Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories

Welcome back to the Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories podcast! In this special "State of the Union" episode, your hosts Kelly Higdon and Miranda Palmer step away from guest interviews to share a real-time pulse check on the mental health field. After an intensive sprint working with private practice clinicians worldwide, they reflect on the current emotional climate—acknowledging the...

Therapy transcripts can now be subpoenaed and used against your clients in court. That's not a hypothetical; it already happened. In this episode of Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories, Kelly Higdon and Miranda Palmer dig into the Proof News investigation of Kamrass v. AdventHealth, where a woman's Talkspace messages with her therapist were pulled into a pregnancy discrimination case by...

Most therapists picture private practice as a solo act. You, your caseload, your name on the door. Allison and Amanda built theirs differently. They left insurance-panel group practice work to start a practice together in Dallas, and three years in, they have something neither of them thinks they could have built alone. They did not start as a business partnership in any way anyone would recommend...

Building a Couples Therapy Practice Around Intensives: Irina's Story Most couples therapy practices look about the same from the outside. Weekly sessions, fifty minutes, sometimes ninety if you are feeling fancy. Irina does it differently. Her North Carolina practice runs entirely on full-day intensives, and every new couple starts with one before any weekly work begins. She did not get there with...

In this episode of Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories, we sit down with Dr. Corrie, owner of Shore Therapy outside Chicago and a psychologist licensed to work across 43 states through Psypact. Corrie shares her journey from working in community mental health to building a thriving solo private practice focused on supporting neurodivergent adults and parents of neurodivergent children....

In this episode of Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories, Miranda Palmer sits down with Anna to explore the realities of building a private practice while growing your family. Anna shares the "good, the bad, and the ugly" of her journey through launching, learning, and thriving, all while having babies. From navigating the differences between being a W2 employee and a business owner durin...

This is our monthly state of the field conversation and this one got real fast. It starts with the SimplePractice class action lawsuit, which if you have been on social media lately you have probably seen ads about. But Kelly and I use it as a jumping off point for a much bigger conversation about what therapists are actually agreeing to when we sign up for the tools we use every day. We talk thro...

What does it actually take to go from escaping a toxic nonprofit job to running a thriving 25-person trauma-focused group practice? Ginger Houghton, LCSW, has done it — and she's not sugarcoating the journey. In this episode, Kelly Higdon sits down with Ginger to talk through the real decisions, real mistakes, and real wins that shaped her practice over seven years. From nearly quitting over insur...

Welcome back to Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories! Today, host Miranda Palmer sits down with Dr. Carmy, founder of Destined Horizons — a multi-state group mental health practice serving Georgia, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. Dr. Carmy's path to therapy wasn't a straight line. From being the friend everyone came to for advice, to earning an MBA before finally answering her true c...

This episode is a good one, y'all. Beth Rontal went from burnt-out costume designer to therapist to creating Documentation Wizard - a business that teaches therapists how to actually use their documentation as a clinical tool instead of dreading it. And honestly? The parallels between costume design and therapy work are kind of brilliant. We talk about the reality of getting licensed while raising...

In this compelling episode of Starting a Counseling Practice Success Stories, hosts Kelly Higdon and Miranda Palmer sit down for an honest, no-interview conversation about the seismic shifts in the mental health world right now. Drawing on their experiences supporting thousands of clinicians and leading Business School for Therapists, they dive deep into the growing influence of venture capital-ba...

In this episode, hosts Kelly and Miranda take on the messy realities of the mental health field today. They dive into everything from the latest challenges with insurance and the impact of AI on documentation to the emotional toll and ethical decisions many therapists are grappling with, especially those in marginalized or high-pressure environments. You’ll hear about the push-and-pull of staying...

In this episode, host Miranda chats with Katie, a licensed professional counselor, author, and group practice owner specializing in high-risk teens. Katie shares her deeply personal journey into therapy, from overcoming her own struggles to building a successful practice through relentless visibility and networking. You'll hear how Katie navigated career pivots, from agency work to private practic...

