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. 

Adapting Your Practice in Tough Times: Marketing, Flexibility, and Smart Money Moves 

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. 

Here are 5 key takeaways for anyone running a therapy practice (solo or group): 

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 present and responsive. 

5. Your Fees Aren’t a Reflection of Your Worth 

If your caseload is feeling light and you’re wondering about adjusting your fee, please know this: changing your rate isn’t a judgment on your skills or your value. It’s simply a business decision based on what the market can hold right now. Run the numbers, see what’s workable, and give yourself permission to make choices that support your sustainability. Your worth remains intact—always. 

Ready to Improve your Business Money Skills? 

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. 

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. 

What This Shift Means for Solo and Group Practices 

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. 

Inflation, Reimbursement Rates, and Changing Client Needs 

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 

Key Takeaways for Therapists Navigating Today’s Economy 

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.

Ready to Improve your Business Money Skills? 

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. 

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. 

Healing Money Shame for Therapists with Religious Trauma Histories 

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 

Breaking Free from Money Shame Rooted in High Control Religious Backgrounds 

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: 

Have you ever caught yourself living in constant hustle mode — pushing for the next milestone in your therapy practice but rarely pausing to breathe, to celebrate, or to simply be? 

I sit down with Jenny Jonker, a therapist, practice owner, and graduate of both my Money Skills for Therapists and Money Skills for Practice Owners programs. Jenny’s story is powerful — she shares how her immigrant background, her family’s experience fleeing war, and the survival mindset that shaped her early years carried into her life as a business owner. Together, we explore what it looks like to shift from fear and scarcity into calm, trust, and true presence. 

I coach Jenny through the process of breaking free from the “always-doing” cycle and learning to actually enjoy the success she’s built. We talk about how trauma, culture, and early money stories shape the way we work — and why slowing down, resting, and allowing ourselves to feel safe in abundance is part of the deeper healing work for therapists. 

Jenny’s reflections are moving and relatable: honoring her parents’ legacy while learning that she doesn’t have to hustle to prove her worth. She reminds us that the path to financial stability in private practice isn’t only about spreadsheets and systems — it’s about healing what’s underneath. 

The Cost of Constant Hustle and How Therapists Can Embrace Rest 

(00:03:11) Finding Purpose Beyond Hustle 

(00:09:01) Breaking Cycles, Reclaiming Your Space 

(00:10:39) Feeling Empowered Through Your Backstory 

(00:18:51) Reflecting on Presence and Growth 

(00:21:07) Hustling to Prove Yourself 

(00:23:01) New Patterns Take Time 

(00:26:10) Prioritizing Rest and Growth 

(00:30:29) Balancing Hustle with Presence 

Redefining “Enough”: Healing the Immigrant Hustle Mindset in Private Practice 

(00:10:05) “Being an immigrant and having my own history and the way that I grew up, I think has really informed my practice and how I show up with clients and how I want to create this space with intention and be able to share my story and my experiences of hardship and poverty with clients in a way that helps them have hope." - Jenny Jonker  

Jenny beautifully describes what she calls her foreboding joy — that anxious feeling when things are finally good, but a part of you is waiting for something to go wrong. She’s practicing new tools to retrain her nervous system, learning to let in safety, joy, and gratitude. One of her grounding techniques: closing her eyes, counting to three, and saying, “I am really here. I deserve this.” 

If you’ve ever felt driven by scarcity, fear, or the pressure to prove yourself, Jenny’s story offers a gentle reminder: your worth doesn’t come from your productivity. It’s okay to slow down, to rest, and to take in how far you’ve come. 

Action Steps to Help You Shift Your Money Narrative:  

Explore your family’s money story. Reflect on the messages you absorbed about money, work, and success growing up. Which beliefs are truly yours, and which are ready to be released? 

Notice when “hustle” shows up. When you feel the pull to overwork, ask: “What am I afraid will happen if I slow down?” 

Practice mindful presence and positive affect tolerance. Try the same exercise I walked Jenny through: sit still, close your eyes, count to three, and open them with the words, “I deserve this. This is my life. I built this.” 

Connect with your younger self. When fear arises, connect with that child part of you and gently remind them, “We’re safe now. I’ve made good choices for us.” 

Celebrate your accomplishments – Visibly. Create small rituals to recognize what you’ve built. Light a candle, share your win, or simply pause and feel it. 

