Libsyn Directory

Chris Swenson | Self-Publishing for Therapists, Coaches, and Consultants | TPOT 189

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Release Date: 08/02/2021

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

More Episodes

In this episode, Chris talks about the process he uses to self-publish books. If you don’t think writing a book is worth it, Chris is here to tell you otherwise. You may not make a ton of money from royalties; however, self-publishing has many other benefits. You can diversify your income when you’re known as an authority figure and as an expert in your field. Tune in as Chris dives deep into the self-publishing process, including the importance of an outline, an editor, and how to navigate imposter syndrome.

Meet Chris Swenson

Chris Swenson, LMFT is the author of the recently published book, “Private Practice Warrior.” He is the Owner/Founder/solo-operator of Rhino Wellness Center which is Chris’ successful full-time solo practice in rural Colorado. Chris is a true Private Practice Warrior who is currently developing a program called, “Private Practice Warrior – A Powerful Mindset for Ambitious Practice Owners – The “Way” to True Fulfillment in Life and Business. To receive a free pdf copy of “Private Practice Warrior” and a special bonus, click https://rhinomentality.lpages.co/pp-warrior-ebook-pdf-giveaway/

The Benefits of Writing A Book

Some people want to write a book, but they don’t think they’ll make a significant amount of money from it. Chris says you may not make a lot of money from the royalties, but the benefits will pay off in the long run. When you write a book, you’ll gain a lot of credibility as an expert in your industry. When you are an authority on your topic, you’ll get invites to speak at events and programs. It’s like having a business card – you can show people what you have done and put yourself out there.

The Self-Publishing Process

First, start with an idea. What is something that you have always wanted to write about? If you help people with something all the time, that can be an excellent topic for your book. When you have an idea in mind, check out other books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Spend some time looking at the reviews for similar books. That way, you can see what people liked about the books and what people think the author could improve. Next, you’ll want to identify your purpose for writing the book. The purpose will guide you through the process. If you forget why you’re writing a book, then you are going to get off track.

Pick A Style and Start Your Outline

Think about the style of book you are looking to write. Are you going to be more on the traditional and scientific side of writing? Or will you write your book more like a story? You can follow a character as they learn life lessons. After you know the style, then you need to start your outline. The outline helps with the writing process – it can be challenging to start. One way to start an outline is by doing a brain dump. Write everything and anything that you think of in your head. From there, you can bundle ideas into themes. Get as creative as you can with the outline; it will make the writing process more streamlined.

Finding Time To Write Your Book

When you’re finding time to write your book, that’s where the purpose comes into play. Remember why you decided to write the book in the first place. If you don’t have a purpose for writing the book, you will never find time to finish it. To help with the process, come up with a writing plan. If you know what day you want to publish by, then you can work backward. Think about how many chapters you need to write each week to finish the book on time. If you don’t finish in time, it’s okay! Keep trucking along and continue writing. Chris likes to speak into his phone instead of writing it down. That way, the process goes by way faster.

Should You Hire An Editor?

A lot of people who self-publish will recommend that you hire an editor to go over your book. Remember that there are different kinds of editors. Some people will edit for content, development, and even grammatical. If you’re not sure where to find an editor, you can hire a freelance one using the website Fiverr. When you edit your own book, you may keep adding and adding things – it will drag the process on. So, please stick to your schedule and get it done. If you need to add more, then don’t be afraid to write another edition.

Create Your Title & Cover

While the book is being edited, you can finally start thinking of a title and draft the cover of your book. Chris loves to use Canva for his covers. If you’re publishing an eBook, then Canva is the way to go. If you want something that looks a little more professional, then you can hire a graphic designer. Again, you can check out Fiverr to hire a freelancer for the job. Always go back to the purpose and who you want to reach. That way, it will determine if you need a cover for an eBook, printed book, or both!

Imposter Syndrome As An Author

You’re never going to overcome imposter syndrome as an author. Instead, it would be best if you worked through the thoughts and the feelings you have. Those thoughts are going to be there – you need to accept them and embrace them. Then, you can move through it and continue the writing process. If you are going to put yourself out there, you will hear the whispers of imposter syndrome. Part of the process is accepting those whispers. These are the same topics that our clients deal with all the time. Think about what you would tell your clients about dealing with their internal critics. It’s better to take imperfect action than perfect action. Put the draft out there and finetune your book afterward.

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