Money Skills For Therapists

There’s a kind of stuckness that can show up even when everything looks “ready” on paper—the numbers work, the plan is there, and yet the decision still feels hard to make. I see this a lot when therapists are considering the move from W2 work into full-time private practice. In my coaching conversation with Dr. Amber Vernon, a recent grad of the Money Skills for Therapists program, we explore what happens when the hesitation isn’t about money skills or financial planning—but something deeper. Even when the path looks clear, there can still be a sense of activation, doubt, or what she calls “squirreliness” that makes it hard to move forward. Ready to feel more calm and confident about your money? Do you feel confused, ashamed, or uncertain about your finances? Are you craving support to help shift your money mindset and transform your relationship with money? Are you ready to gain practical tools and the confidence you need to finally take control of your business finances? If so, I’d love for you to join me for one of my free online workshops, designed specifically for private practice owners who feel stuck—whether it’s mindset blocks, avoidance, or the technical side of managing money. In just one hour together, you’ll gain clarity, practical strategies, and next steps to move forward with intention. Click here to explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay. When the Numbers Make Sense but the Decision Still Feels Hard Sometimes the stuckness isn’t about strategy—it’s about what the decision represents. You can have the income stability, the emergency fund, the private practice already working… and still feel a pull to stay where things feel more predictable. What I see here is how control, perfectionism, and financial anxiety can keep you circling even when you’re ready. When your nervous system is activated, it can start to question everything—your plan, your niche, even the sustainability of your therapy business. And at that point, more data doesn’t help. That “squirreliness” isn’t a sign that you’re doing something wrong—it’s more often a sign that you’re stepping into something unfamiliar. Moving Through Uncertainty When You’re Already “Ready” Even when the financial planning and logistics are in place, the decision can still feel unsettled—especially when control, identity, and uncertainty are all in the mix. (00:04:59) Deciding on career transition (00:07:28) Discussing work challenges and options (00:12:48) Avoiding future decisions now (00:15:39) Navigating personal decision impacts (00:25:54) Overcoming fear to take action (00:26:51) Assessing current intellectual interests (00:30:44) Choosing work that excites you (00:35:18) Exploring varied career paths (00:36:37) Deciding when to move on (00:40:21) Reflecting on chaotic energy (00:43:01) Embracing diverse skills and strategies Letting Your Path Be More Flexible Than You Expected One of the shifts in this conversation is moving away from the idea that there’s one “right” version of private practice. For some therapists, the goal isn’t a single, fixed path—it’s building a career that allows for variety, different income streams, and evolving interests. When you’re good at a lot of things, decision-making can feel harder, not easier. But that doesn’t mean you’re off track—it just means your path might be more flexible than you expected. Instead of waiting until everything feels certain, you can start by taking small steps, testing what feels energizing, and letting that guide your next move. You don’t have to figure out your entire career transition all at once—you just have to stay in motion long enough to learn what actually fits. About Amber Vernon: Dr. Amber Vernon is a police psychologist who has worked with various public safety agencies in Virginia for over 10 years. Her service encompasses academy-based training, subject matter expert instruction, employment-related evaluation, wellness visits, professional consultation, and critical incident response. Dr. Vernon is passionate about building (and maintaining) bridges between people, experiences, and disciplines. She is known for working collaboratively to identify questions, develop useful answers, and provide clear and action-oriented next steps. Connect with Amber: Website: www.vernonpsyd.com Get to Know Linzy Bonham: Linzy Bonham is a private practice therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm and in control of their finances through her coaching at Money Skills For Therapists and her podcast Money Skills for Therapists. It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because the financial side was too stressful. So Linzy decided to help therapists and health professionals develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught these skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying. Follow Linzy Bonham: About Page: https://moneyskillsfortherapists.com/about/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/

Raising your fees can bring up a surprising amount of tension, especially when you care deeply about your clients and the relationship you’ve built. It’s not just about numbers; it touches values, identity, and how you hold boundaries in your work.In this episode, I’ll walk you through a way to approach fee increases that’s grounded in your actual financial needs, while still staying connected to the kind of therapist you want to be.Ready to feel more calm and confident about your money?Do you feel confused, ashamed, or uncertain about your finances? Are you craving support to help shift your money mindset and transform your relationship with money?Are you ready to gain practical tools and the confidence you need to finally take control of your business finances?If so, I’d love for you to join me for one of my free online workshops, designed specifically for private practice owners who feel stuck—whether it’s mindset blocks, avoidance, or the technical side of managing money.In just one hour together, you’ll gain clarity, practical strategies, and next steps to move forward with intention.Click here to explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay.Letting Your Fees Reflect Your Values and NeedsRaising fees in private practice isn’t just a business decision—it’s a clinical one. When you base your fee on real numbers, like salary goals, taxes, and operating expenses, you create a foundation that supports your work.From there, the focus shifts to how you communicate the change: naming it clearly in session, allowing space for your client’s response, and trusting that whatever comes up can be worked with. Giving thoughtful notice and expecting a range of reactions helps keep the process grounded. Over time, making fee adjustments a regular part of your practice reduces emotional intensity and supports long-term sustainability.Setting Fees That Reflect Your RealityEven when the math is clear, naming a higher fee can still feel uncomfortable—especially if you’re used to choosing numbers based on what feels manageable rather than what’s needed.(00:03:24) Raising therapy fees effectively(00:09:35) Ending the therapeutic relationship(00:11:43) Discussing fee increase strategies(00:14:54) Referral program for money coursesMaking Space for Both Your Needs and TheirsBringing a fee increase into session creates an opportunity to practice direct, honest communication. Saying the new rate and pausing—without over-explaining or softening—allows your client to respond in their own way. Some clients will stay; some may need to adjust their schedule, and some may choose to end therapy. Supporting that process, without taking responsibility for the outcome, is part of maintaining a healthy therapeutic relationship.Over time, approaching fee changes as a normal, expected part of practice (rather than something to avoid) helps reduce the pressure. It allows your work to remain sustainable; while still honoring the care and intention you bring to your clients.Get to Know Linzy Bonham: Linzy Bonham is a private practice therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm and in control of their finances through her coaching at Money Skills for Therapists and her podcast Money Skills for Therapists.It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because the financial side was too stressful.So Linzy decided to help therapists and health professionals develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught these skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying.Follow Linzy Bonham:About Page: https://moneynutsandbolts.com/about/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/

Have you been avoiding raising your fee, because you're scared to have those hard conversations with your clients? If so, this is the episode for you...One thing I see all the time with therapists in private practice—especially around money, caseload size, and accessibility—is the pull between taking care of your clients and taking care of yourself.In this coaching conversation, I sit down with Jessica Katz, a graduate of the Money Skills for Therapists program, to look at what happens when your fee structure, schedule, and financial needs aren't aligned — and then how to start shifting toward building a practice that supports both your clients and your own wellbeing.Ready to feel more calm and confident about your money? Do you feel confused, ashamed, or uncertain about your finances? Are you craving support to help shift your money mindset and transform your relationship with money? Are you ready to gain practical tools and the confidence you need to finally take control of your business finances? If so, I’d love for you to join me for one of my free online workshops, designed specifically for private practice owners who feel stuck—whether it’s mindset blocks, avoidance, or the technical side of managing money. In just one hour together, you’ll gain clarity, practical strategies, and next steps to move forward with intention. Click here to explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay. Finding Balance Between Client Care and SustainabilityAs helpers and healers, it's natural for us to think that we're "good therapists" by helping everyone at a price they can afford. But you can actually show up stronger and with more mental space for those you serve by prioritizing yourself and protecting your time.Wide sliding scales, inconsistent fees, and overextended schedules can slowly turn into money anxiety, burnout, and a sense that you're always behind.What we explore here is how these patterns form—and how they're often rooted in emotional labor, people-pleasing, and a desire to preserve relationships at any cost.When your time, energy, and finances aren't protected, it becomes harder to stay present in your clinical work and more difficult to maintain long-term client retention.The shift isn't about doing less for your clients—it's about creating a structure where your financial needs, energetic needs, and values alignment can coexist.Emotional Awareness and Practical ShiftsWhen you start to look at your schedule, your fee structure, and your boundaries together, it becomes easier to see what's actually sustainable. Charging a higher fee creates a positive ripple effect because both you and your client recognize the value and cost of this session, leading you both to make the very best of your time together.(00:03:16) Talking about fee raises(00:09:16) Setting up an ideal workweek(00:10:49) Managing energy across work sessions(00:14:03) Setting a balanced work schedule(00:21:05) Navigating infertility and pregnancy loss(00:24:33) Value of paying for expertise(00:29:53) Prioritizing self-care for clients(00:33:39) Navigating guilt and true values(00:39:06) Improving finances for therapistsLetting Your Practice Support the Work You Want to DoThis conversation comes back to quality over quantity. When your caseload is too high or your rates don't reflect your work, it becomes harder to stay present and make grounded decisions. As you begin raising your rates, setting clearer boundaries, and adjusting your schedule, discomfort is normal; but those changes often lead to stronger relationships and better therapy outcomes for both you and your clients.A sustainable practice isn't built on stretching yourself thinner—it's built on clarity, boundaries, and allowing your work to support you too.About Jessica Katz: Jessica Katz is a reproductive mental health therapist specializing in infertility and family building through reproductive treatments. Through her private practice, Empress Counseling, she supports individuals and couples navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, perinatal mood disorders, and third-party reproduction, helping clients make grounded, values-aligned decisions.With a strong analytical background and training in Money Skills for Therapists, Jessica brings both financial clarity and self-awareness to her work, focusing on sustainable, aligned private practice.Follow Jessica Katz:Therapy practice: https://www.empresscounseling.com/Social media: https://www.instagram.com/empresscounselingGet to Know Linzy Bonham: Linzy Bonham is a private practice therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm and in control of their finances through her coaching at Money Skills for Therapists and her podcast Money Skills for Therapists.It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because the financial side was too stressful.So Linzy decided to help therapists and health professionals develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught these skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying.Follow Linzy Bonham:About Page: https://moneynutsandbolts.com/about/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/

If you’ve ever felt a quiet tension between wanting your practice to support you and feeling like you shouldn’t need that… you’re not alone. This is something I see all the time with therapists—where caring deeply about clients starts to blur into overlooking your own needs. In my conversation with Tiffany McLain, we’re looking at how that pattern shows up around money, and why it can feel so uncomfortable to want more, charge more, or build a practice that actually sustains you.Ready to feel more calm and confident about your money? Do you feel confused, ashamed, or uncertain about your finances? Are you craving support to help shift your money mindset and transform your relationship with money? Are you ready to gain practical tools and the confidence you need to finally take control of your business finances? If so, I’d love for you to join me for one of my free online workshops, designed specifically for private practice owners who feel stuck—whether it’s mindset blocks, avoidance, or the technical side of managing money. In just one hour together, you’ll gain clarity, practical strategies, and next steps to move forward with intention. Click here to explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay. When Taking Care of Yourself Feels UncomfortableA lot of therapists have been shaped by roles where being helpful, accommodating, and selfless was the expectation. Over time, that can turn into a quiet habit of minimizing your own needs—especially when it comes to your finances. So when it comes time to look at your numbers, set fees, or think about what you actually need to earn, it can feel off. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because it goes against a pattern you’ve been living in for a long time.That’s where a lot of the tension comes from. Part of you knows your practice needs to work financially, and another part of you feels uncomfortable prioritizing that.Connection and Support Change the PatternWhat begins to change things is having space to talk about this openly. When you’re in conversation with other therapists who are navigating the same thing, it becomes easier to question old assumptions and try something different.(00:05:28) Expectations of selflessness in psychology(00:10:55) Unpacking childhood money shame(00:13:58) Importance of a supportive community(00:22:56) Setting boundaries and raising fees(00:26:45) Valuing your work and worth(00:29:35) Overcoming shame around money(00:30:54) Money workshops for therapistsLetting Your Practice Support You TooYour work is about supporting others—but your practice needs to support you, too. When your finances are unclear or stretched, it shows up in your energy, your boundaries, and how sustainable your work feels. As you get clearer on what you need and allow yourself to adjust your fees, things start to feel more steady. A sustainable practice isn’t built on overextending—it’s built on balance, support, and letting your work give back to you.Get to Know Linzy Bonham: Linzy Bonham is a private practice therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm and in control of their finances through her coaching at Money Skills for Therapists and her podcast Money Skills for Therapists.It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because the financial side was too stressful.So Linzy decided to help therapists and health professionals develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught these skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying.Follow Linzy Bonham:About Page: https://moneynutsandbolts.com/about/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/About Tiffany McLain: Tiffany McLain, LMFT, is a clinical fee strategist who helps therapists in private practice increase their income while improving the quality of their work. Through her program, The Lean In. MAKE BANK. Academy, she guides clinicians in shifting the mindset patterns that keep them under-earning, so they can confidently charge premium, cash-pay fees and build more sustainable practices. Known for her direct, empowering approach, Tiffany focuses on helping therapists work less, earn more, and show up more fully for their clients.Connect with Tiffany and Lean In. MAKE BANK.:Website: https://leaninmakebank.comFun with Fees Calculator: https://leaninmakebank.com/fee-calculator/Email: [email protected]: https://www.instagram.com/leaninmakebank/Website: https://leaninmakebank.com

If money in your private practice brings up anxiety, avoidance, or that feeling of “I should have this figured out by now,” you’re not alone. Most of us were never taught how to manage money, and yet we’re running businesses that are supposed to take care of us while we take care of others. That’s a lot of pressure, and it makes sense that money can feel overwhelming.In this episode, I’m digging into the connection between emotions and money, and why money confusion and shame have less to do with your ability and more to do with what’s happening underneath the surface.Ready to feel more calm and confident about your money? Do you feel confused, ashamed, or uncertain about your finances? Are you craving support to help shift your money mindset and transform your relationship with money? Are you ready to gain practical tools and the confidence you need to finally take control of your business finances? If so, I’d love for you to join me for one of my free online workshops, designed specifically for private practice owners who feel stuck—whether it’s mindset blocks, avoidance, or the technical side of managing money. In just one hour together, you’ll gain clarity, practical strategies, and next steps to move forward with intention. Click here to explore upcoming workshops and save your spot or register to get the replay. Why Money Feels So Hard (and What Actually Helps)For a lot of therapists, money doesn’t just feel confusing—it feels activating. Anxiety, overwhelm, or shutdown can show up when you look at your numbers, not because you’re incapable, but because your nervous system is taking over and your thinking brain goes offline. It’s not the math that’s the problem, it’s the emotions. When shame, pressure, or fear are running the show, avoidance makes sense, even if it keeps you stuck. The shift starts with awareness: noticing what comes up for you and naming it, so you can begin to work with it instead of against it.Emotional Awareness and Financial ClarityWhen you begin to notice your emotional response to money instead of pushing it away, you create space to respond differently—and that’s where financial clarity starts to build.(00:06:10) Money, Emotions, and Awareness(00:09:40) Therapists Transforming Money Mindsets(00:13:08) Overcoming Money Shame WorkshopBuilding a Healthier Relationship with MoneyMoney shame can feel deeply personal, but it’s shaped by so many layers—lack of financial education, messages from our profession, and what we learned about money growing up. This isn’t just a “you” problem. Change starts when you stop doing this alone. With support, awareness, and practical money skills, it becomes possible to move from avoidance and overwhelm toward clarity and confidence. You already know how to help people shift their relationship with hard things—the same is possible with money.Get to Know Linzy Bonham: Linzy Bonham is a private practice therapist turned money coach who helps private practice owners and health professionals feel calm and in control of their finances through her coaching at Money Skills for Therapists and her podcast Money Skills for Therapists.It all started when she saw her extremely skilled colleagues struggle with the money side of business. Some had even left private practice, or were avoiding starting one, because the financial side was too stressful.So Linzy decided to help therapists and health professionals develop peace of mind about their money. Since so many were never taught these skills, she focuses on the “how” of making the business side of private practice doable, and even super satisfying.Follow Linzy Bonham:About Page: https://moneynutsandbolts.com/about/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzybonham/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyskillsfortherapists/