Gabe Nelson | Preparing for Worst-Case Scenario In Private Practice | TPOT 197
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 09/27/2021
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...
info_outline
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_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outlineToday we talk about preparing for emergencies in private practice. As a solo practitioner, certain things need to be in place before you have an emergency on your hands. If you haven't started preparing yet, then it's not too late! Gabe Nelson joins the show to explain exactly what you need to do to be ready for the worst possible scenarios. Tune in as we chat about saving for emergency funds, getting the right insurance, and ensuring you are protected as a business owner.
Meet Gabe Nelson
With almost three decades in the financial services industry and more than a decade as an independent small business owner, Gabe Nelson already had an established thriving practice and solid reputation in his industry when he recognized an interesting trend among some of his favorite clients.
More and more, he found himself working with self-employed professionals and solo-entrepreneurs. And as a business owner himself, he was fired up about helping them navigate the unique challenges they were facing – because he was just like them.
He understood that independent professionals have specific needs. Most financial advisors don’t know exactly what it takes to transition from employee to independent contractor status or establish long-term financial security without relying on a regular paycheck.
He also knew that with more of the workforce becoming self-employed every day, more people could benefit from working with an advisor who knows how to plan for the whole financial picture, including legal, estate, financial, retirement, life, disability, and more — with an entrepreneurial spirit.
So he took his passion for providing a personal touch with hands-on problem-solving and solution-oriented comprehensive planning and decided to focus on serving solo entrepreneurs.
Preparing For The Worst Possible Event
We're talking about preparing for emergencies or preparing for the worst thing that could possibly happen. It would help if you protect yourself from a crisis as a practicing therapist. This preparation should come in handy whether you're running a solo practice or a group practice. There are certain things that you need to start thinking about and putting into place.
For instance, make sure you have money set aside in case something happens. If something does happen to your practice, and you're not able to keep working or seeing your clients, then what is your plan? The pandemic was a great test run for a lot of people. The beautiful thing about therapy is that you can still see clients virtually and do a lot of your practice through telemedicine.
Start Saving For Your Emergency Fund Today
If you haven't yet, then it's time to set aside a certain amount of money in your practice. It would help if you considered how much money you are willing to save. It can be anywhere from three months to six months or even twelve months. Gabe recommends that solo private practice owners reserve twelve months of their income for emergency use. As a solo practitioner, that business checkbook is kind of like your personal checkbook. Many people think that if their business is doing well, they are going to be okay on the personal side. However, that is not always the case.
Do You Have The Proper Insurance?
The next step is to start making sure that you've got some adequate insurance in place to protect you from those types of things that could happen. No one ever likes to talk about insurance. I mean, no one's talking about life insurance, and they don't want to talk about disability insurance. These are all things that you need to start thinking about when you are an adult businessperson and running a practice. Make sure that you've got an adequate amount of life insurance in place. Gabe is a huge fan of just Straight Term Life Insurance; keep it simple, get as much coverage as you can, and for the lowest cost.
Who Will Take Over Your Business?
If something does happen to you, what is going to happen to your business? Do you have another set therapist or a firm that is set and ready to buy your practice from you? That way, you can realize all of those years of hard work you put together to benefit your family? Over the last ten years, the investment advisory world has gotten big into that because they realize the trust and relationships we build with our clients. That's a piece of protection that most solopreneurs don't think about.
Find Protection As A Business Owner
Lastly, it would help if you had some business owner protection. What if there is a fire at your workplace? What if there is a flood in your home? Do you have some of those protections in place that would at least give you some replacement of income? It would help if you had some insurance protections that would replace your computer or your software. Business owner's insurance is a policy that combines both property and liability coverage into one package. Don't forget to consider other types of insurance like life insurance and disability insurance.
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!
Gabe's Resources
Gabe’s Podcast
Gabe’s Website
Gabe’s Resources
Resources
Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free.
Blueprint Health
Using Google Workspace As A Practice Platform Course
Fall Into Cash 2021
Space Holder Live With Marissa Lawton
Killin'It Camp
Join the Google Workspace for Therapists Users Group
Follow @PracticeofTherapy on Instagram
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.