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In this conversation, I reconnect with my longtime colleague and friend, Dr. Lisa Lively, to explore how she turned her personal burnout into a creative side hustle as a psychologist and self-published coloring book creator. Lisa shares her story of embracing creativity for her own well-being, navigating the nuts and bolts of self-publishing on Amazon, and balancing the tension between staying financially viable and keeping her artistic spark alive. This episode is packed with practical advice and real talk for any clinician who’s daydreamed about launching a side hustle but wasn’t sure how to start. 







Here are a few topics that come up:









* How Lisa turned burnout into a catalyst for a creative business







* The step-by-step process of researching, designing, and publishing a book







* Pros and cons of using AI, licensing, or drawing your own art







* The importance of research and using tools like BookBeam







* How Amazon KDP print-on-demand works







* What to know about marketing, ads, and building an audience







* Lessons learned about balancing creativity and profitability









Cool Things Mentioned









* The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting







* Reverb AI-powered report-writing software







* Lisa Lively’s Coloring Books on Amazon







* BookBeam — software for keyword and category research in self-publishing







* Canva — user-friendly design software Lisa uses to edit and assemble pages







* Publishers Vault — licensing platform Lisa uses for artwork







* Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) — for print-on-demand self-publishing









Featured Resources







I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice!







PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com.







TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing







The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s!







I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!









About Dr. Lisa Lively













Dr. Lively graduated with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Auburn University. She has worked at University Counseling Centers, Veterans Affairs, and in private practice.