As therapists, most of us were never taught how to run a business—let alone how to manage money, payroll, hiring, or leadership in a way that’s both ethical and sustainable.

Licensed therapist and group practice owner Gordon Brewer and I talk openly about money mindset, generosity, boundaries, hiring mistakes, and what it really takes to create a financially sustainable group practice without burning yourself out or sacrificing quality of care.

If you identify as a people-pleaser, an over-giver, or a “nice” leader who are quietly paying the price for unclear boundaries, this episode is for you.

Gordon opens up about what didn’t work when building his group practice, what had to change, and how learning to lead with clarity—rather than guilt—ultimately benefited both his team and his business.

“Being kind means setting expectations and boundaries, so people know what to expect. Being nice often means avoiding those conversations—and that’s where things fall apart.” — Gordon Brewer

Gordon shares how over-giving with compensation, avoiding hard conversations, and underestimating the importance of clear financial systems led to stress and instability in his practice. Through hiring missteps, money mindset work, and implementing Profit First, he learned that sustainable leadership requires clarity, boundaries, and a willingness to course-correct.

(00:04:16) Gordon’s Journey to Owning a Group Practice and Hosting a Podcast

(00:09:37) Sustainability Over Generosity: Lessons in Business

(00:13:08) Navigating Money Stigma in Group Practice Ownership

(00:17:51) Money Management and Hiring Lessons

(00:20:05) How Boundaries and Values Shape Your Success with Finances

(00:23:39) Parenting: Commands Disguised as Questions

(00:27:03) Employee Benefits vs. Contracting

(00:31:07) Planning for Financial Stability and Rebuilding a Sustainable Practice

(00:36:43) How to Avoid Over-Giving in Your Private Practice

Gordon’s reflections highlight a truth I see again and again in my work with therapists: sustainability doesn’t come from good intentions alone. It comes from aligning your values with clear business decisions, financial transparency, and leadership that supports everyone involved—including you.

Key takeaways you can apply right now:

Run the numbers before calling something “generous.”

High splits, low fees, or extra perks aren’t generous if they put your practice at risk. Sustainability is what allows generosity to continue.

Being “nice” can quietly lead to burnout.

Avoiding boundaries and hard conversations may feel compassionate in the moment, but it often creates resentment and instability over time.

Kind leadership is clear leadership.

Setting expectations upfront—and holding people to them—is one of the most respectful things you can do for your team.

Money stories shape business decisions more than we realize.

Beliefs about greed, selfishness, or worthiness often come from family or faith backgrounds and deserve to be examined—not blindly obeyed.

It’s never too late to course correct.

Gordon’s willingness to rebrand, rebuild systems, and restructure his business model created a healthier practice that better served everyone involved.

If you’re noticing patterns of over-giving, financial stress, or people-pleasing in your practice, I hope this episode helps you feel less alone—and more empowered to lead with clarity and confidence. Sustainable, ethical business decisions aren’t a betrayal of your values. They’re how you protect them.

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As therapists, many of us feel a deep tension when it comes to pricing—especially when we’re creating group offers, workshops, or professional-facing experiences during uncertain social, political, and economic times.

In this coaching episode, I sit down with trauma therapist Kim Torrence to explore what really comes up when we try to assign value to our work: fears about accessibility, old beliefs about service and self-sacrifice, money shame, and the pressure to “get it right” before we ever put an offer out into the world.

This conversation goes far beyond the math of pricing. Together, we unpack the emotional and mindset barriers that often keep therapists stuck offering their most meaningful work for free or far below what’s sustainable.

If you’re navigating private practice finances, pricing group offers, or wondering how to honor both your values and your own well-being, this episode is here to support you with clarity, reassurance, and grounded next steps.

We talk about why pricing is deeply connected to mindset and visibility, not just numbers, and how perfectionism or overcomplicated tech can quietly keep meaningful offers stuck on the sidelines. Our conversation centers on starting simply, naming your value clearly, and allowing confidence to build through real-world action.

