What happens when a fourth-grade teacher walks into a counseling class… and never looks back?

In this episode, we sit down with Becky Caldwell, therapist and co-host of the Probably Bad Advice Podcast to talk about her unconventional path into the therapy world and the real, unfiltered experience of becoming a clinician later in life.

We get into the stuff that doesn’t make it into textbooks:
– The shock of hearing trauma for the first time
– Carrying clients’ stories home in your body
– Imposter syndrome that whispers, “Who do you think you are?”
– And the moment you realize… you don’t actually have to have all the answers

Becky shares how her age and life experience became an unexpected superpower in the therapy room, why connection matters more than technique, and what it really means to build grit as a therapist (hint: it’s not about pushing harder).

We also talk about:
-Letting go of perfection and embracing presence
-The power of slowing down instead of “fixing”
-Navigating rejection when a client doesn’t come back
-Creating spaces for women to rediscover who they are outside of their roles

If you’re a new therapist who's a little "older" (don't worry Becky says the same thing), a seasoned one, or somewhere in the messy middle, which is ALL of us, this episode will remind you:

You’re not alone, you’re not doing it wrong, and the work is deeper and grittier than you think.

You can find Becky on Instagram @probablybadadvicepodcast

Connect with us! Check out our freebies and our NEW Grit School:

• Therapist AF: Grit School for the Real World, practical skills, nervous system grounding, and the reps grad school skipped
• The Gritty Therapist freebies, tools, and support: thegrittytherapist.com
• The Cord Where Science Meets Connection attachment/trauma-focused therapy.

Follow along on Instagram @grittytherapist and go get your gritty on.