Selling the Couch is the #1 podcast for aspiring, new, and current mental health private practitioners. Psychologist Melvin Varghese interviews successful therapists about the business side of private practice (e.g., how they get referrals, their best tips and strategies, and their daily habits, etc.) as well as the world's top business, marketing, and social media experts. What you get are bite sized and highly actionable tips to guide your private practice and entrepreneurial journey. Start Your Journey at http://sellingthecouch.com/start
Podcast sponsorship is often seen as the “golden goose” of podcasting. We started working with sponsors on STC a few years ago, and they have generated over $95k to this point. However, I’ve learned that relying solely on sponsorships is not the wisest stance because your success rides the ebbs and flows of another company’s marketing budget. I’m very grateful for the sponsors who have worked with us, but I don’t want to depend on them for the main source of income for STC. Today, I’m sharing three ways you can make money from your podcast from Day One, without having to depend on securing sponsors down the road. Join me for a closer look!
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Want to launch your podcast?
Check out our free podcasting workshop for therapists (and therapists turned coaches and consultants)
https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshop
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
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Hosting a retreat sounds like a great idea, right? When you stop and think about all the logistical and financial details, that’s when many fears and questions come to the surface. Perhaps the biggest fear is whether enough people will pay for your retreat to make it a success. Join us as we dive into this topic with today’s expert guest!
Our Featured Guest
Megan Gunnell
In addition to being a business owner, author, and triathlete, Megan Gunnell is a Clinical Social Worker who has been hosting 1-day retreats, workshops and weekend/week long retreats for 20+ years.
She hosted her first one at a local community center–complete with harp music! From these humble beginnings, Megan’s retreats have evolved into weekend retreats and international retreats that started in 2012 in Costa Rica, Italy, France, and other places around the globe.
In this episode, we discuss why therapists find it so appealing to consider hosting a retreat, along with common fears related to the risk of hosting your first retreat.
Megan explains how to find suitable venues that offer 100% refund options and points out the important legal and logistical considerations. We wrap up our conversation by discussing retreat marketing, which is vital to the success of your retreat. Megan shares what she has learned along her journey as a retreat host.
Megan's Website and Thriving Therapists ® Facebook Group
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Want to launch your podcast? Check out our free podcasting workshop
https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworshop
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
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About a month ago, I shared that I’ve decided to go into private practice, in addition to keeping STC running and growing. There are three main reasons for this decision: I miss the therapy room, a clinical arm to my business is a wise move, and I’ll be able to more strategically diversify my income. I think this venture will offer new opportunities for the future that are beneficial in many ways, but, to be honest, this decision has brought me some anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
I’m addressing these issues with my wonderful therapist, and I’m doing all the things that we therapists tell our clients to do. My worries and fears are probably normal for someone who feels the pressure to be successful in multiple businesses and endeavors. In today’s solo session, I’m sharing my insights on finding my private practice niche. Join me for a closer look!
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Many of us have thought about creating continuing education courses and wondered how the process works and what factors are involved. Who better to learn from than someone who has done this successfully? Being successful at CEU course creation takes innovation, creativity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Join us for informative insights from today’s guest!
Our Featured Guest
Matthew Bierds
Matt Bierds, from Duke City Counseling, is a licensed professional counselor, course creator, and professional speaker who does in-person and virtual counseling and LPC supervision in Texas and New Mexico. As far back as ten years ago, Matt realized that the world of online education was expanding, and he knew there were interesting opportunities for LPCs in the area of online courses. After jumping into this arena, Matt went through a “failing forward” phase before making a few tweaks and creating a course for LPC supervisors. In today’s session, Matt shares the lessons learned along his fascinating journey and the mistakes and successes that have brought him to where he is today.
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist.
But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients.
Simplified SEO Consulting is a team of mental health professionals who genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process.
Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo.
**Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any online, DIY SEO courses, and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
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If you’ve had a standoff with perfectionism in starting something new, you’ll want to join us for this coaching call in today’s session. Like most clinicians who are branching out with an online course, my guest is struggling with her fears about this new endeavor and whether she will get it right. Join us to hear the conversation.
Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call
Katie Lear, LCMHC, RPT, RDT
Katie Lear is a therapist in solo private practice near Charlotte, NC. She was part of the Online Course School Live Cohort, and she’s part of the Online Course School Mastermind this year. She is preparing for the beta group launch of her course, and her next step will be to record the digital version. This process gives a chance to collect feedback from beta students on the lessons and modules before creating the digital version. Join us for this open and honest conversation around fear and perfectionism.
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
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Welcome to a brand new season of Selling the Couch! After an extended sabbatical of several months, it’s good to be back on STC with new, exciting shows. Today’s topic is one that we have all contemplated to some degree. I imagine that many coffee shop conversations and therapy sessions have included discussions around how we think about work and integrate our work into our post-pandemic lives. Join us to learn more!
