Today’s topic is at the heart of the Quiet Builder philosophy. The question is, “How do we design a business that supports our lives, not swallows it?” This becomes increasingly important as the world grows more uncertain and our responsibilities grow daily. This episode is for anyone building a business that fits into real life, and not the other way around.

You’ll Learn:

• My pandemic story of stepping back and reassessing my business
• 3 anchors for building a life-first business in an uncertain world:
• Design for margin, not maximum.
• Clarity comes from creating margin, not hustling.
• Designing for margin is how we stay well enough to serve others.
• Build products that don’t require your constant presence.
• Design for asymmetry, where value isn’t tied to one-to-one time.
• A life-first business scales impact, not just hours.
• Plan around what you can’t plan for.
• Your business should be designed to absorb disruption, not collapse under it.
• Strategies that work for me are “Walden months,” a hard growth ceiling on STC, and allowing maximum flexibility to travel when loved ones need extra help. 
• To sum up today’s topic: “A resilient business doesn’t break when life happens; it bends with grace.”
• Need help in this area? Check out 50 Free ChatGPT Prompts for Quiet Builders on our website.
• Sign up here for our new newsletter, The Quiet Builder, that comes out twice monthly. 

Free Resources for Quiet Builders, Podcasters, and Course Creators

Validate Your Online Course Idea

Get our free 7-day email course for therapists

sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

Start Podcasting as a Thought Leader

Watch our free workshop on using podcasting to build authority sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworkshop

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Today’s session focuses on therapy work with men who struggle with “nice guy syndrome.” If you aren’t familiar with the term or wonder how that niche works in a private practice, join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Jonathan Rudiger, PsyD

Jonathan Rudiger is a licensed psychologist who lives and works in the Nashville, TN, area. He was one of my clinical supervisors when I was at Vanderbilt, and he’s become a dear friend and mentor who helped shape me into who I am today. Besides his time at Vanderbilt, he has spent a number of years working at the VA and in various capacities in private practice. One of his areas of focus is with clients with “nice guy syndrome,” and he’s sharing about his work in this conversation. We will take a look at this unusual niche through a clinical lens and a business perspective. We wrap up with common mistakes therapists make when working with men who present as “nice guys” but are actually in a lot of pain. 

LinkedIn (Website coming soon!)

You’ll Learn:

• Jonathan’s path to finding a niche and designing a private practice around it
• Characteristics of the “nice guy syndrome” and typical patterns in relationships
• Issues inherent in “nice guy syndrome” include low self-esteem, shame, fear of rejection, and a fundamental dishonesty with themselves.
• Niching down defines the best space for your work and the place with the least chance of burnout.
• Going from a clinical explanation to real-world language in marketing (Storytelling is key!)
• Framing psychotherapy with storytelling empowers people to tell their stories.
• Common mistakes therapists make when working with “nice guy syndrome” clients:
• They assume that the nice demeanor means things are okay.
• Neglecting the role of shame

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

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Today’s session covers strategies for setting boundaries, managing client expectations, and raising rates. All of these tasks can be uncomfortable for clinicians, but we have expert tips for adjusting your mindset and understanding your value. Join us for more!

Our Featured Guest

Melody Wilding

Melody Wilding, LMSW, has been in the coaching space for the past few years, doing amazing work through speaking engagements, workshops, and coaching. She recently wrote Managing Up: How to Get What You Need From the People in Charge. “Managing up” refers to the process of navigating relationships and improving trust with people who have more power than you. We all want to lead well, but there are many opportunities to learn and improve in our leadership. Melody helps us discover how to set boundaries around our availability and tackle the uncomfortable process of raising rates. She shares the necessary mindset shifts to make in advocating for our value while keeping relationships intact, which is one of the most delicate situations for most clinicians. 

Website and Book

You’ll Learn:

• The clinician’s role in setting boundaries while providing customer service
• Importance of understanding power dynamics as a clinician
• Practical strategies for managing client expectations with clarity
• Key conversation elements to “manage up,” beginning with alignment
• Why hesitancy is normal around raising rates: How to have “the money conversation”
• Difference in the value you’ve already provided vs. the potential ROI going forward
• Clear communication regarding raising your rates
• Mindset shifts to empower you to raise your rates
• Creativity in adding value for clients without increasing your live time with them

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

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How do you know if your idea for an online course is a good one? Today’s session kicks off a three-part series about online courses and how to build a sustainable online course as a therapist. The most common question I get is about ideas for online courses. If you’ve thought about launching an online course but have some hesitancy, this episode will be helpful for you. I remember going through the dilemma of choosing course ideas and wondering which ones are good. It was overwhelming, but I found a way to determine if a course idea is good, and I’m sharing what I’ve learned. 

You’ll Learn:

• The best course ideas aren’t invented but are discovered in the questions your people are already asking.
• Three anchors for validating a good course idea:
• Your audience is already dropping clues.
• Pay attention to how you are seen as an expert.
• If someone asks you the same question three times or more, that’s a signal.
• Validate before you build.
• Don’t spend time creating slides without validating your idea.
• Put together a poll or Google form to get feedback. (Fathom.video is a helpful resource!)
• Don’t chase what’s trending; choose what’s enduring.
• Ask, “Will this course idea still be relevant 10-15 years from now?”
• Use AI tools to gather information.
• If you’re looking for a great free resource about your online course, check out our Course Creator Starter Kit.

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

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Are you a clinician in private practice who has considered taking insurance–but you just aren’t sure? Maybe you already take insurance, but are overwhelmed with navigating denials and rejections. Either way, today’s session is packed with helpful information and strategic tips. Join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Jeremy Zug

Jeremy Zug is a partner at Practice Solutions, which offers support and insurance billing for therapists and private practices. Their mission is to partner with and empower providers to focus on patient care by removing the burden of billing. Jeremy shares information about denials and rejections, the difference between the two, and how to fix them. He also shares the top three reasons for denials and rejections. We are thrilled to welcome Jeremy as a returning guest to STC!

Practice Solutions 

You’ll Learn:

• What is a denial?
• The tricky layers of denials
• What is a rejection? (This is better than a denial and is usually fixable in a short amount of time.)
• Assessing your risk tolerance (low, medium, or high?)
• Fact: Some insurance companies are easier to work with than others. (Check their denial rates!)
• Insurance companies’ tactics to “control the spend”
• Jeremy’s advice about denials and appeals, especially for solo practitioners
• The top three reasons for denials: duplicate claim and service, coordination of benefits, and “denied for medical necessity”
• The top three reasons for rejections: credentialing issues, patient demographics, and “modifier inconsistent with place of service”
• The top actions therapists can take to fix denials and rejections: track them, look for a pattern/cause, and manage your insurance mixture
• An overview of Practice Solutions and their services (book, billing, and billing department support) Use this link for 20% off any of their services for STC listeners! 

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

📬 The Quiet Builder: A premium newsletter for therapists, founders & leaders building thoughtful work + lives.

The Quiet Builder

Today’s session revolves around the phrase “quiet builder.” We are discussing the concept behind this phrase, as well as why this mindset is so vitally important in this day of political uncertainty, escalating AI technology, etc. You may wonder how you can build something meaningful without being loud, fast, and constantly online, and I honestly think about this concept very often. When I started Selling the Couch in 2015, I knew that I didn’t want to build my business like everyone else; my definition of success differs from what society pressures us to do to be successful as entrepreneurs. I wanted to embody a more holistic definition of success and well-being, and my purpose remains much bigger than simply building a successful business. Join me as we explore the idea of being a quiet builder.

You’ll Learn:

• 3 Marks of a Quiet Builder:
• Quiet builders create from depth, not noise.
• They focus on long-form content.
• Quiet builders design their businesses around their lives, not the other way around. 
• They ask, “How do I build something I won’t resent 5-10 years from now?”
• Building with “margin” has become my goal.
• Quiet builders play the long game.
• They focus on timeless principles, like service, trust, and consistency as they look to cultivate a legacy.
• For building a values-driven, life-first business that goes against hustle culture messaging, join our new premium newsletter that is published twice monthly. Learn more about The Quiet Builder Newsletter. 

Resources:

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

Want to launch your podcast?

Please check out our free podcasting workshop called from Therapist To Thought Leader: Why Podcasting Could Be Your Next Big Move at https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworkshop

Mentioned in this episode:

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The Quiet Builder

Welcome to this session about AI and SEO, very relevant topics to consider in today’s world of constantly evolving technology. SEO is what most clinicians have focused on for many years, but the online world is changing rapidly in the face of new advancements in AI. With these advances come new levels of fear, excitement, and uncertainty about AI’s role in content creation, SEO, and more. If you feel lost and need direction around these topics, today’s podcast session will be helpful and informative. 

Our Featured Guest

Mary Walker

Mary Walker is the new owner of Simplified SEO Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping therapists and other professionals grow their practices through strategic search engine optimization. In this conversation, Mary explains how AI is enhancing SEO, how she sees website SEO evolving with AI, and some of the biggest mistakes therapists make with SEO and AI. 

Simplified SEO Consulting

You’ll Learn:

• Words of encouragement to clinicians about SEO
• Ways that AI is enhancing SEO (what we need to understand)
• Thoughts on changing your perspective if you’ve been fearful of AI
• Benefits of using social media and AI searches together
• Mary’s tips for maximizing SEO content on all platforms (Find out why YouTube is her #1 choice!)
• Don’t discount the effectiveness of video posts to share content and engage with your audience.
• Wisdom in balancing the frequency of social media posts and using AI tools to repurpose existing content (Mary recommends Pictory AI for easy video creation.)
• The scoop on schema markup–what it is and what it does (Find out more at schema.org.)
• Top SEO mistakes therapists make in the world of AI:
• Resisting change and being unwilling to adapt
• Writing content at a higher level, which AI doesn’t like
• Learn more about SEO with a free course and YouTube video series. Click here.

