Have you ever dreamed of taking a trip where it’s just you, your suitcase, and endless possibilities? Today, we’re diving into the world of solo travel for therapists! Today, I’m so excited to share this conversation with my friend and fellow therapist, Michelle Kauble. Michelle is the CEO of Apple Tree Counseling, a group practice in Virginia, where she mentors new counselors and social workers to help them grow into confident, experienced professionals. She’s also someone who truly embraces solo travel—and has so many fun stories and insights to share about it!
In this episode, Michelle opens up about how her first solo trip changed her perspective on life and work. We talk about why traveling alone can be such a powerful experience, not just for personal growth but also for how it can influence your work as a therapist. Michelle also shares how she balances running a busy practice while still making time to explore the world on her own terms.
If you’ve been curious about solo travel, wondering how to get started, or just looking for some inspiration to take that leap, this episode will leave you ready to pack your bags—or at least start planning your next adventure. I can’t wait for you to hear it!
In This Episode, We Explore…
Connect with Michelle:
www.instagram.com/apple_tree_counseling
www.MichelleKauble.com
www.instagram.com/emotionsRourpower
Connect with me:
Instagram: @thetravelingtherapist_kym
The Traveling Therapist Membership: www.kymtolson.kartra.com/page/travelingtherapistmembership
Revolutionize Your Private Practice with AI Course: www.kymtolson.kartra.com/page/ai
Signup to learn more about life as Traveling Therapist: https://www.portablepracticemethod.com/free-training
The Traveling Therapist Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/
Bill Like A Boss Insurance Billing Community: www.kymtolson.kartra.com/page/blab
Subscribe to the Podcast:
Apple iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcast | Stitcher | Amazon | Castbox
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey, everybody, welcome back to another episode of the traveling therapist podcast. I'm really excited today to have our guest. I've actually known her for a while. We went to a like very intimate retreat in Costa Rica together. God, how many years ago was that? Michelle, that we did that was it two, two years.
[00:01:33] Kym: It
[00:01:34] Michelle: was 2 years ago. Oh,
[00:01:35] Kym: 2 years. I'm so bad with time. So we can maybe touch on that a little bit, but I'm glad to have you here as a guest. And before we even start, I just want to say, I know you guys listening often hear me talk about all the income streams that I have and all of that. And I like to be upfront and honest that sometimes it's like a total shit show trying to run these things.
[00:01:55] And for example, this podcast, people ask me all the time, like, how hard is it to run a podcast? And I'm like, it's not that bad if you have a good podcast editor, but the other side of it is like guest management, like trying to have a guest that shows up. So, we're actually recording this on Thanksgiving day.
[00:02:12] Thank God. Michelle signed up for this day. I don't think I even realized it was Thanksgiving when I opened it up on my calendar. But she's here with me on Thanksgiving day. And I was just telling her before I hit record that I think I've had six people scheduled over the last two weeks and they have all canceled at the last minute.
[00:02:28] Like literally just sitting here, I'm sitting here waiting in the studio and I get an email that people have canceled. I'm like, Are you kidding me
[00:02:36] So, you know, it's just just putting that out there to say, like, that's the hardest part of it because like, really, it's like, who cares? You just Skip a week or whatever, but I also have a sponsor for this podcast. So I like to talk about that a little bit to Alma sponsors this podcast. They have for years now.
[00:02:52] They're amazing. I love Alma. But they expect an episode every week, right? So it's like it becomes a little bit of pressure. They sponsor. It's great I love to talk about Alma, but then it's like, oh my god I don't have an episode to put out and they're paying me to put episodes out too, you know, to represent their company So they can sponsor an actual podcast episode.
[00:03:12] So
[00:03:13] Michelle: do you think it's like certain times of the year? It doesn't seem like all the time. Yeah,
[00:03:17] Kym: it just It, you know, it's really random and I'll, I'll kind of like wake up that day and have like three scheduled. I'm like, how many are going to actually show, it's like, it's wild to me because I'm like kind of a perfectionist.
[00:03:29] So I never like, I don't miss a point. Like I try not to miss appointments ever, you know? So when people do that, I'm like, Oh my God. And then it's like three in a row in a day. It just blows my mind. But anyway, I'm I wanted to just put that out there for anybody thinking about starting a podcast. I like to be honest about the pros and cons of running multiple income streams.
[00:03:46] And this is one of them with the podcast anyway, just want to get that out of the way and then welcome Michelle. I'm so glad you're here. She's got lots of cool things to talk about. She travels a lot and we're going to just touch on that and what she's doing, her practice and how she manages a hyper practice while she's traveling and all of that.
