Selling the Couch

What does 11 years of building a business actually teach you — especially when things don't go according to plan? In this final episode of Selling the Couch for 2026, Mel reflects on 11 years of entrepreneurship, more than 2 million podcast downloads, and some of the hardest lessons he's learned along the way. And rather than focusing on the milestones or successes, he's sharing something more per...

What actually makes someone decide to buy your online course? It's not just the information you're teaching or how polished your webinar looks. More often, it's the trust you've built with the people you're trying to help. In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel takes you behind the scenes of a live coaching session inside Haven, our small, intentional community for therapists building sustainab...

What if growing a YouTube channel as a therapist didn't require posting constantly, chasing trends, or becoming an influencer? In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel takes you behind the scenes of Haven, our small, intentional community for therapists building sustainable online income beyond the therapy room. He's sharing an excerpt from the first session of our Calm YouTube Flywheel Accelerat...

What if you could use social media to grow your therapy business without feeling like you have to be online all the time? For many therapists, social media comes with a complicated relationship. You know it can help people discover your work, build trust, and create new opportunities. But you also know how easily it can pull you into constant checking, comparing, posting, and wondering whether you...

Do you ever feel like you're just… bad at marketing? You don't want to become an influencer. You don't want to post every day, chase an algorithm, manufacture hot takes, or turn every part of your life into content. And maybe that's not actually a problem. In this solo episode of Selling the Couch, Mel explores why conventional marketing advice can feel so uncomfortable for therapists, and why the...

What happens when the life you’ve been building toward suddenly has to change? In this solo episode of Selling the Couch, Mel shares a personal update about entering a new season of caregiving, and the difficult questions it has raised about business, ambition, family, and what success actually looks like when life gets heavy. For several years, Mel knew that increased caregiving responsibilities...

What if hosting a meaningful retreat didn’t require a luxury resort, a huge audience, or 50 people in the room? In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel sits down with licensed psychologist Dr. Shawn Hondorp to talk about what she’s learned from creating small, intimate retreats — including the logistics, the challenges, and the deeper value of bringing people together in person. Shawn shares how...

Could churches and other faith communities become one of your private practice's strongest referral sources? For many therapists, networking with churches can feel intimidating—or even a little unclear. Who do you contact? What do you say? Should you offer free workshops? And how do you build these relationships without feeling like you're simply asking for referrals? In this episode of Selling th...

What if you didn’t need to post on LinkedIn every day to build real authority? For years, the dominant LinkedIn advice has been pretty consistent: post constantly, engage with bigger accounts, chase visibility, and keep feeding the algorithm. But what if there’s a quieter—and more sustainable—way to use LinkedIn? In this episode, Mel shares what he’s learned after nearly four years of experimentin...

More is not always better. We often find that what we are chasing in our pursuit of success is not what we thought it was. Entrepreneurship for private practice clinicians naturally attracts many high achievers and recovering perfectionists, so we need to take a pause and periodically reassess and redefine what success looks like. Join us for a closer look at this important topic! Our Featured Gue...

If you’ve been thinking about posting more on LinkedIn or if you’re curious about how to best use this social media platform, today’s encore is for you. It took me a long time to understand the purpose of LinkedIn and how it can be beneficial in connecting me to the right followers. Join me for an honest look at my experience and the biggest lessons learned. You’ll Learn: 5 lessons learned over th...

In today's encore, I share my journey of going into private practice, in addition to keeping STC running and growing. There were three main reasons for this decision: I missed the therapy room, a clinical arm to my business is a wise move, and I’d be able to more strategically diversify my income. But this decision brought me some anxiety, insomnia, and depression. I address these issues with my w...

If you have ever considered creating an online course, or if you are already a course creator, you have probably thought a lot about marketing. The challenge is how to be thoughtful and creative in marketing your course, which becomes a separate income stream for your business. Starting a podcast is one of the best ways to market your course while creating a solid, compound income stream, and we a...

In today's encore, we will cover two questions that confront me daily: How big do I actually want to grow STC? What is the purpose of STC in relation to my overall life? Freedom is my most important value, and building my business around my life, family, and health is most important to me. Not every entrepreneur has the same goals, but these are questions for every entrepreneur to consider. Let’s...

Are you a course creator who wants to get better and better at your craft? Today's encore reflects on three non-negotiable meetings that I’ve implemented with my online courses. This simple technique has played a massive role in making over $300K more than the original course. Join me! You’ll Learn: Three meetings course creators need: After-action review (AARS)--takes place after a launch. Ask an...

If you are considering launching an online course, today’s encore is for you! I’ve learned a lot as a course creator, and I’m sharing an honest look at my biggest lessons learned and what I would tell anyone on this course creation path. You’ll Learn: 5 things I want to share about launching an online course: Focus on what you already know and love to teach. (Stay within your niche!) Hear my thoug...

Today’s encore is about leaving psychotherapy for coaching. This transition is one that many therapist colleagues have made, and the reality is that many more are shifting from the field of therapy into coaching. Several major factors play into this decision, and my guest today gives a transparent look at his experience in this transition. Join us to learn more! Our Featured Guest Dr. Corey Wilks...

Today’s encore is at the heart of the Quiet Builder philosophy. The question is, “How do we design a business that supports our lives, not swallows it?” This becomes increasingly important as the world grows more uncertain and our responsibilities grow daily. This episode is for anyone building a business that fits into real life, and not the other way around. You’ll Learn: My story of stepping ba...

Today’s encore is on what therapists often get wrong about selling their first online course, considering all the assumptions we make and the misconceptions we hold about online courses. I’m bringing full transparency to today’s topic as I share what I’ve learned through my years of experience with online courses. You’ll Learn: The guilt loop running in my head (“I became a therapist to help peopl...

Today’s encore is from a live coaching call talking about the many nuances of online courses. I hope this episode will be helpful to you and bring new ideas if an online course is on your radar. Our Featured Guest-Kristen Boice, LMFT Kristen Boice is a therapist in private practice and a fellow podcaster. She has realized the need among her listeners for an online course. Her podcast, Close the Ch...

In today's encore, we're tapping into creative thinking. How are you at thinking outside the box? This episode is perfect for everyone who has thought about creating, marketing, and selling a product. What is the process like? How do you take care of all the little details? What about the marketing piece of your product? We’re diving deep into these questions and more on today’s show. My guest is...

Today's encore is on the 400th episode of Selling the Couch! It was truly surreal to think back to 2015 and the show’s humble beginnings; reaching this milestone is beyond anything I ever dreamed of 10 years ago. I wanted to use this milestone to reflect on a few meaningful thoughts about staying the course to reap the quiet rewards. What does it mean to choose depth over scale and to build intent...

Are therapists focusing on the wrong kind of content in the age of AI? In this episode, Mel explores one of the biggest shifts happening online right now: why Google and AI-powered search are quietly rewarding depth-first, human-centered, experience-based content, while most social media content disappears within 24–48 hours. If you’re a therapist building: a private practice, a podcast, a course,...

What happens to your private practice if you suddenly become incapacitated… or pass away? It’s a difficult question, and one most therapists never want to think about. But in this deeply practical and important conversation, Mel sits down with Dr. Robin Miller to discuss one of the most overlooked responsibilities in private practice: creating a professional will. Dr. Miller shares the personal st...

In this deeply personal episode, Mel shares an honest update on a new chapter he’s building: one that sits at the intersection of psychology, nervous system regulation, golf, performance under pressure, and the future of clinical work in the age of AI. This is not a polished “success story.” It’s a real-time reflection on what AI is changing in mental health, why traditional private practice model...