the Informed Simplicity podcast

It’s way too common for therapists to feel confused and frustrated with their model. Many counselors feel like their models work for some but feel hopeless with certain clients. Worst of all is when therapists feel like a "rent-a-friend" instead of a catalyst for change. I’m Dr. Jordan Harris, and I help therapists move from "lost" to "confident" by mastering the meta-skills of clinical excellence. My approach isn't about learning another model—it’s about knowing when and how to use the tools you already have to create deeper, more transformative emotional encounters. In my trainings, we focus on four key pillars: Motivation: Working with (not against) client resistance. Persuasion: Engaging clients so they show up hopeful and ready. Experiencing: Moving past surface-level talk into deep emotional work. Body Language: Reading non-verbal cues for true clinical attunement. 🚀 Take your practice to the next level: Join my 6-month Clinical Excellence Class or attend a Deliberate Practice workshop. 🔗 Learn more and sign up here: Newsletter: https://www.jordanthecounselor.com/subscribe Trainings: https://www.jordanthecounselor.com/clinical-excellence

You can find my upcoming trainings here ->jordanthecounselor.com/clinical-excellence You can learn more about Tori Olds here -> Website: toriolds.com/ Youtube: youtube.com/c/DrToriOlds Dr. Tori Olds Tori Olds, PHD is a licensed psychologist who has been studying experiential therapies for over twenty-five years. She specializes in the integration of experiential approaches to therapy and leads seven international training groups on this topic each week. She has a passion for translating complex psychology concepts for the public, which she does through her YouTube channel and other speaking engagements. Jordan Harris Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S, received his Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisiana Monroe. He is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Arkansas, USA. In his clinical work, he enjoys working with couples.

The transformative work of Dr. Henny Westra and Alyssa Di Bartolomeo in their paper, "Developing expertise in psychotherapy: The case for process coding as clinical training," represents a significant advancement in therapeutic practice. They introduce a novel framework called "process coding" to enhance therapists’ skills by using session recordings to better understand and refine therapeutic techniques. This method addresses common issues such as therapists' misremembering interactions, enabling a more accurate and effective review and improvement of their sessions. Their approach promises to dramatically enhance therapists' ability to assist clients by offering a systematic way to analyze therapy tapes, which uncovers subtle dynamics and missed opportunities within sessions. The importance of their work lies in providing a clear, evidence-based path toward refining therapeutic skills beyond traditional training, shifting the focus from theoretical knowledge to practical, observable outcomes. This innovative method could potentially revolutionize the way therapists train and develop their expertise, ultimately leading to more effective client interventions and outcomes. Links and resources mentioned: Why tough tactics fail and rapport gets results: Observing Rapport-Based Interpersonal Techniques (ORBIT) to generate useful information from terrorists. This is the article summarizing the early research Laurence Alison et al conducted on police interrogations. I believe it was in this paper they discuss, “you can’t always make things better, but negative interactions can sure make things worse.” Conditions for Intuitive Expertise: A Failure to Disagree This is Gary Klein and Daniel Kahneman’s article on the areas where expertise can develop and the areas where it can’t. My big takeaway was areas with clear and quick feedback are the ones who produce expertise. The wizards of deception detection - Maureen O'Sullivan and Paul Ekman One of my favorite articles. O'Sullivan and Ekman show that most people, even trained therapists, just aren't that good at reading different facial expressions. Meet You in McGinnis Meadows: Lessons in Attunement - Scott Miller and Brooke Mathews Miller and Mathews discuss her path to becoming an expert therapist. I've not read this in a few years but I remember her learning a lot from her work observing horses. Contact Dr. Henny Westra at hwestra[ at] yorku.ca Contact Alyssa Di Bartolomeo alyssaad @] yorku.ca; Twitter/X @aadibartolomeo Learn more at : Jordanthecounselor.com

Check out more of blog or find this blog post here: https://www.jordanthecounselor.com/blog Earn CE's by listening to my podcast. Find out more here: Check out more of blog or find this blog post here: https://www.jordanthecounselor.com/polyvagalseries

{Note: this podcast and show notes were originally part of an online CE course. That course is no longer available.} Dr. Jordan Harris interviews Kelly Beins and Leah Dawang about their experiences using polyvagal theory in their practices and working with Unyte. After this training you will be able to meet the following objectives. Describe a polyvagal perspective of the autonomic nervous system. Explain the concept of state "blends". Explain the sequential "pyramid of learning" and how it applies to our central nervous system. More on Jordan Harris, Ph.D, LMFT-s, LPC-s Jordan Harris, holds a Ph.D in Marriage and Family Therapy, works as a subject matter expert for Deliberate Practice in Psychotherapy and maintains a private practice where he sees couples and individuals. He's also the co-host ofThe Polyvagal Series, a podcast and online course which explores all the ways stress impacts our physical and mental health from a polyvagal lens. More on Unyte For a professional interested in learning more about Unyte and integrating Dr. Porges' Safe and Sound Protocol into their practice, please visit: https://integratedlistening.com/ More on Kelly Beins, BA, BHScOT, OTR/L Kelly Beins is a seasoned Occupational Therapist with over 28 years of experience, including 18 years with certification in sensory integration. Kelly believes in evidence-informed interventions and is passionate about combining sensory integration and mental health practices. Kelly has recently joined Unyte as a strategic clinical consultant where she supports development of clinical use guidelines, provider engagement, and product development. Outside of her role at Unyte, Kelly is growing a global mentorship program to make best-practices more accessible for other sensory OT’s in private practice. Kelly specializes in Polyvagal Theory, she is an international speaker, has published two children’s books and was named, Autism Parenting Magazine’s “Top OT” for two consecutive years. While almost an empty nester, Kelly is a sensory parent herself, which has led to many insightful and unexpected learnings along her professional and personal path. More on Leah Dawang, MSP, Somatic Experiencing® Student — Advanced Leah Dawang first joined Unyte as a Program Consultant sharing her passion for the Safe and Sound Protocol with professionals. Today, she serves as Unyte’s Strategic Partnerships Manager, envisioning all members of the helping and healing communities linking arms in Love and transforming the world. Leah’s initial career in tech start-ups and event management took a sharp turn when her entire being suffered from the effects of trauma. After traveling the world, attending G42 Leadership Academy and plenty of therapy, Leah rediscovered her love for Love and founded Clear The Way, a coaching practice devoted to guiding others in clearing the effects of trauma that block them from receiving unconditional Love. She is an SSP provider in the final stages of becoming a Somatic Experiencing practitioner and is passionate about all things that lead to Love including the nervous system, spoken word and important, hard and beautiful conversations.