Have you ever worried you’re too boring, too ordinary, or not “expert enough” for clients to pick you?

You’re not alone and you’re not seeing what clients actually look for.

Because when someone is scrolling through counsellor profiles, they’re asking one quiet question: “Would I feel safe with you?”

That’s The Armchair Test and it matters far more than perfect blogs, fancy qualifications or polished bios.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why safety - not perfection - is what helps clients choose
• The hidden fears that keep counsellors quiet
• The small human moment in my own writing that made clients choose me
• How a single honest paragraph can help someone imagine sitting with you and breathing easier

Links and resources:

• Join the ‘Framework First Blogging Method’ (£9/month) - Get step-by-step help writing blogs that connect and convert, even if writing doesn’t come naturally.
• Join the Grow Your Private Practice membership – Ongoing support, training, and encouragement to grow your practice with confidence and ease.
• Explore more free and paid resources, START HERE
• Connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn or email [email protected]

When someone searches for a therapist, they’re not scanning for qualifications, they’re searching for a feeling:

“Will I feel okay with you?”

“Can I tell you something hard and not feel judged?”

That’s what I call The Armchair Test, and once you understand how it works, you’ll never look at blogging (or marketing) the same way again.

In this episode, we explore:

• The real reason blogging builds client trust
• Why marketing isn’t about selling yourself
• What your clients are actually thinking when they find your website or directory profile
• The quiet power your blog has to help someone feel just a little safer

Mentioned in this episode:

• Join the ‘Framework First Blogging Method’ - Get step-by-step help writing blogs that connect and convert, even if writing doesn’t come naturally.
• Join the Grow Your Private Practice membership – Get ongoing support, training, and encouragement to grow your private practice with confidence.
• For more of my free and paid resources, START HERE
• Listen or read to: From ‘I can’t write’ to published author, with guest expert Zoe Clements

You’re doing all the right things, more CPD, new qualifications, more training, but your counselling practice is still quiet.

So what’s going on?

In this episode, we’re exploring the hidden trap many counsellors fall into — using learning as a way to feel productive when marketing feels uncomfortable.

If you’ve ever thought,

“Once I’ve done this next training, then I’ll work on my marketing…” this one’s for you.

We’ll unpack:

• Why your love of learning might be keeping you stuck
• The real reason you’re not getting counselling clients (and it’s not your qualifications)
• How clients actually choose a therapist and what they really need to hear from you
• The difference between CPD that helps your practice grow and CPD that keeps you hiding
• Gentle, simple ways to start showing up and getting found without being loud, fake or salesy

You don’t need another certificate.

You need clarity, connection, and confidence in your marketing and this episode will help you start right where you are.

Links & Resources

• Directory Revival - turn your directory listing into a client magnet
• Framework First - a gentle, structured way to blog without overwhelm
• Start Here - free resources to help you attract more counselling clients, even if marketing makes you squirm a bit
• Connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

Ever feel like everything you could possibly say about self-care, stress, or slowing down has already been said?

As a counsellor, you want to share ideas that genuinely help people but when every blog and social post seems to repeat the same advice, it’s easy to worry that your writing won’t stand out.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to make your counselling blogs feel fresh, human, and authentic even when you’re writing about familiar topics.

You’ll learn how to go deeper than surface-level “tips,” write in a way that connects, and use your real voice to build trust with the people who need you most.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• Why “tired” wellness advice isn’t bad - it’s just overused
• How to write about familiar ideas in a way that still feels meaningful
• The small storytelling tweaks that make your words land
• Why your personal reflections matter more than being original
• Five simple ways to bring warmth and connection into your writing

Links & Resources

• Join the Grow Your Private Practice Membership – get support, structure, and guidance to help you get found by the right clients through ethical marketing and blogging.
• Find the full blog version of this episode: How to Share More Meaningful Ideas (Without Sounding Like Everyone Else)
• Amish Hour
• Connect on Instagram or LinkedIn

You close the laptop after your final session. The house is quiet.

And even though you’ve spent all day talking, you haven’t actually connected with anyone.

That quiet ache you sometimes feel? That’s loneliness. And it’s more common than counsellors admit.

In this heartfelt episode, we’re talking honestly about what it’s like to work alone in private practice - the isolation, the silence, and the subtle way it can creep in.

We’ll explore:

• Why working solo can feel so quietly disconnecting
• Why needing connection doesn’t make you “less professional”
• Realistic ways to bring more warmth, laughter, and community into your working life
• How to make networking feel like making friends, not marketing torture
• Simple ways to stay connected whether you work online or locally

You don’t need to overhaul your diary or become a social butterfly. Just one coffee, one chat, one small step can make a big difference.

You’re a counsellor but you’re a person too. And you were never meant to do this alone.

Find '11 Simple Steps to Master Smalltalk' in The Vault: A library of free resources to help you grow your private practice with confidence and ease → Sign up for free

Overthinking doesn’t always feel like fear, sometimes it looks like planning, researching, or endlessly tweaking things instead of actually starting.

