Abundant Practice Podcast

Episode #697: Ask Allison Live

Host: Allison Puryear
Date: October 20, 2025

Overview

In this interactive “Ask Allison Live” episode, Allison Puryear fielded real-time questions from therapists navigating the shift from agency jobs and therapy platforms to building their own private practices. The discussion focused heavily on marketing strategies, niche development, networking, transitioning between platforms and approaches, and balancing multiple streams of work. This candid, experienced perspective was aimed at empowering therapists to gain more freedom, income, and personal satisfaction in their careers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marketing for Insurance vs. Private Pay Practices

• Job of Marketing Is the Same: Regardless of whether therapists take insurance or operate strictly private pay, the core principles of marketing apply, but with higher intentionality and niche clarity needed in private pay.
• Niche Matters Most for Private Pay:

  “You have to be much more intentional when you're private pay. And your niche has to be ever more clear when you're private pay. Simply because if I'm going to choose not to use my insurance, it's because I'm convinced you're the one.”
  — Allison (02:19)

2. Transitioning Off Therapy Platforms

• Establish a Timeline and Financial Cushion: Allison emphasized the necessity of a financial plan, sufficient referrals, and savings before leaving platforms. Accept some client loss as a normal part of transition.
  • Map out the average length of client treatment and current client flow.
  • Increase marketing consistency before pivoting away from platforms.
• Encouragement & Realism:

  "You're going to lose some people. That's okay. So figuring out financially exactly what you need so that you're not holding your breath, creating any sort of cushion you can around savings...and I'll also say, I know that this is, I'm telling the ideal. Not everybody can create that situation by the time they feel like they really need to get off these platforms."
  — Allison (03:39)

3. Networking With Doctor’s Offices & Overcoming Nerves

• Start Small, Use Scripts: Allison advocated for calling rather than dropping by, using a tightly-prepared script, and speaking to referral coordinators or front desk staff.
  • Focus on how your clients present their issues to doctors (e.g., fatigue instead of “burnout”).

  “Write your script out and say, I'd like to talk to the referral coordinator...keep it really tight and you're able to like send them whatever they ask for, whether it's credentials, whether it's just cards in the mail, whatever.”
  — Allison (07:08)

• Begin With Familiar Contacts: Use your own physicians’ offices or your children’s pediatricians as entry points.
  • One solid relationship can nearly fill a caseload for the right niche.

4. The Game-Changer for Growing Practice & Business

• Networking Built on Authentic Relationships:

  "It’s networking and forming real relationships. Often when I say networking, everybody thinks...like a one night stand, right? Like you go out and you have coffee with someone one time and that was great. The end…Instead it’s like dating.”
  — Allison (10:52)

  • Seek both new and established therapists for networking.
  • Only nurture the connections that genuinely feel reciprocal.

• Perseverance for Online Business:

  "I'd say perseverance, because online business is a totally different animal… It's another full time job to get something off the ground."
  — Allison (12:53)

5. Therapist vs. Coach: Pitfalls & What’s Missing

• Avoid Desperation in Coaching:

  “I see a lot of coaches out there looking desperate. Nobody is attracted to desperation...your job is to serve them, not for them to help you.”
  — Allison (14:21)

• Branding & Boundaries:
  • Be clear with yourself and clients about roles— therapist vs. coach—maintaining appropriate boundaries and leveraging available marketing strategies (testimonials, etc.) for coaching.

6. Specializing & Niching for Couples Therapists

• Niche by Problem, Not Just Population:

  “The niche is the problem. And that's the problem for them…talking about that dynamic really clearly on your website, that's a niche.”
  — Allison (19:38)

  • Use client language (“communication issues”) on marketing materials rather than technical terms (like “inner child work”) unless the client is ready.
  • Focus marketing on the most common presenting concerns; specificity wins.

7. Finding Speaking Opportunities & Marketing Your Niche

• Diverse Venues:
  • Faith communities, yoga studios, public libraries, college campuses, work wellness programs, and other therapists’ practices.
• Business Cards: Niche statement trumps photo; clarity is key for referrals.
• Collaborative Approaches: Partner with community leaders or bring another therapist from a relevant faith background for niche presentations.

  “I think a niche for sure because that also helps people remember. You put your name with your niche and then you can do a photo. But if you had to choose, I’d put a niche over a picture.”
  — Allison (25:30)

8. Juggling Coaching and Therapy Practices

• Structured Scheduling by Role: Use specific days or blocks of time for therapy vs. coaching to minimize mental task-shifting and maintain boundaries, though real-world deviations do happen.

  "When I've had the best boundaries around it, I've had like a day or a part of a day that is distinctly for therapy and a day or a part of the day that is distinctly for...abundance...And that is when I feel most grounded and most clear headed."
  — Allison (28:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Fear of Client Loss:

  “You are going to lose some people. That's okay.”
  — Allison (03:39)

• On Networking:

  "You don't need to reach back out and nurture the relationships with people where it felt stilted or awkward. And if it had been a date, you would not have wanted them to ask you on a second date. Right? So just real connection."
  — Allison (11:05)

• On Therapy vs. Coaching:

  "It's easier for them to get chosen as a therapist in private practice than as a coach out in the world."
  — Allison (16:32)

• On Niching for Couples:

  “Push, pull—that ‘I can't get enough/I need some space’ dynamic—talking about that dynamic really clearly on your website: that's a niche.”
  — Allison (19:38)

Timeline & Timestamps

• [02:01] – How marketing approaches differ for insurance vs. private pay
• [03:39] – Steps and mindset for transitioning off therapy platforms
• [07:08] – Networking with doctor’s offices: first steps and scripts
• [10:52] – Game-changers for building a thriving practice and online business
• [14:21] – Coaching vs. therapy roles, boundaries, and pitfalls
• [19:38] – Niche development for couples therapists
• [25:30] – Where and how to find speaking opportunities; best practices for business cards
• [28:52] – Balancing coaching and therapy work schedules

Actionable Takeaways

• Clarify your niche and be religiously consistent with your marketing, especially if you’re moving to private pay or off therapy platforms.
• Networking isn’t a “one and done”—authentic, relationship-centered networking yields lasting referrals.
• Start public speaking and networking in spaces where your ideal client organically gathers: faith communities, professional circles, etc.
• Structure your week with clear boundaries and time blocks for coaching and therapy to avoid mindset fatigue.
• Always remember: “You are going to lose some people. That’s okay.” Build a cushion, prepare, and move forward.

For more resources or to join live Q&As, visit abundancepracticebuilding.com or check out the Abundance Party membership.