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...

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.

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:

• Notice the messages you absorbed early on. What stories about money, morality, or sacrifice still influence your financial decisions today?
• Practice autonomy with compassion. Try writing your own “job description” for private practice. What would feel fair, sustainable, and ethical for you?
• 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.
• 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!

Follow Emily Maynard:

Email: emily@emilymaynardtherapy.com

Website: