FAQ
1. When people hire Dr. Mullen for therapy, what kinds of mental health conditions does she treat?
It has been an honor to be able to look back on my career and know that I’ve been working to help my clients through some of the toughest times of their lives. Over the last 20+ years, I have worked with individuals, couples and even family groups who were struggling with things like generational trauma, relationship conflicts, depression, anxiety, and other mental health and emotional struggles. Many of my clients would seek me out during times of change and disruption in their lives. They would seek me out after a breakup or a divorce, often wanting to change their pattern of behavior in their relationships.
I started my career with a focus on helping clients in the addiction and recovery communities and also on street teams with people who were seen as the most severe and persistently mentally ill to help them stabilize in their communities.
2. Are your speaking engagements tailored to only benefit women in their relationships, or can men benefit too?
For as much as my audience is predominantly women, certainly men can benefit from the topics I speak on and from the relationship advice they hear on the podcast.
3. Do you offer custom presentations or workshops?
Of course! I have over 25 years of experience in the field of psychology with a vast array of knowledge. Let me know what your needs are. I’d love to customize a presentation for your event.
4. Does Dr. Mullen see clients in person or remotely?
My 1:1 therapy sessions are remote. We meet via Zoom or phone. Leadership Development, Management Consulting and Training is often done onsite, however, I am flexible and see these clients across the U.S.
5. How much does therapy cost, and does Dr. Mullen take insurance?
That is an important thing to know before reaching out. My pricing is as follows:
Payment is expected at the time of service.
Individual Therapy
The cost of individual therapy is $225 for a 50-minute session.
Leadership Development & Management Consulting
Custom pricing.
Insurance Information
In-Network Insurance plans: AETNA & TRICARE. This means that all you pay is your co-pay or co-insurance after any deductible.
For all other clients, your credit card information is taken at intake to keep on file to pay for the service.
For any other PPO plans. At the end of every month, I send an out-of-network invoice to your insurer to help you receive any out-of-network reimbursement you may be eligible for. I do not follow-up with the insurance, nor do I get involved with managing disputes. I send the invoice as a courtesy to help you get reimbursed for whatever portion you are entitled to, but the follow-up is solely up to you.
HMO Plans: I do not participate in any HMO plans. There is no reimbursement for out-of-network providers or the insured.
6. What kind of events are you available for presenting?
women’s empowerment conferences,
Sales Kick-Offs
Motivational Seminars
Wellness Retreats
Corporate wellness seminars
International Women’s Day events
relationship workshops
webinars, or
podcasts
TV interviews and news segments on relationships
7. How can I book you for a speaking engagement?
Please use the contact form here
8. What can audiences expect from your speaking engagements?
I always want my audience to feel that they got more than they expected! Whether it’s a motivational, educational, interactive, or a mix of presentation styles or modalities, I hope that the audience benefits through takeaways of actionable insights or actions they can take to improve themselves or their relationships.
9. How does your podcast tie into your speaking engagements?
My show, "Love, Unboxed: The Podcast for the Hopeful Romantic", is centered around answering my audience’s questions about dating and relationships. Speaking engagements allow me an opportunity to reach new audiences who may not have discovered the podcast yet. That new audience can continue learning by subscribing for free to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at LoveUnboxedPodcast.com and many other accessible podcast apps.
10. What audiences do you typically speak to?
Successful women who struggle in their personal relationships
Church Groups
Hairdressers
Women’s Networking groups and events
Real Estate Agents
Teachers
Women’s health clinics
Women’s professional associations
Anywhere women gather
11. Who is Dr. Mullen’s ideal therapy client?
Over the years, there are 2 types of individuals that gravitated to her for my expertise:
A. The first type of individuals are women who were seeking guidance after a breakup in their lives. These women are generally successful in their careers, but often had chaotic relationships and felt like they kept attracting partners who could not or world not commit to them in ways that felt healthy. They would end up feeling empty or lonely and emotionally tired in those relationships.
A common theme in the lives of these women has been that they had emotionally cold & critical, often narcissistic mothers.
The other commonality among these clients has been that they had often been unknowingly misdiagnosed as:
o anxious,
o depressed,
o bipolar,
But, in reality, many of them were suffering the repercussions of childhood trauma, which left them with symptoms of:
o PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder)
o Anxiety
o Panic Attacks
o Flashbacks
o Codependent Relationships
o Diminishing their own voice in their relationships
o Setting aside their needs
and/or
o ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
o Always feeling like a clock is ticking in their mind
o Feeling irritable or overwhelmed easily when things don’t go as planned
B. The other individuals who seek out her services are business owners who struggle to maintain the business they created. These clients were often accidental entrepreneurs: they came from modest backgrounds, found something they were good at and rose to the top, or grew up in a family-run business and were expected to take it over when the elder family members retired. Some have learned a trade skill or had a mentor in their chosen field and they moved on to open their own business as their reputation grew (think real estate agent, creative artist, electrician, construction, etc). The problem they find is that they don’t know how to maintain what they built.
12 What topics do you speak about in your events?
self-esteem in relationships,
balancing career and personal life,
How to spot red flags and what to do if you are already catching feelings.
Breaking unhealthy patterns in love,
emotional burnout,
How childhood experiences affect adult relationships
13. Is it possible to have a healthy relationship without sacrificing my career?
Yes, of course. Through our work together, I can help you work through the emotional obstacles that have blocked you and find hope for having a fulfilling career and a healthy relationship.
14. Can therapy help me balance my career and personal life better?
Successful women often struggle with balancing demanding careers and personal relationships. Therapy can help you work through and decide what you want your life to feel like, and help you to prioritize what is important to you in a way that helps you have more of the life balance you are seeking.
15. Does Dr. Mullen practice any particular therapeutic modality?
Yes, a few, and I will explain, but I want you to know that I tailor the therapy to meet your needs. Some of the methods I employ are:
o Structural Family Therapy – I look at you in the context of the emotional hierarchy in which you were raised and live in now. (Did your parent make you their friend? Do the men you date need a parent instead of a partner? You can read more about that here …..
o Strategic therapy – I had the opportunity to be trained by Jay Haley, Ph.D, the father of Strategic Family Therapy, so I pull from his work often. Strategic therapy utilizes the therapist’s skill in seeing what the problem is to design an intervention (often paradoxical) to help the client reach the goals they have for themselves.
o Gottman Method Relationship Coaching - An evidence-based method for helping couples strengthen their love, improve their communication, and solve problems collaboratively. This method helps the couple stand on their own feet in the future, rather than relying on going back to their therapist if new problems arrive in the future.
16. How do I know if my relationship issues are linked to my childhood experiences?
Many women don’t realize the connection between their upbringing and their current relationship struggles. Exploring this can help identify the root of their challenges, and then they can take action steps I design for them to help them change their future despite their past.
17. How do I stop feeling guilty for prioritizing myself?
Women who are used to giving emotionally might struggle with self-care. Acknowledging this guilt and providing answers on how to overcome it will resonate.