The Practice of Therapy

Whitney Owens
Okay, go for it. Hi, I'm Whitney Owens, and I'm excited to be back on the practice of therapy podcast. You might remember me because I got to do a podcast takeover last June. And I'm happy to be back here with Gordon Brewer.

Gordon Brewer
Well, hello, folks, and welcome again to the podcast. And you're going to get to hear on a familiar voice here. Hey, Whitney, glad you're back.

Whitney Owens
Hey, Gordon,

Gordon Brewer
it's so good to have Whitney Owens back. And for those of you that have been longtime listeners, you probably remember that Whitney took over this podcast. And but now she's got her own podcast, the wise practice podcast and doing a lot of great stuff. So Whitney, tell folks a little bit about yourself for maybe those that might not know about you, although I can't imagine that. Anybody doesn't know about you.

Whitney Owens
And that's funny, because I feel the same way about you, Gordon. Yes, so I'm Whitney. I'm located in Savannah, Georgia, right on the coast. I have a group practice. I think, I think we have 15 therapists, sometimes I forget. Right? Yeah. Practice. But I also have an ability to bring faith to the basically to the picture, I bring faith into my clinical work with clients. It's a part of how I run my business. And honestly, years ago, when I was growing my group practice, I was like, looking for a consultant that had a faith based twist to the way that they did business consulting, and I was struggling to find that. And then I felt the tug on my heart. Hey, why don't you do this? You know, and I ran away from it for a long time. But now I embraced it. And I love it. So I it is Whitney Owens consulting. But a lot of the things that I do are called wise practice, because you know, that sounds Christian. So it's wise practice podcast, a wise practice, summit wise practice membership community. So those are some of the things that I work on.

Gordon Brewer
Right, right. Yeah. And, you know, one of the things that I appreciate most about Whitney is the fact that she brings this whole faith component, and we've had lots of conversations about this around what it means to have a faith based practice versus, you know, one that's not or what that means. I think people typically kind of think of, well, if it's faith based, it's Christian. But that's not always the case. And the other thing, too, is, is that I think one of the things that I know Whitney and I've talked about is being able to put that out there to people to where they don't feel like they are going to be guess the word process to process all the allies, like always have ties to proselytize or somebody trying to convert them or any of that sort of thing. And I think that most of us that do have faith based or face to faith informed practices, don't really feel that that's any part of it is just meeting people where they are and then maybe inserting some of our Christian values in with what we talked with people about, but it's certainly not there to convert.

Whitney Owens
Totally agree. I mean, unfortunately, there are people who do have an agenda in this world. I mean, we have agendas outside of faith in what we do. And we have to be really cognizant of that. But I agree with you, Gordon, like for me having a faith based practice, it's just about meeting clients where they're at and bringing a faith component to the table when they are requesting that and doing it appropriately within the counseling field.

Gordon Brewer
Right. Right. And it's a it's probably a very specific, it's a specific niche. And I know for weight needing both being in the south, you know, as I like to say, the, the Bible Belt or I always say I've met the belt buckle of the Bible Belt where I am, because it's most of the people in my, my area, my community are pretty pretty, both politically and religiously conservative. I am not, I'm the outlier in my community, but you know, that that's something that they're looking for. And I, you know, I accommodate those people in my practice. And it's, it's actually, I think, for some people, that's what they want. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. So anyway, I didn't mean to go far down that rabbit trail, but you know, one of the things Whitney has got coming up as a conference, and I guess two things we want to really make you aware of the conference, particularly, I think her conference is going to be a great fit, obviously, for people in faith based practices, but also folks that maybe not in that category, because she's got some world class speakers and keynoters going to be there for the conference. But before we get to talking about the conference, specifically Whitney has done this brilliant thing of starting retreats and doing summits and that sort of thing and has really been part of who she is as a consultant. So how did you land on all of that?

Whitney Owens
Good question. So I like to say with, at least when it comes to hosting conferences, it's a little bit like planning a wedding. And I just wanted to get all my favorite people together and have a big party, right? Right. No, but in all seriousness, it's been at retreats and conferences where I have grown myself, I have personally grown, I have professionally grown, and I have made some of the best relationships personally and professionally. And if I can replicate that, and provide that for other people, wow. Right. And then I specifically feel that when we get when we get people together with a similar passion with a similar mindset, amazing things happen. So not only am I bringing together practice owners, I'm also bringing together people that would say faith is a part of who they are. And you know, Gordon, I loved what you said earlier that it doesn't, it doesn't mean that you have to have a faith based practice to come because I totally agree. I mean, I would say the ideal person for this summit. And I think in any event, figuring out your ideal person is number one, what you need to do first, but it's for anyone who would say faith is a part of their life, specifically, the Christian faith is what we're talking about with this summit. And that's, that's something that they live by those values. But it doesn't necessarily mean it's all they talk about, or that they're putting it in every part of their practice. Definitely not. I like to think of this summit as a business summit with a twist of fate. Hmm,