[00:04:03] So Michelle Cobble, welcome. to the show. I always start out and just say, how did you go from being a traditional therapist to a traveling therapist?
[00:04:13] Michelle: That's a good question. So, I will give you the word for what Kind of changed my whole perspective on what I wanted my counseling life to look like. And that word was divorce.
[00:04:27] I
[00:04:28] Kym: love it.
[00:04:30] Michelle: I did not travel extensively before I got divorced in 2016. I was. Still a resident counseling during that time or, or what we called in Alabama, an associate licensed counselor. I was living in Alabama and I had been married for eight years and I, you know, I was in grad school, I was married, I was running a mentoring program.
[00:04:52] I was, I was doing so much. I never hardly traveled, but I kept on trying to, but I also had a very unsupportive partner who wasn't all about the traveling life.
[00:05:01] Kym: So
[00:05:01] Michelle: altogether, I just didn't travel much. And I was just. It's constantly working. And then once I got divorced, I started to realize on a personal level, there's a whole world out there and I'm, you know, I'm getting older and I'm not doing anything.
[00:05:15] Like, why am I not traveling when I love it so much? And that first kind of trip to Puerto Rico, I went there in 2016, I think. Mhm. And I found myself in this place where I was like really worried that I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm going to be like sad while I'm there. I'm gonna be like, Oh, but I wish, you know, like I wasn't alone I didn't feel that way at all.
[00:05:38] It wasn't
[00:05:38] Kym: the case.
[00:05:40] Michelle: You were like, this is awesome. This is awesome. I don't know if you know, but I am a solo tripping gal.
[00:05:47] Kym: I know, I do know that about you. I remember when we were Costa Rica, you were leaving the retreat after that, and you had like plans to go, and I think you even had a boyfriend at the time, and you're like, who cares?
[00:05:57] And you're like, I'm, I'm like hitting all these places in Costa Rica by myself. Oh, yeah, I needed that whole
[00:06:03] Michelle: next week to be by myself and go where I wanted to go and wanted to see.
[00:06:07] Kym: Oh, yeah. I think that's awesome. Yeah. I think that's so brave. I talk about that on here when we have solo travelers. I'm like, I don't know if I could actually do it.
[00:06:16] Like, just go by myself all over the world like that. And you've been a lot of places like that.
[00:06:21] Michelle: I recommend actually doing it on purpose, actually. I love it. There's something about, and this kind of ties into things that I talked to about with some of my younger counselors, my beginning counselors, there's something about when you are by yourself.
[00:06:35] Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, I'm kind of an ambivert. I've kind of like finally come to a place where I'm like, I'm an ambivert. you really are outside of your comfort zone because you don't have like this other person you're talking to all the time. Yeah. You're not, you know, like when I'm with my bestie, Erica, we're going to be hanging out this weekend.
[00:06:55] We're going to go to Charlotte and we're going to explore all my time. I'm going to spend with her, talking to her, experiencing it with her. When I go on my trips, I am experiencing it within. And I'm experiencing it also with whoever is around me at the time. On my solo trips, I talk to people. Like I have to talk to people.
[00:07:15] I'm around people all the time. I go on Airbnb experiences a lot. That always Oh, I love that. That is a solo trip and gals, like tip number one, do, do Airbnb experiences.
[00:07:27] Kym: That is awesome. I see those all the time, but I'm always like, Hey, Ken, you want to go like, kayaking in the bioluminescent, you know, canals in Florida.
[00:07:36] Michelle: That would do it. Have you done that? Oh, I've done that. But I did that in Cuba actually. Oh, that's
[00:07:43] Kym: awesome. Oh my gosh. That was wow.
[00:07:45] Michelle: Yeah,
[00:07:46] Kym: that's so cool.
[00:07:47] Michelle: when you go on a solo trip, like you're literally like constantly experiencing things like within yourself and you go. Always at your own pace, too. Like, if I want to, you know, sit for a while after I'm done eating and just read a book, I can.
[00:08:00] If I want to do a little bit of work, I can. If I want to just sleep in, I'm just like, forget my plans this morning. I don't have to worry about anybody else being like, Oh, come on, let's go! Or I'm not trying to drag somebody else behind me.
[00:08:12] Kym: Or worrying, like, for me, I, I, like, always worry. I'm like, did they want to do this?
