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Geek Therapy's Disney Podcast! Hosted by Stefanie Bautista and Ariel Landrum. In each episode they talk about the power of Disney to bring people together. Join us to learn how to use everything Disney to teach, learn, heal, and connect with others.
Things like this are so needed so that you know that you're not alone.
in the almost burnout that you feel because burnout does not recognize titles.
Burnout does not recognize where you've been, how many conferences you've done, how many
people you've spoken to.
Burnout just gets you because you give yourself up so much to help others.
Hello everyone, welcome to the Happiest Pod on Earth.
I'm Ariel, a licensed therapist and graduate student working towards her doctorate who
uses clients, passions and fandoms to help them grow and heal from trauma and mental
unwellness.
And I'm Stef.
I'm an educator who is not getting her doctorate, but is a staunch supporter of my best
friend who is.
I'm an educator who uses my passions and fandoms to help my students grow and learn about
themselves and the world around them.
And I'm Shaelene I'm a somatic DBT therapist who will use any chance that I get to swap in
a Disney related metaphor into my sessions with clients.
Yay!
And here at Happiest Pod, we dissect Disney mediums with a critical lens.
Why?
Because we are more than just fans.
We expect more from the mediums we consume.
And with that, we are back after a kind of long hiatus.
And we are so excited to have Shaelene here on the pod.
And we are going to be talking about everything and everything Disney related because we
just had a fantastic time with her.
So, Shaelene, can you let us know what was Clinically Ever After?
How did it come about?
How did you get that thing done?
What was that experience?
Yeah, I'm really excited to be here.
And it's funny because I feel like I'm getting to spend more time with y'all now after you
spoke at my event.
And now it's like, I want to hang out with you guys.
So I'm excited to be here and talk to you.
Clinically Ever After was a really amazing conference in Disney World that was continuing
education for mental health therapists and um
It was my project and it was my first time doing it.
And it came from just going to another conference last year.
I was presenting at a conference and I left and I was feeling so, I always leave them
feeling like so energized just from being able to connect with new people and make new
friends and learn new things and all of that stuff.
And we had a long drive home and I was talking to my husband and just, you know.
talking and I was like, I wonder if anyone would go to a conference in Disney World and I
put a post on Facebook and people were like, yeah, we would totally do that.
And I was like, okay, so we will see and bam, then a little less than a year later, it
actually happened.
still, I'm kind of like, oh wow, it did actually happen.
my God.
uh
a like in the moment realization for you.
Like did you have any moments while it was happening that like a that's so Raven moment?
Like is this really happening?
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Just little things that I had in mind.
know, going to Disney is exciting.
It's full of surprises.
There's nostalgia.
And so being able to pull off little surprises was really cool for me.
And being like, wow, like I did it.
I pulled it off.
Like Mickey Mouse coming in, that was probably the most stressful surprise because there
were all of these.
factors like number one I wanted everyone to be like oh my god which kind of I don't know
how that's gonna go in future conferences like I can only have so many secrets and
surprises but yeah and then there was all these like Mickey Mouse has all these logistics
like Mickey Mouse can't come when there's any branding out and so he had to come in and
say hello and Mickey Mouse needs like certain music
like two weeks before we had a meeting and they were saying, okay, so we're not going to
be able to have Mickey come into your room, but you can make an announcement, tell
everyone he's already across the hall.
I was like, no, that's not like the experience that I want.
That's so womp womp like, hey, surprise across the hall.
You know, like I wanted him to come in and surprise everyone.
And it was like, well, there's another group there and we can't have him walk by their
stuff.
And I was like, I don't know, hold a black sheet around I, I'm like, I, I know you guys
have.
pipe and drape.
guys have figured this out and you know I was like, you know what?
I want to get a group picture with everybody.
And then I was texting and somebody at the event was like, he's not back there.
And I was like, dang, I thought I was supposed to be here for an hour.
And I texted the team and they're like,
Oh, he needs a little cheese break after 30 minutes and then he comes back.
So like they just, they even stay in character.
Like the event team stays in character the whole time.
So I was like, okay, great.
Mickey's on his cheese break
so I was in the hallway like sweating and people were coming in the hall there was two
people in the hallway just kind of
bop it around from the event and I was like, go in the room.
I need you to go back in the room.
And they were like, what is wrong with you?
I was like, please just go back in the room.
You'll understand in a moment.
So having moments like that and then like seeing people's face, I was just like, this was
really cool.
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
But I'll say too, holding an event of that scale and having it at Disney and just, there's
just so many things that you don't know how it's going to go.
ah And I think like,
for me that fear was around like, how's it gonna go?
Are people gonna like this?
But also like, are there secret costs that I don't know about?
Am I gonna just get this insane bill that I wasn't ready for?
Like, I wanted to know everything down to, so having all of that sitting there and then
leaving the conference and still, my husband was like, you seem like you're ready to go
home, but you're energized.
Like you're not, like I've presented at other conferences before and I've left.
real tired from just all the peopling and stuff.
So I was surprised that I didn't feel like dead from hosting, hosting my own thing,
hosting it at Disney World, which in itself, you know, it's super fun, but it's intense.
So I was like, yeah, that that does fit.
Like I felt really, I felt really good leaving even even after hosting.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I like that you're identifying a couple of things.
The first thing is we have a friend who has thrown a play therapy conference at Disneyland
and this will be the third year.
And we found out the first year we wanted to gift her ears that were decorated, right?
You you can go and they can do styling and you can pick from a booklet, this font, these
images.
There were so many logistics.
We weren't allowed to put the word therapy, can't put doctor.
my gosh.
put date ranges because it could appear like a birth and death date to like an observer.
The reason you can't put therapy or doctors, it looks like the company is endorsing this
person.
uh Can't put conference, even though the conference is being held at the Disneyland
Resort.
And so one of the things they're identifying is there's these hidden logistics around
working with a corporation.
uh
And that can amplify our fear of what else is hidden.
What don't I know that somehow others do?
For sure, but I also think too, there's probably an element of like stuff that I need to
work out in my own therapy or things I've been working out, which is always, which is just
like, you need to know what you're doing.
Like you need to have this together.
You need to be triple checking everything.
And you know, there were some things that didn't go how I wanted them to go or how I had
planned, but all in all, it exceeded how I thought it would go given that I'm so.
like, I want this to go a certain way.
I want it to be perfect.
I don't want there to be any surprises.
So I think, yes, it's like there's truth in that.
especially with Disney being such a huge corporation and it's such a, you know, they make
so much money.
So they would casually throw things at me like, like the fireworks, for example, having
everyone go to the fireworks, they were like, okay, well, um.
to charter the buses, to take your guests it's gonna be X thousands.
I was like, no, everyone's just gonna take the bus.
Like, isn't that how people get to parks?
And they were like, oh, know, most people they want.
And I'm like, I am just me here.
Like this is my little Rebelmente is just me.
Like I don't have a corporation.
I'm not.
So when you're working with, and it's funny because when I was planning it, I was getting
ads for some leadership summit happening at Coronado Springs.
And it was held by like,
Dave Ramsey, the like a money guy.
And I was so curious, like I wanted to go in and be like, how much is this?
Like, what are they offering?
What's going on?
But I had to set up a call to find out.
And I was like, all right, I'm out.
But people like that, that are holding these huge things, I don't think it's a big deal.
Like when you're up in that space, I don't think for people, it's a big deal to be like,
it's gonna be a couple thousand dollars.
And I'm like, sorry, we're gonna have to bust it with everybody else.
Like that's not, so there's little elements of.
my own stuff and the reality of, yeah, this is a big deal.
It's kind of scary.
Yeah.
And I think in the planning, and I want to back up a little bit, like your mindset into
preparing for these unknowns.
Did you have somebody kind of guiding you or did you learn about all of these things as
like a researcher?
how did, did you have any sort of support like that?
Yeah.
no, like yes and no.
I had held two conferences before that were much smaller scale, like maybe 30 people max
for group practice owners.
And once you host something, you kind of know how it is like dealing with vendors and
different kind of like red tape and stuff like that, that people will have food and
beverage minimums.
Like you start to know a little bit about that.
And then friends, some...
Some friends have also held really big conferences.
So I would ask them questions about, but there is a lot of figuring it out on the fly,
especially the Disney element.
And I don't know if I would have felt as comfortable doing it there.
Have I not been to Disney so many times myself?
Like I felt a lot more confident because I could envision like, okay, well, if it's at
Epcot, it's probably going to be over here.
And it's going to take about, like, I know that there's free buses.
I don't need thousand dollar buses.
You know.
And I think that was the advantage because, you know, whenever we talk about like bringing
people to the parks for the first time or like accommodating to somebody who's maybe been
to Disneyland and then bringing them to Disney World, I think knowing it like the back of
your hand is so important when you're planning of experience for people.
back.
fun!
Yeah!
I love the, um, there's like a sticker that I've seen or a meme that's like when you bring
your friends to Disney and they're like, where's the map?
And you're like, I am the map.
am the map.
the map.
I am the map.
It's me.
So how, when was the first time you've ever been to Disney World?
If you want to bring us all the way
I first went to Disney when I was about 15.
I didn't go to Disney when I was younger.
I started going to Disney as an adult in like 20 when I, when my husband and I met, that
was like our, our trip that we would go on.
We couldn't afford to go to Disney.
So I went when I was like 15 and my mom was in the military and they were doing some sort
of military thing, uh, for vets.
And so she brought us.
Yeah.
So she brought us and, yeah, even still, like I remember
just, was still really expensive.
So we stayed in this little rundown motel and we would catch the bus and we would go to
the bus at like seven in the morning and we would be so exhausted because we would have to
stay there all day till the bus came back at like 10 PM.
And we would just, I remember just riding like the ferry boat that takes you to like the
hotel just to rest.
We were just riding transportation.
But um yeah, I don't think it was till, and then I went for my senior trip in high school
and that was really cool, but I really didn't go, most of my time has been as an adult and
even as an adult, like in my thirties, that's really when I started going.
I love how that's a different perspective.
And, you know, I feel like a lot of Disney adults are actually somehow tied to the
military because uh in this economy, I feel like that's the most affordable way to go
because at least you're taking care of some of it, which, you know, shout out to Disney
for doing that.
ah But I love that coming in as an adult, you have a different perspective of navigating
parks.
And I think, I feel like that's one of the organizational gears in your head that
fit in right away as you're planning to do this.
Because to us as attendees and as participants, it was flawless.
think, you know, we know what it is to do logistics at a park, even just bringing
somebody, somebody with kids, somebody who's never been there before.
And that takes so much planning and accommodation.
And for you to have done that for not just a handful, but a whole big group of people who
has varying needs and accommodations, think it was, it was, it was great.
It was so successful.
thank you.
Thank you for saying that.
well oiled machine there.
And I know because Stef runs live events in her work and I've done virtual online events.
There is a lot of planning and organizing that goes into it.
But when we're talking about the personal, like I know for me, there have been ideas I've
had for conferences at other theme parks that I have not executed because of just that
imposter syndrome.
Like who?
Who do I think I am to have the right to host this like big thing?
Did you have any of that coming up?
Did you have to challenge any of that?
Did have to hype yourself up?
You know, I...
I don't, for this event, I don't think so because I think that, and that's not that I
haven't had that before.
I've definitely had that and still do have that in different areas of my life.
But I don't know, there was something about this, as hard as it was, and I say hard, like
I did have moments of stress, but it was easy in other ways.
I think just because of how my brain works.
because probably a lot of things that I've worked on in myself, but I was just like, if
anyone's gonna have a conference at Disney, like it would be me because I love Disney.
Like I, know, the whole, am the map thing.
And so all the people who were, and all the people who were signing up, there were so many
people who I had never met before.
um It started out, I was thinking and hoping like,
I had some worry of like, will people come or will this be like pew pew and she laid out
an event in Disney but it was 10 people or something, you know?
That was the fear that I had is just like, am I ready to host something this big by
myself?
That was the scary point.
So there were so many people coming and they were like, I've never been there before.
And I was like, my God, girl, we are gonna have a time.
ah So that part felt...
easier and I knew and there were some there were some things that I questioned like you
know my dad was DJing and I was like I don't know DJ had a conference like first of all is
he gonna make a joke that's inappropriate because he makes jokes that are not appropriate
all the time you know um is he gonna you know is the vibe gonna be
too overstimulating and all, like that's my, that's how I grow up.
I have music on all the time because my dad's a DJ.
And so it only made sense to me, like we're having an event, it should be fun.
Let's play some music.
So there were things like that, that I was like, I don't know if people are gonna like
this, but we'll see.
But yeah, it was more in pieces than, you know, the event itself.
Yeah.
What I'm hearing is like, you were also accommodating everyone.
You didn't forget to be authentically yourself.
And I think that's what I heard from you.
And I even got to talk to your dad a little bit.
And I think because he knows how important this is to you, I feel like maybe he had an air
of maybe I shouldn't say that joke, even though he really wanted to.
I can see him sometimes trying to be like, he restrained himself.
But I think, you know, with that, whenever anybody is
putting together an event or something that a lot of people are gathered together.
I feel like sometimes we get so in the weeds about like accommodating everyone else that
we forget that we got to accommodate ourselves as the organizer too and protect our peace.
So I really enjoyed that you had music there.
think that added such a fun and relaxing element to it.
I mean, as an aspiring DJ myself, like I enjoyed it.
Yes.
uh And I was talking to your dad about it.
uh
But I feel like that also accommodates to other people's comfort level.
And that speaks.
I feel like as you all as therapists, you know that there's different ways to reach
people.
And I think that was just another layer of giving that comfort to people who are wanting
to learn more about how to improve their practice.
Well, and I think like conceptualizing in my mind, like we're at Disney World, like why
have a conference there if it doesn't feel fun or lively?
And it therefore to me makes sense that we are adding a music, some sort of playful
element or that there were fidget objects on the table, that it wasn't just the business
cards of like different people.
I think that's...
Unfortunately, the problem with a lot of professional conferences is they feel so
professional, you almost don't actually get to be yourself.
And when we're talking about therapy and the therapeutic alliance, supervisees that I have
that aren't tapping into who they naturally are and the way they naturally speak, they
don't retain clients as long because the clients can tell that like something about you
ain't you and I've never met you.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah.
I totally agree.
think I was laughing when Stef was like, I talked to your dad.
Cause I'm like, who didn't talk to him?
Like he was literally talking to everybody.
He was talking to everybody, he that personality.
But yeah, I agree.
That's really what I wanted.
I wanted people like we're in Disney.
So when I spoke to the sponsors, I was like, listen, like you guys can't just all bring
pens.
You can't all bring pens because we're in Disney World.
So like if you want to get the most out of this.
