The Keys to Private Practice Success | Wendy Pitts Reeves | TPOT 406
The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
Release Date: 11/03/2025
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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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_outlineWhen I first connected with Wendy Pitts Reeves, I knew she was someone who truly gets it — the ups, downs, and constant balancing act of running a private practice.
In this episode, Wendy joins me to share her powerful framework, The Seven Pillars of a Thriving Private Practice, and it’s one you’ll want to take notes on.
Wendy has spent decades building her own successful practice in Tennessee and now helps other therapists do the same through her coaching and podcast, Ideal Practice. In our conversation, we dive into what it takes to build a business that’s not just profitable, but purposeful — one that fits who you are and how you want to live.
We talk about:
- Why getting clear on your purpose changes everything
- How to serve your ideal clients (and enjoy the work again)
- The importance of solid systems and boundaries
- Developing a confident money mindset
- And how your perspective shapes your success
This is one of those conversations that reminds us why we do this work — and how to build a practice that truly supports both your clients and your life.
🎧 Listen in and learn how to build your ideal practice — one pillar at a time.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Use the promo code “GORDON” to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free
Profit First for Therapists Workbook
Meet Wendy Pitts Reeves
Wendy Pitts Reeves, LCSW, is a seasoned therapist-turned-entrepreneur who has spent over two decades building and coaching private practices that serve both clients and the clinicians behind them. After founding and managing a thriving group practice in East Tennessee, Wendy pivoted to support healing-arts professionals — therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, and energy healers — through her firm, C2C Consulting, and her podcast, Ideal Practice.
Known for her strategic clarity, intuitive insight, and no-nonsense encouragement, Wendy helps practice owners move through common roadblocks — from money mindset struggles to scattered systems and unclear offers — and build practices that align with their values and vision.
She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, a speaker and workshop leader, and a former public official, having served in local government in Tennessee. Her approach blends deep therapeutic understanding with solid business strategy, helping clinicians shift from just “doing therapy” to running a business they truly enjoy.
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Ideal Practice
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