[00:08:16] Did they want to do that? I'm always, like, trying to, like, micromanage everybody's happiness. I'm, like, so codependent that way,
[00:08:23] Michelle: but it's, but it's like, you know, it's so much fun enjoying these things with someone else and seeing their perspective, but that's where, like, if you don't ever Do solo things.
[00:08:31] You lose your own perspective and your own growth and that like being able to be comfortable just with yourself, but I love that. I always end up making friends. I always end up talking to people usually through those Airbnb experiences. We'll end up hanging out afterwards. They'll give me recommendations on different things that they've done and I mean, I've made friends with people from all over the world, you know, especially in Costa Rica.
[00:08:57] God. Oh yeah. Well, from Europe and Africa and everywhere. And so the more I talk to them, you know, I'm gaining these different experiences and learning from people as I go. And it only just makes my. Understanding of people I work with in counseling. Richard. I love that. I love that.
[00:09:15] Kym: And you touched on real briefly.
[00:09:16] You mentioned your, your younger interns. Could you talk about that for a second? Like, you have a group practice. Maybe you could just share a little bit about like, your group practice and the type of therapists that you bring on and like, you're sort of mentoring these younger therapists. I'd love to just touch on that.
[00:09:32] If somebody hasn't thought of that, I mean, I think it's, you're such a cool role model because you're doing this, Hybrid traveling thing and you're bringing on interns and I mean, I feel like you're encouraging that like lifestyle with the people that you're employing, which I think is so cool.
[00:09:46] Michelle: Well, it's really funny because, I didn't start my, practice on purpose. I think I remember the story. Like a month before I started it. It was not plans. It wasn't on the radar. Yeah, my bosses at the time basically backed me into a corner and took what was supposed to be a clinical position and turned it into a argue with insurance companies all day and be a pain.
[00:10:13] And I was like, I am a therapist. This is who I am. And so basically I just had to all of a sudden start my practice because I already had clients and yes, I had, I wasn't going to let him go. So I just literally just September of. 2018. I just did it. it's been a wild ride ever since, but I was just kind of by myself and I had just a few clients while I was working my regular job for like a good year, year and a half ish.
[00:10:39] And then I brought on another licensed counselor, just like me. And it was just me and her, her name is Kayla. She's amazing. It was just me and her and we were just chilling and doing our thing. You know, I wasn't really thinking about interns and I wasn't thinking about residency counseling, you know, supervisees.
[00:10:54] But then when it did come time to when I realized that there was such a need in my area, especially for what you might call a pediatric therapist or a therapist that works with children. And that's my big passion. I love working with children. Please don't give me the adults like, love you guys. But that's a whole separate thing, but it wasn't really on my radar then either, but there was such a need and it seemed like there was a lot of supervisees that needed a job.
[00:11:20] It's like, gosh, these jobs want me to have experience, but who's going to give me the experience? And I have the rocky road when I went through. Through my supervision time. And I don't know if anybody can like kind of relate with me on this. But when I, in 2014, I graduated in July and then I started working at a private practice and psychologist office.
[00:11:41] And boy, I learned so much while I was there. It was a wonderful experience the whole way through very difficult, long hours. I mean, just your typical experience, except I had a supervisor that. Didn't want to meet with me.
[00:11:54] Kym: Oh, when
[00:11:56] Michelle: you have a question, you just come let me know. And I was like, well, wait a second.
[00:11:59] That's, that's not what this is supposed to be. a little bit of a rule follower. I was like, hold on. Yeah, right. Basically we met and he made it the most unbearable experience to be in a room with him for an hour.
[00:12:11]
[00:12:11] Michelle: and so basically we met over the course of. several years, very few times, you know, I went in for some questions, things like that.
[00:12:19] But basically my whole supervision experience was extremely unsatisfactory. I learned so much from my fellow counselors though. Like I leaned on them hard because of the fact that I wasn't meeting regularly. With a seasoned professional. So I, I mean, when I tell you, I was in their offices all the time, picking their brains, researching online, doing CEUs for play therapy.
[00:12:43] I mean, I just had to really just delve in to learn. And so when I thought about taking on these residents, I was like. This would be really cool to just give them a totally different experience than the one that I had, you know, like somebody who's actually supportive, who shout out to Beth Watley, my internship supervisor.
[00:13:00] Awesome. Thebomb. com, she was open door, talked to me about anything, nothing's off limits. I wanted to be like that, and I wanted to give you Yeah. So ever since then, I've taken on so many residents that have all now become licensed professional counselors. By Z's in social work come through and have outside supervision, but have come through Appletree and become LCSWs.
