Is Business Coaching for Therapists Really Worth It? A Private Practice Owner's Honest Story
When I opened my private practice, I felt quite confident in my clinical skills. There is always room for growth, but I knew I provided a solid service. However, I was completely lost when it came to business. There was so much to learn!
I turned to fellow practice owners and picked up things along the way, but I still felt very vulnerable to unknowingly making a costly mistake in business. A friend recommended I join the Facebook group Balanced Private Practice, so I did. I began following the group and listening intently to the lessons Audrey Schoen offered through her free lives, worksheets, and emails.
I tried applying what I learned and made some progress, but I still felt the familiar creep of burnout as I struggled to see enough clients to make ends meet financially. At the time, I was consistently grossing about $4,100 per month ($48,000 per year) in my practice, seeing between 19 to 22 clients per week. While in some areas of our country, 48k would be an amazing annual salary, it was really not enough in our Northern California town to allow me to save for retirement, pay for childcare, or ever take time off free of worry.
Why I Was Scared to Invest in Coaching
I wanted to join Audrey's 1:1 coaching but was so nervous about spending the money. My young family needed every penny, and I didn't feel I could spare it. If I am honest, it felt too expensive for me. But one day I was brave enough to view it as an investment, and I am SO GLAD I DID!
Starting 1:1 Coaching With Audrey
In September 2022, I started 1:1 coaching with Audrey. She shared information with me, reviewed my website and marketing, and then offered me something I wasn't quite ready for. She got genuinely curious about my relationship with my own self-worth and self-imposed limits. She was gentle, kind, and so wonderfully curious.
Through coaching, we worked on my "money stuff," and I focused on implementing the changes we agreed would be a good fit for my practice.
The Real Numbers: What Private Practice Coaching Did for My Income
Now comes the vulnerable part. I'm going to share some numbers with you to help you decide if coaching seems worth the investment.
After implementing the things Audrey and I worked on, I nearly doubled my income the following year, grossing an additional $34K. Audrey and I continued coaching together, I put in the work, and the numbers kept growing. In just three years, Audrey's coaching, combined with my honest to goodness hard work, resulted in an additional $156,000 in earnings compared to what I would have earned if I had continued on my previous path.
It Wasn't Just About the Money
The best part? My clients have benefited tremendously too! I've been able to afford time off to invest in additional training. My clients started getting better faster, and doing deeper work than ever before. I finally had the capacity to hold that kind of space for them. I was also able to invest in a strong website that reaches more people who are a great fit for the work I do. I was finally able to save for retirement, save for sick days, and pay for my own child to access a specialty healthcare service she needed. The evolution of my practice completely shifted the way I was able to show up for myself, my family, and my clients.
So, Was Coaching Worth It?
That initial investment in coaching that felt so scary and expensive at the time? It has, most certainly, without a doubt, paid for itself again and again and again. Had I stayed on the same path of earning 48K per year seeing too many clients, it would have cost me my health, my wellness, and most certainly would have led me down the path of burnout.
Thank you to Audrey, and to the Balanced Private Practice community, for being a truly warm and healthy space on the internet throughout every step of my business journey.
— Jenna Johnson, LCSW, is a therapist in private practice. Learn more at jennalcsw.com.