And that was an interesting thing too, because I haven't, again, this was my first time
holding an event completely by myself and of the scale and in Disney World and having
sponsors and everything.
But I met with the sponsors and I was like, listen, my advice to you to get the most out
of this is to really lean into.
the fact that we're in Disney World.
And I'll say the sponsors who did that, Practicery, their table was amazing.
And they had a really great return on their investment in terms of working with getting
new uh clients and working with new therapists and all.
And I think that's because their table was so exciting and inviting.
Like they had that, what was that steamy bubble maker?
Did you see that?
They were like making.
made bubbles with smoke inside of it.
I don't I
I just looked back there and I was like, what is happening back there?
But I was like, yes, like this is exactly what I was hoping for.
So, and I loved that about the presentation that the two of you had.
I mean, it was obviously centered around play, but it was so much fun.
Like for me, not being a therapist that's working with kids or anything, but for being a
mom, I was like so locked in.
was in a...
big part of that was because y'all made it really fun and you had really great prizes.
Like I was like, my God, these are like, they're giving out ears.
Like this is really nice.
m
we don't want to be cheap.
We want to skimp out on our prices because they're like, yeah, prizes.
You mean like a sticker, right?
The old strawberry candy.
yeah, you can tell we've been to enough like educational conferences and therapy
conferences that we've gotten pretty not so great gifts.
So where, you know, we had to really amp it up.
But I think everybody was so welcoming.
I think we were me and Ariel, I don't know, Ariel chime in.
We were very overwhelmed by the the just the response of everyone in the room after we
spoke because, you know, we are
we become sometimes a whole other entity when we get on stage and like, don't know what
happens to us.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then we just kind of like go into that and, it just comes out the way it comes out,
right?
You you plan for everything and it's like teaching you, you do a lesson plan, you, you
plan it to the T nothing goes planned, but for some reason we go with it.
And I think that resonated with so many people.
And I feel like after that, everyone to me,
felt so much more relaxed to share with each other and with the speakers.
And that was actually not an intention of ours.
It just happened, right, Ariel?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know for me, I was very shocked.
There were people are coming up to us saying like, I don't work with children.
I don't work in schools.
I didn't think this talk would have anything for me.
And I really loved it.
Yours was the best one of the day.
And like that like blew my mind because I don't know what I said.
uh
And then I think the other thing as like being a speaker and presenter, cause Stef and I
have spoken at WonderCon and Comic-Con, it's slightly different because we're moderators.
Like the focus isn't on us, we're highlighting other people.
So we had to highlight ourselves.
And I think that added maybe another layer of like assumption that what I had to say was
not as vital or as important or would be received with so much like endearment.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think maybe that was because we've been moderating for so long.
I feel like all of that inside of us that's been meaning to come out just kind of like
fell out of our mouths at the time.
And we're like, it is what it is at this point.
But yeah, was so, think, I don't know if you know everybody personally who came to the
conference or not, but everyone seemed so just relaxed with each other and there was no
bad vibes.
And I don't know if that was like,
good.
Yeah, it was the stroke of luck or just, you know, maybe the parameters and the norms.
feel like whenever I do a professional development or whenever I do things with adult
training, you have to set norms for everybody so that they're not acting out of pocket.
They're not, you know, saying things that are potentially rude, you know?
is always something I've been a part of a good amount of events as a speaker.
I've been very blessed to be able to do things like that.
And I've seen the behind the scenes of events for other people.
So the out-of-pocket person, that's always a fear.
Even if I think out of pocket in the therapist world,
given therapists are so empathetic and they're all into their feelings sometimes.
I think my fear around that is generally offending somebody or missing in an accomdation.
Like, I missed this person's pronouns that imprint on their thing.
oh Or it could be something like that.
But yeah, you don't know how it's gonna go.
And I was looking at the list and I was like,
I'd say a solid 60 % of these people I have never met before.
And then seeing where people came from, I mean, y'all came from the West Coast, which is a
huge deal, but I was like, dang, Holly came from Hawaii.
I was like, you flew here from Hawaii?
And then someone came from Canada, which I thought was even wilder because we live in the
United States right now.
And I was like, you came here?
That's amazing.
Like you came for this?
So there was a lot of people I didn't, and I'm curious about that now with what you're
asking.
How did it show up that way?
Was it just the right people coming together?
Does anything?
I tried in the emails and in Facebook group chats and things like that to try and get
people to connect at a couple of community calls to just kind of talk people through,
you're going to Disney, like, here's how you can plan it because it's overwhelming.
But it was a great group and it continues to be, I wasn't expecting the aftermath in such
a positive.
way of people to be so they're just so excited and they're like I can't wait until next
year like are you gonna do another one the other day somebody emailed me just out of the
blue and they were like I saw what you're doing at Disney and I want to pitch to speak
2028 here are my thoughts and I was like 2028 I'm a planner but oh my gosh like so that
like I think the vibe given that it's it was really good it does feel contagious
And that is something that's so special.
And if I were afraid of anything, I would be afraid of that somehow getting messed up
because seeing how people left so encouraged and inspired and connected and just finding
another way to like find small joys in their day.
Like people are sharing like, I'm looking at the swag for next year.
Look at this cute.
Like there was this whole thing about, y'all know about the Bath and Body Works Princess
Collection, Disney Princess Collection?
I did.
Yeah, it's a lot.
Like I haven't been in there in long time.
But then the attendees, they're like, guys, there's this, there's this new collection.
So then everyone's going to Bath and Body Works.
And then all of a sudden I am spending like $200 on things like this.
Okay, not gonna lie, I had to get the, I think it's the fragrance diffuser, because it had
the Mulan fans.
It's so cute.
it's so cute.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So then all of a sudden it's like, now we're all there and we're all connecting about just
like, you know, this common special interest around Disney.
And the other thing that's been really funny is by talking about Disney and by holding
this conference, I swear I have people like adult therapists, they're like coming out to
me.
They're like, so, you know, I saw you like Disney and I actually, I really liked Disney
too.
And you know.
been open about it and I'm like what do you mean you haven't been open about it?
Like talk to me about everything that's Disney you know so that's been really funny too.
I think it gives people the it like welcomes people into that playful aspect and I think
that's what y'all did at the conference.
yes.
I think you set the tone for the event and it created an opportunity for people to feel
welcome and seen.
And what I tend to notice at any event that I've spoken at or attended, that out-of-pocket
person oftentimes is the clinician who's like burnt out.
Yeah.
And they expect this talk to fix whatever is going on and it's way more interconnected.
Whereas the conference, seemed like there were clinicians who already knew that they were
getting towards burnout and that they were willing to change to prevent it.
Mm-hmm.
I'm wondering if, you know, having the conference at Disney gave that vulnerability,
because I feel like people who tend to go to Disney are not afraid to be childlike.
And maybe that's, you know, what kids love to do is think they know everything, but
they're also not afraid to say, I don't know something because they're kids.
They don't have that pridefulness yet that makes them stop them from doing that.
So I'm wondering if that was a factor in
setting the tone without actually naming it.
Because I think even with Yunetta's first speech about, you know, naming something, what
was the word that she used?
uh Raggedy about yourself.
I think that was the perfect, you know, like platform to tell everybody, listen, we all
have our flaws.
Let's address them and let's grow from them.
And I think, I don't know if you meant that strategic, cause she's amazing in itself, but
I think that really, you know.
not strategic, not strategic in that I knew like I've worked with you know, a lot and
she's so incredible.
So I knew she's funny because she was messaging me like days before I came over.
She said this in her presentation, but they were just a couple of them, Jen, Dominique and
you know, they were just in South Africa, like the week before on a retreat.
so Jen and and Yunetta were my my VA Kelly Sue was like,
I have everyone's slides, but I don't have theirs.
now you're in Disney, Yunetta is first.
I just wanna make sure you're not, I was like, she's gonna get it done.
Don't worry about it.
It's funny, because we joke about things like that.
So I knew that she was gonna come and be the energy that everyone needed to, not only to
open up in a really strong and engaging way.
Mm-hmm.
But also to just like, she has such a great way of teaching something that's very clinical
in a way that's really relatable, like by calling it raggedy.
know, cause you're like, oh, I know what that is and getting away from that, you know,
really jargony place.
um that, so putting her there was strategic, but I didn't know what she was going to say
um or what she was going to do.
It just always works out cause that's just kind of her gift.
Yeah, I love that.
I'm hearing as I'm like listening our conversation, there is community that's being built
because of this conference.
But in order for you to build the conference, you also tapped into a community you already
developed.
Yes, I'm glad that you say that because I've seen with other conferences too I put a
feedback survey out and maybe like two, there weren't many, but there was some feedback
around like,
feeling that the speakers were all in this group together and that it felt like kind of
clicky.
And I've seen that kind of feedback.
at every event that I've been like a speaker behind the scenes to the host, I do see that.
And I think that it is a really intimidating scenario to come into an event and not know
anybody.
Like you've traveled for the event and you don't know anybody.
And then you see other people.
who are clearly connected, it automatically can feel like you're not a part of something.
somewhat recently there's an event that I'm speaking at in Maine, The Doubt Yourself Do It
Anyway Summit hosted by Patrick and Jen They're good friends of mine.
I've done a bunch of events with them.
I've seen questions like in Facebook groups and stuff, well, what do you have to do to get
get chosen at these things.
And I, on the one hand, it definitely, there is a level of skill, of expertise in the
area, you know, those kinds of things.
But for the person hosting the events, they're putting themselves on the line, especially,
you know, if they're doing it for the first time, like me.
So it's like, if people don't show up or if this isn't good, I'm going to have to come up
with minimally $40,000 to pay for this room block, you know, like I am on the line.
And so part of the reason that
I start with that group of people that I know is because I know their work.
I know they're not going to let me down.
I know they're going to help me sell it.
I know that if I'm stuck and nobody signed up, they're going to get on the phone and call
their families and be like, we're all going to go to Disney for a couple of days because
Shaelene has this room block that she couldn't fill.
So there is a level, I think there is a level of truth in like, there are these circles
that exist, but I do think there also is this, this space of like, there is an invitation,
hopefully.
to find either not necessarily like trying to find your way into a specific group, but
just being open to connecting, know, and letting that guard down to not think that you're
being excluded, but to just kind of be uncomfortable and talk to people.
I know when we were there and you referenced this in your talk Ariel like you were talking
about how this can happen with trading cards, like Pokemon cards and stuff like that,
because it breaks the barrier of
like the awkwardness to go up to somebody.
And at Disney, it's the same way.
So I hope that that contributed to the vibe of people feeling so connected to one another
overall in the majority, because people would go up to one another and be like, my God,
your ears are so cute, or where did you get that bag?
Or is that the bath and body hand sanitizer or whatever, you know?
Yeah, it was like a great mingling event for just people who enjoy Disney and people who
just, I think, enjoy being with like-minded individuals.
Whether, I mean, me, I'm technically an outsider.
I'm not a therapist by any means, but I feel like an educator is kind of a pseudo
therapist unwillingly with clients we didn't ask for.
We're just given.
Mm-hmm.
I think, you know, there wasn't an air of like, you have to have like all these
credentials after your name.
Like you just have to be somebody who is willing to help.
You are somebody who's willing to learn and willing, you know, to better yourself.
And I think even for your other vendors that might not have had anything to do with that,
you're I think Morgan Stanley and you know, other like they, I feel like they were
touched, you know, listening.
learned so much.
And I'm like, I really love that.
And my dad, well, I was messing with, was like, are you listening to this talk about
parents and how this impacts their kids?
And yeah, like, you listening?
And then he comes over and he makes a joke like when he's, Dominique's like hyping
everyone up and charge her worth.
And he looks at me from across this, this is while she's speaking.
He's like, you owe me more money.
And I'm like, this is the stuff.
This is why I wasn't going to bring you, you know?
uh
But I agree, I think people really were learning more stuff.
And you're right, being uh a teacher, you are in the position of doing therapy without
getting recognized, paid, or trained in the appropriate way.
We could have bartenders come, we could have nail techs come, we could have waxers come,
like all the people who are in these positions with people in celebratory or vulnerable or
routine parts of their lives that really open themselves to all of that.
So I was like, you fit right in.
Come on back.
Yeah.
And thank you for being open-minded because I know not everybody, you know, with such a
concentrated group of people, not everybody is open-minded to have other folks like that.
So, you know, thank you from somebody who benefited from that greatly because it really
did energize me at least, you know, to get to know my worth, to know, you know, what I'm
capable of.
And I think in the profession of giving and giving and giving Things like this are so
needed so that you know that you're not alone.
in the almost burnout that you feel because burnout does not recognize titles.
Burnout does not recognize where you've been, how many conferences you've done, how many
people you've spoken to.
Burnout just gets you because you give yourself up so much to help others.
And I think that being the base criteria for attending that, whether they were a vendor or
a speaker or a first time Disney goer, I think it was something that everyone can relate
to.
Yeah, yeah.
sure.
And it was great having you because it was just like, well, one, don't think people knew
that you were in a therapist until at some point you said it.
And then they were like, you know, but in such a good way, like it was nice to have it was
nice to have your perspective as an educator who is in there, like in the trenches with
the kids all the time, as opposed to an hour a week or whatever that therapy pace looks
like.
Yeah.
So I think that.
was stressful.
was like, all of these people are so professional and they're so accomplished.
What am I doing here?
there watching your presentation with ears on and like, you know, grabbing churros and
they're in their shirts.
I wasn't so confident in my Disney skills and knowledge, I don't think I would have had
the confidence to do it.
And obviously, presenting with Ariel, who is my best friend, I think that made it so much
more bearable for me.
And she will tell you the aftermath was not cute because I was just like, my adrenaline
was so high and I came down, I crashed extremely bad.
But that's the reality of it, right?
And I think pushing myself.
and other people pushing themselves to interact and be vulnerable.
I think that was just part of the collective experience, which I think goes back to what
you were saying that there's now this bond that everybody has who's attended.
And usually people are bonded by trauma, but this was the actual opposite.
They were bonded by the oh winning and the camaraderie.
So yeah, I was just thinking about that.
I think that's hilarious because.
That is really funny.
we're always bonded by trauma, but this is the complete opposite.
No, that does, yeah, that does really fit.
And I wouldn't have known that either if you were nervous at all.
I felt like y'all were so confident and genuine in your presentation.
had no idea.
mean, especially Ariel's like, when I say, hey, you say, and I was like, my God, this is
like such a jam here.
yeah, we love a call and response.
We have a good call and response.
Work with kids to do it.
Can't help it.
No, I think, OK, again, so hearing and playing like zooming out, we talked about for you,
Shaelene how you left feeling more energized.
So this sort of refilled your cup.
It didn't actually like burn you out to do this this big event.
uh
and inspired you more.
