Worth It Practice

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Business is a gamble. I’m constantly making investments, trying new strategies, and taking risks in my own practice. And as a consulting client, you’d probably come to me at some point and say, “Leah, I’m scared. What if this decision doesn’t work?”

I wouldn’t tell you not to do it. But I also wouldn’t tell you everything will magically work out.

Instead, I’d walk you through the same business decision-making framework I use myself.

In this episode, I’m sharing the risk management process I use when I’m facing a scary decision – and the questions I ask when someone I’m working with needs help deciding whether a risk is actually worth taking.

I talk about:

• Why your risk management process should include running the real numbers
• Why a strong CEO mindset doesn’t mean assuming everything will work out
• How better business decision-making can help you trust yourself instead of constantly looking for reassurance

I’ve made decisions that worked incredibly well, and I’ve made decisions that cost me money. That’s part of business. Developing a CEO mindset means accepting that uncertainty while still making thoughtful, informed choices.

And that’s ultimately what I want for every consulting client I work with. I don’t want you dependent on me to make every decision. I want to help you develop your own risk management process so you can evaluate opportunities and decide what makes sense for your business.

Strong business decision-making isn’t about eliminating risk. A CEO mindset isn’t about becoming fearless, either. It’s about understanding the risk you’re taking, what you stand to gain, what you could lose, and what you’ll do if things start going wrong.

Whether you’re currently a consulting client or simply wish you could bring your scary business decision into a session with me, this episode gives you the framework I’d use to help you think it through.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

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I’ve heard practice owners say it’s impossible to make money in mental health or that you can’t be profitable until your group practice reaches a certain size. That hasn’t been my experience.

Over 10 years of practice ownership, I’ve maintained business profit at every stage of Thriving Child Center, from seeing clients on Saturdays while working full-time to running a multi-seven-figure group practice today.

In this episode, I’m walking you through how I did it and the practice management decisions that helped me protect profitability as I grew.

I talk about:

• The important difference between revenue and business profit
• How I knew when it was finally time to invest in admin support
• Why your expenses need to grow intentionally as you scale your business
• Why practice ownership should financially compensate you for the risk and responsibility you take on

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about practice management is that growth is a balancing act. Delegate too early, and you can take on expenses your practice can’t comfortably support. Wait too long, and you can become overwhelmed and turn yourself into the bottleneck.

If you want to scale your business, don’t get distracted by impressive revenue numbers. Your practice can bring in a lot of money while leaving very little for you to actually take home.

For me, protecting business profit has meant knowing when to invest, when to keep doing the work myself, and when the practice was financially ready for the next stage of growth.

Good practice management isn’t about growing as quickly as possible. And successful practice ownership isn’t about earning the biggest revenue number you can advertise. The goal is to scale your business in a way that allows the practice, and you, to remain financially healthy.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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There’s a version of private practice ownership we see all over social media: set up your systems, make money while you sleep, and run your business from a beach somewhere. But that’s not the full reality of practice management at least not all the time.

I’m recording this episode on Labor Day because I’m currently in a season of growth and working harder than I normally do. And I want to talk about why that doesn’t automatically mean something has gone wrong.

In this episode, I’m sharing what I think good healthcare practice management actually looks like when you account for the natural seasons of business ownership. Sometimes you’re building, growing, or solving a problem, and that requires more of you. Other times, your systems are established and you can step back. Knowing the difference is an important part of avoiding entrepreneur burnout.

I talk about:

• How I think about growth seasons versus periods of stability
• Why sustainable practice management requires knowing when you’re sprinting and when you’re running a marathon
• How healthcare practice management changes as your team and systems grow
• The therapist resources and support that can help when you can’t see a path out of constant hustle

There’s nothing inherently wrong with working hard when you know what you’re working toward. The bigger concern for entrepreneur burnout is when the hustle never ends, and you can’t identify what needs to happen for things to ease up.

Good practice management isn’t about avoiding hard work entirely. And good healthcare practice management isn’t about building a business you never have to touch again. It’s about creating something sustainable enough that intense seasons can eventually give way to easier ones.

If you’re in a growth season right now, the right therapist resources can help you determine whether you’re experiencing a temporary sprint or whether something in your business needs to change. Entrepreneur burnout shouldn’t be your permanent operating model, but working hard for a season doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing it wrong.

Use the therapist resources available to you, be realistic about the season you’re in, and keep building toward a practice that can eventually give you more space.

