Ideal Practice

You've worked hard to build your private practice. Yes? You've invested precious time, energy, money, and heart into creating something meaningful, valuable and - I hope - profitable. But what would happen to that business if you suddenly couldn't work? I know. I don't want to think about that either. And yet...that's exactly what happened to my guest today, Laurel van der...

What would happen if your marketing suddenly took off? Would you be ready for it? When therapist Melissa Divaris Thompson decided to give TikTok a try, she had no idea she'd eventually build an email list of more than 90,000 people. (!) But going viral brought more than new opportunities. It brought unexpected challenges, some hard-earned business lessons, and a few surprises along the way. I...

What if the marketing you're already doing could be more memorable, more personal, and maybe even a little more fun? Does that sound crazy? Maybe. But it's not. :) You don't have to become a social media superstar or dream up some elaborate new marketing strategy to get noticed. Sometimes, all it takes is a little imagination and a willingness to do something differently. And that&a...

What if one of the biggest things holding your private practice back isn't your clinical skill, your marketing, or even the economy? (I know - we can always blame things on the economy!) What if it's the fact that you get all tied up in knots inside, any time something comes up around the word, or even the idea of profit? The very idea of making a profit in your practice?? If you're...

You work hard to help people find your practice. You build the website. Create the content. Go to those awkward networking coffees. Nurture referral relationships as best you can. Maybe you even show up on social media when you'd really rather not, thankyouverymuch. 😝 But what happens AFTER someone finds you? That's the question at the heart of my conversation today with business growth...

If the thought of "selling" in any way makes you a bit squirmy, you are SO not alone. Most therapists and helping professionals were never taught how to have a sales conversation of any kind. And in fact, if you're anything like many of my clients, you associate selling with pressure, persuasion, or the whole "used-car sales" kind of energy. But y'all - if you own a p...

Who gets to call the shots in your private practice? Because whether you realize it or not, there are plenty of outside forces that would be happy to answer that question for you. 🤨 In this week's wide-ranging conversation, I sat down with Kelly Higdon of ZynnyMe to talk about what’s changing in our profession – from insurance companies and venture-backed platforms to AI, certification cultu...

What if the skills and knowledge you already have could become the foundation for an entirely different kind of business? 💡 That’s exactly what happened for my guest today, Dr. Jason Troyer. Jason is a counseling psychologist who spent nearly 15 years as a college professor before an unexpected opportunity introduced him to the death care industry – and eventually led him to leave a tenured posit...

When I began my career as a young therapist, I thought there was a right way to do therapy. Assess. Make a plan. Follow the plan. Know what you’re doing. Almost four decades later? I no longer think that way.  In this deeply personal solo episode, I’m sharing some of what all those years (and more than a few mistakes) have taught me about doing healing work well.  Experience hasn’t taught me that...

What does it really mean to be fully present with your clients? As healers, we spend a LOT of time mastering techniques and promising new methods, pursuing certifications and figuring out new ways to help people feel better.  And all of that matters. But there’s something even more foundational underneath all of that, something we can easily lose sight of:  our ability to slow down, quiet our own...

What could happen if you stopped waiting for permission? Permission to want something more… Permission to try something brave… Permission to go after that crazy idea that's been calling you forward for so long  — even though you have no freaking idea how to make it happen. 😬 That's where we're going this week. Last spring, I was invited by Emma Lagerlow, host of the Australian podc...

You did it. You figured out what kind of help you needed. You found the right person. You interviewed them, tested the fit, made your choice — and finally got to say those two beautiful words: You’re hired. But then Monday morning rolls around. Your shiny new team member is sitting there in your office or in your inbox – ready to go and waiting for instructions…  And that’s when it hits you.  Ohhh...

Ok - so let's pause for a moment, here in week 3 of this series... You've done the work. You figured out where you needed help and why. You got clear about the role you're ready to fill. You wrote a spectacular job post designed to attract the right people. And now? The applications are coming in. 😳 Now what?! Well - if you're already overwhelmed and desperate for help, you mi...

When you’re hiring, your job post announcement should be more than a bullet list of duties, hours and pay rates.  Done well, it should help you decide exactly WHO the job is for.  In Part 2 of my four-part hiring series, we shift from Clarity into Attraction , the second stage of my CAST Method™ for hiring the right people for the job.  Today, I’m walking you through the process I use to create a...

Hiring your first team member (or heck, your 5th!) can feel both really exciting... and really scary. (Am I right? 🤷🏼‍♀️) Because most business owners hire when they're overwhelmed, and frankly, feeling a bit desperate… So they hope against hope that the new hire works out. And they’re terrified that it won’t actually help at all. Well - in my experience, that's all backwards. The best...

Ok - so let's get real - ok? If there's one word that can make therapists and healers roll their eyes and groan, it's marketing. (See? I heard you. Just then! I did!) For so many of us, it brings up old images of pushy salesmen, unbelievable promises, and the yucky energy of trying to convince someone to buy something they don't really need. But that’s not who we are, is it? No...

THIS was the most fascinating conversation!!! When you hear what I’ve got for you today, I think you’re in for a surprise - a completely new way of thinking about private practice. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that - in general - we all assume that growth means seeing more clients, working longer hours, or opening another office. Because - what else could you do, right? Well — what i...

What if the problem isn't that you're not working hard enough at all… What if the problem is that you've built a business that no longer feels like you? As part of our Summer Replay Series, I'm bringing back one of my favorite conversations — and it is just as powerful today as it was when we first recorded it. Maira Holzmann is a somatic therapist, group practice owner, and bu...

Two hundred episodes. Hundreds of conversations. Countless listeners around the world.  I'm so grateful you've been part of this journey, and it felt fitting to celebrate this milestone by revisiting some of the episodes that have stayed with me -- and apparently with many of you! -- as well. So over the next few weeks, I'll be revisiting some of the conversations that have resonate...

Have you ever looked at your own practice through the eyes of someone who's trying to become your client? Recently, I found myself on the other side of the consulting room, searching for a therapist of my own. It’s been a lonnnnng time, y’all. And - turns out - It’s been a much harder process than I expected! As I worked my way through Psychology Today profiles, made initial phone calls, fill...

If you've ever lain awake at night worrying about a client, found yourself replaying sessions in your head, or wondered where healthy compassion ends and unhealthy responsibility begins, this episode is for you. Today I've shared the single most important lesson a mentor ever taught me about surviving this work with both your heart and your humanity intact.  It's a lesson that carri...

What happens to your practice when you're ready to walk away?  Most private practice owners have no idea.  Lord knows I sure didn’t when that day came for me. And this week's guest, Dr. Ruth Mannschreck, believes that's a problem - and she wants you to KNOW what to do.  A dentist, practice strategist, and founder of Shoreline Strategies, Ruth helps practice owners create businesses...

What if your marketing problem has almost nothing to do with algorithms, social media, or even consistency - at all? In this surprisingly deep and insightful conversation, I asked content strategist and Content Queen founder Mariah MacInnes  to unpack why so many practice owners struggle with marketing — especially healing arts professionals who care so much about helping people, but get super squ...

Thinking about hiring a coach to help you grow your private practice?  Before you invest time, money, energy, and trust into someone else’s guidance, it’s important to know what you’re actually looking for.  In this episode, I’ll share 5 key questions to help you evaluate potential coaches wisely — from experience and accountability to intuition, alignment, and integrity.  Because finding the righ...

Hiring a coach can absolutely change your business. Lord knows it has mine! It can also challenge your identity, your habits, your leadership, your willingness to change, and the stories you’ve been telling yourself about what’s possible. Yeah. ALL of that. So in this episode, I want to slow that conversation down a bit. Because before you start searching for the right coach, the more important qu...