What if raising your therapy fees and saying no to clients more often could actually double your private practice income? That's exactly what happened to Erin Cantor, a play therapist in New York City who went from $8,000 to $14,000 per month in just three months of being in my signature program, Liberated Business.
In this episode, I’m chatting with Erin about the specific changes she made that led to her rapid growth, why she requires three parent sessions before working with any child, and how learning to say no to clients became her biggest marketing strategy. Erin got ruthlessly clear about which cases to accept, raised her fees without apologizing, and implemented a firm cancellation policy faster than most therapists would dare. And the wild part? Her clients thanked her for it.
If you've ever felt guilty about turning away potential clients or wondered whether you're charging enough for your expertise, this conversation will shift something for you. Erin's story proves that building a private practice on your terms isn't just possible; it's profitable.
More about Erin Cantor:
Erin Cantor, M.A., MSW, LCSW is a child play therapist and adolescent, adult and family psychotherapist working in private practice in New York City. A graduate of the three-year child and adolescent psychotherapy training program (CAPTP) at The William Alanson White Institute, she is also trained in Family Therapy from Ackerman Institute, and completed the one year infant observation program with the Anni Bergman Parent Infant training program (ABPIP) with Contemporary Freudian Society (CFS) and Institute for Psychoanalytic Training and Research (IPTAR). In addition to her psychotherapy work, Erin is also a clinical writer, presenter, and consultant.
Topics covered on Saying No To Clients:
- Saying no to clients became the turning point that allowed Erin to double her practice income while working fewer hours
- The three immediate changes Erin made to her private practice that led to explosive growth
- How Erin discovered her specialty in play therapy and high-conflict divorce cases was actually rare and valuable, not something every therapist does
- The moment Erin realized that saying no to clients she felt confused about was actually better for everyone involved, including the child
- The surprising way that parents who declined to work with Erin became some of her best referral sources
Resources from this episode:
- Holdspace Creative: https://www.holdspacecreative.com/
- Liberated Business: https://www.thebadtherapist.coach/liberatedbusiness
Connect with Erin Cantor:
- Website: www.erincantorlcswpllc.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-c-377181153
Connect with Felicia:
- Get my freebie & join the email list: The Magic Sheets
- Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
- Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
Quote:
"I started to say no more, and I got to more yeses." - Erin Cantor