Libsyn Directory

Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Release Date: 10/26/2020

Private Practice Money Mistakes That Could Be Costing You | Margo Masri | TPOT 444

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Your private practice may look profitable on paper, but does the money actually feel available? In this episode, Gordon talks with Margo Masri, founder of Heartfelt CFO and Tax Services, about the financial decisions that can quietly create cash flow problems for private practice owners. They explore the risks of over-hiring, ignoring taxes, taking on office space too soon, and trying to grow without fully understanding the costs involved. Margo also shares why practice owners need to know what they personally need to live on, build financial systems that can grow with the business, and...

The Neurodivergent Therapist’s Guide to Private Practice | Martin Altman | TPOT 443

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Have you ever wondered how much easier private practice could feel if you stopped fighting the way your brain works? In this episode, I’m talking with Martin Altman, LPC, about his experience as a therapist with ADHD and how understanding his own neurodivergence helped him find a niche that genuinely fit. We get into the strengths and challenges that can come with ADHD, how Martin stays present with clients, and why building the right systems can make private practice feel a whole lot more sustainable. Martin also shares a really helpful perspective on emotional hijacking and why distraction...

The Emotional Weight of Private Practice | Lindsay Benson | TPOT 442

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Therapists are great at taking care of everyone else, but we are not always so good at noticing what the work is doing to us. In this episode, I’m talking with Lindsay Benson about the hidden toll private practice can take on our nervous systems. We get into therapist burnout, the stress that builds up from sitting with difficult stories all day, and the small practices that can help us reset between sessions. Lindsay also shares her experience moving from insurance to private pay, offering therapy intensives, and building a practice that feels more sustainable. This is a great conversation...

The Mindset Shifts That Make Private Practice Feel More Sustainable | Tyana Tavakol | TPOT 441

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

What if the biggest thing holding your private practice back isn't your marketing strategy but your mindset? In this episode, I'm joined by Tyana Tavakol to talk about the beliefs that shape the way we build our practices. We explore scarcity versus abundance, the value of finding your niche, and why trying to appeal to everyone often keeps you from connecting with the clients who need you most. We also dive into building an online practice, creating meaningful professional relationships, and learning to trust your own expertise instead of comparing yourself to everyone else. If you've ever...

Private Practice Stress: What’s Filling Your Bucket? | Kristin Oja | TPOT 440

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Are you burning out in private practice without realizing it? In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, Gordon talks with Kristin Oja, DNP, founder of STAT Wellness, about optimizing stress resilience and preventing burnout. Kristin shares a functional medicine perspective on why burnout is not always caused by work alone. Often, it is the buildup of stressors outside of work, including sleep, caffeine, exercise, relationships, technology, self-talk, and lack of recovery. Kristin explains the idea of the “stress bucket” and how even good things, like exercise, intermittent...

How AI Search Is Changing Private Practice Marketing | Natalie Moore | TPOT 439

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Is SEO dead, or is it just changing? In this episode, I’m joined again by Natalie Moore, a licensed marriage and family therapist and SEO coach for therapists in private practice. Natalie breaks down the difference between SEO and AIO, or artificial intelligence optimization, and explains why therapists don’t need to panic about AI search replacing traditional SEO. We talk about how private practice owners can make their websites easier to find on Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI search tools. Natalie shares why specialty pages, Google Business Profiles, clear niche messaging, and...

How to Protect Your Private Practice From the Unexpected | Jeanine Rousso | TPOT 438

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

What happens when the therapist is the one who needs support? In this episode, I’m talking about the very real challenges therapists face when life disrupts their ability to work. Private practice can offer freedom and flexibility, but it can also leave clinicians vulnerable when illness, grief, natural disasters, burnout, or unexpected emergencies come up. We’ll look at why therapists need a safety net, how financial stress impacts clinicians, and what it means to prepare your practice for the unexpected. From emergency grants and burnout prevention to referral networks and professional...

Building a Private Practice Right Out of Grad School | Jarrod Hoffman | TPOT 437

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Can you really build a successful private practice right out of grad school? In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I talk with Jarrod Hoffman about building a private practice right out of grad school and the lessons he has learned in those early years of practice ownership. Jarrod shares his experience of stepping into private practice, navigating pricing, working through imposter syndrome, and learning how to communicate the value of the work he does. We also talk about why niching matters, how our own stories often shape the clients we feel called to serve, and why private...