Miranda welcomes Cassidy, a therapist, group practice owner, and now published author based in Utah. Cassidy shares her compelling journey from teaching high school math to specializing in trauma therapy and ultimately writing a book about religious trauma affecting women in the LDS church. You’ll hear how Cassidy navigated the growing pains of private practice, set up a supportive leadership team...

In this episode, we are joined by Laith from Person Centered Tech to tackle the surge of venture-backed online therapy platforms, like Talkspace, Alma, and Spring Health, and their impact on private practice. Together, they discuss why so many therapists are turning to these tech companies for supplemental income, and whether that’s as safe or sustainable as it seems. The trio dives into hidden ri...

In today’s episode, host Kelly sits down with Amity, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Florida, to explore her inspiring transition from working in a government civil commitment facility in Wisconsin to launching her own private practice - while navigating a cross-country move, burnout, and finding balance in her life and career! Amity shares the real-life challenges and triumphs she fac...

In this special episode, hosts Kelly and Miranda tackle timely issues shaping the world of mental health—from rising insurance rates and the hidden influence of state insurance commissioners to the expanding reach of AI in therapy. They discuss recent headlines, including dramatic insurance rate hikes, and share eye-opening stories about how legislation and business decisions directly affect thera...

In this episode, host Kelly sits down with Dr. Wiyatta to explore her inspiring journey from working in correctional and federal settings to building a thriving, bicoastal private practice. Dr. Wiyatta shares candid insights about why she chose the path of private practice, the pivotal moments that sparked her transition, and how she tailored her business to fit her life—including focusing on wome...

In today’s episode, our host Kelly sits down with Jessica, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Texas who’s carved out a thriving solo private practice after years in the hospital and group practice worlds. Jessica opens up about her unconventional journey to entrepreneurship, how she overcame early doubts about running a business, and the personal work she did to reshape her relationship with mon...

In today’s conversation, host Kelly Higdon sits down with Allison, a licensed marriage and family therapist and registered art therapist based in San Diego. Allison shares her inspiring journey from burnout in the mental health system to building a thriving private practice—one that’s grown and adapted through personal health challenges, parenthood, and even a global pandemic. Together, they dive...

In today’s special episode, hosts Kelly and Miranda take a break from their usual client success stories to dive deep into the current landscape of the mental health field. Drawing on real-world data and their decades of experience, Kelly and Miranda unpack some of the most pressing concerns clinicians face right now—like the fear that fewer people are seeking therapy, how online directories and t...

Today, host Kelly Higdon sits down with Nina, a psychologist based in Costa Mesa, California, for a deeply personal and powerful conversation. Nina shares her journey from an early dream of becoming a therapist to the challenges and triumphs of owning a private practice as a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant. In this episode, Nina opens up about the loneliness she experienced while building he...

In today’s episode, host Kelly Higdon chats with Dr. Melanie Harth, a longtime therapist in Santa Fe. Together, they dive deep into how private practice evolves over the years and what it means to navigate aging, self-worth, and personal growth as a clinician. Melanie shares her journey from underpaid agency work to confidently running a high-fee, values-driven practice, all while confronting her...

In today’s episode, hosts Miranda Palmer and Kelly Higdon chat with Latasha, owner of a successful group practice in San Antonio, Texas. Latasha shares her unexpected path from teaching to therapy, how she built a practice that now serves up to 150 clients a week, and the lessons she learned about sustainability, self-care, and leadership along the way. Tune in for Latasha’s honest insights on bal...

In today’s conversation, host Kelly Higdon interviews Gary, LCSW, founder of the Center for Intimacy Recovery. Gary shares his evolution from solo practice to leading a multi-state group focused on the theme of intimacy—both in clinical work and in business leadership. Kelly and Gary discuss building authentic connections among clinicians, maintaining quality while expanding, and redefining succes...