Private Practice Skills

In this episode, we dig into what good supervision looks like, and I take a look at some examples of what bad supervision looks like and offer my thoughts.

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Links Mentioned:

Article: "Clinical Supervision of Mental Health Services: A Systematic Review of Supervision Characteristics and Practices Associated with Formative and Restorative Outcomes"

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8146512/

Reddit Post: "What should good supervision look like?"

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/117eh7t/what_should_good_supervision_look_like/

Reddit Post: "Can we see some bad supervision stories?”

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1d5n9ou/can_we_see_some_bad_supervision_stories/

Reddit Post: "Have you ever had a bad supervisor experience?"

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1bkp46o/have_you_ever_had_a_bad_supervisor_experience/

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

Research shows that courage isn’t an innate trait, but more like a muscle that can be developed through deliberate practice.

Though there is not a ton of research available on the topic of courage, I think it’s worth digging into a little deeper to see if we can learn how to teach our clients to be courageous as they move towards their treatment goals - whether it’s the courage to leave a harmful partner, to report a harmful boss at work, or to fully accept themselves for who they are.

In this episode, we explore some of the concepts brought up in an article from the September 2025 issue of the APA Monitor on Psychology titled: "Courage: Why some people act despite fear.” You can follow along with the article here:

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/courage

We also explore 6 types of courage, and how we might foster them in our therapy clients. For this portion of the episode, I referenced the Helpful Professor article titled: "The 6 Types of Courage – with Examples”:

https://helpfulprofessor.com/types-of-courage/

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

I’m excited to share about all the ways I use metaphor in counseling as a therapeutic tool. I use metaphors a LOT in therapy, but I don’t always hear other folks share about how they use metaphors in therapy.

This episode has two parts:

Part 1: Therapeutic reasons for using metaphors in counseling

Part 2: Types of metaphors to use in counseling

There was so much to cover that I decided to just release one longer episode this week. I hope you find it useful!

FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling:

https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

Links Mentioned:

Video by Milton H. Erickson Foundation: "5 Minute Therapy Tips - Episode 15: Metaphor - The Use of Metaphor”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tss8D05eDF4

Book: Metaphor in Practice: A Professional’s Guide to Using the Science of Language (2017) by Niklas Torneke, MD and Steven C. Hayes, PhD

https://amzn.to/4mA6Wlr

(This is an affiliate link)

Book: Metaphor Therapy (1995) by Richard R. Kopp, PhD

https://amzn.to/4n9pCsn

(This is an affiliate link)

Article: "How therapists in cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapy reflect upon the use of metaphors in therapy: a qualitative study”

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9235099/

Article: “Metaphor in Professional Counseling”

https://tpcjournal.nbcc.org/metaphor-in-professional-counseling/

Similar Past Episodes:

"My go-to Therapy Tools as a Therapist”

https://youtu.be/nO-TrbwJ0V8

"More of my Favorite Therapy Tools”

https://youtu.be/brTyHQ_hDH8

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

If you feel overwhelmed by all the information out there on how to start a private practice, this episode offers a simplified approach to get started.

You do still need some elbow grease, but hopefully these tips help reduce some of the overwhelm :)

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Links Mentioned:

Video: "Values-Based Approach to a Fulfilling Career”

https://youtu.be/b9rxVgXDL4U

FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling:

https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

Playlist: Private Practice Marketing Strategy:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4iw1FZZYrAaqD-YMZm_Hc5WSZMq5WSB&feature=shared

Marketing Training: Client Attraction System (now $57 woo!)

https://privatepracticeskills.teachable.com/p/client-attraction-system

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

According to a poll I posted on Instagram, most therapists feel at least a moderate amount of pressure to have "breakthroughs" with their clients in therapy.

It's common for us to talk about breakthroughs in therapy. In today's episode, I dive into questions like:

-What is a breakthrough?

-How much pressure is there to have breakthroughs in therapy?

-Where does that pressure come from?

-How important is it for therapists to focus on breakthroughs in therapy?

Let me know if you know of available research or literature tracking the degree that breakthroughs are correlated with progress towards client goals in therapy. I'm so curious!

Inkblot Article: "What Does Having a Breakthrough in Therapy Mean?"

https://www.inkblottherapy.com/post/what-does-having-a-breakthrough-in-therapy-mean

Reddit Post: "What do you consider a breakthrough in therapy?"

https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkTherapy/comments/g8mu1x/what_do_you_consider_a_breakthrough_in_therapy/

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

I used to stress, hard, about preparing for my therapy sessions. I thought I needed to brush up on any and all relevant information related to my clients' experiences and presenting issues, and I also felt the pressure that every session needed to one-up the last session's "ah-hah" moment.

With time, I've built a routine that makes session prep a breeze. My current structure allows me not to sweat it anymore, while feeling prepared to support my clients.

In today's episode, I share how I prepare for therapy sessions, in case some of my tips and tricks could be useful for you too.

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

Video: Therapist's Pre-Game Routine Before Seeing Clients:

https://youtu.be/kIz0_dD6FKs

Video: How to Start a Therapy Session as a Therapist:

https://youtu.be/EM7r6RWo-z0

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

I LOVE being a therapist. But at the same time, it’s clear that there’s a whole lot that’s wrong with the therapy profession as a whole.

