Libsyn Directory

Aaron Carpenter | Tips For Private Practice Branding | TPOT 186

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Release Date: 07/12/2021

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...

How to Make Therapy More Culturally Responsive | Dr. Phebe Brako | TPOT 434

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Phebe Brako for a really thoughtful conversation about what it means to make therapy more culturally responsive. So many of the clinical theories we learn were developed through a Western lens, and while those theories can be helpful, they don’t always fit every client, every family system, or every cultural background. Dr. Phebe talks about why therapists need to examine their own worldview, stay curious about their clients’ lived experiences, and be willing to adapt the models they use in the therapy room. We talk about culture, family systems, CBT,...

Why Private Practice Looks So Different Now | Lex E Santí | TPOT 433

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Private practice has changed a LOT over the last few years… and therapists are still trying to figure out what comes next. In this episode, Gordon talks with Lex E. Santi about the evolution of therapy after telehealth, online platforms, insurance shifts, and changing client expectations. They dive into why more clinicians are entering private practice, why clients still crave in-person connection, and how companies like BetterHelp, Alma, and Headway are reshaping the profession. They also explore the pressure therapists feel to market themselves, build niches, and create an online presence...

What to Say to Someone Grieving (Most People Get This Wrong) | Shelby Forsythia | TPOT 432

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Grief is something every one of us will face at some point, and yet most of us have no idea what to say when someone is hurting. In this episode, I’m joined by Shelby Forsythia, a grief coach, author, and host of the Grief Grower podcast. Shelby shares her own story of profound loss and how it shaped the work she does today, helping people navigate grief in a way that actually honors what they are going through. We talk about why so many common phrases miss the mark, what grieving people are really experiencing beneath the surface, and how grief doesn’t just affect your emotions, it...

More Episodes

Aaron Carpenter has worked with hundreds of therapists, creating logos, practice websites, and mental health professional portals. He is here to give you some ideas around your branding, niche, and how you're putting yourself out there so that people can find you. The key to having a successful marketing campaign in private practice is by being clear about how you can help people. Tune in as Aaron gives tips for your website, marketing, and branding in private practice.

Meet Aaron Carpenter

Aaron Carpenter founded Legendary Lion Creative Agency in 2011. Since then, he’s worked with hundreds of therapists creating logos, practice websites, and mental health professional portals. Aaron and his firm work with mental health professionals to improve their digital presence through Mental Health Marketing where new resources and toolkits are made available to therapists for free every month. You can learn more at https://mentalhealth.legendarylion.com/.

Questions To Ask About Your Marketing

Before you start coming up with designs for marketing your brand, there a few questions that you need to ask yourself:

What does my space look like?
What makes me unique?
Why did I get started in private practice?
Why did I choose my business name?

Going through this activity will help you get clarity around your business and how you want to portray yourself visually. Most private practice owners do not have training in marketing. So, something we need to learn is the importance of creating a brand and understanding what that means for you and your business.

The Importance of Creating A Brand

When people create marketing materials, they think it's getting too salesy. However, marketing can be a way to build rapport and trust with potential clients. Branding is like the clothes that you wear. If you showed up to work in your pajamas, it wouldn't be the best foot forward. It's time to think about what feeling you want your clients to feel while at your practice. Usually, there is something unique that will help your clients be comfortable. Branding is a significant investment. If 100 potential clients reach out to you, how many of those are not taking you as seriously as you would like to be taken? That's why you need to spend energy on your online brand.

Covid Changed The Online World

During Covid, everyone had to move their business to the online world. So, online you need to portray your personality – it's a big deal to take the time to explain yourself online. If a web page takes a tenth of a second slower to load, you will lose website visitors. Look at your website and determine how well it is running and if people are getting a great sense of your branding.

Tips For Improving Your Website

If you are doing your website and branding yourself, then it's critical to keep it simple. People are not interested in your credentials. Instead, they are interested in your approach to therapy. Also, your website should have dedicated pages to the services that you provide. In addition, make sure it's easy for people to connect with you. Have a phone number in your header and have a contact page where people can fill out a form. People who are looking for therapy are in an interesting spot. The more mediums that you can open up, the better off you will be.

Make It Easy For Your Potential Clients

When people are looking for a therapist, they're uninformed buyers. So, they have no idea how they're going to connect with you. You'll be better off if you can create imagery and storytelling to help clients understand what it's like to work with you or what it's like to be a patient in your practice. Clients want to know that you are professional. So, it's critical to spend time and energy on your website and on your brand.

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