The Money Part of Private Practice (Heard Business School)

Most therapists in private practice run a business with one revenue line, the client hour. Anim Aweh decided that wouldn't be her whole story. Over 16 years she has built a private practice, a corporate wellness consulting firm, a movement called Therapy Over Silence, a children's book, a YouTube channel, and a speaking career. She recently accepted a director of marketing role at a tech company.

In this episode, Andrew asks Anim how she got from "I'm just a social worker" to all of that. Her answer is that therapists already have the skills. The intake is a needs assessment. The treatment plan is a proposal. Collecting outcome data is how you get invited back. What has to change is the belief that the one-hour session is the only thing you're allowed to do.

Anim walks through her first corporate engagement with an engineering firm, how she finds the right contact inside a company on LinkedIn, the budgets companies already have for this kind of work, and what to say when someone tells you they already have an EAP nobody uses. She also talks about a relationship that turned into paid work three years after an awkward introduction at a party.

The conversation closes on money. Anim shares how she handles bookkeeping across several income streams, why she moved from an LLC to an S corp on her accountant's advice, and what changed the first time she filed afterward.

What you'll learn:

• How to translate clinical skills into consulting: intake, treatment plan, outcomes
• Who to contact inside a company (HR, ERG leads, head of people) and how to find them
• Where corporate budgets for wellness programs come from
• How to respond when a company says it already has a program nobody uses
• Why pre and post surveys matter more than anything else for repeat work
• How Anim uses AI in her day to day and where she draws the line clinically
• Why an S corp changed her tax picture

Timestamps: 
02:15 From "just a social worker" to director of marketing 
03:44 The mindset shift 
06:30 Imposter syndrome 
08:55 Talking the talk in business settings 
12:27 What corporate clients want and landing the first engagement 
15:51 Who to reach out to inside a company 
17:50 The budgets that already exist 
18:13 "We already have an EAP nobody uses" 
19:25 The relationship that paid off years later 
21:01 Measuring results with pre and post surveys 
24:40 What a week looks like now 
26:31 Prioritization and staying grounded 
29:19 How Anim uses AI 
31:17 AI in clinical work and licensing boards 
33:52 Her tool stack 
36:31 Bookkeeping across multiple income streams 
38:33 Switching from an LLC to an S corp 
39:55 Energy over a number 
41:59 Where to find Anim

About Anim Aweh: Anim Aweh is a licensed clinical social worker with a public health background. She is the founder of Aweh Supports, a consulting practice that helps companies build employee wellness programs, and the force behind Therapy Over Silence, a movement to close the mental health gap in Black and brown communities. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and Yahoo News. She co-hosts the Founders Table, a cohort program for clinicians ready to move into consulting and other ventures.

Links:

• Anim on social: @animawer
• Founders Table: https://the-founders-table.com/braveweekend-page
• Heard: https://www.joinheard.com

About Heard: Heard is financial management software built for therapists. Bookkeeping, quarterly and annual taxes, payroll, and banking in one place, so you can focus on your clients. Learn more at joinheard.com.

How do you know when you're ready to leave group practice and start your own? In this episode of The Money Part, Heard co-founder Andrew Riesen talks with Nia Henderson, LMFT, founder of Soft Spot Therapy Collective in Illinois, about the real timeline, pay math, and fear involved in going independent.

She also shares how she told her group practice owner she was leaving, how she's moving clients over in batches, and the advice she'd give any therapist in the messy middle: take your time and find your footing. You do not need to be a perfect business owner on day one.

Nia is a Black queer therapist serving BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals and couples navigating relational trauma and sociocultural stress, using narrative therapy, somatic work, and Internal Family Systems. Her long-term vision is a community healing center with integrated care.

Questions this episode answers

What is a typical group practice pay split for a pre-licensed therapist?
 How much do therapists make per session at a 50/50 split?
 How do you negotiate a higher split in group practice?
 How long does it take to plan a private practice?
 How do you tell your group practice owner you're leaving?
 How do you transition clients from group practice to private practice?
 How do you prepare financially before going independent?

Chapters

00:00 Cold open: "It was a grueling experience"
 00:23 Welcome to The Money Part
 01:13 Meet Nia Henderson, LMFT, founder of Soft Spot Therapy Collective
 02:57 Why Nia became a therapist: from neuroscience research to clinical work
 11:40 Bringing your full identity into private practice
 16:01 The grueling road to licensure in group practice
 19:39 Group practice pay splits: 50/50, 52%, and negotiating for 60%
 24:18 The messy middle: building a practice while still employed
 29:06 How to tell your group practice owner you're leaving
 32:36 The biggest fear about going independent: the money
 35:19 How Nia prepared financially for the transition
 38:11 Advice for therapists becoming accidental entrepreneurs
 41:16 Closing

Links

Soft Spot Therapy Collective: https://softspottc.com/
 Heard: https://www.joinheard.com

In this conversation, Laura Reagan, an integrative trauma therapist, shares her journey from a clinician to a podcast host and entrepreneur. She discusses her experiences with trauma, the evolution of her podcast 'Therapy Chat', and the creation of the Trauma Therapist Network. Laura emphasizes the importance of understanding trauma, the need for bottom-up therapies, and the challenges therapists face in valuing their work. The conversation highlights the impact of therapy and the visibility of therapists in a world where mental health is increasingly discussed. In this conversation, Laura Reagan, LCSW-C, discusses the complexities of access to therapy, the sustainability of therapy practices, and the systemic challenges faced by social workers. She emphasizes the importance of financial stability for therapists and advocates for a more supportive environment within the field. Laura shares her journey in building a successful group practice and offers advice for new therapists on self-belief and advocacy.

Find Laura here:
https://traumatherapistnetwork.com/
https://traumatherapistnetwork.com/podcast-category/therapy-chat-podcast/

Learn more about Heard:
www.joinheard.com 

Book a free consult:
www.joinheard.com/welcome-form

Summary

In this episode, Dr. Marie Fang shares her journey from starting her private practice in 2012 to becoming a leading expert in marketing and niching for therapists. She discusses practical strategies for building a full caseload, the importance of authentic marketing, and how to adapt to the changing digital landscape, including SEO and AI.

Key Topics

The early challenges of starting a private practice
The importance of niching and specialization
Practical SEO strategies for therapists
The role of community and referral networks
Reframing marketing as helping others find you
The impact of AI on search and marketing
Building authentic online presence
Balancing personal values with business growth

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Dr. Fang's background
03:23 Starting her practice in 2012 and initial challenges
07:31 Early marketing efforts and lessons learned
12:20 The importance of embracing the slow build
16:58 Building a niche and its impact on practice growth
24:44 Handling challenges and staying energized
30:37 Coming out as an affirming Christian therapist
41:13 Adapting marketing strategies in the AI era
52:21 Practical tips for online presence and SEO
56:36 The role of social media and authenticity
01:00:18 Final advice for therapists starting or growing their practice
01:01:21 Closing and where to find Dr. Fang

Where to find Dr. Marie Fang:
https://privatepracticeskills.com/

Interested in Heard? Book a free consult any time:
www.joinheard.com/welcome-form

Talking about money makes most therapists uncomfortable, especially when it comes to raising fees.

Tiffany McLain, Founder and CEO of Lean In. MAKE BANK., joins Michael Fulwiler to explore how therapists can build financially sustainable practices without sacrificing their values or clinical integrity.

Tiffany shares how her personal upbringing shaped her views on money, why sliding scales aren’t always ethical, and how therapists can rethink their business model to better support themselves and their clients. She also breaks down the unconscious patterns that often hold therapists back from charging what they need and how confronting those patterns can deepen the clinical work.

Listen to this conversation to help you think differently about what it means to be a successful therapist in private practice.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• The internalized beliefs that hold therapists back from raising fees, and how these often stem from family dynamics
• What therapists get wrong about sliding scale models and why setting fees based on assumptions about a client’s income can damage the therapeutic relationship
• The strategy Tiffany teaches to help therapists leave insurance panels and build premium-fee caseloads

Connect with the guest:

• Tiffany on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leaninmakebank/ 
• Tiffany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanymclain/
• Visit the Lean In. MAKE BANK. website: https://leaninmakebank.com/ 

Connect with Heard:

• Andrew Riesen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewriesen/
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: https://www.joinheard.com/welcome-form 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(01:05) Meet Tiffany McLain

(02:21) Childhood Lessons that Shaped Tiffany’s Money Beliefs

(04:34) Hiding Financial Goals During Therapy School Interviews

(06:20) The Mindset Most Therapists Bring to Private Practice

(08:03) How Tiffany Challenged the Fee Status Quo

(10:12) Early Lessons on Raising Fees at Access

(12:24) Common Myths Therapists Believe about Setting Fees

(14:54) Why Therapists Assume Clients Can’t Afford Therapy

(16:32) Private Practice Isn’t Built to Serve Everyone

(19:40) Sliding Scale Often Masks Money Avoidance

(23:02) A Practical Method for Calculating Your Fee

(25:30) What to Say When Raising Your Rate

(30:18) Low Fees Can Harm the Therapeutic Relationship

(33:59) Can You Build a Practice on Insurance?

(40:31) Tiffany’s Four-Step Framework for Premium Practices

(46:39) Hiring Challenges and Growing a Values-Led Business

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.

What does it take to turn decades of clinical experience into a movement that reshapes therapy around the world? 

Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman joins Michael Fulwiler to share her personal and professional journey behind co-founding The Gottman Institute and co-developing the Gottman Method.

Julie recounts the pivotal decisions that led her from private practice to co-creating a global clinical training business with her husband, Dr. John Gottman. She also opens up about growing up in a family shaped by generational trauma, navigating early challenges in the mental health field, and why she’s always gravitated toward serving clients in deep pain.

Tune in to learn how Julie balanced a mission-driven mindset with the realities of running a business, and why therapists should protect their values even as their practices grow.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• Building a sustainable private practice rooted in service
• How the Gottman Method evolved from research to widely taught clinical framework
• What every therapist needs to remember when navigating visibility and legacy

Connect with the guest:

• The Gottman Institute on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gottmaninstitute/ 
• The Gottman Institute on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gottman-institute/ 
• Visit The Gottman Institute website: https://www.gottman.com/ 

Connect with Heard:

• Andrew Riesen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewriesen/
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: https://www.joinheard.com/welcome-form 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(00:25) Meet Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman

(01:26) How generational trauma shaped Julie’s early life

(03:51) Childhood suicide attempt that changed her path

(05:05) Visiting concentration camps and reclaiming Jewish identity

(06:52) Creating a crisis hotline during the Vietnam War

(13:09) Polio, pain, and finding empathy through suffering

(15:21) Living in India and feeding street children

(17:21) Journey from Kathmandu to grad school in 36 hours

(22:15) Meeting John Gottman and instant recognition

(28:41) Launching the Gottman Institute from a dining table

(31:09) Developing the Gottman Method

(35:53) Working 40 clinical hours while building a business

(42:51) Upholding standards for the Gottman Referral Network

(47:16) Facing constant sexism while building a global brand

(52:39) Rapid-fire questions on legacy, joy, and hope

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.

Therapists entering the field face a hidden obstacle that can derail their entire career: finding affordable, accessible clinical supervision.

Rachel Ledbetter, licensed marriage and family therapist and CEO of Motivo, joins Michael Fulwiler to share how her own struggle to get licensed in rural Georgia led her to build a company that’s now helping thousands of therapists cross the finish line to licensure.

In this candid conversation, Rachel talks about her early startup mistakes, the values that guide Motivo’s pricing model, and what it’s like to raise venture capital as a therapist in tech. She also reflects on the identity shifts that came with divorce and growing a mission-driven company.

Listen to this episode to hear how Rachel turned one of the biggest barriers to becoming a therapist into a business that’s helping others get licensed.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• The supervision bottleneck and why so many therapists never get licensed
• How Rachel bootstrapped Motivo without a technical background
• What therapists get wrong about venture capital and tech startups

Connect with the guest:

• Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelmccrickard/ 
• Visit the Motivo website: https://motivohealth.com/ 

Connect with Heard:

• Andrew Riesen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewriesen/
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: https://www.joinheard.com/welcome-form 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(00:51) Meet Rachel Ledbetter

(03:00) From Bible Ministry Degree to Therapy Career

(05:00) Shifting Away from Faith-Based Counseling

(07:00) Working Skid Row and Post-Grad Supervision Struggles

(09:00) Driving Four Hours Weekly for Supervision

(11:00) Launching Motivo on Shopify with No Tech Team

(13:00) Growing Fast Through Professional Association Partnerships

(15:00) Why Motivo Switched to B2B Model

(17:00) The Supervision Crisis Blocking Licensure for Therapists

(21:00) What Most Therapists Misunderstand about Venture Capital

(24:00) Why Motivo Doesn’t Let Supervisors Set Rates

(27:00) Learning to Give Hard Feedback as a Leader

(34:00) Separating Your Identity from Your Business

(42:00) Advice for Therapists Who Want to Build Tech

(49:00) Rachel’s Favorite Founders and Lessons from Luck

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode. 

What if your love for sneakers, storytelling, and sports could help shape a thriving private practice?

Liz Beecroft-Ridgway, licensed clinical social worker and founder of MENTL.SESH, joins Michael Fulwiler to share how she built a brand that bridges therapy, creative partnerships, and athlete mental health. From designing a sneaker with Nike to leading workshops with Saucony and speaking at Phillies games, Liz reveals how she’s turned her unique passions into professional impact.

She opens up about leaving the foster care system, launching her own practice, and learning how to price, pitch, and partner with major brands, all while staying true to her mission.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• How to position your practice to attract aligned partnerships
• Why therapists should embrace their full identity online
• What to consider when creating custom vs. standardized offerings

Connect with the guest:

• Liz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizbcroft/ 
• Liz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizbcroftlcsw/ 
• Visit the MENTL.SESH website: https://www.mentlsesh.com/ 

Connect with Michael and Heard:

• Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfulwiler/ 
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: joinheard.com/consult 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(00:18) Meet Liz Beecroft-Ridgway 

(01:31) How Philly Sports Culture Shaped Liz

(03:09) Anxiety and Pressure in Competitive Youth Sports

(05:38) How Female Athletes Process Mental Health Differently

(07:06) From Bio Major to Psych Major at NYU

(09:50) Posting Sneakers Online Led to Burnout Relief

(11:06) Designing a Nike Sneaker About Mental Health

(14:24) Working in Foster Care and the Burnout Cycle

(18:14) First Steps into Building a Private Practice

(20:21) Shifting Niche to Athletes and High Performers

(23:28) Therapists vs. Sports Psychologists

(25:26) Launching a Brand That’s Bigger Than Therapy

(28:43) Creating Mental Health Tools Through Brand Partnerships

(38:33) Pricing Custom Workshops Without Underselling Yourself

(43:27) What Therapists Should Know About Sponsored Content

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.

Leaving community mental health to build a thriving private practice isn’t easy, especially as a young therapist navigating burnout, financial stress, and single motherhood.

Danielle Swimm, licensed clinical social worker and founder of The Entrepreneurial Therapist, joins Michael Fulwiler to share her path from driving Uber and making home visits to coaching other therapists on how to market themselves, go off insurance panels, and build sustainable businesses.

Danielle opens up about the mindset shifts that helped her stop “manic marketing,” redefine entrepreneurship on her own terms, and create time freedom while staying clinically excellent.

Listen in to learn how she went from feeling overwhelmed and underpaid to becoming a confident therapist entrepreneur with multiple income streams, and how you can, too.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• How to leave insurance panels and still fill your caseload
• Danielle’s favorite strategies for getting private pay clients
• Why doing less but better is her business mantra

Connect with the guest:

• Danielle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneurialtherapist/ 
• Danielle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-swimm-283160234/ 
• Visit The Entrepreneurial Therapist website: https://www.theentrepreneurialtherapist.com/ 

Connect with Michael and Heard:

• Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfulwiler/ 
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: joinheard.com/consult 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(00:25) Meet Danielle Swimm

(03:19) Discovering therapy at 16 and struggling through high school

(04:21) Learning leadership and business from a clinical director

(07:25) Driving for Uber and doing crisis work to make ends meet

(10:39) The realities and risks of doing unmonitored home visits

(13:04) Learning marketing through trial and error without business mentors

(18:00) Redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur as a therapist

(22:32) The long, messy road to starting a private practice

(25:05) How Danielle transitioned off insurance panels

(27:14) Manic marketing vs. focused marketing

(30:46) Embracing the mindset of a full caseload before it happens

(36:08) Behind the scenes of Danielle’s course, Mastermind, and income streams

(45:17) The best ways to get private pay clients today

(48:11) Navigating tech, AI, and therapy’s uncertain future

(53:33) Rapid-fire questions on motherhood, burnout, bad advice, and being seen

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.

Many therapists are feeling pressured to adopt the latest tech tools, but what if embracing every new innovation isn’t always in the best interest of your practice?

Candice Thompson, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Silicon Valley, joins host Michael Fulwiler to share why she calls herself “tech cautious” and how that stance has helped her build a thoughtful, sustainable private practice. 

With 20 years of experience and a growing voice on LinkedIn, Candice offers a grounded perspective on privacy, ethics, and the dangers of moving too fast in a tech-driven therapy world.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• The real risks of AI, coaching overreach, and client data breaches
• How to choose tech that serves your practice, not the other way around
• Why licensed therapists must be the gatekeepers in today’s mental health landscape

Connect with the guest:

• Candice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-thompson-lmft/
• Visit her website: https://candicecandelaria.com/ 

Connect with Heard:

• Andrew Riesen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewriesen/
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: https://www.joinheard.com/welcome-form 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(00:29) Meet Candice Thompson

(01:49) How Therapy Inspired Candice to Change Careers

(03:33) What USC Taught Her About Ethics and Business

(04:26) Starting Out with No Financial Safety Net

(08:40) How Candice Launched Her Private Practice

(09:59) Using LinkedIn to Think Like an Entrepreneur

(11:44) When Coaching Becomes Illegal Therapy Without a License

(15:19) Why Licensing Exists and Protects Clients From Harm

(18:57) The Dangers of Data Breaches in Therapy Tech

(28:05) What Tech Founders Know About Screen Time

(31:21) Why Candice Chose Spring Health Over Others

(33:03) How Candice Went Viral on LinkedIn

(42:47) A Therapist’s Unfiltered Take on AI in Therapy

(46:41) The Eating Disorder Chatbot That Got Pulled

(50:28) Therapists Have the Power to Shape This Industry

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.