Podcast Summary: Private Practice Startup Podcast

Episode 196: Up Close and Personal with Kate & Katie
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest Interviewer: Chrissy Barlihan
Date: June 15, 2020

Overview

In this unique episode, Private Practice Startup hosts Dr. Kate Campbell and Katie Lemieux switch roles and become the interviewees, with Chrissy Barlihan guiding a candid, heartfelt, and often humorous conversation. The episode departs from the usual business-focused format to give listeners an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at Kate and Katie’s personal stories, formative experiences, partnership journey, and what drives their passion for helping therapists thrive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What It’s Like to Be Interviewed (03:10–05:10)

• Both Kate and Katie express nervous excitement about being on the other side of the interview process.
  • Katie: “Probably five seconds before I was a little nervous because today we are flipping the tables.” (00:31)
  • Kate: “We’ve never had this happen and we’ve recorded over 200 episodes of podcast...I can’t say she’s sweating a little bit. I’m definitely sweating a little bit. And I don’t even really sweat.” (04:09)

2. Their Upbringings and Formative Years

Katie’s Story (05:59–14:34)

• Grew up in Connecticut; oldest of siblings/cousins, family background in French-Italian and German-English heritage.
• Parents divorced when she was 3; loss of her brother had a profound impact on her outlook and practice.
• Moved to Florida in 2001, driven by a desire to escape the cold and for educational opportunities.
• On grief and its effect:
  • “Grief can be very separating...even though you’re in the same family, you grieve differently, have a very different relationship with the person.” (10:45)
  • “Grief overall for me is…it’s very, like, cleaning out, right? And… the intolerance to BS, like…out, out, out, out, out.” (11:48)
• School success and activities like karate (third-degree brown belt), basketball, volleyball, and drama provided stability during a tough, depressive teen period.

Kate’s Story (14:38–19:33)

• Moved frequently as a child (about 10 times before age 8), finally settling in North Carolina; now considers Fort Lauderdale, FL, home.
• Oldest sibling; strong family ties and a work ethic instilled by helping on a family-run hotel/restaurant and working for riding lessons.
  • “At 9, 10 years old, cleaning, like, 20 stalls a week for these riding lessons. So they instilled this really strong work ethic in me at a very young age.” (17:10)
• Equestrian pursuits shaped her determination and high personal standards.

3. Teenage Years & Struggles

• Kate and Katie both describe difficult teen experiences, struggling with self-esteem, depression, or rebellion.
  • Kate shares: “My parents saw that I was in trouble…dragged me into therapy…I just stonewalled the whole time...But it really inspired me as part of my own journey to become a therapist, of wanting to be a therapist that other people could connect to…” (23:40)
  • Katie notes academic excellence and extracurriculars kept her grounded: “School was…the thing I could do that I could control, that I can do well in. So I would excel there.” (21:09)

4. Finding Their Path to Therapy (25:38–31:19)

• Kate found inspiration in a college psychology class and a marriage and family therapist professor, leading to a clear calling for the field and entry into Nova Southeastern University for her PhD.
• Katie’s family history of divorce and contentious relationships motivated her commitment to giving children a voice within families, balancing individual and systemic/family therapy.
  • “I would see it as my job to bridge the communication gap between kids and their family just because I did not have that growing up.” (30:58)

5. How Kate & Katie Met and Built Their Business Partnership (31:42–35:32)

• Met through licensure supervision with Dr. Annalyn Sculley; worked together to resurrect their local Marriage and Family Therapy association chapter.
• Built a strong business partnership through mutual growth, eventually narrowing their focus on marketing and coaching for therapists based on their own experience of entrepreneurial overwhelm.
  • “We are what we preach…The more that you streamline, the wider you can grow and the bigger you can grow and the clearer you are of your focus and your expertise.” (35:07)

6. Spousal Support & Work-Life Balance (36:21–40:48)

• Both partners have spouses who are entrepreneurs and supportive, but admit the challenge of balancing business and family, especially during the pandemic.
  • Kate: “The only struggle is that, like, we take on too much…especially right now with the pandemic…family is, of course, our top priority.” (36:21)
  • Katie: “She has definitely made comments of being jealous of the time that I spend with Kate. …But, you know, we’re both entrepreneurs...that is definitely a source of strength in our relationship.” (39:35)