LET’S CONNECT:

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If you're interested in working with me, please reach out to my direct email at [email protected] or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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There are two extremes I see practice owners fall into when it comes to their business systems: micromanaging every detail or delegating something and never looking at it again. Neither works particularly well.

In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about finding the middle ground. Effective delegation means your business can function without you constantly being in the weeds, but it doesn’t mean you should completely disconnect. Developing a CEO mindset means knowing when to step away and when it’s time to step back in for quality control.

I talk about:

• Why even well-designed business systems naturally drift over time
• How client complaints, onboarding numbers, and projected revenue can reveal problems
• Why effective delegation still requires periodic check-ins
• Why quality control can uncover problems with training, processes, or systems before they get bigger

I also share the story that inspired my “walk the halls” approach: touring office buildings with a friend who owned them and watching him discover issues he never would have known about if he hadn’t physically walked through his own properties. It reminded me how important it is to occasionally do the same thing inside our practices.

The CEO mindset isn’t “set it and forget it.” Your job is to create strong business systems, practice effective delegation, and then check back in often enough to know whether what you designed is actually happening.

You don’t need to be paranoid, and you don’t need to inspect everything every day. But you do need enough quality control to make sure your vision matches what your clients and team are actually experiencing.

That balance is part of developing a stronger CEO mindset, getting out of the weeds without losing sight of what’s happening on the ground.

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If you're interested in working with me, please reach out to my direct email at [email protected] or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

When you're growing a group practice, bringing on another clinician isn't just about finding someone with the right credentials. The people you bring into your practice become part of its reputation, which is why hiring therapists is one of the most important decisions you make as an owner.

In this episode, I share how I approach hiring therapists at Thriving Child Center, starting with a question I think practice owners sometimes skip: What are you actually trying to build? Before you scale your business, you need a clear vision for the services, quality of care, and company culture, you want your practice to be known for.

In this episode, I talk about:

• How I evaluate whether a clinician aligns with our company culture, and core values
• How to determine whether you can realistically market and fill a new clinician's schedule
• What I learned from launching a new service that completely flopped
• Why your infrastructure and therapist resources need to be ready for growth

If you want to scale your business, growth for growth's sake isn't the goal. You need the right people, enough referrals, the right systems, and the capacity to support them. Sometimes the best way to grow is to hire someone who fits what you already do while bringing an additional skill set you can expand into over time.

Ultimately, hiring therapists should move you closer to the practice you actually want to own. Your company culture, your systems, and your therapist resources should support that vision rather than forcing you to build around whoever happens to come along.

If you're ready to scale your business, take the time to define what you're building first. The right therapist resources can support the process, but clarity about your vision will help you make hiring decisions you can feel confident about.

LET’S CONNECT:

Here’s where to connect with me!

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Have a question or topic you want me to cover on the show? Tell me here!

If you're interested in working with me, please reach out to my direct email at [email protected] or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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When I started my practice 10 years ago, I had an incredible advantage: my parents had already spent decades running their own psychology practice. Their industry experience gave me perspective I couldn't have gotten from someone who had only been in business for a few months. But today, experience alone isn't enough. Our industry is changing so quickly that the person advising you also needs to understand what's happening right now.

In this episode, I share what I look for when choosing a business coach or consultant and why relevant, current industry experience matters so much. I also explain why strategic thinking and shared values can be just as important as someone's resume, especially when you're deciding whose advice you want influencing your practice.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why I want a business coach who has actually done the work they're advising me on
• The difference between deep experience and current industry experience
• How strategic thinking can help you approach problems differently
• The therapist resources I use to stay current as our industry changes

The right person isn't just someone who can give you more therapist resources or tell you what worked for them five years ago. I want a business coach who understands where the industry is today, brings the kind of strategic thinking I want to develop, and can help me find solutions that actually fit my goals.

If you're looking for support as you grow your practice, be intentional about whose perspective you're inviting into your business. The best therapist resources can give you information, but the right guidance can change how you think about your problems entirely.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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When life gets chaotic, your business doesn't suddenly need less from you. Lately, I've been working roughly half-time hours with a full-time workload, which has forced me to get very clear about my business priorities and where my limited energy will have the biggest impact.

In this episode, I'm sharing my approach to time management for entrepreneurs when there simply isn't enough time to do everything. Instead of trying to check off the entire to-do list, I use strategic thinking to identify the highest-return tasks that only I can do. It's the same kind of expert guidance I use with consulting clients who feel overwhelmed by everything competing for their attention.

In this episode, I discuss:

• How I determine my highest-impact business priorities
• Why time management for entrepreneurs isn't about getting everything done
• How strategic thinking helps me decide what deserves my attention right now
• The expert guidance I use to turn a big 90-day goal into manageable weekly actions

If you're staring at a packed inbox and wondering where to begin, start with your business priorities. Better time management for entrepreneurs comes from knowing where you're going, using strategic thinking to identify what will actually get you there, and getting expert guidance when you need help finding that clarity.

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Have a question or topic you want me to cover on the show? Tell me here!

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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I consider myself a pretty confident practice owner. I feel good about my finances, marketing, team, ethics, and most of the decisions I make. But apparently, my business confidence has one unexpected weakness: office couches.

For the first time, I'm creating a dedicated Thriving Child Center office space that I'm actually responsible for designing. And suddenly, I'm questioning everything. This experience has become a real-time lesson in overcoming self-doubt and recognizing how even experienced practice owners can feel completely out of their depth when doing something new.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why setting up private counselling practice space brought up insecurities I didn't know I had
• How my experience with office space during COVID still affects the decisions I make today
• Why business confidence doesn't mean feeling confident about everything
• The two extremes my brain immediately jumped to when planning the new space
• Why overcoming self-doubt sometimes means choosing the reasonable option instead of avoiding or over-investing
• How the right therapy resources and outside perspective can help when a decision feels bigger than it actually is
• Why a new challenge can shake your confidence even when you've successfully handled much bigger business decisions

If you're setting up private counselling practice space or facing another milestone that suddenly has you second-guessing yourself, I hope this episode reminds you that uncertainty doesn't erase your business confidence. Overcoming self-doubt is part of doing something new, and having supportive therapy resources can help you step back and see the bigger picture.

Whether you're setting up private counselling practice systems, spaces, or something completely different, you don't have to know exactly what you're doing the first time. Sometimes the best therapy resources are the ones that help you trust that you can figure it out.

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My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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You're allowed to expect excellent work from the people you hire. As therapists, many of us are trained to prioritize empathy, soften difficult conversations, and give people the benefit of the doubt. But as CEOs, there are times when we need to evaluate results objectively. If I'm making an investment in my business, I need to see a return on investment, and that requires clear CEO communication, a thoughtful financial strategy, and a solid understanding of business and investing.

In this episode, I share a recent experience where I received work that fell far below my expectations and the mindset shift that helped me give direct, respectful feedback. We talk about why therapists often struggle with setting business standards, how to evaluate return on investment instead of intentions, and why CEO communication is an essential leadership skill for every practice owner.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why CEO communication is different from therapeutic communication
• How I evaluate every investment based on return on investment
• Why a strong financial strategy helps you make better hiring decisions
• How business and investing require you to think like an owner, not just a clinician
• How improving your financial strategy helps you protect your time and money

If you've ever hesitated to speak up because you didn't want to hurt someone's feelings, I hope this episode gives you permission to lead differently. Better CEO communication, a stronger focus on return on investment, a practical financial strategy, and greater confidence in business and investing will help you make better decisions and build a stronger business.

LET’S CONNECT:

Join the Worth It newsletter!

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If you're interested in working with me, please reach out to my direct email at [email protected] or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.

Listen to The Educated Parent Podcast

My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts

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What if your practice is already profitable, but you're too afraid to enjoy it? I've noticed that many successful practice owners are generating business profit, yet they're hesitant to actually move that money into their personal accounts. In this episode, I unpack why that happens, how it affects your confidence as a business owner, and why it may be time to reset your mindset around money.

I'll share the common fears that keep therapists from paying themselves, the financial strategy I use to make thoughtful decisions about profit, and why business and investing become much more accessible once you allow yourself to benefit from the business you've built.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why so many therapists struggle to take home their business profit
• The psychological barriers that make it hard to reset your mindset around money
• How a simple financial strategy can help you pay yourself with confidence
• Why leaving too much money in your business can create new problems
• The connection between business and investing and long-term financial freedom

If you've been avoiding your numbers or leaving your business profit sitting in your business account, this episode is your invitation to reset your mindset. With the right financial strategy and a healthier approach to business and investing, you can build a practice that supports both your clients and the life you want outside of work.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Episode 8: Overdrawing My Account 6K Taught Me How to Build a Financial Tracking System

The Bad Therapist Podcast

LET’S CONNECT:

Join the Worth It newsletter!

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If you're interested in working with me, please reach out to my direct email at [email protected] or schedule a 20-minute free consultation.

Listen to The Educated Parent Podcast

My practices:

Thriving Child Center

PCIT Experts