What I’d Do Differently If I Started Private Practice Today | TPOT 436

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

When I started my private practice nearly 20 years ago, there were not nearly as many resources available for therapists as there are today. I learned a lot by trial and error, and looking back, there are definitely some things I would do differently. In this episode, I’m sharing what I wish I had known when I first started private practice. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that I made things more complicated than they needed to be. From keeping paper records to waiting too long to outsource, I can see now how simpler systems would have made a big difference early on. I talk about the...

From Imposter Syndrome to Confident Private Practice Owner | Bianca Hughes | TPOT 435

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Are you charging enough in private practice, or does guilt keep getting in the way? In this episode, Gordon is joined by Bianca Hughes, LPC, therapist, speaker, mentor, and founder of Authentically BU and the Soulful Clinician Collective. Bianca shares how she moved from hospital work into private practice and the mindset shifts that helped her build a career that feels aligned, sustainable, and authentic. Gordon and Bianca talk about money mindset, imposter syndrome, marketing, confidence, and why therapists need to see themselves as both clinicians and business owners. Bianca also shares why...

More Episodes

In this episode, Danielle Branche joins the show. She talks about navigating perfectionistic beliefs when it came time to create her private practice. After loads of therapy, Danielle finally came to terms with the idea that a perfect private practice simply isn’t possible. Also, Danielle speaks about the transition from private practice to group practice. Plus, we talk about overcoming shame, the black lives matter movement, and the importance of boundaries.

Meet Danielle Branche

If you ask any therapist why they were drawn to this profession, most of them would answer with, "I wanted to help people". While this is true, it is much deeper. Danielle wanted to help people navigate through life in more fulfilling ways. She aspired to teach people how to be in a relationship with their mothers and fathers. Danielle wanted to give couples the tools they need to be the husbands and wives they want to be, not the ones their parents were. Her commitment is to do just that. *Danielle is no longer working out of the Largo area*

Danielle's main focus is working with couples around issues of trust, communication, forgiveness after infidelity, intimacy, sex, and decision making (finances, children, etc.). She does pre-marital therapy and marital/relational enrichment. Danielle mainly uses Emotion-Focused Therapy & Solution-Focused Therapy. Danielle also sees individuals and does group therapy.

As a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist, Danielle is trained in understanding how to see things relationally, not just individually. She is versed in locating where behaviors, beliefs, ideas, and feelings originate, how they affect our lives and relationships, and how to effectively manage and/or change them.

Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs

Danielle found herself chasing the high of what it felt like to get praise. There was a high associated with being successful and getting straight A’s. When she started a private practice, part of her was terrified to fail. Every time a client comes in and says something negative about the décor, Danielle would take it personally because she wanted everything to be perfect. Which, of course, perfectionism is unrealistic and impossible. It has been a real struggle to overcome these challenges. Danielle has embarked on her own therapy journey so she can accept the imperfections.

Overcoming Shame As A Therapist

Danielle felt many self-doubt thoughts after her first couple broke up after coming to her for couple’s therapy. She felt shame and loads of crappy emotions. Danielle needed to process it deeply and take it to therapy before she was able to accept it. She figured out that it wasn’t her job to fix relationships. That was the pivotal moment that she had as a private practice owner. The perfectionist part of us will take over, and an internal critic will take over – we compare ourselves to others, and we are harder on ourselves than others. The best thing we can do is just dismiss it and move forward.

Flexibility In Private Practice

Private practice allows for a flexible schedule. It’s essential to find a practice that works around your lifestyle. Some therapists like high caseloads. Whereas other therapists thrive with a lower caseload. In private practice, you can choose how many clients you see. Make sure you are able to understand where your boundaries are.

Starting A Group Practice

Danielle says a group practice wasn’t her version. Danielle thought she would stay in private practice forever with self-doubt – she didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else. However, it felt lonely and isolating. She thrives on community and connection. So, her first independent contractor came from an agency that Danielle used to work for. Actually, the independent contractor came to her – she wanted to join the practice. Danielle didn’t realize that people would like to be part of her practice. After a few conversations, Danielle decided to bring her on as an independent contractor.

Black Lives Matter

Danielle says that she has to do a lot of self-care. In staff meetings, they do vision boards. Sometimes, they also vent during staff meetings and chat about the different impacts. Danielle encourages her therapists to be in therapy themselves. As a Black clinician who sees a lot of African American clients, it can be cumbersome. Her clients are feeling hopeless. While on the other hand, some are feeling more hopeful about the changes happening in the country. Overall, Danielle says it's critical to take care of yourself so you can take care of others.

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