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Therapists—if you want to stop working evenings,

Therapists—if you want to stop working evenings, you don’t just need boundaries… you need more marketing. 👇Read the ENTIRE caption!

For years, I saw 6, 7, and even 8 PM clients because so many of my teens were student-athletes. I kept telling myself that if I just set better boundaries, I could change my schedule. But here’s the real reason I was stuck working nights:

I didn’t have enough referrals to be selective.

The moment I got serious about marketing my private practice, everything changed:

📌 I had a steady stream of inquiries, which gave me leverage. Instead of feeling desperate to take any client who could only come at 7 PM, I was able to say, “I only offer daytime sessions.” And guess what? The right clients adjusted their schedules to work with me.

📌 I built a waitlist. When you have more demand than availability, clients are much more likely to rearrange their schedules just to get in with you.

📌 I positioned myself as the go-to therapist for college-age clients. High school juniors, seniors, and college students often have free periods, block schedules, or the ability to leave school early if therapy is a priority. By adjusting my marketing to highlight this niche, I naturally attracted more clients who could come during the day.

📌 I stopped believing the myth that “teens can only come after school.” Yes, some can’t—but many can if they truly want to work with you. But to get those clients, you have to market yourself well enough to attract them.

📌 I added Saturday mornings. I wasn’t a fan of weekend work, but a few Saturday slots allowed me to completely free up my afternoons during the week. For me, that trade-off was worth it.

And before you ask—no, I wouldn’t have done this in year one of private practice. If you’re just starting, afternoon slots are often the easiest way to build a caseload. But if you’ve been in practice for a while and want more control over your schedule, marketing is the key to having the referrals and the freedom to do it.

💡 Want to learn how to market your practice so you have a waitlist and never feel stuck taking evening clients again? Comment GROW and I’ll send you my step-by-step marketing course.

❤️ These are the changes I made to take my pra

❤️ These are the changes I made to take my practice from zero to FULL! Trust me, SAVE THIS LIST👇

1️⃣ Pain Point Marketing:

First, I wrote down all of my ideal therapy client’s symptoms and problems, their goals, and how they described these pain points.

I used these phrases in my marketing. So instead of saying, “I help women overcome depression,” I said, “I’ll help you get out of bed in the morning and feel joy in your relationships again.”

2️⃣ I focused my marketing on SERVICE to my community.

I stopped worrying about whether speaking engagements were paid, whether someone would actually refer to me, or getting something in return and I FOCUSED on showing my face in my local community.

I brought doughnuts and coffee to local schools, I wrote blog posts for my hyper local paper, I volunteered to give free talks at my local library. I pitched myself as a guest for podcasts. And everywhere I went I asked “HOW CAN I HELP?”

3️⃣ Built Authority in a Specific Niche:

I realized if I was going to attract cash pay therapy clients, I had to build authority in my niche.

So what does this actually look like?

I started talking specifically about my target client population, how I helped them, and partnering with other experts in my niche on projects (therapy groups, local events etc))

Finally, I decided I needed to get really specific with what I was helping my therapy clients with.

Now that I knew exactly what my ideal clients were struggling with about, needed help with, and the goals they had.

❤️Comment “GROW” to learn about my Marketing for Therapists course to fill your own caseload with clients.

📥 Save this for later

❤️Follow @theprivatepracticepro for more private practice startup content

This home office has been two years in the making.

This home office has been two years in the making. If you were thinking about designing a telehealth therapy office make sure you think about what your client will see on camera! This video isn’t sponsored, but I got those felt tiles from @feltrightproducts and the couch is @joybird The banner is from @oxfordpennant

Heather is a graduate of my Marketing for Therapis

Heather is a graduate of my Marketing for Therapists course and now does 1-1 consulting sessions with me! She is the perfect example of using service to promote her Private Practice! You can give back to your community while also spreading the word about your Private Practice! Comment GROW to dive in with me! Make sure to give Heather a follow @marandsolmentalhealth

Comment the word “SIMPLE” and I’ll DM you a

Comment the word “SIMPLE” and I’ll DM you a link for 65% off for 3 months and a seven day free trial.

I only get these discounts for a short time, so don’t sleep on this if you want this more considerable discount!

I have been using @simplepractice since 2016 and it has been such an incredible companion for my private practice.

♥️Going through pregnancy and postpartum on so

♥️Going through pregnancy and postpartum on social media is rough. Mean comments on my appearance hurt more than I let on.

😘 Ive been on Lexapro for five-ish years. I LOVE IT.

