Let’s Get Political: An interview with Heather Walker Janz, LMFT

An interview with Heather Walker Janz, LMFT – Curt and Katie talk with Heather about being a therapist and being an activist as well as the challenges of being in the public eye during a national campaign. Heather’s call to action: step up and use your voice! 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 therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age. Interview with Heather Walker Janz, LMFT Heather Janz, LMFT, has established a private practice in California’s central valley serving teens and young adults referred through the Juvenile Justice Center, hospitals, and county mental health crisis centers. Heather inspires her clients and fellow mental health professionals by modeling assertiveness and positive communication through activism and advocacy. She is the current president of her local chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CSJV-CAMFT) and has also been involved in several movements including The Women’s March, Families Belong Together, and March For Our Lives. You can learn more about Heather at www.heatherjanz.com. In this episode we talk about: Being a therapist during a campaign How Heather is navigating the complexities of being visible in the campaign where her husband is a democrat running to be the representative for Congressional District 22 The challenges of being a therapist during a national campaign How Heather has processed her visibility and the campaign with her clients The unexpected benefits of Heather’s personal life being so public, within her clinical work The challenges of having different political views than clients – how to process it with clients The benefits of being on record related to specific more controversial issues How she has transitioned from having no visibility (as directed in school) to being in most of her clients’ mailboxes The idea that clients need us to take care of them by being so invisible How Heather screens new clients in and out to make sure that clients are not sensationalized related to the election The additional steps Heather will take to protect her clients’ confidentiality on social media Heather’s lack of confidentiality and how she relies on her ability to remain genuine in all spaces The surprises that have come during the campaign How to diminish the impact of the external stuff (campaign or personal matters) and the strict boundaries that Heather holds to shift the conversation to the clinical material The supports that Heather has put in place to manage her work, the campaign, her own volunteer work The self-care practices that Heather has put into place, how she has learned to say “no” Advice for others seeking to enter politics as a therapist Why it is so important that we step up, even if we don’t know if we’re ready, we can’t wait How our activism can give our clients hope How therapists as mental health experts interacting with legislators and staffers can decrease mental health stigma Resources mentioned: We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Heather’s Website Andrew Janz for Congress