Living Breathing Medicine Podcast

Breaking Down Barriers

with Therapist and Social Worker, Timothy Elliott

On episode three of Living Breathing Medicine podcast, Dr. Natasha Beauvais and Dr. Cecily Havert talk with Timothy Elliott, a licensed therapist and social worker in Arlington, Virginia. Timothy shares the story of one of his very first clients, who he’s now worked with for many years. After a rough start to the relationship, a mishap with music led to Timothy and the client connecting in a much stronger way.

Episode Highlights:

• • 0:00 – 1:25 – Dr. Cecily Havert and Dr. Natasha Beauvais begin episode three by introducing their guest, Timothy Elliott, a licensed therapist, and social worker in the Arlington, VA area. In this episode, Timothy guides listeners through his experiences as a young green therapist working with a challenging young client whom he seemingly had very little in common with.
  • 1:30 – 7:29 – Timothy shares the story of a young person he was working with whom he was struggling to connect with. But, after a (humorous) pivotal moment with his client and the client’s mother, Timothy was able to earn his client’s trust and further connect with his client, leading to a great, lasting relationship.
  • 7:40 – 10:05 – “And what is underneath that (diagnosis)? What we ended up uncovering together through years of work was there was complex severe trauma. That makes me think about the pervasiveness of trauma and how so often it is misdiagnosed, especially with kids as bipolar, conduct disorder, ADHD, all these other behaviorally focused diagnoses that just are missing.”
  • 10:20 – 12:45 – Timothy shares what his patient taught him during the beginning of their relationship – “And that connectedness in being able to see a person for whom they are in that moment, holding deep respect and compassion, and for them to see you as well. They have taught me so much about that.”
  • 12:50 – 16:46 – Sometimes, graduate school does not prepare you for every situation you will face professionally. Timothy shares a story about a time with his client when he needed to be flexible and improvise.
  • 16:50 – 21:16 – “So what were some of the observations that you can reflect on now about what happened after both of those events and how that shifted in your treatment relationship?” Timothy discusses where his relationship is with his client now and the lessons he’s learned throughout the process.
  • 21:30 – 27:05 – How does the physical space you are in with your clients impact the sessions? Does walking with your clients help take the pressure off them? The providers and Timothy talk about the importance of the space and environment in which they provide their care.
  • 27:35 – 33:45 – “Maybe it’s just a small thing, but there’s some way to really see a person as a person instead of, as you said, a diagnosis that could be wrong. Ultimately, you really just want to reach and connect with them. But I noticed that there’s a line to walk with that with how much do I share?”
  • 34:33 – 38:46 – Dr. Havert asks Timothy, “What is it that you know now that maybe you wish that you knew back then?”
  • 39:44 – 40:14 – The providers conclude the episode by thanking Timothy for his candor and time, as well as share where you can find past and future episodes of Living Breathing Medicine Podcast.

Living Breathing Medicine is a podcast from Northern Virginia Family Practice. Find us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also nominate health care providers for future interviews here.