WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

This one is personal. In part one of our deepest dive yet, we begin the autopsy of a seven-figure practice that rose fast, broke even faster, and exposed what happens when the realities of a broken mental health system collide with raw human limits. This is not a business teardown. It is a confession, a reckoning, and a mirror for every therapist pushing through clinician burnout while trying to hold an entire organization together with grit and fear.

We unpack how early conditioning shaped a lifelong scarcity mentality, how that scarcity mentality fueled a grind that looked like ambition from the outside, and how scarcity mentality quietly infected every decision behind the scenes. The result was a domino effect of fear-based decisions, the kind of fear-based decisions that feel logical in the moment but corrosive in hindsight, the type of fear-based decisions that eventually collapse even the most profitable seven-figure systems.

We name what clinicians are rarely allowed to say out loud. We name what happens when clinician burnout becomes an invisible job requirement. We name what happens when the broken mental health infrastructure pushes good providers into survival mode. And we name the emotional cost of carrying all of this while trying to convince yourself you are fine inside something that looks like a thriving seven-figure business from the outside.

This is part origin story, part accountability, and part solidarity with every therapist who ever wondered if they were the problem when in reality they were operating inside a system that is fundamentally the problem. If you feel the weight of clinician burnout, if you have made fear-based decisions out of desperation, or if you are navigating the fallout of a broken mental health landscape, this episode will land exactly where it needs to.

• The early imprint that wired a lifelong scarcity mentality and how it shows up in leadership
• How clinician burnout becomes an identity instead of a warning sign
• The quiet ways a broken mental health system shapes everything from hiring to ethics
• Why fear-based decisions masquerade as responsibility and feel impossible to avoid
• The moment a seven-figure practice revealed its fault lines in real time

If you are in the thick of it, you are not alone. And you are definitely not the only one trying to survive inside something that was never built to support you.

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

What happens when you finally pause long enough to ask, “Is this really the life I built my practice for?”

In this conversation with Gordon Brewer, LMFT, founder of The Practice of Therapy Podcast, Kingsport Counseling Associates, and PsychCraft Network, we explore what it means to move from burnout to balance through purpose, faith, and intentional growth.

After 30 years in the field, Gordon has learned that lasting success starts when you know your why and build an aligned business that supports your life instead of consuming it. He shares how his own path to freedom came not from hustle, but from alignment, clarity, and community.

If you have ever wondered what it takes to create a career that is both profitable and peaceful, this is your invitation to reconnect with your purpose and rebuild your aligned business from the inside out.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to know your why when the work starts feeling heavy or directionless

• What it really means to move from burnout to balance while staying true to your values

• Why building an aligned business is the foundation for long-term sustainability

• The mindset shifts that lead to intentional growth and authentic leadership

• How to design your personal path to freedom without sacrificing impact or integrity

Every clinician deserves to build an aligned business that reflects who they are becoming, not who they were when they started. This episode is your reminder that when you know your why, you can move from burnout to balance, step into intentional growth, and walk your own path to freedom with clarity and confidence.

Resources from this Episode:

Clarity Psychological Testing

Clinician Collaborative

Book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - Oliver Burkeman 

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Gordon Brewer

Website: https://practiceoftherapy.com/

PsychCraft Network: https://psychcraftnetwork.com/

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

In this episode of Off the Chair, host Dr. Colleen Long sits down with Shalene Kite, LPC, DBT LBC, RYT, founder of DBT of South Jersey and Rebel Mente, to talk about how she transformed her DBT practice into a thriving business that challenges clinician burnout and empowers therapists to build freedom through aligned entrepreneurship.

From building a team of more than twenty clinicians to launching a national training brand, Shalene shares how she turned her skills as a therapist business coach into a movement for mental health professionals who want to lead without losing themselves. She explains how her background in dialectical behavior therapy and yoga shaped her approach to leadership, balance, and passive income for therapists who crave a more sustainable future.

This episode dives deep into what it means to grow a purpose-driven DBT practice, create systems that prevent clinician burnout, and redefine success beyond the therapy chair. Shalene’s story reminds every listener that passive income for therapists is not just a dream but a strategy that works when led with clarity and heart.

• How Shalene rebuilt her DBT practice after experiencing clinician burnout and found a more grounded way to lead
• What it takes to build passive income for therapists while staying true to your mission and your clients
• How a therapist business coach helps clinicians systemize, delegate, and grow without overwhelm
• The mindset shifts that protect therapists from clinician burnout and promote balance in business and life
• How to diversify income through training, consulting, and creative offers that extend your impact
• The connection between a thriving DBT practice, emotional resilience, and long-term sustainability
• Why working with a therapist business coach can transform how you think about leadership and legacy

If you have ever wondered how to move from clinician to CEO, recover from clinician burnout, and create passive income for therapists that reflects your values and purpose, this episode is your roadmap.

