How Great Clinicians Fail; Reverse Interview with Julie Herres | TPOT 152
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 11/02/2020
What It Really Takes to Run a Profitable Private Practice | Brandy Mabra | TPOT 431
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Thinking about starting a private practice in 2026? There’s a lot to consider… and it’s not as simple as it used to be. In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I’m joined by Brandy Mabra, who brings nearly two decades of experience across private practice, corporate healthcare, and entrepreneurship. We dig into what’s really happening in the industry right now—from AI and changing business models to profitability and long-term sustainability. If you’re wondering whether now is the right time to start (or grow) a practice, this conversation will help you think more...
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Why A Lot of Therapists Struggle in Private Practice | Katie Piura | TPOT 430
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Thinking about starting a private practice… but feeling unsure where to begin? In this episode, Katie Piura shares the mindset shifts every therapist needs to make before launching (or growing) a successful practice. From burnout in agency work to building something aligned and sustainable, Katie breaks down the real challenges therapists face and why being a great clinician isn’t always enough. We also get into the business side of private practice that grad school never taught you, including money mindset, marketing, and why asking for help might be the most important step you take. If...
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How This Simple Method Transforms Private Practice Sessions | Tanya Dantus | TPOT 429
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What if the thing keeping your clients stuck isn’t what they’re talking about… but what they’re avoiding feeling? In this episode, I’m joined by Tanya Dantus, and we dive into a really practical way of helping clients move through what’s actually underneath the surface. Tanya shares her RIFRA Method, which stands for Root, Impact, Feel, Reflect, and Act, and how this process helps clients stop intellectualizing and start creating real change. We talk about why so many people struggle to access their emotions, how that shows up in therapy, and what it looks like to guide someone...
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Are Superbills Worth It in Private Practice? | Mark Florian | TPOT 428
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Thinking about taking insurance in your private practice or trying to figure out a better way to handle out-of-network clients? This is one of those decisions that almost every therapist wrestles with at some point. On one hand, insurance can help fill your caseload and make therapy more accessible. On the other hand, the admin work, lower reimbursement rates, and constant back and forth can leave you feeling stretched thin and frustrated. In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Florian, founder of Deputy Care, and we get into what is really happening behind the scenes with insurance,...
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Private Pay vs Insurance: What Therapists Get WRONG | Avivit Fisher | TPOT 427
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Private pay versus insurance is one of the biggest decisions therapists face, and honestly, it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, we’re breaking down what therapists often get wrong when thinking about these two models. It’s not just about money or convenience. It’s about how you want to run your practice, who you want to serve, and where you’re willing to spend your time and energy. If you’ve been going back and forth on whether to take insurance, go private pay, or try a hybrid approach, this conversation will help you think about it in a much clearer way....
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Thoughts on AI and Tech Platforms in Private Practice | TPOT 426
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What happens when you open the floor and let your audience ask anything? That’s exactly what we did in this episode, and the questions did not disappoint. We’re diving into the big ones therapists are quietly asking right now. Is AI going to replace us? Are companies like BetterHelp helping or hurting the field? And how do you actually stand out when clients can talk to a chatbot instead of a human? I’m sharing my honest thoughts on where all of this is headed, what most therapists are getting wrong about AI, and why the human connection in therapy still matters more than ever. If...
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Helping Clients Navigate Digital Overwhelm in Private Practice | Eli Singer | TPOT 425
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Most of us know the feeling. You pick up your phone to check one thing and suddenly twenty minutes have disappeared. For many people, this has become a daily pattern, and it is starting to show up more and more in therapy sessions. In this episode, I sit down with Eli Singer to talk about digital overwhelm and the complicated relationship many of us have with our phones and devices. Eli has spent years working in the digital world, including building one of the early social media agencies in North America. After stepping away from that work, he began focusing on helping people develop...
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How Therapists Can Use Social Media Without Feeling Fake | Jazzmyn Proctor | TPOT 424
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Marketing can feel uncomfortable for a lot of therapists. Most of us were trained to be neutral, private, and to keep the focus on the client. So when someone tells you that you need to show up on social media or talk about your work publicly, it can feel a little strange. But visibility matters more than ever when it comes to building a private practice. In this episode, I’m joined by Jazzmyn Proctor, a therapist, podcaster, and marketing mentor who helps clinicians show up online in ways that feel authentic and sustainable. Jazzmyn shares how she started building her presence while still...
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Scaling a Private Practice with Intensives, Classes, and Conferences | Dr. Wyatt Fisher | TPOT 423
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Couples therapy can be some of the most rewarding work we do as therapists, but it can also be one of the most challenging. Many couples don’t reach out for help until things feel like they’re falling apart. By the time they sit down in your office, there are often years of resentment, hurt, and miscommunication built up beneath the surface. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Wyatt Fisher, a psychologist and couples therapist who has spent years refining his approach to helping couples work through those deeper issues. Wyatt shares how his own personal and professional experiences shaped...
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Doing Couples Therapy as a Husband-and-Wife Team | Kiana & Andrew Joyner | TPOT 422
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
If you’ve ever thought about offering couples therapy in your private practice but felt intimidated by the complexity of it, you’re going to love this conversation. In this episode, I’m joined by Kiana and Andrew Joyner, a married duo who run their practice together and specialize in couples work. Kiana is a licensed therapist, and Andrew is a certified professional coach, and together they bring a really unique dynamic into the therapy room. We talk about what it actually looks like to do couples counseling as a husband and wife team, how they divide roles between therapy and coaching,...
info_outlineIn this episode, Julie Herres interviews Gordon about how great clinicians can fail. First, clinicians can fail when they don’t know their numbers. It’s critical to understand the profit and loss of your business. Another significant mistake clinicians make is not charging enough for their sessions. A therapist must understand how their money mindset is holding them back from making enough money to run a private practice. Plus, we talk about the importance of having six months of income saved for emergencies, how to avoid debt, and why you need to stop bootstrapping.
Meet Julie Herres
Julie Herres is the owner of GreenOak Accounting. The firm provides bookkeeping, accounting, CFO, and tax services to mental health private practice owners throughout the United States. When Julie founded GreenOak Accounting she started working with a few therapists. Over time, more and more therapist referrals came in and she started noticing trends across the practices that were thriving. Based on those trends she developed success ratios as a way to quickly determine the health of a practice.
Know Your Numbers & Charge Enough To Understand Profit And Loss
Understand how the money is coming in. How are your patients paying you? Then, what do you do with the money after that? How are you paying yourself and your expenses? Most people don’t have a clear picture of what those numbers are. A big mistake people make is paying their clinicians too much when you start a group practice. Gordon made this mistake! He was paying his clinicians way too high, and he wasn’t covering overhead. It’s possible to pay clinicians a fair and competitive wage without having to overdo it. If Gordon knew his numbers better at the start, he wouldn’t have made this error.
Money Mindset: Therapists Should Not Feel Ashamed or Guilty About Making Money
Many clinicians grow up with money shame. We think that money is evil or making money is bad. As therapists, we have a caring heart. Sometimes we feel like when we charge people money, then we are doing something wrong. Therapists will think that if someone is paying you for something, you are putting a burden on them. It’s a myth! Most people that go to therapy expect to pay. It’s one of the mistakes that a lot of people make. Then, therapists won’t charge enough for their services.
Reserves: Prepare & Plan By Having 2-6 Months of Income Saved For Expenses
Set aside a reserve so you can pay for expenses or substantial tax bills. The minimum is at least two months. This money shouldn’t be touched unless you get into an emergency. However, six months of a money reserve is more ideal. This reserve should be created for both personal expenses and business expenses. When COVID hit, the people with reserves were better off than those who did not have a reserve. When thinking about switching to private practice, make sure to have your reserve first! Gordon spent a year accumulating his reserve before he made the dive into private practice.
Startup Expenses: Avoid Debt And Make The Practice Pay For Itself From The Beginning
There’s a way to avoid debt when going into private practice. For mental health, there isn’t as much equipment that needs to be purchased. It can be relatively inexpensive to start your practice – you only need a few basic things, and then you are ready to go. Make your practice pay for itself instead of getting a loan to get started.
Bootstrapping: Spend Money To Make Money Because Doing It All Is Not A Good ROI
Doing it all is not a good return on your investment. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. People will hold off on spending money because they are trying to save. However, you are hurting yourself in the long run. For instance, you can hire a virtual assistant to help answer phone calls. If you can hire someone to answer the phone, then you can spend more time seeing clients. The less you are seeing clients, the less money you are going to make. Answering phone calls will not bring you income. Your time is better spent in the room with clients. Even if you pay someone $30 an hour, you can make $150 in a session.
Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links!
Julie's Resources
Call GreenOak Accounting: (571) 208-2065
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Money Matters In Private Practice - Premium Content
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Mistakes To Avoid For A Stress-Free Tax Season
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Resources
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Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Company of One by Paul Jarvis
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Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT
Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast & Blog. He is also President and Founder of Kingsport Counseling Associates, PLLC. He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. PLEASE Subscribe to The Practice of Therapy Podcast wherever you listen to it. Follow us on Twitter @therapistlearn, and Pinterest, “Like” us on Facebook.