Ideal Practice

In this episode, I’m taking time to look back at what I wish I’d known when I started my private practice as a young therapist in the early 90s. ( SO many things, y’all. 😑) Back then, I was juggling a toddler, a full-time job as a department head, managing 2 adoptions, and starting a brand-new business. And back then, we didn’t have the kind of resources that are available today, so I was figurin...

Listen. I get it.  Money can be one of the hardest things to talk about — especially for therapists, healers, and wellness professionals who pour their hearts 💟 into their work. That’s why I’m bringing back one of the best episodes from the Ideal Practice archives — all about the messy, emotional relationship healers have with money. This is a conversation about boundaries, integrity, and abundan...

This week, I’m sharing a quick Thanksgiving-week reflection on why I still believe in private practice, even when the work feels hard… along with a simple exercise to help you reconnect with the good stuff in all of this. (If you ever ask yourself if the hassle of owning a business is worth it - that exercise will help.) As we head into the holiday here in the U.S., I know many of you have a lot o...

If you’ve ever found yourself feeling exhausted, under-appreciated, and wondering if private practice is really worth it , this episode is for you. In this replay of one of our classics, I’m going back to one of the very first conversations we ever had on the podcast: what an Ideal Practice actually is, and why giving yourself permission to do things your way changes everything. We’ll talk about h...

Seasons change — and so does the rhythm of our work. In today’s short “ Behind the Mic” reflection, I want to tell you a little about why things on the Ideal Practice podcast might sound a little different for a while — and what’s coming next. Over the next few months, I’ll be alternating between short reflections and replays of some of my favorite episodes that are packed with value. This new rhy...

Hey everyone! You’re in for a treat and a half today! 😍 On the podcast this week, I sat down with the one and only Joe Sanok , popular founder of Practice of the Practice and host of one of the most successful, longest-running podcasts in our field.  Joe helps therapists build a private practice that they absolutely love … one that makes money, serves people deeply, AND doesn’t burn you out in th...

Okay, let’s talk about this, folks. I know a lot of us break out in hives at the mere thought of marketing. 😜 And yet - some of the most talented healers I know sit with open appointment slots while people who need their help are scrolling Psychology Today, completely lost. It's heartbreaking on both sides. 💔 But we can fix that. :)  So today, I’ve found someone who can help. Aaron Price is...

Ever feel like you're screaming into a void when it comes to marketing your practice? 😵 If so, you're going to love what I have for you today, because I'm talking with the brilliant Marina Gee about something that could completely transform how you connect with your ideal clients: authentic storytelling . And that might even mean telling YOUR story. (Even though we’re often taught...

Hey there everyone,  Have you ever hired someone to handle your insurance billing, only to have it turn into a total mess? Maybe even a nightmare? 😵‍💫 If so, you're not alone in that!  Today, I’ve shared with you the unvarnished truth about my own experience with insurance billing companies. Because over the course of 20+ years in private practice, I switched billing providers seven differe...

Buckle up, y’all, because we’re getting into one of the most critical ( and most avoided! ) topics in private practice ownership … paying yourself an actual salary. I'm talking with the brilliant Carla Titus , a fractional CFO who helps mental health group practices and healthcare providers get financially healthy. Carla works with everyone from solo practitioners to seven-figure practices, a...

I’m so excited about today’s conversation, guys, which is a weird thing to say about … insurance. 😵‍💫 Today’s guest, Jeremy Zug from Practice Solutions, lives and breathes mental health billing ( yes, that's a thing! ).  And he doesn't sugarcoat it.  Mental health billing IS harder than medical billing .  Insurance companies DO play games with us. That little voice in your head telling...

Hey there, everyone! A common question I get from practice owners is: “What kind of content should I be creating to market my practice?”   Should you be blogging? Doing video? Starting a podcast? I get it. The options are endless, and each has its own learning curve. That’s why this week, I’m sharing my own content creation journey—the wins, the flops, and a few good lessons I’ve learned over the...

