Brave and Well: Conversations helping mental health professionals build a sustainable, profitable & values-aligned business

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There are biases baked into AI — the same biases we as therapists are trying to undo. So the topic of today's episode might land a little different coming from a therapist: AI. Vanessa is still a little skeptical, so she’s drawing a hard line between how she uses AI as a CEO and where she refuses to let it anywhere near client care. What she wants you to take from this episode is that AI is a tool, not a team member.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why Vanessa is still a little skeptical of AI
• The hard boundary: no AI in clinical work, treatment planning, or client data
• Fears around replacing human connection, confidentiality, bias baked into these tools, and the slippery slope into clinical judgment
• Using Claude as a CEO for cash flow clarity, payroll, and a full picture of where her practice stands
• Drafting emails, building hiring systems, and reading contracts in plain English instead of losing hours to admin
• Connecting Claude with her other tools (Asana, Slack, Notion, and Google Drive) to keep her business organized
• Why he never outsources her own discernment — and why she still runs everything through her team, her CFO, and her husband
• Why this is about getting back the margin to be present with her family and herself

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

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As a therapist and CEO, it's so easy to put yourself last — grinding through the hard seasons, disconnecting from what lights you up, and telling yourself you'll rest when things slow down. Sometimes, that thing that you’ve been putting off is actually the key to leading from a regulated place.

Today, I’m talking to Krystal Jackson of Simply Being Wellness Counseling about how to lead from a regulated place — and why desire, community, and intentional rest aren't luxuries, they're the strategy.

Tune in to hear about:

• How working in high-stress clinical environments shaped the kind of leader and CEO Krystal became
• What two years of feeling "slapped around" by her business taught her about infrastructure, strategy, and reconnecting to her why
• Why she stopped comparing her journey to everyone else's
• The role desire played in turning her practice around and getting honest about what she actually wants to build
• How she reframed travel as a leadership tool, not a reward — and how she makes it work on a budget
• What investing in coaching gave her that she couldn't have figured out on her own
• The small, everyday practices that help her stay regulated on the weeks she's not going anywhere
• Her powerful "open fist" mindset and why letting go has become her greatest growth strategy

More from Krystal Jackson

• Simply Being Wellness Counseling: https://www.simplybeingcounseling.com/
• Find Krystal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkrystalcj/
• Find Simply Being Wellness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplybeingcounseling/

More from Brave & Well:

• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

📣 Book a Brave Boss VIP day

As therapists and private practice owners, it's common to feel like your finances are a black box — something overwhelming that lives in the background and creates dread every time you think about it. But avoiding your numbers doesn't make them go away.

Today, I'm talking to Andrea Rotondo of Liquid Cents Bookkeeping about why so many therapists avoid their financials, how to build a healthier relationship with your finances and what it actually means to lead your practice like a CEO.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why so many therapists feel anxiety and shame around their finances (and how to change that)
• The difference between being busy and being profitable
• The key numbers every private practice owner should know and review monthly
• How the Profit First method can transform the financial health of your practice
• Why getting curious about your money is one of the most powerful things you can do as a business owner

If you've ever clicked away from your QuickBooks or dreaded meeting with your accountant, you have to listen to this episode.

More from Andrea Rotondo

• Liquid Cents Bookkeeping: https://www.liquidcentsbookkeeping.com/
• Find her on LindkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrearotondo1/
• Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrea.rotondo/

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

📣 Book a Brave Boss VIP day

The Brave & Well podcast is back! Vanessa is coming back to the mic to share what happened after she took an intentional step back, why she paused, what she’s been building on the background, and what’s in store for Brave & Well.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why she made the decision to step away from Brave & Well — and why it wasn't burnout
• Balancing a group practice and a co-founded tech company at the same time
• What a recovering perfectionist had to learn about stepping back vs. giving up
• The non-negotiables she put in place to restructure her days and protect her energy
• How Brave & Well kept generating revenue even while she wasn't actively marketing it
• Why private practice is changing — and what that means for you as a practitioner
• What's coming next for this podcast and the Brave & Well community

More from Brave & Well:

• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

As therapists and small business owners, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we have to do it all ourselves. But here’s the truth: doing everything on your own isn’t sustainable—and it definitely isn’t scalable.

Today, I’m talking to Jennifer Crawford and Meredith Eaton of Move Forward Virtual Assistants about delegation as a superpower.

Tune in to hear about:

• How to calculate the real ROI of hiring an assistant
• The most common (and most helpful) tasks therapists delegate
• Three smart questions to ask when you’re ready to hire
• How to be better at delegating
• The benefits of hiring a specialized VA who’s trained in mental health administration

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or wondering when to bring in support, this conversation is for you.

More from Jennifer and Meredith:

• Move Forward Virtual Assistants https://moveforwardvirtualassistants.com/

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Dealing with insurance can be one of the most confusing—and costly—parts of running a mental health practice. From clawbacks and claim denials to underpayments and long look-back periods, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

That’s why we invited Jeremy Zug on the podcast this week.