✨I have 114k followers, 2700 therapists in my courses, 2 amazing kids, and a thriving business… and I still feel like a failure (yes, I talk about this with my therapist 😂)

♥️I only have 17.5 hours per week without kids and cram my entire business into that time. I constantly feel like I'm not doing “enough.”

💓My husband is a psychiatrist (not in private practice). He’s never referred me a client, but people assume my success is because of him. I’ve made more than him 10 out of the 14 years we’ve been together, but it still stings when people make assumptions.

♥️Now that my audience is big, I worry that I worry that therapists lump me in with the spammy Instagram people and assume I’m fake. When in reality, I’m just a trying to share everything I wish someone told me about being a therapist.

👏SAVE THIS SCRIPT 👏 And follow @theprivatepr

👏SAVE THIS SCRIPT 👏 And follow @theprivatepracticepro

What to say when you wrap up the first session and realize the client isn’t a good fit👇:

💙Step 1💙

“After having more time to talk today, I realize I am not the right therapist to address the [presenting issue] you are facing. It is important we find you a therapist who is excellent at working woth [presenting issue], and unfortunately, that isn’t me. I am going to think about this and email you three referrals tonight for therapists who I think would be a better fit.”

💙Step 2 💙

If the client pushes back or gets frustrated:

I know this can be (enter feeling here), but after years in this field, I see the importance of both the therapist and the client feeling this is a good fit. In fact, it’s the most important part of therapy ♥️

💙Step 3 💙

If the client has a very challenging time accepting this news, I often add:

🫶Perhaps I should have realized this mismatch on our consultation call, so I am not going to charge you for today’s session, and I will help you find someone who is a better fit.

❤️Why do I offer to return their fee or not charge?

Honestly, it’s easier than dealing with someone upset they “wasted” their money on a therapist who isn’t a good fit for them. Although you technically could keep that first session fee, I’m a believer in leaving clients with a good experience. I want that client to feel like I met them, realized they weren’t the right fit, and then helped them find someone else who was. Communities are small, and I’ve seen this kind of goodwill go a long way. It also prevents the client from spreading the news online that you are hard to work with.

Comment the word “SIMPLE” and I’ll DM you a

Comment the word “SIMPLE” and I’ll DM you a link for 65% off for 3 months and a seven day free trial.

I only get these discounts for a short time, so don’t sleep on this if you want this more considerable discount!

I have been using @simplepractice since 2016 and it has been such an incredible companion for my private practice.

Want my full Private Practice paperwork packet for

Want my full Private Practice paperwork packet for cash-pay practices? Comment “paperwork” and I’ll send you the link! ✨

If you’re a cash-pay therapist, you NEED a paragraph like this in your intake paperwork 👇 (Seriously, save this now!)

⭐️ I charge ____ for a 50-minute session and accept cash, checks, and credit cards at the time of the appointment. I do not bill insurance, however, I provide you with a superbill at the end of each month that you can submit to your insurance company. Before booking an appointment, I suggest calling the number on the back of your insurance card to inquire about your ‘out-of-network’ therapy benefits and learn how to submit an out-of-network reimbursement claim.

📝 Setting expectations before a client books a session makes everything smoother—for you AND for them. No awkward money convos. No confusion. Just clarity.

⭐️ Save this for later! ⭐️ And if you want my full paperwork packet, drop “paperwork” in the comments! ⬇️

❤️ Kelley

(Story continued) Back when I was working for a gr

(Story continued) Back when I was working for a group practice, I didn’t tell a single person I was thinking of leaving but I knew I needed to start taking baby steps toward building my own dream!

I’d come home exhausted, but I still carved out 15-30 minutes every night to learn how to build my own Squarespace website. I literally just watched YouTube videos to figure it out! I kept it private until the day I launched my practice 🫣

That first website was 👏not perfect👏, but it was enough to get me going and gave me the ✨COURAGE✨ to START my practice. Since then, I’ve learned so much about marketing, websites, and building a business that actually attracts clients—and now I teach other therapists how to do the same.

If you’re stuck wondering where to begin, here are a few small steps to help you get started:

🫶🏻Buy a domain – Even if you’re not ready to build the site yet, it’s an easy step to take today and will help you start dreaming! Most domains are sooooo cheap!

❤️Draft your ‘About Me’ page – What makes you unique as a therapist? Start with a few bullet points in your notes app.

✨Reach out to one professional contact – Building relationships early on is key and meeting other therapist who have opened private practices, can give you courage!

🌊Work on one small marketing skill – Whether it’s SEO, writing, or social media, spend 15-30 minutes a week learning. You can learn these in my Marketing For Therapists Course. Comment GROW for the link.

