Brave and Well: Conversations helping mental health professionals build a sustainable, profitable, and values-aligned business

This week on the Brave & Well podcast, I am joined by none other than my husband, Bryan Newton!Bryan joins me to share his story and to talk about how we co-founded a small tech company as parents of small children.Together we explore the realities of running multiple businesses, raising a family, and pivoting time and time again.Tune in as we explore:Bryan’s journey into software engineeringWhy we started our company togetherWhat it’s like to be founders of color without VC-funding or generational wealthWhat’s next for us More from Vanessa & Bryan:Learn about SocialNoteFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with Vanessa!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeSign up for From Therapist to CEO

Today on Brave & Well, I’m joined by Kasey Compton, a group practice owner, small business consultant and author of the upcoming book, In Search of You.Together we explore how Kasey found more joy in the present by reflecting on things she learned as a child. We also discuss Kasey’s journey as a writer, group-practice owner, and high-achieving mom — including how she found self-love and transformed her relationship with her children since writing her first book.Tune in as we explore:Self-reflection and different modes of therapyEmbracing your inner child to cultivate joy and self-loveThe pressure on women to look forwardBeing present and finding joy inside yourselfMore from Kasey:Visit her websitePre-order In Search of YouFollow Kasey on InstagramConnect on FacebookMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeSign up for From Therapist to CEO!

Welcome back to the Brave & Well podcast! In today’s episode, I’m sharing even more vulnerably than I usually do and talking about my experience as a Latina, first-gen, Mexican American woman, mother, and therapist.Tune in as I explore:Decolonizing mental healthOvercoming fear and bias as a therapistCentering people (including myself) over profitMaking room for unexpected challengesThe importance of integrating personal identity into the business spaceMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeSign up for From Therapist to CEO & get 10% off with the code PODCASTGet templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Welcome back to Brave & Well! Today, I’m having an information-packed talk about SEO, Google and AI with Kristie Plantinga.Kristie is a mental health nerd, writer, and marketer living in Colorado. She is the founder of TherapieSEO—a marketing agency serving therapists and coaches—and Best Therapists—a therapist directory that vets therapists so therapy-seekers can focus on fit, not quality.Together, we dive deep into the world of digital marketing for therapists and mental health professionals. Kristie sheds light on the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, emphasizing the importance of SEO, long-term brand building, and adapting to emerging platforms.Tune in as we explore:What SEO isNotable SEO changes in 2024Using tech creatively to automate menial tasksDiscerning when it’s best to hire marketing helpThe value of a quality websiteThe growing effectiveness of online directoriesStaying true to your brandMore from Kristie:Visit the Therapie SEO WebsiteFollow Kristie on InstagramMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeSign up for From Therapist to CEO & get 10% off with the code PODCASTGet templates, tools and more in the Brave & Well shop!

Today on Brave and Well podcast, I’m joined by Pearl Bryant, LCSW-S to discuss the importance of community building for breaking down stigmas surrounding mental health and entrepreneurship.Pearl Bryant has 15+ years of experience in the social work field. She is the Owner + Founder of Pinnacle of Purpose Counseling + Consulting, PLLC a group therapy practice committed to serving women of color. Pearl is also a Clinical Supervisor and Lecturer at The University of Houston-Downtown.In this episode, Pearl shares her journey of becoming a therapist and entrepreneur, and we touch on the challenges and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need for flexibility and reevaluating traditional business practices.Tune in as we explore:Being out in the community to break stigmaLearning from imposter syndrome as an entrepreneurInternalized oppress & its impact on marginalized communitiesHealing trauma & it’s impact on businessPersonal & profession growthTransitioning to an abundance mindsetMore from Pearl:Follow Pearl on Instagram @the_socialworktherapistVisit the Pinnacle of Purpose Counseling websiteFollow @pinnacleofpurpose on InstagramFollow Pinnacle of Purpose on FacebookMore from Vanessa:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet her workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice

Today on Brave and Well podcast, I’m joined by Diana Anzaldua to discuss the importance of listening to our bodies and the impact of trauma on all of our lives, especially BIPOC lives.Diana is a social change activist and LCSWS who founded Austin Trauma Therapy and Contigo Wellness. She has received numerous awards for her work in community healing, public services, and leadership. She also served on the 2022 board and chairs the diversity, equity, and ethics committee for the Clinical Social Work Association. and serves on the board for Contigo Wellness, Amala Foundation, and Comimadre.Diana is determined to create an inclusive and equitable space in the mental health industry, providing care centered in an anti-racist and decolonized lens through her nonprofit, Contigo Wellness.Tune in as we explore:The importance of tuning into your bodyThe connection between trauma and chronic illnessThe ripple effect that personal healing can haveTapping into warrior and healer parts for changeHistorical barriers for BIPOC individuals in the mental health spaceMore from Diana:Visit the Austin Trauma Therapy WebsiteFollow the Austin Trauma Therapy Center on InstagramVisit the Contigo Wellness WebsiteFollow Contigo Wellness on InstagramDonate to the Contigo Wellness FundOrder Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar VillenuevaMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

Welcome back to Brave & Well! In this episode, I’m speaking with Amy Kuretsky, an acupuncturist, breathwork facilitator and clinic owner based in Minneapolis, MN.Amy helps successful business owners tap into their intuition, trust themselves more, and do business differently. Together, we discuss breathwork modalities, how our healing journeys intertwine with our business journeys, and different practices for self-reflection.Amy also tells us about her experience with Profit First and the financial challenges of being a business owner. And I share some recent fears and struggles I’ve been facing in my business.Tune in as we explore:How to use breathwork for support in your businessExamining our narratives around perfectionism, overachieving & failureTarot & journalling for self-reflectionEmbracing change, evolution & discomfortMore from Amy:Visit Amy’s websiteListen to Amy’s podcastGet Amy’s free 5-day breathwork challengeVisit Constellation AcupunctureMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

In this deeply honest episode, I’m talking with the owners of Level Up Leaders, Julianne Guinasso and Poonam Natha.Together, we discuss the joys and challenges of maintaining a psychologically safe practice that doesn’t compromise the needs of the business.Julianne and Poonam are psychotherapists with over 14 years of combined experience leading large teams in mental health. They believe in the power of relationships in supporting employee retention and cultivating psychological safety through a work culture of trust.Tune in as we explore:The vulnerability and responsibility of being a leaderThe importance of a good mindset match when hiring employeesThe delicate dance of accountability and authorityCreating intentional spaces for teams to share and growMore from Level Up Leaders:Visit the Level Up Leaders WebsiteTake the Free Leadership AssessmentFollow Level Up Leaders on InstagramMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

In this energetic and powerful episode, Dr. Ebony Butler and I talk about her journey through overcoming a poverty mindset to growing a practice and a product-based business.Dr. Ebony is a Licensed Psychologist and Food Relationship Strategist who has made it her mission to help women of color heal and thrive in the areas of trauma, including racial trauma and recovering from food and body trauma experienced through diet culture. She is the host of the Food is Not Bae Podcast, author of the book Food is Not Bae, and creator of My Therapy Cards®, the first-ever self-exploration card deck for Black women and other women of color.Tune in as we explore:Learning not to live from a place of fearing povertyCreating systems and processes that take you from making money to building a businessThe power of pivoting in business and in lifeRealizing you can’t do it all by yourself and getting the help you needUsing social media as an archive tool and not for comparisonSetting a price point that is right for you and your business, showing up at that level, and trusting the community to support youMore from Dr. Ebony:Visit Dr. Ebony’s WebsiteFollow Dr. Ebony in InstagramFollow Dr. Ebony on FacebookFollow Dr. Ebony on TikTokBuy My Therapy Cards & take 10% off with the code BW10Listen to the Food is Not Bae PodcastMore from Brave & Well:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

In this episode, I’m joined by my coaching client, Valerie Rivera. Valerie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the owner of Inner Solace Therapy, a private practice that specializes in helping women heal from traumatic experiences, and helping couples strengthen their relationships.Tune in as we explore:How Valerie experiences and works through imposter syndromeThe ever-present tug of war with social mediaThe benefits of in-person therapyOutsourcing the parts of your business that are overwhelming and tedious so you can focus on the most important tasksThe importance of how you fuel yourself and how the people in your life also fuel youLinks:Visit Valerie’s Inner Solace WebsiteFollow Inner Solace on InstagramFollow Inner Solace on FacebookFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterWork with me!Get my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

So many of us in private practice put branding and marketing on the bottom of our task lists. We tell ourselves it isn’t important or it’s too expensive. But what if it’s a key to actually get us where we want to go?In this episode, I’m joined by Kristen Moses, owner of DesignGood, for a conversation about all the ways branding can support your therapy business.Tune in as we explore:How branding helps you be visible to the right people for youWhy sharing yourself in your brand attracts clients who are looking to share tough parts of their lives with youCreating a brand that is flexible and can grow with you over timeAdvice for therapists just starting out who might not have the funding to purchase branding and website supportMore from Kristen:Learn more about DesignGoodBranding Portfolio for TherapistsDesignGood InstagramPersonal InstagramOur Course: More Flow, Less HustleMore from Vanessa:Follow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

Welcome back to Brave & Well, friends! In this week's informative and helpful episode, I've invited Profit First expert Julie Herres to join me on the podcast.Julie is the founder of GreenOak Accounting and has helped hundreds of private practice owners gain financial freedom. She’s an accountant, consultant, speaker, author of Profit First for Therapists and host of the Therapy for Your Money podcast.Together, we discuss Julie’s experiences helping practices apply the Profit First model and why therapists should embrace it.Tune in as we explore:What Profit First is and isn’tHow weekly transfers can help ease you into the Profit First systemEmbracing making mistakes in your business as normalWhy it’s important that therapists leave the “vow of poverty” narrative behindLinks:Visit the Green Oak Accounting WebsiteGet the free Profit First for Therapists CalculatorJoin the free Profit First for Therapists FB groupOrder Julie’s Book Profit First for TherapistsListen to Julie’s Podcast Therapy for Your MoneyFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletter

When you own a business and have a team, you take on a lot of responsibility. And this can be great! It helps your business grow.But sometimes things don’t go as you hope… or you make decisions based on one person’s needs versus what’s best for everyone as a whole. Eventually you can end up resenting people in the process.Over six years of running a group practice, I’ve had to manage many difficult emotions with and about my team. So in this episode I’m sharing my reflections on—The challenges of managing a teamThe difference between clinical supervision and employee managementThe importance of communicating through conflictHow to avoid resentment, frustration & burnout in your businessLinksFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

January 1st was my six-year anniversary of group practice ownership! So I thought it’d be fun to reflect and share what group practice ownership looked like back in 2017 and now in 2023.Tune in to this episode to learn—How I went from solo practice to group practiceThe story of my first hire & the reality of moving locationsExpanding the team & bringing on admin supportWhy I think it’s harder to run a group practice now than it was in 2017The challenges of a hybrid self-pay and insurance modelHow the pandemic impacted therapy practicesI hope you’ll listen then get in touch to let me know what questions you have about running a group practice! And don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, then share this episode with a friend.LinksFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

Nothing changed my relationship to my business more than implementing the Profit First model for business finances.What makes it so radical? Well, it’s all based on paying yourself first. (Yes, really!)Tune in to this episode to learn—How Profit First worksWhy it’s so important to pay yourself firstThe magic of having five bank accountsHow to organize & use your accountsLearning to look at & allocate your moneyIf you want to transform your business finances, I hope you’ll listen to this episode and share it with a friend!LinksLearn more about Profit FirstTherapy for Your MoneyFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 —  https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 —  https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

I’m currently on my second maternity leave, and I’ve learned a lot while planning and taking two periods of extended time away from work.So in this episode, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about planning a maternity leave with you all!Tune in as we explore—Figuring out how much you want to save for maternity leave and when you plan to start savingDeciding when you want to start sharing with your clientsProcessing with your clients how they’re feeling about your leaveCreating a plan for transferring client care, terminating or taking a pauseProviding clients with a list of other therapists they can contact should they need someone to reach out toMaking clients inactive in your EHR system and document the plan of care while you’re away on leaveSetting your out of office messageReally giving yourself permission to take the break and the time you needIf you’re considering any kind of leave, I hope you’ll listen to this episode and share it with a friend.LinksFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 —  https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 —  https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

The question I get asked the most about running a business as a therapist is how to make the money work.So this week on the podcast, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about setting yourself up for financial success in private or group practice.Tune in as we explore—Unpacking your money storiesFinding your “ramen noodle number”Figuring out your business expensesCreating a savings fundChoosing your business structureLearning Profit FirstGetting your numbers rightIf you’re interested in starting a private practice, I highly suggest pairing this episode with my workbook Laying the Foundation for your Private Practice for more in-depth exercises and reflections on choosing your business structure and setting up your business finances.LinksGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeJoin my Private Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/private-practice-circleJoin my Group Practice Circle in Fall 2023 — https://www.braveandwell.com/group-practice-circle

In this final week of the year, I’m checking in to share my reflections on 2022 and to look forward to 2023 together.Tune in to hear what’s happened in my world this year, and to learn my 4-step reflection process—Start with JoyThings I’ve LearnedThings I’m Letting Go OfThings I’m Calling In More OfThank you so much for listening to the podcast this year. I’ve got big plans for what’s to come here in 2023, so make sure to subscribe wherever you like to listen!LinksFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterGet my workbook — Laying the Foundation for your Private PracticeAmelia Hruby at Softer Sounds StudioMaggie Gentry

In this week’s episode, I'm joined by Brandy Mabra and we’re talking all things CEO — from hiring to empowering and partnering with your team to setting strong standards for your practice. Brandy is a Certified Professional Coach, Master Energy Leadership Practitioner, and founder of Private Practice CEO. She has spent her career building, growing and leading multimillion dollar practices and now uses her skill set to help other women private practice owners scale their practices for growth, sustainability and profit.Tune in to hear us discuss:Going from solopreneur to CEOLearning to make the tough decisions with compassion and empathy in mindFocusing on your high performers as a method to encourage lower performersTaking a breath and not rushing the hiring processThe power of in-person networking and an honest askEnjoying the journeyIf you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, then share it with a friend!Links:Visit the Savvy Clover WebsiteFollow Savvy Clover on InstagramGet Brandy’s Free Business Health ChecklistSign up for the Brave and Well newsletterFollow Brave and Well on Instagram

We don’t often talk about the messy parts of being an entrepreneur. So in today’s episode, I’m taking y’all behind the scenes and sharing some recent changes & challenges in my personal and professional life.Tune in to hear more about:How I’m juggling being a mom, wife, leader & full-time entrepreneurLearning to maximize my timeQ4 reflections & looking ahead to 2023Planning my second maternity leave & my first sabbaticalThe challenges of letting other people run your businessHiring & all it requiresThe importance of celebrating milestonesI hope you’ll listen then get in touch to let me know your Q4 is going. And don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, then share this episode with a friend!LinksFollow Brave and Well on InstagramSign up for the Brave and Well newsletter