Jeremy Zug is a nationally-recognized expert in insurance billing and revenue cycle management, with a distinguished career driving financial health and operational excellence for mental health professionals. He also co-founded Practice Solutions with his wife Kathryn in 2017.

Tune in to learn about:

• Why clawbacks happen (and how to minimize their impact)
• How to decide which payers to work with
• Strategies for negotiating higher reimbursement rates
• The shift toward value-based care and what it means for you
• How to troubleshoot (and prevent) claim denials

If you want clarity and confidence in navigating insurance and billing, this episode is packed with actionable insights you won’t want to miss.

Mentioned in the episode:

• Serif Health
• Simple Practice
• Therapy Notes
• Checkpoint EHR

More from Jeremy:

• www.practicesol.com
• https://www.instagram.com/practicesolutionsbilling
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/practice-solutions-llc/

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Welcome back to Brave and Well! In this episode, I’m joined by operations expert Brie Chrisman for a powerful conversation on why the behind-the-scenes structure of your practice is just as important as the client work you do.

Brie is the founder and CEO of Boss Co, an operations management company that works 100% virtually. With over 15 years of experience in the project management and operations fields, she has revolutionized the way businesses operate by introducing the solution for overwhelm for CEOs. Her commitment to being human-first has led her to serving CEOs in the mental health field.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by systems, struggled with inconsistent referrals, or wondered how to make your practice more sustainable and profitable, this one’s for you.

Tune in to hear about:

• How standard operating procedures (SOPs) can dramatically reduce overwhelm
• What to do when potential clients say, “these rate are too high”
• Why referrals may have slowed down this year—and strategies to bring in new clients
• The overlooked importance of intake forms in building trust and efficiency
• How to spot and fix hidden profit leaks in your practice

More from Brie and Boss Co:

• https://heybossco.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/hey_bossco/
• https://www.facebook.com/heybossco
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brie-chrisman/

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram @braveandwell
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for my course — From Therapist to CEO
• Book a Brave Boss VIP day
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Have you ever taken on a new client, then gotten into your first session and realized it wasn’t a good fit?

In this episode, we’re exploring the client journey from the moment someone starts looking for a therapist to their first session in your (virtual) office.

Tune in to learn the key steps you can take to create a seamless and welcoming intake process. In less than 30 minutes, I’ll walk you through how to:

• Identify what your client needs
• Build a welcoming intake process
• Answer client questions clearly & confidently
• Streamline your operations to boost retention
• & Continuously improve your process over time

 
Mentioned in the episode:

• Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Private Practice Circle
• Group Practice Circle

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for From Therapist to CEO & get 10% off with the code PODCAST
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

I’ve been a working therapist for a over decade, and in that time I’ve worked in schools, private practice, group practice, therapy tech (at my company Social Note), and as a clinical supervisor.

Across those positions, I’ve learned a lot about building a therapy business that supports you and your clients. So in today’s episode I’m sharing what I’d do differently if I was getting started right now — including one of my biggest business regrets from my early years.

Tune in to learn from my successes and my mistakes. You’ll hear about:

• Why fall is my favorite season in private practice
• The power of retreats, workshops & support groups
• How to hit the ground running with relationship-building
• The importance of establishing (& sticking to) your niche
• The money shift that made a big impact for my business

 
Mentioned in the episode:

• Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Private Practice Circle
• Group Practice Circle

More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for From Therapist to CEO & get 10% off with the code PODCAST
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Lately it feels harder than ever to market yourself and stand out as a private practice therapist. Doesn’t it?

I’m hearing this from many of my Brave & Well clients, and I want to help!

So today I’m sharing five ways to creatively market your practice, so you can continue to do the work that you love without burning yourself out in this era of Therapy Tech.

In this episode, I walk you through how to leverage your assets, creatively maximize your specialties, generate revenue, and meet your clients where they’re at in the process.

Tune in for practical advice covering:

• Why I’m focusing on SEO strategy over social media strategy
• Easy passive income ideas
• Ways to implement & set up package pricing
• How to use pay-over-time merchants to support clients
• Why I’m setting up intensives, modality-specific pricing, and flexible formats
• How to create a learning library or subscription model for easy, recurring income
• New ways LinkedIn can help grow your business

And if you enjoy this episode, please share it with your therapist friends, and leave us a five-star rating and review!

 
Mentioned in the episode:

• Episode 25: SEO, AI & Digital Marketing for Therapists with Kristie Plantinga
• Klarna
• Kambria Evans & the EMDR Intensive Design Kit
• Squarespace memberships

 
More from Brave & Well:

• Follow Brave and Well on Instagram
• Sign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

 
Work with me!

• Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice
• Sign up for From Therapist to CEO & get 10% off with the code PODCAST
• Get templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!