[00:13:22] And then I just had people from different schools reach out and be like, Hey, I need an internship site! Oh my gosh! And now I've developed a whole internship program and my interns have been just Stellar. That's amazing. Some of the best, my favorite work that I've really done has been some of the work that I've done with my, my interns.
[00:13:42] Kym: I love that. Yes. And so you're, what state are you in? I can't remember. Is it New Jersey? Oh, Virginia. Mm hmm. Why did I think you were in Pennsylvania or New Jersey? I'm sitting in Virginia right now, too. I
[00:13:53] Michelle: feel like half of the people on our trip were like from like all Pennsylvania, New Jersey, though.
[00:13:56] Like, Andrea, Tina. Yeah, I don't know why I was thinking that. They were all from like Pennsylvania, New Jersey area ish, you know?
[00:14:03] Kym: Okay, that's cool. So, so your practice, is it hybrid? Like your, your, even your interns come in and out or is it all like remote? Like They all do like telehealth.
[00:14:13] Michelle: So there's like 14 of us and whoa.
[00:14:16] Yeah. And I have some clinicians that are all virtual. Very few now though. And then I have some that do mostly virtual and some in person. And then I have some that do mostly in person and do a little bit of virtual. And then maybe I have, I'd say I'm probably, well, I have I have quite a bit of virtual too.
[00:14:34] So we're all a little bit of a hybrid and even my interns, they also see some virtuals and some in person. So we have two offices and we also go back and forth between those two offices and we do some in person. As a practice owner, I don't try to control everybody's schedule. I don't have like a time off sheet.
[00:14:55] Like if you want to be off, you can be off. Like, I don't feel like I need to manage something. I don't need to manage. Yeah. So like some of us, like if they're going to be off, they, as I have like, Hey, make everybody, make sure you got. Links to everybody for virtual, you know, and things like that, you know, you can go travel, go do your thing.
[00:15:12] That's cool.
[00:15:13] Kym: That's what I was going to ask you. If they're like, Hey, Michelle, by the way, I want to go to Spain for like three months. Is that cool? Are you like, yeah,
[00:15:20] Michelle: whatever. It would depend on like their caseload. It would depend on the population that they're seeing a lot of. Because we're all a mix of that too.
[00:15:28] So we're very, very collaborative. Like I have clinicians that are like Do not give me a child. Yeah. Like you. And then I have other people that are like me that are like, Oh yeah, please. Mostly kids, mostly teens. Couple, you know, young college age. I love that age too. So I have a mix of everybody. Now if they're my supervisee, They're seeing children, the teenagers, because that is my area of expertise.
[00:15:54] But yeah, we are all a mix. And so when we have like an issue with like an adult client or something that we're like, God, I can't figure out this, I can't get to the bottom of it. It's fine. I have somebody else that works with that. I have somebody that has training in OCD. I have somebody that is training in mentalization, trauma TFCBT, just, you know, we all have, we all kind of have our strengths.
[00:16:15] And so we all. Clever. That's
[00:16:17] Kym: very cool. Very cool. So, so you would, it would depend on like the population and the caseload. If you felt comfortable telling them to just go somewhere for three months, if it's like maybe kids or high acuity, you'd probably want them more in the office. So they're seeing that type of population.
[00:16:32] Well, that's the
[00:16:33] Michelle: interesting part because when, when COVID hits,
[00:16:36] Kym: yeah,
[00:16:37] Michelle: mostly young children.
[00:16:39] Kym: Yeah.
[00:16:40] Michelle: And bless Dr. Rachel Altivater, there is a lot of plate therapists that are like, yeah, digital plate therapy. Let's do this thing.
[00:16:49] Kym: That's cool. Mm hmm. No, not so much.
[00:16:52] Michelle: I am. Me and technology have a fraught relationship.
[00:16:56] Okay, I tried to learn how to do like this, like virtual playroom and it did not go. So you really got to have a really good handle on it, but there's a lot of people that have a really good handle on it and made it work. I couldn't make it work. I want my toys. I want my materials. I want to be able to move around in the playroom and that because of COVID couldn't happen.
[00:17:20] So I did have to shift
[00:17:22] Kym: and I.
[00:17:23] Michelle: It gone more adults. I took on more teenagers because then I started traveling to the pandemic. I did move around carefully, but I took some consulting work and I did some consulting work around Charlottesville and Gordonsville and like different areas in Virginia I did go out of the country, you know, and I went to Costa Rica,
[00:17:44] Kym: you
[00:17:44] Michelle: know, I did.
