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Are you a cash-pay only private practice? What are the two great ways that you can use social media as a marketing tool? Which boundaries are your non-negotiables in private practice?
In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok discusses growing your private practice with Kelley Stevens.
Podcast Sponsor: Alma
As a clinician, you probably chose this field because you wanted to support people in navigating challenges and finding personal growth. But many mental health care providers end up spending almost as much time on billing, insurance, and other documentation as you do in sessions with clients.
That’s where Alma can help.
Alma supports clinicians in building rewarding private practices—with simplified insurance credentialing in under 45 days, enhanced reimbursement rates, and guaranteed two-week payback.
Plus, a free profile in their searchable, filterable directory—making it easy for clients who are the right fit for your practice to find you.
Learn more about how Alma could support you in building a thriving private practice at helloalma.com/joe.
Meet Kelley Stevens
Kelley Stevens, LMFT, is a marriage and family therapist, educator, and host of The Private Practice Pro podcast. She specializes in helping therapists launch and grow thriving cash‑pay practices through strategic, relationship‑based marketing. With over a decade of experience in mental health and business development, Kelley has built and relocated a six‑figure practice across multiple cities, taught at Pepperdine and Antioch, and created self‑paced courses like Private Practice Roadmap and Marketing for Therapists. She’s passionate about helping clinicians build sustainable practices without burnout.
Visit Private Practice Pro and connect on Instagram and LinkedIn.
In This Podcast
- Using social media well
- Helping cash-pay practices
- Using boundaries in business
- Kelley’s advice to private practitioners
Using social media well
When it comes to the digital aspect of running a business, there are a few bread-and-butter options that you need:
- A good Google My Business account
- Strong SEO
- An easily navigable and attractive website
Beyond that, there is also social media. As Kelley explains, there are two main ways that you can use social media as an effective marketing tool within your private practice.
When it comes to social media, I will often tell people that I think there are two ways to approach it: you’re either trying to grow your practice, or you’re trying to grow a digital brand, and a digital brand might sell workbooks and courses … And your practice is your telehealth or your brick-and-mortar. (Kelley Stevens)
The way that you market your digital brand and your actual practice is going to be different, because the marketing strategies for each will have slightly different outcomes, even though they are united under the development of your business.
Helping cash-pay practices
One of Kelley’s niches is consulting and coaching cash-pay private practice owners on how to scale up their businesses and solidify them with a strong, consistent client base.
Since cash-pay practices need a constant stream of income, their marketing strategies need to be strong, since they aren’t receiving any customers from insurance.
I think the important question [to ask] when we’re working with cash-pay practices is, “What’s your niche?” … If you are going to be a specialist and you’re going to bill out of network, the importance of being known for something specific is much more important than if you were an insurance-based practice … That’s what I’m trying to help people do; get a lot more clear on who they serve so that they can attract more specific clients into their cash-pay practices. (Kelley Stevens)
Using boundaries in business
Joe describes the boundaries that he uses in work:
- Hard: for example, not taking any new regular clients on a Friday to enjoy a four-day work week
- Soft: however, if there’s a business emergency on a Friday, he’ll get involved and help where needed
- Flexible: Joe may test out a new boundary to see whether it improves his daily schedule or not
I think the biggest [work boundary] for me is I don’t get any notifications from anything except text messages … I turned off the vibrate on my phone, so the only time my phone actually rings is if it’s a number of my husband, my dad … or one of the numbers that [I’ve selected] to ring through which is like 10 people tops, and no social media notifications or anything. With that, my nervous system just [relaxes]. (Kelley Stevens)
Kelley has been strict on how many notifications she allows on her phone, and allows her admin team to handle most of the emails that come into the business, so that she only has to read and deal with the emails that are specifically for her.
Kelley’s advice to private practitioners
There are so many messages out there with advice on what you should do, or on how to be a therapist. Remember that one of the greatest gifts of this career is to get to build the career that you want!
So, put the blinders on, and get on ahead with what is going to work well for you and your family and the life you are building for yourself.
Sponsors Mentioned in this episode:
- Learn more about how Alma could support you in building a thriving private practice at helloalma.com/joe
- Apply to work with us — a decision-making matrix for your next steps
Useful links mentioned in this episode:
- Visit Private Practice Pro and connect on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Meet Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok helps counselors to create thriving practices that are the envy of other counselors. He has helped counselors to grow their businesses by 50-500% and is proud of all the private practice owners who are growing their income, influence, and impact on the world. Click here to explore consulting with Joe.
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