomery, LCSW, an experienced grief therapist, they explore how personal struggles, such as grief, can intersect with professional responsibilities, influencing the therapeutic dynamic and enriching the therapist’s presence.
Through thoughtful discussion, Shaina and Olga address the essential balance between vulnerability and professionalism, providing evidence-based strategies for therapists managing their own grief. They discuss practical techniques like the “parking lot” approach for setting aside personal emotions and highlight how self-compassion and addressing mortality anxiety can deepen a therapist’s authenticity and resilience in their work. This episode serves as both a guide and a support system for therapists experiencing grief, showing how personal challenges can transform into powerful tools for connection, empathy, and growth.
Key Topics Discussed:
- How therapists’ personal grief can impact the therapeutic alliance
- Moving beyond transference and countertransference to embrace a shared human experience in therapy
- Evidence-based techniques like the “parking lot” approach to manage emotions while maintaining client focus
- Using self-compassion as a foundation for staying grounded and connected during personal challenges
- Strategies for addressing mortality anxiety and how it can enhance the depth of the therapeutic process
- The role of therapist vulnerability and boundary-setting in clinical practice
- Practical Therapeutic Techniques: Throughout the episode, practical DBT skills like self-validation, self-soothing, and opposite action are discussed as powerful tools to combat shame and help clients build resilience.
About Our Guest: Olga Montgomery, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Virginia and Florida, specializing in radically compassionate grief support for women. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, Olga integrates contextual behavioral approaches and evidence-based techniques in her work, offering both individual and group support for clients navigating complex grief experiences.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Learn more about Olga’s practice and her free grief education meetings at voyagercounseling.com. Join us May 2025 for Olga's live virtual training: Scared to Death: Therapeutic Approaches for Mortality Anxiety and Living Fully - Free for Affirm Academy members or Register here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scared-to-death-contextual-behavioral-approaches-for-mortality-anxiety-and-tickets-1008579477367?aff=oddtdtcreator
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