Start building in rest and enjoyment. Schedule moments of stillness and pleasure — even if it feels unfamiliar. This is how you grow your capacity to receive the good. 

Seek out financial education & support. Surround yourself with resources that honor your lived experience. My Money Skills for Therapists and Money Skills for Group Practice Owners programs are designed to help therapists like you build calm, confidence, and financial stability — from a place of self-compassion, not hustle. 

Get to Know Jenny Jonker:  

Jenny Jonker, MSW, RSW, is the owner and founder of Dragonfly Counselling and Wellness, a private therapy practice offering compassionate, trauma-informed care across Ontario. She came to Canada as a refugee of war from Nicaragua and draws on her lived experience of exile, trauma, and PTSD to inform her work and how she shows up for clients. With over 15 years of experience, Jenny specializes in complex trauma and has advanced training in EMDR, CBT, DBT, and ACT. At the heart of Dragonfly is a human-centered approach—being real, compassionate, and simply human with people is central to the team’s values. Dragonfly proudly serves diverse communities, including a strong focus on Indigenous populations, and offers therapy in multiple languages both in-person and virtually. 

Follow Jenny Jonker:  

Email: [email protected] 

If you’ve ever felt like marketing your therapy practice is confusing, intimidating, or just not your zone of genius, you’re not alone. In this episode, I want to help you breathe a little easier about it. Marketing doesn’t have to be reactive or overwhelming. It can be intentional, sustainable, and rooted in long-term success for your business and your peace of mind. 

Whether you’re just opening your solo practice, looking to welcome more clients, or scaling into a group practice, my guest Kristie Plantinga and I talk honestly about what actually works when it comes to digital marketing for therapists. You’ll hear how to keep your practice visible online, how to think about your return on investment, and which tools can help you track whether your efforts are truly bringing new clients your way. 

(00:14:21) “It’s about, did I get a return on the investment that I put into this? It’s the most important thing really, when you’re working with a marketing company.” — Kristie Plantinga 

Kristie is the founder of Place Digital (formerly TherapieSEO) and a passionate advocate for helping therapists understand how online marketing really works. Together, we unpack what private practice owners need to know about SEO, Google Ads, and digital marketing strategy — all from a grounded, therapist-friendly perspective. 

Smart Marketing Strategies for Private Practice Therapists 

Marketing is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your practice — and it can feel risky when you don’t know where to start. In this conversation, we explore how to make wise, informed choices about where to spend your time and money so you can build stability for years to come. 

(00:05:43) AI Tools Integrated with Google 

(00:07:44) Flawed Marketing and Hiring Strategy 

(00:12:52) Sustainable Growth Through SEO 

(00:13:57) Long-Term Perspective in Marketing 

(00:19:33) Tools to Demystify Marketing 

(00:22:44) Rethinking Marketing for Practice Owners 

(00:24:48) Big Investments, Big Returns 

(00:28:32) Google Ads vs. SEO Costs 

(00:33:17) Proactive Marketing for Therapists 

(00:34:32) Sustained Growth for Practices 

Google Ads vs. SEO: Choosing the Right Path for Your Therapy Practice 

As Kristie reminds us, Google is the gateway to the internet. Whether we love it or not, if potential clients can’t find you there, your practice is essentially invisible. But there’s a catch — Google isn’t always a reliable partner for small businesses. Policies change overnight, and as therapists, we’re rarely their priority. 

That’s why we talk about investing in your marketing before you need it, rather than reacting when your caseload dips. Sustainable marketing is about planting seeds now for the clients you’ll be serving six months from today. 

Kristie shares her honest take on Google Ads — calling Google “a selfish and unreliable partner” — and explains why SEO is a more sustainable, long-term investment. While ads can create short bursts of visibility, SEO helps you build an online foundation that continually attracts your ideal clients. 

How Much Should You Really Spend on Marketing? 

In this episode, Kristie and I walk through what a healthy marketing cycle looks like for different stages of private practice. We talk about setting a budget that feels aligned, tracking what’s really working, and investing in strategies that will continue to pay off over time. 

Marketing decisions made from fear rarely lead to growth that lasts. Instead, we can learn to make calm, confident, and informed choices about where to invest our energy and resources. 

Ready to feel confident with your money?

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.