❤️Want to someone to teach you exactly how to start a practice from zero? My Roadmap course breaks it down step-by-step, so you can open by January!. Comment ‘ROADMAP’ below and I’ll send you the link to the Roadmap!

Let’s Grow! ❤️ Kelley

🌱👩‍💻 #PrivatePracticeTips #TherapistsInPractice #MarketingForTherapists #howtostartaprivatepractice

Therapists, be honest—do you struggle with this

Therapists, be honest—do you struggle with this kind of guilt too? Because same.

In my heart of hearts, I wish insurance companies paid therapists fairly and were easier to work with. And yes, I know that some do. But let’s be real—we are far from a world where fair pay and easy reimbursement are the norm.

Recently, I met with a leading mental health insurance provider network and asked a simple question: Can you guarantee that every therapist who works with you gets paid at least $100 per session?

They gave me plenty of examples of insurance companies that sometimes pay more than that… but they could not guarantee it across the board. And that says a lot.

So here’s the impossible choice so many of us face:
💰 Take insurance and deal with low reimbursements, clawbacks, endless clinical documentation, and jumping through hoops just to get paid.
❌ Or don’t take insurance and face the guilt… and sometimes, the judgment from other therapists.

Neither option feels great, and the real problem? It’s not therapists. It’s a system that still doesn’t prioritize fair pay for the work we do.

Have you ever struggled with this choice? Let’s talk in the comments. 💬

Rooting for you ❤️ Kelley

SAVE this post for the next time you’re wonderin

❤️Feeling stuck in your 9-to-5 but dreaming of

❤️Feeling stuck in your 9-to-5 but dreaming of starting a private practice? You’re not alone. Taking that leap can feel overwhelming, but here’s the secret: you can start laying the foundation for your dream practice while you’re still working your current job.

Here are three steps you can take now to prepare for private practice success:

1️⃣ Start building an emergency fund. Having 3–6 months of expenses saved can give you the confidence to take the leap when the time comes.

2️⃣ Clarify your ideal client. Who do you love working with most? Start reflecting on the types of clients and issues you want to focus on—this will guide everything from your website to your marketing.

3️⃣ Begin building your website. You don’t need something fancy—start with a simple Squarespace site that speaks directly to your ideal client.

Laying the groundwork now will make your transition so much smoother when you’re ready to make the leap. Trust me, your future self will thank you.

Want a deeper dive into preparing for private practice while still working your 9-to-5? Comment “GROUNDWORK” below, and I’ll send you details about my upcoming workshop where I’ll guide you through all the steps to build your foundation!

Therapists, be honest—do you struggle with this

Therapists, be honest—do you struggle with this kind of guilt too? Because same.

In my heart of hearts, I wish insurance companies paid therapists fairly and were easier to work with. And yes, I know that some do. But let’s be real—we are far from a world where fair pay and easy reimbursement are the norm.

Recently, I met with a leading mental health insurance provider network and asked a simple question: Can you guarantee that every therapist who works with you gets paid at least $100 per session?

They gave me plenty of examples of insurance companies that sometimes pay more than that… but they could not guarantee it across the board. And that says a lot.

So here’s the impossible choice so many of us face:
💰 Take insurance and deal with low reimbursements, clawbacks, endless clinical documentation, and jumping through hoops just to get paid.
❌ Or don’t take insurance and face the guilt… and sometimes, the judgment from other therapists.

Neither option feels great, and the real problem? It’s not therapists. It’s a system that still doesn’t prioritize fair pay for the work we do.

Have you ever struggled with this choice? Let’s talk in the comments. 💬

Rooting for you ❤️ Kelley

Are you a therapist considering taking a maternity

Are you a therapist considering taking a maternity leave or a parental leave? Drop your questions in the comments I’d love to hear your story.

❤️Wondering how much it ✨really✨costs to s

❤️Wondering how much it ✨really✨costs to start a private practice? Hint: It is definitely NOT as much as you are imagining!

Instead of trying to squeeze it all into this caption, I’ve put together a free PDF that breaks down all the startup costs for you—nice and easy. Just comment
❤️START UP❤️, and I’ll send it straight to your DMs!

And remember, you don’t have to go all-in right away. You can totally start your practice part-time alongside your 9-5. It’s a great way to reduce risk and bring in extra income as you build up to full-time. So many therapists in my Private Practice Roadmap Course start this way, and the best part? Private practices can be whatever you want them to be—you’re in control!

Comment ❤️START UP ❤️and I’ll send over the cost guide!

❤️, Kelley

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© 2025 The Private Practice Pro | Kelley Stevens, LMFT

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