Our Featured Guest
Dan Cumberland
Dan Cumberland is a creative, catalyst, and collaborator at The Meaning Movement. He created this blog and community to help people pursue a deeper meaning in what they do beyond simply earning a paycheck. From his personal experience, he knows what it’s like to sacrifice too much for work and face burnout and hopelessness. He is intensely passionate about helping others wrestle with the big questions around work, meaning, and purpose. In this conversation, Dan inspires us to find meaning without letting work become our identity, along with his top tips for finding a healthy balance between work and life.
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Connect with Dan
Website and Burnout Assessment
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One of the new things for STC this year is the incorporation of coaching calls into the podcast from time to time. Join us for a glimpse into today’s coaching call about online courses.
Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call
Heather McKenzie, LCMHCS
Heather McKenzie came through Online Course School as a beta student back in the fall of 2021. Online Course School is a live, eight-week experience that takes your online course from a simple idea all the way through the development stages so that you are ready to record. Heather created a course specifically focused on anxiety that can be found at Dial Down Anxiety. Like most of us who create an online course, she faced a common struggle about how to handle marketing time and costs to promote her course. Join us to hear the coaching call!
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
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We'd LOVE To Partner With You!
➡️ Want to launch your online course? Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit ➡️ Looking to launch a successful podcast? Please check out our free "Using Podcasting To Grow Your Business" workshop for therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworkshop
Today’s show focuses on one of my favorite topics, which is personal finance. Investing can be overwhelming and very confusing. Join us to learn how anyone can approach investing with knowledge and confidence.
Our Featured Guest:
Andy Gupta
Andy Gupta and I have become good friends over the past couple of months. He is a kind and genuine person who worked for 20 years on Wall Street. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School who understands the ins and outs of investing, and he wants to make investing more approachable for average people. Andy has a particular passion for helping women understand investing, and he looks to use his wealth in ways that help others.
Andy’s 30-day investing course: Anyone Can Invest Now
Andy's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418356686326993
Andy's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/andy-gupta
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Today’s session covers a topic that many clinicians are pondering. Many, like me, are having conversations with themselves in their heads about the available opportunities and the most efficient and ethical ways not to be left behind as technology presents new options in our field. The issue is how we can navigate the world of mental health tech startups that are available to join us to support our good work. Examples of what these startups provide are electronic health records, website design, marketing, and more. The truth is that the pandemic changed everything and catapulted the tech startup world into the range of billions of dollars. Don’t miss my enlightening conversation with today’s guest!
Our Featured Guest
Michael Fulwiler
Michael Fulwiler is Head of Brand Marketing at Heard, a company that assists therapists with bookkeeping and financial needs. I’ve come to rely on Mike’s expertise as a good friend as I navigate the aspects of STC, trying to be a protector of our field while staying in alignment with my values. In this session, Mike and I discuss the mindblowing numbers around the multitude of mental health tech startups and how clinicians can be informed about which ones are most likely to succeed or fail. We also discuss the vitally important topic of client data privacy and the top three considerations we should have before signing up for a product or service.
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Mentioned in this episode:
Need Community Support? Join the Mastermind
If you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who are doing this. We meet together to build and grow and scale our online courses. You can learn more about that mastermind over at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.
So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist. But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients. Simplified SEO Consulting is team of mental health professionals genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process. Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo *Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any of our online, DIY SEO courses and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off of your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!
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I have big news! I’m going back into private practice! Don’t worry, though, because STC remains, and I’ll be adding 1-2 days of clinical work each week. In today’s session, I’m pulling back the curtain on my thought process as I’ve pondered this decision for quite a while. Do I have all the bits and pieces organized and figured out? The answer is NO, and that’s okay. I want to give you a glimpse into the messy middle of this decision and the three main reasons I have made this choice.
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Mentioned in this episode:
So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist. But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients. Simplified SEO Consulting is team of mental health professionals genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process. Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo *Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any of our online, DIY SEO courses and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off of your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!
Need Community Support? Join the Mastermind
If you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who are doing this. We meet together to build and grow and scale our online courses. You can learn more about that mastermind over at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.
Today’s session is all about brainspotting, a powerful and fascinating psychotherapy technique that I have personally found to be helpful. Specifically, we discuss the technique as it is used to help performance athletes. Join us to learn more!
Our Featured Guest
Thad Frye, LCSW
Thad Frye is a licensed clinical social worker in Boulder, CO. As a certified brainspotting consultant, Thad has gone through multiple levels of training in this therapy technique. In our conversation, Thad explains why he was motivated to pursue training in brainspotting after previously focusing his work with families through hospice care and end-of-life journeys. He describes the technical aspects of brainspotting and how he uses it in his work with athletes, specifically in those with the “yips,” a puzzling phenomenon of the loss of an ability.
Thad Frye Counseling and Brainspotting Coaching for Athletes
You’ll Learn:
Resources:
Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters
Want to launch your online course?
Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
Mentioned in this episode:
So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist. But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients. Simplified SEO Consulting is team of mental health professionals genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process. Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo *Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any of our online, DIY SEO courses and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off of your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!
You're Invited to Join the Mastermind!
Looking for a group of likeminded clinicians to help you grow your practice? You're in the right place. Check it out at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.
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