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Selling the Couch

Melvin Varghese, PhD
Selling the Couch
Latest episode

365 episodes

  • Selling the Couch

    ENCORE: Finding Your Enough As An Entrepreneur with Jeanetta Garrison, LCSW

    27/08/2026 | 41 mins.
    More is not always better. We often find that what we are chasing in our pursuit of success is not what we thought it was. Entrepreneurship for private practice clinicians naturally attracts many high achievers and recovering perfectionists, so we need to take a pause and periodically reassess and redefine what success looks like. Join us for a closer look at this important topic!
    Our Featured Guest
    Jeanetta Garrison, LCSW
    Jeanetta Garrison is an anxiety therapist in private practice in Charlotte, NC. She is the perfect person to share insights into today’s topic. In this episode, Jeanetta shares a personal story about what she learned about money during her childhood, along with how we navigate our aspirations and what we go after to achieve success. We wrap up with a discussion of knowing what is “enough” and being cautious about who we follow after as mentors and examples.
    Crown Counseling & Consulting
    You’ll Learn:
    Common characteristics of entrepreneurs in private practice
    Jeanetta’s family story of how she learned about money from her upbringing
    Having big hearts of service sets us up to allow boundaries to be crossed
    The need for clarity in communication with clients about cancellations and no-shows
    Chasing the proverbial “carrot” to reach success
    Jeanetta’s advice: “Remember your WHY and center your head, heart, and spirit around it.”
    Think about your success in terms of what you are sacrificing for it!
    Navigating the ebbs and flows that are inherent in entrepreneurship
    How Jeanetta grounds herself with what is “enough” for her in her business
    Thinking about money in terms of what it symbolizes to us (“All money is not good money.”)

    --
    Ready to launch (or grow) your online course?
    Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work.
    You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way.
    Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven
  • Selling the Couch

    ENCORE: 5 Lessons from 2 Years on LinkedIn

    21/08/2026 | 27 mins.
    If you’ve been thinking about posting more on LinkedIn or if you’re curious about how to best use this social media platform, today’s encore is for you.
    It took me a long time to understand the purpose of LinkedIn and how it can be beneficial in connecting me to the right followers. Join me for an honest look at my experience and the biggest lessons learned.
    You’ll Learn:
    5 lessons learned over the last 2 years on LinkedIn:
    The magic is in the DMs.
    Focusing on thoughtful relationships is better than chasing followers.
    LinkedIn’s search tool is amazingly helpful for making connections.
    The algorithm will always change.
    Don’t chase trends, but focus on consistency and diversified content.
    Experiment on LinkedIn, but don’t overthink the metrics.
    Watch out for growth gurus.
    Be wary of those who over-promise and under-deliver.
    I’m more interested in posting things that will help a young therapist like I used to be.
    Followers are less relevant than you think.
    It’s about the right people—not ALL people.
    Try creator mode and curate your network intentionally.
    The daily posting game is a slow burn.
    I’ve learned to pace myself in posting.
    I would rather focus on slower growth in followers and have consistency and sustainability.
    Connect with me on LinkedIn!

    --
    Ready to launch (or grow) your online course?
    Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work.
    You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way.
    Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven
  • Selling the Couch

    ENCORE: The Anxiety Of Finding A Private Practice Niche

    13/08/2026 | 25 mins.
    In today's encore, I share my journey of going into private practice, in addition to keeping STC running and growing.
    There were three main reasons for this decision: I missed the therapy room, a clinical arm to my business is a wise move, and I’d be able to more strategically diversify my income. But this decision brought me some anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
    I address these issues with my wonderful therapist, and did all the things that we therapists tell our clients to do. My worries and fears are probably normal for someone who feels the pressure to be successful in multiple businesses and endeavors. Join me as I share my insights on finding my private practice niche.
    You’ll Learn:
    What is a niche, and how did I choose my niche for private practice? Who do I want to work with?
    My top four insights on finding my private practice niche:
    Niches are living and breathing things that evolve over time.
    Family and friends will always recommend people outside your niche.
    There is a relational component to marketing beyond your website.
    Even though my niche focuses on tech and business founders, working within other branches of these niches will add diversity to my work.

    --
    Ready to launch (or grow) your online course?
    Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work.
    You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way.
    Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven
  • Selling the Couch

    ENCORE: Why Every Course Creator Should Start A Podcast

    06/08/2026 | 22 mins.
    If you have ever considered creating an online course, or if you are already a course creator, you have probably thought a lot about marketing. The challenge is how to be thoughtful and creative in marketing your course, which becomes a separate income stream for your business.
    Starting a podcast is one of the best ways to market your course while creating a solid, compound income stream, and we are talking strategy in today's encore as I share what I’ve learned through my experience. Join us!
    You’ll Learn:
    Why starting a podcast has been one of the most rewarding personal and professional endeavors of my life
    Why podcasts are the perfect way to produce authentic, evergreen content and establish trust
    How a podcast becomes a way to avoid burnout and take self-care breaks while staying consistent with releasing and re-releasing content
    How podcasts allow dynamic ads, which are pure magic (Captivate makes it easy!) and help build your email list
    How the podcasting format allows pre-roll, mid-roll, and end-roll ads to market your courses/resources consistently
    How the “flywheel effect” serves to compound your efforts over time if you leverage your existing course students on your podcast

    --
    Ready to launch (or grow) your online course?
    Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work.
    You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way.
    Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven
  • Selling the Couch

    ENCORE: Could Keeping Your Business Small Be the Next BIG Thing?

    30/07/2026 | 29 mins.
    In today's encore, we will cover two questions that confront me daily:
    How big do I actually want to grow STC?
    What is the purpose of STC in relation to my overall life?
    Freedom is my most important value, and building my business around my life, family, and health is most important to me. Not every entrepreneur has the same goals, but these are questions for every entrepreneur to consider. Let’s take a closer look in today’s session!
    You’ll Learn:
    How I was compromising to fit life around my business instead of optimizing the business to fit the life I wanted
    5 key concepts I learned from Paul Jarvis in his book
    Companies of one reject limitless growth.
    We should set firm growth limits to keep opportunity costs small.
    Companies of one are okay with limited success.
    More profits mean more productivity, sales, customers, and infrastructure to manage.
    Develop your business out of a side gig.
    Your business needs time to incubate and grow so you can devote yourself to it full time.
    Target a specific audience to find your niche.
    The more specific your target is, the easier it is to connect, build trust, and distinguish your audience’s needs.
    Embrace the power of simplicity and personality.
    Amplify your uniqueness by sharing your most powerful asset: yourself and your personality.

    --
    Ready to launch (or grow) your online course?
    Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work.
    You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way.
    Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven
More Business podcasts
About Selling the Couch
With 1.81 million+ downloads, Selling the Couch is an Apple Top Career podcast for current and future mental health private practitioners who think differently. Psychologist Melvin Varghese interviews successful therapists in private practice about how they built their businesses as well as top entrepreneurs, business/marketing, and social media experts.* You'll learn how therapists get referrals, grow their practices, work through fears, find their enough, and stop "trading time for income." Melvin also shares the lessons as he grows his impact + income beyond the therapy room (podcasting, YouTube, writing, online courses, masterminds, investing, etc) and the tips and tools he uses to grow STC from a single-person business to the CEO of a 6-figure business.* Featured in Psychology Today, Good Therapy, and Psych Central ****Get show notes and even more good stuff at sellingthecouch.com/stcpodcast*
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