About Dr. Steiner
Ann Steiner, Ph.D., MFT, CGP, AGPA-F
(CA Marriage and Family Therapist, License #ML17115)
Dr. Steiner is a pioneer in the creation of comprehensive, affordable, do-it-yourself professional will systems that include plans for continuity of care for therapists’ expected and unexpected absences. She has published over twenty articles on the topic, was cited in the Wall Street Journal and, and, since 1999, has been cited in numerous additional publications in the US and internationally. She has taught about this important yet taboo topic of preparing for a psychotherapist’s temporary illness, death, relocation, and retirement. Her latest publication, The Therapist’s Professional Will: E-Workbook for Managing Planned and Unplanned Absences has been lauded by experts throughout the US, and recommended to be added to the curriculum of all mental health graduate training programs.
She is a popular professional speaker at national and international meetings and conferences, the author of 3 books, consultant, and highly respected psychotherapist.
Dr. Steiner has nearly 1000 LinkedIn Connections, belongs to 24 LinkedIn groups, and maintains 3 websites:
- www.DrSteiner.com for the public
- www.PsychotherapyTools.com for therapists and
- www.PsychotherapistsProfessionalWill.com for therapists and those interested in Dr. Steiner’s psychotherapist’s professional will.
Media Topics & Talking Points
- How to take care of your practice and your patients when you have to cancel
- Bringing your reasons for becoming a therapist into alignment with your practice: The benefits of having a Professional Will and backup system
- The Professional Will/Continuity of Care: A Little Known Ethics Requirement
- Are psychotherapists required to have a backup system?
Suggested interview questions
- What is a Psychotherapist’s Professional Will and why is it important?
- Why do you think it is important for early-career therapists to learn about backup systems and the Professional Will?
- What got you interested in this issue?
- Why have so many therapists never heard about Professional Wills?
- How is your professional will system different than others?
- Do you find that therapists are reluctant or resistant to doing this, and if so, why?
- How do you work with that resistance?
- What kind of responses do you get from workshop attendees?
Past Media Coverage
Dr. Steiner was interviewed for Socialwork Blog by Beard, F. (Aug 15, 2025) When Therapists Disappear: The Art and Ethics of Terminating Services. In this short blog, Faye Beard presents a concise overview of the benefits and challenges of termination, from therapists’ ghosting clients to the value of healthy terminations/endings, while highlighting the ways a professional will can “help ease the burden for therapists and clients alike.”
Featured on NASW’s podcast, Social Work Talks podcast, August, 2022. In this 38-minute conversation, Elisabeth Joy LaMotte, LICSW interviews Dr. Ann Steiner about the ethics code’s mandate for therapists to secure a backup plan for those expected and unexpected absences. We discussed the benefits of having a professional will, touching on the rewards and advantages of creating a backup team she calls an Emergency Response Team.
Interviewed for the January, 2021 issue of Professional Speaker, the National Speaker’s Association magazine, “Making the Pivot to Plan B: Is Your Enterprise Able to Pivot When Circumstances Force You Out of Your Comfort Zone?“
Media Inquiries
If you are interested in arranging for an interview with Dr. Steiner, please call (925) 962-0060 or fill out the a contact info form. Be sure to include your phone number and a variety of times when it would be best to reach you.