Today, I'm talking with the truly talented Michelle Knox , a brand strategist and designer who has become not only one of my closest friends, but also one of my most trusted advisors over the years.  Michelle helps women entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits cut through the noise and create messaging that actually makes the right people stop and pay attention. In this episode, we’ll...

Are you a relationship expert in one way or another? Feel like that’s something you have a pretty good handle on? As healers - especially therapists - we often consider ourselves experts on what it takes to develop healthy relationships - but how often do you think about the relationship you have with yourself?  The truth is, many of us struggle with the very foundation of all healthy connections:...

Hey there, everyone! Last week, I had a wonderful conversation with Gordon Brewer, host of The Practice of Therapy podcast, about how to keep your private practice going when your life is completely falling apart.  It touched me so deeply that I wanted to come back this week and dive in with some of my own thoughts. Because here's the thing... life happens to all of us sooner or later, right?...

Today I’m sitting down with the ever-steady and ever helpful Gordon Brewer to talk about something we don't discuss nearly enough – how to keep your practice thriving when life gets really, really hard. 😓 Gordon is the owner of Kingsport Counseling Associates , a group practice, and host of The Practice of Therapy podcast. (Gordon is way ahead of me. He’s approaching his 400th episode!) He a...

Today, I’m excited to have the incredible Rosanne Carter joining us here on the podcast to talk about something that is near and dear to her heart:  nervous system co-regulation and why understanding this concept could completely transform your practice (and your life ) . Rosanne is a psychotherapist and consultant who specializes in helping parents, children, and early childhood support professio...

She was on the edge of burnout… …getting sick more often, and having to cancel appointments with clients she loved - all because she’d lost any semblance of control over her calendar. Funny isn’t it? How easy it is for us to get ourselves in trouble - just because we want to be there when our clients need us, or - heck - because we’re trying to make a living.  But it happens - a lot. And it breaks...

Do you ever feel like your practice is held together by nothing more than rubber bands and band-aids?  Feel like you're constantly putting out fires instead of actually growing the business you dreamed of?  If this sounds familiar, you'll love what I have for you today, because I'm talking to the ever-so-organized Ariana Refsdal about creating systems that actually work for creative...

Today, we’re going to get out of the office, out of our heads, and back into our bodies, my friends.   Woot! 🥳 In this episode, I've brought back one of my favorite guests - the brave and oh-so-creative Gary Katz - for a deep dive into the magic of experiential work. Gary is a licensed therapist and founder of the Center for Intimacy Recovery, a group practice with services now in seven stat...

Can you believe we're halfway through the year already?  Yikes - that went fast. 😳 So how are you doing with those big goals you set for your practice back at the start of the year? If you’re not sure, or if it’s been a while since you’ve checked in with those goals - this is for you.  The truth is, most of us can only handle about 90 days’ worth of focus at a time anyway, so checking in wit...

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about some of the more creative ways that some therapists are working with their clients. Because the truth is, I always love the sheer variety of different ways that we can serve our clients.  So today, I thought I’d share my own story with you, and tell you about a slightly crazy thing I did back in the day. 😁 Today, you’ll hear the wild story of how...

Today’s guest caught my attention when I got word about an experiential workshop she was hosting for therapists in our area. When I looked into it, I was struck by the way she’s grown her practice - managing to combine her skills and experience in a VERY creative way.  I’m speaking with Julie Jerrolds, an LPC Supervisor and EMDR-certified therapist from the beautiful Seymour, Tennessee - right up...

I know that a lot of you feel overwhelmed by social media, so today, I've got something to share that's going to take a huge weight off your shoulders. I'm chatting with the lovely Berlyn Komar, founder of Planted Marketing and the Greenhouse community , who specializes in helping purpose-driven brands create authentic, aligned content marketing that actually feels good . Berlyn bri...

Growing a successful private practice takes a lot more than a nice office and some cool posts on Instagram or a brief profile in Psychology Today. It takes courage - and lots of it. There have been countless times when I knew I wanted to go somewhere with my practice that would require me to step up in a bigger way, to play a bigger game. And each time, that meant I had to face my own internal lim...