Do you know the one skill all successful CEOs had to learn how to master? Timeline jumping. Timeline jumping is about going for what you want, even if you feel scared or are not quite sure if it will work out because there are no guarantees or perfect timing. You don't have to wait until you have proven to yourself that you deserve your goal or to be 'that' person.

If you haven't heard of timeline jumping, you might have heard the phrase 'acting as if.' It's an exercise where you act as if you already have the things you want to have and you are already doing the things you want to be doing, and by doing so, you are pulling your goals closer to you.

That's why today's podcast episode is all about timeline jumping! Tune in as I dive deep into the concept of timeline jumping, what BHAG goals are, why you need them, how to get started on them, why timeline jumping is such a powerful exercise, and much more!

Topics covered in this episode:

• The concept of timeline jumping and how it can be applied in business and therapy
• Why your natural fear response in crisis situations is useful and it will not go away when pursuing goals
• Affirmations for navigating challenges and self-doubt when timeline jumping
• What BHAG goals are and why you need to start writing them down
• Questions to ask yourself when creating BHAG goals
• The power of visualization and embodiment when doing the timeline jumping exercise
• What the goal of timeline jumping is and how it brings you closer to achieving your goals
• Misconceptions about timeline jumping

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Related episodes:

• Ep 9 Overcoming Disappointment: The Biggest Obstacle to Business Success
• Ep 10 From Employee to CEO with Kristie Plantinga

Quote:

“That experience of literally becoming the person you want to be before you hit your goals is what timeline jumping is all about.” - Felicia

Today I’m back with another exciting guest episode! I’m thrilled to introduce you to Kristie Plantinga, the Founder of Therapie SEO and my only 1:1 client who is NOT a therapist. I have invited Kristie to share her entrepreneurship journey because it is truly impressive and offers lots of valuable lessons for everyone. 

In today’s podcast episode, we dive into Kristie’s life before she became a business owner, what it was like to start a business shortly before COVID, her transition from an employee to a CEO, the biggest challenges in the process, and how I helped her overcome them. Tune in as we discuss the importance and benefits of investing in your business, how it helped Kristie skyrocket her business, what she believes is the key to success and much more. You don't want to miss this episode!

More about Kristie Plantinga:

Kristie Plantinga is the founder of TherapieSEO, a marketing agency for therapists, coaches, and wellness practitioners. She is currently building a new kind of therapist directory called Best Therapists that vets therapists for quality, so therapy-seekers can focus on fit (coming summer 2023!).

Topics covered in this episode:

• Why therapists need a well built SEO-optimized website
• The dynamics in our work exchange relationship
• The benefits of holding multiple relationships
• What motivated Kristie to start her own business - Therapie SEO
• Kristie’s transition from an employee to a CEO
• Kristie shares the challenges she faced in stepping into her CEO identity
• The importance of celebrating your achievements 
• How transformative my CEO day experience was for Kristie
• The significance of having a supportive community as a business owner
• The value of making investments in yourself and your business
• If you want to succeed, you need to believe in yourself
• Embracing the mindset that everything in business is an experiment and a learning opportunity
• Where Kristie’s business is now

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Connect with Kristie:

• Website: www.therapieseo.com

Resources from this episode:

• Smartcuts by Shane Snow
• The Bad Therapist Reading List
• Jessie Susannah Karnatz a.k.a The Money Witch

Quote:

“This is especially true for therapists where so much of our identity is wrapped around being the practitioner. And it's a whole journey to recognize that we're entrepreneurs and to choose to be entrepreneurs, and then to get to enjoy the unique journey and like weirdness that is being an entrepreneur.” - Felicia

“I’ll always pick the challenges of being a business owner versus the challenges of working for someone else.” - Kristie

In today’s episode, I discuss a topic that is not often talked about among therapists - the biggest obstacle to business success: disappointment. The tricky thing about disappointment is that when we are feeling it, we are much more likely to misdiagnose the problem and make things worse than they actually are.

For example, let's say you start a new marketing strategy, and you expect it to bring in a new client within a week. But if it doesn't, you may get frustrated and start saying things like, "This sucks! I shouldn't have to do this. The marketing strategy clearly doesn’t work."

Disappointment is part of running a business but not falling into this trap requires some real CEO-level skills - skills that successful therapy business owners have mastered. And that's where I come in! In this episode, I talk about why we feel disappointed, tips on how to move through it without wasting time, stay focused on reaching your goals instead, and more!