[00:17:44] Some traveling, careful traveling, but I, I don't really adjust for my clients because two, sometimes clients don't want to do virtual. Sometimes they're like, I've got kids running in and out of the room. You know, I can't concentrate. My husband's over there playing video games loud. You always have to take your, you know, your clients too, and into consideration and try to figure out how to kind of.
[00:18:03] Help them and then work around that as well. So, but I've been very happy. My clients have been very understanding when I, when I had to go virtual, I'm able to go virtual.
[00:18:11] Kym: That's very cool. So before we hit record, you were telling me that you just took a trip to, I don't know, well, it was April, right? When you went to the Azores, I think you were talking about that.
[00:18:20] Did you see your. clients? Did you just tell them, Hey, I'm still going to see you? Or were you just like, Hey, I'm taking a week off? Like, or how did you manage that whole thing?
[00:18:27] Michelle: So for that one, for most of the kids that I work with, I let parents know that I'm going to be out of town. Okay. And I always tell them that I'm going on vacation.
[00:18:37] And the cool part about that is, is that I always end up bringing things back from my travels and I have them in the office. And kids are so curious and they're very like, what did you do? Where did you go? And you know, like, I'm not always very open with. Sure. I'm a more conservative side of self disclosure, but I find that, you know, seeing that their therapist is kind of like somebody who goes out and experiences things and travels.
[00:19:04] I feel like it opens a door to, to like exploring like who we are and where we go and how we relate with people and the things that we bring back, you know, there's a, there's a whole thing with that. So like I, Tell them I'm going and I'm traveling and I'm doing that though. It's really cool when I come back and then we get to talk about it a little bit and I can bring it into the therapy process and like a very positive, holistic way.
[00:19:28] But for the rest of my clients, like, especially on my teenagers, they're totally cool with doing virtual. The adults totally fine doing virtual. So I did see a lot of my clients there and it was really cool because I had, I tend this is something funny. You tell me if you ever do this to yourself.
[00:19:45] Okay. I'm sure I do. I have a tendency that even if I'm only staying somewhere for a week, I always want to be in different parts of like the area. So like, I'll, I'll, I'll travel around. an area for like, I'll be like in one Airbnb for like two days and then I'll be in a different Airbnb for like three or four or five days and then a different one after that and I always curse myself.
[00:20:09] I'm always just like, I am so tired of packing this suitcase. Why do I
[00:20:13] Kym: feel ya. You do? It's
[00:20:15] Michelle: like it's so in the way that I'm packing it.
[00:20:18] Kym: Yeah. I mean, we move like every week or like. For example, this next week, we're gonna move like three times trying to get to a different place. So it's like we are constantly packing the suitcase and unpacking the suitcase.
[00:20:29] It is like, oh my god, in Ken's car, like, we have bins with like, this is the kitchen stuff. This is the clothes. This is, you know, like the coffee maker because we like to have our coffee maker. I don't know. I know it's weird, but we do. So we've got all these different, but yeah, it is, it's a real pain in the butt at times.
[00:20:47] Like, I was just telling him. Last night. I'm like, I am tired. Like I want to just stay somewhere for like a month for a while You know,
[00:20:55] Michelle: and I always say that to myself once I get there and I have this like ooh, but I want to check this out Well, I want to check this out here. And then when I'm there, I'm like, why have I done this to myself?
[00:21:06] Yes But like clients that I would see like on a weekly or bi weekly basis, you know, sometimes I would be in a different Place in a different space and that, you know, I had one Airbnb where I had literally like the ocean behind me from a distance Wow, that's really cool. Like that's that's really neat.
[00:21:24] Like where are you at and stuff like that and my clients have gotten used to that and You know, one thing that, again, I want to encourage younger therapists as much as financially as it is possible because the money issue when you're under supervision and you're trying to still pay bills and possibly paying for supervision, which I provided for free for mine.
[00:21:46] I really do encourage The therapist that I work with to, to look at like what they can do while they're still beginning in, in, in their journey of becoming a therapist, because traveling opens you up as a person and also helps you to understand other people from so many diverse backgrounds.
[00:22:05] And like, even just like traveling around the state that you live in, like, like that was really cool for me when I went to Gordonsville and I was doing my consulting work down there and got to know people down there, that was really cool. But I encourage them to do that because whenever I'm traveling and I get to experience different, you know, different people and different cultures and things like that, it always ends up adding something to what I understand about the culture of my clients or, myself.
[00:22:30] And then it opens me up as a person. And there's a lot to be said about. Also, even like how we talk with our clients and how they kind of relate with us this new generation that we're in these new generations, like after ours, here's the thing, when I, back when, even when I was taught, it was like, self disclosure is bad.
[00:22:52] Self disclosure is bad. Don't talk about it. Right, right, right. You know, if they say something about something that's around, you know, you just change the subject and you go back to them.
[00:22:59] But being able to share, you know, like when they see the background, they're like, Oh, that is so cool. And being able to say where I'm at, and be able to say how cool of an experience it is many times. Again, these open up the doors for discussion about where our clients are at and how they're taking time for themselves and how they're exploring themselves on purpose and what they, they like and what they enjoy.
[00:23:22] So, you know, that's the joys of being a traveling therapist is all these new experiences that we're having. They're constantly teaching us something new about ourselves and testing our boundaries, testing our ability to communicate with people. We don't know to open up to people that we don't know.
[00:23:37] Kym: I love it. I totally agree with you about the self disclosure. My clients will say, where are you? Where in the world are you today, Kim? You know, and I'm like, well, I'm sitting here, blah, blah, blah. And they love it. They love the sense of adventure. They think it's really cool. And like you said, it inspires them to want to think bigger or different than what they're doing right now in their lives.
[00:23:55] You know, like
[00:23:57] Michelle: a dollar for every time a client said, so wait a minute, you're. Vacationing by yourself. You're taking it by yourself. I could never. Yeah. That's awesome. The thing is like, then it opens up. What do you think is scary about that?
[00:24:10] Kym: It's like, why couldn't you tell me more about that?
[00:24:13] Michelle: Exactly. I love that thing.
[00:24:15] Yeah,
[00:24:15] Kym: that's so awesome. That's so cool. so I'm trying to think of some other things that I know about you. You you're fluent right in Spanish. Am I remembering that correctly? You're like totally fluent in Spanish So do you I wonder if that contributes to like feeling comfortable because I know you go to a lot of Spanish Spanish speaking places, do you think that makes it easier?
[00:24:34] Or do you think it even matters for like a solo traveler?
[00:24:36] Michelle: I get very, especially now. versus like maybe when I first started traveling, I get very excited to use my Spanish.
[00:24:45] So like I'll go like way out of my way to like find a way to use it, especially because I don't use it that much anymore. I'm like, ah, I used to be like speaking it every day. It was a constant thing. And so my Spanish was so good. And now it's like, Oh, it's so rusty. So I'm very annoying about going out of my way to talk to people in Spanish.
[00:25:06] But yeah, I do tend to go to Spanish speaking countries because I can have real conversations with real people. And when I'm doing that, it'll open up my, it'll open up my eyes to things, you know, that you're not going to learn just by reading an article, you know, like before I went to Cuba, I read tons of articles and like, I was watching a little documentary on the history of Cuba.
[00:25:30] And it was fascinating, I was staying in a lot of Airbnbs. Because that's part of the reason you're allowed to go to Cuba is to support the Cuban people. And so I was having a lot of conversations with them, you know, and really practicing my Spanish, but like more listening to them and their perspective.
[00:25:45] And I went in 2019 and it was when Cuba was really just Kind of starting to get the internet, you know, very disconnected from the outside world. So yeah, I was having a conversation with one gentleman I'm talking about, you know, raising kids and about life in Cuba and things like that. And then asking him his perception Of what life is like in the States.
[00:26:10] And it was so different. And he said, I don't want to live in the States. I'd be worried that People would just come and shoot my child in the streets. And I was like, Oh my God. And, you know, I just, I think I take it for granted. Because I'm an American and I know how things are, people's perceptions, especially with such a limited outside view, you know, like they, they're kind of being told extremes.
[00:26:39] I mean, things that do happen, but like extremes, so like, it was so fascinating and thinking about, you know, the people where I'm going and the people who are coming to see me. You know, like who they're being raised by and who they're around and how, how different it is to understand even what a law means to so many people.
[00:27:00] What does police mean to so many people? And it's incredibly Fulfilling to have these conversations with people and have my mind open in ways that otherwise would not so I do tend to go to a lot of Spanish speaking countries, but the Azores
[00:27:15] Kym: What is that that's Portuguese, right? Yeah, okay. I was gonna say I think it's Portuguese.
[00:27:20] Wow.
[00:27:21] Michelle: Not a fan of the language guys Like this
[00:27:24] Kym: is not even in my realm of
[00:27:27] Michelle: understanding. Oh my gosh. It is Bless all of you who have ever spoken Portuguese once in your life It's hard. So that really pushed me out of my comfort zone because I kept wanting to talk to people in Spanish and I'm like, no, I can't Spanish, not Spanish.
[00:27:46] So then it was, then it was a real challenge for me, honestly. Like, like I kind of had it like a day of like struggle.
[00:27:54] Kym: Yeah, because I mean, I am like really aware of like, I can, I feel like any country I go to, I'm like expecting everybody to just know English, you know, like I really rely on that. I'm like, I feel like most people can speak some English, but that's not, always the case.
[00:28:08] So I think that makes me a little nervous to like going to countries by myself at a country that doesn't natively speak English. You know, that's why I was just wondering, cause I remember you speak Spanish fluently. I feel like that would make it a little less scary for some people. A little bit. Yeah, I just, I think, I just think that's so interesting and really every country I've ever been to, I've not had a hard time communicating either with Google Translate or, you know, just most people do, I mean, speak English.
[00:28:32] I mean,
[00:28:32] Michelle: they've learned something really funny is that I go up to people in Costa Rica. Puerto Rico, Cuba Panama, any place that I've been that speaks Spanish, I go up to people and I start speaking to them in Spanish. And there's so many times when they just automatically start speaking to me in English.
[00:28:51] And I'm kind of like, Hey, you do know I speak your language, but they don't, they want to practice their English. So I encourage you and I encourage anybody listening. Go to a country where you don't speak the language because you will find people who do speak English and they just like how I'm always like trying to find like an opportunity to use it.
[00:29:12] So I don't lose it. They are doing the same thing and they want to speak in English. They need that practice. They need to hear your pronunciation. They, they gain a lot from that. So it's amazing. It's happened so many times where I'm trying to speak to them in Spanish and they just. And I have to like, understand that they're like, I'm so glad I get to practice.
[00:29:31] Oh, it's so nice to be able to speak so many English. That's cool.
[00:29:34] Kym: That's really cool to know. Cause I, I wonder about that. I'm like, are they annoyed that they even have to speak English to me? They're probably annoyed everywhere, but for very
[00:29:42] Michelle: different reasons. You know? Right, right, right. What's cool too is like people a lot of times will ask me things about, you know, what it's like in the States and stuff like that and about different States and like, you know, everywhere skyscrapers and like all kinds of cool stuff.
[00:29:55] So it's really cool to talk about those things too.
[00:29:57] Kym: I love it. Yeah, I'm Partners with another company to Barry's and they, the two co owners there in you kind of looked at me, they're like an AI note writing company. They're in Israel and they are amazing. And every time, every week we have like a, like a partnership call, like, what are we going to promote?
[00:30:13] How are we going to tell everybody about this amazing product? I love Barry so much, but they're always like catching me up, like on what's going on in Israel. And they love to talk to me. You're right about the language. Cause they love to say, well, how do you say this, Kim? And how do you say this? And I'm like, Like this and they're like, okay.
[00:30:27] And then they'll teach me a little bit of their language and we kind of go back and forth. So I, I, I love that.
[00:30:32] Michelle: Yeah. Cultural exchange. It's, it's so enriching, you know, it's so enriching. And when I'm on my solo trips, because I'm not like, you know, entertaining this person I'm with, or because they're. That, you know, them standing there while I'm speaking another language to somebody or while talking to somebody might be boring to them.
[00:30:51] But when I'm on my solo trips and I'm having a conversation with somebody, whether it's like, my tattoo artist that I'm talking to or somebody at a restaurant. Like I can take time to like, sit there and go like, Oh, well, this is how you say it, you know, and stuff like that. And then I can kind of go, Hey, I noticed somebody said this to me.
[00:31:06] What does this exactly mean? And it's so cool that I can, that's again, like another benefit of solo, of solo tripping is like, I can take time to have these conversations when they come up, you know, and I don't feel like I have to hurry up or cut things off. Part person you're
[00:31:21] Kym: traveling with like they're bored or they don't want to talk or whatever.
[00:31:24] Yeah. No, I totally get it. Yep I need to take a solo trip somewhere
[00:31:29] Michelle: No, not on purpose though. Truly like I know somewhere that's kind of like Um, my recommendation is to start out somewhere that's kind of easier to, to finesse. Like, like Puerto Rico is a good example because like you drive on the same side of the road.
