Private Practice Elevation with Daniel Fava (Daniel Fava)

Today, we're diving into the topic of awkward money moments in running a therapy practice. 

Join me as we explore the challenges therapists face when discussing fees, insurance, and rate increases with clients. 

We'll uncover strategies to navigate these conversations with confidence and compassion.

To help us do that, we’ll be talking with Mor Goldberger. By day Mor leads Therapist Experience and Growth for Mentaya and by night she works as a couples therapist. 

Introduction: The Uncomfortable Reality of Money in Therapy

As a therapist, discussing money with clients can be an uncomfortable and challenging task. Many therapists find themselves ill-equipped to handle these conversations, as there is often a lack of business training in the field of therapy. 

This can lead to feelings of discomfort and uncertainty when it comes to setting fees, discussing insurance, and addressing rate increases.

In this episode, we will delve into the world of awkward money moments in therapy. We will explore the experiences of therapists and the strategies they employ to navigate these conversations effectively. 

Through the help of our guest, Mor Goldberger, we will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding money in therapy and discover practical tips to handle these situations with confidence.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why therapists often struggle with discussing money with clients

• How to maintain your boundaries around money so that you avoid getting into awkward conversations that display a lack of confidence

• Tips for discussing sliding scale fees with prospective clients

• Scripts to use when letting your clients know that you’re no longer accepting insurance

• Things you can do for framing conversations about raising rates

• Tips for sounding confident during consultations such as breathing and slowing down your pace of speaking

• Why being willing to refer poor-fit potential clients shows a high level of care

• Try Mentaya for free with promo code: PPE

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Mentaya.com (Try Mentaya for free with promo code: PPE)

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’ll learn about one of the most important factors that may determine your success in private practice: how you handle your emotions.

Most people think they can land on some optimized marketing plan, a system for scaling, or a specific strategy that’s going to help them achieve success for their private practice.

While those things are all important, if you’re unable to handle your emotions and stressful situations successfully, you’ll likely sabotage your growth.

To be a successful private practice owner requires a deep understanding of human emotions and the ability to navigate them effectively. Starting without your own!

This is where emotional intelligence comes into play. Emotional intelligence, often referred to as EQ, is the powerful ingredient that can elevate private practice success to new heights.

Private practice professionals, such as doctors, therapists, lawyers, and consultants, face unique challenges in their daily interactions with clients. Building strong relationships, managing client expectations, and providing exceptional service are paramount. These tasks go beyond the technical and clinical skills acquired through education and experience. 

They require a keen awareness of emotions, both our own and those of our clients, as well as our employees, and the ability to harness that awareness to make informed decisions and cultivate meaningful connections.

Today we’re talking with Jamey Schrier all about how you can become more self-aware and grow in your emotional intelligence - and why it’s crucial to your private practice success. As Jamey says:

“How you handle yourself under stress will determine your success as a private practice owner.”

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why working harder is not the answer to achieving private practice success

• How emotional intelligence - how to handle emotions

• Why emotional intelligence is a more important factor to you your success than what you know as a therapist

• Tips for increasing your self-awareness - the first step for increasing your emotional intelligence

• A simple exercise to help you understand the things that trigger you 

• Jamey’s “10-second pause” exercise that will help you be more present with the clients and people around you

• Tips to be more socially-aware so that you can recognize the emotions and challenges in others so that you can handle challenging situations calmly and successfully

• How emotional intelligence can help you develop better relationships with referral partners and grow your business

• Steps for dealing with negative self-talk so you can move past your own barriers and grow your business

• Simple tips to reducing your schedule so you can focus on yourself and the tasks that matter 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Practice Freedom U

• Take The Practice Quiz

• Emotional Intelligence 2.0 - Book (affiliate link)

Have you tried using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on your private practice website, but you’re still wondering why people still can’t find you on Google?

Or perhaps you’re just getting started on building your website and wondering, “what do I need to do to make sure that clients can find me in search engines?”

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to talk about the five most common SEO mistakes I see therapists make.

Most private practice owners agree that organic traffic to their website can be a great stream of referrals into the business.

However, many people fail to see the results they want from their SEO efforts.

They’ve got a website - maybe even a great looking one - but the analytics show that not many people are visiting the website or using it to take the next step toward becoming a client.

I’ve consulted with scores of therapists over the years and have reviewed many websites.

And time and again I see these top 5 mistakes holding folks back from getting momentum with their SEO strategy.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The first thing you need to do before investing time and money in your SEO strategy

• What content you’ll want on your website to get more traffic from search engines

• How to find the right keywords - the ones that your clients are using - to get more traffic and clients from your private practice website

• How long should you expect it to take to see improvements in your website traffic 

• The 4 main categories of search engine optimization that you’ll need to focus on to build a solid SEO strategy

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 117. The 4 Mountains of Successful SEO for Private Practice Websites

• SEO Services at Private Practice Elevation

• SEO Basecamp Live Training Group

• Ubersuggest for Keyword Research

In this special edition of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast we’re going to talk about the basics of keyword research and how keyword research is the starting point for a successful SEO strategy for your private practice.

The problem that many therapists have when they begin working on their website and SEO is that they just don’t know which keywords to use.

So they may try and just use a handful of keywords that may or may not work.

They end up spending time writing website copy that may or may not actually bring organic traffic to their website.

Many people also think that if they just add a few keywords sprinkled around their website that they’ll start to get traffic from search engines.

But keyword research is one of the most important pieces in a complete search engine optimization strategy because it will inform and power many of the future steps in your SEO process.

Before we put the keywords on your website, we need to know which keywords are “good” keywords.

In other words, which keywords are your audience and ideal clients using that are related to your therapy services.

So listen up as we dive into keyword research for your private practice.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of keyword research
• The 3 qualities of a great a keyword or phrase
• A 5 step process for keyword research

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Ubersuggest.com 

Get on the Waiting List for Our SEO Training Group!

On October 3, 2022 I’m launching the first ever SEO Basecamp Live Training Group. This will be an online course and small group live training over the course of 7 weeks to help you create and implement and simple SEO strategy for your private practice. 

To be the first to get more information about what’s involved, join our waiting list here.

Work-life balance is a myth! But rhythms of life and the changing of seasons are something that we can all embrace.

In this episode, I sit down with Amy Dover, a seasoned therapist and successful group practice owner. 

Amy has an inspiring story of transitioning from various practice settings to building her own flourishing group practice in Enterprise, Alabama.

Throughout our conversation, Amy opens up about the rapid growth of her practice and the different seasons she's experienced as an entrepreneur. 

We dive into the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and why Amy prefers to think in terms of finding a rhythm rather than balance. Because, honestly, balance never comes and only creates frustration. 

She shares her insights on how to adapt to the changing demands of personal life and business, providing valuable advice for anyone looking to grow their practice while staying grounded.

Key Takeaways

• Rethinking Balance: Amy encourages us to move away from the rigid idea of work-life balance and instead find a rhythm that works for both our personal and professional lives.

• Embracing Seasons: Understanding and embracing different seasons—whether it's a time of rapid growth or a slower period—can help in managing personal and business development effectively.

• Managing Growth: Amy’s journey emphasizes the importance of being a savvy businessperson. Knowing the financial and administrative aspects of your practice is essential for success, and requires a mindset shift from therapist to business owner.

• Leadership Lessons: Transitioning from a solo practice to a group practice requires continuous learning and adaptation in leadership styles and team dynamics.

• Consulting and Support: Having a mentor or joining a consulting group can provide crucial support and guidance through the stages of growing your practice.

Amy's experience and wisdom offer a roadmap for navigating the complexities of practice growth while staying true to your values. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Wise Practice Consulting

• FREE Webinar: Is It Time To Grow? Should I Start a Group Practice?

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

When your ideal clients search for your therapy services online, are they able to find you?

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’ll learn all about The SEO Basecamp Live Training Group - our 7-week class for private practice owners who want to create and implement an SEO strategy that gets them more traffic and clients.

After working and speaking with scores of clients about their SEO, I’ve seen a typical pattern, and it often goes like this:

Your website has been created and you’re ready to market your services to the world!

However, when you look at the analytics (if you have them) you can see that people just aren’t showing up to the website. 

So you wonder, “how can I get more clients if no one even knows I exist?”

So, after doing a bit of research and talking to colleagues, you learn that SEO (search engine optimization) is what you need to do in order to attract traffic to your website and create a steady flow of new clients in your business.

So you start learning what you can about optimizing your website through YouTube, podcasts, and blog posts.

And that’s when the confusion sets in.

Which keywords should I use? Where exactly do I put them? What content do I need on my website and how do I even write that stuff so Google finds it?

After some time, you’ve pieced some of this SEO stuff together but you’re not entirely sure whether you’ve done it right, missed a step, or if you’re on the right track.

You’re kinda just doing what everyone is suggesting but you’re not sure how it all fits together.

So you’re left wondering if clients will ever be able to find you and whether getting new clients from Google each month just may be a pipe dream.

Does this sound familiar?

If so, I want to let you know about The SEO Basecamp Live Training Group.

The SEO Basecamp Live is a 7-week, small group training, consisting of video training and live implementation classes.

Over the course of 7 weeks, I’ll give you access to the exact SEO process we use at Private Practice Elevation to help our clients set up the foundational SEO elements that will get them more organic traffic and clients.

If you want to know more about how to create a roadmap for your SEO strategy and how to get more clients from your website, listen to this episode or simply visit the enrollment page here.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Enroll in The SEO Basecamp Live Training Group
• The 4 Mountains of Successful SEO for Private Practice Websites

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to talk about your website content and specifically, what content and pages need to be on your website in order for it to be successful.

Most therapists would agree that they need a website to market their private practice online and help them gain clients.

The problem is that most private practice websites lack the proper pages and content to make a big impact on the business.

And it’s this lack of content that is one of the biggest things I see holding back most therapists who want to get organic traffic and clients using their therapy website.

I see it often when I perform website audits or coaching calls… the website just doesn’t have enough content to resonate with the ideal client and allow Google to pick up the website and rank it high in search results.

So, let’s talk about your website content and make sure you have what you need in order to hit your goals for online marketing.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to define what makes your website “successful” and how knowing this can help you make important decisions with your online marketing
• The content and pages that I recommend as a bare minimum for a therapy website in order for it to be effective
• A basic sitemap for a therapy website for those who are just getting started
• How to expand your sitemap over time in order to improve your search engine optimization and get more organic traffic in the future

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn about some of the benefits of podcasting and how a podcast can be a huge asset to your business.

Not only that, but a podcast can help you create a positive impact in your community and even the world.

In 2021 over 82 million people said that they listened to podcasts. This number is estimated to rise even further, reaching over 100 million listeners in 2024. (Statista)

This means that your ideal clients or the population you feel called to make an impact with are likely already listening to podcasts.

But there are many ways to reach your audience, podcasting being just one of them.

While podcasting may not be for everyone, I know many of you feel you have a voice and are thinking about what it would be like to have your own podcast.

So what are some of the things you need to think about when starting a podcast?

And what benefits can a podcast have on your business and your impact?

Today we’re talking with my long-time friend, Gordon Brewer, all about podcasting.

Gordon hosts a successful podcast, The Practice of Therapy, and he currently has over 200 episodes under his belt.

He’s been able to use this podcast to provide valuable resources for the mental health community, network with other influencers, and create new streams of income.

In our conversation, Gordon takes us back to when he first had the idea to start a podcast and walks us through some of his own reasons for starting a podcast and some of the challenges he’s had along the way.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Gordon’s story from starting the Practice of Therapy website to launching and growing a podcast

• The benefits and drawbacks of blogging in your marketing and how it differs from podcasting

• How podcasting can help you reach more of your ideal client by networking with other podcasters and influencers

• How podcasting can help you get more SEO traffic to your website

• What are some of the basic necessities in order to start a podcast

• Some of the challenges Gordon faced while starting and growing his podcast and how he overcame them

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel dives into the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of SEO and what therapists can expect as we look toward 2025. 

With Google’s algorithms constantly shifting and new technology—like AI-powered search engines—coming into play, keeping up with SEO trends can feel overwhelming for private practice owners. However, understanding these changes is essential for staying visible online and continuing to attract new clients.

For many therapists, the world of SEO can feel like a maze of ever-changing rules and best practices. 

Google’s algorithms now analyze everything from page load times to user experience and even the expertise of content authors. This means that simply having a website or using a few targeted keywords is no longer enough to achieve high rankings. 

Staying on top of SEO requires not only understanding what Google’s search engine is prioritizing but also adapting content and website strategies to match those priorities.

In this episode, we’ll cover five major SEO trends predicted to dominate 2025. 

Each prediction is meant to help you reach more of your ideal clients and understand the shifting  landscape of SEO for your private practice. With clear explanations and straightforward action steps, you can learn what’s coming next—and what you can do to stay ahead.

Key Takeaways:

• AI in SEO: AI-powered search engines are set to revolutionize SEO strategies in 2025, demanding conversational and precise content in addressing user queries.

• Search Intent over Keywords: Emphasizing the importance of understanding and responding to search intent, rather than focusing solely on keywords, for enhanced user engagement.

• Visual and Interactive Content: Incorporating engaging visual and interactive content, such as videos and images, into websites to better captivate audiences and improve search rankings.

• Voice Search Optimization: Adapting for voice search use by making content more conversational and ensuring websites are mobile-friendly to capture on-the-go users.

• E-A-T Principle: Strengthening the trustworthiness and authority of content through consistent, high-quality, expert-backed articles and displaying credentials effectively on websites.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel Fava had a conversation with Jane Carter, a therapist and business coach for solopreneurs. 

The episode focused on the importance of bringing fun and self-compassion into the process of building a business. 

While building a business can be hard and challenging, finding ways to make it fun is essential to avoid burnout and maintain motivation. 

Throughout the conversation, Jane and Daniel discussed the significance of self-awareness, reframing negative thoughts, and seeking support from others in navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. 

The themes discussed in this conversation provide valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs to build successful businesses while maintaining their well-being and sense of self. 

Key Takeaways:

• Building a business should be fun, as it helps solopreneurs avoid burnout and stay motivated.

• Storytelling is an effective marketing strategy that can make business more engaging and enjoyable.

• Solopreneurs should practice self-compassion and separate their own responsibility from unnecessary blame or shame.

• Having a support system of friends, coaches, or therapists can provide empathy, reflection, and encouragement to solopreneurs.

• Solopreneurs can reframe their stories and approach problems as leaders, taking ownership and finding solutions.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn how you can write copy that’s authentic, relatable, and helps you connect with and convert more clients.

Writing copy for our websites or online marketing doesn’t come easy for most of us.

The majority of therapists don’t have any training in marketing in business building.

So when you’ve got a website that your need to fill up with a bunch of words that are somehow going to get you more clients, that can be a daunting task.

What happens often is that we end up filling our therapy websites with therapist speak and information from the DSM.

But the trouble is that this type of language is not the language your ideal client uses to describe their feelings and the challenges they face.

So how can you create content that feels authentic to YOU and who you are, while also relatable to your ideal client?

How can you stand apart from other private practices so that you attract the best-fit clients to work with?

Patrick Casale is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health and Addictions Therapist in Asheville, NC, who helps mental health entrepreneurs break the mold, work through their fears and insecurities, and to embrace their Authenticity.

Listen in as he shares tips, exercises, and strategies you can use to  help you get past your copywriting roadblocks and create the best content for you and your clients 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why “relatability is accessibility” and the key to connecting with potential clients and getting them to take the next step

• Overcoming imposter syndrome in your copywriting

• How your niche can actually be a version of you and how you can use your story to create content

• Tips for niching down so you can begin writing content with a specific client in mind

• Why new environments can help spark creativity and write your best content

• Exercises to help you get out of your head and just start writing creative and captivating content

• How movie characters can help you write amazing content

• The reasons why launching a website when it isn’t perfect is a key to success with your marketing

• How to make time for content creation

Links mentioned in this episode:

• All Things Private Practice

• Divergent Conversations Podcast

• Free impostor syndrome workbook + narrow down your niche guide + private practice startup guide

Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:

1. Understand the difference between a good and bad therapist website and what key things to watch out for when developing your online presence. 

2. Identify ways to make your website a safe space and establish a connection with potential clients.

3. Learn how to create captivating content on landing pages, utilizing keywords and internal linking, as well as understand the impact of SEO on website visibility and attracting clients.

If you take the time to structure and maintain your therapist website in a strategic, authentic, and ethical way, you'll be more likely to see your ideal clients finding and choosing you as their therapist while knowing that you're going to be the best fit.

Listen Here.

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, EMDR therapist and consultant Christy Pearl delves into the impact of childhood emotional patterns on our professional lives. 

She emphasizes that most people have experienced some form of insecure attachment or emotional abandonment in their early family life, which can influence decision-making and the way we show up in our careers. 

Christy explains that these patterns can manifest in various ways, such as struggling with boundaries, handling money, and feeling reactive rather than responsive in professional settings. 

She highlights the importance of doing our own healing work and cultivating self-compassion and curiosity to overcome these patterns. 

Christy also emphasizes the role of the body in healing and suggests that accessing our unconscious material is crucial for aligning our thinking brain with our emotional and physical memory.

If you’re feeling stuck, under-confident as a leader, or you’ve seen how certain situations trigger you in your private practice, this episode will help guide you toward healing and growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Unresolved emotional patterns from childhood can impact decision-making and the way we show up in our careers.

• Many people are surprised to discover that these patterns also affect their professional lives.

• Doing our own healing work is essential for showing up in a grounded and present manner.

• Cultivating self-compassion and curiosity can help us overcome negative self-talk and shame.

• Accessing our unconscious material is crucial for aligning our thinking brain with our emotional and physical memory.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• www.christiepearl.com

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

About Christie Pearl 

Christie Pearl is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDR Consultant in private practice with over 18 years of experience in the mental health field. She specializes in EMDR Intensive Therapy for Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families who are struggling with work stress and performance anxiety. She helps Adult Children create a healthier relationship with work so that they can own their brilliance and be who they want to be today, instead of who they had to be as children. Her mission is to inspire, encourage and equip Adult Children on their journey to reconnecting with their authentic selves. 

The Impact of Childhood Emotional Patterns on Professional Life

The Impact on Parenting and Personal Relationships

Pearl highlights that these unresolved emotional patterns not only affect our professional lives but also spill over into our parenting and personal relationships. 

She explains that many individuals who have experienced emotional immaturity or dysfunction in their own upbringing struggle to show up as the parents they want to be. They may feel guilt and shame for not being able to break free from these patterns and may find themselves repeating the same dynamics with their own children.

"The best thing you can do for your kids is what you're sitting here with me doing right now for yourself. And in my experience, most people, at least most adult children that I work with, have an easier time accessing that inner loving place within themselves for their kids or for other people. And it's a matter of learning how to turn some of that compassion and grace towards yourself." - Christy Pearl

Navigating Emotional Patterns in the Professional World

Pearl acknowledges that running a business can be a catalyst for uncovering and addressing these emotional patterns. As business owners, we are faced with various challenges, including client relationships, financial decisions, and time management. 

These challenges often trigger our unresolved emotional wounds and can lead to reactivity, self-sabotage, and difficulty in setting boundaries.

"I think there's a really good reason for that, which is we might have adapted early on in our early life by really learning how to compartmentalize... So we grow up and we continue functioning like that in our work. And whether you leave the house or not to go to your job at this point, we bring it all to work with us." - Christy Pearl

The Importance of Self-Awareness and Reparenting

To navigate these emotional patterns in the professional world, Pearl emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and doing our own inner work. She encourages individuals to cultivate curiosity and gentleness towards themselves, recognizing that healing is a process that requires patience and self-compassion. 

By addressing the unconscious material stored in our nervous systems, we can align our thinking brain, emotional memory, and physical sensations to respond from a grounded and authentic place.

"I think it's about doing your own work... It's not just a mental exercise. We've got to get into the body because part of what our brain can do is conscious. And then we've got all this unconscious stuff that's hanging around in our nervous system... If we don't get down into that unconscious material and allow ourselves to bring that up into our conscious minds where we can deal with it, then our thinking brain and our emotional physical memory never match." - Christy Pearl

Conclusion

In conclusion, addressing childhood emotional patterns and their impact on our professional lives is a transformative journey that requires self-awareness, self-compassion, and a commitment to doing the necessary inner work. 

By recognizing and healing our unresolved emotional wounds, we can break free from repetitive patterns, set healthy boundaries, and show up authentically in our careers. The process of reparenting ourselves and cultivating emotional safety within can lead to profound personal and professional growth.

As we continue to explore the intersection of our personal and professional lives, it is essential to approach our careers with curiosity, gentleness, and a willingness to confront our emotional patterns. By doing so, we can create a more fulfilling and authentic professional journey, one that aligns with our true desires and values. 

The path to healing and growth may be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. Let us embrace the opportunity to transform ourselves and our professional lives, one step at a time.

In this podcast episode, you’re going to learn some of the most important aspects of creating effective social media content that will engage your ideal clients and start conversations.

Now, you may be wondering how social media marketing works when it comes to ethics… 

Don’t worry, our conversation has that one covered.

But the main issue is that using social media for lead generation for therapy is ethically frowned upon.

Not so with coaching services though!

So how can you add coaching to your therapy practice and open a whole new world of potential with your social marketing - and really all your marketing?

I know from my conversations with many therapists that social media is often a love-hate relationship, with the majority of people hating it.

I myself have backed down from social media for a while due to my own fatigue and, to be honest, lack of understanding of how to make it all work.

So to help us iron this stuff out, answer the big questions about using social media ethically, and start getting results from this avenue of marketing, is our guest, Carly Hill.

I first began following Carly on Instagram because I was so impressed with her content and her consistency. I knew she was doing it well and I wanted to learn from her.

So I’m super excited to have her on the Private Practice Elevation Podcast and pick her brain.

Carly is an LCSW and business strategist for clinicians. She specializes in helping overworked and underpaid female clinicians make more money and more impact by teaching them to build the online coaching business of their dreams.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The ONE THING you need to understand in order to be successful with social media marketing
• The subtle difference between marketing/social media for a therapy practice vs a coaching business
• Using social media for lead generation for coaching vs therapy-ethics
• Why conversations are more important than likes and followers
• How to use the Pain-Agitate-Solve copywriting framework to craft any social post that will stop your ideal client in their scroll and get them to take action
• How to provide value to your audience and develop your like, know, and trust factor
• Why you shouldn’t be afraid to promote your offer and services
• How to keep things simple and just get started with social media marketing

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Carly Hill Coaching
• Therapist To Coach Accelerator Facebook Group
• Carly on Instagram

About Carly Hill

Carly Hill is an LCSW and business strategist for clinicians. She specializes in helping overworked and underpaid female clinicians make more money and more impact by teaching them to build the online coaching business of their dreams.

She helps clinicians break free out of the 1:1 model to leverage their time, get paid for their knowledge, and live a life of true freedom. She helps clinicians to find their coaching niche, develop their high ticket offer, and organically call in their ideal clients easily and effortlessly using her unique modern marketing masterplan.

How To Create Effective Social Media Content: Key Takeaways

Start with a system.

Do you have a love-hate relationship with social media marketing? It can be overwhelming, especially when we don’t have a system in place to help us manage it. Today, we’re talking with Carly Hill, an LCSW and business strategist for clinicians, about how to create effective social media content.

Carly Hill specializes in helping overworked and unpaid female clinicians make more money and more impact by teaching them to build the online coaching business of their dreams. She helps clinicians break free out of the one-to-one model to leverage their time, get paid for their knowledge, and live a life of true freedom.

Carly helps clinicians to find their coaching niche, develop their high ticket offer, and organically call in their ideal clients easily and effortlessly using her unique modern marketing master plan.

When it comes to social media, Carly recommends starting with a system. Having a system in place will make it easier to post consistently on social media. It can also help you to stay organized and make sure that you’re not overwhelmed by the task of creating content.

She suggests starting with a platform that you enjoy, like Instagram. Instagram is simpler and more fun than other platforms like Facebook. It’s also easier to manage and can help you get started on social media marketing.