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Shalene Kite, LPC, DBT, LBC, RYT

Website: http://rebelmente.com

Instagram: @shaelenekite

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “There’s got to be a smarter way to run this practice,” this episode is for you. Dr. Colleen Long takes you behind the scenes of AI automation examples and tools that are helping the modern therapist finally reclaim time without sacrificing quality, connection, or creativity.

From real-world AI for clinicians to easy-to-apply systems that bring freedom back to your week, Colleen breaks down how AI tech is reshaping what’s possible in private practice. This is your no-fluff guide to building structure, scaling smarter, and learning how to reclaim time while letting technology do the heavy lifting.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The AI automation examples that make running your practice simpler and more sustainable
• How AI for clinicians is changing documentation, admin tasks, and communication
• Which AI tech tools Dr. Colleen actually uses to reclaim time every week
• Why the modern therapist needs systems that match their values and workflow
• How embracing AI automation examples helps you grow with purpose, not pressure

If you’re ready to work less, earn more, and think bigger, this conversation will show you how to apply AI for clinicians, choose practical AI tech, and join a community of modern therapists redefining success through systems that reclaim time and energy.

👉 Join the conversation inside the Founders Circle, our 2026 mastermind for clinician-entrepreneurs ready to grow sustainably. 

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Therapists talk about everything except money, and that cost could be leaving you with money anxiety.

Too many therapists feel financially drained even while helping others heal. The truth is, avoiding your numbers only fuels money anxiety and keeps you from the financial empowerment you deserve.

In this Halloween: Spooky Finances Edition with Lori Atwood, CFP, we face the real-life fears that keep clinicians up at night. Lori, founder of Fearless Finance and a seasoned financial empowerment guru, helps therapists replace fear with clarity through simple, human strategies to help you release that money anxiety.

Dr. Jennifer Politis, Dr. Lori Atwood, and Erika Bugaj get real about the hidden shame and overwhelm behind bookkeeping for therapists. Together with Lori, they unpack how to stop ignoring your money, reframe your money anxiety, and finally create a relationship with your finances that feels aligned and sustainable.

You’ll learn:

• Why therapists feel financially drained even when their calendars are full
• How a money mindset coach reframes money anxiety into confidence and control
• The essential year-end steps for confident bookkeeping for therapists
• Practical ways to strengthen your financial empowerment before the new year
• What small mindset shifts can turn dread into clarity

Lori’s honest, practical approach proves that you are never too far gone to find financial empowerment. If you’ve been avoiding your books or feeling financially drained, this conversation will leave you grounded, calm, and ready to rebuild a healthier relationship with money.

🎃 No tricks, only practical treats for your wallet and your well-being.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Lori Atwood, CFP

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fearlessfinance/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fearlessfinance

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fearlessfinance

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fearless-finance/

What if leaving the char wasn’t the end of your career, but the beginning of your healing? If you’ve ever felt torn between ambition and exhaustion, this conversation is for you.

In this raw and unfiltered episode, we sit down with Gabrielle Juliano Vilani, a licensed clinical social worker who built and sold a seven-figure group practice, only to discover that true freedom requires more than a business transaction. Together, we talk about how to refresh mental health, rebuild your sense of purpose, and find peace in the space that success leaves behind.

You’ll learn:

• How to recognize the early signs of identity burnout and rebuild your foundation before it breaks

• Why selling your practice often triggers grief and how to refresh mental health without running from your emotions

• The smartest ways to achieve revenue diversification that add stability instead of chaos

• Simple business sustainability strategies that protect your energy and profits long term

• How to reimagine your legacy beyond the therapy chair through alignment, intuition, and rest

This episode is your permission slip to stop performing success and start living it. Whether you’re exploring revenue diversification, craving a full refresh mental health reset, or finally ready to apply business sustainability strategies that last, this conversation shows you what it really means to build a life after burnout.

🎧 Listen now to The Healer’s Exit Plan: Identity, Legacy & What Comes After the Chair and discover how to heal the healer, recover from identity burnout, and craft a more sustainable, fulfilling chapter of your work and life.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

 Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Gabrielle Juliano-Villani

Website: http://gabriellejulianovillani.com

Instagram: @gjvconsulting

LinkedIn: Gabrielle Juliano-Villani

TikTok: @gabriellejulianovillani

Too many practice owners fall into the trap of treating their staff like family.

It feels caring, but it blurs boundaries and leads to therapist burnout and business chaos. We’ve been there, and we’re sharing how to reset your team relations.

