Selling The Couch With Melvin Varghese, Ph.d. | Weekly Conversations To Build And Grow Your Counseling Private Practice

Have you ever considered writing a children’s book? I’ll admit that I’ve thought about it, and it might be a new endeavor in my future. Writing a children’s book takes creativity and planning, and much perseverance is required to navigate the publishing process. Join me as I talk to a longtime friend who has been through the process and published two children’s books.Our Featured GuestAmy JivaniAmy is a childhood friend of mine who has become a children’s book author. Her latest book, Meera’s Flowers, tells the story of a young girl celebrating an Indian holiday while living in America. She also wrote More Than Words: A Book About Body Language, a story about body language and feelings. Amy is a former first-grade teacher who is inspired by her students and her cultural background to write children’s books with ethnically diverse characters. Amy shares with us where she gets ideas for books and how the creative process works. We also discuss the concept of self-publishing compared to the traditional publishin

What would it be like to own and run your own group therapy practice--including the building? And to complicate matters, what if the whole endeavor is getting off the ground during a global pandemic? It might sound crazy, but you’ll hear the details from today’s guest who is making it all happen after facing down all the obstacles. Join us!Our Featured GuestKaren Grayson, PhD, LPCDr. Karen Grayson had a vision a few years ago of owning a therapy practice building, so she followed through with the big purchase in 2018. She’s here to help us navigate through the challenges of owning a therapy practice building during a pandemic. The Center for Inner Transformation, in St. Louis, is a place where Karen combines philosophy, therapy, and spirituality on an integrated pathway to her clients’ personal and collective development, and it’s also home for the practices of three other clinicians. She shares where the idea of buying a building came from, how she went into the process, along with practical steps that she t

Today’s show is about navigating long-haul COVID symptoms and life as a private practitioner. I wanted to have a non-academic conversation about this intriguing topic from a real-life perspective. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestRobert Cox, MA, LPC, NCCRobert Cox is a private practitioner in Kentucky. He contracted COVID back in December. After a few weeks, he noticed that his symptoms improved a little but then continued. You’ll hear Robert’s story of his long-haul COVID symptoms and navigating through it as a private practitioner, especially regarding what to disclose to clients.Tristn Jevon Center for RecoveryYou’ll learn:What it means to have “long-haul COVID”How long-haul COVID symptoms can vary with dementia-like brain fog, heart problems, physical exhaustion, night sweats, etc.Robert’s story of contracting COVID last December from his daughter and facing moments of panic because of his asthmaHow Robert’s symptoms were complicated by the death of his son in February 2021How Robert learned to dea

Today’s show is about one of my most favorite topics in the world: sleep. I’ll admit that my thinking about sleep has changed a lot over the years as I’ve learned more. Whether you’re a champion sleeper or someone who needs to pay more attention to rest, today’s show has helpful information and expert tips for you. Join us!Our Featured GuestLiz SlonenaLiz Slonena is a psychologist in Asheville, NC. She has expertise in sleep and insomnia, and I wanted to have her share her insights with us. Pandemic stressors and the blurred lines between work life and home life have been contributing factors to sleep problems for many therapists. We will discuss why quality sleep matters, the basics of sleep cycles, and how our hustle culture has impacted our sleep. We’ll finish up with practical tips about improving sleep.www.drlizlistens.com Use code #STC for premium access to Aura, an all-in-one wellness appFind Dr. Liz’s free mindful hypnosis videos on YouTubeYou’ll Learn:What happens during the normal sleep cycles:

So much of what we do as clinicians revolves around leadership, even though we may not be comfortable thinking of ourselves that way. If we are truly leaders in what we do, it makes sense to learn all we can about making ourselves the best leaders possible. The world needs good leaders! Join us as we discuss all things leadership development in today’s showOur Featured GuestJevin KolethJevin Koleth is a leadership coach who happens to be a childhood friend of mine. He has vast experience in what it means to be a leader through his time as a regional manager for a major healthcare system in Texas. I want you to hear Jevin’s insights about why leadership needs to be developed first at the individual level before implementing the more popular team approach. We also dive into how leadership has changed as a result of the pandemic, and we wrap up with personal and real-life experiences from Jevin that can help you in your growth as a leader.Jevin KolethYou’ll Learn:Why effective leadership development has to begin

Today’s show is about building an online directory, which is hugely relevant to every clinician. Whether you’ve used an online directory to refer clients or thought about creating a directory to help other clinicians and clients, you know that it is a valuable resource that makes it easier to find a therapist who can help with very specific needs. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestLaura Reagan, LCSW-CLaura Reagan is a clinical social worker and integrative trauma specialist in Maryland who had the idea to create a directory for trauma therapists, Trauma Therapist Network. She’s a trauma survivor who has specifically worked around trauma for the past 19 years. Through her years of experience, she has learned a lot about the nuances of trauma therapy, the services available, and what services are lacking. Laura gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how her idea for the directory evolved, the logical steps in the creation process, and the helpful resources that are available in creating an online directory.

Welcome to a new season of STC! Today’s conversation is different from the typical STC session, as it was inspired by a thread created in the STC community about healthcare providers dismissing legitimate medical concerns. This situation is one that you might encounter personally or with your clients, so I hope you’ll find our conversation helpful and informative. Join us!Our Featured GuestDanielle Hughes, MA, LPCDanielle Hughes is in private practice in Loveland, CO. Danielle shared her perspective in the STC community as someone with a chronic illness who struggled for 12 years to get a proper diagnosis. She interacted with several healthcare providers who didn’t believe that her physical issues could be attributed to anything other than stress and trauma.It’s been quite a journey for Danielle, who was just recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that truly affects her energy levels on a daily basis. In today’s session, Danielle shares her story and the challenges she has overcomewith the fortitude to

Today’s episode is a valuable one if you are thinking about launching an online course sometime soon or in the future. My encouragement to you is to do it! Get started! Join me for this solo episode in which we discuss the basics.You’ll LearnThe most common reasons to launch an online course: to put your message out there to impact more people in different locations, to feel more fulfilled in your purpose, to diversify income streams, and to spark more creativityThe highlights of my online course creation story that began in 2015---complete with all the doubts and fearsHow my first online course has surpassed my wildest dreams in passing the $200K mark in revenueWhat it means to me to build a successful online course:I can build a life around my loved ones and self-care instead of fitting my loved ones and self-care around my career.We as a family can contribute time and resources to organizations that make the world a better place.I can create my ideal retirement schedule years before I actually retire.Why I

Creating an affiliate program for your online course can make a huge difference in your sales, but there are important things to consider. Being ready to start an affiliate program has prompted me to ask for a lot of advice from creators whose values align with mine. Do you want to know what they told me? Join me for this episode to learn more!You’ll Learn:My explanation of the basics of an affiliate program and how it works5 things successful creators told me to think about:Start with a small group of beta testers and get their valuable feedback. (I’m starting with a group of four people.)Establish your affiliate’s tax status from the start. (You’ll need to fill out the proper forms.)Set up auto payouts and refunds. (Take advantage of systems that make these processes easier. We use Kartra.)Think of your course as a way to build a “microphone” for your student, their message, and their social media/email marketing. (This makes it easier to bring in affiliate income.)Consider the 80/20 principle. The top 80-9

Welcome! Today’s topic is relevant to every clinician and business owner. How do we create and build a business according to our values and sense of fulfillment rather than based on what society says should fulfill us? Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestErin GibbErin Gibb is a group practice owner, podcast host, and coach who specializes in helping therapists navigate the societal and systemic factors that impact their businesses. She helps people build businesses and lives in alignment with who they are meant to be. In today’s session, we dive into how the words we say have a great impact on others, things that are happening at a systemic level, and why many therapists are suffering in silence because of self-sacrificial attitudes. You’ll Learn:How Erin got into her line of work focused on mentoring, supervising, and coaching therapistsWhy Erin’s mission now is to show the difference between success and fulfillmentWhy Erin calls her work a “mental health revolution”Why we get trapped in equating ou

Two questions 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 wanted5 key concepts I learned from Paul Jarvis in his book, Company of One: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 specifi

Many therapists are interested in diversifying their income streams beyond their clinical work. We focus today’s session on a very specific aspect of supplemental income, mainly around AirBnb rentals. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestMando Sallavanti IIIArmando “Mando” Sallavanti III is a Certified Financial Planner with a wealth of wisdom to share. We met and connected through LinkedIn, and we’ve had several conversations in recent months. In this session, he shares his expert opinion on owning AirBnb rental properties as compared to long-term rentals, along with the nuances of setting boundaries as a rental property owner. He is open to sharing mistakes he has made along the journey and what he finds rewarding in his role as a rental property owner. You’ll Learn:Why real estate became the natural pivot for Mando to diversify his incomeHow Mando and his fiancé became the owners of a triplex home, living in one unit and renting out the other twoWhy investing in real estate is a common denominator

Since the beginning of this podcast in 2015, I’ve thought a lot about how I can use YouTube to maximize the impact of STC. I’ve pondered many questions about the sustainability of this endeavor and whether I should be creating separate content on YouTube or simply repurposing these podcast episodes on YouTube. As a result of coaching, taking courses, and obsessively (nerdily) studying YouTube, I have decided to finally leap into YouTube in 2024. In today’s session, I’ll share what went into this decision for me and what you should consider as a current or aspiring therapist podcaster. You’ll Learn:How our fears are usually rooted in some sort of trauma or feeling unseen or unheardTop considerations for me in starting out on YouTube:YouTube is intentionally appealing to podcasters and is becoming an ever more popular podcast platform.Putting a video editing team in place (Flocksy) makes the jump to YouTube much easier.YouTube (owned by Google) is very beneficial for discoverability and SEO.I plan to use t

Many of us aspire to add public speaking as a way to grow our impact beyond the therapy room, but it can be overwhelming to get started. Join us to learn more from today’s guest!Our Featured GuestJasmin HaleyJasmin Haley has an interesting career that blossomed from her years in healthcare doing public speaking around the topics of substance use and HIV. From that platform, she launched her business consulting business to help others become better public speakers by honing in on their legacy messages. Her framework, the Heart Framework, emphasizes crafting your public speaking message to align with your heart and your authentic self. Our conversation covers why the public speaking platform can be so impactful, Jasmin’s practical tips about storytelling, and how to seamlessly merge podcasting with public speaking. Website and Free ResourcesYou’ll Learn:Why public speaking is currently a trendy thing to do, fueled by social media exposureWhy your voice is an impactful marketing tool from the moment you sta

It’s not unusual for a podcaster to rebrand and head in a new direction after podcasting for a while. The big questions in this transition are around the logistics of the rebranding process. Today’s session is a coaching call with a member of our Healthcasters Podcasting Course who is unsure about the best way to handle this big transition. Join us as we talk it out and figure out her best next steps!Our Featured Guest for Today’s Coaching Call:Marie Vakakis, MA, AMHSWMarie Vakakis is the founder of The Therapy Hub, and she’s a group practice owner who lives in Australia. She has been doing her podcast, Inside Social Work, for about five years, but she’s decided to rebrand to reach a bigger audience. We will discuss whether she should start a whole new podcast since she has chosen to go in a different direction. We’ll also talk about monetization strategies around podcasting and lining up specific episodes with paid endeavors, such as speaking engagements and online courses. I think you’ll enjoy this look at

Building relationships with journalists can be an open door to having your work featured, spotlighted, and available to a wider audience. The opportunities and possibilities are endless, but how do we build those authentic relationships? I hope this session will be helpful and informative for you as we learn more from today’s guest!Our Featured GuestAisha R. ShabazzAisha R. Shabazz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Philadelphia area. In addition, she is a private practice strategist, business coach, and strategic consultant for leaders in the mental health industry. In today’s conversation, she shares her business journey and how imposter syndrome plagued her as she put her talents out into the world. She discusses pitfalls that therapists encounter, along with how we can work through our insecurities in building relationships with journalists. You’ll Learn:How the pursuit of her dream job naturally progressed into Aisha’s learning to promote herself in media coverageHow a comment on a LinkedIn

Today’s topic is a popular one that affects many people. I’m not ashamed to say that I have struggled with mental health and depression. It’s especially important to know how to balance mental health and the challenges of entrepreneurship. Join us for this incredibly open and honest conversation. Our Featured Guest-Rebekah Shackney, LCSWRebekah Shackney has struggled with depression, which runs on both sides of her family. She’s here to share her story and how her life and business have been impacted. She will help guide us and share what she has learned in building a successful practice around therapy and DBT groups. If you hear those voices of doubt and fear in your head, join us to hear Rebekah’s helpful insight about the delicate dance of managing mental health and the demands of entrepreneurship. Rebekah ShackneyYou’ll Learn:● How Rebekah’s struggle with genetic depression began● Why one of the worst parts of depression is believing the lies that depression tells you● How motherhood intensified depressio

I have to admit that the topic of personal finance excites the nerd in me. I love reading and learning more about all things around finance! Investing intelligently and planning for retirement are often intimidating areas in which we can always benefit from expert advice. Join us to learn how you can make solid investment decisions and better prepare for your future.Our Featured Guest-Dave Frank, Certified Financial PlannerDave Frank is the founder of Turning Point Financial Life Planning, which focuses on helping clinicians in private practice manage their retirement and finances. Dave has the heart to empower therapists around money and finances so they can be more present and centered in all areas of personal and professional life. In today’s show, we will begin by looking at the information and misinformation about investing that have come forward during the pandemic. Dave shares strategies for financial management, including why investing in the stock market is a good idea. Our conversation turns to reti

Today’s show is a live coaching call regarding a topic that has been very relevant to me recently. We are 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, LMFTKristen 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 BoiceYou’ll Learn●     Why Kristen started her podcast about two years ago to provide another opportunity for &nb

Staying true to our values is important in the work we do as clinicians. True business success for us is not based solely on the revenue we generate but on many other important aspects, such as working in a way that our genuine gifts and talents show forth in the meaningful and purposeful work that we do. Join us to learn more.Our Featured Guest-Jennifer Kasey, PsyDJennifer Kasey is a good friend, mentor, and sister in the Christian faith. She and I met way back in 2009 in Nashville, and I’m thrilled that she’s joining us today. She’ll share her perspective on making a slow and intentional transition to full-time private practice. She started as a psychologist at Vanderbilt’s University Counseling Center and then transitioned to a large healthcare system with a small private practice on the side. Over this decade of transitional change, Jennifer has learned many valuable lessons. She will share the logical steps she took in her transition to full-time private practice, the hard moments in the journey, and wha