(00:06:02) Helping Others Through Feelings of Loneliness

(00:07:17) Operating Business as Usual During a Crisis

(00:12:16) Valuing Self-Care for Therapists

(00:14:50) Authentic Healing for Deep Thinkers

(00:18:29) B2B Value and Pricing Insights

(00:21:18) Valuing Group Offerings Effectively

(00:24:52) Self-Worth and Vulnerability

(00:26:36) Creating a Supportive Success Container

(00:31:57) Gather Feedback, Build Testimonials

(00:33:42) Stop Overcomplicating Your Work

(00:36:24) Owning Your Value in Practice

If Kim’s experience feels familiar, you’re not alone. Here are a few reflections and actions I invite you to consider as you navigate pricing, worthiness, and financial sustainability in your own practice:

1. Give your offer the credit it deserves.
2. Even a lunch-hour workshop or short group can be deeply transformational. Duration and ease do not determine impact.
3. Price for the right people, not everyone.
4. Instead of focusing on who can’t afford your offer, get clear on who it’s truly for—especially when your work supports other professionals who carry that value forward into their own communities.
5. Separate worth from accessibility narratives.
6. Pricing your work sustainably doesn’t make you selfish or out of touch. It allows you to keep showing up, serving, and caring for yourself long-term.
7. Keep it simple and start anyway.
8. You don’t need a perfect website, branding, or tech stack. A clear Google Doc explaining who the offer is for, why it matters, and how to join is more than enough to begin.

Your skills, knowledge, and presence—yes, even in a modest group format—are valuable. Pricing them too low doesn’t make your work more accessible; it often just makes it harder to keep...

As we begin to take our financial needs seriously—raising fees, setting boundaries, and valuing our work—those shifts don’t stay contained to our businesses. They often ripple into our personal lives, especially our friendships. In this episode, I talk about what can happen when we move from self-sacrifice to self-advocacy, and how that transition can quietly (or painfully) change the dynamics of the relationships we’ve built.

I explore why some friendships feel strained when old patterns of caretaking and over-giving no longer fit, and I name the very real grief that can come with outgrowing relationships that once felt safe or familiar. This isn’t about blame or “doing friendships wrong.” It’s about understanding that growth—especially financial and personal growth—can be both liberating and tender at the same time.

If you’ve ever felt conflicted between honoring your own needs and preserving friendships you care about, this episode is for you. I offer a compassionate lens for making sense of these changes and reassurance that while some connections may fall away, others—often deeper and more mutual—can emerge in their place.

(00:01:45) Noticing Your Personal Needs as Your Practice (and Life) Evolves

(00:05:18) Boundaries, Self-Worth, and Shifting Toward Mutual Relationships

(00:08:37) How Changing Beliefs About Money and Systems Can Create Distance

(00:12:49) Grieving Friendships That No Longer Fit Who You’re Becoming

(00:13:59) Making Space for New or Deepened Connections

As I’ve grown in my own relationship with money and self-worth—and as I’ve supported hundreds of therapists in growing their practices, earning more, and redefining what success looks like—I’ve seen this pattern again and again. When we stop undercharging, over-giving, or minimizing ourselves, our internal shifts often ripple outward into our friendships and relationships. As our values around money, time, and worth evolve, the relational landscape can change in ways that feel confusing, tender, or even unsettling at first.

Here are a few reflections to hold as you navigate this season:

1. Valuing your time changes relational expectations When your time and energy matter more to you, friendships rooted in imbalance may feel harder to sustain.
2. Honoring your needs can reveal misalignment Some relationships deepen when both people embrace self-advocacy; others struggle when old roles no longer apply.
3. Growth often brings both grief and renewal It’s normal to mourn what’s changing—and also to make room for friendships that align with who you’re becoming.

Financial self-care doesn’t just affect your business—it shapes how you show up in relationships. If you’re feeling sadness, confusion, or even relief as friendships evolve, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re growing. And on the other side of that growth, there is space for connection that feels more mutual, supportive, and true to you.

Are you a Solo Private Practice Owner?

I made this course just for you: Money Skills for Therapists. My signature course has been carefully designed to take therapists from money confusion, shame, and uncertainty – to calm and confidence. In this course I give you everything you need to create financial peace of mind as a therapist in solo private practice.

Want to learn more?

If you’re a therapist who carries the weight of being the primary breadwinner while also wanting more presence, more ease, and more time with your family, this episode is for you. This isn’t a conversation about hustling harder or squeezing more productivity out of already-full days. It’s about slowing down enough to make values-based decisions—so your money, time, and energy actually support the life you want to be living.

In this coaching-style episode, I sit down with Colleen Barrows, a perinatal mental health therapist, mom of two young children, and graduate of Money Skills for Therapists. Together, we walk through the very real tension Colleen is feeling between maintaining financial stability as the primary breadwinner, managing most of the household responsibilities, and wanting more meaningful one-on-one time with her kids—while also nurturing a creative passion project, which will help therapists and postpartum women, that she hopes may one day provide her with passive income.

Like so many breadwinning therapist moms, Colleen’s “math brain” keeps telling her that the solution is to see more clients. She’s currently carrying a heavy client load while also functioning as the household manager and emotional anchor at home. In this conversation, I gently guide Colleen through a reflective exercise—imagining herself years from now, looking back on this fleeting season of early parenthood—and we explore what choices she would feel most proud of when it comes to time, money, and energy.

(00:03:39) Balancing Passion, Time, and Family

(00:12:99) Juggling Work and Household Finances

(00:16:57) Balancing Careers and Relationship Equity

(00:22:41) Quality vs. Quantity in Parenting

(00:24:20) Seeking Balance and Intentionality

(00:27:08) Household Roles and Compatibility

(00:31:52) Balancing Breadwinning and Family

(00:33:21) Money Clarity for Therapists

This episode offers an honest look at the tension many therapist parents feel—between financial responsibility, private practice demands, and the desire to be fully present during a fleeting season of early parenthood. If you’ve ever felt pulled between money decisions and your deeper values, this conversation is for you.

Key takeaways to reflect on:

1. Balance isn’t just math: Financial choices should support your well-being, not override it.
2. Quality over quantity: Small, protected moments of connection matter more than constant presence.
3. Revisit roles regularly: Sharing household labor and support can ease resentment and restore energy.

Being the breadwinner often means carrying more than just the paycheck. This season of parenting young children is intense—but it’s not permanent. With thoughtful, values-led choices, you can build a life you’ll look back on with pride, not regret.

Are you a Solo Private Practice Owner?

I made this course just for you: Money Skills for Therapists. My signature course has been carefully designed to take therapists from money confusion, shame, and uncertainty – to calm and confidence. In this course I give you everything you need to create financial peace of mind as a therapist in solo private practice.

Want to learn more?

Have you ever felt that deep longing to step away from your practice—not for a long weekend or a quick vacation, but for a real pause? A stretch of time where you can rest, reset, and reconnect with yourself outside of the constant giving that comes with this work? That’s exactly what Maegan Megginson and I explore in today’s episode.

Most of us only hear the word sabbatical in academic circles, but as Maegan reminds us, its root is “Sabbath”—rest. Somewhere along the way, rest became another productivity tool, something to “use well” rather than simply experience. As therapists and practice owners, we need something different. A true sabbatical isn’t for catching up on house projects or writing endless to-do lists—it’s about completely reimagining your relationship with time, worth, and spaciousness.

(00:06:57) The 4 Types of Sabbaticals for Small Business Owners

(00:12:12) Healing & Self-Discovery During Time Away

(00:17:43) Productivity Culture and Its Roots

(00:20:38) Business Challenges to Taking a Sabbatical

(00:25:18) Adjusting Business Systems to Integrate a Transformative Experience

(00:29:45) Modeling Self-Care for Others

(00:35:24) Collective Sabbatical for Conscious Shifts

(00:36:45) Sabbatical Journey and Integration

(00:40:27) Sabbatical School & Financial Freedom

Why This Feels So Hard—And So Important

I know the fears that come up, because I’ve had them too:

“My practice will fall apart.”

“Clients will leave.”

“I can’t afford a break.”

“People will judge me.”

But Maegan and I both believe this wholeheartedly: your business can handle you stepping away for four weeks—and you can handle it too. Preparing your practice for your absence actually builds strength and resilience into your systems. And in truth, four weeks is a tiny blip in your clients’ lives. For many of them, it may even model something deeply healing.

Stepping back isn’t indulgent—it’s radical. It pushes against the cultural message that your worth depends on your output. It shows your clients, your colleagues, your kids, and the people who look up to you that it’s possible to reclaim time, energy, and humanity in a world that constantly asks for more.

Your rest creates ripple effects. When you care for yourself, you give others permission to imagine a different way too.

This conversation reminded me just how essential meaningful time away is—not only for our health and longevity, but for the stability of our businesses and the well-being of the communities we support. If you’re feeling stretched thin, burnt out, or disconnected from yourself, this might be the moment to gently ask:

What do I truly need right now?

And…

What might become possible if I gave myself four full weeks to breathe?

Are you a Solo Private Practice Owner?

I made this course just for you: Money Skills for Therapists. My signature course has been carefully designed to take therapists from money confusion, shame, and uncertainty – to calm and confidence. In this course I give you everything you need to create financial peace of mind as a therapist in solo private practice.

Want to learn more? Click here to register for my...

Lately, I’ve been hearing from so many practice owners who are feeling the shift in the economy, and I want you to know—you’re not alone. Things have changed. The phones aren’t ringing like they used to, and it can feel unsettling. But this is a season that calls for flexibility, curiosity, and compassion for yourself.

In this follow-up conversation, Julie and I shift from last week’s heavier economic outlook to something far more supportive: real-world strategies therapy practice owners can use right now to steady the ship.

“What I'm seeing specifically is the practice owners that are really successful in adapting and again, solo to group, they are themselves adaptive. They're saying, this feels different and I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm going to go figure it out." - Julie Herres

Sometimes that means rolling up your sleeves and stepping back in to see more clients, so your practice stays healthy. Other times it means experimenting with new marketing, reconnecting with referral sources, or gently adjusting your fees based on what your community can sustain right now.

In this episode, you’ll hear about the shift we’re all feeling in the therapy world—from years of burnout and endless demand to today’s reality of fewer calls, more price sensitivity, and a need for smart adjustments. Together, we walk through mindset shifts, flexible scheduling, fee strategy, and practical marketing ideas that help you stay grounded and profitable when the numbers feel uncertain.

(00:03:40) Shifting Focus to New Challenges

(00:07:23) Overcoming Rock Brain Mindset

(00:09:55) Embracing Change in Business

(00:13:31) Adaptive Practices Drive Success

(00:19:29) Pricing vs. Client Retention

What matters most is staying present and using your data to guide your choices. None of this is a step backward—it’s you responding wisely to what’s actually happening. And you’re more capable and resilient than you think. You can navigate this season with steadiness and intention.

1. The Pendulum Has Swung

Over the past few years, many of us were carrying the weight of too many clients and too much demand. Now, things are quieter—and that can feel disorienting. I’m noticing that our challenge has changed, and that’s okay. It just means we’re being invited to look at our practices with fresh eyes and meet this season with intention instead of fear.

2. Flexibility Matters More Than Ever

Some of the boundaries we put in place to protect ourselves during busier times might need gentle revisiting right now. This isn’t about abandoning what keeps you well—it’s about allowing yourself to respond to what your practice needs in the moment. Sometimes that means taking on a few more clients or asking for more support from your team, just for a little while. It’s okay to shift.

3. Know When You Need Quick Wins

There will be moments when the most supportive thing you can do for yourself and your practice is bring in income quickly, like opening up your caseload if you’re in demand. And there will be other moments when slowing down to work on the business makes more sense. Both are valid. The key is noticing what’s needed right now and giving yourself permission to act on it.

4. Curiosity And Adaptability Are Strengths

What I’m seeing again and again is that the practice owners who are navigating this season smoothly are the ones who are staying curious. They’re trying things, tracking what works, and letting go of what doesn’t. Small experiments, gentle adjustments, and thoughtful follow-up can go a long way. You don’t have to have all the answers—you just need to stay...

Lately, so many of us are feeling the ripple effects of a shifting economy. You might notice yourself being a little more careful with your grocery budget… or you may be seeing clients cancel, space out, or step back from therapy to save money. These changes can feel unsettling, especially when you’re responsible for running a private practice, caring for clients, and supporting your own household.

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend and trusted financial expert, Julie Herres, to talk through what so many practice owners are experiencing right now.

“If you're going to see someone once a week, that's probably $800 a month [...] by eliminating that, that's a lot of money coming back into the household. We are seeing sometimes that is no longer sustainable or folks are going to every other week. Right? Kind of changing the cadence of what they do. But we're also seeing practice owners just not wanting to make a lot of changes.” - Julie Herres

Together, we explore the very real challenges—cash flow tightening, rising costs, and major changes in client behavior—that are showing up for both solo and group practice owners.