In this episode, we’re exploring what overthinking really looks like for counsellors and coaches, how it shows up in sneaky ways, and what to do when you feel completely stuck.

I’m also sharing a personal story about getting stuck in naming my own program, and the moment I finally realised I wasn’t being strategic, I was just avoiding.

If you’ve been circling an idea without ever getting it off the ground, this one’s for YOU.

You’ll hear:

• What overthinking really looks and feels like
• Why it shows up (especially for thoughtful people)
• Gentle, doable ways to shift into action, even if it’s just a small step

And if you’d like support with moving from “stuck in your head” to hitting publish on your blog, my Grow Your Blog membership is here to help.

Learn more: janetravis.co.uk/framework-first

And for more of my free and paid resources CLICK HERE

You hold space for everyone else - clients, family, friends. From the outside, it looks like you’re coping. But inside? You’re tired in a way that rest doesn’t touch.

In this episode, I share my own story of counsellor burnout, the subtle signs you might be missing, and a few gentle ways to support yourself when you’re running on empty. 

Because burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like silence, stillness, or sighing at another message you can’t face replying to.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

• Subtle signs of counsellor burnout
• My personal experience during lockdown
• 5 gentle, sensory ways to support yourself
• Encouragement if you’re feeling flat, foggy, or disconnected

• Explore Grow Your Blog + Framework First
• Related episodes on burnout with amazing guests:
• Compassion fatigue and burnout: What therapists need to know, with Howard Baumgarten
• Therapist burnout: How to spot it and take action, with Charlie Hyde
• And for more of my free and paid resources CLICK HERE

Many counsellors feel awkward about charging, or even apologetic when talking about their fees. In this episode, I share my own experiences from being told off by an electrician friend for undervaluing myself, to walking up Lincoln’s Steep Hill every week to pay for counselling when my self-esteem was at rock bottom.

We’ll explore:

• Why so many counsellors feel guilty about money
• The hidden cost of not raising your fees for years
• How paying for therapy can actually be part of the healing process
• Why charging fairly helps both you and your clients

If you’ve ever struggled with the money side of private practice, this episode is here to remind you: you don’t need to apologise for charging.

Resources & Links:

• Get Rich, Lucky Bitch by Denise Duffield-Thomas
• The Grow Your Private Practice Book
• Get access to free resources The Vault

You might also like:

• Compassion fatigue and burnout: What therapists need to know, with Howard Baumgarten
• Therapist burnout: How to spot it and take action, with Charlie Hyde
• Should Counsellors Offer Concessions? What to Consider Before You Decide
• Putting a Price on Therapy: The Importance of Getting it Right
• Increasing prices the pain free way

Walking into the gym after a long break can feel so hard.

You look around and everyone seems to know what they’re doing - toned, confident, striding on machines that look more like torture devices than exercise equipment.

Meanwhile, you’re tugging at your leggings, feeling out of place, and wondering if it would be easier to give up and buy a big box of Maltesers on the way home.

That’s exactly how marketing your private practice can feel.

You see other counsellors with slick websites, polished blogs, or big social followings and you think, “I don’t belong here.”

But remember, just like in the gym, every single one of them had to start somewhere.

In this episode, I’ll show you why blogging is the treadmill of marketing: reliable, adaptable, and the perfect first step to get you moving.

Just like the treadmill builds stamina, strength, and confidence for everything else in the gym, blogging gives you the solid foundation you need for the rest of your marketing.

You’ll learn:

• Why blogging is a safe, steady starting point, whether you’re brand new or experienced.
• How consistency builds confidence (like going from 2 minutes on the cross trainer to 30).
• Why you don’t need the “flashy machines” of marketing before you’ve got a solid base.
• How blogging supports everything else: social media, directories, networking, even workshops.

So if you’ve been standing at the edge of your marketing 'gym', comparing yourself to everyone who looks like they’ve got it together, this episode is your nudge to step onto the treadmill and just get started.

👉 And if blogging feels overwhelming, that’s exactly why I created Grow Your Blog. It’s designed to help you start, stay consistent, and build your confidence, whether you’ve written zero blogs or fifty. Find out more here

And for more of my free and paid resources CLICK HERE

Procrastination doesn’t mean you’re lazy; it means your energy is stuck.

In this episode, I share why getting stuck feels so frustrating (especially when you compare yourself to other counsellors who seem to be doing it all), and how you can see it in a completely different way.

You’ll discover:

• Why procrastination isn’t a sign of failure or laziness (phew!)
• The real reasons you put off tasks in your private practice
• Simple, doable steps to release that stuck energy and get moving again

If you’ve ever found yourself tidying your desk, scrolling social media, or avoiding that important task, this episode will help you move forward with more ease and confidence.

Come and join us inside The Grow Your Private Practice membership. A safe, supportive space where you’ll find practical tools, step-by-step guidance, and a community that gets it.

And if you’d like to explore more free and paid resources to help you along the way, you can start right here: janetravis.co.uk/start-here