Ideal Practice

As healers, we understand clinical work. We know how to help what hurts in our clients.  But very few of us are taught how to build a business at all - much less one that genuinely fits who we are. Today, I’m joined by somatic coach & educator Chelsea Horton for a rich conversation about creativity, embodiment, and building a private practice around an unconventional modality — dance and movem...

There may be more than one reason your practice feels harder than it should. And no — it’s probably not because you need better marketing, a new niche, or another certification. In this conversation (from my appearance as a guest on The Practice of Therapy with Gordon Brewer), we stepped back and looked at the whole picture — what it actually takes to build a practice that works. Not just one piec...

Four years ago, I hit “publish” on the very first episode of this podcast — not entirely sure what would come of it.  Since then? I’ve learned a lot. In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes — not just of podcasting, but of what it really takes to grow a private practice in today’s world. Because here’s the truth that no one talks about: Most clinicians aren’t struggling because they’re n...

Eventually, most successful practices hit a certain kind of ceiling. Caseloads are full. Marketing falls off.  Systems strain. And growth? It stalls… or starts to feel like it would break everything. So today, Chris McShanag shares a new way of thinking about remote support — not as a way to offload tasks , but as a way to expand capacity. So interesting - because he even challenged my thinking a...

In the last couple of episodes, I spoke with two very different guests — Rachel Robertson and Emma Lagerlow – two very different women doing very different things on completely opposite sides of the world. And yet, as I thought about those conversations - I couldn’t help but notice something they had in common. In fact, I noticed a pattern that I think I’ve seen among many of the outstanding guest...

It’s easy to think that once your practice is “working”… everything else will fall into place. But what if success is actually where things fall apart - but in a quiet way you may miss? Today, wealth coach and author Emma Lagerlow talks with us about the 5 Pillars of True Wealth — and why so many practice owners lose themselves right when things start going well. In this episode, you’ll hear… Why...

At some point in the life of any kind of service-based business, something shifts. The work is meaningful. Clients are coming in. Your calendar may even be full. And inevitably, the day comes when you start asking yourself… Hang on a minute. This is good but it’s a LOT… Is this sustainable? Can I keep this up? Not just financially — but energetically. This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Rachel...

Okay guys - so we’re digging into a really tiny detail of your practice this week, one many small business owners may never even think about… Your voicemail greeting. I know! Seems sooooo minor! Like - who cares about that anyway? Your potential clients do. That’s who. I had an experience recently that reminded me of how important this is, so I want to share that with you. Because when it takes so...

Here’s the thing. If you’re like most healing arts professionals, you sell your time . Five sessions. Ten sessions. Maybe a package here or there. But what if you focused on your expertise , and the transformation your clients get when they work with you? What if you designed your practice around that instead? In this conversation, Joanna Sapir and I explore what it means to create structured clie...

Okay - I’ll admit it. My bookkeeper used to send me a Profit and Loss (P&L) statement for my practice every time we met - and I barely looked at it. Not proud of that. But I blew it off because I didn’t really understand HOW to use it, what the various segments meant, or how to pull information from those long columns of numbers that I could actually use. Well - not any more. Today, I go over...

Marketing doesn’t usually fail because you’re not good at what you do. Not at all! No - often it fails because you’re being too careful . In this episode, I’ll walk you through 3 marketing patterns I’ve seen repeatedly in recent coaching calls — patterns that dilute your message, confuse potential clients, and make growth harder than it has to be. The fixes are simpler than you might think.  In th...

Hey there everyone!  Have you ever wondered why some clients light you up, while others leave you absolutely drained?  That happens because we, as healers, often feel like we can help anybody. But that doesn’t mean we should help everybody .  Here’s the thing ... I guarantee you will be better at helping some clients rather than others. And once you see that - and lean into it - amazing things wil...

One of the most common things I hear from private practice owners is this:  “I know I need help, but I have no idea where to start...”  If that sounds familiar, you’re totally in the right place. 😉 Because today, I’m bringing back a super practical, ever-so-encouraging conversation I had with my own right hand, my assistant, Queenie Verhoeven.  Together, we’ll break down how to hire the right VA...

This week, I’m sharing something I’ve never done on the podcast before: a replay of an interview I did as a guest on Joe Sanok’s show, The Practice of the Practice.   In this conversation, Joe and I first did a quick walk through of my 7 Pillars framework - the foundation I use to help practice owners build a business that’s clear, solid, and sustainable.  And then (because Joe is Joe 😄) we did a...

As we step into a brand new year, I wanted to start 2026 with a different kind of conversation. In this episode, I’m sharing why I chose to hit the reset button on the podcast over the last few weeks — not by stopping, but by shifting the rhythm.  After a demanding fall, caregiving responsibilities, and a deep need for creative breathing room, I realized I didn’t need to quit or push harder. I nee...

Well, Happy New Year everyone! 🥳 As we say goodbye to the year that’s been and step forward to who we’re becoming, I wanted to share something meaningful with you. Someone special once shared this with me during a season of real transition, and I’ve been passing it along ever since. Here’s the thing. If you’re in the middle of change — if things feel uncomfortable, uncertain, or unfinished — it m...

Hello everyone - It’s the week of Christmas, the world is slowing down, and, like many of you, I’ve been settling down into my own year-end pause. (You ARE doing that, right? Or will be soon?) In honor of that pause, I wanted to do something a little different on the podcast. So I’m reflecting in this episode not on what I did this year, but what I learned — especially from the courageous, thought...

Managing a private practice, like any business, means managing growth. And growth always happens in phases. That means, we all start as beginners somehow - right? I know. But the start up phase of a private practice can be completely overwhelming. No one taught us how to do this in grad school, and we have a LOT of questions. What do I charge? Should I offer a sliding scale? How will I get paid? W...

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...