7. Interests, Self-Care, and Bodywork (40:48–43:24)

• Katie discusses her long-term interest in bodywork, from medical massage to acupuncture and energy work.
  • “With the whole thing going on with the pandemic and being online so much, it’s, like, extremely exacerbated my neighbor stuff...did I let go of some stuff?” (43:24)
• Kate is asked if she ever wanted to be an academic (teaching with her PhD) and says her true passion is teaching via coaching, not in a traditional classroom.
  • “Academia is such a…feels confined to me…what we’re doing is limitless and expansive.” (44:43)

8. Books, Parenting, and Personal Insights

• Katie shares how a business coach helped her become an avid reader and references current reads like Mike McAllitz’s “Fix This Next” and “The Science of Getting Rich.”
  • “My business coach had given me a book to read…the richness of books is just…it blows my mind, like, what was I missing all this time?” (46:53)
• Kate describes her children, Landon (loving) and Jackson (strong), with deep affection and gratitude (49:16).
• Both discuss their Enneagram types; Katie is likely a 1 or a 3, and Kate self-identifies as a 2 with a 3 wing (51:48).
• They also touch on piercings and tattoos, discussing the personal meanings behind their body art (52:26–54:51).

9. Lightning Round & Fun Facts (54:56–62:27)

A quick-fire Q&A covers personal quirks:

• Movies not seen: Kate hasn’t seen “The Godfather.”
• Katie hates snow/cold, is not a sci-fi fan, and dislikes some mainstream trends.
• Secret addictions: Kate – retail therapy; Katie – “90 Day Fiancé” and an inability to stop eating popcorn.
• Favorite scents, go-to Netflix/Hulu genres, and playful ‘this or that’ questions (e.g., mac and cheese vs. spaghetti, beach vs. mountains).

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Grief can be very separating…it changes how we act, behave, think.” – Katie (10:45)
• “My parents saw that I was in trouble and dragged me into therapy…that really inspired me to become a therapist who other people could connect to.” – Kate (23:40)
• “We are what we preach…the more you streamline…the clearer you are of your focus and your expertise.” – Katie (35:07)
• “I wanted to get the PhD because I felt like I wasn’t done learning yet...but I don’t want to teach in traditional academia.” – Kate (44:43)
• “My business coach had given me a book to read…and the richness of books just blows my mind, like, what was I missing all this time?” – Katie (46:53)
• “For my son Landon, I would say loving...For Jackson, strong—he’s my miracle baby.” – Kate (49:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:10 – Chrissy takes over as interviewer, flipping the interview script
• 05:59 – Katie’s childhood & background
• 14:45 – Kate’s family history & experiences growing up
• 20:08 – Teen struggles and coping mechanisms
• 23:40 – Therapy experiences and their career inspirations
• 31:42 – How Kate and Katie met and became business partners
• 36:21 – Spousal support and balancing family/business, especially during COVID-19
• 40:48 – Katie’s journey with bodywork and medical massage
• 46:53 – The story behind Katie’s journey into reading
• 49:16 – Kate describes her children in one word each
• 51:21 – Enneagram and fun personality insights
• 52:26 – Tattoos and piercings
• 54:56 – Lightning round (personal quirks, favorites, and quick-fire Q&A)
• 62:31 – Reflection, closing remarks, and what Chrissy learned about Kate & Katie

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is warm, sincere, and lighthearted, marked by deep sharing, mutual respect, and moments of laughter. Both hosts blend vulnerability with humor, inviting listeners into their personal journeys in a way that’s true to the supportive, community-driven spirit of their brand.

Takeaways

Listeners will come away with a stronger sense of who Kate and Katie are as people and professionals—their roots, values, and partnership dynamic—as well as a reaffirmed sense that authenticity, personal growth, and collaborative support are foundational to building a fulfilling private practice.

For more episodes, resources, and practice-building tips, visit:
privatepracticestartup.com