It’s a topic I think about a lot, so in today’s episode I decided to invite you all to share what you would like to change about the field of psychology. I read and react to your responses, and we also sprinkle some articles and reddit posts to enhance the conversation. I hope you find it helpful!

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Links mentioned in today’s episode (there’s a lot I know lol):

Reddit Post: "Was Your Internship Paid?"

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1dy5sv0/was_your_internship_paid/

Reddit Post: "How much are you getting paid?”

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1fwvlz3/how_much_are_you_getting_paid/

Reddit Post: "Therapists who ethically oppose medication…”

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1i0lwo1/therapists_who_ethically_oppose_medication/

APA Article: "About Prescribing Psychologists”

https://www.apaservices.org/advocacy/issues/prescriptive-authority/prescribing-psychologists

Psychology.org article: "4 Steps to Becoming a Licensed Counselor”

https://www.psychology.org/careers/counseling/

Student Loan Planner Article: "Mental Health Counselor Salary: Is it Worth the Student Debt?”

https://www.studentloanplanner.com/mental-health-counselor-salary-worth-student-debt/

Student Loan Planner Article: "Psychologist Salary: Is It Worth the Huge Student Debt?”

https://www.studentloanplanner.com/average-psychologist-salary/

Prior Episode on Self-Care: "Redefining Self-Care for Therapists”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQfPpe1XW4Q

Prior Episode: "Is Diagnosing our Therapy Clients Helpful?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA_CUwY2Pwg

Navigating the Insurance Maze Article: "Are Raises Possible?”

https://theinsurancemaze.com/articles/raises/

Reddit Post: "What’s up with the hostility towards each other in our field?”

https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1jxh91l/whats_up_with_the_hostility_towards_each_other_in/

APA Article: "Can religion and spirituality have a place in therapy? Experts say yes”

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/11/incorporating-religion-spirituality-therapy

NPR Article: "Insurers can restrict mental health care. What laws protect patients in your state?”

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/23/nx-s1-5084256/insurance-mental-health-care-coverage-legal-protection

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

Passive income has been super trendy for a while. And especially as a therapist, it's wonderful to have some of my income not be tied to an hour with a therapy client. It's really freed me up to enjoy working with a part-time caseload, and relieved the pressure to get more clients during slower periods.

Naturally, lots of therapists are drawn to this idea. But, there is more to passive income than meets the eye. Today, I share some of the tools and "real talk" about passive income that I don't often hear folks talk about. And I offer some tools to help overcome the common emotional hurdles that keep folks from building the business they dream about.

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Links mentioned:

Ali Abdaal's video: "My honest advice to someone who wants passive income"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgSNvCY-AcY

Prior Private Practice Skills episodes about passive income:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4iw1FZZYrAJE2wKQi1ffjEwy9MEOvNG

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

How do you build trust during the first therapy session—without it feeling forced?

In this episode, I share practical, relational ways to help clients feel safe and supported from the start. From referencing intake paperwork to defusing shame with warmth, these small moments help build a strong therapeutic foundation—especially when clients are nervous or unsure.

What you’ll hear:

-Little touches that help clients feel seen

-Language that gently normalizes embarrassment or anxiety

-Tips for bringing warmth to intake questions

-How to wrap a first session with connection and clarity

Whether you're a new therapist or just want to refine how you show up in those early sessions, I hope this episode helps you build trust in real, human ways.

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

Is your therapist website feeling… a little stale? You’re not alone. But you don’t have to burn it all down and start from scratch.

In this episode, I walk you through a simple rubric you can use to “audit” your therapy website—no tech expertise required. We’ll look at how clearly your message comes across, whether your site actually feels like you, and how to spot the areas that might be turning potential clients away without you realizing it.

You can even use this tool with a trusted colleague to get an outside perspective—and then focus your energy on the areas that need the most love.

Whether your site’s been collecting dust for years or you’re just wanting a fresh set of eyes, this video is here to help you reconnect with your voice, your brand, and your ideal clients.

🔍 You’ll learn:

• How to assess your website's clarity and emotional tone

• Signs your site may be confusing or generic to visitors

• What to prioritize when refreshing your site content or layout

• Tips for gathering helpful feedback from a fellow therapist

✨ You don’t have to be a tech expert or designer—just a thoughtful human who wants their website to reflect the work they’re already doing well.

Thank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email easy and streamlined. Check them out here:

https://bit.ly/pps_paubox_spotify

*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"

*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!

Download the Website Refresh Checklist:

https://mailchi.mp/privatepracticeskills/website-refresh-checklist

Prior episodes about finding your niche:

Develop your Niche in Private Practice:

https://youtu.be/bh6bJRb7iwQ

5 Ways to Find Your Therapy Niche:

https://youtu.be/FU1eHRDwkus

LINKS:

*Some links are affiliate links. A percentage of purchases come back to me and help my channel immensely!

👉 FREE Guide: Start a Private Practice in Counseling: https://tinyurl.com/y9ek9en8

👉 All my filming gear: https://kit.co/privatepracticeskills/all-my-gear

This podcast is geared toward therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field. Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Website: www.privatepracticeskills.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/privatepracticeskills

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/privatepracticeskills/

This podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.