Judd Carlton | Retirement Planning In Private Practice | TPOT 179
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 05/24/2021
Gary Katz | Build a Group Practice on Connection, Not Chaos | TPOT 388
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
🎧 Ready to Grow Your Practice Without Losing Your Soul? This Episode’s for You. In this episode, Gordon sits down with Gary Katz—psychotherapist, group practice owner, and intimacy expert—who’s scaling his business across state lines without sacrificing connection, clinical quality, or his sanity. Gary opens up about what it really takes to grow a group practice that feels good, not just on paper, but in your body, your calendar, and your team culture. From building tight-knit pods of therapists to letting go of perfection and people-pleasing, this conversation is packed with honest...
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Edy Nathan | Supporting Clients Through Complex Grief in Private Practice | TPOT 387
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Let’s talk about grief. (I know—what a fun little opener, right?) But hang in there, because Edy Nathan doesn’t talk about grief the way most people do. There’s no clinical detachment or textbook jargon here. Edy speaks from the kind of deep, personal knowing that only comes from living it. She lost her partner at 27—a heartbreak that didn’t just shatter her world, but reshaped it completely. Instead of stuffing it down or soldiering through, Edy got curious. She studied grief, sat with it, wrote about it, and eventually made it her life’s work. Today, she helps others see grief...
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Kerry Thomas | Mood, Food, and Medicine in Private Practice | TPOT 386
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What if your private practice could be a place where people stop trying to fix themselves—and start actually feeling what’s going on inside? In this powerful episode, Kerry Thomas pulls back the curtain on her 25-year journey in mental health, sharing how a personal wake-up call challenged everything she thought she knew about therapy, medication, and what it really means to heal. We talk about the connection between nutrition and mood, why numbing emotions isn’t the answer, and how private practice therapists can stop pathologizing normal human experiences. This one’s...
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Julie Herres | Private Practice Tax Changes Ahead | TPOT 385
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Let’s be honest: when someone says “Let’s talk tax law,” most of us want to fake a Wi-Fi outage and run for cover. But when Julie Herres joins The Practice of Therapy Podcast, you actually want to lean in. Somehow, she manages to make the ever-shifting sands of tax policy sound (dare we say it?) friendly — like a conversation over coffee with a really smart friend who also color-codes her spreadsheets. So, what’s happening with taxes in 2025? Buckle up, practice owners, because there’s a whole lot of “maybe” in the air. But Julie’s here to help us wade through the...
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Dori Lewis | Should you Consider Integrating Psychedelics into Trauma Work in Private Practice? | TPOT 384
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What if the path to healing trauma isn’t just through talk therapy, but through carefully guided psychedelic experiences? In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, I sit down with Dori, an experienced therapist and psychedelic facilitator, who shares her deeply informed perspective on the nuanced, responsible, and transformational use of medicines like ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin mushrooms. Dori doesn’t just follow trends—she’s been on the frontlines, participating in research, working underground before legalization, and now helping clients access inner healing...
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Tamar Blue | Creating a Safer Space for Peer Support and Digital Therapy | TPOT 383
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Are you ready to discover a powerful new way to support your clients—and yourself? In this episode of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, Gordon sits down with Tamar Blue, founder of , a revolutionary platform that empowers therapists, coaches, and mental health advocates to create secure, community-driven support groups online. Whether you're a provider looking to scale your services or someone seeking a safe space to heal and connect, this conversation is packed with insight, innovation, and heart. Don’t miss this inspiring story of how one woman turned a passion for peer support into a...
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Steve Bisson | Let the Work Find You: Niching with First Responders Through Podcasting | TPOT 382
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What Happens When the Work Finds You? Steve Bisson didn’t plan to become a go-to therapist for first responders—but sometimes, purpose arrives without a roadmap. In this episode, Steve shares how a chance encounter on a crisis team back in 1999 set off a chain of events that led to a passionate, purpose-filled career. From riding along in police cruisers to launching a podcast that speaks directly to the hearts of firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement officers, Steve’s story is a powerful reminder that when you say yes to the work that moves you, incredible things happen. Whether...
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Jeremy Zug | Private Pay, Insurance, or Hybrid? Decide For Your Private Practice | TPOT 381
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What if the two most important questions in your practice— 'Is this financially viable?' and 'Am I doing the work I love?' — didn’t have to compete? In this eye-opening episode, Jeremy dives deep into the strategic crossroads every private practice owner faces, especially when considering whether to take insurance, stay private pay, or explore a hybrid model. He breaks down the real numbers, state-by-state reimbursement differences, and the often-overlooked red flags in insurance relationships—like sneaky non-quantitative treatment limitations and the true cost of claim denials....
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James Marland | Stop Trading Hours for Income: Scalable Growth in Private Practice | TPOT 380
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Are you tired of the “time for dollars” trap—where every vacation, sick day, or even slow week hits your bottom line? In this episode, James Marland gets real about the burnout that comes from trading hours for income and why the solution isn’t just slapping together an online course. He dives into what it really takes to build something scalable and sustainable—without losing yourself or your sanity in the process. Whether you’ve toyed with the idea of creating a course or you’re just craving more freedom in your practice, this conversation is a must-listen. It's honest,...
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Dr. Robyn Miller | Preparing For The Worst: Professional Wills in Private Practice | TPOT 379
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
What happens to our clients when we’re suddenly not there to care for them? In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Dr. Robyn Miller dives into the difficult but essential topic most therapists avoid: what happens when a therapist dies or becomes incapacitated. With compassion, clarity, and deep professional insight, Dr. Miller reveals the ethical, legal, and emotional chaos that can follow when we don’t have a solid closure plan in place—and how TheraClosure offers a dignified, comprehensive solution. If you’re a mental health professional who’s ever told yourself, “I’ll...
info_outlineThe sooner you start planning for retirement, the better off you're going to be in the long run. Even if it's just a tiny bit that you save towards your retirement, it's going to make a big difference! Judd Carlton is a financial advisor serving families, individuals, and businesses in Morristown, NJ. He explains the importance of thinking about retirement as soon as possible. Then, we dive into the more financial aspects of your practice. For instance, if you've got a group practice, Judd describes why you may want to create either a 401(k) for your employees or some other retirement plan within your practice. Plus, Judd reveals the differences between SEP IRA & SIMPLE IRA Plans.
Meet Judd Carlton
Judd Carlton is a financial advisor serving families, individuals, and businesses in Morristown, NJ, and beyond. He specializes in finance for business owners and mental health professionals, helping them align the finances of their practice with their long-term financial planning and investment objectives.
Judd graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University with a BA in Economics and has an MS in Accounting from the Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He also holds the CFP® and AIF ® designations.
Judd is also a husband, father of three girls, and dog dad. He posts, blogs, and makes YouTube videos on financial subjects that may be of interest to business owners, psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health group practice owners.
Think About Retirement Early
It's essential to start thinking early about retirement because, in the world of investing, time is on your side when you have a lot of it. The earlier you get started then, the better things will work out for you because of the power of compounding. Even starting five years or ten years sooner can make a huge difference. As you change and develop in your career, you might jump from an employee role to a self-employed role; then, the complication accelerates. The wise choice when it comes to investing in your retirement is to be conservative. You never want to have an issue or feel stressed about money. Once you cross those hurdles, it's good to start thinking about what's next. So that's often where Judd will offer some guidance about managing your cash flow while saving up for retirement.
How To Approach Retirement
There's a couple of ways to approach setting up the right retirement plan. First, you need to consider what kind of business structure you are working with. If you have a solo practice, saving for retirement will be a lot simpler to figure out. If you have a group practice, things are going to be more complicated. However, both will have great opportunities. A great way to start is with small and simple things. As time goes on, you can really be more methodical and look at every possibility. Hiring therapists can be challenging when there is a mental health crisis. So, you may want to offer therapists a 401(k) option as an incentive. Even as a small business, you can create a 401(k) that feels just like what a fortune 500 company might have. Later, you can start thinking about a pension plan.
SEP IRA & SIMPLE IRA Plans
Judd recommends a few different options when it comes to retirement plans. SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) plan provides employers a method to make contributions to the employees' retirement and their own retirement. The SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) gives employees a way to make salary reduction contributions, and the employer makes matching or nonelective contributions. Each plan has a limit on how high you can go. SEP goes a little bit higher, and there's less flexibility with this plan – everyone is going to get the same percent. Any financial planner or accountant can help you figure out which plan is right for you and your practice.
Why You Should Consider A Roth IRA
The Roth IRA was introduced for people who are early in their career or for people who do not want to save. Some of the regular IRA plans are not that helpful when you are in a lower tax bracket. When you put money into the Roth, you don't get any deductions. However, that money is going to grow for years and years. When you take that money out, it's going to be completely income tax-free. That's going to be tremendous savings; it's a powerful tool. If you're newer to your career and you want to start saving money, Judd highly recommends starting a Roth IRA.
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!
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Email Judd: [email protected]
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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.