In this episode, Patrick Casale talks with Caryn Zaner, PsyD, founder of Therapy for the Apocalypse and Felt Not Fixed, about what it means to run a business—and a life—rooted in values, authenticity, and a commitment to community, especially while navigating the challenges of a capitalist system that isn’t designed for equity or collective care.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

1. Embrace Value Alignment, Even When It’s Hard: If your business decisions don’t feel authentic or congruent with your values, it’s nearly impossible to stay motivated or feel good about your work. It’s okay to leave “money on the table” if it means staying true to yourself.
2. Community and Accessible Care Matter: Healing happens in relationships, not isolation. The use of equitable sliding scales and group therapy can make care more accessible and build genuine community in and out of the therapy room.
3. Rejection is Part of Advocacy: Practice advocating for yourself, even if it feels “annoying.” Not everyone will be your people—and that’s by design. Standing up for what truly matters means you’ll attract your “right fit” clients and repel those who aren’t aligned. That’s how you create real impact.

Let’s dare to be a bit more “annoying”—and a lot more authentic—in our work and our lives.

More about Caryn:

Caryn Zaner, PsyD, is a psychologist who runs Therapy for the Apocalypse (a private therapy practice) and Felt Not Fixed (a coaching and consulting project still finding its shape).

In their clinical work, they offer virtual services for Oregon-based clients, specializing in group therapy and therapeutic intensives for people navigating identity transitions, relational and attachment trauma, and existential distress. Their approach integrates Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFiT), existential-humanistic principles, and relational process work, informed by liberational and feminist psychologies.

Through Felt Not Fixed, Caryn offers coaching, consulting, and facilitation for people and teams who want to live and work in closer alignment with their values. This branch of their work centers on emotional authenticity, community connection, and creative experimentation.

Across both spaces, Caryn helps people move from intellectual understanding to felt experience and from isolation to real contact.

Offer:

Check out Felt Not Fixed, a coaching and consulting space for values-driven humans, practitioners, and teams. It’s where Caryn (will) host evolving offerings like Values Clarity Sessions, Improv-based Perfectionism Recovery Workshops, and community-oriented groups on emotional processing and queer belonging.

For Oregon residents seeking therapy, Caryn offers group therapy and therapeutic intensives rooted in relational and existential-humanistic work.

1. Website: carynzanerpsyd.com
2. Felt Not Fixed Coaching: feltnotfixed.podia.com
3. Instagrams: @therapy.for.the.apocalypse and @felt.not.fixed

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Thanks to Our Sponsors: The Receptionist for iPad, Alma, & Portland, Maine, Summit 2026!

✨ The Receptionist for iPad

Thanks to The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode.

The Receptionist offers an iPad list check-in option where clients can scan a QR code to check in, which negates the need for you to buy an iPad and stand. Go to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice and sign up for a free 14-day trial. When you do, you'll get your first month free. And don't forget to ask about our iPad list check-in option.

✨ Alma

Thanks to Alma for sponsoring this episode.

 Alma empowers you to confidently accept insurance backed by an all-in-one EHR that simplifies scheduling, documentation, and day-to-day practice operations. With a network of engaged providers and free CE courses, Alma makes it easy for you to build the practice of your dreams on your terms. Alma believes that when therapists get the support they need, mental healthcare gets better for everyone. Learn more at helloalma.com/ATPP.

✨ Portland, Maine, Summit 2026

The 2026 Doubt Yourself Do It Anyway Summit is happening for the first time in the United States in beautiful Portland, Maine, on September 1st–3rd, 2026. Portland, Maine, is a beautiful coastal city in the Atlantic Ocean. There's a lot of history there, and it's a very funky, creative, safe, walkable, diverse, and progressive city. You will get 9 NBCC CEs. We have ASWB pending—we'll make an announcement when that's finalized—and have 13 prolific industry leaders. This summit has always been about showing that our skills are applicable in so many different ways, and to motivate you to think bigger, grow in this profession, take more risks, work through self-doubt, and really embrace the doubt-yourself-do-it-anyway mentality. Spots are limited. Reserve your spot here: empoweredescapes.com/portland-maine-summit

Doubt yourself. Do it anyway. See you in Maine.

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Get a practical podcasting workbook for therapists considering starting a podcast, created by Patrick Casale, host of the podcasts All Things Private Practice and Divergent Conversations.

You'll get a practical structure for therapists who want to start a podcast but don’t want to rush, perform, or build something they can’t sustain.

Grab your free copy of the Podcasting Workbook: atppod.com/free-podcasting-workbook

Mentioned in this episode:

Alma

Thanks to Alma for sponsoring this episode.  Alma empowers you to confidently accept insurance backed by an all-in-one EHR that simplifies scheduling, documentation, and day-to-day practice operations. With a network of engaged providers and free CE courses, Alma makes it easy for you to build the practice of your dreams on your terms. Alma believes that when therapists get the support they need, mental healthcare gets better for everyone. Learn more at https://helloalma.com/ATPP.

Portland, Maine, Summit 2026

 The 2026 Doubt Yourself Do It Anyway Summit is happening for the first time in the United States in beautiful Portland, Maine, on September 1st–3rd, 2026. Portland, Maine, is a beautiful coastal city in the Atlantic Ocean. There's a lot of history there, and it's a very funky, creative, safe, walkable, diverse, and progressive city. You will get 9 NBCC CEs. We have ASWB pending—we'll make an announcement when that's finalized—and have 13 prolific industry leaders. This summit has always been about showing that our skills are applicable in so many different ways, and to motivate you to think bigger, grow in this profession, take more risks, work through self-doubt, and really embrace the doubt-yourself-do-it-anyway mentality. Spots are limited. Reserve your spot here: https://www.empoweredescapes.com/portland-maine-summit Doubt yourself. Do it anyway. See you in Maine.

The Receptionist for iPad

I want to thank The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode. From new patients faced with an empty lobby and no idea where to find their therapist to clinicians with a session running over time and the doorbell ringing, some of the most anxiety-ridden moments of a therapy appointment happen before a session even starts. The Receptionist for iPad, helps you tackle some of that pre-appointment apprehension and anxiety. The Receptionist for iPad is an easy-to-use digital client check-in system that helps your visitors check in securely to their appointments and notify their practitioners of their arrival via SMS, email, or your preferred channel. No more confusion, and less lobby checking or having clients sign in on paper logbooks. It can even help you upgrade and update your demographic information for your clients as well and even validate parking. Start a 14-day free trial of the Receptionist for iPad by going to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link and you'll also get your first month free if you decide to sign up.