Stop relying on the dreaded service page. A generic list of specialties is not a marketing strategy; it is a deterrent. If you want a potential client to trust you with their deepest secrets, you must provide a page that actually speaks their language. In this episode, Peter Fenger sits down with John Sanders, the founder and CEO of RevKey. John leads a specialized digital advertising agency that helps mental health professionals grow their practices through ethical, data-driven Google Ads. Since launching RevKey as a solo operation in 2018, he has built a dedicated team of ten focused on delivering measurable results rather than marketing fluff. John is a trusted voice at leading industry conferences and podcasts, known for helping therapists navigate HIPAA sensitive environments and avoid the common traps of wasted ad spend. Today, we explore his unique approach to practice growth, covering everything from effective website strategies and essential metrics to the latest trends in the mental health space.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mIH8QqSi30TTDC0ezsQwU?si=bvC7c_84S9iQ1dFtDluPcA

An independent panel of autism experts plans to meet in Washington, D.C. on Thursday to challenge the Trump administration's views on autism spectrum disorder.

The newly formed Independent Autism Coordinating Committee is billing itself as a science-based alternative to an existing federal entity called the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

The new group's first meeting comes just weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed 21 new members to the federal panel.

Keep reading here: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/19/nx-s1-5752354/new-autism-alternative-group-maha-ideological-agenda

Photo by Prateek Katyal: 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-laptop-2740956/

Failing an exam can come as a huge shock, time of sadness, disappointment, etc. Allow yourself time to feel sad for a day or two, but then making a plan can help you move that sadness to action. Below are some strategies and tips for moving on after a failed attempt. 

Take a break, but not too long. Allow your brain to take a break, but don’t lose that momentum. If you didn’t have that momentum during your previous attempt, use that as a lesson to have that this time around. It’s important!

Realize this is a hard exam, and although it may feel isolating at times–you aren’t the only one to have unsuccessful attempts.

Do something different than what you did the previous time. Build upon the already strong foundation you have, and add a little extra this time around. Suggestions of adding something different might include:

• Getting a one-on-one coach to provide individual, personalized attention. This is what I do, and I will be happy to work with you. Reach out with more questions if you are interested in this option.

• Attending a webinar or a live instruction class. I hear so much positive feedback on these. Topics include Content Review, Exam Strategies, Critical Thinking…

• Incorporating more practice questions. For most of us this is a different type of exam so learning how to take this exam and answering the questions in the weird ways in which they are asked is of equal importance to knowing the content.

• Allow for more content studying. Open your books, create flash cards, take notes, learn the material. Not only will this help you pass the exam, but it will help you become a better mental health professional!

• Be more consistent. Hold yourself accountable. Create a study plan.

• Join a study group! Share your wisdom and learn from others. An easy way to get connected with others is filling out the form at the top of this page to get connected with others studying for the same exam with similar time frames.

• Find support. Who is encouraging you? Who is in your corner? Let those people know what you need from them. Let them know how important and valuable they are to you.

Pay attention to your thoughts as you are studying again. What are you telling yourself? Are you negative?...Saying hurtful statements?..., Or are you cheering for yourself that you can do this?

Know that you have a huge advantage this time–you have taken out a lot of unknowns (such as the process at the testing site, what the experience looks like, visualizations, etc) So much of our anxiety comes from what is unknown or unfamiliar to us. You now know what to expect!

Focus on moving forward. No need to dwell on what you missed. Use it as a learning experience.

Look at your score report from your previous attempt. It may hold valuable information like exam breakdowns by domain. This can help you learn areas needed to strengthen and concepts to fine tune. 

Reward yourself periodically for staying consistent. Rewards can be anything you want. Some examples include–days off without feeling guilty, dinner with friends, manicures or self care. Knowing there will be a reward helps with accountability and consistency.

Part 2 of 2: Last week we discussed Assessing for Intimate Partner Violence, (scroll back to find that post), but then what do you do next? Below are some interventions once the therapist has determined that violence is present in the relationship. Then, come back on Friday for a question related to interventions...

The primary goals of crisis intervention for those that have experienced IPV are ensuring his/her safety and alleviating emotional and psychological symptoms that may interfere with treatment (e.g., anxiety, depression). Achievement of these goals involves:

• ensuring the person receives a medical evaluation and treatment as needed;

• discussing options for ensuring the safety of the person and his/her children, including developing a safety plan and providing information on local domestic violence shelters and crisis hotlines;

• educating the person about abuse myths, types of abuse, and the cycle of violence,

• providing information about legal alternatives (e.g., filing a police report, obtaining a restraining order);

• providing information about and making referrals to community resources such as advocacy and support groups, housing, financial aid, and other transitional services; and

• mobilizing and enhancing the person’s coping skills, autonomy, and self-esteem (e.g., decrease feelings of blame for the abuse, promote feelings of self-efficacy, consider the pros and cons of staying in the relationship).

When IPV is initially revealed during a therapy session with both partners, additional goals are to “set limits with the offender through a firm agreement about his use of force or intimidation … [and take concrete steps that] support his follow-through” (Bograd & Mederos, 1999, p. 306). Concrete steps include having the partners sign a no-violence contract and commit to a time-out plan for high-risk situations. Finally, note that health care providers who provide medical services to those that have experienced domestic violence are mandated reporters of domestic violence in legally specified circumstances. However, social workers (and other mental health practitioners) are NOT mandated reporters of domestic violence except when 

(a) the victim is a minor, elder, or dependent adult, in which case they are required to report child or elder/dependent adult abuse or 

(b) the social worker is practicing in a jurisdiction that has a “duty to warn” law and a client’s threats against his/her partner meet the requirements of that law.

You are working with Pearl who is 42 years old and a dependent adult. She tells you that she is being physically abused by a staff member where she lives. Because Pearl is living in a long-term care facility that is NOT part of a state mental health hospital or state developmental facility, you should make a telephone report of abuse to which of the following?

a. Adult protective services

b. Appropriate licensing agency

c. Local law enforcement

D. Local ombudsman 

Kim Freudenberg, a longtime teacher in San Francisco, knew that raising two boys meant a lot of hard conversations. She warned them about all the usual dangers: drugs, alcohol, sex, social media, riding a bike without a helmet.

"Never once did I even think that I needed to say 'gambling,'" she recalls.

One day, when her oldest son was 11, he was watching someone play video games on a livestream and clicked on a link in the comments. It took him to an offshore online casino.

Keep reading here.

Artificial intelligence chatbots are so prone to flattering and validating their human users that they are giving bad advice that can damage relationships and reinforce harmful behaviors, according to a new study that explores the dangers of AI telling people what they want to hear.

The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, tested 11 leading AI systems and found they all showed varying degrees of sycophancy — behavior that was overly agreeable and affirming. The problem is not just that they dispense inappropriate advice but that people trust and prefer AI more when the chatbots are justifying their convictions.

“This creates perverse incentives for sycophancy to persist: The very feature that causes harm also drives engagement,” says the study led by researchers at Stanford University.

Keep reading here.

Which of the following additional considerations is most important for the provider to monitor given this medication?

A) Emergence of suicidal ideation, particularly early in treatment or during dose changes
B) Development of hypertensive crisis following consumption of tyramine-rich foods
C) Onset of extrapyramidal symptoms such as rigidity and bradykinesia
D) Risk of physiological dependence with rebound anxiety upon discontinuation

** Answer and rationales posted in the comments!

A Colorado teenager is sounding the alarm on social media’s impact on young girls after surveying more than 1,000 peers nationwide and finding strong links between platform use and rising rates of anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation.

"I saw that social media was just a driving factor of all mental health issues, anxiety, depression," 17-year-old Hallie Zilberman told Fox News on Sunday.

Zilberman surveyed over 1,000 teenage girls nationwide to better understand today's mental health crisis. The results revealed some common contributors to negative mental health, one being social media, which prompted her to delete her own Snapchat and Instagram

Keep reading here.