Once you’ve chosen a platform, it’s important to have a system in place to help you create and post content. A system can help you stay organized and make sure that you’re consistently creating content that connects with your ideal clients. It can also help you create content that leads them to take action.

Having a system in place can make social media marketing less of a chore. When you see it working, staying motivated and creating content is easier. With a system in place, you can start to see the potential of social media and use it to reach your ideal clients.

Discern between therapy and coaching.

However, when it comes to therapy and coaching, there are some key differences that need to be taken into account. Therapy and coaching can be used together, but they are not the same. It is important to understand the differences between the two in order to use social media effectively and ethically.

Therapy is a medical treatment that is used to treat mental health disorders. It is regulated by the government and requires a license to practice. The goal of therapy is to treat a mental health disorder and help the patient manage their symptoms.

Coaching, on the other hand, is a more general approach to helping people. Coaching does not require a license and is not regulated by the government. The goal of coaching is to help people reach their goals, such as career advancement or personal development. Coaching can also be used to help people who are struggling with mental health issues, but it is not a replacement for therapy.

When it comes to social media, it is important to discern between therapy and coaching. Therapists are not allowed to use social media for lead generation purposes, as this is not ethical. However, coaches can use social media for lead-generation purposes and have engaging conversations with their followers. Coaches can also share testimonials, which is not allowed for therapists.

It is also important to note that if you have both a therapy practice and a coaching practice, and your niche is the same, you don’t need to have two separate social media accounts. You can use your coaching social media for lead generation and promotion, and if someone is interested in your coaching services, you can discern if they are a fit for your therapy practice or if they can be coached through their issue.

In conclusion, it is important to understand the differences between therapy and coaching in order to use social media effectively and ethically. Therapists must use social media for educational purposes only, while coaches can use it for lead generation purposes. If you have both a therapy practice and a coaching practice, you can use your coaching social media for lead generation and discern if someone is a fit for your therapy practice.

Know your ideal client.

When it comes to social media, it is important to know your ideal client. You need to understand their pain points and what their living hell is, as well as what their heaven is. Knowing your ideal client allows you to create compelling hooks that will stop the scroll and grab their attention. You also need to be speaking to them in their language and not using clinical jargon. Finally, you need to have clear and concise call to actions that direct them to the next step.

It is also important to assign value to what you are offering. Invite your ideal client to a free training or a free Facebook group as if you are inviting them to a dinner party. This will help build trust and show them that you understand their needs.

Overall, it is essential to know your ideal client when it comes to using social media. Knowing their needs, pain points, and language will help you create effective posts that will capture their attention and lead them to the next step.

Be consistent and inviting.

Consistency is key when it comes to social media marketing. You have to be present and be seen in order to get noticed. This means posting regularly and creating content that your ideal client can relate to. You want to create a presence on social media that will capture your audience's attention and make them want to engage with you.

It is also important to be inviting and engaging. You want to make sure that your audience knows that you are here to help them and that you understand their pain points. Start off by calling out to your ideal population and their pain, and then agitate their pain and let them know that there is a solution. Invite them to take the next step, whether it be a free guide, a training, or a call. This will help move them along in the journey and create a relationship with them.

Finally, don't be afraid to put yourself out there. You have to invite people to take that next step and create these posts. It can be intimidating, but it is important to be seen and be heard in order to be successful. Start with something simple and ease into your voice and your face.

Overall, being consistent and inviting are important when it comes to using social media. Knowing your ideal client and creating content that speaks to them will help you create relationships and move them along in their journey. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and invite people to take the next step.

Promote yourself and your offer.

When it comes to creating content, having a system is key. This system should involve figuring out who your ideal client is and talking to their pain and their “heaven”. Break these topics down into five different buckets, such as burnout, energizing, mom guilt, etc. Plug these topics into copywriting frameworks or create a calendar to keep yourself organized. On Mondays, you can promote yourself and invite people to free trainings, on Tuesdays ask them what they want you to teach on, Wednesdays do free training, Thursdays do a PAS post, Fridays talk about fun facts about you behind the scenes. This will help you batch your content and save time.

Reusing content is also important. If you are talking about burnout on your blogs for one week, you can hyperlink the posts you did on Instagram and your blog about burnout. This will also save you time.

Don't be afraid to share your offer. You are using social media to convert and get a paying client. Invite them to take the next step and let them know what you have to offer. It can be uncomfortable to promote yourself, but you are doing a disservice if you don't share what you have to offer. Give them permission to raise their hand and let them know that it is okay to promote yourself and share your offer.

Connect with ideal clients.

It is important to connect with your ideal clients on social media. You can use social media to reach a wider audience and to help your ideal clients find you. You can also use social media to create conversations, generate leads, and educate your ideal clients on the value of your services. You can share stories about how you have helped your clients and to showcase what you have to offer.

When you are creating content for social media, think about what your ideal clients need to know. What do they need to understand about your services and how you can help them? What kind of stories can you tell that will help them understand the value of working with you? Share tips and resources that will help them solve their problems.

When you are creating content, remember to be authentic and relatable. Make sure that you are using language that your ideal clients understand. Speak to them in a way that will make them feel comfortable and connected to you.

It is also important to be consistent with your content. Post regularly and create a schedule for yourself. You want to make sure that you are putting out content that is helpful to your ideal clients and that you are keeping them engaged.

By connecting with your ideal clients on social media, you can help them understand the value of working with you and you can create relationships with them. 

You can use social media to create conversations, generate leads, and educate your ideal clients on the value of your services. By being consistent with your content and being authentic, you can create relationships and help your ideal clients find you.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation podcast, we’re switching gears from talking about marketing and practice building to focusing on one thing that can impact your performance in just about everything you do: your sleep.

How would you rate the quality of your sleep?

Do you consider sleep an integral part of your physical health as well as your mental health?

I don’t know about you, but when I don’t get enough sleep (or enough quality sleep) it can throw off my entire day.

I’m less motivated and less productive, and my creativity and joy seem to falter.

Sleep is extremely important to me because I’ve seen the impact it can have on my daily life.

I’m also a very light sleeper so I have to go through a lot of measures to ensure an optimal sleeping environment.

So, as one who’s nerded out on ways to sleep better before, I’m super excited to talk about sleep on the podcast.

Today we’re speaking with Terry Cralle, MS, RN, a Registered Nurse based in Washington, DC, and an expert on sleep health.

Our conversation covers a ton of topics from how to get better sleep to the positive impact that great sleep can have on your quality of life and your clinical work as a therapist.

If you’d like to get better rest, listen up.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The suggested number of hours of sleep you should be getting each night

• The common misconceptions about sleep and how much you need

• How the lack of sleep can be tied to so many issues including physical, health, and mental

• Tons of tips for improving your sleep

• What to do when you wake up in the morning but don’t feel well rested

• Why having a nighttime routine is so important to a good night’s sleep and some of the things you should and should not be doing to help set you up for sleep success

• When you should reach out to a sleep expert to better understand why you’re not consistently getting a good night’s sleep

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  www.TerryCralleRN.com

• https://bettersleep.org 

In this bonus episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we discuss some exciting news - we’ve got a new website design package specifically designed for therapists just starting out in their online marketing journey.

The goal of Private Practice Elevation is to help you elevate your online presence, no matter what level your private practice is currently in.

But what if you find yourself at those lower elevations, where you’re looking to establish your business online and create some momentum?

You need a foundation - a place where potential clients can find you and where you can send your referral sources as you build those relationships.

In an attempt to save some money, most people turn to DIY platforms like Wix and Squarespace to get their business online. While that can be a great starting place to generate some clients, it often comes with a cost…

Those DIY websites look, well, DIY.

This could mean missed opportunities plus time and money wasted as you try and learn website design yourself.

You need a great website that won’t be a distraction as you build and grow your business.

That’s why we’ve created a new website package - The Website Basecamp Package.

To help therapists on a budget create a website that can be a foundation for their online marketing and get the ongoing website support they need for growth.

Listen up to learn more about why we created this package, what’s included, and how it works.

In this Episode You’ll Learn:

• The trouble with DIY therapist websites and I don’t recommend that route
• Why we created this new website design package
• How the process works
• The importance of website care and support
• What’s included in the Website Basecamp Package

Join The Website Basecamp Package Waitlist

Be one of the first to know when we’re accepting applications for our newest website package. We’ll be limiting this package to only a few projects so we can work closely with our clients through this new process.

Join the waitlist here >>

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Preview the Website Basecamp Package template website here
• Learn more about what’s included in this package

In this episode of Private Practice Elevation, we're diving into one of the most important yet often misunderstood aspects of online marketing: blog SEO. 

You’ll learn five actionable steps to optimize your blog posts for search engines, helping you rank higher in search results and reach more potential clients. 

Whether you’re just starting out with blogging or you’ve been at it for a while, this episode will give you clear, easy-to-follow strategies for improving your blog’s visibility without getting overwhelmed by technical jargon. 

From keyword research to writing compelling titles to structuring your posts for better readability, we’ve got you covered.

Many private practice owners and therapists struggle with getting their content seen by the right people. You might be writing fantastic blog posts, but if those posts aren’t optimized for search engines, they’re likely not reaching your target audience. 

This can lead to frustration as you’re putting in the effort but not seeing the results. The issue often comes down to a lack of SEO knowledge, which can feel daunting to non-tech-savvy practice owners. This episode will simplify SEO, breaking down exactly what you need to do to make your content more discoverable online, so you can focus on attracting more clients.

One common myth is that SEO is too complicated for non-experts. 

Many therapists believe they need to hire an expensive marketing agency to see any real results. While it’s true that SEO can get technical, the steps covered in this episode are straightforward and something you can easily implement on your own. We’ll also address the misconception that stuffing your blog post with keywords is the key to ranking higher. With Google’s August 2024 update, focusing solely on keywords is no longer enough—intent and relevance are what matter most now. 

Finally, we’ll bust the myth that SEO success happens overnight. While these steps are crucial, it’s important to understand that SEO is a long game. Consistency and quality will pay off, helping you grow your practice over time by bringing in more organic traffic.

Tune in to this episode and take the mystery out of blog SEO with five simple steps to make your content work harder for your practice!

Key Takeaways

• Keyword Research is Fundamental: Understanding the search intent and using natural language processing can significantly enhance your blog content's relevance and ranking.

• Compelling Titles and Meta Descriptions: Create engaging and informative titles and meta descriptions that include primary keywords to boost click-through rates.

• Optimized URLs: Short, clean URLs that incorporate primary keywords improve both user experience and search engine understanding.

• Utilizing Headers and Subheadings: Organize content with a hierarchy of headers to facilitate better user experience and search engine indexing.

• Linking Strategy: Incorporate relevant internal and external links to guide users and establish authority, increasing engagement on your site.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ubersuggest

• SEO Basecamp Live

• SEO Assessments

In this special SEO Quick Tip episode, we will be discussing the importance of optimizing your titles and meta descriptions on your website. 

These elements play a crucial role in on-page optimization, helping your website rank higher for the keywords you are targeting. 

In this episode, we will explore the best practices for crafting effective titles and meta descriptions, and how they can impact your search engine rankings.

Your title tags and meta descriptions are the very first thing that users will see in those Google search results. It’s not only important to optimize them so that you improve your ranking, it’s equally important to make them enticing to users.

We want people to go from Google to your website right? 

Well, listen up as we break down these crucial SEO factors and give you a quick rundown on titles, meta descriptions and how you can optimize them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What are titles tags and meta descriptions

• The importance of optimizing titles and meta descriptions on websites

• Best practices for creating optimized title tags for your website to help boost search engine rankings

• Tips for writing great meta descriptions to help your SEO

In this episode you’re going to learn how to create an SEO strategy for your own private practice website.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is becoming one of my favorite topics. I love how practical it is and the results that can happen in your therapy practice when your ideal clients can find you on Google.

The problem with SEO is that it is SUCH a big topic.

But if you have a website and want to attract more of your clients to it, you’ve got to at least understand the basics of SEO and how to apply it to your business.

That’s why, in this episode, I’m giving you a 3-step formula to craft your own SEO strategy and start getting more traffic to your website.

In this week's Encore Episode, we’re going to help you determine the actual return on investment you’ll get from investing in an online marketing strategy for your private practice.

If you don’t know what the real monetary impact of your investments is (whether that’s money, time, marketing focus), you’ll have trouble knowing what’s working and what isn’t. 

So listen is as we go through some key metrics that you’ll want to know in order to help you decide whether investing in your online presence makes sense for you.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel Fava chats with David Frank, founder of Turning Point Financial Planning, about the intricate relationship between money and psychology. 

Both professionals share their journeys, showing how their careers transitioned towards serving the mental health community.

David provides insights into his role in assisting therapists with their financial planning, covering both personal finance and business structures.

Throughout the episode, David Frank delves into the psychology of money and common mindsets that arise for business owners, particularly therapists. 

He explains how deep-seated beliefs and patterns from childhood influence financial behaviors and decisions. David also discusses the crucial role of conversation and speaking with trusted individuals in overcoming financial shame and anxiety. The importance of community, having professionals like financial planners on your team, and maintaining a stance of curiosity and non-judgment about financial matters are emphasized. 

The episode wraps up with actionable advice for therapists and business owners on managing their financial lives more effectively and with greater insight.

Key Takeaways:

• Influence of Childhood on Money Mindset: Childhood experiences significantly shape financial behaviors and attitudes. Awareness and exploration of these can help in overcoming financial blocks.

• The Role of Community and Conversation: Sharing financial concerns with trusted individuals or professionals can alleviate shame and provide new perspectives, reducing anxiety.

• Curiosity and Non-Judgment: Adopting a curious, non-judgmental approach to financial issues can foster better understanding and more effective decision-making.

• Investing and Patience: Success in investing often requires patience and the ability to endure market fluctuations without reactive decision-making.

• Financial Planning for Therapists: Tailored financial planning services can bridge the gap between personal and professional finances, providing clarity and reducing stress for therapists.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Turning Point Financial Life Planning

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we are delving deep into the art of crafting an effective and high-converting contact page for your private practice website. 

Your private practice website is more than just an online presence or an online business card. It is your gateway to connecting with clients, helping them find the support they need, and ultimately growing your private practice. 

At the heart of this journey lies your contact page, a crucial element in the conversion process on your website. 

Your contact page is where visitors take that crucial step of reaching out and booking appointments or learning more about your practice. 

It is not just about design; it is about creating a seamless, inviting experience that encourages visitors to take action. 

In this episode, Daniel Fava explores ten tips to help you create a seamless and inviting contact page that encourages visitors to take that crucial step of reaching out and booking appointments or learning more about your therapy practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Keep the contact page simple and inviting to avoid overwhelming visitors.

• Prioritize the contact form by prominently displaying it above the fold.

• Create an engaging headline that incites action and leads visitors to the contact form.

• Provide multiple contact options, such as phone, email, and a contact form, to cater to different preferences.

• Add trust-building elements, such as testimonials or certifications, to instill confidence in visitors.

• Use a clear call to action on buttons to let visitors know what will happen when they click.

• Optimize the contact page for mobile devices to accommodate the majority of users.

• Ensure privacy and security by mentioning your commitment to privacy and using SSL encryption.

• Implement CAPTCHA or other spam protection measures to prevent unwanted submissions.

• Test and monitor the contact page to track conversions and make improvements over time.

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

10 Tips For Crafting an Effective and High Converting Contact Page for Your Private Practice Website

1. Keep it Simple and Inviting

The first rule of an effective contact page is to keep it simple. 

We want to create a clean and uncluttered design that invites visitors in and makes it clear what they need to do on the page. Look at other websites, both within your industry and outside of it, to get ideas on how to create a simple and inviting contact page. 

The goal is to make it easy for visitors to understand what they need to do and to lead them into taking that next step.

2. Prioritize the Form

The contact form is the main attraction of your contact page. It should be prominently displayed, preferably above the fold, so that visitors can easily find it without scrolling down. Include fields for name, email, phone number, and a message box for longer messages. 

Over time, you can customize the form to fit the specific needs of your practice, such as asking for the best time to call back for a consultation. The key is to keep the form simple and efficient for your practice.

3. Create an Engaging Headline

At the top of your contact page, create an engaging headline that invites action. This could be something like "Ready to take the first step towards a happier you?" or "Get in touch to schedule your free consultation." 

The goal is to incite action and lead visitors to the contact form, which should be prominently displayed right below the headline.

4. Provide Multiple Contact Options

While the contact form is the main focus of your contact page, it is important to offer multiple contact options to cater to different preferences. 

Some visitors may prefer speaking directly, while others may be more comfortable with written communication. 

Along with the contact form, include options such as phone, email, and even a link to your Google Business profile. This allows visitors to choose the method of contact that they are most comfortable with.

5. Add Trust Building Elements

Building trust is crucial in encouraging visitors to take that next step and reach out. Consider adding trust-building elements to your contact page, such as testimonials, certifications, or social proof. 

Testimonials from past clients can help potential clients feel more confident in reaching out, knowing that others have had positive experiences with your practice. 

Certifications and social proof, such as being featured on reputable websites or podcasts, can also help build trust.

6. Use a Clear Call to Action

Your contact page should have a clear call to action on the button that leads visitors to take the next step. 

Use phrases like "Get started" or "Request an appointment" to make it clear what will happen when the button is clicked. Avoid being too creative or fancy with the call to action; simplicity is key. 

Make sure the button stands out against the rest of the page and is easy to click, especially on mobile devices.

7. Optimize for Mobile

With the majority of people accessing websites from their smartphones, it is crucial to optimize your contact page for mobile devices. 

Ensure that your contact page and the form are fully responsive, easy to navigate, and function seamlessly on mobile devices. 

Test the contact form on your own phone and ask others to do the same to ensure a smooth user experience.

8. Privacy and Security

Visitors to your website need to feel confident that their information is secure and will not be shared without their consent. Mention your commitment to privacy and include a link to your privacy policy under the contact form. Additionally, make sure your website is secure with an SSL certificate to encrypt information that is submitted through the contact form.

9. CAPTCHA and Spam Protection

Implementing CAPTCHA or other spam protection measures on your contact form is essential to prevent unwanted submissions and maintain the quality of inquiries. CAPTCHA helps filter out bots that try to spam your contact form by requiring users to complete a simple math equation. This ensures that only genuine inquiries are submitted through the form.

10. Test and Monitor

After implementing these tips, it is important to test and monitor the performance of your contact page. 

Use tools like Google Analytics to track user behavior and conversion rates. Monitor how many people land on your contact page and how many actually submit the form. 

This data will give you insights into the effectiveness of your contact page and help you make any necessary adjustments.

Conclusion

Crafting an effective and high-converting contact page is crucial for growing your private practice. 

By keeping it simple and inviting, prioritizing the form, providing multiple contact options, adding trust building elements, using a clear call to action, optimizing for mobile, ensuring privacy and security, implementing CAPTCHA and spam protection, and testing and monitoring the performance, you can create a contact page that encourages visitors to take that crucial step of reaching out. 

Continuously evaluate and improve your contact page to maximize conversions and grow your practice.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, I’m going to share my insights on how long you should expect a website design project to take.

Over the years, I’ve spoken to many private practice owners who are interested in getting started on their therapy website - they’re excited to reach their ideal clients and start getting some visibility.

But the conversation comes to a rather quick end when they tell me that they were hoping to launch their website in about a month.

Now, I believe your website is the most important part of your online marketing and can make all the difference in you actually reaching the goals you have for your business. 

If your goal is only “get the website live”, well there are plenty of freelancers out there who I’m sure could help you do that quickly.

But if you’ve got many goals that you’re looking to reach in the next 1 - 3 years, then your project may not be as simple as just getting a website up on the internet.

And when you take your goals into account, set a strategy that fuels the decisions you make surrounding your website and content… well, that takes time.

So join me as I share more about our website design process here at Private Practice Elevation so you can understand how long it takes to create a private practice website that is strategically built for your business.

I’ll take you behind the scenes of the different stages to help you understand how long a website project typically takes.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The different phases your therapy website project will go through on the way from onboarding to launch
• How long each of those project phases will take and what to expect from them
• Go behind the scenes of Private Practice Elevation as I share how we schedule our website projects and why

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to talk about the most important things you need to know before you start a faith-based therapy practice.

I know many therapists that want to integrate their faith into the work that they do - both clinically and in how they run their practice.

My wife happens to be one of them!

But one thing that can be a challenge is understanding how to position your practice from a faith-based perspective without excluding other clients that don’t adhere to a certain faith.

You may want to bring faith into the work you do, but you may be afraid it will turn other clients off.

So how can you create a practice that stays true to who you are and the faith that’s important to you in such a way that will help you grow your business?

Today we’re speaking with my friend, Whitney Owens, all about building a faith-based private practice.

She’s sharing her wisdom about what she’s learned both firsthand from building her own practice as well as the business owners she consults with.

There are a few key decisions and questions you can answer before starting your own faith-based therapy practice, and Whitney is here to help us unpack them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What it means to have a faith-based practice and how it can apply to all walks of faith
• Practical ways that you can bring more of your faith into your clinical work and business-building
• The difference between an “overt” faith-based practice and a “covert” one and what that means for your marketing
• Examples of marketing a faith-based therapy practice
• Tips for branding your faith-based private practice that will help you with your messaging and what you put on your website
• Why it’s so important to track your marketing numbers and return on investments
• Why having a community around you while you build your practice is so important

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Managed WordPress Hosting by Flywheel

If you’re looking for a hosting company that will not only host your website but also supports you with some of the best customer support I’ve ever received, then Flywheel is for you. We’ve partnered with Flywheel to host all of our clients’ WordPress websites because their speed, security, and extremely responsive customer service is the best in the business.

Learn more about hosting with Flywheel (affiliate link)

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Whitneyowens.com
• Waters Edge Counseling (Whitney’s group practice)
• Abundant Living Rome
• Fava Counseling Associates

About Whitney Owens

Whitney Owens is a licensed professional counselor, group practice owner, and faith-based private practice consultant. She is located in Savannah, Georgia, where she manages a private pay group practice with 10 plus clinicians. Along with running her practice, she consults practice owners around the country on how to start and grow a successful faith-based practice. She hosts summits, a weekly podcast, and a membership community for faith-based practice owners called Wise Practice. She has spoken at numerous events such as both the Georgia and Maryland annual professional counselors conferences as well as trainings for Florida’s Counseling Association. In 2023 she will be speaking at Meet you in Kentucky, which is for group practice owners, as well as hosting her own summit in Savannah. In her free time, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and two girls, running, reading, and relaxing in the backyard.

In this week’s episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn 3 simple ways you can get more clients from your website. 

In today's digital age, having an effective and well-designed website is crucial for any private practice to attract and retain clients. 

A website serves as an online storefront, and it is the first point of contact for many potential clients. 

However, simply having a website is not enough - it needs to be optimized for conversions and designed to meet the needs and expectations of your target audience. 

In this conversation with my friend, Uriah Guilford from The Productive Therapist, we'll share three tips that can help you get more clients from your website. 

Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your existing therapy website, these tips will provide you with practical strategies that you can implement right away.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What is conversion optimization and why is it important

• The importance of having a clear and concise headline, especially on your homepage

• The 4 types of headlines (with examples!) you can use to create more engagement with website visitors and get them to read the rest of your pages

• The role of compelling call-to-actions in converting visitors into clients and how to design an effective call-to-action section on your website pages

• How to balance SEO and compelling copywriting

• General website design tips to help you get more clients from your website

• The importance of tracking what works best with your ideal clients and how people prefer to get started with you and your practice

About Uriah Guilford

Uriah Guilford is an LMFT, a group practice owner and the creator of Productive Therapist, a virtual assistant company that serves therapists in private practice. He is a technology nerd, a minimalist travel packer, a rock drummer and business development enthusiast.

 In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we delve into the inspiring story of Soribel Martinez, a licensed clinical social worker and CEO of SM Psychotherapy and Counseling Services. 

Soribel shares her journey of overcoming adversity, including a life-threatening health condition, and how she used these experiences to build an unbreakable life and business. 

Through her personal story and professional expertise, Soribel provides valuable insights and strategies for aligning purpose, mindset, marketing and hiring to create a resilient and successful business.

Soribel Martinez's story is one of resilience and determination. Born in the Dominican Republic, Soribel faced the challenges of immigration and the loss of her cultural identity at a young age. However, her journey took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with two brain aneurysms. 

This life-altering event forced Soribel to confront her mortality and reevaluate her purpose in life.

Soribel's journey towards building an unbreakable life and business began with a shift in mindset. She realized that dwelling on negative thoughts and worst-case scenarios would only hinder her ability to live fully for her son. With the help of a psychologist, Soribel learned to shift her perception and embrace the opportunities that adversity presents.

And now, as a business coach, she helps others do the same. Listen to the episode as Soribel unpacks her framework for overcoming adversity and finding success, plus a ton of other marketing strategies and tips you can apply to your own private practice.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Soribel’s incredible story of how she worked through a health diagnosis

• Using self-analysis and understanding of how you got there to create a path forward

• Keys to finding opportunities in adversity

• How to grow outside of your comfort zone

• Shifting mindset and perception after receiving bad news

• Building a waitlist and growing the private practice

• The importance of creating a business plan and marketing strategy

• Staying focused on goals and avoiding distractions

• Building a crisis-proof business with the right mindset

• Importance of marketing and having a marketing budget

• Hiring and onboarding process for growth and demand fulfillment

• Importance of building a business mindset and hiring strategies

• Key elements of the marketing plan: digital marketing, social media presence

• Utilizing Google Ads, Facebook ads, SEO, and email marketing

In this episode, you’re going to learn 6 things that may be killing your website’s page speed and how to fix them.

The goal of your private practice website is to reach your ideal clients and get them the information they need to (hopefully) choose to work with you for therapy.

But when your website isn’t performing well and provides those potential clients with a slow and frustrating experience, chances are they will leave your website without taking the next step.

And Google has also let us know that page speed is one of the top ranking factors for websites.

So if your website is slow, it could mean an impact on your SEO and a loss in organic traffic from search engines.

How can you tell whether your website loads slowly (aside from just looking at it) and what the main issues are that are impacting your page speed?

Let’s discuss 6 things that may slow your website down and how to fix them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to test your website page speed and the tools you can use

• The importance of choosing a quality hosting provider

• How to optimize images and WordPress plugins

• Recommendations for hosting and WordPress themes

Key Takeaways: 6 Things Killing Your Website Page Speed & How To Fix Them

Page Speed Impacts your Google Ranking

Having a fast website is important for many reasons, and optimizing it for SEO is one of them. 

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results. This is done by making sure the website is optimized for the specific keywords that people are likely to search for. 

People want to find what they’re looking for quickly, and a slow website can deter them from staying on the page. As Daniel Fava, the host of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, says, “In today’s day and age, people like things fast, we like things loading quick, we want to get to the information that we’re searching for as quickly as possible.”

Google also takes page speed into consideration when ranking websites. If a website takes longer than three seconds to load, it can lose up to 32% of its page visitors. 

This can significantly affect the website’s ranking, making it difficult for potential customers to find. Google’s Page Speed Insights tool can be used to check a website’s loading speed and determine if it needs to be optimized.

At Private Practice Elevation, they offer WordPress website care plans where they look after your website and make sure it’s running smoothly. Their Trekker care plan includes speed optimization, where they will make sure your website is running as quickly as possible. This is an important service for those who want to make sure their website is running optimally and that their SEO is as good as it can be.

In conclusion, optimizing a website for SEO is important for those who want their website to be visible in search engine results. Google takes page speed into consideration when ranking websites, so it’s important to make sure your website is loading quickly. 

Choose quality hosting services.

One of the most important ways to improve your page speed is to choose quality hosting services.

When it comes to web hosting, it’s important to choose a plan that is suited to the complexity of your website. If you have a complex website, you may need to invest in a more expensive hosting plan. There are hundreds of web hosting plans to choose from, so it’s important to do your research and choose the one that best fits your needs.

It’s also important to consider managed WordPress hosting if you’re using WordPress. Managed WordPress hosting is more secure and can help improve your website’s page speed. It also comes with additional features such as automatic backups and updates, which can help save you time and money.

Finally, it’s important to consider customer service when choosing a hosting provider. Good customer service is essential if you ever encounter any issues with your website. Make sure to read reviews and ask questions before committing to a hosting provider.

Overall, choosing quality hosting services is an important step in optimizing a website for page speed. Investing in a good hosting plan can save you time, money, and frustration in the long run. Make sure to do your research and choose a hosting provider that meets your needs.

Optimize Images and Files

Additionally, optimizing images is a must for any website. 

Having high-quality images can attract more viewers, but unoptimized images can drastically slow down page speed. To avoid this, it’s important to use JPEG files instead of other formats, compress images to make them smaller, and avoid images that are one megabyte or larger. 

There are several tools available online that can help you compress images without sacrificing quality. 

Thirdly, too many plugins can also slow down page speed. Plugins are useful for adding functionality to a website, but they can also add hefty files that slow down loading time. It’s important to only use the essential plugins necessary for your site, and to keep them up to date. 

Fourth, compressing files is also essential for page speed. Compressing files such as PDFs, intake forms, eBooks, etc. can reduce their size and make them download faster. Gzip and deflate are the most common types of file compression, and it’s best to reach out to an expert if you need help with this.

Finally, render-blocking resources can also affect page speed. Websites, including WordPress themes, come with code such as JavaScript and CSS files. These files tell a browser how your website is supposed to look, and most browsers prevent sites from loading until the site’s CSS files load. 

To avoid this, it’s important to optimize your code and reduce render-blocking resources.

In conclusion, optimizing images and files is essential for improving page speed. Investing in quality hosting services, compressing images and files, using only essential plugins, and reducing render-blocking resources are all important steps for optimizing a website for page speed. 

Taking the time to optimize your website can save you time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Optimizing WordPress Websites

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems available, and for good reason. It's easy to use and has a wide range of features and customization options. However, if not properly optimized, WordPress websites can be slow and difficult to use. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to optimize WordPress websites and improve page speed. 

The first step is to invest in quality hosting services. A good hosting service will ensure that your website is always up and running, and that it is secure and reliable. It will also provide you with the resources you need to optimize your website for page speed.

The second step is to optimize images and files. Images and files are often the largest contributors to slow page speed. Compressing images and files can significantly reduce their size and improve page speed. 

Additionally, it's important to use only essential plugins. Too many plugins can slow down your website, so it's important to only use the plugins that are necessary for your website's functionality.

The third step is to reduce render-blocking resources. Render-blocking resources are JavaScript and CSS files that prevent your page from loading until they have loaded. 

To reduce render-blocking resources, you can alter the CSS code to identify conditional CSS elements using the media attribute, use code purging tools to remove unnecessary CSS from your site, bundle JavaScript and CSS files together, and minify the rendering files.

The fourth step is to avoid poorly coded themes. Your website's theme is the foundation of your website and controls the architecture of your whole site. Using a poorly coded theme can slow down your website, so it's important to invest in a premium theme that is up to industry best practices.

Taking the time to optimize your WordPress website can make a huge difference in page speed. It can also improve the overall user experience and make your website more secure and reliable. 

By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your WordPress website is optimized for page speed and is running at its best.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava sits down with Shannon Heers to discuss the topic of cultivating clinical confidence in private practice. 

This conversation offers an in-depth look into the struggles that therapists often face, including impostor syndrome and the feeling of isolation when stepping out into the entrepreneurial world of private practice. 

Together, they unpack strategies for growing confidence as a clinician, providing high-quality service to clients, and finding the necessary support systems.

Shannon Heers shares insights from her extensive experience in the realm of clinical supervision, highlighting the common issue of impostor syndrome among private practice therapists and the importance of developing a solid theoretical framework to guide interventions. 

She emphasizes the value of connecting with others to overcome feelings of being overwhelmed or isolated within the practice. 

With practical tips and relatable anecdotes, this episode aims to empower private practice therapists to build their confidence and extend their support networks.

The discussion delves into Shannon Heers' unique approach with Firelight Supervision, and how the resources provided there, such as group and individual consultation, can play a pivotal role in a clinician's professional development and personal growth. 

This episode not only explores the challenges therapists face but also offers actionable solutions to help them thrive in their practices and as business owners.

Key Takeaways:

• Developing clinical confidence is a continuous journey, and seeking support through supervision and consultation can significantly help.

• Impostor syndrome is a widespread issue among therapists, particularly when beginning private practice or encountering new challenges.

• Having a strong theoretical orientation or framework can provide direction and improve confidence when working with clients.

• Connection and community are crucial; therapists should find their "clinical support" to share struggles and triumphs with, ensuring they don't feel alone in their journey.

• Firelight Supervision offers a myriad of resources, including a free clinical confidence ebook and various consultation services.

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn how clinical support can help you prevent burnout in your life.

Whether you’ve experienced burnout in your past, feel like you’re on the edge of it now, or have moved past burnout, you’re going to learn some great tips to help you - no matter where you’re at on your journey.

Most people think that just rest is the key to avoiding burnout. While rest is important, it’s so much more than just a work-life balance. 

There are some key activities that you can do to help you avoid burnout altogether.

And our guest today suggests that you begin NOW, even if you don’t feel burnout at the moment.

To help us understand more about burnout and how clinical support can specifically help you overcome or avoid burnout altogether, we’re chatting with Shannon Heers

Shannon Heers is a therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and founder of Firelight Supervision. 

Firelight Supervision provides clinical supervision to counselors and social workers pursuing licensure, as well as clinical consultation for post-licensure professional growth and development.

Because of the supervision work Shannon and her team do with so many clients, she’s got a wealth of experience and wisdom when it comes to burnout.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What burnout looks like, including details from Shannon’s own burnout story

• Why it’s so important to have a burnout prevention plan even if you don’t feel burnt out now

• Activities that you can do daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly in order to prevent burnout

• Why community is so powerful and the ways it helps you avoid burnout

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava dives deep into the significance of establishing core values for your private practice. 

Crafting core values goes beyond traditional marketing—these guiding principles shape the culture, decision-making, and strategic direction of your therapy practice.

After sharing about what core values are, Daniel transitions into a solo discussion on the essence of core values and their profound impact on business operations. 

He delves into the purpose of having core values, including aligning your team's actions, enhancing company culture, and influencing how you serve clients. 

Through three main tips, Daniel illuminates the process of creating actionable and meaningful core values. 

In the candid sharing of Private Practice Elevation's own set of core values, you’ll gain insights not only into building your own values but also into the ethos that guides Daniel's successful team at PPE.

Tune in to the full episode for a dive into the world of private practice core values with Daniel Fava, and stay connected with Private Practice Elevation for more invaluable lessons to take your practice to new heights.

Key Takeaways:

• Core values are the fundamental beliefs that guide your private practice's culture, decision-making, and actions.

• The process of creating core values should involve reflecting on your practice's mission, involving your team, and striving for simplicity and actionability.

• Private Practice Elevation's core values include striving for excellence, leading with authenticity, being creative, displaying kindness, and ensuring accountability.

• Core values are crucial not only for internal governance but also for building trust with clients and setting a standard in the industry.

• Regular review and adherence to core values are essential for business growth and team leadership.

In this conversation with Steve Bisson, you’ll learn all about mentorship - both giving and receiving - within private practice. 

Steve discusses both his personal experience and the broader implications of mentorship in the professional development of therapists and mental health workers. 

The episode delves into the core facets of finding and offering guidance in an often complex and challenging career path.

Throughout the episode, we unpack the nuanced differences between mentorship and other forms of professional development tools such as business coaching, as well as the organic nature of establishing pivotal mentoring relationships. 

The discussion emphasizes the importance of authenticity and trust in these relationships, illustrating how mentorship can significantly influence personal growth and career progression. 

The episode is filled with anecdotes and strategic advice, inviting both new practitioners and experienced professionals to consider the impact of mentorship on their journey through the mental health field.

Key Takeaways:

• Mentorship can be a pivotal factor in the personal and professional development of mental health professionals, often provided informally and based on mutual respect.

• The difference between business coaching and mentorship lies in the financial component and the structure; mentorship is often more organic and less goal-oriented.

• Seeking out mentors or becoming a mentor is an exercise in generosity, leveraging one's experience and knowledge to empower others.

• It's crucial to establish mentoring relationships that feel authentic and comfortable for true growth and learning.

• Mentorship extends beyond monetary value and is deeply rooted in the spirit of giving and leaving a legacy.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava dives deep into the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, helping private practice owners make informed decisions about their website platforms. 

Daniel seeks to remove the confusion that many people face when choosing between these two WordPress platforms.

In fact, some don’t even know that WordPress has TWO options for building a website with their platform.

But there are, and many folks get confused or choose the wrong platform when building their first website for their private practice.

In this episode, Daniel demystifies WordPress by breaking down the four main differences between Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org: ownership and control, cost, customization and flexibility, and maintenance and security. 

Each aspect is crucial for private practice owners to consider as they plan their online presence. 

With insightful comparisons and real-world examples, he guides listeners through the complexities of WordPress choices, making the decision clearer and more strategic for long-term practice growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Ownership and Control: WordPress.org offers full control over customization, themes, and plugins, while WordPress.com provides a more managed but restrictive environment.

• Cost Considerations: WordPress.org requires paying for hosting and domain services, whereas WordPress.com uses a tiered pricing model with different levels of functionality.

• Customization and Flexibility: WordPress.org allows unlimited customization, making it ideal for growing practices, while WordPress.com is limited to predefined themes and plugins.

• Maintenance and Security: WordPress.org demands active management of updates and security, but offers complete control, while WordPress.com handles this for you in exchange for reduced flexibility.

• Future Proofing Your Practice: Starting with WordPress.org provides room for growth and prevents the need for future platform shifts, making it a robust option for long-term private practice elevation.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Article: What’s the Difference Between WordPress.com & WordPress.org?

• Episode 131. Secure, Reliable, and Fast: The Benefits of Managed WordPress Hosting for Your Private Practice Website

• Our WordPress Care Plans & Hosting

• Get started with our services by scheduling a call

In this episode of Private Practice Elevation, Daniel dives into the world of search engine optimization (SEO). He explains how therapists in private practice can perform a basic SEO assessment of their websites. 

SEO can feel like a moving target, especially with the constant changes in Google's algorithm, but understanding the basics can make a big difference in your online visibility.

For private practice owners, having a strong online presence is essential to attracting the right clients. However, navigating SEO often feels overwhelming. 

That’s why this episode is packed with practical tips to help therapists assess their current SEO strategies and identify opportunities for improvement. 

From understanding key metrics in Google Analytics to optimizing Google Business Profiles for local search, Daniel covers the essentials to help you elevate your online presence and grow your practice.

Why Perform An SEO Assessment?

Many therapists struggle to understand why their website isn’t generating enough leads or why they aren’t ranking higher in Google searches. Daniel emphasizes that an effective SEO strategy starts with understanding where your website stands today. 

By assessing your current performance, you can create a clear path toward improving your rankings, driving more traffic, and ultimately attracting more of the clients you want to work with.

Episode Highlights

• 0:01 – Boosting Private Practice Growth Through Effective SEO Strategies
  Daniel begins by discussing how SEO is a powerful tool for growing your practice and why it’s worth the investment.

• 3:35 – Join Our SEO Basecamp Live Training Group for Private Practices
  Learn about a new training program designed specifically to help therapists gain a deeper understanding of SEO.

• 7:49 – Understanding SEO Baselines and the Importance of Google Analytics
  Daniel explains the importance of setting a baseline for your SEO performance and tracking critical metrics like website traffic and bounce rates.

• 10:41 – Essential Tools and Strategies for Effective SEO Management
  Discover some of the must-have tools, including Google Search Console and Ubersuggest, to assess and manage your website’s SEO.

• 16:18 – Mastering SEO: From Technical Aspects to Content Strategy
  A step-by-step guide to addressing technical SEO, from fixing broken links to improving website speed.

• 22:27 – Optimizing Website Content and Structure for Better SEO
  Tips for improving your site’s navigation and creating service-specific content that resonates with potential clients.

• 26:29 – Optimizing Google Business Profiles for Enhanced Local SEO
  Daniel shares actionable advice on improving local SEO by enhancing your Google Business Profile and collecting reviews.

• 29:43 – Elevate Your Practice With SEO Strategies and Alma Support
  Wrapping up with how Alma, an SEO agency, can support therapists in taking their SEO to the next level.

Key Takeaways

• SEO Assessments are Crucial: Regular assessments reveal your website’s strengths and areas for growth, setting the stage for improvement.

• Optimization Tools are the Foundation: Tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ubersuggest provide invaluable data for guiding your strategy.

• Four Mountains of SEO: Daniel highlights technical SEO, on-site optimization, content creation, and off-site strategies as essential pillars.

• Content is King: Quality, client-centered content positions your site as a trustworthy resource and boosts rankings.

• Local SEO is Key for Growth: Optimizing your Google Business Profile and gathering reviews can drastically improve your visibility in local searches.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, your host, Daniel Fava, dives deep into the simple essence of content marketing plans tailored for private practice growth. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of private practice, engaging with and attracting clients goes beyond face-to-face therapy sessions. 

An integral part of this modern approach to building a successful practice lies in a solid content marketing strategy. This means that you’re consistently publishing and sharing new content on your website.

But content marketing is not just about producing content; it's about creating a strategic roadmap to reach and engage with your target audience effectively. 

Daniel breaks down the concept into an easily digestible 3-step plan, showcasing the importance of having a structured approach to increase website traffic and highlight your services.

Daniel underscores the key reasons for adopting a content marketing plan, emphasizing trust-building, client education, attracting the right clientele, maintaining connection with current clients, and distinguishing oneself from competitors. 

Later, he provides a simplified, yet potent three-step strategy

Key Takeaways:

• Content is Key: A substantial content marketing plan cultivates trust, educates potential clients, attracts the right fit, keeps you connected with clients, and sets you apart from the competition.

• Three-Step Approach: Daniel lays out an approach starting with creating detailed service pages, supporting them with targeted blog posts, and then sharing the content across social media and Google Business profiles.

• Simple Execution: Daniel simplifies the concept of content marketing and suggests using a Google Sheet for blog post ideas, ensuring consistency in execution.

• SEO Focused: Emphasizing the importance of SEO, the content should be geared towards showcasing expertise in specific service areas.

• Commitment to Clients: A content marketing plan should resonate with your dedication to your clients by clearly communicating services and providing valuable information.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Schedule a Free Clarity Call today

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation podcast, you’re going to learn about the 4 Mountains of Successful SEO for private practice websites.

“What do you mean by ‘the 4 mountains of SEO’”, you ask?

The 4 Mountains are the main pillars or categories that make up a holistic SEO (search engine optimization) strategy for your website.

Most people, when they think about “doing SEO”, focus solely on making sure they have some keywords in a few places on a page.

Or they may put keywords in page titles and meta descriptions and hope that may move the needle of their ranking results.

But there’s actually much more that can and should be done in order to make sure your SEO efforts are truly effective.

It’s when all 4 Mountains are working together that we see exponential growth in organic traffic, bringing more of your ideal clients to your website.

So let’s break down these 4 Mountains of Successful SEO and what goes into each of them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The four main pillars that need to be in place to have a greater impact on your SEO efforts
• The tasks that you’ll focus on within each of the 4 mountains to help you rank your website better for keywords
• How to think holistically about your search engine optimization strategy so that you can grow your website traffic month after month

Coming Soon: Live SEO Class with Daniel

We’ve been refining our SEO process over the last couple of years and we’re super excited with the results our clients are getting. For some time now I’ve wanted to share that process with a small group of private practice owners so that they can learn how to implement their own SEO strategy. So we’re putting together an SEO mastermind group/training program. It will consist of live classes, content templates, an SEO workbook, and private online community to give you a step by step process to create and implement a holistic SEO strategy for your business.

If you’re interested in more information and want to be notified when we launch, please click here.

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Episode Transcript:

0:00  

Well, hello there, and welcome to episode number 118 of the private practice elevation podcast. I am your host, Daniel fava. And I'm excited to have another solo episode. So here I am, it's been it's been a long summer, it's been a fun summer, it's been a full summer. But one thing I did at the beginning of summer is I started interviewing some great people, and I really hope that you've been enjoying those conversations that I've had. But one of the purposes of doing that was to Yes, connect with people bring you great content, but also for me to kind of pull back just a little bit and just enjoy the summer. 

0:35  

So that is really what I've been doing, we dropped down to every other week on this podcast. And that was just it was really helpful, just to have a little bit of time off and not worry about, you know, having content all the time. And, you know, even for myself, it can be, it can be hard to keep up with everything. And I know that some of you kind of feel that if you have a podcast, or if you're trying to create consistent content for your blog, to get it ranking for SEO and all that stuff. You know, a lot of people will recommend you got to have a blog post every week, you got to get your website full of content. 

1:10  

And while that stuff is helpful, I believe it doesn't really serve your life, if it's going to cause you more stress, and kind of suck your productivity and your creativity, then something needs to change. So that's one thing that I really just love about having my own business is that I can make those changes when needed and will likely pick up I believe in the new year with with more frequent episodes. I'm even thinking about maybe working on some sort of quick tip episodes that could be you know, just really digestible tips for you to apply to your online. Your online marketing your website, SEO, you know, stuff like that. So if you're thinking about doing that in the new year, but for now this every other week deal has been working really great. So yeah, it's been a it's been a long summer.

2:00  

So we have two boys, five year old Samuel, and our one and a half year old Caleb. So it's been it's been a blast. But it's been you know, hard to, to keep them busy sometimes and juggle, you know, work life balance and all that sort of stuff. So we had, we had the kids and camps when when they were available. We had babysitters over here and babysitters over there and then we lost our babysitter because she went back to school before our kids preschool and kindergarten started. So we had to find a new person and we got a new person. Then we took a couple trips here and there went to North Carolina. 

2:36  

And actually, as I'm recording this now planning to go on our last trip of the summer to Cape sandblast in Florida, and I'm really looking forward to that. Because our our North Carolina trip was really great. It was fun got to see my brother and his wife and four kids. They live in Virginia, so we don't see them a lot. So our kids just had a blast playing with the cousins doing that whole thing and, and also my parents came down we met North Carolina and Wilmington, and just had fun going to the beach and just hanging out. There was lots of rain. So there was it was it was a little bit tricky trying to manage, you know, just having fun with the kids and all that sort of stuff. But it was it was a full house. There was a packed house. It wasn't on the beach. So you know me as an introvert that was it was hard at times to find that time to get away and escape. So I'm really looking forward to this trip in Florida because we're going to Cape Sand Blas, which is like Old Florida from what I hear. I haven't been yet but it's you know, white sand beaches, not a lot of stores, restaurants. And just there's a state park there. So really just looking forward to some downtime, you know, before the school year starts. 

3:45  

And our kids still go to school and preschool for another two weeks. For some reason their school starts pretty late. Everyone else, you know, all the public schools have been back. Oh, that two weeks now? Pretty much. 

3:57  

So yeah, we're just hanging on to summer here. So. So yeah, so that's, that's where I'm at. That's where my summers been. One thing that has kept me just kind of sane or just kind of excited over the summer sounds funny to say, but if you've been reading my emails, you know that I'm very into bourbon. So I've been I've been enjoying bourbon for years and years. But back in June, my brother and I went to Kentucky and we took a trip toward the distilleries, a handful of distilleries, obviously not all of them, but really just started loving just the history and learning about it and just how the different processes can change how bourbon tastes and so yeah, I've just been really just enjoying trying new bottles and even have a geeky spreadsheet where I keep track of which ones I want to try next. And you know what's hard to find and all that stuff. 

4:47  

So that's been just kind of fun. And in my wife, Liz, she doesn't enjoy it as much as I do. And she'll say that I'm completely obsessed and kind of just geeking out over this. This is just kind of what I do with hobbies. I get really into stuff especially at the beginning.

5:00  

So I've kind of been in that phase right now. But Liz does enjoy a good old fashion with me. So it's been, it's been fun to have her taste some of the stuff that I've been enjoying. So that's, that's been a nutshell, that's where, where I've been what I've been doing. 

5:14  

And we've just been rocking and rolling in private practice elevation, just working with some really great clients lately. And, you know, over over the last year or so, our SEO services have really, really grown a lot, we've really refined how we work with folks on SEO, because people are at different stages in in their journey with SEO. Some people, they know a little bit about it, or they've done their research. So they've created content, that's for it. So their websites, optimized to a degree, but they don't know what to do next, you know, so we've been providing SEO assessments as a great starting point for our clients that we can come in and understand, Okay, what's been done? Where do your opportunities lie? 

5:56  

And what should you focus on. And then from there, we work on our SEO base camp service, which is a foundational service, it's a two month project pretty quick. But it's really doing the heavy lifting and making sure that your website is optimized, you know, those main service pages, but also, you got to understand which keywords to use in order to optimize the website. 

6:16  

So we'll do the keyword research, we'll come up with that content plan on which pages are your biggest opportunities, and then we'll optimize those pages, and fill in some gaps like optimize your Google business profile to go along with this work that we're doing just really give you that foundation give you that base camp for your SEO. And then we have had for a long time our monthly SEO service, which is more of an SEO maintenance, you know, once you have that foundation in place, that is the hard work the heavy lifting, but then you have to maintain that. 

6:49  

And so we take that content calendar, that content strategy, plan, those keywords that we researched in SEO Basecamp project, and then we apply that long term on a monthly basis and continue optimizing the website, creating blog content, that sort of thing. So in a nutshell, that's what SEO looks like. So what we're talking about today, we're talking about the four mountains of successful SEO. So these are the four main pillars, the main things that are going to really hold up your SEO, campaign or SEO strategy, so to speak. 

7:23  

And so when we do an assessment, or when we work on any website for SEO, these are the four main categories that our work is going to fall under. A lot of the times people have one or two of these in place, or maybe none of these in place, but they just don't know where to begin. So what I'm going to do is just kind of outline these pieces, these are the things that you're going to want to have in place in order to have a successful SEO strategy working for you in your practice.

7:51  

So as always, I want to make this digestible. And so you know, if you're new to this idea of search engine optimization, SEO, and that's what it stands for, like, Yeah, let's start at the very beginning here, if you're not familiar, SEO stands for search engine optimization. 

8:04  

So it's all the things that you can do on your website. And as you'll learn here to also off of your website to help Google and search engines understand what your content is about, and then serve that content up to a user, you know, searching on those search engines. 

8:21  

So basically, how it works is search engine will crawl through your website pages, it's going to create an index, almost like a Rolodex, you know, it's going to look at those pages and say, oh, there's a page about EMDR therapy, there's a page about trauma therapy on this page are anxiety therapy in Atlanta, and it creates that index, and then it's going to deliver those results in an order of what it feels like the user is going to be most useful to the user. And so you know, when we talk about rankings and ranking on Google, that's what the algorithm does, the algorithm takes that index of pages, and it says, oh, this person typed this into Google, I believe that this page is going to be the most useful for what they are searching for. 

9:06  

And so if your website is optimized well, when somebody searches for those specific terms, such as anxiety therapy in Atlanta, you hope to be at the top of that list, because of all the different factors that are at play here. And so when we talk about these four mountains of successful SEO, that is where you spend your time on those optimization pieces in order to help your website rank better. So I'm going to outline these, these four mountains of successful SEO here and then we're going to kind of dive in a little bit, just to give you a little more context on each one here. Alright, so these four mountains of successful SEO, these are the categories that we focus on. 

9:48  

So if we're going to assess your website, if you come to us and say hey, how can I not ranking? What can I do? We are going to grade you and assess you on each of these and so they are technical SEO

10:00  

Your content, and on site SEO, and off site SEO. So again, that's technical SEO, there's your content. There's your on site optimization, and off site optimization. 

10:15  

Alright, so now that you know what these four categories are, let's dive in here. Let's pick these apart a little bit. So you can understand what goes into each category. So you can help get your website ranking a little bit better for the keywords that are important for you. 

10:29  

Alright, so technical SEO for for a web page to appear in search results, the search engines must be able to crawl it, and index that they must be able to access those pages in order to understand what those pages are about, so that it can create that Rolodex of content. 

10:46  

So solid technical SEO makes this a seamless process. And there are a few components that go into your technical SEO that you want in place for it to for Google to be able to crawl it really well. And so some of these might sound pretty confusing, or pretty geeky. Most of these pieces are already in place. You know, if you have a Squarespace website, or if you have a WordPress website, and just kind of straight out of the box, a lot of this stuff is in place. There's some aspects of it that might require a little more tweaking. But sometimes those those things, you know, those situations arise when No, they aren't in place or something isn't set up, right. So that's where it becomes important to be aware of these different pieces. So the first thing is your robots dot txt file. So that obviously sounds geeky robots. 

11:37  

What the heck is that about? So a robots dot txt is a file that lives on your hosting server that has a couple of different like commands in there that says, hey, Google index this, Hey, Google, don't index that every once in a while. It's very rare. It hasn't happened with any of the clients that we assess their websites or worked on SEO for every once in a while, it might have something in there that shouldn't be there that basically says, Hey, don't crawl through these important pages that I want to rank. 

12:05  

So that's your robots file. 

12:07  

The next is your XML sitemap. So this is super important. So a sitemap, you've probably heard that term before. This is what Google will look for, to see all the different pages on your website. If you are on WordPress, we recommend using Yoast SEO, if you install that plugin is automatically going to create a sitemap for you. Other platforms like Squarespace, they also will just include a sitemap that's part of it. But the next step is making sure that Google actually knows where that Sitemap is. 

12:36  

And so that's why we use Google Search Console, which is a free service, you can get on there. And you can let them know where your Sitemap is located, to nudge it to crawl through that, and then Google over time will continue to crawl through through those pages. The next component of technical SEO, SEO is your speed. This is a big one. So making sure that your website loads fast is very important. And Google has said over the last few years, that this becomes increasingly more important, especially as more people are viewing the your website on their mobile phone. 

13:11  

So they want to make sure that your page loads quickly. We can't really get into all the details about speed optimization here. But there's something to be aware of if your website loads slow. And somebody else has very similar content on their website, but it loads fast, Google is going to consider that a better experience. And another aspect of this is also mobile usability. So that's another technical SEO component, you want to make sure that your website is accessible on mobile phones, because Google considers mobile now before it considers the desktop. So a Google search console will also give you errors if your website doesn't appear well on mobile, it'll tell you some things you got to fix for that. Another thing is security. 

13:53  

So that's your SSL certificate, making sure that your website has some encryption, especially if you have forms on the website. That's something that's just super easy to get through your hosting company, something we include when we host websites at private practice elevation, have an SSL security certificate installed on your website. And the other aspect of technical SEO is just errors, errors that appear. 

14:16  

And again, Search Console is helpful here. It'll tell you if there are broken links on the website 404 errors, which means page not found errors, those types of errors, you want to be able to understand where they are and how to fix those. So that is technical SEO in a nutshell, you know, in each of those, we can really break down things that you can do in that but you know, we're really just trying to give you the overall view of these four mountains of successful SEO.

14:46  

All right, the next mountain that we're going to talk about is your content. So content has been the absolute backbone of SEO since its inception. It's really It's how you share your expertise, which is what the search engines value because that content

15:00  

It really provides insight into your services, and just the value that you provide to visitors to your website and potential clients. So let's dive into content and kind of what we are looking for in order to make

15:14  

your content successful. So for search engines, so your content should have four qualities, that kind of sets, that's kind of funny, because it kind of sets up the first one is quality that your content needs to have. It's got to be quality, quality content. So if you have similar services to somebody in your area, but they have just great content on their website quality content, meaning it goes into depth, it's not just 300 words on a page with a couple of bullet points about your services, but they've got landing pages for each service. 

15:47  

That's quality, you also want to have photos on there, just you know, all the information that somebody would need in order to consider your service. So that's number one quality, it's got to have keywords. So that's kind of an obvious thing for search engine optimization is to make sure that you're using the right keywords, and those keywords should appear on the pages that you want to rank for those services. 

16:10  

So anxiety therapy, and Atlanta. If that is an important keyword for you, you want to have a landing page devoted to anxiety therapy in Atlanta and make sure that that keyword appears throughout that page. recency is another factor, Google likes websites that are up to date, that are recent that are growing in content, in the fourth quality that you want to have in your content is relevancy. 

16:34  

So it is relevant for your ideal clients, for your potential clients. That is kind of it kind of goes along with keywords, you know, if you're focused on the right keywords, it should stand to say it's probably relevant to the service that you're providing. It's when you start adding content that is maybe more like you're using your blog, like a journal and has a random thoughts and stuff like that. 

16:56  

That's not really relevant for your ideal client. But if you're focused on, you know, 10 ways to decrease your anxiety this week, stuff like that, that goes along with those service pages that you're that you're writing, you know, that is relevant.

17:15  

So when we're assessing websites, we're taking a look at those service pages, we want to make sure that it's got all of these all these aspects in place, we want to make sure it's using keywords, there's images and text on the pages. And also that has got a nice structure to the content itself. And we'll talk a little bit more about that in the on site optimization piece. 

17:35  

Another thing too, those service pages, a great way to get more of those keywords and more of that great content is to have an FAQ section on your service pages, you know, so if you feel like you're having trouble getting that content on those service pages, you can include an FAQ section on each and every service page. And that will help you there. Alright, so let's get on to the third mountain of successful SEO. And this is likely where you've probably spent most of your time if you've done any search engine optimization. This is really what comes to mind when people think about SEO and how to improve their rankings of their website. And that is on site optimization. So on site SEO, is how we add context to that content. So we've created that great content. So how do we break that page into sections and optimize headers, you know, and make it easier for search engines to really understand what those pages are all about. 

18:31  

We use on site SEO to do that. And there are four main factors or four main places that we're gonna spend our time when it comes to on site SEO, and that is number one, your page Titles and Meta descriptions, your headers on the page itself, alternative tax that goes along with images, and then internal links. So for your page titles, and meta descriptions, this is this one carries probably probably the most weight, I would say. And making sure that you've got an optimized title for the page, and a meta description. And so these are the things that show up in search engines when you type in, I always use this as an example. It's just easy anxiety therapy in Atlanta and you see those search results. 

19:14  

The page title is what you see, you know, is that larger text and then the meta description is going to be that little intro deck intro text, you know that that kind of entices you to click gives you a little more context about what the page is about. So once you know which keywords you want to optimize a page for, you want to make sure that you're using those keywords in the page title and in the meta descriptions. So that just makes it easier for Google to understand what that's about. 

19:41  

The next step is your headers. Now, I would say that this has probably been one of the biggest trouble areas for most people that come to us and they want us to do that SEO base camp where we optimize their their current website, is their headers are just they're all out of whack.

20:00  

So I want you to think about Wikipedia. If you've ever been to Wikipedia, and you're searching for information on a specific subject, the first thing that they show on Wikipedia, when you come to a landing page is you'll see that nice outline. And you'll see, you know, just that, the those headers, and this is kind of just how they operate, they organize it so well. It's just, it's a page outline. 

20:24  

And so you'll see that sort of top level subject. And then underneath that main subject, you'll see a couple other subjects, but then under that you've got, you know, ABCD under that, and it just the content follows a very nice flow. And a lot of the times when we look at these pages that you know, that people want optimize, we can see that they've got just different headers all over the place. So a lot of times people use headers, because, you know, especially in like Squarespace, if you're building the website, yourself, if you highlight text, and you choose h1, or h2, and that's what we're talking about, like the header code there. A lot of the times in the styles of the website, it will be styled differently, you know, so you sometimes you just want to give more emphasis to a sentence on your web page. 

21:11  

So if you're not aware of this, you might just highlight something and choose h1, well, h1 should, there should only be one h1 on your on any landing page on your website. And that is really where your main keyword should be. And then under that you've got a hierarchy. So h2 are the next top level subjects that go along with that content. And so you can break up your text into these headers and sub headers so that Google can can see just the different your keywords, and you just see the different topics that fall underneath the main topic. And this is another great way that FAQs on service pages works really well. 

21:50  

Because you can have those h2 sub headers for those different questions such as How much does anxiety therapy cost? How do I know if I'm a good fit for anxiety therapy, you know all those things. So that helps Google read through the content, and understand what the page is about and also helps users skim through the content because people don't read people will skim through, they'll see those headers, and then they'll decide what to dig into and read further. So that's headers. 

22:19  

Next is alternative text. So that is a little bit of code that goes along with your images. So that's why it's really good to have some images throughout your landing pages. Because you can insert some alternative text that basically is really designed for people visually impaired, to understand what text what images, sorry, which images, you're what they're about. But you can also put some keywords in there, you don't want to just stuff it with keywords you can describe the images about but try to work in the keywords. And that's another way that we optimize your your on site, how you do your on site optimization. 

22:55  

The other part of on site optimization is internal links. And so this helps Google actually crawl through your website quicker. When you create new content, it can help it get indexed a little bit quicker, it can also help people just find more related content throughout the website. So things that you can do anytime you write a blog post, you want that blog post to really serve those service landing pages that you have. So you can always just put related content, you know, and link over to your service landing page. 

23:26  

So you know, you can mention in that blog post, if you're considering anxiety therapy, you know, check out this page here and link over to that. Likewise, on those service landing pages, you can have a related blog post about anxiety therapy, and then have links to those blog posts. And that just creates this this interlinking web that Google can crawl through and see that related content.

23:49  

All right, our fourth and final mountain of successful SEO is your off site SEO. So off site SEO is everything that happens outside of your website makes sense off of your site. The search engines look for external signals such as backlinks, Google Maps, social media, as a gauge of your online authority and trustworthiness. 

24:11  

The way I kind of like to describe this as that it's kind of like a resume when you have you're applying for a job and you have those referrals. You know, please reach out to my former employer, you know, and get some recommendations. You know, it is a vote for your website, having a great referral network to your website tells Google that okay people trust you people are linking to you. And so if you have more backlinks and also quality backlinks from other websites that have good authority, all of that is really that pours a lot of fuel on the SEO fire and that can be a real catalyst for growth of your SEO. 

24:51  

It's also one of the steps that most people overlook because it does take time to build backlinks into to build relationships with people to get those backlinks. And so it can often be overlooked in an SEO strategy. But as I mentioned, the main factors of offer off site SEO are backlinks, your social media presence, and also local search. So you want to have all of those in place, local search is probably the easiest place to begin. So that's your Google business profile. 

25:23  

Starting there, if you don't have a Google business profile, which is a free listing of your business, definitely get that set up. If you are online, only, I really encourage you to still set up a Google business profile. And you're allowed to list your service areas. 

25:39  

So you don't necessarily need to list a physical address, you can list your service areas, you know, if you work in multiple states, or you're trying to get you know, all of one state, that's where your license, do that it can help you show up at when people are still searching near you, for your services, you want to be able to show up. And so definitely get a get a Google business profile set up on the other aspect of local search is having other business profiles set up. 

26:07  

So having your business listed on other business directories can be helpful for a local search as well. So Google sees that your business is listed repeatedly, in a certain area, certain physical address, if you are, you know, working with people who you have a physical office, you know, that you can list, you know, go for that do that. The other aspect, as I mentioned, is backlinks, you know, so things that you can do for backlinks, you could you can sponsor some events in your local area, you could get listed on different business websites in your community. If you have other people who are referring to you see if you can have a place on their website to be listed as a referral source. Another thing that you can do that's great is guest guest blogging, guest blogging on other websites, or writing articles for other websites. 

27:00  

And those articles, you know, list you as an author, and they link back to your website. Podcasts are also great too, if you mean you have expertise to share, so there's likely a handful of podcasts that you could do a little research, follow the the host of those podcasts on social media and learn a little bit about them, and then offer your expertise as an episode for their for their podcast, and then you will likely be linked from their website to your website, building that authority. 

27:31  

And so it's great for traffic building, as well as just building that backlink SEO stuff. And then the other piece is social media. And that's just another part of building authority is just Google wants to see that, okay, this business is established, they've also got social media channels. 

27:48  

And if you're not really active on social media, that's okay. If you're writing a blog post, maybe like once a month, you can always just use that blog post to share on social media, you don't have to answer comments, you don't have to, you know, get all in with a with a social strategy. And all that, I kind of say that, because that's kind of,

28:09  

I'm kind of preaching to the choir here, because I have that love hate relationship with social media, I mostly spend my time on Instagram, just because it's simpler for me. But sometimes you get, it can be so easy to get overwhelmed with social media and like, you know, trying to get likes and followers and all that stuff. 

28:25  

But at least as a starting point, you can always just list your business on the different channels, and then share a couple blog posts here and there to show that you're active. And all of that can help Google just see that you are, you know, you're a legit business, you're active, that sort of thing. Another thing too, you can share your blog post on your Google business profile as well, which is another another great thing to do, which can link back over to your website. 

28:49  

So it's a way of showing Google Hey, my profiles active, and I'm contributing. So those are the four mountains of successful SEO. So just to review, we had technical SEO, content, on site optimization, and off site optimization. So those are the four main mountains that we look into when we work with our clients. And we have aspects of all of the all of those mountains, it baked into the services that we provide, because we really, really want to take that holistic approach to SEO, in order to make sure that all of these mountains are being tended to to really create a great strategy for your online visibility. So I hope that this has been helpful for you. 

29:34  

And if you are feeling like all of this stuff is pretty overwhelming. You're not really sure you know how to go from point A to point B. There's something that I've been working on, it's been just kind of just in my brain for a while and you know, now that we're getting back into the school year, I'm focusing a little bit more on this idea. And so what it is, is I'm calling it SEO base camp live. So as I mentioned at the beginning of this podcast, we have our SEO base camp service, which really takes our clients through the keyword optimization, content planning content calendar, and on site optimization of their website. 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava sits down with Joshua Brummel, co-founder of Therapy Flow, to delve into the intricacies of using paid ads to elevate private practices.

The conversation kicks off with a glimpse into Joshua's background and how Therapy Flow evolved from a marketing agency into a specialized service for therapists. The company now offers a "done for you" practice development program that focuses on implementing digital strategies like Google Ads and Facebook ads, along with a HIPAA-compliant CRM system.

Their discussion covers crucial elements for success in paid advertising, emphasizing the importance of a website that converts traffic effectively. 

They highlight the need for clear tracking mechanisms to gauge the return on investment (ROI) from ads. Joshua stresses the significance of having a solid sales process in place before diving into paid advertising to ensure that potential client inquiries translate into actual conversions.

The conversation extends to the expectations from the initial phase of running paid ad campaigns. They spotlight the learning period of 3-7 days where data acquisition occurs, advising patience and observation before making adjustments. They also explore the calculation of ROI from ads, emphasizing the importance of understanding the lifetime value of a client to accurately gauge the success of ad campaigns.

Joshua emphasizes that while paid ads require meticulous attention to detail, they can serve as a powerful growth accelerator for practices, offering a rapid influx of inquiries and clients when managed effectively. He presents paid ads as a "dial experience," a tool that allows practices to control and intensify their referral volumes swiftly, complementing long-term strategies like SEO.

In conclusion, the episode emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between long-term strategies like SEO and short-term boosts from paid ads, advocating for a strategic balance between the two for sustained practice growth.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The big picture of paid ads and user intent.

• Evolution and competition in paid ad platforms.

• Joshua Brummel's experience with managing ad spend.

• Recommended starting budget for Google Ads for therapy practices.

• Using Facebook and Instagram ads for lower budgets.

• Importance of having a website that converts before investing.

• Importance of website conversion for successful Google ads

• Evaluating the effectiveness of ads and sales process

• New, more, better framework for website and ads

• Learning period of 3-7 days for ads

• Tracking conversions and intake process for success

• Google ads work best for practices with existing clients

• Calculating return on investment for ads

• Determining lifetime value of therapy clients to determine ad budget

• Ads as a profitable source for consistent client acquisition

• How paid ads can provide a quick return on investment for therapy practices

• Technical details of running ads can be complex and time-consuming

• How using both paid ads and SEO can provide stability and growth

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to talk about non-traditional ways to market a private practice. 

Living in these modern times, I think we sometimes forget about the tried and true methods that can be used to build a business.

Often we turn to our computers and social media feeds and think “this is how I’m supposed to market my private practice.”

The problem is that in order to build a successful private practice, you may need to think outside of the box.

Clients won’t just show up unless you go out and look for them. They need to know you exist!

So what are some creative ways to increase your visibility, share your expertise, and attract more of your ideal clients?

Our guest, Dr. Larry Waldman is on the show today to share some of the creative ways he marketed a successful private practice - one he had for over 45 years!

Dr. Larry is a psychologist, professor, speaker, and author who is passionate about helping private practice owners think outside the box and market their practices in creative and exciting ways.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Questions to ask yourself before you begin marketing your practice
• The difference between a niche and your ideal client
• How to look for opportunities to get in front of your ideal clients
• The importance of relationship building and the impact it can have on your referrals
• How to use current events and media to reach more clients
• Creative ways to get in front of your audience
• Other ideas for non-traditional marketing for your private practice

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Dr. Larry’s Website

Huge Sale On My Favorite WordPress Theme

You may already know this, but Divi is my favorite WordPress theme for building beautiful therapy websites. Every year, Elegant Themes, the makers of the Divi WordPress theme do a huge Black Friday sale. And this is year is no different. If you’re looking for a great theme to build a new website for your private practice, one that comes with easy-to-use templates and features right out of the box, definitely check out Divi. (affiliate link)

About Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP

Dr. Waldman is a recently semi-retired licensed clinical, forensic psychologist in Phoenix, Arizona.  He conducted a highly successful private practice of 45 years working with children, teens, parents, couples, and adults in a solution-focused manner.  He also consulted with family, personal injury, immigration and estate planning attorneys.  His BS in Education/Psychology was from the University of Wisconsin; his MS in School Psychology was at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; his Ph.D. in Educational/School Psychology was earned at Arizona State University; and his Diplomate (ABPP) was received in 2003.

Waldman was the past president of the Maricopa Psychological Society, the Director of Psychological Services for Charter Psychiatric Hospital of Glendale, an “Official Guide” (top expert) on Parenting for SelfGrowth.com and was a Medical Consultant for the Social Security Office in Phoenix. He continues as an adjunct graduate professor in counseling and serves on the professional advisory board of Stepping Stones of Hope, a charitable organization serving children who have lost a parent.  Waldman also was the co-chair of the Early Career Psychologists Committee with the Arizona Psychological Association (AzPA) for five years.   He is certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a (senior) fitness specialist and is a yoga instructor.  

In addition to numerous articles which have been published in the local Phoenix media and in the national press, Waldman has (thus far) written seven books:  Who’s Raising Whom?  Coping with Your Adolescent; How Come I Love Him But Can’t Live with Him? The Graduate Course You Never Had, 2nd Edition; Too Busy Earning a Living to Make Your Fortune? Overcoming Your Negotiaphobia: Negotiating Through Your Life; and Love Your Child More Than You Hate your Ex.

Dr. Waldman trained as a public speaker and presents for PESI.  His signature presentations are: The Business of Private Practice—The Graduate Course You Never Had and Teaching Parents to Parent.  He has made over 150 paid presentations in his career to attorneys, chiropractors, psychologists, family therapists, counselors, social workers, school psychologists and school counselors. To the community Waldman speaks on parenting, marriage, stress, depression and anxiety, wellness, grand parenting and psychotherapy.  He also is a seasoned podcast guest.  His seminars are organized, practical and entertaining—offering “edutainment.”

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to hear a first-hand account of what it’s like to do online marketing for a business over the span of 8 years.

The ups and downs. The good, the bad, and the ugly!

When it comes to marketing your private practice or new business online, it can often be so overwhelming to know where to start and what to focus on.

You could put a bunch of time and energy into one thing and still wonder where your ideal client is and why are they not showing up.

But over time, as you flex your marketing muscles and begin to see what’s working and what isn’t, your focus gets more refined and growth begins to occur.

I think one of the most helpful ways to learn about marketing a business online is to hear from people who have gone before you.

When you listen to someone explain their stories of what worked, what didn’t, and the mistakes and successes they had, you can take those lessons and apply them to your own private practice.

That’s exactly what we’re doing with my conversation with Maelisa McCaffrey from QA Prep.

She’s been marketing her business, QA Prep, online since 2014, so you’ll be sure she’s got a lot of marketing stories to tell.

Give a listen as she lays it all out there and shares tons of tips you can apply to your own marketing efforts.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Online marketing tips from Maelisa, who has been running a successful business online since 2014
• The ups and downs of online marketing
• The most important things you can do at the very beginning of launching your business online that can pay huge returns in the future
• Tips for building an email list and reaching your ideal clients
• The importance of blogging and how it can impact your business for years to come
• Tips for writing blog posts consistently to improve your SEO and get more traffic
• More about my own story with blogging and reaching my audience online

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• QA Prep 
• Free Crash Course

About Maelisa McCaffrey

Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey is a licensed psychologist, nail design enthusiast, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. With her business QA Prep, she empowers therapists through trainings and consultation on clinical documentation. Maelisa focuses on the “why” behind the usual recommendations and encourages clinicians to think outside the box, while also keeping their ethics intact. As someone with ADHD who’s had to figure out what works through trial and error, Maelisa aims to make sure her trainings are practical, while also allowing for plenty of laughter and fun.

SEO is an important part of any online marketing strategy. 

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it's the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engines like Google. SEO encompasses four main areas: technical SEO, foundational content, on-page SEO, and off-page SEO. 

The goal is to get your site ranking high in search results so that you can drive more traffic to your website and increase revenue! 

But most therapists get easily overwhelmed by all that goes into proper search engine optimization of their private practice website.

And it’s true, there is a lot!

But with all the tasks and things to keep in mind, we actually find just 4 critical parts (or categories) to SEO.

Listen up as I break down the 4 pillars of great SEO.

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  90. How to Create A SEO Strategy For Your Private Practice
• 19. On-Page SEO: 5 Things You Can Do Now To Boost Your Google Rank

The 4 Crucial Parts of Successful SEO

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the first area of SEO that you need to focus on. This is the process of optimizing your website's code and structure so that it's as search-engine-friendly as possible. 

There are a few things you can do to optimize your site technically, including installing an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO, setting up 301 redirects, and creating an XML sitemap.

Foundational Content

Foundational content is the next area of SEO that you need to focus on.

This is the content on your website that provides a strong foundation for your SEO efforts. This content includes things like your site's About Us page, its blog, and its service pages. You need to make sure this content is high-quality and keyword-rich so that it can help you rank in search engines.

You'll want to build a single web page for each service you provide in your private practice. If your business is more complex, this could be multiple pages. You should include information about what you offer, who it's best suited for, and why the customer would benefit

On-page SEO

On-page SEO is the third area of SEO that you need to focus on.

On-page SEO includes all the SEO elements on the page where they're found (the "on-" part). 

When optimizing for on-page SEO, you want to make sure everything aligns with what Google wants so when it crawls your website, it sees all of these things as positive signals. This means using keywords throughout the text while keeping an eye out for keyword density or making sure there are no spelling mistakes. On-page SEO is important because this is how you'll get your website ranking high in search engine results pages (SERPs).

This includes optimizing your website's title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, images, and other elements for SEO. On-page SEO can be tricky because there are so many factors you need to consider. But if you do it correctly, you can see a big boost in your search engine rankings!

Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO is the final area of SEO that you need to focus on. 

This includes all the activities you do outside of your website to help improve your SEO. The main component of off-page SEO is link building, which is when you get other websites to link back to yours. 

You can do this by creating valuable content that others will want to share, reaching out to other bloggers and website owners, and participating in online communities. Off-page SEO isn't as important as technical SEO or on-page SEO, but it's still an essential part of any successful SEO strategy.

It can be extremely valuable because it will help you build up authority outside of your website, which can help boost its rankings.

Conclusion

In order to be successful with SEO for your private practice website, there are 4 main things you need to keep in mind. 

These include technical SEO, foundational content, on-page SEO and off-page SEO. 

If you’re a therapist who wants help navigating the complex world of web marketing but don't know where to start, schedule a clarity call today. 

Our team is ready and waiting to partner with therapists like you as we work through all aspects of digital marketing from strategy development to execution. 

We can also provide an analysis of your current site's performance so that we have data points against which we can measure our progress towards improving its rankings by using these key principles.

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we will explore the journey of Chris McDonald, a licensed therapist and holistic practitioner, as she built her private practice. 

We will delve into the challenges she faced, the strategies she employed, and the impact of integrating holistic modalities into her therapy work with clients.

Chris embarked on a journey to build a holistic therapy practice after leaving her job as a school counselor. With a passion for holistic modalities and a desire to integrate them into her practice, Chris set out to build a private practice that would cater to clients seeking a different approach to therapy, as well as fulfilling her own passions.

Listen to her journey about how she created a practice that was authentic to her and the strategies she uses to market her holistic therapy practice.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How networking and consultation groups can provide a stream of referrals in your holistic therapy practice

• How incorporating holistic modalities into therapy can attract clients who are seeking a different approach

• The importance of your website’s about page and how you can talk about what you do in a way that helps you stand out from other therapists

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn 5 simple things you can do to optimize your Google Business Profile and maximize your local SEO potential.

Local SEO involves the steps you can take to make sure that when potential clients are searching for therapy services in your area your website and practice come up in the search engines.

For example, if you offer couples therapy and are located in Atlanta, you want your website to come up when clients type “Couples therapy” in a search engine, while they are located in Atlanta.

Google looks for local signals, such as business directories to get a better understanding of where your private practice is located.

At the heart of this local SEO ecosystem is your Google Business Profile.

While setting up a Google Business Profile is often the first thing therapists do when opening their private practice, these profiles are often not optimized.

So we’re going to go over 5 simple things you can do to optimize your profile.

Whether you don’t have a Google Business Profile already, or have one set up that you need to revisit to improve your local SEO, this episode will give you some simple steps to help.

Download the Free Google Business Listing Optimization Checklist

Get on the Waiting List for the Next Class of Our SEO Training Group!

On January 30, 2023, I’m opening the doors to our SEO Basecamp Live Training Group. This will be an online course and small group live training over the course of 9 weeks to help you create and implement and simple SEO strategy for your private practice. 

To be the first to get access (and at a discount!), join our waiting list here.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Google Business Profile
• SEO Basecamp Live Training Group
• Episode 18. What is Local SEO and how Can You Use it in Your Private Practice?
• Episode 78. Google My Business For Therapists: 7 Tips To Optimize Your Listing with Craig Alsup
• Blog Post: A Guide to Optimizing a Google Business Profile for Private Practice

In this Encore Episode you’ll learn how to find the right SEO keywords to use on your private practice website.

This is step one of helping your clients find you in search engines.

If you don’t know which keywords are “good” ones, then you won’t know what type of content you need to create..

So this episode will help you save time and understand how you can easily uncover the right keywords for your private practice.

Check it out now!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to unpack everything you need to know about Managed WordPress hosting.

If you have a therapy website built on WordPress, or you’re looking to create one, you probably know that website hosting is something that’s needed to make that happen.

Website hosting is what allows you to make your website accessible on the Internet. 

A hosting service provides the technologies and support needed for the website to be viewed on the Internet. It’s where you store your website files so the world can see it.

But if you’ve had a WordPress website for a few years, you’ve probably already seen that not all hosting is created equal.

When they’re just starting out with their first website, most folks will choose a hosting provider based on price alone. 

You may think that hosting is just a place to stick your website files, so the cheapest one should be fine, but that’s not the case.

And after working with therapists for many years, I've heard some fairly horrific tales about how certain hosting providers couldn't give clear answers to support questions, tried to upsell additional services when running into issues, or kept their clients on hold for hours on end during support calls.

So, in order to make sure you’re getting the most out of your hosting, and help you find a quality service that will serve your private practice for years to come, let’s unpack the hosting options available to you.

Typically you have two options for hosting: shared hosting and managed WordPress hosting.

And managed WordPress hosting is my recommendation for your private practice website.

Managed hosting can bring a whole host of benefits to your website, including lightning-fast performance, top-notch security, and rock-solid reliability. And, unlike traditional hosting, managed hosting takes care of all the techy stuff for you, so you can focus on what you do best - running your practice.

If you’re planning on building a WordPress website or have a current hosting provider you haven’t quite enjoyed, this episode will help you understand your options and find a trustworthy place to host your website.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The difference between shared hosting and Managed WordPress hosting

• What is Shared Website hosting

• What is Managed WordPress hosting?

• The benefits of Managed WordPress hosting

• My recommendation for Managed WordPress hosting and why

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we're diving deep into the world of financial planning specifically tailored for therapists in private practice and how you can increase your returns and hit your goals.

We’re going to be talking all about the goals you have for your life and how those goals can actually drive the financial decisions you make in your private practice.

Navigating the financial planning side of running a business can take time and effort.

From bookkeeping to taxes, to whether you should be an S Corp or an LLC. There are so many questions to answer.

Well, today we’re talking with Ryan Derousseau and he helps us unpack the nitty gritty of getting started with your financial plan and increasing your returns in your private practice.

Ryan Derousseau is a fee-only financial planner based in Long Island, New York. He has a background in writing and has worked for publications such as Fortune, Money, and the New York Times. Ryan specializes in working with therapists to help them manage their finances and achieve their life goals.

Whether you're just starting your private practice or looking to elevate your financial game, this episode is packed with tips to lead you toward financial success. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of understanding your business and life goals

• The importance of having emergency funds for personal and business

• How to balance business savings and retirement savings

• When does a S Corp make sense for your private practice?

• The business advantages of S Corps and the process to transition

• The importance of avoiding debt and tips to keep you safe

• Why ignoring the value of your private practice can impact retirement security.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://thinkingcapfinancial.com/

• The Financial Planning Checklist

In this week’s podcast episode, you’re going to learn how to step into leadership so that you can scale your business and lead your team well.

I know many of you that listen to this podcast are either leading a group practice, in the process of shifting to a group practice model, or plan to in the future.

In doing so there are likely many roles that you’re already playing in your therapy practice and maybe even more that you’ll play in the future.

But probably the most important role that will have the biggest impact on the growth of your business is that of a leader.

To help us embrace our inner leader and do it in an authentic way, we’re talking with Katie Vernoy.

Katie is the co-founder and co-host for the Therapy Reimagined Conference and the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide podcast.

Listen in now! 

In this episode, we’re going to explore the relationship between your website copy, website design, and you.

What do you think is more important… the words on your website or the design of your website?

So often we agonize over the words that go on each web page; writing, editing, and revising.

Then we take that content and try to work it into our website in a way we think “looks good”. 

But what is your website design actually saying?

Like non-verbal communication during a therapy session, design can often communicate many things beyond what the copy on the page is saying.

So how we can marry these two things together - copy and design - so that we’re captivating our ideal clients and leading them toward finding a solution to their pain?

And how can we approach our marketing authentically so that it resonates with both your clients and the brand you want to create for your private practice?

Today’s guest, Jenn Fredette, is helping us dive deep into these questions and the relationship between copy and design.

Jenn is a relational, psychodynamic oriented, attachment-based loving, Jungian concept adoring, and existential thinking psychotherapist based in the DC Metro area. In addition to her clinical work, Jenn partners with psychotherapists who want to market with depth, not just offer quick solutions to get people in the door. 

In this conversation, you may not know who’s interviewing who, because we ask so many questions as we explore this topic in detail. 

So get ready to think deeply about your marketing, your copywriting, your website design… and what it all means to you.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why it’s so important to enter into your ideal client’s story so that you can empathize with them and create truly captivating and compelling content
• How to use storytelling to really paint a picture of how you want potential clients to feel when they visit your website
• How copy and design work together to communicate your message and evoke feeling
• How we can often carry our past experiences and pain into our marketing which hinders our authentic message

Start Your Website Project with a Free 15-Minute Clarity Call

We’re extremely passionate about helping therapists and group practices launch websites with both the words and design that resonate with their ideal clients. If you’re ready to elevate your online presence and get more visibility for your business, we’d love to chat. We offer a free 15-minute Clarity Call to understand your goals and work out whether you’re a good fit for our services. Schedule your Clarity Call by clicking here.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• A Thinker’s Guide Website
• Take The Quiz - What’s Your Marketing Attachment Style?

About Jenn Fredette 

Jenn is a relational, psychodynamic oriented, attachment-based loving, Jungian concept adoring, and existential thinking psychotherapist based in the DC Metro area. In addition to her clinical work, Jenn partners with psychotherapists who want to market with depth, not just offer quick solutions to get people in the door. 

Jenn is passionate about dismantling the obstacles that get in the way of people exploring their own psyches, of which a core one is that depth-psychotherapists struggle to market themselves in congruent, compelling ways. 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this special episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Liz Fava, wife of host Daniel Fava, flips the tables around and interviews Daniel.

If you’ve listened to this podcast for some time, you’ve likely gotten a small glimpse into Daniel’s life and Private Practice Elevation. 

But have you ever wondered how this all got started? What was Daniel doing prior to helping therapists level up their private practices? What did it look like in 2016 when Daniel took a leap of faith and started his business? 

What does the PPE team look like now and what services do they offer and why? What does the future look like for PPE? And, of course, what are some of Daniel’s favorites? Such as food, drink, books, etc.

In a candid conversation with his wife Liz Fava on his podcast, Daniel Fava, the founder of Private Practice Elevation, opens up about the origins of his online marketing agency, the services it offers, and his journey through entrepreneurship and life. 

Daniel also reveals his favorite aspects of his role and personal interests. 

Tune in to gain insights into the world of private practice elevation and learn more about Daniel's expertise in helping therapists succeed online.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Daniel’s background from college to early work in marketing agencies and how he fell in love with website design

• What Daniel was doing before launching his business and his role in marketing for a non-profit organization

• The challenges of leaving a full-time job to transition to building a business

• How Private Practice Elevation transitioned from a focus on courses to full-service website design, development, and SEO catered to therapists

• Insights on building a team and how hiring has helped Daniel improve services to serve clients better

• All the current roles that Daniel’s team plays at Private Practice Elevation

• How Private Practice Elevation’s services have evolved over the years and why Daniel decided to focus solely on website design and development and SEO

• An overview of Private Practice Elevation’s current services and what each of them provides for therapists and private practices

• Lots of candid responses about the challenges of growing a business

• Plus Daniel’s personal favorites in food, drinks, movies, books etc.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn the 4 roles you need to play when marketing a therapy practice.

If you’re like many therapists or private practice owners, marketing can be somewhat of a four-letter word.

You’re not too sure how to talk about yourself or your services without making it all about you.

You want to reach more of your ideal clients, but struggle to find the right words on your website, social media, or other marketing collateral.

The truth is, we tend to complicate marketing and get all mixed up with the emotion of running a business and trying to get more clients.

To help us simplify things and create more confidence in marketing a private practice, we’re chatting with my friend, Jane Carter.

Jane has a beautiful way of teaching through storytelling and helping us think of how we do marketing and business in new ways.

Listen up where she breaks down how you can think about marketing in new ways to help you break through your roadblocks and move toward your goals.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The four roles you play as a marketer: storyteller, farmer, miner, and rancher
• What do these roles mean and how do they apply to marketing a therapy practice
• How to reframe what it is you’re doing when your marketing so that you create more momentum, confidence, and results in your private practice
• Marketing tips to help you grow in each of these roles so that you can create more success in your therapy business

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  The Moth Podcast
• Jane Carter’s Website
• 5 Smart Ways to Make More Money in Your Business Now

About Jane Carter

Jane Carter is a counselor and business coach who is committed to helping therapists and other solopreneurs have more money, fun, and freedom in their businesses. She lives in the mountains of Asheville, NC, where she’s an outdoorswoman, food-and-wine lover, and coffee-shop connoisseur. Jane can be reached at janecartercoaching.com, where she offers a free consultation.

One of the first questions I get when someone decides they’re going to build their therapy website using WordPress is, “what hosting company should I use?”

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, I’ll share with you some of the key things you’ll want to look for when choosing a reliable host for your WordPress website.

Like any service that you invest in for your business, your hosting company should serve YOU and empower you to focus more on your business and make it easier for you to succeed.

So how can you avoid choosing a WordPress hosting company that sucks the life out of you and the money out of your wallet?

Give a listen to this week’s episode!

In his new book, Thursday Is The New Friday, Joe Sanok challenges our acceptance of what the typical workweek is and teaches us how to get more done in less time.

In Thursday is the New Friday, author Joe offers the exercises, tools, and training that have helped thousands of professionals create the schedule they want, resulting in less work, greater income, and more time for what they most desire.

If you’re feeling burned out and in need of a fresh take on your work schedule so you can get more rest, listen to this episode.

In this special episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, I’m going to crack open the book on a subject I don’t talk a lot about… myself!

Over the years, I know I’ve shared bits and pieces of my story and how I started Create My Therapist Website and Private Practice Elevation. 

Especially how I helped my wife get her private practice online and get her ideal clients to her website.

But I thought it would be fun to let you into all the little bits of it all and put all the pieces together from start to finish.

I know for myself I find so much inspiration in other business owners’ stories.

There’s so much we can learn from others’ mistakes, highs and lows, and the lessons that they’ve learned from being in the trenches of building a business.

When I started Create My Therapist Website as a blog back in 2016, I had no idea that nearly 6 years later I’d have a podcast and build a website design agency for therapists.

Initially, I thought there would be more focus on online courses and webinars to help private practice owners DIY their websites.

While I still do those things, I’ve learned that I enjoy working with fewer people to create a big impact in their business through the services we offer.

But I never would have learned that if I hadn’t started where I was.

And a big part of who I am and what my business looks like comes from my introverted personality. 

I’m continuing to learn how to build a business that fuels my energy and plays to my strengths.

Because when I’m at my best, our clients benefit!

So in this episode, I’ll talk a lot about what it means to me to be an introvert and how I used that strength in starting my business. 

Whether you’ve been a listener for a while or you’re new to this community, I hope that by listening we’ll get to know each other better and that you’ll learn some valuable lessons you can apply to build your own business.

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to be talking all about making the transition from a solo practice to group practice.

It’s a typical business model in private practice: you start out on your own, fill your schedule, then decide to hire more clinicians to start taking on more clients.

However, it’s a big shift to go from running a business with one employee (yourself) to growing and managing a team.

And hiring a team can be an extremely challenging part of making that leap to group practice.

Many therapists struggle to find great clinicians that are a good fit for their group practice.

But when you hire the right people - people who are committed to seeing your private practice succeed - it can make a huge difference in how well and how fast you grow your business.

Today we’re talking with Amanda Landry from My Private Practice Collective and she’s laying out the mistakes therapists make when transitioning from solo to group practice.

She also shares a ton of helpful tips and strategies for marketing your group practice and hiring great therapists to join your team.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why you should be thinking about your group practice even if you’re just starting out as a solo practitioner
• The mistakes people make in their solo private practice that can be a challenge when transitioning to a group practice model
• Tips for attracting and hiring clinicians as you build your group practice
• Ideas for what you can offer your team, beyond compensation, so that you can be competitive and build a place that therapists love to work at
• Business tasks that you should no longer be doing as you make the shift to group practice owner 
• How to know when the time is right to hire another therapist
• How to market your group practice so that you can confidently attract more clients
• Website and SEO tips for group therapy practices

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://caringtherapistsofbroward.com/
• Free resources from My Private Practice Collective  

About Amanda Landry

Amanda Landry is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Addictions Professional, National Certified Counselor, and private practice consultant.  She’s the owner of a group practice, Caring Therapists with several locations in Florida.  Caring Therapists specializes in working with children through adults.  They treat individuals, couples, and families.  

Amanda is the author of Guided Journal for Women with Anxiety on sale on Amazon and wherever books are sold.  

Amanda is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples Counseling, Trauma-Focused CBT and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  Amanda specializes in treating anxiety and depression in teens and adults through a holistic and evidence-based practice.    

Amanda is the founder of My Private Practice Collective, an online community for therapists in private practice.  She is a private practice consultant who helps solo and group practices build smart practices.  

In this episode, you’re going to learn about some expert tips on accounting and bookkeeping to help you set up a strong financial foundation for your private practice.

As a private practice owner, you may often focus on the clinical side of your business, providing quality care to your clients and helping them on their journey to wellness. However, it's crucial not to overlook the financial aspects of running a private practice. 

It may not be sexy, but accounting, bookkeeping, and tax management are essential components of a successful business, and neglecting them can lead to unnecessary stress and financial difficulties down the line.

In this episode, I speak with Andrew Riesen, co-founder of Heard, a platform that offers accounting and bookkeeping services for clinicians in private practice. 

Andrew shares valuable insights and advice on accounting and tax-related matters that are often overlooked by small business owners. He emphasizes the importance of separating personal and business finances, setting aside money for taxes, and tracking income and expenses. 

Andrew also discusses various deductions that clinicians can take advantage of, such as professional development expenses, home office deductions, and retirement contributions. 

He highlights the significance of planning for time off and taking care of mental health as a business owner. Andrew also provides an overview of the services offered by Heard, including software, reporting, and access to a team of professionals who can provide guidance and support throughout the year.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of separating your business accounts from your personal accounts

• How much should you save for taxes?

• Some expenses you maybe didn’t realize you could write off on your taxes

• Lessons I (Daniel) have learned from working with my own accountant

• Some of the accounting nuances therapists think about when setting up a private practice

• Retirement Accounts and why you should be thinking about retirement now

• How to plan for PTO in your business so that you can avoid burnout and feeling guilty about time off

In this episode of The Private Practice Podcast, you’re going to learn how making clinical supervision a part of your private practice can help you uplevel your business and career growth.

The trouble is, with the current associations available to therapists and confusing state licensing protocols, it can be hard for supervision-seekers to find a supervisor with whom they resonate.

After all, new graduates are looking to start their careers off on a solid foundation, and a great supervisor can truly impact the trajectory of their careers as mental health professionals.

But someone is solving the problem by connecting supervision-seekers with supervisors across the United States…

Enter Dr. Amy F Parks.

Dr. Parks is a licensed therapist with more than 35 years of experience in the mental health field. She is an LPC and a Nationally Accredited ClinicalSupervisor.

She’s also the creator of The Clinical Supervision Directory.

The Clinical Supervision Directory (CSD) is the first directory of its kind in the mental health profession. Previously, mental health professionals like LMFTs, LCPs, and LCSWs relied on inadequate, often piecemeal, information when searching for a clinical supervisor to begin practicing therapy

The CSD changes the old ways of searching for supervision completely by providing a one-stop-shop for supervision-seekers to research and find the supervisors that are best for them.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The story behind The Clinical Supervision Directory and why Dr. Amy created it
• The biggest challenges new therapists face when trying to find the right clinical supervisor
• How clinical supervision can be the next step for your career development
• Ways to get your name out there so you can find supervisees and grow your clinical supervision
• How joining The Clinical Supervision Directory can help improve your SEO and social proof, helping you be seen as an expert in your field

Email Dr. Amy for A Discount Code

If you’d like to list yourself as a supervisor on The Clinical Supervision Directory, email hello@the-csd.com for a special discount code available for The Private Practice Elevation Podcast listeners.

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  The Clinical Supervision Directory

About Dr. Amy F Parks

Dr. Parks is a licensed therapist with more than 35 years of experience in the mental health field. She is an LPC and a Nationally Accredited Clinical  Supervisor.

• Areas of Interest: Children, Teens & Families
• Owner/Clinical Director @ The Wise Family, Counseling, Assessment &Education in Northern Virginia www.thewisefamily.com
• Licensed Professional Counselor, Virginia
• PhD, Educational Psychology, specialty Developmental Neuroscience
• Adjunct Professor, TCSPP 
• Clinical Supervisor, HCA Health Systems 
• Chief Executive Office, CSD Launched July 1, 2021 (conceived Nov 2020)Planned partnership with ACA's 55,000 members and 460 CACREPUniversities nation-wide
• hello@the-csd.com

In this episode, Daniel Fava addresses a common concern many therapists have—technology. 

It's no secret that a lot of therapists shy away from new digital tools, whether it’s due to fear of change, lack of time to learn, or simply feeling like technology doesn’t fit into their practice. But what if embracing tech could make therapy more efficient, engaging, and accessible? 

Daniel chats with Amity Cooper to explore this, who shares her insights on how therapists can leverage technology like AI and virtual reality to enhance their work and improve client care. 

Amity is a professional counselor with a diverse background in business and mental health. Holding dual master's degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Conflict Resolutions, she has traversed a career path from marketing and product development to the mental health field.

Her entrepreneurial background has not only given her a fresh perspective on therapy but also led her to coin the term "Therapreneur," which describes therapists who embrace both clinical work and entrepreneurship.

Throughout the episode, Amity shares how therapists can benefit from thinking like business owners while still delivering high-quality care to clients. She believes that combining therapeutic expertise with smart business practices can help therapists run thriving, sustainable practices.

But the conversation doesn't stop there! Amity and Daniel dive into some cutting-edge topics like AI (artificial intelligence) and VR (virtual reality) and how these technologies are starting to transform the therapy space. 

While technology can feel intimidating to some, Amity encourages therapists to push past their fears and embrace the future. Whether it's using AI-powered chatbots or note-taking tools that simplify admin work or introducing clients to VR experiences that create immersive therapeutic environments, there's a lot of potential for these tools to elevate therapy practices.

This conversation will help you shift your mindset and see how integrating these tools can empower both you and your practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Innovation in Therapy: Amity Cooper wants therapists to think beyond the therapy room and adopt a "Therapreneur" mindset. By blending therapy skills with business know-how, therapists can build successful and innovative practices.

• AI as a Co-Pilot: AI isn't something to be afraid of! Amity talks about tools like ChatGPT and Decipher AI, which can help therapists manage their workload by automating tasks like writing, engaging with clients, and even creating content for blogs or social media. This frees up time for therapists to focus on what matters most—helping clients.

• The Power of VR: Imagine being able to take your clients into a fully immersive environment where they can safely confront their fears or practice new skills in a controlled space. That's the power of virtual reality in therapy, and it's opening up new possibilities for enhancing client experiences.

• Bridging the Tech Gap: The mental health industry has been slow to adopt new technologies, and Amity believes it's crucial to close that gap. By staying current with tech advances, therapists can improve their services and meet clients' evolving needs.

• Empowering the Profession: One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that therapists should be part of the technological revolution in mental health. If clinicians don’t embrace these changes, there’s a risk that tech companies might take the lead and leave therapists out of the equation. Amity’s message is clear—therapists need to be involved in shaping the future of their field.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Clinical Career Collective Website

• Do This First Bootcamp

• Clinical Career Collective on Facebook

• Connect with Amity on LinkedIn

• Amelia by XRhealth

In this podcast episode you’re going to learn 7 things you can do to increase the loading speed of your website.

The speed of your website matters a lot.

So much so that a study showed that just a two-second delay in page speed can increase bounce rates by 103%.

The problem with increasing your website speed is that you can get into some pretty technical territory so it may be confusing or difficult to even begin making improvements.

But in this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, I’m going to share 7 things you can do that don’t require a degree in website development.

If you’ve been unhappy with your website’s speed, listen up for some ways to improve it.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation podcast, we will be exploring 8 eye-opening statistics about website users and how they interact with therapy websites. 

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence and professional website is crucial for any private practice, as more and more people turn to the internet to search for mental health services. 

But just having a website is not enough. 

It's important to understand how users behave on your website in order to optimize its design and content to serve their needs better.

Doing so can help you communicate your value and services more effectively, and improve the number of clients your website adds to your practice.

In this episode, we'll be sharing eight key statistics about website users that will change the way you think about your therapy website. Some of these may even lead you to get serious about that website redesign you’ve been thinking about!

From bounce rates to mobile usage, we'll dive into the data and provide insights on how to improve your website's user experience and ultimately attract more clients to your therapy practice.

Why User Experience is Crucial to the Success of Your Therapy Website

Understanding how users interact with your website is crucial because it can help you improve the user experience and ultimately attract more clients to your therapy practice. 

By analyzing user behavior, you can identify areas of your website that may be causing frustration or confusion for visitors, and then make changes to address these issues. This could include optimizing the layout and design of your website, improving the content or navigation, or ensuring that the website is mobile-friendly.

Additionally, by looking at these statistics and understanding how potential clients interact with your website, you can gain insights into what types of content are most popular, which can help you tailor your website to better meet the needs of your target audience.

Plus, your website is often the first point of contact that potential clients have with your practice. 

Therefore, optimizing the user experience on your website can help you make a positive first impression and ultimately attract more clients to your practice.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Original article from Sweor

• Google Pagespeed Insights

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn how you can intentionally create a team culture in your private practice that hs clinicians begging to work with you.

One thing I’ve learned from watching my wife build and grow her own group practice is that, well, it’s hard!

It can be a struggle to find great therapists to join your team and then provide enough benefits to ensure they stay.

Not only that, it can be hard to find others who share your vision and values for this practice that you’re building.

So what can you do to begin building a team culture at your private practice?

How do you nail down your hiring process from start to finish so that at the end of it, you know you’re hiring someone who cares about your vision and the impact you want to create through your private practice?

Today we’re speaking with Dawn Gabriel.

Dawn is the founder and CEO of Authentic Connections Counseling Center, a group practice consultant, and host of Soul Care for Therapists podcast. She is passionate about helping people achieve freedom from what is keeping them stuck and invites others to take a non-judgmental look deeper into their spirituality and faith.

Whether you’re just starting to build your private practice team or you’ve got a team already, you’re going to get some great advice from an experienced group practice owner on creating deep connections with your team so that you can build a team you love that cares about your vision.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to hire therapists that share your values and your vision, not just to fill a chair

• Ideas and examples for creating a mission statement that can guide you through the interview process

• The importance of screening candidates before even thinking about inviting them in for an interview

• Creative perks you could offer your therapists and how to incorporate them into your job description and attract better candidates

• Exercises and resources you can use to foster connections between team members and support one another

• The Ennigram and how it can help you understand your team’s strengths and personalities better

• Steps for building your leadership team so that you can focus on what you love and what you’re good at

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Faith Fringes

• Soul Care for Therapists

• Authentic Connections Counseling Center

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel Fava welcomes Nate Hendrikse, founder of Navigator Bookkeeping, to discuss the journey of scaling a private practice from a financial perspective. 

Nate shares his background as a former teacher and how his passion for personal finance led him to start his own bookkeeping business. 

With an empathetic understanding of the struggles private practice owners face, Nate breaks down key strategies for understanding and improving their financial stories.

Nate delves into the importance of having a clear financial story and how it can alleviate stress and confusion for practice owners. 

He emphasizes the need for tracking essential metrics and creating a dashboard to maintain a comprehensive view of the business's financial health. 

As therapy practices grow, Nate highlights the challenges of optimizing clinician pay structures and provides practical tools and tips to ensure that practices remain profitable and sustainable. 

Knowing some of the blind spots and things to avoid can help therapists step confidently into scaling their business and growing their team.

If you own or manage a private practice and are looking to scale effectively, this episode is packed with actionable insights and expert advice from Nate Hendrikse.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Your Financial Story: Learn how to identify and interpret the trends in your practice's financial data to make informed decisions.

• The Importance of Data: Utilizing financial reports and dashboards can help track essential metrics and uncover financial blind spots.

• Optimizing Clinician Pay Structures: Discover strategies for creating fair and profitable pay structures for clinicians to ensure sustainability as your practice grows.

• Creating a Financial Dashboard: Simple yet effective ways to track financial health metrics to keep your business on course.

• Navigating Growth Challenges: Practical advice on managing the nuances and complexities that come with scaling a private practice.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Navigator Bookkeeping Website

• Clinician Profitability Tool 

• Nate’s LinkedIn

• Navigator Bookkeeping YouTube Channel

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast you’re going to learn the reasons why it’s so important to work on your visual brand before you build or redesign a website for your private practice.

This topic is something near and dear to my own heart, since it’s something that comes up regularly with the website design projects we work on.

Oftentimes, clients will hire us to create the website of their dreams… and that’s truly what we always aim to do.

Except, many clients do not have a clear vision of what design elements their website needs in order to quickly and accurately communicate to their potential clients what therapy with them is like.

So we work with our clients to uncover things like which fonts, colors, tones and photos would really speak to their clients and help them identify with their brand.

But honestly, the most successful projects and the happiest clients are the ones that have done that work up front, before website design even begins.

You may think that the term “branding” just means having a cool logo, but as you’ll hear in this episode, there’s so much more that goes into a brand for your private practice.

To help us unpack the topic of branding and what to do before you build your website, I’m chatting with Kimberly and Justin Slagle from Practicery.

If you’ve got any plans in the near future to build or redesign your therapy website, you’ll want to give this a listen!

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What a visual brand is and is not
• The key elements that can make up a visual brand for your private practice
• The questions you need to answer about yourself, your business and your clients to help you begin creating your visual brand
• Tips and tools to help you find inspiration and discover your visual brand
• Things you can do to make sure your website design has what they need to create a website that truly represents your therapy practice

Links mentioned in this episode:

• practicery.com 
• Therapists Who Brand Facebook group
• Designspiration

About Practicery (Kimberly & Justin Slagle)

Practicery is a graphic design company that specializes in custom visual branding and Squarespace websites for therapists. Their combined experience in design, marketing, and the mental health field are perfectly aligned to help you create a look and feel for your business that will showcase your authentic style, expertise, and make your ideal client not only say, “I’ve found the one!” but feel it from the second they interact with your brand. 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this podcast episode you’re going to learn how to step into your entrepreneur role so that you can launch new income streams and create the impact you’ve been dreaming about.

Dr. Christie Kederian has an extensive career as a professional matchmaker and relationship expert for eHarmony and Match.com affiliate company, Christie has helped thousands of people create lives they love and find love they deserve.

Dr. Christie is also an experienced marriage and family therapist, and a professional speaker, providing trainings with the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

She’s built multiple businesses and successfully added new income streams to her career and I’m super excited for you to learn more about how you can do the same.

Psychology Today is a powerful marketing tool that many therapists and private practices rely on to attract clients, especially in the early stages of growing a practice.

However, not everyone knows how to utilize this platform to its full potential effectively. 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we will delve into the insights shared by Omar Ruiz, a therapist and business coach, on maximizing your Psychology Today profile. 

By following his tips and strategies, therapists can improve their online presence and generate more client referrals.

What You’ll Learn About Maximizing Your Psychology Today Profile:

• Omar’s private practice journey and the ups and downs that led him to become an expert in using Psychology Today to get clients

• The difference between browsers and buyers on Psychology Today

• Tips for optimizing the profile picture and first four lines on Psychology Today

• The importance of evoking emotion and offering hope in the profile description

• Providing concrete value in the profile description instead of focusing on certifications

• Including a call to action in the profile description

• Tips for using an intro video, additional photos, and keywords on Psychology Today

• Strategic use of keywords from the issues section in the personal statement

• Importance of optimizing Psychology Today profile for visibility

• Adding italicized snippets to your profile for increased visibility

• Strategic use of location to improve visibility

• Choosing less saturated and competitive areas for visibility

• Using Psychology Today as a supplemental referral source

• Private pay clients may have different experiences with Psychology Today

• Investing in SEO and having a website for long-term marketing

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Psychology Today

• Online Private Practice Website

• Omar’s YouTube channel

• Facebook

Get More Views of Your Psychology Today Profile: Key Takeaways

Psychology Today is a directory site that connects therapists with potential clients. It is essential to understand the behavior of clients using this platform in order to effectively market your services. Ruiz categorizes clients into two groups: browsers and buyers. 

Browsers are simply scrolling through the search results, while buyers are using the filtering options to find a therapist who can address their specific needs.

4 Tips To Improve Your Psychology Today Profile

To capture the attention of buyers, therapists must optimize their profile in several key areas. Ruiz provides a step-by-step guide to help therapists create a compelling profile that resonates with potential clients.

1. Profile Picture

The profile picture is the first impression potential clients have of you. It is crucial to present yourself professionally and authentically. Ruiz advises therapists to use a high-quality headshot, taken with a good camera or smartphone. 

The photo should be well-lit, with the therapist looking directly at the camera and smiling confidently. Avoid using selfies or pictures with pets, as this is a professional platform and not a dating site.

2. The First Four Lines

The first four lines of your profile are crucial for capturing the attention of potential clients. Ruiz suggests using two questions and a leading statement to evoke emotion and curiosity. By addressing the client's pain points and offering hope, therapists can entice potential clients to click on their profile. 

For example, if you specialize in couples therapy for infidelity, you might ask, "Are you thinking about filing for divorce after discovering your partner's infidelity? Are you finding yourself stressed out or in crying spells because you can't stop thinking about the text message you found? If you're struggling to trust and have faith in your relationship, it might be best..."

3. The Profile Content

The content of your profile should provide value to potential clients. Instead of focusing on your credentials and certifications, emphasize how you can help them. Offer concrete statements about the issues you address and the solutions you provide. 

For example, instead of saying, "I am Gottman Level 2 certified," you can say, "I help couples repair trust, resolve communication issues, and rebuild intimacy as a result of the betrayal." By focusing on the client's needs and offering tangible solutions, therapists can demonstrate their value.

4. Call to Action

The final paragraph of your profile should include a clear call to action. Tell potential clients what they need to do next, whether it's submitting a request on Psychology Today or visiting your website for more information. Be transparent about your availability, fees, and any other relevant details. By providing a clear call to action, therapists can guide potential clients towards taking the next step.

Additional Tips for Maximizing Your Profile

In addition to the key areas mentioned above, Ruiz shares several additional tips for optimizing your Psychology Today profile:

1. Intro Video: Psychology Today allows therapists to upload a 15-19 second intro video. This video is an opportunity to showcase your personality and connect with potential clients on a deeper level. Use the video to greet viewers, introduce yourself, and highlight how you can help them. A warm and authentic video can make a lasting impression.

2. Additional Photos: Include additional photos in your profile to give potential clients a sense of your environment. If you have an online practice, consider including a photo of yourself in a telehealth session. If you have an office, take photos of the space, the entrance, and any other relevant areas. Visuals can help potential clients feel more comfortable and confident in choosing you as their therapist.

3. Strategic Keywords: Psychology Today offers a list of specialties and issues that therapists can select for their profile. However, not all of these issues are visible to clients in the filtering options. To ensure that potential clients can find you, strategically incorporate relevant keywords from the visible list into your personal statement. This will increase your visibility when clients search for specific issues.

4. Location: Choose your primary and secondary locations strategically. Consider selecting areas that are less saturated and competitive, as this can increase your chances of being found by potential clients. Research the search results for your desired location and identify areas where the competition is lower. By targeting specific locations, therapists can improve their visibility and attract more clients.

Conclusion

By following the strategies and tips shared by Omar Ruiz, therapists can maximize their Psychology Today profile and increase their chances of generating client referrals. 

The power of a compelling profile cannot be underestimated, as it is often the first point of contact between therapists and potential clients. By addressing the pain points of clients, offering hope, and providing valuable solutions, therapists can create profiles that resonate with their target audience.

It is important to note that Psychology Today should be viewed as a supplemental referral source, especially for therapists who operate on a private pay or self-pay model. While Psychology Today can generate traction for your practice, it should not be relied upon solely for referrals. Therapists should also invest in a website and consider implementing SEO strategies to further enhance their online presence.

In conclusion, therapists can leverage the power of Psychology Today by optimizing their profiles to attract potential clients. By following the tips and strategies shared by Omar Ruiz, therapists can create compelling profiles that resonate with their target audience. By addressing the pain points of clients, offering hope, and providing valuable solutions, therapists can increase their visibility and generate more client referrals. 

As the field of therapy continues to evolve, it is essential for therapists to adapt their marketing strategies and embrace online platforms like Psychology Today to reach a wider audience and make a meaningful impact on the lives of their clients.

In this episode, we’re talking about the financial mistakes that therapists often make in private practice—and how to avoid them. 

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your business, this conversation will help you manage your finances more effectively, save money, and reduce stress. 

Our guest, Julie Herres, CEO of Green Oak Accounting and an experienced accountant who works with private practice owners, shares practical advice to help you feel confident about your numbers and make smarter financial decisions.

If you’ve ever worried about tax surprises, felt unsure about when to hire a professional, or struggled to make your practice profitable, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why saving for taxes is essential and how to avoid year-end financial panic.

• The key mindset shift you need to treat your practice as a successful business.

• How skipping professional help for accounting or legal advice can cost you big in the long run.

• Simple strategies, like Profit First, to allocate your income and keep your practice financially secure.

• Tips for scaling your practice while staying on budget and avoiding common pitfalls.

Key Takeaways:

• Prepare for taxes: Set aside money regularly to avoid unpleasant surprises during tax season.

• Adopt a business mindset: Treat your therapy practice as a business to ensure its long-term success and impact.

• Get expert help: Hiring professionals for accounting and legal needs can save you time, money, and headaches.

• Plan ahead: Consult with experts before making significant business changes to avoid costly mistakes.

• Profit First strategies: Use intentional income allocation to maintain financial stability and growth.

Tune in to learn how to avoid common financial pitfalls and build a thriving, profitable private practice.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Profit First For Therapists Facebook Group 

• Therapy For Your Money Podcast 

• Green Oak Accounting Website 

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava interviews Brent Stutzman on how to position yourself as the number one trusted therapy practice in your area. 

With around seven years of experience, Brent ventured into the marketing realm when his wife, a therapist, decided to start her own private practice. 

His journey began with branding and marketing, which he mastered through self-learning due to budget constraints. He successfully launched 'Kid Matters Counseling' with his wife, achieving a waiting list status before its onset. 

Eventually, Brent expanded his expertise to help other therapists establish and grow their practices, learning the critical importance of positioning as a trusted authority in the market. He also has launched TheraSaas, a powerful CRM for private practices.

His work is significantly impacted by the StoryBrand framework, which he has adeptly applied to launch over twelve practices across the country. As a certified Storybrand Guide, Brent emphasizes the power of storytelling and how therapists can become trusted guides for their clients. 

Brent states that this transition - moving from YOU being the center of your marketing to having your clients be the hero - has the potential to help take your marketing to a new level of success.

In this episode, Brent provides five steps to establish yourself as a guide, including demonstrating empathy, providing a sense of safety, demonstrating authority, illuminating the problem, providing a plan, and calling the hero to action. 

Tune in to learn how to position yourself as the go-to practice in your community.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The brain's role in survival and calorie conservation - and what this means for your marketing

• The Importance of clear and simple communication to engage potential clients

• The importance of storytelling in building trust and positioning oneself as a guide for your ideal clients

• The shift from telling your own story to inviting clients into a story where they are the hero

• The need for clear and simple communication to capture and maintain attention

• Brent’s five steps to establish trust and position oneself as a guide

• Examples of guides in literature and movies, such as Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.

• Brent Stutzman highlights the importance of guides demonstrating empathy and providing a sense of safety

• How to be the guide while still demonstrating authority and expertise

• Brent Stutzman shares how to position yourself as a guide.

• Website and copywriting tips to position yourself as a guide and call your clients to action

• The ultimate transformation in your marketing: when heroes become guides

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Brandyourpractice.com

• TheraSaas Website 

• Free Course: How to Turn Calls Into Clients

• Ultimate Guide to Growing a Private Pay Practice

• Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller (affiliate link)

• Kid Matters Couseling

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’ll learn about an exciting new platform enabling therapists to help more people by helping their clients pay less.

Many therapists in private practice avoid insurance panels like the plague.

It’s a lot to manage and a headache to handle the forms, check the client’s benefits, and keep up with them.

But marketing your mental health services strictly private-pay-only therapy could likely mean many potential clients passing you by just because they’ve deemed your fee too high.

Zaya Health is looking to change that.

They believe “Therapists shouldn't have to choose between running a successful practice and providing accessible care.”

So how can you attract more private-pay clients by saving them money through out-of-network reimbursement? And how can you do it with no extra work on your end?

Our guest today is Christine Li, founder of Zaya Health, and she’s here to answer that very question.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The challenges private practitioners face when trying to attract private-pay clients
• The challenges clients face when trying to find affordable mental health care
• How Zaya Health is benefitting therapists by helping them convert more clients
• How Zaya Health works - from verifying potential clients’ benefits to actually submitting reimbursement claims
• Simple tools they provide to educate potential clients on how much money they can save through out-of-network reimbursement

Get A Free 30-day trial of Zaya Health's Instant Benefits Verification Tool

Just use this link to request access to Zaya Health and you’ll get a 30-day trial of Zaya Health’s instant benefits verification tool. 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Zaya Health’s Website
• Free 30-day trial of Zaya Health's instant benefits verification tool

About Christine Lee

Christine is the founder and CEO of Zaya Health – a company that helps therapists attract more private pay clients by bridging the gap between in-network and out-of-network therapy. Zaya unlocks the power of out-of-network benefits to help clients save up to 80% on therapy, while therapists make their full fee.

Christine is a strong advocate for mental health and left her job as a Google Product Manager to start Zaya Health.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast you’re going to learn the three most common internal inclinations that all high-achievers possess.

Have you ever wondered how some of the top business leaders are able to do what they do, build what they build, and create such growth in their businesses?

Or maybe you’ve seen the growth of other private practices in your area and thought “hmm, what are they doing that’s helping them grow?”

Now, this isn’t about comparison, which can lead you down a counter-productive path.

But it’s about recognizing that there are certain traits or internal inclinations that many successful people have that help them achieve business growth.

To help us understand these three internal inclinations and apply them to your therapy practice, we’re chatting with Joe Sanok, author of Thursday is the New Friday.

In his book, Joe examines how the four-day workweek boosts creativity and productivity.

But the only way to achieve those things is to first examine what’s going on internally so that our inner game can help improve our outer game.

If you’re looking to grow your therapy practice, reach more of your ideal clients, or launch a new business or stream of income, this episode will help you understand your internal inclinations and how you can lean into them to reach your goals.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How your internal wiring can impact your business growth and why it’s so important to start improving your internal world before you work on your business
• The three internal inclinations that all high-achievers possess and how they help them perform at the highest level
• How to extract lessons from your failures and apply them to grow your private practice in the future
• Why stepping away from your business challenges can actually help you solve them
• The benefits of thinking like an outsider and inviting outsiders into your business
• Tips for overcoming ruts or creative blocks in our businesses and lives
• How to create boundaries and block time so that you can focus on your most important work and hit your private practice goals faster
• How taking imperfect action can be the fastest way to grow your business

Get Started on Your Website Project

If you’re ready to elevate your online presence, reach more of your ideal clients, and grow your private practice, you can schedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call. 

During this call, we’ll uncover the issues holding you back and start putting together a plan to help you reach your goals.

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Joesanok.com
• Thursday is the New Friday (affiliate link)
• Free access to the Internal Inclinations Assessment (usually $49): use code TITNF to get it free 

About Joe Sanok

Joe Sanok is the author of Thursday is the New Friday: How to work fewer hours, make more money, and spend time doing what you want. It examines how the four-day workweek boosts creativity and productivity. Joe has been featured on Forbes, GOOD Magazine, and The Smart Passive Income Podcast. He is the host of the popular The Practice of the Practice Podcast, which is recognized as one of the Top 50 Podcasts worldwide with over 100,000 downloads each month. Bestselling authors, experts, scholars, and business leaders and innovators are featured and interviewed in the 700 plus podcasts he has done over the last six years.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel Fava and Dr. Joshua Rosenthal dive deep into the transformative journey from solo practice to a thriving group enterprise. 

Dr. Rosenthal shares his pearls of wisdom on leadership, emphasizing the importance of clarity in your professional and personal goals. He advocates for creating roles that align with your passions and strengths, a strategy that has proven successful for both him and his team.

Discover how Dr. Rosenthal navigated the complexities of scaling a business, from the inception of the Big Apple Day program—a summer camp for children ages 6-12 with developmental, social and/or learning difficulties.—to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and reflection within his team of over 300.

 He candidly discusses the challenges of retention and the financial balancing act required to sustain growth.

Dr. Rosenthal also unveils his evolved leadership approach, where he focuses on growth and empowering a core leadership team, ensuring that the quality of service remains consistent across the board. This top-down approach underscores the critical role of leadership in shaping employee experiences and, by extension, customer satisfaction.

Join us in this episode as we unpack the highs and lows of growing in leadership as you step into private practice growth. Dr. Rosenthal's story is not just about the success of his practice but also about the resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking that are the hallmarks of effective leadership.

Key Takeaways:

Joshua Rosenthal, PsyD, shares several key takeaways from his experience in building and managing his private practice, then a summer camp, and later, his role as a CEO. Here are the main points:

• Difficulty and Opportunity: Rosenthal emphasizes that the difficulty of starting a venture is essential, as it allows for the discovery of opportunities and growth. He acknowledges that the process was hard and that he could not replicate it now, but at the time, it was the right fit.

• Staff Retention and Financial Challenges: Hiring good people was only part of the challenge; retaining them as the camp grew and expenses increased became a significant issue. Despite increasing costs, there was a limit to how much the camp fees could be raised, leading to financial strain.

• Leadership and Team Dynamics: Rosenthal learned about leadership, team cohesiveness, and the importance of reflecting on what works and what doesn't. This iterative process was crucial for personal growth and improving the camp each year.

• Trust and Business Relationships: He discusses the importance of trust in business relationships, even though it comes with the risk of being hurt. His experiences shaped his decision-making and ultimately contributed to his success.

• CEO Role Evolution: Rosenthal's role as CEO evolved from micromanaging to focusing on supporting his leadership team. He stopped seeing patients to concentrate on business growth, profitability, and new service lines. He also highlights the importance of having a leadership team that can manage different aspects of the business, allowing him to focus on growth and strategic planning.

• Importance of Leadership: The CEO's mood and approach can significantly impact the entire company. Rosenthal stresses that leadership starts at the top and that the experiences customers have are a reflection of the company's leadership.

• Starting with an MVP: The camp began with a minimal viable product and evolved significantly over time. Rosenthal followed an organic growth approach, letting the project develop naturally without forcing it.

Free Guide From Our Sponsor: Building Your Dream Caseload

Growing a caseload of clients you’re passionate about working with can help you build a career that’s both impactful and sustainable. But it’s often easier said than done — which is why our sponsor, Alma, has created a guide to help you identify and connect with clients who fit your practice.

In this episode, you’re going to learn how a break-in at one therapist’s home led to an idea to create an app for keeping track of your continuing education certificates and requirements.

Sounds like a good story, right?!

Have you ever had an idea for an app, a website, or even a business that will help solve a problem you know many people are facing?

Maybe you’ve got a big idea for something to create, but you’re not sure what the next step is or where to begin.

The thing is, many people have “big” ideas all the time. I know I do!

But it’s what you do with those ideas and the baby steps you take that make all the difference.

Today’s conversation will give you the inspiration to take those steps and start building that thing you have in your heart and mind. 

Dr. Lani Chin is the creator of CE Hub, an app that conveniently stores all of your continuing education documents and allows you to track your progress along the way for when it’s time for your license renewal.

From seeing what my wife goes through to keep up with her continuing education documentation, I KNOW this app will help many!

In our conversation, she shares all about how she got the idea for this app and how she worked with a team to bring it to life. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The most important thing you can do to validate your big idea before taking the steps to build it
• How a break-in at one therapist's home led to the creation of an app that will help thousands
• Some of the steps involved with working with a team to create an app and bring a vision to life
• The challenges you may face and things you need to think through when creating an app that other people will use
• What the CE Hub app is and the different features that will help you keep track of your continuing education certificates

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• CE Hub Website
• CE Hub Facebook

In today’s fast-paced world, therapists often find themselves juggling various systems for billing, progress notes, treatment planning, and administrative tasks. 

This inefficiency can lead to burnout and suboptimal care. 

In this episode, Ryan Fuller, co-founder of My Best Practice, discusses these challenges and how their electronic health record (EHR) system addresses them. 

Ryan shares his journey from juggling multiple systems for clinical work, research, and administrative tasks to creating a seamless, integrated solution for mental health professionals. 

We discuss the challenges faced by therapists and the significant improvements My Best Practice brings to clinical practice, administration, and research.

Ryan explains the early stages of developing My Best Practice, outlining the key functionalities they aimed to address—clinical documentation, research integration, and business administration. 

The discussion moves to the onboarding process, emphasizing the platform's user-friendly migration services, which make it easy for practices to switch from other popular EHR systems like Simple Practice. 

As the conversation progresses, Ryan touches on future advancements, including AI-driven progress notes, and why user feedback is crucial in shaping these features.

If you’re curious about what thought, planning, and ideas go into creating an EHR platform, and how it can help you streamline your private practice, listen up!

Key Takeaways:

• Unified EHR System: My Best Practice integrates clinical, research, and administrative functionalities into one seamless platform.

• White Glove Migration Service: The platform offers an extensive and supportive migration process to help practices switch EHR systems smoothly.

• Evidence-Based Focus: Developed with a strong emphasis on evidence-based care, the system supports therapists in delivering high-quality treatment.

• AI-Driven Progress Notes: Upcoming features include AI-generated progress notes designed to save therapists significant time while maintaining data security.

• User-Centered Development: My Best Practice continually evolves based on user feedback to enhance functionality and ease of use.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get 3 months free of My Best Practice

• Survey About Using AI in Therapy Practice

Many private practice owners build their solo practice one step at a time. 

Perhaps they start out with little to no business experience and slowly get the pieces in place in order to get clients, make the business profitable and grow.

And then, they decide the next stage of growing their business will be to build a group practice by adding more therapists into the mix. So they start hiring and figuring out this new phase and all the challenges that go along with it.

The trouble is that there are many key steps that are missed way back in the solo practice phase that can make building a profitable and sustainable group practice even more difficult.

This means that many therapists end up just doing the best they can instead of setting their private practice up in such a way that they can scale in the future.

And when you add more clinicians into the practice, things get more complicated, and those steps missed at the solo practice stage can turn into big headaches and liabilities.

You can end up with a “full” private practice with 5 employees and only making $20k a year (a common occurrence!). 

To help you avoid these missteps and start creating a sustainable practice that sets you up for future success, we’re talking to Miranda Palmer.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The foundational principles you need in place to create a profitable, sustainable group private practice that works for you, the team, and clients
• How many private practice owners end up with group practices that are not profitable and don’t allow them to make the income they want or take the time off they need
• How to create a livable wage for your solo private practice and the numbers you need to know
• Why you need to disconnect from your fee so that you can pay yourself what you need in order to have the life you want
• Understanding your limits and how to give yourself permission to work in a way that makes sense for your life
• How to decide whether a group practice model is even right for you so that you don’t go down the wrong path or get burnt out

Links mentioned in this episode:

• ZynnyMe
• Free Training: How To Have A Group Practice that Pays You and Your Employees Well

About Miranda Palmer

Miranda Palmer, LMFT loves helping therapists bridge the gap between what it takes to be a great therapist who gets great clinical outcomes and what it takes to run a successful therapy practice. She has helped thousands of therapists from around the world make the mindset shifts that allow a more effortless application of marketing strategies that grow a private practice that is not just financially sustainable, but that gets great clinical outcomes. 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn about tips and an exciting new website that will help you decorate your therapy office so that it’s professional, calm and functional.

One of the challenges of private practice is getting your office space furnished and decorated in a way that’s functional for you and helps your clients feel comfortable and at ease.

I remember when my wife got her first space with multiple offices a few years ago.

The time it took to find the right furniture, choose complementary colors and decor and put it all together. 

It’s a lot of work!

In this episode, I speak with Alison Pidgeon, who has created a website and service called TheraSuite, to help with all these challenges.

From the TheraSuite website: 

TheraSuite provides professionally developed style boards that were created with a therapy office in mind. Their interior designers seek out the best therapy office furnishings– like soundless clocks, art that functions as sound panels, and more– that enhances the space in which the therapeutic work happens.

You’ve got the option to work with an interior designer or purchase style boards with all the links to the decor and furniture to help you put your office together.

If you’ve struggled to create that dream therapy office space or need some inspiration for that future space you’re putting together, you’re going to love my conversation with Alison.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Alison successfully manages the running of her 4 businesses so that she can balance her responsibilities and life
• The challenges of decorating a therapy office so that it’s functional and looks great
• How Alison got the idea for Thera-suite and the steps she took to bring her idea to life
• How TheraSuite can help you DIY your interior decorating of your therapy office
• The best places you can shop at for furniture and decor for your therapy office
• What type of decor works best to help your clients feel calm when they’re in your therapy office
• Ideal colors for your therapy office
• Other tips and things to think about when decorating your private practice office

Receive $20 off TheraSuite with the coupon code “launch20” (Expires June 2022)

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://thera-suite.com 
• Wayfair.com
• Havenly.com

About Alison Pidgeon

Alison Pidgeon, MA, LPC, is the founder and CEO of Move Forward Counseling LLC, a group practice in Lancaster County, PA. She currently has 16 employees and 3 locations. In addition, she works as a business consultant for Practice of the Practice where she specializes in helping therapists transition from a solo business to a group practice. She also founded a virtual assistant company called Move Forward Virtual Assistants LLC, which specializes in providing well trained VA's for therapy practices.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast I’ll give you 5 important questions you can ask before hiring a website design agency for your private practice.

Your online presence is one of the best investments you can make when you're marketing your therapy practice.

The trouble is, many therapists don’t know the right questions to ask.

So, in this episode, I’m putting myself on the other side of the table and thinking about what I’d want to know if I was hiring someone to design a website for my business.

Listen in, take notes, and use these questions to help facilitate your conversations when talking with a therapy website design company.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re going to dive deep into what therapists need to know about using AI for writing their marketing material.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a prominent tool in various industries, including marketing. AI writing generators have gained popularity, offering a solution for those who struggle with writing or need content quickly. 

AI has simply changed content creation forever. The amount of time AI can save you as you create content, such as articles for your website and social media posts, is amazing. And it can be really tempting to outsource all your marketing copywriting to this powerful new tool.

But before you hand the keys over to ChatGPT or other tools, it’s important to understand the limitations and the ethics of using AI.

My conversation with Rebekah Hudson, a freelance marketing professional in the mental health industry, discusses the ethical concerns and limitations of using AI writing in marketing for therapists. 

She highlights the controversy surrounding AI writing and the potential for plagiarism. She also explains the limitations of AI writing, including issues with quality, accuracy, originality, brand voice, and search engine optimization. Despite these limitations, she offers tips for using AI writing effectively, such as fact-checking and using multiple plagiarism-checking tools. Hudson emphasizes the importance of maintaining a unique and authentic brand voice in order to connect with clients.

What You’ll Learn About AI:

• Introduction to the topic of AI in marketing

• Ethical concerns surrounding AI writing

• Ownership and copyright issues with AI-generated content

• Concerns about the credibility and reputation of AI-generated literature

• The Five major limitations of AI writing

• Suggestions to avoid relying on AI writing for SEO

• The importance and irreplaceable need for the human element in writing

• Top Tips for using AI writing effectively.

• Tips include fact-checking and not relying on AI as an editor

• How to compare AI-generated content with human-written content to determine quality.

• Recommended tools for plagiarism checking include Grammarly and DupliChecker.

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Duplichecker

• Grammarly

• alwaysrebekah.com

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn 4 simple steps that will help you validate that course topic idea you’ve got swimming around in your head.

With the power of simple online platforms like Teachable and Kajabi, it’s no wonder why so many entrepreneurs and private practice owners are shifting their energy toward creating courses.

It’s a great way to reach more people with your expertise and generate income for something that you’re passionate about.

But one of the biggest challenges to creating a course is nailing down a topic that you’re confident will actually sell.

Because no one wants to pour time, money, sweat, and tears into building an online course just to have it fall flat and have no one buy it.

Validating your course topic is the best way to ensure you’re on the right track toward a course that sells.

James Marland from Course Creation Studio joins me to share 4 steps you can take to validate your profitable course idea.

James is on a mission to support therapists in creating life-changing and profitable online courses. And he believes each therapist has at least one course within them. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How you can validate your course idea in 4 steps
• The 4 things you need to do before you begin creating your course
• How to deal with imposter syndrome if other people have created similar courses
• Why it’s ok if someone else has already created a similar course to yours
• Real-life examples and lessons I (Daniel) have learned from launching courses

Download James’ Free Resource

Download Now

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Course Creation Studio
• Amy Porterfield
• How To Start A Movement YouTube Video
• The PsychCraft Podcast Network

About James Moreland

James Marland is the founder of Course Creation Studio. He has a master’s degree in Ministry from Lancaster Bible College as well as a Master's of Business Administration from Shippensburg University. He has worked in mental health and social services for the last 18 years. He was a youth minister for two years and spoke weekly to teens and college-age students. From 2019 to 2022 he was the chief operating officer of Moved Forward Virtual Assistants, a company that provided support services for therapists and private practice offices. He is a Faculty Member at Lorman Education Services. 

James is on a mission to support therapists in creating life-changing and profitable online courses. He believes each therapist has at least one course within them. Unlocking that course will help many people. James believes if you help enough people you will all make it to the top.  

James is an avid reader and board game player. He hosts a monthly community game night for the people in his church and town. He still meets regularly with a group of friends he has been playing online games with for the past 7 years. In the summer you will find him at a Pennsylvania State Park campground where he likes to take pictures, hike, and burn things in the fire.

In this episode, you’ll learn 3 reasons why investing in SEO for your therapy practice is often a better investment than paid advertising.

The simple math shows that as traffic increases, some of that traffic will reach out to you about your services, and some of those leads will turn into clients.

That’s exactly why traffic-building is a big part of our process here at Private Practice Elevation.

In this episode we’ll discuss the pros and cons of both strategies and why SEO is a fantastic long-term investment into your business.

This week on The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re talking all about how to use podcast appearances to market your private practice.

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for some time, you’ve likely heard that I’m a big fan of being featured on other podcasts as a way to market your business.

And for many reasons.

The first is that it is a way to reach your ideal audience in a way that you couldn’t on your own.

It’s also a way to get high-quality links from other websites that link back to yours, which has a HUGE impact on your SEO (search engine optimization).

Not to mention, it makes you look like an expert in your potential client's eyes.

But it can be pretty daunting to put yourself out there and try to book an interview on a podcast you’d like to be a guest on.

And so many private practice owners don’t do it and miss out on the marketing opportunities that go along with podcasting.

To help you overcome these hurdles and get started using podcast appearances in your marketing, we’re talking to Lisa Mustard.

Lisa Mustard is an LMFT and Coach in South Carolina and the host of a podcast called The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard - a convenient and fun way for Talk Therapists to earn Continuing Education contact hours. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The most important thing to do before you reach out to a podcast host about being featured on their podcast
• How to find the right podcasts to be featured on that will help you reach more of your ideal audience
• Tips for reaching out to podcast hosts so that you can be interviewed on their podcast
• How to get the most out of your podcast features and use them in your marketing to drive traffic, improve SEO, and increase your authority
• How being featured on podcasts can improve your conversion rates by increasing your like, know, and trust factor
• Tips for when you feel like interviews maybe didn’t go as great as you had hoped and how to keep working at it

Check out my interview on Lisa’s podcast, The Therapy Show about “The Four Mountains of SEO”

Create Your SEO Strategy With Me In Our SEO Basecamp Live Training Group

SEO Basecamp Live is a 9-week, small group training, consisting of video training and live implementation classes.

Over the course of 9 weeks, I’ll give you access to the exact SEO process that we use at Private Practice Elevation to help our clients set up the foundational SEO elements that will get them more organic traffic and clients.

Here’s What’s Included:

• 7 modules with video training
• 9 live weekly “Implementation Calls”
• A private community group
• An SEO Workbook
• SEO Copy templates

If you want a roadmap that shows you where your SEO stands right NOW and how to get to where you want it to be, this is it.

Learn more about SEO Basecamp Live

About Lisa Mustard

Lisa Mustard is an LMFT and Coach in South Carolina. Wife to Billy and mom to 2 girls, she has been practicing since 2006 and has worked with a military branch for the past 10 years. 3 years ago, she decided to start a podcast after sitting in a conference for 2 days straight. (I'll share more of that story in the episode if that's ok.) She creates continuing education for therapists via podcasting...aka podcourses. She also works with women experiencing midlife struggles. When not seeing clients or working on her podcast, she chauffeurs her daughters to volleyball practice and games, hits up the gym, or explores the gorgeous South Carolina hiking trails with her husband. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard
• http://lisamustard.com
• Lisa on Instagram
• Get a FREE NBCC Approved Continuing Education Contact Hour
• The PsychCraft Podcast Network 

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

This Episode Is Brought to You By

Managed WordPress Hosting by Flywheel

If you’re looking for a hosting company that will not only host your website but also supports you with some of the best customer support I’ve ever received, then Flywheel is for you. We’ve partnered with Flywheel to host all of our clients’ WordPress websites because their speed, security, and extremely responsive customer service is the best in the business.

Learn more about hosting with Flywheel (affiliate link)

Today’s episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast is a step-by-step lesson on how to optimize any web page or blog post for SEO (search engine optimization).

We’ll be using our favorite WordPress plugin for SEO: Yoast SEO.

For the many of you using WordPress for your private practice website, I know you’ve likely heard of this plugin or may even be using it yourself.

But when we asked listeners of the podcast to send in their specific questions, a handful of folks asked about Yoast SEO.

More accurately, “how do I get all the dots green in Yoast SEO?”

If you don’t know, Yoast SEO is one of the most popular plugins for WordPress to help you optimize your content so that Google (and your ideal clients) will know what your website is all about.

It allows you to set your keyword and then analyze your content to make sure it’s optimized correctly for that keyword so that it will hopefully show in Google search results.

But sometimes it can be challenging or confusing to know how to edit your content so that Yoast SEO gives you the passing grade.

So I’m going to take you through a real-life scenario where we’ll optimize a web page on my wife’s private practice website so that you can understand how we use Yoast SEO at Private Practice Elevation and the ways you can use it to improve your SEO.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Step by step how to use the Yoast SEO plugin
• You’ll follow along as I optimize a real page on my wife’s private practice website
• The most important factors for ranking a webpage well in Google search results
• The handful of places you should put your SEO keywords so that Google will know what your content is about

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  80. What SEO Keywords Should I Use on My Private Practice Website?
• Yoast SEO Plugin Website

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn how our perceived failures can be turned into learning opportunities that can help you reach your private practice goals.

Like all things in life, your business will go through seasons.

There will be highs and lows, and tons of challenges along the way.

But it’s how we view those challenges that can mean the difference between feeling stagnant in your business growth and truly thriving while growing your business.

One of the main things that can hold you back from growing your business is fear.

It can be scary to pay the money you feel like you don’t have to invest in Google Ads, a coaching program, or maybe a mastermind group.

But as our guest explains, you can shift to view these things as investments that you can trust will be returned exponentially.

Maira Holzmann is the owner of Somatic Therapy Partners in Denver, CO and she loves helping other therapists find the tools, support, and guidance necessary to build a thriving, soul-aligned private practice.

After three failed attempts at private practice and ending burnout and overwhelm for good, Maira is committed to serving therapists in creating better outcomes with their clients and living a balanced life with more joy. 

Listen to our conversation as we share experiences of the highs and lows of business building and how you can come to terms with investing (even learn to love it!) in your business so that you grow and build a business and life that you love.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Mistakes people make when first starting out in private practice

• Why you need marketing so that people can find your business

• The difference between investment and cost and how investing in yourself and your business can make a huge impact on your growth

• How to calculate your return on investment for Google Ads so you can confidently market your practice and attract clients

• How investments open possibilities for you

• Maira’s tips for being in FLOW - “Feeling love over worry” and how when you’re in the FLOW, you’re able to be more creative, confident, and at peace

• How to confront resistance as you grow your private practice

• Why it’s so important to trust you will get an ROI when investing in your business

• Why investing in a thriving life is the best thing you can do for your clients

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

•  Somatic Therapy Partners

In today’s Encore Episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we’re discussing how to build an online group therapy practice.

Many therapists have heard of the business model of a group practice.

It’s a great model that takes a lot of work.

But usually, when we think of group practices, we think of a group of people in one physical location.

Well, today we’re talking with Dr. Lisa Lovelace, founder of Synergy eTherapy, a group practice that has been solely online since starting in 2016. 

Today, Lisa’s group practice has 12 clinicians and is serving clients in 14 states.

If you’re curious in creating an online group therapy practice, I know this episode will be helpful to you.

Do you struggle to get traffic to your private practice website?

Have you launched a website but you’re not exactly sure what content needs to be on there in order to attract your ideal client?

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’ll learn what content you’ll need on your therapy website to generate more traffic and bring more clients into your business.

When we talk about content, we’re referring to the way you share your expertise and resources on your website.

And when it comes to your private practice website, content serves two very important functions:

1. Content helps your ideal client connect with you, your services, and what you have to offer and hopefully positions you as the best one suited to help with their challenges

2.  Content helps search engines pick up your website and index it so that your ideal clients can find you

You need content in order to get organic traffic to your website and, once there, you need content to connect with that traffic.

But how do you get started identifying the content necessary to reach and convert your ideal clients?

How can you be strategic in what goes on your website, making sure you continue to provide value and resources that will impact your business?

In this episode, we’re going to walk through some steps to help you evaluate your current website, look for the gaps in your content, and begin to fill them in.

You’ll learn a simple starting point to start creating your own content strategy to help your website rank well in search results and connect with your audience.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The 4 qualities of great content that will help improve your SEO

• Why consistency is important to improve your keyword rankings

• How to find the low-hanging fruit of your content strategy by expanding what’s already on your website

• Simple things you can add to your website to improve the content and help it rank higher in search results

• Ideas for new content you can add to your website

• Tips for brainstorming articles you can add to your website to help attract more traffic and turn your website into a valuable resource for potential and current clients

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

In this podcast episode, you’ll learn how to ensure your WordPress website is properly maintained so that you can keep it safe, operational, and working it’s best to get you clients.

The trouble is that most therapists consider their WordPress website to be “set it and forget it”. Or they don’t understand what maintenance tasks they should be performing.

So, in this episode we’ll give you a weekly, monthly and yearly schedule of tasks you can be doing in order to keep your website functioning well and always available for business.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava interviews special guest Steve Cuffari, a marriage and family therapist and current client of Private Practice Elevation about his experience investing in SEO for his private practice.

Daniel and the Private Practice Elevation team have been helping Steve expand his practice’s visibility through SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for about two years now. 

Steve shares his journey of transitioning from working at an organization to starting his own private practice - without taking insurance from the get-go. 

He discusses the importance of investing in a website and SEO to attract clients and shares valuable insights on honing your message, tracking numbers, and staying competitive. 

Steve's story is a testament to the power of facing fears and investing in yourself to achieve success in private practice. 

Tune in to learn from his experiences and gain valuable tips for your own practice.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What led Steve to invest in a new website and especially place a high emphasis on SEO

• Why he chose to work with Private Practice Elevation

• The importance of facing his own fears and realizing that his own growth was worth investing in

• What made Steve stay the course and continue working on SEO for two years running

• The challenges he faced over the course of long-term SEO strategy building

• How we had to pivot his SEO approach at times to make sure his ideal local client could find him

• How SEO has impacted Steve’s business for the better

• The key lessons Steve learned and things you need to know before you invest in SEO for your private practice

• The importance of knowing your numbers and tracking the data related to your website and conversions

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• In Touch Family Counseling - Steve’s Private Practice

• Private Practice Elevation’s SEO services

• Book - Donald Miller’s Building A Storybrand (affiliate link) 

The digital age has opened up a plethora of opportunities for private practice owners to expand their reach and refine their marketing strategies. 

