Passing your National Licensing Exam
Getting licensed can open up incredible opportunities, but the exam can seem daunting. Our podcasts make passing more achievable and even fun. Dr Hutchinson and Stacy’s energy and passion for this content will get you motivated and confident.
We break things down in understandable ways - no stuffiness or complexity and focus on the critical parts you need so your valuable study time counts. You’ll come away feeling like, “I can do this!” Whether it’s nailing down diagnoses, theoretical approaches, or applying ethics in challenging situations, we help you get into a licensed mindset. Knowledge domains we cover in these podcasts include:
Professional Practice and Ethics
Intake, Assessment, & Diagnosis
Areas of Clinical Focus
Treatment Planning
Counseling Skills and Interventions
Core Counseling Attributes
And, of course, the DSM-5-TR.
If you listen, you might surprise yourself at how much you absorb and enjoy it along the way. Take that first step – you’ll gain confidence and valuable skills and feel confident getting ready for your licensing exam!
Episodes
165 episodes
Aftercare Planning
Discharge is where a lot of plans quietly fail, not because clients “don’t care,” but because we underestimate how fast structure disappears and triggers return. We walk through aftercare planning the way we want you to think on a licensing exa...
Defense Mechanisms: Repression
Repression is one of those ideas that sounds simple until you try to use it in real life or in the therapy room. We’re talking about the kind of “forgetting” that isn’t forgetting at all: an unconscious, active defense mechanism that hides memo...
Bipolar I, Bipolar II and Cyclothymic Disorder
Mania shouts; hypomania nudges; cyclothymia lingers. We set out to make those differences unmistakable, using plain language, vivid examples, and a fast decision path you can recall under test pressure or in a busy clinic. If you’ve ever second...
Ego Syntonic Vs Ego Dystonic
Ever freeze at the sight of “ego syntonic” and “ego dystonic” on a practice exam? We turn those look-alike terms into a clear, usable map you can trust under pressure. Using a simple memory hook—sync versus distress—we walk through the language...
Family Constellation PT 2
What if the fastest way to change a family pattern is to move your feet and say fewer words? We open the door to family constellation therapy with a practical walkthrough of the exact techniques we use to reveal hidden loyalties, restore order,...
Family Constellation Therapy PT1
Ever wonder why some clients carry guilt or grief that doesn’t match their personal history? We take a clear, practical look at family constellation therapy and how hidden orders and loyalties can create entanglements that ripple through genera...
Attachment Theory
What if the fastest way to help a client change is to make safety unmistakable? We take you from Bowlby’s core ideas to concrete moves you can use tomorrow, showing how early bonds shape adult relationships, emotion regulation, and the choices ...
Finding the Balance: Study Without Burnout
A ceiling fan that rattles and wobbles shouldn’t be fixed with more power—it needs balance. We take that same idea to focus and studying, showing how attention breaks down when life pulls unevenly on your time, energy, and commitments. Instead ...
Finding time to study
Time truly is like an ever-rolling stream, and like any boater knows – either you control it, or it controls you! The closer your exam time comes, the mor...
Neurodevelopmental PT 3 Learning Disabilities
Think a restless math class means ADHD? We peel back the layers to show how a specific learning disorder can masquerade as attention problems in one subject while everything else looks fine. With Hannah at the table, we walk through clear crite...
Neurodevelopmental PT 2 ADHD
The line between genuine ADHD and everyday distractibility can feel blurry—until you know what to look for. We open the case file and walk through a clear, practical way to identify ADHD: symptoms that begin before age twelve, persist over time...
Neurodevelopment PT 1 ASD
We've got a fantastic guest with us today. Her name is Hannah Salazar, and she is both a therapist AND a professional school counselor. She also tutors new therapists as they work to pass their NCMHCE licensure exam. So, if you need one-on-one ...
The SMART Framework for Therapy Goals
Struggling with setting effective therapy goals? Look no further than the SMART framework, a powerful approach that transforms vague client aspirations into concrete, achievable outcomes. Drawing a clever parallel between the 1960s TV show "Get...
Avoidant Personality Disorder Vs. Dependent Personality Disorders
Ever found yourself mixing up avoidant and dependent personality disorders? You're not alone. This episode delivers a crystal-clear framework to distinguish between these commonly confused diagnoses—essential knowledge for passing your licensin...
Dissociative Fugue: When People Forget Who They Are
Vanishing identities, sudden relocations, and complete memory loss—welcome to the fascinating world of dissociative amnesia with fugue. Ever wonder what happens when someone's mind creates the ultimate escape hatch from unbearable psychological...
Nicotine Dependence: The Fagerstrom Test and HONC
Nicotine dependence isn't just about willpower—it's a complex physiological and psychological phenomenon that requires sophisticated assessment tools to properly understand and treat. Today we dive into the science behind two gold-standard asse...