In this episode, I chat about:

• The importance of knowing how to deal with disappointment in business
• Why you might be self-sabotaging your own business
• The difference between what you need and what your business needs
• Moments in the entrepreneurship journey when we tend to feel disappointment
• How to deal with disappointment in business
• Choosing a marketing plan for your business
• The importance of humility in your entrepreneurship journey
• Why you shouldn't compare yourself to other business owners
• Celebrating your wins

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Related episodes:

• Episode 8: Setting Boundaries & Valuing Your Worth as a Therapist with Emily Adams
• Episode 6: Mastering Your Marketing Strategy

Quote:

“The tricky thing about disappointment is that when we're feeling it, we are much more likely to misdiagnose the problem and actually make things worse. “ - Felicia

Get ready for an exciting and insightful episode of The Bad Therapist Show! Our first guest, Emily Adams, joins us to share her experiences and journey in becoming a therapist. As the perfect example of a "bad therapist," *wink wink*

Emily brings a unique perspective to the table. We cover so many great topics including what inspired Emily to get in the mental health space as well as why she specifically chose somatics. We also dive into the challenges she faced when building her private therapy practice, the importance of an abundant money mindset, and how to market your therapy business. Plus, we take a closer look at establishing and respecting your boundaries, setting cancellation policies, and overcoming the "scarcity mindset" that can creep in after a client ends therapy. You won't want to miss this one, because Emily has so much insight to share! 

More about Emily Adams:

Emily is a somatic therapist based in the Bay Area. She supports clients struggling with disconnection and nervous system overload to reconnect with themselves and others from a place of curiosity, compassion & wholeness. She offers teletherapy for clients anywhere in California.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What inspired Emily to become a somatic psychotherapist
• Emily’s first somatic experience and the impact it had on her
• Unique benefits of somatics compared to more “traditional” methods of therapy
• The biggest challenges Emily faced when building her private practice
• Why spaciousness is actually a good thing for you and your therapy practice
• How Emily got comfortable with marketing her therapy services
• How Emily's business has evolved over the years and the important lessons she learned
• It’s okay to WANT to make money as a therapist
• Why setting and enforcing boundaries with clients is beneficial for both the therapist and the client
• The "exceptions" of cancellation policies and how we handle them in our practices
• Emily’s beautiful message of self-compassion and growth that she would give to her younger self

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Connect with Emily:

• Website: www.emilyadamstherapy.com
• Instagram: @connected.ease

Quote:

“One promise that I make to my clients, in general, is that I will set up my practice in a way that protects me from resenting you.” - Emily

Are you tired of spending your precious time on intake calls that go on for WAY TOO long and rarely result in new clients? You’re not alone. I'm sure we have all had consult calls that were meant to last only 15 minutes but ended up going for 40 minutes because the client shared some heavy material and you basically gave them a free therapy session. After the call, the client leaves without booking a session, and you feel like you've just wasted your time. But it doesn't have to be that way.

In today's podcast episode, I provide practical tips on how to turn those exhausting calls into 10-minute screening calls that convert into paying clients, share the reasons why the typical 30-minute intake calls don't work for therapists, explain how to conduct screening calls instead, share my secret formula to a high conversion rate on intake calls, give you advice on how to handle common client objections, and more!

In this episode, I chat about:

• Shifting your mindset around screening calls to maximize conversions
• How to take control of conversations during intake calls
• What your screening process should look like
• Determining if the client is a good fit by asking these specific questions
• My proven 3-step strategy to turn screening calls into new clients
• Overcoming common objections and concerns clients may have

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money
• Freebie: The Bad Therapist Magic Sheet

Resources from this episode:

• Casey Truffo, Wealthy Therapist
• Mentaya Use the code THEBADTHERAPIST for your first 30 days free
• How to Keep Your Intake Calls Under 10 Minutes, Reliably Book Clients, and Handle Objections without Falling into the Trap of Trying to Prove Yourself

Quote:

“Separate and leave your discomfort with your fee at the door.” - Felicia

Are you tired of being bombarded with endless content about "must-follow" marketing strategies that will supposedly guarantee success for your business? If so, you're not alone. It's easy to feel frustrated and overwhelmed by marketing, especially when it seems like nothing is working. But don't give up just yet. In this podcast episode, we're going to change that mindset and show you that creating a perfect marketing strategy JUST FOR YOU is possible!

The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing that will guarantee results. We all have unique businesses and audiences, which means that what works for one therapist may not work for another. That's where my framework comes in. Tune in as I walk you through my framework of how to choose the right marketing strategy for you at any stage in your practice, how to avoid the biggest mistakes therapists make in marketing, how you know it’s time to stick or switch your strategy, and more!

In this episode, I chat about:

• Choosing a platform where you find your ideal clients
• Why your marketing strategy needs to be specific but simple
• How my marketing strategy evolved over time
• How to you know it’s time to simplify your marketing strategy
• The biggest mistakes therapists make in marketing
• What to do when you struggle with comparison
• What to do before you switch your marketing strategy
• How you can benefit from a mentor or private community

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Quote:

“The reason why I'm not teaching you the number one strategy to do this is because it doesn't actually exist.” - Felicia

If you’re like most therapists out there, you have very strong feelings about marketing. I won’t sugarcoat this…you hate marketing. You probably say things like: “I went to grad school to be able to help people, not to learn how to do marketing.” or “I’m a therapist, not a marketer, so why should I spend time marketing my services?” 

