The Practice of the Practice Podcast | Innovative Ideas to Start, Grow, and Scale a Private Practice

Why does less freedom make you more creative? How can you use constraints effectively to help you get the most out of your creativity? Is AI helping you solve or avoid the real problem? In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses creativity, constraints, and problem-solving with NYT bestselling author David Epstein, author of Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. They explore why having unlimited freedom can actually make people less creative, how constraints can unlock better ideas, and why subtracting commitments may be more effective than continually adding new ones. David also explains how AI can hinder creative problem-solving when it is used before the real problem has been identified, and offers advice for private practitioners navigating an increasingly AI-driven world while preserving the value of human connection.

Could the language we use around divorce be changed to reduce shame and stigma? How do you rebuild a life after letting go of the one you fought for? Could the end of a marriage become the start of yourself? In this episode, Joe Sanok speaks with Oona Metz, LICSW, CGP, about her book Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women and the emotional journey of divorce. They explore the myths, shame, and stigma surrounding divorce, how language can reshape the way we understand it, and the different ways women and men experience the transition. Oona explains the five phases of divorce grief and shares practical guidance for rebuilding identity, establishing boundaries, caring for children, and eventually moving forward. She also discusses the value of group therapy and offers advice for private practitioners supporting clients through divorce.

How does your environment shape your mental health more than you realize? Why do stronger relationships matter more than a bigger paycheck? Are we treating symptoms while overlooking the bigger picture? In this podcast, Joe Sanok sits down with Dr. Tara Thiagarajan to explore the findings of the Mental State of the World Report and what they mean for therapists and private practice owners. Dr. Thiagarajan explains how the Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) measures wellbeing across populations, why environmental factors such as social connection, smartphone use, and nutrition have a profound impact on mental health, and what the latest global research reveals about the decline in mental wellbeing. Together, they discuss how therapists can look beyond symptoms to better understand the broader societal influences shaping their clients' mental health.

Could niching down actually help your practice grow? Does specializing allow you to make a bigger impact, not a smaller one? Does it work out financially? And how can you know when it's the right time to become a specialty practice? In this episode, Melissa Schneider sits down with Kelsey Blahnik to explore whether niching down into a specialty practice is the right move for therapists. They discuss Kelsey's journey from running a general private practice to building a thriving OCD-focused group practice, the role of psychological flexibility in both therapy and business, and why specialization can lead to better client outcomes. They also share practical advice on knowing when to niche down, identifying the needs of your community, and building a practice that grows through purpose rather than trying to serve everyone.

What does it actually look like to be an inclusive leader? How can you realistically, practically, and genuinely "do the work" in a way that uplifts those around you? What is good allyship? In this episode, Joe Sanok speaks with Melinda Briana Epler about the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion and what it means to lead inclusively in private practice. Melinda explains the importance of decentering one's own experiences, recognizing personal biases, and moving beyond performative gestures to create genuine belonging. She outlines practical ways practitioners can "do the work" through continuous learning, reflection, and action, while highlighting empathy, listening, and accountability as the foundations of effective allyship. The conversation concludes with practical questions for practice owners to assess how inclusive their businesses truly are and how they can better serve both their teams and clients.

Does marketing have to feel uncomfortable to be effective? What if authenticity is your greatest marketing strategy? Why could a "boring" business be your most successful one? Joe Sanok sits down with Maggie Patterson to explore how private practice owners can market their businesses without compromising their values. They discuss the pitfalls of manipulative online marketing, why authenticity builds stronger client relationships, and how therapists can communicate their expertise with confidence. Maggie also shares practical advice for creating a sustainable business by focusing on what works, avoiding unnecessary complexity, and making it easy for the right clients to find and trust you.

What if your strongest referral partner is already in your community? Is your client experience transformational, or transactional? How could stronger community partnerships improve client care? In this episode, Joe Sanok is joined by healthcare executive and leadership coach Jill Steeley to explore how private practitioners can build stronger community partnerships and create a more transformational client experience. Jill explains what federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are, how they support underserved communities, and why they can become valuable referral partners for private practices. Together, they discuss the difference between transactional and transformational care, the importance of anticipating client needs and maintaining meaningful communication throughout the care journey, and how collaborating with community health centers can improve outcomes for clients while strengthening your practice. Jill also shares practical encouragement for clinicians, reminding them to identify what's holding them back and focus on building a sustainable, community-centered practice.  

Are you aware that your daily habits are training your brain - the good and the bad? What if your brain could change for the better? Where do you start to take great care of your body and brain to make changing your life easier? In this episode, Joe Sanok sits down with Thoryn Stephens to explore how neuroplasticity allows our brains to adapt and change throughout our lives. They discuss simple, science-backed habits that support better brain health, why small daily behaviors matter more than expensive supplements, and practical ways to optimize your mind and body for long-term well-being.  

Could doubling your practice be more achievable than you think? Which growth strategy would have the biggest impact on your business right now? Are you building a practice that depends entirely on you, or one that can grow beyond you? Joe Sanok explores whether starting a group practice is the fastest path to growing a private practice and explains why aiming to double your business can be both realistic and impactful. He shares practical strategies for increasing revenue, from raising rates and seeing more clients to creating passive income, while highlighting hiring clinicians as the quickest way to scale.  Joe also breaks down the key systems for attracting and converting new clients, discusses ethical ways to gather reviews and feedback, and encourages practice owners to find the right support system so they can grow with confidence rather than figuring it all out alone.

What small improvements could make your private practice easier for prospective clients to find? Are you building referral relationships before you actually need them? Could consistent systems and community networking become your practice's greatest growth strategy? In Week 22 of building Great Lakes Online Counseling, Joe Sanok and assistant Jen focus on laying the groundwork for long-term growth through stronger visibility, streamlined systems, and intentional networking.  

Is your website more like a brochure rather than a client conversion tool? Could a few simple changes dramatically increase the number of people booking appointments? Are your website pages making it easy for both clients and Google to understand exactly what you offer? In this episode, Joe Sanok speaks with website strategist Shayah Reed about how therapists can turn their websites from static brochures into powerful client conversion tools. They explore practical website improvements that can increase bookings, strengthen SEO, and create a better experience for prospective clients.

What happens when traditional depression treatments stop working? Could a single psychedelic-assisted therapy session create lasting change? What does the latest research reveal about psilocybin's potential in mental healthcare? In this episode, Joe Sanok speaks with Compass Pathways CEO Kabir Nath about the emerging role of psilocybin-assisted therapy in treating treatment-resistant depression (TRD). They discuss the latest clinical research, how psychedelic therapy is being studied, and its potential to transform mental healthcare.

Who should you network with depending on your ideal client base? Should you have a "meet the team" tab on the website? What criteria should you use for choosing your EHR? In this update on building Great Lakes Online Counseling, Joe Sanok and Jen share the latest progress as the practice prepares to welcome its first clients. While growth has slowed slightly in recent weeks, they focus on refining the client experience, strengthening the practice's brand, and planning strategic networking efforts. A major milestone is that Rachel, the practice's first clinician, is now fully onboarded and ready to begin seeing clients. With her availability added to the calendar, prospective clients can start booking appointments through the practice.  

Why do so many caring professionals still end up burned out? Could self-care be about doing more of what matters to you?  Is your best self-care routine already hiding in your daily habits? In this episode, Joe Sanok speaks with therapist and educator Shaina Siber about redefining self-care and preventing burnout among mental health professionals. Drawing on her experience supporting healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shaina explains why sustainable self-care is less about adding more to your schedule and more about aligning daily habits with your values. Shaina shares how witnessing widespread burnout among frontline healthcare workers led her to develop a more practical, compassionate approach to well-being. After experiencing burnout herself, she realized that long-term sustainability requires intentionally caring for yourself in ways that fit your life rather than striving for unrealistic self-care routines.  

What does a successful practice actually look like? Too often, therapists get the answer to this question from anecdotes, social media, or their colleagues down the hall. And for good reason – the mental health field has lacked industry reports on the private practice experience for decades. Thankfully, that is all starting to change though. One of the largest analyses of independent mental health practices ever published came out recently from SimplePractice - representing the more than 245,000 clinicians that use their platform. Today, Dr. Lindsay Oberleitner, Head of Clinical Strategy at SimplePractice and lead author of this first-ever Annual State of Private Practice Report walks us through what hundreds of thousands of clinicians reveal about what's really going on in private practice today.

Are the skills that make you a great therapist quietly undermining your effectiveness as a leader? Can you truly lead others if you don't yet understand how you respond to […] The post What You Don't Know About Leadership with Dr. Michelle Perry | POP 1361 appeared first on How to Start, Grow, and Scale a Private Practice | Practice of the Practice.