Building a budget for your mental health practice isn’t just about tracking numbers—it’s about creating a plan that helps your practice thrive. In this episode of the Sit and Stay podcast, we talk through the key components of a practice budget, how to estimate revenue and expenses, plan for seasonal changes, avoid common mistakes, and use data like payer mix and RVUs to make better business decisions.

0:00 Introduction5:55 What are the key components of a mental health practice budget? 16:30 What are the nuances of the components of a mental health practice budget?20:05 How does accounting for salaries and benefits affect budgeting? 23:33 How do you prepare your budget for seasonal variability? 30:25 How can differing patient insurance reimbursements affect the budget?34:06 How do you decide how to divide up your payer mix appropriately?39:35 What budgeting mistakes should be avoided at all costs? 47:47 The Mental Health Business Moment Of The Week. 50:10 Conclusion

Running a mental health practice without a budget? You’re not alone—but it’s costing you more than you think.

In this episode, we explore why every mental health practice—whether solo or group—needs a budget. From reducing stress to planning for growth, Tom shares real stories and practical insights about what most providers miss when they skip this crucial step. We also discuss the financial blind spots that can derail your practice and how a budget can give you peace of mind when life throws a curveball.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow, this episode will help you build a foundation for long-term success.

0:00 Introduction2:41 Why is a budget important for a mental health practice? 7:12 What are some common blind spots when it comes to budgeting? 11:54 How can clinical care improve from budgeting at your practice? 17:17 What are some common mistakes people make when putting together a budget?21:57 Should budgets be reviewed and updated frequently? 25:54 The Mental Health Business Moment Of The Week. 29:04 Conclusion

In this episode of the Sit and Stay podcast, we’re joined by therapist Ida Milani, LMFT, who recently transitioned from a group practice to running her own private practice full time.

Ida shares how her early experiences shaped her passion for working with teens and young adults, and opens up about the realities of starting a practice from scratch.

We talk about marketing, money, social media, authenticity in the therapy room, and how AI might actually help therapists do more of what they love.

How should you divide the revenue your mental health practice brings in?

In this episode of the Sit and Stay Podcast, we explore how to allocate income across clinician pay, operational costs, and business savings, whether you're a solo provider or running a group practice.

Tom breaks down his recommended percentages, the psychology behind pay splits, and why clarity around revenue is essential for long-term sustainability.

In this episode, we sit down with Farokh Herfat, Head of Channel Partnerships at Twingate, to explore why modern cybersecurity is essential for mental health providers handling sensitive patient data.

Farokh breaks down the real-world risks facing small practices today, from phishing emails to password reuse and unsecured Wi-Fi. He explains how Twingate’s Zero Trust model helps protect both clinicians and their patients without the clunky frustrations of traditional VPNs.

We also talk about what sets Twingate apart, why small practices are increasingly targeted by hackers, and how even one wrong click can lead to devastating consequences for your business and your clients.

To learn more about Twingate, visit twingate.com.

In this episode, we break down why time-based billing might be hurting your practice, especially if you're a prescriber. Tom explains how using complexity-based billing (with E/M and psychotherapy add-on codes) can significantly improve patient reimbursement and reduce audit risk, even in cash-only practices. We also touch on how therapists can take advantage of interactive complexity codes, and why it's worth explaining this to patients.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Anna Yusim, an award-winning psychiatrist, executive coach, and author of Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life: https://www.amazon.com/Fulfilled-Science-Spirituality-Happier-Meaningful/dp/1455596795She shares how her path began with studying math at Stanford, then shifted to pre-med, followed by medical school at Yale, and psychiatry residency at NYU. That journey ultimately led her to develop a private practice that blends clinical care with spiritual insight, shaped in part by her experiences studying healing traditions across more than 70 countries.We also discuss her work as an executive coach, her efforts to build a new center for spirituality and mental health at Yale in collaboration with the Divinity School, and what the future of psychiatric care might look like.

For our 50th episode of the Sit and Stay Podcast, we’re doing something a little different—spotlighting our own EHR software for the first time.

In this special episode, we walk through two new features designed to make documentation easier for mental health providers: the AI Document Generator and AI Note Scribe.

We discuss why we built these tools, how they help clinicians reclaim time in their day, and the guardrails we’ve put in place to ensure they’re used responsibly.

We also share early feedback from users and real-life examples of how these features are already making an impact.

How do you ethically end care with a patient and how do you know when it’s time?

In this episode, we unpack why maintaining your patient list isn’t just good business but also good care.

From unreachable patients to poor therapeutic fit to non-payment, we cover the most common reasons for termination and how to handle each one ethically, legally, and compassionately.

In this episode of Sit and Stay, we explore why being self-employed as a mental health provider may offer more stability during economic downturns than you'd expect. Tom shares insights on job security, cash vs. insurance-based practices, and why clinicians often weather recessions better than most.