Good Enough Counsellors

What happens when you realise a client has an eating disorder, but you're not an eating disorder specialist?As therapists, we're taught not to work beyond our competence. But specialist eating disorder services are stretched, waiting lists can be long and sometimes there isn't anywhere else for a client to go.So does referring on always have to be the answer?In this episode of the Good Enough Counsellors podcast, I'm joined by counsellor, trainer and researcher Kel O'Neill to talk about why eating disorders aren't only an issue for specialist therapists.Kel explains why eating disorders can be easy to miss, particularly when they aren't the reason someone originally comes to therapy. We talk about the influence of diet culture and weight loss medications, and why someone's weight doesn't necessarily tell us how unwell they are.We also explore the difficult question of competence. How do you know whether you have enough knowledge to help? What role do supervision, training and multidisciplinary working play? And how can therapists think about risk without becoming so frightened of getting something wrong that they feel unable to help at all?Kel also talks very movingly about her own lived experience and why a counsellor being willing to work with her made such an important difference to her life.We discuss:why all therapists need some awareness of eating disordershow eating disorders can be hidden behind other presenting issuesshame and the stereotypes that can prevent people seeking helpdiet culture, body image and weight loss medicationswhy you can't judge the seriousness of an eating disorder by someone's sizecompetence and knowing when you need additional supportmultidisciplinary working in private practicemanaging risk and the fear of getting things wronghow training and specialist supervision can helpwhat therapists can offer even when they're not eating disorder specialistsVOXED and the importance of learning from lived experienceAbout Kel O'NeillKel O'Neill is a counsellor, trainer and researcher specialising in eating disorders. Alongside her private practice, she provides training and supervision for therapists and is the founder of VOXED, Voices of Experience in Eating Disorders, which brings together lived experience, clinical practice and different perspectives on eating disorder work.Find out more about Kel via her website HERE and connect with her on Instagram HEREPrivate Practice: Who Do You Most Want to Help?One of the things therapists often worry about is feeling they need to know everything about every possible client presentation.Becoming clearer about the people you most want to help gives you the opportunity to develop your confidence and expertise in the areas that particularly interest you.On Saturday 26 September, I'm running a live Onlinevents workshop, Private Practice: Who Do You Most Want to Help?We'll be exploring how to identify your niche and become clearer about the work you most want to do.The workshop is pay what you can, and you can book directly through Onlinevents HERESetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: eating disorders, eating disorders counselling, eating disorder therapy, therapists and eating disorders, counsellors and eating disorders, working with eating disorders, eating disorder competence, therapist competence, eating disorder risk, eating disorder awareness, eating disorder training, private practice counselling, diet culture, body image, weight loss medications, GLP-1, therapist supervision, Good Enough Counsellors, Kel O'NeillThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Have you ever decided not to tell someone about your private practice because you've assumed they won't be interested?Or perhaps hesitated because you think people won't be able to afford your fees?As therapists we can often tell ourselves that people won't want to hear about our practice and will think we're being pushy or we're too expensive. But are those assumptions really about other people - or about protecting us from anticipated rejection and disappointment?If we never tell people how we can help, we're taking away their opportunity to decide for themselves.In this short episode, we explore:The fear of rejection that can stop us talking about our private practiceHow we let our assumptions about what others will think stop us in our tracksThe importance of allowing potential clients to make their own decisionsReady to take the next step?If you'd like some practical support to become more visible and attract more of the clients you most want to help, I'd love to welcome you into Therapy Growth Group.Our 12 Action Steps programme is beginning again soon, guiding you through three months of manageable, practical actions to help you grow your private practice with confidence and without becoming someone you're not.You'll find all the details HERESetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: therapist marketing, private practice, attracting therapy clients, counselling private practice, therapist confidence, therapy business, private practice marketing, counsellor marketing, therapist visibility, therapy clientsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Attracting therapy clients isn't just about having a great profile. Before someone books with you, they go through a series of decisions, and understanding that journey can completely change how you try to attract clients.In this episode, I'm joined by website and marketing specialist Kat Love to explore the three stages every prospective client goes through:Finding you through visibility and awarenessChoosing you by deciding whether you're the right therapist for themBooking by feeling confident enough to take the next stepTogether, we explore why so many therapists spend time polishing the later stages while avoiding the visibility work that helps people discover them in the first place. We also discuss how to make your website and profile work harder, reduce barriers to getting in touch, and use language that speaks to clients rather than other therapists.This episode was originally released as From Being Found to Being Booked, and I've chosen to