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

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Welcome! Today’s session kicks off a two-part series on podcasting for therapists. Today’s focus is on how podcasting can help you build something bigger than just a business and help establish you as a trusted voice that resonates far beyond the therapy room. If you are a therapist who has been wondering whether it’s time to expand your reach, this episode is for you. As I’ve grown as a podcaster, I’ve learned lessons about thinking of this skill set as a tool for reaching far beyond clinical work in serving others and growing a business. Even though I was initially surprised that people would even listen to my podcast, I’ve come to understand that podcasting for me wasn’t just about sharing content. It is simply “credibility building” in slow motion, but it’s not the loud credibility that permeates social media. It is the quiet kind that is built through consistency, trust, and service.

You’ll Learn:

• In a noisy world, depth builds trust, and podcasting creates space for depth.
• Three ideas about using podcasting to build your thought leadership:
• Thought leadership begins with trust, and podcasting builds trust–one episode at a time.
• People follow voices that they trust, and podcasting gives them the time and space to be human and not just polished. Authenticity is a strength!
• Podcasting helps you organize and articulate your ideas.
• You learn to refine frameworks, language, and points of view.
• Podcasting positions you as a thoughtful voice in a noisy world.
• You don’t need to be the loudest; you need to be the most aligned. Going viral and building a massive audience has a lot of downsides.
• Therapists who podcast consistently become trusted voices. 

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

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Welcome to a new season of STC after a break of several weeks. I’m excited to be back with new sessions! Today’s topic to explore is the all-important question of why some offers sell well and others flop. I’m joined by my friend Prerna Malik!

Our Featured Guest

Prerna Malik

Prerna has worked with well-known entrepreneurs like Pat Flynn as a conversion copywriter. She and I connected on LinkedIn, and I immediately saw that she comes from a place of integrity and wisdom. In this session, we discuss what offers are and the top three conversion secrets that make offers sell like crazy. You’ll find our conversation informational and inspirational. 

Prerna's Website and Free Email Course

You’ll Learn:

• What is an offer? (and what is it not?)
• Five key elements to an offer:
• The core offer
• Your unique mechanism
• Trust builders
• Desire drivers
• Objection demolishers
• Prerna’s top three conversion secrets to strong offers:
• Lead with emotion, simplicity, and clarity.
• Use specific messaging and positioning.
• Use user-based urgency.
• Maximizing the impact of your copy on your audience
• The most common mistakes entrepreneurs make in their offers
• A conversion mistake most people make without realizing it
• Thoughts on bonus offers: “Every bonus should have a purpose; otherwise, it’s just fluff.”

Resources:

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

📬 The Quiet Builder: A premium newsletter for therapists, founders & leaders building thoughtful work + lives.

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If you've ever thought about starting a podcast but felt overwhelmed by the idea of keeping it up long-term, this episode is for you! Whether you're still dreaming of launching or you've already started and are feeling burnout, I'm here to share the habits that have completely transformed my approach to podcasting. Podcasting can be an incredibly powerful tool to extend your reach and grow your impact beyond the therapy room, but without a sustainable strategy, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos. In today’s episode, I'll walk you through the 7 simple yet impactful habits that have changed my relationship with podcasting and made this endeavor sustainable for the long haul. Get ready to hear how you can implement these practices into your own podcasting journey and finally create a process that works for YOU!

You’ll Learn: 

• 7 habits that have changed everything for me:
• Design for longevity, not growth.
• Learn how I structure my podcast schedule around the life I want.
• Capture ideas daily.
• I use a private Slack channel to keep podcast ideas and give me a pipeline of new content.
• Follow a repeatable episode outline.
• Establish a framework for solo and guest episodes, and use solo episodes to invite people to your products and services.
• Batch record on off-months.
• I record January and February episodes in November and December and keep 3-6 episodes “in the bank” to create a buffer and flexibility.
• Warm up my voice and energy before recording.
• There are simple habits (tea, deep breathing, diction exercises, etc.) that work to help me treat my podcast like a speaking engagement.
• Promote my own offers first, and not just sponsors.
• Research shows that podcasters are the most trusted media personalities, and inviting people in through dynamic ads is a game changer. (Check out Captivate and the discount available for STC listeners.)
• Engage with listeners on a regular basis.
• Ask listeners what topics they want you to cover. Podcasting is not a one-way street!

Resources:

Try our FREE Podcasting Workshop to learn more.

Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!

Want to launch your online course?

Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.

If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Quiet Builder!

📬 The Quiet Builder: A premium newsletter for therapists, founders & leaders building thoughtful work + lives.

The Quiet Builder