Selling the Couch

Hosting a retreat sounds like a great idea, right? When you stop and think about all the logistical and financial details, that’s when many fears and questions come to the surface. Perhaps the biggest fear is whether enough people will pay for your retreat to make it a success. Join us as we dive into this topic with today’s expert guest!Our Featured GuestMegan GunnellIn addition to being a business owner, author, and triathlete, Megan Gunnell is a Clinical Social Worker who has been hosting 1-day retreats, workshops and weekend/week long retreats for 20+ years. She hosted her first one at a local community center–complete with harp music! From these humble beginnings, Megan’s retreats have evolved into weekend retreats and international retreats that started in 2012 in Costa Rica, Italy, France, and other places around the globe. In this episode, we discuss why therapists find it so appealing to consider hosting a retreat, along with common fears related to the risk of hosting your first retreat. Megan explains how to find suitable venues that offer 100% refund options and points out the important legal and logistical considerations. We wrap up our conversation by discussing retreat marketing, which is vital to the success of your retreat. Megan shares what she has learned along her journey as a retreat host. Megan's Website and Thriving Therapists ® Facebook GroupYou’ll Learn:Megan’s inspiration to expand beyond private practice into hosting retreatsMegan’s #1 lesson learned: Start small and grow later.The attraction of retreats? They are transformative spaces for people to pull away from everyday life and reinvigorate their passion and purpose.The major differences between private practice work and group retreats as income sourcesLegal considerations around liability, disclaimers, emergencies, etc.Megan’s low-risk tips for hosting retreats:Start small with a test audience and test venue with a half-day or one-day retreat.Look for 100% refundable venues through a certain date prior to the event.Do the math and “beta-test” your audience.Making your retreat a profitable ventureFinding 100% fully refundable venues—and why international properties are desirableMegan’s top marketing strategies for retreats:Be very clear about your intentions. (Who is this for, and what is the purpose?)Think about your runway. (Make sure it is long enough to “land the plane.”)Build a warm excitement with your audience around the date for open registration.Handling the cancellation or rebooking of your retreat with flexibility and transparencyResources:Want to launch your podcast? Check out our free podcasting workshophttps://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshopWant to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

About a month ago, I shared that I’ve decided to go into private practice, in addition to keeping STC running and growing. There are three main reasons for this decision: I miss the therapy room, a clinical arm to my business is a wise move, and I’ll be able to more strategically diversify my income. I think this venture will offer new opportunities for the future that are beneficial in many ways, but, to be honest, this decision has brought me some anxiety, insomnia, and depression. I’m addressing these issues with my wonderful therapist, and I’m doing all the things that we therapists tell our clients to do. My worries and fears are probably normal for someone who feels the pressure to be successful in multiple businesses and endeavors. In today’s solo session, I’m sharing my insights on finding my private practice niche. Join me for a closer look!You’ll Learn: What is a niche, and how did I choose my niche for private practice? Who do I want to work with?My top four insights on finding my private practice niche:Niches are living and breathing things that evolve over time.Family and friends will always recommend people outside your niche.There is a relational component to marketing beyond your website.Even though my niche focuses on tech and business founders, working within other branches of these niches will add diversity to my work. (These last two insights come from my friends, Raj Lulla and Ben Lueders, the founders of Fruitful Design.)Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

Many of us have thought about creating continuing education courses and wondered how the process works and what factors are involved. Who better to learn from than someone who has done this successfully? Being successful at CEU course creation takes innovation, creativity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Join us for informative insights from today’s guest!Our Featured GuestMatthew BierdsMatt Bierds, from Duke City Counseling, is a licensed professional counselor, course creator, and professional speaker who does in-person and virtual counseling and LPC supervision in Texas and New Mexico. As far back as ten years ago, Matt realized that the world of online education was expanding, and he knew there were interesting opportunities for LPCs in the area of online courses. After jumping into this arena, Matt went through a “failing forward” phase before making a few tweaks and creating a course for LPC supervisors. In today’s session, Matt shares the lessons learned along his fascinating journey and the mistakes and successes that have brought him to where he is today. Matt's WebsiteYou’ll Learn:Matt’s wisdom: “I learned the hard way that selling general continuing education courses online is pointless and a waste of time and money.”The value in pivoting and niching down when something isn’t workingDiscovering the sweet spot: How Matt created a course designed for a specific person in a specific situationCourse creation is successful when you see the need and solve the pain point.Matt’s path to building trust and cultivating repeat customersThe progression and development of Matt’s 40-hour course and 6-hour refresher coursesThe challenges in maintaining compliance and navigating changes in licensing requirementsCourse creation challenges: creating content and incorporating more video interaction and student engagementMatt’s biggest mistakes and successes in marketing his coursesResources:So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist. But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients. Simplified SEO Consulting is a team of mental health professionals who genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process.Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo.**Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any online, DIY SEO courses, and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

Therapist Katie Lear discusses overcoming perfectionism while launching her online course for anxious children, focusing on incorporating playful elements and coping skills. The conversation delves into challenges like 'blank page syndrome', balancing work and family, and embracing imperfection in course creation and promotion.

Welcome to a brand new season of Selling the Couch! After an extended sabbatical of several months, it’s good to be back on STC with new, exciting shows. Today’s topic is one that we have all contemplated to some degree. I imagine that many coffee shop conversations and therapy sessions have included discussions around how we think about work and integrate our work into our post-pandemic lives. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestDan CumberlandDan Cumberland is a creative, catalyst, and collaborator at The Meaning Movement. He created this blog and community to help people pursue a deeper meaning in what they do beyond simply earning a paycheck. From his personal experience, he knows what it’s like to sacrifice too much for work and face burnout and hopelessness. He is intensely passionate about helping others wrestle with the big questions around work, meaning, and purpose. In this conversation, Dan inspires us to find meaning without letting work become our identity, along with his top tips for finding a healthy balance between work and life. You’ll Learn:Why entrepreneurs are programmed to find meaning in their work through the areas of people, product, process, and profitWhy pursuing your passion usually means sacrificing something elseHow Dan came to a watershed moment with his passion, The Meaning Movement Why entrepreneurship is a constant reimagining of yourself and your purposeWhy there is never a clean line between who you are and what you doDan’s top tips for finding a balance between work and lifeHow to assess your happiness and satisfactionInfo about Dan’s beta cohort assessment for finding balance in lifeResources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitConnect with DanWebsite and Burnout AssessmentMentioned in this episode: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.

One of the new things for STC this year is the incorporation of coaching calls into the podcast from time to time. Join us for a glimpse into today’s coaching call about online courses.Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching callHeather McKenzie, LCMHCSHeather McKenzie came through Online Course School as a beta student back in the fall of 2021. Online Course School is a live, eight-week experience that takes your online course from a simple idea all the way through the development stages so that you are ready to record. Heather created a course specifically focused on anxiety that can be found at Dial Down Anxiety. Like most of us who create an online course, she faced a common struggle about how to handle marketing time and costs to promote her course. Join us to hear the coaching call!McKenzie Counseling You’ll Learn:How to handle logistical challenges in the online presentation of your courseWhy Heather’s course is an eight-week course to help people understand anxiety and DBT emotion regulation skillsHow marketing options for an online course can be overwhelming for most people How to pinpoint your own superpowers in teaching and the style that works best for youHow to structure the content levels for promoting your course in six-month blocks:Start with webinars, both free and paid.Offer a downloadable guide or cheat sheet.Use a core blog post as a stand-alone feature that blows people away.Tips from Melvin about content levels:Offering too many things can confuse people, so stick with one core webinar.Less is more!Be thoughtful about using the words “webinar” and “workshop” so as not to intimidate people.Link your blog post videos to YouTube to drive more traffic back to your webinar.Consider that high-quality offerings through webinars, guides, and blog posts help to establish your authority as an expert and give people value that keeps them returning.How podcasting can help with future promotion by giving a call-to-action to your webinarWhy you need to take notes during the first offering of your course with beta students to know what content resonates the most; that content can be used for future free webinarsIn summary, five tools to market an online course that have evergreen potential:Webinar (start with live ones and then transition to evergreen ones)Downloadable guides or cheat sheetsCore blog postSelect podcast episodesMini-podcast Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

Today’s show focuses on one of my favorite topics, which is personal finance. Investing can be overwhelming and very confusing. Join us to learn how anyone can approach investing with knowledge and confidence.Our Featured Guest:Andy GuptaAndy Gupta and I have become good friends over the past couple of months. He is a kind and genuine person who worked for 20 years on Wall Street. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School who understands the ins and outs of investing, and he wants to make investing more approachable for average people. Andy has a particular passion for helping women understand investing, and he looks to use his wealth in ways that help others.Andy’s 30-day investing course: Anyone Can Invest NowAndy's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418356686326993Andy's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/andy-guptaYou’ll Learn:Andy’s background of growing up in a family without wealth in Mumbai, India, and then going to college in the US while holding multiple jobs to make ends meetWhy Andy feels that his mission is to help others with investing so they can achieve financial security and freedomWhy Andy’s definition of financial freedom revolves around increased time spent with his family, creating a financial safety net for them, and making a positive impact on othersThree mistakes that the average investor makes:Trying to “time” the market“This is a fool’s errand. The difference in trying to time the market vs. staying in for the long haul is astronomical.”Believing that cash in the bank is safeYou are guaranteed to lose money every year because of inflation.Taking on too much risk by overexposing themselves in one areaIt's best to mix asset classes to reduce your risk and potentially increase your return for the level of riskAndy’s tips for investing smartly:Have a cash reserve on hand.Diversity by investing in asset classes that don’t “move together.”Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