And we talked about how for you, Stef, and even for me, this was a stepping out of our
comfort zone, but that filled our cup.
So I'm hearing a connection of sometimes burnout is a lot of repeating the same thing that
hurts you.
like resiliency is trying something new that could help you.
Yeah, yeah.
Thinking of things differently.
And especially when you're in a space that's just more creative, it, I don't know, I don't
know that burnout.
I'd be curious if there are studies on that, but like the amount of creativity that
somebody's engaged in, does that exist?
Probably not.
Like when somebody's in a real burnout mode.
In my talk, when I closed up, I was saying there's something about
being in Disney, like we're still here, we're in the States, like, you know, but we're in
a bubble.
And I know people say, I'm in the Disney bubble, but like, it really is true.
I was in my, the zone and just planning things and all, but.
I think that's just how I feel when I'm there.
like my biggest planning points are like, we got this right at this time and we can
squeeze another one if we stop and we get the snack and this is what I'm gonna wear today.
And so it really, Disney World being a whole world, it really does kind of pull you in in
that way that can really block everything else out.
And I think that level of respite is really needed for anybody who's in a helping.
type of job where their work is their output.
Yeah, well, as an art therapist, know that creativity can really rejuvenate you because
you're activating a different part of your brain, right?
You aren't in your sort of logical thinking brain.
You are in your feeling and limbic brain.
And then if we think of just like developmentally, we think of the safe base.
In this case, Disney is a safe base for you to be able to explore different aspects of
yourself and then return back, right?
Explore, return back.
So.
it seems like there's a layer of what you put in specifically.
There's a layer of like what the space created because of how Disney is sort of set up.
And then just just the magic of who came like all of that created this beautiful delicious
yummy experience.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
The food was good.
Speaking of yummy.
Yeah.
I know for myself, I'm always thinking about like, okay, obviously we're at Disney.
Where am going to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, coffee in between and desserts, right?
ah Did you have an idea of what the food was at Coronado Springs?
Have you stayed there before as like just for funsies?
yeah, no, I've never stayed at that.
I've never stayed at the resort.
I did stop there last year on a layover.
We had like a day in Orlando and I was like, let me go check out the event space, but I
loved the hotel.
It was gorgeous, especially for a moderate level hotel at Disney.
Like historically, if I'm staying at a moderate spot, I like going to Port Orleans, but
now I'm like, I don't know, the vibe here is like,
It felt very high touch.
I loved it there.
I thought it was really beautiful there.
I could see the fireworks from my room.
uh Yeah, and Epcot, like we like walked in long travel day and I'm like, my God, the
fireworks are, this is so crazy.
So I didn't, I wasn't expecting that, but I was really, really happy with that.
In terms of the food, they basically have menus and it's like days of the week if you
choose a buffet.
And so you would have to do, like the conference was on a Monday, Tuesday.
So you have to get the Monday, Tuesday menu, or you can pick a different day, but you have
to pay more money for it.
so like Monday, Tuesday, I think Tuesday we had barbecue the first day we had Mexican, but
originally whatever was on Monday to me was just kind of similar to Tuesday.
And I was like, can we have a Mexican thing?
Like, what can we do here without?
charging another $20 a person because those costs add up, like it adds up quick.
And so they were like, okay, we can do something within your budget.
And I was like, my God, this was phenomenal.
And I don't think I realized we were getting churros until I saw them there.
And I was like, and they were warm and the chocolate was warm.
Like they were better than the park churros, I thought.
Like they were really good, so.
Yeah, I think having that option or, you know, going to conferences, usually you get like
a box lunch and like maybe a soda.
And I'm like, okay, we're going to be at Disney.
So they better amp it up and which they did.
It blew my expectation out of the water.
And even having a quick service just the hallway down, I think was really nice because,
you know, for ourselves, we gathered with, you know, with our friend beforehand to get
And it was perfect because it was something not super heavy.
It was uh light enough to where we can, you know, get energized and then be ready for the
conference day.
So I think having those options so close to there, like I know Disney does it on purpose,
but I mean, the room that they gave you, they know what they're doing.
Yeah.
And I saw like other conferences there.
I'm just like, okay, I can see how this is a destination that is, you know, just it feels
all inclusive, which is Disney is so good at doing.
eh
when I was there in the summertime, they had a big conference.
Like when we were there, I felt like it was honestly not in Disney, but in our conference
area in the convention center, it was a little kind of like ghost town.
It was great.
Cause there wasn't really many other people there.
When I was there, I think it was a juvenile diabetes type thing.
And they had like every single room, there was stuff in the hallways like, and I was just.
was a convention.
like it was they took up like the whole space and I could see everyone walking around with
name tags like it was packed and I was just walking through the event like, oh wow, this
is cool.
I'm getting a vision.
Like I can of see how this is going to go.
But yeah, they have convention centers there.
I think that's the biggest one.
They have also a Grand Floridian and Beach Club, but Beach Club and Grand Floridian,
they're more expensive.
So, you know, with therapists,
a room black of $265 a night.