I hear you. I used to feel the same way about marketing. I resisted it so MUCH. But you know what? Ever since I shifted my attitude toward marketing, it completely transformed my business. I stopped hating marketing and actually started enjoying it! So if you are ready to stop hating marketing and use it to your advantage so you can attract your ideal clients, today’s podcast episode is for you. Join me as I share the biggest marketing mindset shifts I had to make, how it transformed my business, what I learned, and how you can start enjoying marketing too!

In this episode, I chat about:

• Why I felt resentful about marketing my business, and how I shifted my marketing mindset
• The biggest marketing mindset shifts I had to make 
• Limiting beliefs that stopped me from experimenting with marketing
• How to attract your ideal clients
• Why you need to show up on social media more times than you probably think you should
• The biggest challenge in running a business is not what you think it is
• Free practices to try if you're feeling stuck in your marketing

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Related episodes:

• Episode 4: How to Pick Your Niche as a Therapist

Quote:

“The nitty-gritty of running a business is actually not that complicated or hard. It's very, very straightforward. The thing that's hard about running a business, is all of the shit that comes up when you're trying to do it.”

Picking a therapy niche is a source of stress and worry for many of my clients. Some of them believe that picking a niche is a big decision and once it’s done, it cannot be changed (or at least that's what they thought until they started working with me). So let me show you a whole new way of picking a therapy niche that makes you happy and excited to show up for your clients. You can forget about creating another client avatar or journaling for months before you make the shift!

Tune into today's podcast episode as I tell you about the most common fears and mindset blocks that therapists have when they decide to niche down and how to shift them so niching feels like a fun experience.  Additionally, I share with you my favorite exercises I use with all my clients when picking a new therapy niche.

In this episode, I chat about:

• The biggest mindset barriers and fears among therapists about niching down
• A few examples of my clients who picked a therapy niche but right after decided to shift again
• How picking a therapy niche doesn’t mean you will work with the same kind of clients all the time
• Why niching down is a good thing
• How to adjust your messaging when you decide to niche down
• An exercise that helps you to pick your therapy niche and understand your messaging better
• A common mistake that therapists make on their websites
• A mindset practice you can adopt to work through a fear of success

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Resources from this episode:

• Psychology Today

Quote:

“Your niche shouldn't be something that you feel like you should do. It should be something you want to do.”

Tell me if any one of the following statements sounds familiar. “I can’t charge X amount of money. That’s much more than therapists charge in my area.” “I can’t take time off, my clients need me.” “I can’t enforce that cancellation policy, that would be crazy.” If that’s what you are thinking, I have only one question for you. Why not? It’s your business.

You went through the trouble of starting your own private practice but you’re not allowed to create the business you want? What?! You would not believe how many therapists feel like they have less freedom in their private practice than they would have if they worked in an agency. That’s why in today’s podcast episode, I talk about how to start acting on your desires, how to create a business that makes you happy, why we feel bad about enjoying life, how you can change it, and more!

In this episode, I chat about:

• Why many therapists have less freedom in their own private practice than in working for an agency
• Why we often feel bad about enjoying life
• Healing the belief that feeling good is not okay
• How to start paying attention to your desires
• Why you should stop looking for reasons to not fulfill your desires
• How to start connecting with your desires and thus create even more impact
• Affirmations for healing your limiting beliefs
• A simple practice to give your desires the attention they deserve

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Membership: Liberated Business
• Facebook group: Healing Money

Related episodes:

Episode 2 How to Raise Your Fees & Take a Week off Your Practice

Quote:

“Become a student of your desires and stop seeing them as enemies. Start seeing them as the key to your success and the way that you are going to be able to not just enjoy your life, but help even more people.”

Do you ever wish that you could just take a week off from seeing your clients? I’m not talking about taking a longer break for holidays and vacations, but taking a week off so you could step out of the employee role and step into your entrepreneurial self. Focus on your business only. If the answer is yes, then this episode is for you! 

If you are waiting for a secret roundabout way for you to take a week off without raising your fees, sorry, but it doesn’t exist. I know that some of you are probably cringing when you hear ‘raising fees’, but the reality is that most therapists need to raise fees for their services and that’s exactly what I will teach you in today’s podcast episode! Tune in to learn about how to set up your practice so you can earn enough money to take time off, how to use the time off and invest it into growing your business, how to let clients know that you are raising your fees, tips on healing your money blocks, and much more!

In this episode, I chat about:

• The first step you need to take so you can take a week off from seeing clients
• How to determine whether you need to raise your fees
• A free tool that helps you figure out what you should be charging for your services
• Common money blocks that stop you from raising your fees
• Why we devalue our labor and the labor of our fellow therapists
• This one mistake many therapists make when raising fees
• Why you need to start having regular CEO dates 
• My tips on healing your relationship with money

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: @the_bad_therapist
• Website: www.thebadtherapist.coach
• Freebie: The Bad Therapist Magic Sheet
• Membership: Liberated Business

Related episodes:

• Episode 1: My Journey of Becoming the 'Bad Therapist' 

Quote:

“The truth is not that people won't pay that amount of money. The truth is that we are unwilling to do the work so that we could have what we want and we have beliefs about the people who would pay us well for our work.”