The Innovative Therapist
Innovative solutions for healing for therapists and our clients
Last week's podcast convo with Erica Hornthal .therapist.who.moves.you on movement patterns helped me see this movement pattern of mine so much more clearly:
The urge to shrink or minimize myself and what I'm doing.
And while this used to protect me, I don't need this movement pattern anymore.
So I'm practicing a new one. Owning my value and worth.
The fact is, the Innovative Therapist community and retreat attracts incredible humans.
And the people I get to hang with and create my podcast with? Amazing.
People like Hannah Berry of , hanging with and upcoming conversations with Hannah Sullivan and Shannon Cohen of , and honestly so many more.
I also am now getting to record in person interviews in the amazingly creative podcast studio, huge shoutout to Erik and Layah, who will also be coming on the pod soon.
It's time for me, and all of us to remember, us playing small doesn't serve anyone... so it's time to own our unique value. It can be scary, but it gets easier, and I promise, it's also very fun. ;)
xo
Shawn
The Innovative Therapist community leader and podcast host
Connector & Experience Creator
08/06/2026
A lot of people are carrying a heavy mental load right now.
I feel it too.
And yet, compared to a few years ago, I spend MUCH less time stuck in overwhelm and indecision.
One of the biggest reasons for this?
I've become incredibly protective of my time, energy, and relationships.
I intentionally surround myself with people who inspire me, challenge me, and remind me what's possible.
One of those people is Elisa Pérez-Arellano, LMSW.
This Wednesday inside Inspired Innovators, Elisa and I are having a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, self-trust, and building work that feels meaningful.
We'll talk about:
✨ Elisa's journey from agency work to private practice
✨ How Recetas Que Sanan (Recipes That Heal) was born
✨ Trusting yourself before you have a perfect plan
✨ The limitations many therapists quietly feel inside traditional systems
✨ Creating work that feels aligned, expansive, and alive
This won't be a polished "we have it all figured out" conversation.
It's two therapists talking honestly about following curiosity, taking risks, and listening to the parts of ourselves that want something more.
📅 June 10 | 1-2 PM ET
📍 Zoom
💛 Free
If you've been feeling pulled toward something more creative, meaningful, or life-giving in your work, we'd love to have you join us.
There is no pressure to join anything, but if you do RSVP for this free call, we ask that you come and stay the full hour so we can have an honest and connected convo with no distractions. (part of how I stay sane in this world, ha).
Comment "INFO" or send me a message and I'll get you the details.
Overanalysis does not create capacity. It's constricting...
Yep.
So much of my healing came from understanding and learning... until recently.
Now I can heal and release and feel better before I understand it, and even if I never do.
This conversation helped me understand this (ironically) at a new level.
We can help parts of us that love to analyze step back and let us tap into intuitive and desire, and it's so incredibly freeing.
Thank you Erica .therapist.who.moves.you for this incredible convo. So grateful.
This convo with Erica Hornthal .therapist.who.moves.you connected so many dots for me.
Movement patterns are so much more than dance. They can be small, or look like overthinking, freezing, shrinking, or so many other things.
If you know me, you know I LOVE healing more efficiently.
If you feel like you have all the self awareness in the world but patterns are staying stuck, ("I know what to do, I'm just not doing it"), this convo is definitely for you.
Huge thank you to Erica. I've been thinking about this episode since we recorded it weeks ago and I'm SO pumped to share it with you finally!
Listen to the Innovative Therapist podcast wherever you get podcasts!
Building reciprocal work might be the key to fixing helper burnout...
Also, people who understand and embody reciprocal work will have a MAJOR edge in the marketplace of the helping professions... because when you don't want to be in the room with someone, people can tell.
(this actually caused me to end a relationship with my therapist a while back, but that's a story for another day...)
Also, it's much more sustainable.
I build everything now with reciprocity in mind. If you are looking to explore work that feels aligned with your gifts and allows you to SHINE, while unlocking others unique abilities, please do not miss this convo with the incredible Dr. Lauren Silverstein of
It might be the thing that helps you unlock parts of you that have been waiting to shine, which tends to have a ripple effect ❤
If you listen, please share your insights with me! I love talking about this stuff so much, it lights me all the way up. See less
I honestly think the concept of building reciprocal work might be the key to helper burnout...
I also believe that people who understand and embody reciprocal work will have a MAJOR edge in the marketplace of healing services... because when you don't want to be in the room with someone, eventually people can tell. (this actually caused me to end a relationship with my therapist a while back, but that's a story for another day...)
I build everything now with this concept in mind. If you are looking to explore work that feels aligned with your gifts and allows you to SHINE, while unlocking others unique abilities, please do not miss this convo with the incredible Dr. Lauren Silverstein of
It might be the thing that helps you unlock parts of you that have been waiting to shine, which tends to have a ripple effect
10/05/2026
A little Mother's Day story for ya. ;)
As we waited for the music to start, I was excited.
Grounded, even.
I'd already won.
I'd gotten everything I wanted out of the process of choreographing my first group dance.
I'd grown as a creative leader.
I learned to ask for help .richards, how to hear feedback without taking it personally, and how to pivot when something wasn't working.
This piece is about community and the power of places where you can be yourself.
Valued, beautiful, bold.
Bre, it was SO much fun dancing alongside of you.
And we clearly love it here.
Being in community. Being creative.
They have things in common.
They're amazing.
AND they require courage and tolerating discomfort. (for example, I did NOT like my dance when I first taught it, and decided I would for sure never do this again lol).
But the process was so worth it.
So go write that book. Host that workshop. Reach out to that friend. Or choreography that dance. You wont regret it.
01/05/2026
A few thoughts after connecting with of for the podcast yesterday.
It was such an inspiring convo, keep an eye out for it's release in a few weeks!
Huge thank you to Erik at for allowing us to use their space. I felt more creative immediately upon walking in. :)
Long story short: Keep being you, the world needs it. And reach out if you're ready to do it in community.
I've been an entreprenuer for 6 years now, and it's been a wild ride.
I actually love entreprenuership now, but it's been such a roller coaster.
I feel so much more grounded and aligned each and every day, and this episode is about learning from my mistakes.
Even as a therapist who had done so much healing work, business ownership took me to the next level.
And all the strategy in the world wasn't going to help me.
Not until I listened to my body at a deeper level.
This week's episode dives into why I'm changing my business, even though things were pretty dang good.
How I came to that decision, and how you can lean into work that lights you up too, without wasting tons of money on business strategy courses. ;)
Listen wherever you get podcasts! The Innovative Therapist podcast.
And then message me with what you want to be spending more time doing... work or otherwise... and maybe I can help you see what's possible... ; )