Angela James | From Classroom To Couch In Private Practice | TPOT 160
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 01/11/2021
Branding Your Private Practice: How to Stand Out and Get Found | Ritu Riedweg | TPOT 449
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
When therapists think about branding, it’s easy to immediately think about logos, fonts, colors, and websites. But your brand is so much more than what your practice looks like online. It is also the feeling people get when they encounter you, the story they associate with you, and ultimately, whether they feel like they can trust you. In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Ritu Riedweg about personal branding, marketing, and what therapists can do to make their practices easier to find and easier to connect with. Ritu brings an interesting...
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Working With High-Risk Teens in Private Practice | Katie K. May | TPOT 448
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Working with high-risk teens can feel overwhelming, especially when self-harm, suicidal thoughts, emotional dysregulation, or repeated hospitalizations are part of the picture. So how can therapists provide both compassion and structure without letting fear drive the treatment? In this episode, Gordon talks with Katie K. May about working effectively with high-risk teens and their families. Katie shares why validation matters, how therapists can provide strong clinical leadership, and why caregiver involvement is such an important part of the process. They also discuss proactive safety...
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Why Rapport Matters More Than Ever in Private Practice | Nora Anger | TPOT 447
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Building rapport isn’t just about helping clients feel comfortable. It can play a major role in whether they trust you, open up, and keep coming back. In this episode, I sit down with Nora Anger, LPC, to talk about building stronger therapeutic relationships in private practice. We discuss what clients really want from their therapists, common reasons they leave therapy, thoughtful self-disclosure, creating safety and trust, and how to balance compassion with challenging clients when they need it. Resources Mentioned In This Episode Meet Nora Anger Nora Anger, MS, LPC, is a...
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Is Your Private Practice Too Dependent on You? | TaVona Denise | TPOT 446
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What happens to your private practice when you step away? In this episode, Gordon talks with TaVona Denise about what her Private Practice Vitality Report revealed about owner dependency, burnout, delegation, and the systems that keep a practice running. They explore why hiring more staff doesn’t always create more freedom, how to tell if your practice still depends too heavily on you, and the simple 30-day question that can uncover exactly where your systems need work. If you want to build a practice that can grow without requiring you to be involved in every decision, this conversation is...
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The Systems Your Private Practice Needs to Run Smoothly | Lisa Permar | TPOT 445
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
A private practice can look successful on the outside and still feel exhausting behind the scenes. Clients are showing up, revenue is coming in, and everything appears to be working, but the owner may still be answering every question, fixing every exception, following up on loose ends, and carrying far too much of the practice in their own head. In this episode, Gordon talks with Lisa Permar about the small, repeated friction points that quietly drain a practice owner’s time, attention, and energy. They explore how everyday tasks around intake, scheduling, billing, documentation, and team...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
info_outlineIn this episode, Angela James joins the show. Amidst the pandemic, Angela opened Classroom to Couch, which is her private practice coaching business. We talk all about the importance of community over competition. In private practice, other therapists aren’t your competition; they are your community and a great referral source. Later, Angela gives her three-step process to opening a private practice. Plus, we talk about making the switch to telehealth and why it has never been easier to open a private practice.
Meet Angela James
My name is Angela James and I'm a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California. I've been practicing as a therapist for over 13 years and am grateful to be doing what I love.
I'm nationally certified in TF-CBT which focuses on the treatment of Trauma in youth. I am a strong believer in the brain's ability to heal from past traumas and for PTSD to be seen as curable, given the right therapeutic intervention. I also specialize in helping adult women overcome anxiety and panic disorder related symptoms.
I've always been passionate about helping others reach their full potential, so when I noticed myself eager to assist Therapists in opening their own Private Practice, it only seemed natural to develop this part of my professional career. Amidst this Pandemic, I opened Classroom to Couch which is my Private Practice coaching business. I am thrilled to see other mental health professionals reach their small business dreams and absolutely love being a small part of that process.
Community Not Competition
Therapists will view other therapists as their competition; it’s a huge mistake. Angela says that private practice made her step out of her comfort zone and connect with other therapists. With a scarcity mindset, therapists think that all other therapists are their competition. However, it’s simply not the case. When you build relationships with other therapists, you can refer potential clients to each other. Not everyone has the same niche, so your ideal client will not be another therapist’s ideal client. In fact, Angela says that other therapists are her number one referral source. Connect with other therapists in the community and get to know them so you can generate more referrals.
Angela’s Three-Step Process
Angela helps therapists using a three-step process. Step one is all about business basics; that’s Angela’s biggest passion. With Angela, you’ll talk about the different business structures and which one could be a good fit for you. Step two is all about HIPAA compliance. Step three is all about networking, advertising, and marketing. Angela will teach you all about how to get the best referrals and how to network with other therapists in private practice. Plus, Angela says that her program is affordable and attainable.
Switching To Telehealth
Angela built an entire telehealth practice in the span of the weekend when the pandemic started. Luckily, Angela didn’t lose very many clients. Even some that were unsure about telehealth eventually came back and gave it a shot. A lot of teenagers are actually a lot more comfortable with therapy via telehealth. At first, Angela struggled. However, she adapted and grew. The best part is that Angela can see clients from all over the state of California. Now, she has access to tons of people that she didn’t before; it’s incredible. Plus, Angela’s coaching business was born out of Covid. You don’t need a lot of money to start a telehealth practice, and now you have access to so many more clients. In the mental health world, Covid hasn’t been a bad thing from the professional side.
Starting A Private Practice
The easiest way to get started in private practice is to create a telehealth practice from your house. There are not a lot of start-up costs to get it going. The earliest that Angela will be back in her office is in August. After the pandemic, telehealth isn’t going anywhere. Moving forward, Angela will integrate both telehealth and in-person days so she can meet everyone’s needs. Plus, with telehealth, you can see people from all over the state; it’s a massive game-changer for your private practice. Also, Angela encourages clinicians to keep telehealth as part of their practice because people prefer it and it expands their reach. Telehealth is a considerable convenience; people no longer have to take off work to see their therapist.
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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.