Yet, with an overwhelming array of tools and resources available, deciphering which ones truly bolster one’s online presence can be a daunting task. 

So, in this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, we shed light on the most effective platforms and strategies for private practice marketing—straight from an agency that uses them.

We’ll dive deep into the treasure trove of tools and platforms that can significantly ease the journey of building a private practice website and mastering online marketing. 

These insights are not just mere tips but are used by the Private Practice Elevation team to optimize and streamline processes both internally and for clients. 

From website-building basics to advanced SEO tactics, we’ll outline the comprehensive lineup of resources that power successful online presences for private practices. 

Whether it's WordPress with its unlimited customization possibilities, the user-friendly and visually engaging Divi theme, or the security-strong hosting services of Flywheel, we’re going to unpack our own digital toolkit that makes practice marketing effective and efficient. 

As an added layer, we’ll touch on analytics with Google Analytics, email marketing with ConvertKit, and the webinar-hosting capabilities of Easy Webinar.

Listen up and discover new tools and resources to help you on your private practice website-building journey.

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava sits down with Dr. Elisabeth Morray to delve into the critical topic of niching in therapy. 

As they discuss the journey from being a generalist to identifying and embracing a niche, Elisabeth provides actionable insights for private practice owners looking to grow their businesses authentically. 

They explore the balance between general practice and specialization, how continuing education plays a critical role, and the fear of potentially losing clients by narrowing one’s focus.

Throughout the conversation, Elisabeth shares her career journey, from her early focus on eating disorders and women's health to her current roles at Alma and her private practice. 

This episode is packed with website ideas and insights related to niching down in therapy, the importance of finding a niche that resonates deeply with one's values, and how to market authentically. 

By highlighting real-world applications and personal experiences, Daniel and Elisabeth offer valuable guidance for therapists looking to elevate their practice.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Continuing Education: Investing time in ongoing learning, both in familiar areas and new fields, can bridge the gap between interest and expertise.

• Importance of Community: Building a network of professionals with shared interests can expand perspectives and provide support.

• Balance Between Personal and Professional: Utilizing one's lived experiences and personal journey can deeply enhance professional practice and authenticity.

• Flexibility in Niching: Adopting a niche doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach—therapists can pivot and evolve based on their experiences and seasons of their life.

• Authentic Marketing: Sharing relatable, educational content on your website can resonate more with potential clients and help normalize their experiences.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Alma Website

• Elisabeth’s LinkedIn Profile

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, Daniel Fava sits down with Michael J. Silva to discuss strategies for building a successful private practice without heavily relying on low-paying insurance contracts. 

Silva shares his journey from experiencing early career burnout in corporate healthcare to establishing a flourishing cash-based sports medicine practice. 

Alongside offering practical advice for navigating the transition to a cash-based model, Silva highlights the importance of finding your niche and over-delivering value to clients.

Michael details his process of identifying and eliminating unprofitable insurance contracts, emphasizing the importance of knowing your numbers. 

By focusing on a motivated and health-conscious clientele, Silva and his team were able to build a thriving practice with a low cancellation rate and highly satisfied clients. 

Silva’s insights provide valuable lessons for mental health therapists, physical therapists, and other healthcare providers aiming to enhance their business models and client relationships. 

For those interested in scaling their practices successfully, this episode serves as an excellent resource.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify and Focus on Your Niche: Michael emphasizes the importance of targeting a specific, motivated clientele to reduce cancellations and increase job satisfaction.

• Know Your Numbers: Understanding the costs of running your practice versus what you get reimbursed by insurance companies is crucial for financial health.

• Build a Superior Client Experience: Over-deliver on value and create an exceptional customer experience to retain clients and build a strong reputation.

• Gradually Transition Away from Low-Paying Contracts: Start by weeding out the least profitable insurance plans while ensuring you provide referrals for clients you can no longer serve.

• Leverage Community Roots and Network: Utilize your local connections and provide content that positions you as an expert in your specific niche to attract cash-paying clients.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://michaeljsilva.com 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast you’re going to learn 7 simple things you can do to help you get more conversions from your website.

Your private practice website exists to help you grow your business, right?

The problem is that many websites are not built with conversions in mind.

It’s not as simple as just having a phone number on your website… but it’s also not rocket science either.

If you’re curious about some simple things you can improve and some mistakes to avoid so you can get more clients from your website, give a listen to this episode.

A quick podcast episode where I share a little behind-the-scenes of 2023 at Private Practice Elevation.

Introduction

In the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), text-based content often takes center stage. 

Those who have done any work on their website’s SEO, you likely have spent a significant effort in crafting compelling articles, adding content to your pages, and optimizing keywords. 

However, in the pursuit of improving website rankings, one vital element is often overlooked—images. 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we'll explore the importance of optimizing images for SEO and provide you with tips and tricks to ensure your visual content doesn't go unnoticed by search engines.

Why Image Optimization Matters for SEO

1. Enhanced User Experience: High-quality, well-optimized images can significantly enhance the user experience on your website. Fast-loading pages with attractive visuals keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates, which are crucial ranking factors for search engines.

2. Ranking in Google Images: Google Images is a popular search engine in its own right. Optimized images have a better chance of ranking here, driving additional organic traffic to your website. This is particularly advantageous if your site relies heavily on visual content, such as e-commerce stores or photography portfolios.

3. Page Loading Speed: Image optimization plays a crucial role in improving page loading speed. Slow-loading pages can result in a poor user experience and negatively affect your SEO rankings. Compressed and properly sized images can help mitigate this issue.

4. Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices for web browsing, image optimization becomes even more critical. Smaller file sizes ensure faster load times on mobile networks and better performance for mobile users.

Tips and Tricks for Optimizing Images for SEO

1. Choose the Right File Format: The most common image formats are JPEG, PNG, and GIF. JPEG is ideal for photographs and complex images, while PNG is better for images with transparency. Use GIFs for animations. Choosing the right format can significantly impact image quality and file size.

2. Resize Images: Before uploading, resize your images to the exact dimensions needed for your website. This reduces unnecessary file size and ensures a faster loading time.

3. Compression: Use image compression tools or plugins to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. There are many online tools and WordPress plugins available for this purpose.

4. Descriptive Filenames: Give your image files descriptive filenames that include relevant keywords. For example, instead of "IMG001.jpg," use "red-convertible-car.jpg" if the image depicts a red convertible car. This helps search engines understand the image's content.

5. Alt Text: Always include descriptive alt text for your images. Alt text not only improves accessibility for visually impaired users but also provides search engines with context about the image. Use relevant keywords naturally within the alt text.

6. Image Titles: Consider adding titles to your images, but use them sparingly and make sure they are concise and descriptive.

7. Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor your website's performance, including image load times. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix can help identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Optimizing images for SEO on your private practice website is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of digital marketing. By following these strategies, you can enhance your website's user experience, improve page load times, and increase your visibility in search engine results, including Google Images. 

Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and regularly optimizing your images is essential to maintaining and improving your website's performance in the ever-competitive online landscape. Start prioritizing image optimization today and reap the benefits of improved search engine rankings and user engagement.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation podcast, you’re going to learn what it means to be deeply rested and wildly successful.

I know we have many introverts out there listening to this podcast, and this one is especially for you.

As an introverted person myself, I was super excited to have this conversation with Maegen Megginson.

So much of the world's systems tell us that in order to be successful, we must hustle, grind it out, and sacrifice our rest and peace.

But what if there was a way to be wildly successful in your private practice and business without giving up the things that bring you joy and leave you filled with energy, rather than depleted?

Maegan Megginson is a Sex Therapist turned Business Coach on a mission to help successful entrepreneurs fall madly in love with their businesses. 

After nearly burning out, Maegan finally figured out how to leverage her introverted and highly sensitive strengths to create two businesses she loves.

Listen in as two introverts share their past and current struggles and successes with building businesses that fit their personality.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What it means to be “deeply rested and wildly successful” and how your definition of these terms can help guide you toward the life you want to live
• How to overcome the “arbitrary thirst for ‘more’” so you can can discover where it is you actually want to go and what you want to achieve
• How setting personal goals for rest can impact your business
• How to set goals that are in line with your introverted personality so that you can grow your business and get the rest you need
• How to retrain your brain to focus on rest
• How to increase your self-compassion so you can stay focused on your work instead of comparing yourself to your colleagues
• The challenge with social media and how it can detract from the goals you have from your business - plus how to deal with it

Free Download: Grow Your Business Without Burning Out

Download Maegan’s free guide to learn from her mistakes so you can expand your services with ease, energy, and really big profits.

Click Here

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Maegan Megginson’s Website
• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (affiliate link)
• Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff (affiliate link)

About Maegan Megginson

Maegan Megginson is a Sex Therapist turned Business Coach on a mission to help successful entrepreneurs fall madly in love with their businesses. After years of struggling with overwhelm and burnout, Maegan finally figured out how to leverage her introverted and highly sensitive strengths to create two businesses she loves. She believes the key to happiness is to design your business to serve you first and your clients second – only then will you discover how to become deeply rested and wildly successful.

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to get a glimpse into the various stages over the lifespan of a growing private practice.

Many therapists start out as solo practitioners, building a private practice around one-on-one client work.

Over time, they may find themselves full of clients - so much so that they have to start a waiting list or refer new clients to other therapists outside of their practice.

So they shift their focus to hiring associates and start building their group practice and continue growing. 

But there’s actually more than one way to scale a private practice.

And with the rise of online therapy and the ability to reach more people nationwide, opportunities are increasing!

So, today we’re chatting with seasoned entrepreneur and private practice owner Gordon Brewer all about the path he’s taken over the life of his private practice.

Thinking about the next 5 years and nearing retirement, Gordon has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to scaling a private practice so that it serves his clients and aligns with his life values.

So pull up a chair as I chat with my friend, Gordon, as he takes behind the scenes and tells the story of his own growth and scaling a private practice.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The different stages you can go through on your way to scaling your private practice from solo practice to group practice and beyond
• Some of the challenges and opportunities at each stage for increasing your profits and growing your business
• Understanding your “why” so that you can create a business that aligns with your values and life
• The importance of creating a great website for your private practice and how that can impact your growth
• Tips for naming your private practice and how that can impact your marketing and success
• Why you should be outsourcing in your private practice, some of the tasks you can begin outsourcing, and some of the ways to find people to outsource tasks to

This Episode Is Brought To You By

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Practice Of Therapy
• Kingsport Counseling Website

About Gordon Brewer

1. Gordon Brewer, Jr., MEd, LMFT therapist | podcaster | trainer | speaker | writer is a licensed marital and family therapist and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast. The Practice of Therapy provides information and resources for clinicians starting, growing or scaling private practices.

Gordon started a new podcast in 2022, The Kindness & Compassion Podcast, that

explores the intersection of psychology, science and spirituality to create more kindness

and compassion in the world.

Gordon has worked in the human services and mental health fields for over 30 years.

He has previously worked in agency settings and is currently in private practice as a

therapist. He is the owner of a group therapy practice, Kingsport Counseling Associates,

PLLC (www.kingsportcounseling,com) located in Kingsport, TN. He has also served as

an adjunct instructor and internship supervisor at East Tennessee State University.

Gordon is married to Mary “Sister” Brewer and they have one daughter, Rebecca who is

an environmental educator. Gordon is also a clergy person in the Episcopal Church

(vocational deacon).

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn how to write copy for your website that speaks directly to your ideal client.

I’m sure you know that the copy on your website has the power to connect with your ideal client.

And when a potential client feels connected, and that you understand their challenges on a deep level, they’re more likely to take that next step and actually become a client of yours.

But most therapists struggle with what words they should actually use that will resonate with those potential clients.

What are the words you can use to connect with them?

How do you create an entire website that speaks to them?

And if you don’t know those words, how can you find out what they are?

Our guest, Laura Long LMFT/S, is going to teach you her 3 C’s of copywriting for your private practice website: Clear, Compelling, and Conversational.

As a business coach, Laura has been teaching therapists how to create copy for therapist websites for years.

If you’ve been wondering or struggling with the words you need to use on your own private practice website, this episode will give you exercises, tips, and simple actions you can take to write copy that truly resonates with your ideal client. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Laura’s 3 C’s of copywriting
• How to avoid watering down your copy so that it speaks directly to your ideal clients
• The difference between your ideal client and a niche
• Exercises to help you get into the mind of your ideal clients’ fears, hopes and expectations
• How to write copy for your ideal client even if you haven’t worked with them or are changing niches
• Four places you can go to do market research and uncover the exact words your ideal clients are using so you can write copy that connects with them
• Mindset shifts to help you get unstuck and kill writer’s block

Download Laura’s Service Page Funnel

In this PDF you’ll learn the structure and details to write a killer service page that leads your ideal client to take the next step.

Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re not yet subscribed to the podcast I want to encourage you to do that today. This is the best way to make sure you don’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe on iTunes.

And if you’re feeling extra generous, I’d love to hear what you think about the podcast. Reviews help others find the podcast plus I’d really love to hear what you think! Click here to leave a review. Just click on “Ratings & Reviews” then “Write a review.” Let me know what you like best about the podcast. Thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Your Badass Therapy Practice
• Answer The Public
• Reddit

About Laura Long

Laura Long, LMFT/S, is a business coach and the lead badass at YourBadAssTherapyPractice.com, where she helps ambitious, driven, Type-A therapists push through their fears and unleash their inner badass. 

Laura offers free practice-building tools (and hilariously obscene emails) through her mailing list, and her flagship e-course has successfully graduated over 400 therapists. She also runs small mastermind groups as well as a private online community reserved for her students.

Laura is best known for her off-the-cuff coaching style that includes colorful language, a witty sense of humor, and an uncanny ability to keep it real. Her unique approach to marketing and customer service challenges the status quo and helps therapists to become better business owners. She shows therapists how to grow and scale their practices without losing their minds - because building your private practice should be fun!

You can read Laura’s blog at www.YourBadAssTherapyPractice.com and follow her antics at www.Facebook.com/YourBadAssTherapyPractice. 

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, Daniel breaks down an important but often overlooked topic: why you should register your domain separately from your website builder.

First, he explains the difference between a domain and web hosting in easy-to-understand terms. 

Think of your domain like the address of your practice online, while your web hosting is like the actual building where everything is stored. 

Keeping your domain registration separate from your website builder (like Squarespace or Wix) is a smart move, giving you more control over your online presence.

Daniel shares why using a dedicated domain registrar, like GoDaddy or Namecheap, is better than bundling everything with your website platform. 

The biggest reasons? You’ll have more flexibility to switch platforms when your practice grows or changes, and you’ll get better security and support along the way.

He also shares a real-life story about a client who ran into big problems when they needed to move their domain. Their website and email went offline for days because they had everything tied to their website builder. This could have been avoided with a simple change.

By the end of the episode, you’ll have a clear plan for how to set up your domain and website the right way, helping your private practice run smoothly from the start.

Key Takeaways:

• Register your domain separately from your website builder to stay in control.

• It’s easier to switch platforms, like moving from Squarespace to WordPress, when you use an independent domain registrar.

• Don’t use your business email to set up your domain accounts. It’s better to use a personal email so you can always access it.

• Companies like GoDaddy and Namecheap offer better security and support than bundling with website platforms.

• Real-life examples show the problems that can happen if you don't separate your domain and website accounts.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• My Best Practice (EHR platform): privatepracticeelevation.com/mbpractice  (with free 3 months offer)

Private Practice Elevation Kickoff Call (Clarity Call for website or SEO help): privatepracticeelevation.com/kickoff

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, we will be discussing the topic of Return on Investment (ROI) for marketing in your private practice. 

ROI stands for Return on Investment, which refers to the benefit that you expect from an investment activity. 

In the context of marketing, ROI measures the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and helps you determine whether your investment is generating the desired results. 

Our guest today is Carla Titus, the founder and CEO of Wealth and Worth Within, a fractional CFO firm that provides consulting and advisory services to growing businesses, especially in the mental health space. 

Carla has extensive experience in finance and has helped numerous businesses improve their financial planning and decision-making.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The importance of financial knowledge for small business owners

• The need to outsource and delegate financial tasks

• Definition and importance of ROI (Return on Investment)

• Mindset challenges and the need for cash reserves

• The importance of discipline and consistency in marketing

• Tracking and measuring ROI through data analysis

• The importance of conversion rates in marketing strategies

• Tips for tracking ROI and projecting future growth

• The role of financial planning in business growth

I've had a ton of great guests and great podcast episodes, but this is by far my favorite episode! 

That’s because I got to interview my favorite person of all time: my wife, Liz!

If you’ve followed my journey for some time then you already know that I do what I do because of my wife and that first website we built for her therapy practice back in 2012.

She was just getting started in private practice, heading out on her own and we knew nothing about marketing, ideal clients or how to get found in search engines.

Fast forward to 2020 and Liz finds herself in her own office space with a full practice and a waiting list of clients.

In this week’s episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, we dig into the nitty-gritty of my wife’s 8-year private practice journey from zero clients to a successful practice.

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, host Daniel Fava welcomes David Sturgess, a seasoned mental health professional and business consultant, to discuss the pivotal shifts required when transitioning from therapist to business owner. 

The journey from being an agency therapist or employee to becoming a business owner of your private practice is filled with unique challenges and opportunities. 

For therapists considering this path, understanding the nuances of business, the value of time and money, and the intricacies of marketing can be the difference between thriving and merely surviving.

David Sturgess has a compelling background in mental health, with over 16 years of experience in the field. His journey began as a 911 operator and first responder, which unfolded into a strong interest in psychology and led his current career. 

David worked for several years in youth residential treatment facilities and transitioned into private practice six years ago as a result of desiring to be more present for his family and to alleviate burnout. 

Currently, David is a consultant with Wise Practice Consulting, where he focuses on helping solo practice owners navigate the transition from clinical work to business ownership.

In this episode, David imparts his insights on three major changes that are crucial for therapists ready to delve into the entrepreneurial world and see lasting success.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognizing the need for assistance in business matters is critical for therapists transitioning into business ownership.

• Clinicians must adopt a realistic approach to time management and financial planning, ensuring their practice remains profitable.

• Investing in professional services such as website design can have a significant ROI and is essential for effective marketing.

• Understanding the role of a quality website as an always-on marketing tool can help improve visibility and attract potential clients.

• A niche focus can evolve and needs to be communicated effectively to reach the intended audience.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• http://www.wisepracticeconsulting.com 

• Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with David

In this podcast episode you’ll learn the do’s and don’ts of organizing your website content for your ideal clients.

When it comes to creating content for your services and specialties, one issue comes up time and again.

So we’ll also be answering the age-old question, “is it ok to have multiple ideal clients?”.

Listen to this quick episode for my answer to these questions so that you can make sure your website reaches the clients you love.

Do you feel like you’re intentionally creating a life from which you don’t need to escape? 

Or are you finding it incredibly difficult to create a balance between caring for others’ needs and caring for yourself?

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to receive a framework that you can apply to your life so that you can embrace self-care in a way that works for you.

Let’s face it… incorporating self-care into our daily lives is hard.

It seems so counterintuitive to take time out of your day to focus on yourself, do things that bring you joy, or just slow down.

And we can often deal with feelings of guilt for putting our own needs above others.

I know I’ve struggled with this.

Today we’re speaking with Dr. Karen Dyck and Dr. Melissa Tiessen about what it means to embrace self-care and the positive impact it can have on our lives.

They’ve developed a framework, called The 4 ‘C’s”, that is going to help you identify where life has gotten off-balance and give you a road forward toward creating a life you love.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The 4 ‘C’s’ of Self-Care: Connection, Compassion, Courage, and Creativity

• How the 4 ‘C’s’ are connected and how to move between them to embrace self-care in a way that helps you thrive

• The shared challenges we all face when it comes to taking care of ourselves

• How our brains are wired in a way that actually makes self-care counterintuitive

• How the 4 ‘C’s’ can be cultivated and developed in order to help us to create the life we want to live

This Episode is Brought To You By

Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians that come together for education, training, and events.

Alma gives clinicians the tools they need to build thriving private practices. When you join their insurance program, you can get credentialed within 45 days, and access enhanced reimbursement rates with major payers. They also handle all of the paperwork, from eligibility checks to claims submissions, and guarantee payment within two weeks of each appointment. 

In addition to their insurance program, Alma offers timesaving tools and administrative support — so you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time delivering great care to your clients. 

Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation. 

In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation podcast, we delve into the significant recent changes in the SEO landscape due to Google's latest core update. 

If you've relied heavily on optimizing for specific keywords or building backlinks, sorry, but it's time to reevaluate your strategy. Google's new focus pivots towards content that is genuinely useful, relevant, and expertly crafted to serve users' needs.

Understanding these shifts is crucial for private practice owners aiming to maintain or improve their website rankings. 

Daniel provides an in-depth look at how these updates could affect your SEO efforts and offers expert advice on adapting to these changes. 

By emphasizing the importance of creating high-quality, relevant content and a seamless user experience, he guides listeners through what it takes to stay ahead in the evolving SEO game.

Key Takeaways:

• Relevance Over Keywords: Google's algorithm now prioritizes understanding the user's intent and providing relevant answers over just matching keywords.

• Helpful Content: Your website content must come from a place of authority and offer genuine solutions to users' problems to be considered valuable.

• User Experience: How fast your site loads and how easily users can navigate it play a critical role in maintaining good SEO rankings.

• AI Content: While AI-generated content is acceptable, it must be thoroughly fact-checked and enhanced with your expertise to be effective.

• Adapting to Changes: Regularly reviewing and updating your content to ensure it remains relevant and valuable is crucial for dealing with fluctuations in SEO rankings.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 148. What Therapists Need to Know About AI w/ Rebekah Hudson

• How Does Google’s Helpful Content Update Impact SEO? - Neil Patel article

In this episode of The Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’re going to learn the why, what, and how of creating a course or workshop that attracts and serves your ideal therapy clients.

Let’s face it. Running a therapy practice and consistently sitting one on one with clients can be taxing. 

You have every intention of helping as many clients as you can, creating change in the world while also creating an income for you and your family.

However, this can lead to burnout.

One way to lighten that load while even increasing your impact with your ideal clients is to leverage your expertise by teaching others.

Using a course, workshop, or mini-training could be a way to reach your ideal clients and support your current clients.

You may have already thought about that online course or workshop you’d like to create.

The trouble is, where do you begin?

What topic should you teach on?

How should the content be presented?

Who are you to do such a thing?!

Nyssa Brown, from Bespoke Curriculum Design, is here to answer these questions and help you simply move forward with that course or workshop idea you’ve been thinking about.

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Nyssa has coached therapists. educators and course creators on six continents to share their expertise, creating courses that transform their clients, students, and their businesses. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why therapists might consider adding a workshop or course to their service offerings
• Simple ways to get started teaching without having to create a full course
• How to use a workshop or mini-course to attract the perfect-fit clients using a lead magnet
• How you can take some of the lessons, activities, and examples you use in therapy sessions to support your clients outside of therapy
• How to figure out what topic you should teach on
• Ideas for overcoming imposter syndrome so that you can teach what you’re meant to teach in a way that is authentic to you
• How to outline your workshop or mini-course in less than an hour using three simple steps

Coming Soon: Live SEO Training with Daniel

This Fall I’ll be offering a live training group where I’ll teach you how to implement a step-by-step process to optimize your website, increase organic search engine traffic and attract more clients. It will be a combination of learning and live implementation calls. 

If you’d like to learn more about it and when it’s launching, you can join the waiting list here.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Bespoke Curriculum Design
• Mini-Course Magic: Serve Clients, Save Energy (free video training and PDF/workbook)

About Nyssa Brown

Nyssa Brown helps busy therapists increase their impact and stop trading time for money by channeling their expertise into a profitable online course.  With over 20 years of experience, Nyssa has coached therapists. educators and course creators on six continents to share their expertise, creating courses that transform their clients, students, and their businesses. 

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