Today’s session covers a topic that many clinicians are pondering. Many, like me, are having conversations with themselves in their heads about the available opportunities and the most efficient and ethical ways not to be left behind as technology presents new options in our field. The issue is how we can navigate the world of mental health tech startups that are available to join us to support our good work. Examples of what these startups provide are electronic health records, website design, marketing, and more. The truth is that the pandemic changed everything and catapulted the tech startup world into the range of billions of dollars. Don’t miss my enlightening conversation with today’s guest!Our Featured GuestMichael FulwilerMichael Fulwiler is Head of Brand Marketing at Heard, a company that assists therapists with bookkeeping and financial needs. I’ve come to rely on Mike’s expertise as a good friend as I navigate the aspects of STC, trying to be a protector of our field while staying in alignment with my values. In this session, Mike and I discuss the mindblowing numbers around the multitude of mental health tech startups and how clinicians can be informed about which ones are most likely to succeed or fail. We also discuss the vitally important topic of client data privacy and the top three considerations we should have before signing up for a product or service. Heard WebsiteYou’ll Learn: How to view tech startups in the mental health industry in terms of “headwind” and “tailwind” tendencies since the COVID-19 pandemicWhat the data shows about tech startups: 90% will fail!Why the big risk also comes with big opportunities in the startup worldWhat happens when a clinician contracts with a mental health tech startupWhy client data privacy is a valid concern when working with a tech startup (Hear Mike’s advice about watching out for red flags!)Top three considerations for a therapist about a tech startup:How they handle the data Whether or not there is a mental health professional on their team who helps with decisions and developmentHow compensation for therapists is structuredMike’s advice about doing your due diligence when contacted by a tech startupAn overview of Mike’s work and mission at Heard and what they provide for therapistsResources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

I have big news! I’m going back into private practice! Don’t worry, though, because STC remains, and I’ll be adding 1-2 days of clinical work each week. In today’s session, I’m pulling back the curtain on my thought process as I’ve pondered this decision for quite a while. Do I have all the bits and pieces organized and figured out? The answer is NO, and that’s okay. I want to give you a glimpse into the messy middle of this decision and the three main reasons I have made this choice. You’ll Learn:What my life was like when STC began in 2015 when I was working in a group practiceWhy I feel a responsibility to provide mental health support in today’s worldThree reasons I feel drawn to private practice:I genuinely miss clinical work.The mental health landscape is changing like no other due to COVID-19, AI tools, and heavily financed mental health startups.A “hub and spoke model” can keep things in perspective for me. How I’m structuring my “hub and spoke model” with a flagship offering as the “hub” and other offerings as “spokes”Questions that I’m thinking about and weighing in my mind about private practice:Is the insurance route or private pay route better?Do I have a niche for private practice work?How I’m confronting my fears about taking this new stepThe hopes and dreams I have about stepping into a new phaseResources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.

Today’s session is all about brainspotting, a powerful and fascinating psychotherapy technique that I have personally found to be helpful. Specifically, we discuss the technique as it is used to help performance athletes. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestThad Frye, LCSWThad Frye is a licensed clinical social worker in Boulder, CO. As a certified brainspotting consultant, Thad has gone through multiple levels of training in this therapy technique. In our conversation, Thad explains why he was motivated to pursue training in brainspotting after previously focusing his work with families through hospice care and end-of-life journeys. He describes the technical aspects of brainspotting and how he uses it in his work with athletes, specifically in those with the “yips,” a puzzling phenomenon of the loss of an ability.Thad Frye Counseling and Brainspotting Coaching for AthletesYou’ll Learn:Why Thad pursued training in brainspotting in 2016 as a way to serve families betterHow Thad experienced the somatic connection with his personal grief in new and real ways during his brainspotting trainingHow brainspotting differs from EMDRTechnical aspects of “inside window” and “outside window” reflexes within brainspottingHow different clients might respond during a brainspotting sessionHow training phases are structured in the brainspotting certification processWhy Thad chose to use brainspotting with performance athletesHow Thad uses brainspotting with athletes who experience muscle-guarding and the “yips”Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more athttps://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekitMentioned in this episode: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.