Like it's just already such an expensive trip that I didn't want to go to a higher level
hotel.
So it'll probably stay there for the foreseeable future because it was really nice and it
was convenient and the price was, was better.
So.
Well, so as we start to transition near the end, what does next year actually look like?
Is there a theme?
Is there a title?
Is it the same?
Are you going to rinse and repeat?
Yeah, some of it.
Yeah, I love us.
I love a surprise.
I love a surprise.
I have some surprises planned.
If Disney will, I feel like I got to really butter them up.
I'm like, what can we do here?
So next year, some of the differences that I can share are that it'll be three days
instead of two.
The idea was to try and make the days not as long.
Although now that I'm
looking at all the speakers, I'm like, how am I going to make it not as long?
So I'm not really sure how that part's going to go, but that is the idea.
That's the concept.
Um, and the theme is Neurodivergence and Misfit: Narratives and Clinical Re-imagining.
had this shirt, "I want to be where the people aren't." And I was like, that's going to be
the theme for next year.
And another little like Easter egg of how I handled the conference this year, everybody
was asking me about 2027 and I was just like,
I get it, but also like, my God, I just got here.
Like, what if this sucked?
Then I would have had to have, I would have had to have the conference, ready already.
Like, what?
But I did have it ready and I did have everything ready to go.
But every time people ask, I'd be like, I don't oh really know.
So then in my talk, so the whole day I'm wearing the shirt that says "I wanna be where the
people aren't." And then at the end of my talk, I said, you know, people are asking me
what I'm gonna do.
took a video that I had just filmed in the hallway where the space was gonna be next year.
And I put the video up and it's like, that would be insane.
But I don't know, something about this place over here.
And then I took the video down and everyone's like clapping.
And it was like, I think we're gonna come back next year.
But like I'm sitting there like, I have a theme here the whole time on my shirt.
And like you guys thought it was just a little mermaid look, but I'm just dropping little
surprises.
So I'll say in addition to those things, like, yeah, I've got some surprises at my sleeve
that I'm.
excited about that.
I think I'm going to be able to pull off if Disney gives me permission and I'll just wear
them down.
you
Okay, yay.
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
mission accomplished for the first Clinically Ever After.
it was such a amazing experience.
Like I think, you know, I speak for me, Ariel and all the other attendees is like, you
know, we have a different outlook on ourselves and our professions and you know, just you
being authentically you kind of shine through all of that.
And you know, a little bit of your pixie dust went on everybody.
Yeah.
amazing experience.
feel like, you know, we've all only known each other for such a short amount of time, but
I feel like, you know, we're already Disney besties, which is, you know, Disney magic plus
X, Y, Z.
So, you know.
is and thank you guys for being a part of it and taking a chance on me too.
I'm like, you guys don't even know who I am, how this is gonna go.
And when you showed up and you were like, we thought there were gonna be 40 people here,
but there were like 100 here.
I was like, oh yeah, whoopsie.
So thank you guys for coming and taking a chance and you guys just fit in so well.
And I agree, I feel so connected to you guys in the little bit of time that we were able
to spend with each other.
And I'm like...
sending Stef I'm like this, get, now I get algorithm for Disneyland snacks and I'm so
triggered because I am not in Disneyland.
Like that's not my coast.
And so I feel like I gotta make a trip and do a little Disneyland, Disneyland hang.
Yeah.
need to do like a swap like date.
One day you come here to Disneyland and then another day we get to do Disney World very,
you know, as we should.
want to compare the snacks.
Like I really, because I'm seeing the snacks and I'm like, these feel, I don't know, they
feel next level at Disney.
Disney World has good snacks, but I don't know if it's because I can't have them, like
excessive, like as excessively that I'm building them up or if what's the real comparison.
but as Disneylanders, we believe our snacks are superior.
Yeah, yeah.
them to a very high standard because the minute something is not good, social media will
know about it and they will get blasted that it's not good.
So we are very harsh critics.
yeah.
think something to just note as like a big difference is people who go to the parks every
day also live like across the street.
So their voices are heard very loudly.
I can see, I can pick up on that.
I can pick up on that vibe just from being on social media.
I see that.
But yeah, I want to do like a comparison of the snacks and
do a series on it and then, you know, break it down and we can let everyone know that
Disneylanders and Disneyworlders can coexist in harmony.
East Coast, West Coast, no more feud.
We all know it was manufactured as so we've heard in the documentary.
So it was all made up, fake news.
uh
All right, well, we hope that you enjoyed this episode of uh Happiest Pod on Earth.
Thank you, Shaelene, for joining us.
Where can people find you and where can they sign up for the next Clinically Ever After?
Yeah, I'm on Instagram a lot.
can follow me @Rebelmente, R-E-B-E-L-M-E-N-T-E, or you can go to clinicallyeverafter.com
and that'll take you to the wait list and any other
cool Disney related ideas that I come up with will be filtered through that email list
first.
So go there and check it out.
Alrighty.
All right, thank you everyone.
We'll see you next time.
Bye!