For group practice owners:

Some of you are navigating painful cash-flow stress, wondering how to manage payroll or what to do if a few clinicians leave all at once. When there isn’t a financial cushion, even small disruptions can feel overwhelming.

For solo practitioners:

Many therapists who were booked solid for years are now noticing more openings in their calendars. That doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. It’s part of a broader, nationwide shift in therapy demand.

Julie and I talk through why everything feels “tighter” right now—and why so many therapists are questioning their next steps.

We explore how inflation, stagnant insurance reimbursement, and economic fear are impacting your practice, your income, and the clients you care for.

(00:06:18) Therapy Demand Trends in Economy

(00:09:58) Reflections on Consumer Behavior

(00:11:06) Certainty Drives Prosperity

(00:13:57) Therapy Resistance and Cultural Shifts

(00:18:52) The Hidden Struggles of Ownership

Here’s what Julie and I unpacked together:

Inflation + Uncertainty

Clients are becoming more price sensitive. Many are weighing therapy against essential household expenses. At the same time, therapists are facing rising overhead with little movement in insurance reimbursement. It’s no wonder things feel tight.

A Post-COVID Market Correction

The surge in therapy demand during COVID has eased. Even seasoned clinicians are seeing more openings, more competition, and shifting client priorities.

Hiring + Retention Challenges

Group practice owners are struggling to keep clinicians as compensation expectations rise but profitability doesn’t. For some, this has triggered a deeper reflection about whether their current business model is sustainable.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled, or noticing more uncertainty in your finances or schedule, I want you to know there’s nothing wrong with you and you’re not behind. You’re responding to a larger economic shift that’s affecting therapists everywhere.

In Part Two, Julie and I will move into action—sharing guidance, grounded strategies, and compassionate next steps to help you adjust your practice with clarity and confidence.

Are you a Solo Private Practice Owner?

I made this course just for you: Money Skills for...

Have you ever noticed old messages about money, morality, or success still lingering—long after you’ve left a faith community or belief system that once shaped your world? In this episode, I sit down with licensed marriage and family therapist Emily Maynard to explore how growing up in or leaving a high-control religious environment can deeply influence your relationship with money.

We talk about how these systems teach people—often from childhood—to view money through a moral lens: poverty as virtue, wealth as greed, or sacrifice as proof of goodness. For therapists who grew up in these spaces, those lessons can make it especially difficult to set boundaries, charge appropriately, or believe that rest and success are safe.

Emily brings such grounded insight to this conversation. Together, we unpack what defines a high-control religion—not as a specific theology, but as a structure of control, shame, and rigidity that can leave lasting marks on how we see ourselves, our worth, and what we deserve.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever wrestled with feeling selfish for wanting more stability, questioned your right to rest, or found yourself hustling to “earn” worthiness.

(00:06:17) Religion Shapes Early Views on Money

(00:09:31) Subtle Conditioning in Belief Systems

(00:10:37) Healing After Leaving a Group

(00:15:41) Sustainability in Healthcare Messaging

(00:17:18) Money, Morality, and Control

(00:23:16) Building a Sustainable Healing Practice

(00:27:03) Money, Religion, and Belonging

Emily shares what she sees in her work with clients recovering from religious trauma: the body’s lingering responses to old patterns, even years after intellectually moving on. We also explore how healing involves learning to make your own choices, rewriting your “job description” in private practice, and creating boundaries that allow sustainability without guilt.

Here are a few action steps you can take toward breaking free:

1. Notice the messages you absorbed early on. What stories about money, morality, or sacrifice still influence your financial decisions today?
2. Practice autonomy with compassion. Try writing your own “job description” for private practice. What would feel fair, sustainable, and ethical for you?
3. Challenge inherited shame. When guilt or fear shows up around charging for your work or taking rest, remind yourself: You are allowed to be well.
4. Build new financial safety. Explore ways to connect money with care, not control—so your business can reflect your current values, not your old programming.

If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with money after growing up in faith-based or high-control environments, this episode will help you begin healing the shame, rebuilding trust in yourself, and crafting a business that feels both grounded and free.

Get to Know Emily Maynard:

Emily Maynard is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. She works with adults with trauma, particularly religious trauma and high control religion backgrounds. Emily has a small private practice and is certified in EMDR. She loves Jeopardy and talking about things that make other people uncomfortable, like money!

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