As three entrepreneurial therapists, we know the tension between compassion and leadership. In this episode, we explore what happens when empathy goes too far, why clarity matters more than kindness, and how to lead with confidence. These are conversations about team relations and hiring and firing that every entrepreneurial therapist needs to hear.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why confusing team relations with family loyalty backfires
• How over-identifying with staff fuels therapist burnout
• Real talk about hiring and firing without guilt or people-pleasing
• Ways therapist training complicates leadership and how we’ve learned to adapt
• The leadership reset that protects both your practice and your people

If you’re an entrepreneurial therapist ready to lead with clarity, hold boundaries, and create a sustainable business, you’re not alone; we’re figuring it out right alongside you.

👉 Follow Off the Chair, leave us a review, and share this episode with a colleague who needs a reset.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

 Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

If you’ve ever whispered I don’t have time while drowning in back-to-back sessions, paperwork, and payroll, you’re not alone. The truth is, most clinicians stay stuck in therapist burnout and therapist fatigue, convincing themselves they’ll “figure it out later.” But later never comes.

In this conversation, we unpack the Shawshank Conundrum - the hamster wheel every therapist knows too well - and reveal how to chip away at the walls keeping you trapped in a model that doesn’t serve your life.

This isn’t another pep talk about hustling harder. It’s about naming the reality: trading every hour for dollars will never create the freedom, joy, or sustainability you crave. Whether you’ve Googled jobs for burned out counselors at midnight or secretly wondered about alternative careers for therapists, this episode offers both solidarity and strategy.

• Why the phrase “I don’t have time” is the biggest lie fueling therapist burnout
• The hidden cost of staying on the hamster wheel of therapist fatigue (and why most clinicians never escape it)
• How carving out non-negotiable CEO time each week is the first step toward alternative careers for therapists
• The power of accountability, masterminds, and community when exploring jobs for burned out counselors

This episode will challenge your assumptions about what it means to be a “successful” clinician. You’ll walk away with permission to stop hustling, tools to reclaim your time, and inspiration to explore jobs for burned out counselors and alternative careers for therapists that align with your values.

Ready to stop living in therapist burnout and start carving your way to freedom? Press play now. 

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

 Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Feeling fried, curious about therapist retreats, or secretly dreaming of side hustles for therapists that will actually restore you? We get it - and we made this episode for clinicians who want rest and revenue without the shame spiral.

We sit with Amy Johnston, founder of The Exhale Collective, to unpack how a practicing clinician builds therapist retreats into a life-saving creative business. We get candid about therapist burnout, the logistics of running international retreats, and how to launch side hustles for therapists alongside your clinical work. 

This episode balances the hard numbers (deposits, payment plans, marketing) with the softer, lifesaving stuff - how a well-designed wellness trips for women rekindles joy, reduces overwhelm, and gives clinicians permission to exhale.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• How Amy turned weekend cabin experiments into full-scale therapist retreats - and the exact planning step that stopped her from losing money on a trip (yes, there was an “oh-shit” moment)…
• The real anatomy of therapist burnout for mid-career clinicians - why time off alone isn’t enough and what ritualized presence looks like in practice…
• Practical ways to fund side hustles for therapists without quitting your day job
• How to design therapist retreats experiences that heal versus just “vacation”

Ready to hear the messy, honest roadmap - the wins, the disasters, and the exact next steps Amy used to get from idea to an alternate stream of income? Press play and listen to the full episode now.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Podcast Website: www.offthechair.com

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Amy Johnston

Website: www.the-exhale-collective.com

Instagram: @the-exhale-collective

When it comes to running a therapist business, nothing derails growth faster than the wrong hire. In this episode, we get real about the delegation problems, the bad hires, and the lessons that cost us time, money, and plenty of sleep. From missed calls to admin chaos to leaders who looked great on paper but wrecked the culture, we’re unpacking the true cost of bad hires and how to recover when your group private practice takes a hit.

We’ve lived these mistakes, and we want you to skip the heartbreak by learning from our scars.

 Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• The red flags we ignored when bringing on new team members - and how those bad hires nearly broke our practices.
• Why therapists confuse delegation with abdication, and how those delegation problems set us up for failure.
• The hidden cost of bad hires that goes beyond payroll and eats away at culture, client care, and reputation.
• How running a therapist business forces you to balance empathy with accountability, and why that tension is so hard to navigate.
• Practical systems that help protect a group private practice from repeating these hiring heartbreaks.
• 
  

If you’ve ever felt that pit in your stomach about a staff member, this episode will make you nod in painful agreement - and give you tools to act with more confidence. Tune in and let’s make the hard parts of leading a therapist business a little easier together.

Listen to the full episode now and learn how to stop repeating the same hiring mistakes in your group private practice.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Podcast Website: www.offthechair.com

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj