In this episode of The Unmasked Therapist Podcast, Clinical Supervisors ⁠Kim Rippy⁠ and ⁠Kaitlyn Steel⁠ introduce the first part of a new series focused on one of the most underdeveloped but essential aspects of becoming a clinician: developing your therapist identity.

They explore the “person of the therapist” model and why supervision in the early stages of training often overemphasizes skills while leaving little room for deeper reflection on who the therapist actually is. Kim and Kaitlyn discuss how understanding yourself as a person—your values, emotional patterns, life experiences, and internal world—directly shapes how you show up in the therapy room.

Through honest reflection and real clinical insight, they unpack the idea that therapists cannot separate personal growth from professional development. They also discuss how experiential awareness, supervision, and self-reflection help clinicians move beyond scripted interventions and into more grounded, authentic clinical presence.

This episode sets the foundation for the series by inviting therapists to begin examining how their own lived experience informs their work, and why this integration is key to long-term clinical effectiveness and sustainability.

In this episode, we discuss:• What the “person of the therapist” model is in clinical supervision• Why therapist identity development is often missing in early training• The limits of skill-based supervision without self-reflection• How personal experience shapes clinical perception and intervention• The connection between therapist authenticity and nervous system regulation• Why ongoing self-awareness is essential for effective therapy• How experiential understanding deepens clinical work

Connect with us:Supervision: www.keystonetherapygroup.com/supervision/Instagram: @TheUnmaskedTherapistEmail: Supervision@KeystoneTherapyGroup.com

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Disclaimer:This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for clinical supervision. All information shared represents our own opinions and should not be taken as legal or clinical direction.

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