The Evolution from TToTTs to SPARKS: A Burnout-Proof Shift for Therapists
What is SPARKS, and How Did It Evolve from TToTTs?
If you’re wondering what SPARKS is, where it came from, and what happened to Therapeutic Tools of the Trade (TToTTs), here’s the full story. Like most things in my ADHDer-brain, it started as a simple idea that spiraled into something far bigger and brighter! (and just a tad confusing!)
The Birth of TToTTs
TToTTs began in 2019 as a Facebook group inspired by a common refrain I heard from my supervisees:
“Your resources are always so great—do you have any more?”
Initially, it was a platform to share tools and strategies to make therapeutic work easier. Over time, it grew into a thriving community of therapists, eager to learn and engage through our monthly webinars & group supervision sessions where we provided:
Bite-sized introductions to therapeutic modalities (e.g., Intro to animal-assisted therapy and Internal Family Systems, or a refresh on Schema Mode work)
Insights into working with various populations (e.g., our very popular series on Neuroaffirmative Care, or working with clients undergoing IVF)
Access to new or reimagined therapeutic tools (e.g., Exploring AI technologies, or ways to integrate your EMDR, hypnosis or somatic practice.)
The mission was clear: provide therapists with practical, actionable strategies they could implement immediately or use as a guide to explore topics further.
The Challenges with TToTTs
However, two major issues surfaced over time:
1. Lack of Clarity
Despite my efforts, TToTTs came across as a chaotic mix of offerings. Behind the scenes, it was organised around the three pillars of burnout—professional, organisational, and personal—but this structure wasn’t clear to the audience. Without a clear, consistent message, (and in the absence of a dedicated marketing team to manage that message!) memberships began to wane.
2. Missing the Real Issue
Through my own journey of burnout and recovery, I realised we had been focusing on the wrong priorities. While modalities and formulations are important, they crumble without a strong therapeutic alliance. And you can’t build that alliance without first nurturing your relationship with yourself.
It’s hilarious to me now (although it was NOT funny at the time!), that I was inadvertently doing the same thing with TToTTs that I was seeing all my supervisees struggle with in the therapy room! I was focused so much on the ‘DOING’, especially in terms of attracting bigger and better presenters every year, that I completely forgot that what started it all in the first place was those supervisees and their trust in me and our supervisory relationship. I was sacrificing the focus on the “BEING” on favour of overemphasising the “DOING”.
Introducing SPARKS: A Paradigm Shift & Burnout-Proof Solution
SPARKS emerged from this revelation, shifting the focus from what therapists DO to who they ARE—both inside AND outside the therapy room. The SPARKS philosophy is simple yet profound: the most important therapeutic tool is you.
Key Principles of SPARKS:
Authenticity: Emphasizing the therapist’s authentic self as the cornerstone of therapeutic success.
Intentionality: Moving from a state of over-DOING to a more balanced state of BEING.
Empowerment: Supporting therapists in rebuilding self-care systems for sustainable personal and professional growth to end this constant burnout cycle we seem to find ourselves in.
SPARKS represents a long-overdue shift in the field, finally prioritising therapist well-being as the foundation for effective practice.
How SPARKS Differs from TToTTs
SPARKS is more than just an upgrade or a rebrand—it’s a total transformation. Unlike TToTTs, which centered on clinical tools and CPD opportunities, SPARKS addresses deeper issues such as:
Prioritising self-care and emotional safety
Breaking the burnout cycle
Strengthening the therapeutic alliance through personal growth
This new approach acknowledges that self-care isn’t a luxury—and it isn’t about bubble baths and yoga classes either. Rather, it’s the foundation of everything therapists do, and the difference between having a sustainable career and burning out 5 years out of uni.
The SPARKS Message
Transitioning from TToTTs to SPARKS wasn’t easy. It required acknowledging (and publically admitting) that TToTTs had run its course and making space for something more aligned with the needs of today’s therapists. Not to mention trying to convince a bunch of self-sacrificing perfectionists that they needed to be investing time, energy and money into themselves rather than the latest shiny new therapeutic modality!
With SPARKS, the message is clear:
Taking care of yourself isn’t optional extra or after thought. It’s essential.
If you’re ready to embrace a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to therapy and self-care, check out our SPARKS webpage for all the SPARKY details.
Your Future Self Will Thank You!
FAQS About SPARKS
Why is SPARKS sometimes called TToTT’s SPARKS®?
apparently SPARKS isn’t unique enough for a trademark! (and I have big plans for this approach!)
I thought it was quite SPARKY to make sure I never forget the evolution of SPARKS from TToTTs – especially as I still need reminding now and then to stay on that new pathway of BEING instead of DOING!
What Does SPARKS Stand For?
Conclusion
SPARKS is a paradigm and burnout-proofing shift in focus that empowers therapists to prioritise themselves, create sustainable self-care systems, and show up confidentially and authentically for their clients AND themselves! It’s more than a snazzy acronym or just another self-care checklist—it’s a movement toward sustainable well-being in the therapy field.
So see you online soon!
Danielle – Clinical Psychologist
12 Points & SPARKS Founder
