Selling the Couch

If you are considering launching an online course, today’s encore is for you!
I’ve learned a lot as a course creator, and I’m sharing an honest look at my biggest lessons learned and what I would tell anyone on this course creation path.
You’ll Learn:
5 things I want to share about launching an online course:
Focus on what you already know and love to teach. (Stay within your niche!)
Hear my thoughts on course creation and AI.
Start small and build slowly. (Think about your “value ladder.”)
Think about recurring offers related to your course.
Validation is non-negotiable. (Validate your course idea before you proceed.)
Download the free Course Creator Starter Kit.
Embrace the tech, but don’t let it overwhelm you.
Start with “good enough,” and upgrade your sound, lighting, and camera when you can.
Hear my recommendations for basic tech for someone just starting out in course creation.
Take a “defaulting to action” perspective rather than waiting for perfectionism.
Build your audience early.
Don’t wait until your course launch to build your email list.
Use social media and discovery platforms.

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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

Today’s encore is about leaving psychotherapy for coaching. This transition is one that many therapist colleagues have made, and the reality is that many more are shifting from the field of therapy into coaching.
Several major factors play into this decision, and my guest today gives a transparent look at his experience in this transition. Join us to learn more!
Our Featured Guest
Dr. Corey Wilks
Dr. Corey Wilks is a good friend and licensed psychologist who joins us for an open and honest look at his transition from therapy to coaching. In giving a glimpse into the circumstances and perspectives that led him to make this decision and shift his career, he shares how his career goals have changed over the years, what autonomy means to him, and why it is important. We wrap up by discussing mistakes that therapists often make in this career change and the drawbacks to leaving a traditional career in mental health.
Corey's Website
You’ll Learn:
Corey’s career goals back in grad school—and how they have changed
Understanding autonomy, freedom, and why these are Corey’s top priorities
Corey’s realizations about therapy, wellness, and burnout
Considerations in making the shift to entrepreneurship
The biggest mistake people make in turning from therapy to coaching
The difference in coaching as a much more solo-based endeavor than therapy
Corey’s advice to a therapist considering becoming a coach
The distinction between the roles of therapist and coach—and how Corey navigates “the line”

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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

Today’s encore is at the heart of the Quiet Builder philosophy. The question is, “How do we design a business that supports our lives, not swallows it?”
This becomes increasingly important as the world grows more uncertain and our responsibilities grow daily. This episode is for anyone building a business that fits into real life, and not the other way around.
You’ll Learn:
My story of stepping back and reassessing my business
3 anchors for building a life-first business in an uncertain world:
Design for margin, not maximum.
Clarity comes from creating margin, not hustling.
Designing for margin is how we stay well enough to serve others.
Build products that don’t require your constant presence.
Design for asymmetry, where value isn’t tied to one-to-one time.
A life-first business scales impact, not just hours.
Plan around what you can’t plan for.
Your business should be designed to absorb disruption, not collapse under it.
Strategies that work for me are “Walden months,” a hard growth ceiling on STC, and allowing maximum flexibility to travel when loved ones need extra help.
To sum up today’s topic: “A resilient business doesn’t break when life happens; it bends with grace.”

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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.
Our next Accelerator, Building Authoritative Guides That Stand Out In The Age of AI, begins soon.
Learn more here: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/july2026

Today’s encore is on what therapists often get wrong about selling their first online course, considering all the assumptions we make and the misconceptions we hold about online courses.
I’m bringing full transparency to today’s topic as I share what I’ve learned through my years of experience with online courses.
You’ll Learn:
The guilt loop running in my head (“I became a therapist to help people, not to sell things.”)
Mindset shift that made it all make sense to me
Ethical selling: a path to transformation with deep care and clarity
3 sales mistakes therapists make—and what to do instead:
Thinking “sales equals sleazing”
Think of aligned sales as clear communication with a gentle and generous invitation.
Avoiding the “ask” entirely
If someone is clearly interested, don’t make them guess how to work with you. Give them a clear call-to-action.
Not believing in the value of your course
Your confidence comes from alignment. Focus on the transformation you can offer.

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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.
Our next Accelerator, Building Authoritative Guides That Stand Out In The Age of AI, begins soon.
Learn more here: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/july2026

Today’s encore is from a live coaching call talking about the many nuances of online courses. I hope this episode will be helpful to you and bring new ideas if an online course is on your radar.
Our Featured Guest-Kristen Boice, LMFT
Kristen Boice is a therapist in private practice and a fellow podcaster. She has realized the need among her listeners for an online course. Her podcast, Close the Chapter, is about closing the chapter on certain things in our lives so we can open ourselves up to new opportunities. In today’s coaching call, I’ll share some lessons I’ve learned along the way about online courses. We’ll talk about the rationale behind creating a live course vs. a pre-recorded one. We will wrap up with a pre-launch strategy to help get buyers for your course before you launch.
Pathways To Healing Counseling
Kristen Boice
You’ll Learn
● Why Kristen started her podcast about two years ago to provide another opportunity for deeper work for her clients
● How an online course can help you get more information out to curious people
● The options for your course and other services
● Why niching down is a big challenge for therapists
● How Kristen sees the epidemic of people feeling “not good enough” and being scared to speak up
● How a niche can help you offer value and find your sweet spot
● How the best courses take people from one place to another
● Why Kristen focuses on helping with the hard conversations
● How to use phraseology that appeals to people and addresses their need
● Step-by-step actions to build your email list and create effective opt-ins
● How to create value on the front end of your course by validating your content
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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.
Our next Accelerator, Building Authoritative Guides That Stand Out In The Age of AI, begins soon.
Learn more here: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/july2026