share it again because this discussion is such an important foundation for finding clients .In this episode we discuss:Why therapists often focus on the wrong stage of marketingThe three stages clients go through before they book therapyWhy visibility feels uncomfortable and how to find your own "window of marketing tolerance"How your therapist profile helps clients decide you're the right fitWhy psychobabble can stop clients connecting with your messageSimple ways to make it easier for people to contact youEthical approaches to testimonials and social proofResources mentionedKat Love: https://katlove.comEmpathy Sites: https://empathysites.comIf you'd like practical support with your therapist profile, identifying your strengths, improving your marketing and attracting more of the clients you most want to help, you'll find details of Therapy Growth Group HEREListen now: if you'd like to understand how clients move from discovering you to choosing you and finally booking that first appointment, this episode will give you a practical framework you can start using straight away.Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: how clients choose a therapist, therapy marketing, marketing for therapists, therapist profile, therapist website, therapist visibility, attract therapy clients, therapy enquiries, therapist profile writing, private practice marketing, counselling private practice, therapist website copy, Good Enough CounsellorsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm probably just overthinking it"?That's exactly what I said in a recent supervision session. My supervisor responded with a simple question:"Are you overthinking - or are you diminishing your feelings?"That question stayed with me.As therapists, we're often deeply compassionate people. We want to be kind, fair and understanding. But sometimes our kindness towards other people comes at the expense of ourselves.In this episode, I reflect on how easy it is to ignore our own needs because we're worried about disappointing someone else. Whether it's charging a cancellation fee, ending a session on time, saying no to a new client or making a difficult professional decision, our fear of disapproval can sometimes become louder than our own values.I also explore why consistency matters, how resentment can grow when we don't honour our own boundaries, and why listening to ourselves is an important part of ethical, sustainable practice.In this episode, we explore:Why "overthinking" isn't always what we're doingThe difference between kindness and self-neglectHow people pleasing can influence our professional decisionsWhy your values are a better guide than someone else's approvalHow healthy boundaries protect both you and your clientsThe importance of looking after yourself as well as those you supportIf you've ever struggled with saying no, worried about getting things wrong or found yourself putting everyone else's needs before your own, I hope this episode reminds you that your wellbeing matters too.If you'd like support from a community of therapists who understand these challenges, Therapy Growth Group offers weekly live calls, practical marketing support and a welcoming place to think things through with others in private practice.Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: therapists, counsellors, psychotherapy, private practice, therapist boundaries, people pleasing, self care, burnout prevention, compassion fatigue, professional boundaries, supervision, therapist wellbeing, values, cancellation policy, counselling podcastThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

As a therapist, have you ever sat down to write a social media post and wondered what on earth to say? Or even, not started a social media page because you don't know what to do?It's easy to get caught up in the mechanics of posting, in the same way as when we're training we get caught up in the mechanics of counselling techniques.However, if you stand back from social media for a moment and focus on what people need, you often find it much easier to turn up as yourself.So rather than seeing social media as somewhere you have to perform, you can start to see it as somewhere you can help.If you're a therapist who struggles with the idea of using social media to reach prospective clients, this episode can help.In this episode:How to create content that helps people feel understoodHow to establish trust long before someone contacts youWhy trying to sound like someone else gets in the way of attracting clientsWhy being real matters far more than polished contentI also include ideas for social media posts for September 2026 with themes around courage, connection, creativity and balance. There's ideas for simple engagement prompts together with more educational content.The following awareness days are mentioned:Live Fearless Day – 2 SeptemberFight Procrastination Day – 6 SeptemberFeel the Love Day – 7 SeptemberSwap Ideas Day – 10 SeptemberDay of Encouragement – 12 SeptemberLive Creative Day – 14 SeptemberOnline Learning Day – 15 SeptemberWorld Gratitude Day - 21 SeptemberWorld Podcast Day - 30 SeptemberIf you're interested in finding out more about your niche, please check out my courses on my website, josephinehughes.com and you can find information about longer term support through my Therapy Growth Group HERESetting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERENeed ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HEREYou can also find me here:The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook GroupJosephine Hughes on FacebookJosephine Hughes on YouTubeMy website: josephinehughes.comKeywords: social media for therapists, therapist marketing, counselling private practice, private practice marketing, social media for counsellors, counselling marketing, therapist social media, attract therapy clients, how to get therapy clients, marketing for counsellors, therapist private practice, counselling business, therapist branding, social media content ideas, content ideas for therapists, private practice growth, Josephine Hughes, Good Enough CounsellorsThe information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.