Selling the Couch 270: When A Therapy Practice Is No Longer Your Calling, Melvin Varghese, PhD
Today’s solo episode is a show I’ve wanted to do, but it’s a vulnerable topic for me. This show highlights a moment of joy because it means I’m listening to my hopes and dreams and not my fears.
Our Featured Guest
Melvin Varghese, PhD
During this last year, I’ve made the decision not to be a therapist in private practice any longer but to dedicate 100% of my time to STC, serving our field and our colleagues in this way. I’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at this decision, share these big and painful moments in the business journey, and provide encouragement for anyone who is sitting on a dream in fear of moving forward. I’m sharing my professional story, the reasons that led to this decision, and answer questions that you might have for me.
You’ll Learn:
● My story of starting as a pre-med major to be a pediatrician before switching to psychology
● How I felt that psychology was my life’s calling
● How I was fascinated with therapists in clinical work in very exciting and unusual fields
● How I learned valuable lessons about multiple streams of income and seeing my acquired skills applicable in other domains outside the therapy room
● How I realized that having two businesses was in conflict with my core values about ease and flow in life
● Five realizations that led to my decision:
○ I learned that managing and growing just one business is really hard.
○ I have clear clarity on my life’s calling, which is serving through STC.
○ I want to keep my ideal schedule.
○ I want to create more margin in my life to enjoy the business journey.
○ I want to do more consulting and coaching.
● Questions you may have about my psychology license, my future, STC and the podcast, and regrets
Today’s Podcast Sponsor
Tidemark VA Services provides billing, credentialing, client scheduling, and social media management services to therapists in private practice.
I especially like that the owner, Brittany, is a group practice owner as well, so she knows the ins and outs of our field.
Learn more about the services Tidemark provides at https://sellingthecouch.com/tidemark.
Be sure to use the code “STC2021” for a 15% discount for the first three months.
RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS JOURNEY
Disclosures: Please note that all opinions are my own and based on my personal experience. Sponsors are acknowledged. Some links in the description are affiliate links where if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I use these funds to continue to create helpful content to serve our field. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
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Since 2015, I've hosted a weekly podcast where I interview successful therapists in private practice and other business owners to help us grow our impact + income in and beyond the therapy room.
The podcast has been downloaded over 1.2 million times and is heard in over 140 countries.
You can find also it by searching “Selling The Couch” on any podcast app (eg: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify etc) or simply saying "Alexa, listen to Selling The Couch" on your Amazon device. =
Or simply click below for ease =).
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WHO'S THIS GUY?
Hi. I'm Melvin. I'm a psychologist (PhD), entrepreneur, and online creator living in Philadelphia, PA.
In 2014, I began to think about how to use the therapy skills we learn in grad school, and in our clinical work into different realms (e.g., podcasting, consulting, online course creation, etc).
This allows us to serve others on larger scales while diversifying our income beyond 1 to 1 work.
I make podcasts and videos about business, tech, productivity, and lessons I'm learning from becoming the CEO of a lean, mean 5 person 100% remote team (we're not really mean..it just rhymed =P).
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for the new online course workshop of a small launch to a $300K course at https://sellingthecouch.com/onlinecourseworkshop
Try Alma!
Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice. With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients. You support your clients. Alma supports you. Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.
Sign up for the new online course workshop of a small launch to a $300K course at https://sellingthecouch.com/onlinecourseworkshop