Gordon Brewer
yeah. Yeah. And you had a previous conference that I was able to attend and, and speak at, and that was, you know, the, the relationships that you forge in those in those settings is, you make lifelong friends. And I just think, you know, I was just kind of reflecting as you were talking about, you know, the thing, the times that have been pivotal changes for me, as far as maybe aha moments are really coming to realizations have nearly always been in the context of being in a retreat, or in a conference setting where you're with people that you not, aren't normally with every single day, but you forge those kind of intimate relationships and in, in a sense of being vulnerable with people, and it just brings so much

Whitney Owens
out. Definitely. And, you know, Gordon, we met on a retreat. That's right. We did, right. And now look at our relationship. Oh, yeah. And now I'm on your podcast again, you know, and I'm just thinking about podcasting. Even, that's just a small one to put in here. But we were just in Louisville, you and I and a bunch of other amazing people for the meet you in Kentucky. And I got to hang out with Mike McCalla wits. And then I was like, okay, Mike, will you come on my podcast, you know, and he was like, Well, of course. And so now I haven't scheduled to come on the podcast. And if I hadn't gone to Louisville, Mike wouldn't be coming on my podcast. And that's just a small example of all the connections that you can make with people and big moves in your business.

Gordon Brewer
Right. Right. And, you know, and you're exactly right. Because the same experience for me, both of us being podcasters. You know, I got just, you know, a bunch of guests, you know, out of that, out of that experience, I mean, some of them, some of them don't know, they're going to be guests yet, but they are going to. Yeah, but yeah, and it's through those relationships, that we that we really move ourselves forward. It's also where we take care of ourselves, emotionally, spiritually, all of those things, I think, come from events like that. Mm hmm.

Whitney Owens
Most definitely. I mean, I would say if somebody is thinking about hosting an event, I mean, there's obviously a lot of things we could talk about here. I just think it's really important that you love planning stuff like this. I think that we can look at a shiny object and be like, Ooh, well, these other people are doing that I want to do that. And I mean, that's not a bad thing. But planning an event is tons of work. And now I do retreats. And I'll say those are definitely easier to plan. A lot of work that goes into it. But planning a summit is I mean, it's it a year long task of marketing and putting it together and having it all set up the right way. In fact, I secured this venue more than a year out from the summit, because it was a place I really wanted to be at and so you just got to make sure that it's something that you really enjoy. So if you don't like doing that, please don't embark on this or you just hire somebody to do it. for you.

Gordon Brewer
Right, right, yeah, it is a lot of work. And I think I know knowing you, Whitney, as I've gotten to know you over the last few years, this, it just really energizes you to put all of this together and think about it, and all the people together and all of that sort of thing. That's really, you're really brilliant with it. I'll say that.

Whitney Owens
Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that. I mean, one thing that's different this year that I'd never been able to do before, is provide ces through the NBCC. So I'm really excited about that. And so it is kind of fun to bring new ventures to the table as you plan more and more events to you know, make them better and better. And so I have a whole program for how it's all gonna run and QR codes and you're gonna get everything electronically, which is really nice instead of these handwritten certificates. But yeah, if you attend, you can earn up to 13.5 ces through MVCC.

Gordon Brewer
Awesome, awesome. So tell folks a little bit about who's going to be there and the speakers and the venue and all of that kind of thing.

Whitney Owens
Oh, my goodness, I will just tell you this. I feel so honored by the caliber of people that agreed to speak at this summit. Like, it makes me seem a lot better than I am. I'm really, I'm really honored. I'm honored by the sponsors as well. I'm pulling up my website here because I want to make sure that I hit all the highlights. So my keynote speakers this year are Katie Reed, William hem Phil, and Ernesto and then myself. It's funny when you say Ernesto, you feel like you don't even have to say his last name. Yeah, that's right. Segue is moonda just because, yeah. So all of them will be keynote. Or nessa is going to talk about money mindset. Williams is going to be talking about impostor syndrome. And Katie is going to be talking about growing yourself to grow your clients. I also am going to be a keynote and we're going to talk about having a faith based practice in a divided world. Because Boy, that's definitely what we've been dealing with lately. Yeah, yeah, right. Right. Yeah. Some of the other speakers I have addressed the Domus who actually is a Masters of divinity and owns practice. I have Laura long your badass therapy practice, Remo Williams, Deseret Vigoroth. And then Jessica Tapana from simplified SEO. Stephanie corporal, Chris there, I have Katie for Noy I'm really excited to meet her in person. Natalie, Edmund, she's gonna be talking about having an anti racist practice. And then of course, our good friend, Uriah Guilford, he'll be having a productive practice. So I feel like we've got a good lineup of speakers for this event.

Gordon Brewer
Right, right. And I'm looking forward to being there just as a participant and also the podcast network that Whitney and I are both in the psych craft network is one of the sponsors of the of the of the summit. So that's, that's going to be exciting and fun. So definitely, yeah. So tell tell folks about the venue because I'm excited about that. It's it's a beautiful place.

Whitney Owens
Yeah, definitely. So it's the Alita Hotel, which is actually a part of Marriott. It's not a technical Marriott, but it's like a boutique hotel that they have. So you'll be able to get your Marriott bonvoy points or use your points. Thankfully, I have a discount code. So once people register, don't be alarmed by the the room rate online because it's going to be at least half that when you register for the event. Because this hotel is really nice. It's right on River Street. And so River Street in Savannah is right along the Savannah River, you can watch the boats come through, there's tons of shopping restaurants, there's a party scene down there, if you're into that, you want to do that in the evenings. So there's just a lot of things that you can walk to be close to this hotel. I've actually been there multiple times, of course, and it has like this 1950s 60s vibe to it like kind of vintage. And then they're all about conserving things. So when you get there, they actually give you your own water bottle. And all the floors have water stations and ice stations where you can fill up your bottles, which I think is really neat. The food is excellent. It's Southern and I actually had to do a food tasting a few weeks ago or a few months ago really. And so it's going to be southern food fried chicken, fried green tomatoes. And so we you will get three meals by attending the summit. So those are all included in the first night we're gonna have an opening night it's going to be on the rooftop you're gonna have a great view of the river drinks included and amazing food so you can't beat all those things.

Gordon Brewer
Yeah, that's it's gonna be a fun event and it's a it's a beautiful time of year to for Savannah in October. It's cooled off enough and I hope to Yes, definitely.

Whitney Owens
And Savannah is a fun place to visit. It's very historic. In fact, I am a Methodist and John Wesley came here if you know Methodism, most people think that John Wesley had a really positive experience in Savannah. He actually did not hand my husband does walking tours for groups when they come in to Savannah on John Wesley and takes them to the different places. And so if people are interested, they'll be able to sign up for a John Wesley walking tour while they're at the summit.

Gordon Brewer
That's cool. That's cool. And, you know, having been in Savannah myself, you know, there's the history is just incredible. But it's got this feel of just colonial kind of vibe, and just really, all the things, the positive things of southern charm that we think about.

Whitney Owens
Yeah, definitely. Well, I wanted to go back there, we were talking about being a sponsor, and I partner with people that I think are wonderful. And I think their businesses are truly helpful, like, I'm not going to have sponsors that I don't think are really going to help people. And so we have a really good group of sponsors. And they're going to be offering special deals and offers just for people at the summit. And so site craft network is a huge one, because I wouldn't be where I am today without that network. And so I feel really grateful for that. But if you go to Whitney owens.com, you can click on Summit and see all the sponsors there on the page. They're all fabulous. And looking forward to, to seeing them. Some of these people I've never met in person, and I've used their services in my own business. So I'm looking forward to that as well.

Gordon Brewer
Right, right. Oh, that's great. So yes, and we'll be sure to have links in the show notes in the show summary. And also, I'm going to create a link that it'll just be practice of therapy.com/wise practice Summit. I don't think that'll be too terribly long. But that'll get you to where we're going and love it. Yeah, that's great. Well, Whitney, what else would you want people to know, that you feel is important?

Whitney Owens
Yes. So there are a lot of things out there looking for your attention. I mean, there are tons of retreats, there are tons of conferences out there. And I just want to make it clear that this event was created specifically for people who are faith based, and people who make that a part of their lives and some a part of their business. And so this is really been tailored. And so yeah, there are a lot of things out there that you could do. But if you would say that's who you are, I really don't want you to miss out on this opportunity. And the opportunity to meet other people who have a similar mindset and similar ideas about growing their business. Like, it's really a special thing. So it's really about growing your business, but it's also really just about the connections and about actually growing your faith at the same time. Like, I have found that my business grows my faith in who I am. And so I want to give people that same experience. So this is really been tailored for you.

Gordon Brewer
Right, right. And, you know, I think the thing about it is, is business owners, you know, particularly and and, you know, all of us, most of the people I'm assuming that listen to this particular podcast are in private practice in some form or fashion or thinking about being in private practice. One of the things that's just crucial is having that integration of work life balance, and being able to take your own values and inserted in your business and be able to have your business match up with what you experience internally. Uh huh.

Whitney Owens
Definitely.

Gordon Brewer
Yeah. So Well, I'm excited about this. And folks, be sure and check it out. Again, we'll have links in the show note, show notes and show summary for you to get to it easily. And well, Whitney, we'll be back again. I know for sure.

Whitney Owens
Well, I would love to be and let me just also plug I mean, if you come to the summit, you get to meet Gordon Burr. So that's better than that. Well,

Gordon Brewer
that's Yeah, that might be a perk. Don't scare him away. Well, thanks, Whitney. And well, you'll be hearing more. Thank you, Gordon.