If you want 2026 to feel different, your systems have to change — not your personality, not your caffeine intake. In this episode, I’m walking you through the practice systems that actually save time, reduce chaos, and keep you out of that constant “I’ll fix it later” mode.

I break down what a system really is, why most private practice owners don’t realize what’s broken, and how overwhelm usually shows up right when your practice starts growing. Whether you’re brand new or already busy, this episode helps you build a foundation that can scale without burning you out.

We focus on the three core systems every practice needs from day one: how potential clients become real clients, how you communicate in a way that’s ethical and sustainable, and how money moves through your business without stress or confusion.

In this episode, I cover:

• How to design a “potential client to client” system that reduces friction and increases show-ups
• Why your communication system has to be HIPAA-compliant and fit your nervous system
• How to build a money exchange system before your first client ever walks in
• The difference between “shiny” marketing and “sticky” systems that actually convert

If your practice feels reactive, scattered, or harder than it needs to be, this episode will help you rebuild your systems so your business can support you, not drain you.

If you want ongoing CE credit, leadership support, and real-world training you can actually apply, the Step It Up Membership is where this work deepens over time.

Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.

Most therapists think supervision is something they’ll do later—after they feel more confident, have more time, or somehow feel “ready.” In this episode, I’m breaking down why that mindset keeps so many supervisors stuck, underpaid, or holding onto their credentials without ever using it.

I walk you through how to add supervision as a side hustle in a way that actually makes sense for your schedule, your income goals, and your license. We talk about common myths—like believing more supervisees automatically means more money—and what really matters if you want supervision to support your practice instead of draining it.

If you’ve ever wondered how to price supervision, structure your schedule, market to the right people, or avoid difficult supervisee situations before they start, this episode gives you a clear, practical framework to get moving with confidence.

In this episode, I cover:

• How to structure individual, triadic, and group supervision so you don’t give away your highest-value client hours
• Why “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t work for supervision—and what marketing actually does work
• The biggest myths about difficult supervisees, volume-based income, and being “ready,” and how to protect your license while you grow

If you’re holding onto your supervisor credential “just in case,” or you want supervision to become a sustainable income stream instead of a stressor, this episode will help you build it intentionally—from the very start.

For supervisors who want clearer expectations, better boundaries, and fewer headaches down the line, the Supervisor Checklist gives you a practical starting point for contracts, structure, and decision-making.

And if you want ongoing CE credit, leadership support, and real-world training you can actually apply, the Step It Up Membership is where this work deepens over time.

Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.

If running a group practice feels like herding highly educated cats, this episode is going to feel like someone finally put words to what you’ve been living. I’m joined by Amanda Esquivel, a Texas group practice owner who’s scaled to 50 clinicians across seven locations—and she’s breaking down why most “staff problems” aren’t actually staff problems. They’re leadership-role problems.

Amanda names the four roles practice owners bounce between when growth accelerates: babysitter/manager, bottleneck, firefighter, and mentor-leader. And she’s honest about where she’s had to course-correct—because when everything runs through you, you don’t just get busy. You get stuck. Your team gets stuck too.

We also talk about what employees are really reacting to when they complain about low pay, lack of tools, unrealistic expectations, and “promises” that don’t materialize. Amanda shares the transparency practices she uses to educate rather than defend—like showing where the money actually goes, tracking attendance metrics without shaming, and building a training hub so clinicians aren’t reinventing the wheel. The throughline is simple: your job isn’t to be everyone’s emergency contact. Your job is to build people and systems.

If you’ve been living in manager mode, exhausted, resentful, and constantly “on,” this conversation will help you shift back into leadership that develops your staff instead of babysitting them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The four roles group practice owners cycle through—babysitter/manager, bottleneck, firefighter, and mentor-leader—and how to identify which one is running your practice right now.
• How to shift out of constant firefighting and bottlenecking by building systems, metrics, and delegation structures that develop staff instead of controlling them.
• What staff complaints about pay, tools, expectations, and follow-through are really communicating—and how transparency and education reduce resentment and turnover.
• Practical leadership tools that support retention and accountability, including structured one-on-ones, attendance and caseload metrics, shared training hubs, and role clarity.

If you’re ready to move out of manager mode and into grounded, sustainable leadership, start by grabbing the bonus resources that support this kind of systems-based growth.

If you’re still clarifying how your practice should be structured, the free practice guide will help you name what needs attention next.

For supervisors and practice owners who want clearer expectations and less daily friction, the Supervisor Checklist gives you a concrete place to begin.

And if you want ongoing CE credit, leadership support, and real-world training you can actually apply, the Step It Up Membership is where this work deepens over time.

Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.