Selling The Couch With Melvin Varghese, Ph.d. | Weekly Conversations To Build And Grow Your Counseling Private Practice

As STC has grown, I’ve been wanting to address this topic of getting on other podcasts as a guest. In a typical week, I receive several requests from people wanting to be a guest on STC.  There are several reasons why I cannot accept every one of those requests, and there are things to consider in remaining authentic while seeking podcast appearances. In this solo episode, we discuss some tips to follow if you want to increase your exposure by appearing on podcasts. www.sellingthecouch.com/session229    Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Today’s conversation focuses on an interesting topic. We’ve often discussed the nuances of a private pay practice, but today we are going deeper. Is it possible to build a successful private pay group practice in an area where most other clinicians take insurance? Join us as we explore this question together. Deborah Duley has a practice in Maryland, which she manages remotely from her new home in Atlanta. Deborah has learned a lot along the journey in which she began as a solo practitioner in a private pay practice in 2013. She then went to a group practice where she niched down to work with women and girls. Deborah shares some of the mistakes made and lessons learned, her biggest fear in the transition from solo to group practice, and whether certain niches are better suited for private pay. She tells us how she focuses on self-care to combat the unique stressors of being a group practice owner. www.sellingthecouch.com/session228 Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul

Today’s show covers an interesting topic that has come up in the STC community. We discuss multiple income streams frequently, but what is the best way to put those in place? Do I need to build my therapy practice before I launch a second income stream? Let’s answer these questions and more with today’s guest. Annie Schuessler lives in the San Francisco Bay area. She’s been in private practice for 20 years, and she’s mentored other therapists for 10 years. She has insights learned along the way in her journey, and she’s here to share those secrets with us. We’ll discuss why it’s important to have additional income streams as a clinician, and Annie shares the three minimum steps to take before launching into other income streams. Join us for more from Annie! www.sellingthecouch.com/session227Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingtheco

Today’s topic is one that puzzles many clinicians and leaves us feeling uncomfortable. We’ve approached setting fees on past episodes, but today we are diving deeper into setting fees that ensure our profitability. How do we make sure our business is growing, thriving, and allowing for future expansion? Join us as we learn more with today’s guest. Reina Lombardi is an art therapist based in Florida. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge about debt, building a business, and setting fees. Reina understands the many challenges in owning a private practice, and she knows that we need to be profitable. I hope our conversation gives you a practical perspective on using objective data, and not emotions, to figure out where your numbers should be. www.sellingthecouch.com/session226Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/bui

Welcome to a solo episode! I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss how I’ve revamped my private practice website. The process has been very intentional for me, and I’ve enlisted the help of several other people. Maybe you are considering changes to your website, but you aren’t sure where to begin. I hope today’s “inside look” at a private practice website is helpful to you. www.sellingthecouch.com/session225 Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Have you felt the pull of private practice? Maybe you’ve considered taking the leap into private practice, but are hesitant about the first steps to take. Today’s show takes an authentic look at the big picture, along with basic procedures to get you started. Our guest shares how she followed her intuition and took the risk that comes with starting a business. Montoyia McGowan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Memphis, Tennessee area. She and I have connected online for about four years, since the early days of the STC community. Montoyia left a job she loved at the VA to go into private practice, and she celebrates four years in that practice this year. We are discussing what made her start her private practice, how she honed in on a niche, and how she networked and found referral sources. We’ll wrap up with an honest analysis of what has gone well for Montoyia and what she wishes she had done differently. I hope you enjoy this action-packed episode with many pearls of wisdom and insights. www.sell

With today’s technology, most people rely on online reviews when it comes to products, services, restaurants, hotels, and much more. When it comes to clinicians and clients, online reviews can reveal a lot, but is that a good thing? Do people mainly leave online reviews when they are upset or dissatisfied with the service they have received? Join us for a deeper look at this issue on today’s show. Dr. Keely Kolmes is a Licensed Psychologist in California. They did research via anonymous surveys about the experience of therapy clients who had accessed personal or professional information about therapists. We’re taking a close look at the results of the survey, how these results are interpreted, and how these results can help improve your private practice. www.sellingthecouch.com/session223 Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecou

Many clinicians think about creating online courses, and some may even feel pressured to take this step. Online courses are sometimes portrayed as the “golden egg” for clinicians and the pinnacle of achievement. While this is certainly a product with much potential, the key is in balancing online courses with the other aspects of your practice while making sure you are motivated by the right reasons. Learn more in today’s show! Miranda Palmer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from ZinniMe.com. She’s a good friend who is very knowledgeable about the transition from clinical work to online courses. Miranda has helped develop three online courses, so we are having an honest conversation about the good, the bad, and the ugly of online courses. It’s easy to get sucked into feeling obligated to create online courses, but there are unique challenges to be faced. We’ll also get Miranda’s perspective on the hazards and roadblocks inherent in this transition. www.sellingthecouch.com/session222 Mentioned in th

Welcome to the first episode of 2020! It’s been nice to have some extra time for rest and family time around the holidays, but now I’m ready to get going again with wonderful guests and helpful episodes as we step into a new year. Curt Widhalm, LMFT, is a friend based in Los Angeles. He works with high-achieving teens in his practice. I wanted Curt to share how he chose this niche and what he’s learned along the way. It’s also cool that Curt is a marathon runner who ran competitively in high school and now works as a trainer with US Track & Field. In this conversation with Curt, we talk about the power of sub-niching within a niche, lessons learned by Curt along the way, and how he discusses his $225/hr fees with parents. www.sellingthecouch.com/session221Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Do you “have it all together” when it comes to your business finances? My hat’s off to you if you do, but for most of us, the painful truth is that any business journey comes with its own set of challenges and lessons, some of which must be learned the hard way. Like many of you, I like to pretend that I have it all together, but today’s show is all about transparency and baring it all---the good, the bad, and the ugly. Every few weeks I like to a solo session to share with you what I’m learning along with my business journey because I believe my experiences--the good AND the bad--can help others. I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, and I’m willing to share those lessons with you with humility. Let’s talk about the money pitfalls that come with business success. www.sellingthecouch.com/session220  Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https:/

Today’s guest is Debra Roberts, LCSW, who is in private practice specializing in relationship therapy. Our topic today is one that many clinicians have probably pondered at one time or another. We’re discussing how to take our clinical expertise and turn it into some kind of digital product that extends far beyond the therapy room. Over 20+ years in private practice, Debra realized that she was having success with her clients and finally mustered the courage to write a book that has since branched into a course, training, webinars and more. Debra shares her journey, what she’s learned about her strengths, and some practical aspects to consider about creating a webinar. Join us! www.sellingthecouch.com/session219  Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

When you’ve talked with as many people as I have, you tend to learn a lot of lessons and gain great insights into what it takes to build a successful private practice. Today’s show is a solo episode inspired by a presentation I did recently. We are focusing on three lessons I’ve learned, along with key takeaways and the biggest mistake for each lesson. www.sellingthecouch.com/session218  Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Welcome to this solo episode! I’m talking today about all the things I thought I knew about podcasting that turned out NOT to be true. I want to help you avoid these mistakes if you’re considering embarking on your own podcasting journey. My podcasting journey spans almost 2-1/2 years now, which is still hard for me to believe. So, here we go; let’s jump right into Five Podcasting Myths and How to Avoid Them. www.sellingthecouch.com/session217  Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Welcome! Can you build a private pay counseling private practice in this day and age? That is the question that therapist and business coach Keri Nola and I explore in Session 4 of the Selling the Couch podcast.    www.sellingthecouch.com/session216    Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Today’s guest is Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a psychologist in private practice in Decatur, GA. She is the creator of the website, blog, and podcast, Therapy for Black Girls. Her practice mainly focuses on African-American women who have gone through breakups. Dr. Joy and I are discussing how she has built this therapy and brand, and how she developed it while staying authentic and true to herself and her calling. www.sellingthecouch.com/session215  Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Where do your ideal clients hang out? Who are the people and organizations that are serving them? These are questions you should answer as you consider narrowing your focus and attracting your ideal clients. Today’s show dives into the practical steps you can take to accomplish these important goals. Keri Nola is a dear friend who has been on the show before. Keri has branched out of her psychotherapy background to mentor, awaken, and support healers of all kinds through her newly established practice in San Diego. She has a lot of answers to the questions we might ask about attracting ideal clients. She explains why it’s best to focus on the ideal client, how to find those ideal clients, and why those ideal clients need the services you offer. This will be the final episode of 2018, as I take some time to focus on my new responsibility as a father and enjoy the holidays with my family. I hope you’ll plan to join us for more great conversations in 2019! You can read the full show notes at www.sellingthecouch.

Today’s podcast is a solo episode about My Struggle with Chasing the Shiny Objects in Business. I’ve experienced this struggle as I’ve built STC and gone through the challenges of entrepreneurship. My desire is to encourage all of you by being transparent about this issue. You can read the full show notes at www.sellingthecouch.com/session213Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https://sellingthecouch.com/builder.

Welcome to the final episode of 2019! I try to be intentional about the mindful breaks I take to keep myself refreshed and focus on producing quality content for STC. The plan is for the show to return in January with helpful and informative content for you. Today’s episode is a very personal topic of dealing with depression and anxiety, which has been a lifelong struggle for me. I knew that becoming more public with my practice and the podcast would force me to balance the daily pressures of life with my mental health. The past year has been particularly tricky with the premature birth of our daughter, which has brought scheduled feeding times and much sleep deprivation. Let’s talk about this topic and the ways I’ve found to combat depression and anxiety in my life. I hope my tips are helpful to you!  You can read the full show notes at: Session212Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, n

Today’s topic is a new one for the podcast. We’ve never tackled the subject of religious abuse before, even though it pops up in news stories frequently. Building a private practice around working with this population may not be anything you’ve ever imagined, but you’ll hear from someone who is doing it successfully. Connie Baker is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Washington. She’s found her niche in religious abuse recovery. Like many clinicians, Connie came to this field of work because of her personal experience of sexual abuse at the hand of religious clergy. Connie determined that the abuse wouldn’t stop her or prevent her from healing, and now she works with others who have endured the same abuse. In today’s conversation, we’ll learn how Connie came to this niche and how she markets it. We’ll learn about the amazing things she’s doing to expand into webinars, online courses, and writing books. Connie shares how she has branched out and built her successful practice. This episode is chock full of in

Today’s topic is one that brings fear into the hearts of many: giving a presentation. Although many clinicians aspire to speak in front of peers on the topics with which we have the most passion, there is still the immense fear of those public speaking moments. How do we balance out that fear to impart the knowledge we want to give? We’re covering all aspects of this topic on today’s show. Marie Vakakis, LCSW, is a clinician in Australia. She’s here to share some of the things she has learned in her presentations specifically to teens and youth about a range of topics, including mental health first aid and non-suicidal self-injury. Our focus today is on mindset as we balance our desire to give presentations with the fears that we have about that undertaking. You can read the full show notes at: Session210Mentioned in this episode:Try Quiet Builder!If hustle culture makes your soul itch. You'll love the quiet builder. It's for folks building businesses with heart, not hype. You can take a peek inside at https: