403: Turning Your Podcast into a Deeper Platform for Courses, Your Book, and Speaking
This session is the second part of a series called “Podcasting for Therapists.” You can check out the first part of the series on launching your podcast with this link. Today’s focus is on what happens after you launch your podcast. More specifically, how do you strategically and thoughtfully turn your podcast into a platform that leads to more income, impact, and invitations to do the work that lights you up? This is an aspect of podcasting that is often overlooked. You start a podcast to serve others, but it gradually becomes a bridge to other opportunities, like online courses, book deals, speaking gigs, retreats, and relationships you could have never imagined. If you’ve ever wondered if you can really build a business through a podcast, this episode is your roadmap!You’ll Learn:There was no grand vision or monetization plan when I began back in 2015.The #1 recurring question I’m asked: “How did you launch a podcast?”My journey into online courses—how it began and grew (To date, that first course has generated over $340,000 in revenue!)The STC podcast, which started with just the basics in my home office, was the foundation to show people they could trust me.My view of a podcast as a “channel of authenticity,” when it’s built with care and intention3 anchors for turning your podcast into a platform:Listen closely to what your audience asks for. Create soft invitations, not hard pitches.Build systems behind the scenes.My approach to calls-to-action at the end of each podcast episode (invitation-based, not pressure-based)Want to know more about starting YOUR podcast? Check out our FREE Podcasting Workshop. Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.Mentioned in this episode:Try Alma!Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.
With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients.
You support your clients. Alma supports you.
Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.
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402: Closing Your Private Practice: What Therapists Need to Know
Today’s session is about shutting down your private practice, which is an inevitable step in the journey for many therapists. The two main options are to sell their private practice or shut it down, which can be the best choice for a therapist who wants to pursue other avenues and achieve more freedom in their life. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestDr. Jen BlanchetteDr. Jen Blanchette is a licensed psychologist, podcaster, speaker, career coach, and business consultant. Her passion is helping therapists and other caring professionals say goodbye to burnout culture and find the support they need. In the early years of the pandemic, Dr. Jen made the decision to close the private practice she had worked hard to build; a combination of burnout and the realization that she wanted to focus on other things fueled her decision. In today’s conversation, we cover the real, emotional side of shutting down a private practice, which includes terminating relationships with clients and handling logistical challenges. Guilt and shame accompany this difficult decision, and Dr. Jen shares what she wishes she had known back then. She gives her insight into other details of the closing process, along with an optimal timeline for closing. Website: drjenblanchette.comYou’ll Learn:Considering what comes “on the other side”---finding freedom and clarityTips for planning to shut downHow to communicate with clients about closingThe grief element for you AND your clients requires time to healDr. Jen’s hindsight into what she wishes she had done in the process of shutting down her private practiceEthical questions about the termination of treatmentTop 3 logistical tasks in shutting down your private practice:Contacting your liability insurance carrierHandling records appropriatelyContacting your state boardConsiderations for choosing an appropriate attorneyMost common mistakes therapists make: not having the support they need and trying to handle it all soloDr. Jen’s advice: What she wishes every therapist knew about closing down a private practiceVisit Dr. Jen’s website, drjenblanchette.com, for information about the Ethical Practice Closure Course, her free Quick Start Guide, and The Therapist Burnout Podcast.Resources:Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice. With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients.You support your clients. Alma supports you.Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE–an exclusive offer for STC listeners. Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist looking to transition from clinical to online course income, we have a specialized mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and...
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401: How To Create An Online Course That Actually Gets Finished
Today’s session is all about designing a therapist-friendly course that actually gets finished. This is the third in our series, The Therapist’s Path to a Successful Online Course. A lesser-known fact about online courses is that they have a notoriously low completion rate. The real challenge for course creators is to include content that is engaging yet concise, so that people stay engaged until completion. Since we've invested time and effort in creating a transformational online course experience, we want people to complete the entire course.You’ll Learn:Course building strategies that don’t overload your studentsBuilding a course for them, not meIn course creation, look for the most straightforward path from A to B.“A finished course is more powerful than a perfect one.”3 anchors for course design to improve completion rates:Design for real-life energy, not ideal circumstances.Layer-in accountability and gentle community to serve “one to many” over 1:1.Keep the path simple and straightforward. Don’t overwhelm people with too many options or resources.“Clarity builds momentum; confusion kills it.”Check out our free email course, The Course Creator Starter Kit.Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.Mentioned in this episode:Try Alma!Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.
With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients.
You support your clients. Alma supports you.
Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.
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400: The Power of Depth Over Scale
This is the 400th episode of Selling the Couch! It is truly surreal to think back to 2015 and the show’s humble beginnings; reaching this milestone is beyond anything I ever dreamed of 10 years ago. I want to use this milestone to reflect on a few meaningful thoughts about staying the course to reap the quiet rewards. What does it mean to choose depth over scale and to build intentionally and slowly when the world often tells us to go fast? The truth in this concept of depth over scale is the most impactful lesson I’ve learned on this journey. In this episode, I’m focusing on 3 reflections that I hope encourage you, especially if you are in a season of slow growth. You’ll Learn:My experience: Feeling behind when everyone else seemed to be scaling faster: “Am I doing this wrong?”What clicked for me: “Speed makes noise, but depth builds roots.”3 Quiet-Builder truths for longevity and depth:Slow growth is often the healthiest growth.We often think reputation comes from a single moment, but it comes from quiet consistency.Depth protects your nervous system. (“There is a cost for going fast. Depth is kinder.”)A business should give you life—not drain you.Want to know more about being a Quiet Builder? Check out The Quiet Builder Newsletter to get more of my reflective thoughts.Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.Mentioned in this episode:Try Alma!Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.
With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients.
You support your clients. Alma supports you.
Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.
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399: How to Create a Personal Brand With Authenticity, Heart, and Grace with Adrienne Wilkerson
Today’s topic strikes fear into the hearts of many clinicians. We are talking about branding, not in the sales-y way that feels icky, but with authenticity, heart, and grace. Whether intentional or not, you have a brand; why not make it one to be proud of? Want to be an influential thought leader? Your personal brand should reflect your heart and core values. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestAdrienne WilkersonAdrienne Wilkerson is a personal friend and the CEO of Beacon Media + Marketing, a marketing agency that works closely with practices and clinicians in the mental health field. Our conversation begins with the starting point in thinking of yourself as a “brand,” clarifying and communicating who you are and what you stand for, and how clinicians can become thought leaders. Adrienne shares insights about branding principles to follow in building a platform and sharing a message that feels true and genuine. We conclude with a look at how to stay authentic in branding and content in today’s AI-dominated world. Beacon Media + MarketingYou’ll Learn:To think of yourself as a brand, start by telling your story!Clarifying and communicating who you are without being sales-y and fakeThe intersection of social media content, branding, and authentic connectionAuthentic vs. fake (“Perfect comes across as fake.”)Heart and intention connect people through the know, like, and trust factor (Don’t be afraid to share!)Things to consider in AI content vs. authenticity (AI is thought support, not a thought leader.)Adrienne’s branding principlesWays to stand out in a busy, crowded placeAdrienne’s book, Digital Marketing for Mental Health: From Complex to ClarityResources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.Mentioned in this episode:Try Alma!Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.
With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients.
You support your clients. Alma supports you.
Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.
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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