[00:31:44] A lot of people speak English there. So you can kind of get by like if you get lost or something like that. And it's just, you know, very. you know, it's, it's got its parts that are very Americanized. So it's like a little bit easier to manage travel by yourself if you're somewhere like that. If I had gone to the Azores on like my first solo trip, I probably would have been freaking out and coming home early.
[00:32:08] All right.
[00:32:10] Kym: Yeah, I love that. So if you're going to do it, think it through a little bit. Don't do it. Don't make it really hard the first time. Like, don't go to like, China or something, you know,
[00:32:19] Michelle: yeah, go somewhere that's like, kind of similar to the country that you're from. So that way, you know, you're, you're kind of, you're still within a certain comfort zone, but then you still are kind of out of your comfort zone.
[00:32:30] Because again, now you're kind of in a place where you You have to kind of interact with the world around you even more than you normally would, instead of like a group of people, you know, getting shuttled around everywhere. Like even when I'm in, you know, Ubers and taxis and other countries and stuff like that, oh my gosh, I always end up talking to my Uber drivers and taxi drivers.
[00:32:51] Oh, like always, always. I love that. I love it. And it's a lot of fun. They give, they give so much insight, you know, so I'm not, I'm not chit chatting, you know, with my friend. I'm talking to other people and it's always, that's
[00:33:02] Kym: awesome. That's amazing. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to record this today.
[00:33:08] Really on Thanksgiving. Amazing. I heard you mentioned consulting and there was any consulting like work that you want to share it with other therapists that you do, or is it? Like consulting in other ways. Cause I don't know if you want to share that or let people know about that or not. There
[00:33:22] Michelle: are opportunities out there.
[00:33:24] The consulting company, I'm not supposed to say their name because they got, they got a contract with Walmart to supply counselors for grief and crisis.
[00:33:38] Kym: Oh, I see. I see.
[00:33:39] Michelle: I'm going to be starting my CEU program this next year. Oh, nice. Tell us about that. Yeah. So like, it's really cool because of the fact that I did jump into the deep end and start like working with interns and residents.
[00:33:52] I have found that I really, really, really enjoy like helping counselors when they first enter the field. I feel like I hear similar things that they always feel about, you know, like, but I just want to make sure I'm helping them. And, but I don't have all this knowledge. I'm young and I'm working with older clients.
[00:34:14] What? That imposter
[00:34:15] Kym: syndrome
[00:34:15] Michelle: stuff. Yeah. Imposter syndrome is so strong. And like, And like finessing situations again, like I want to see more counselors in the field working with kids, but I've seen a shift of us moving away from it a bit because it's so hard sometimes to work with parents. And I am really good with working with parents.
[00:34:36] I definitely take the time and I do the work to get that alliance.
[00:34:41] Kym: On their amazing. Yeah, because that was my biggest. I love the kids. It was the parents that I was like, I can't handle these parents. So that's cool to know there's somebody out there that could actually offer consultation around that stuff.
[00:34:53] Because that was, that was my problem. I was like, these parents are just. Crazy, you know, like I, I can't even, you know, I got to move them to somebody that's more experienced with this.
[00:35:03] . If somebody's listening, how do they get ahold of you? We'll put it in the show notes too, but just how do people get ahold of you? They want to talk to you about the consultation or, or even your travels and how you manage that with your interns and all that stuff.
[00:35:14] How do they reach reach you? Feel
[00:35:16] Michelle: free to reach out to me on Instagram. I will admit. My Instagram page has been neglected. It's one of those plants that only thrives on neglect. You cannot water as much. Like, that's my Instagram. It's like that. It's like, mommy, feed me. And I'm like, no, I can't Instagram because then maybe that'll make me have to do more.
[00:35:36] Okay. All right. Y'all hit her up on Instagram. Emotions are our, our power and then or just look up my name and then also michellecobble. com is also a good place to find me. And you could also reach out to me, anything that's apple tree counseling, apple tree counseling, LLC is my, is my group practice.
[00:35:55] Feel free to reach out to me through there. I definitely am going to have more stuff coming out about my CEU program and my ADHD center next year. So definitely stay tuned with that. .
[00:36:06] Kym: Well thank you so much. I'm going to let you get out of here so you can go to Thanksgiving and I'm going to get ready for Thanksgiving, but I really appreciate it and it's nice to catch up and all that stuff.
[00:36:15] So you guys reach out to Michelle. If you have questions.