Episode Overview

Title: Decreasing From 70 Hours/Week
Podcast: Abundant Practice Podcast
Host: Allison Puryear
Episode: #719
Date: December 31, 2025

Theme:
This episode dives into the journey of transitioning from an overwhelming 70-hour workweek to a sustainable, fulfilling private practice. Allison provides personalized guidance to a therapist intern about rate setting, client load, marketing, income goals, and setting a healthy foundation before branching into new offerings like courses or pro bono work. The episode is filled with mindset shifts, actionable advice, and real talk about the realities and possibilities of private practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background: The Therapist Intern’s Situation

• Current status: Just about to graduate in December; working full-time as a high school teacher while building a paid therapy caseload (currently EMDR trained).
• Goal: Replace all income from the teaching job by building a private practice with better hours, more self-pay, and a higher rate ($175/session).
• Long-term plan: See 20-30 clients at a full rate for “bill money/legacy income,” maintain a smaller number of lower-fee/grandfathered clients for “Amazon money,” and eventually create a course (03:00–04:10).

Reducing Client Load & Avoiding Burnout

• Ideal caseload debate:
  • Intern considers 40–45 clients per week, given recent workload.
  • Allison & Consultant recommend 26 weekly clients as the burnout threshold.
  • Note: Intensity, personal life, and clinical work heaviness must be considered rather than just numbers. (04:40–05:58)
• Notable Quote:
  "[T]he cutoff for where burnout really starts getting its claws into you is 26 clients a week total." (04:40 – Practice Consultant)

Setting Rates & Attracting the Right Clients

• Overcoming Limiting Beliefs:
  • The intern assumes high rates ($175+) mean clients will come less frequently (monthly vs. weekly).
  • Allison’s stance: Set the expectation for weekly meetings until clinically appropriate to reduce frequency. (06:00–07:50)
  • The more narrowly you market to the “right” client, the easier it is to maintain a higher rate and lower client load.
• Marketing Funnel:
  • Shift from low-fee/Medicaid EMDR to premium self-pay clients.
  • Focus on attracting clients who value specialized work ("I've done a lot of talking about my trauma and I'm still hurting") (09:25–10:36).
  • Facebook and Google ads experience, with advice to diversify marketing strategies and not put all eggs in the ads basket. (11:15–11:54)
• Crafting Your Web Presence:
  • Your website or landing page should tell the client’s story, not focus on modalities or your credentials.
  • Relief and resonance are key emotions to evoke.
• Notable Quote:
  "You want to talk about them, not you. You want to talk about them. Not EMDR. Make sure you're really nailing their daily lived experience." (09:53 – Practice Consultant)

Timeline Expectations

• Client Acquisition:
  "Maybe as short as four months, maybe as long as 12." (11:17–11:24 – Practice Consultant)
  • Variables: Niche, location, strategy, time of year, and consistency of effort.
  • Important: Avoid basing financial runway on the shortest estimate; be prepared for the long haul.

Scaling & Diversifying Income: When to Build a Course

• Courses are NOT recommended early on.
  "I usually don't recommend thinking about courses for most therapists. And if they do, I'm talking like years into practice where everything is streamlined and easy." (13:32–13:41 – Practice Consultant)
• Build a course only after your practice is full, stable, and high-fee ("...charging 250 or 300 per session, seeing a handful of clients... and have... extra energy and time and money.")
• Marketing a course is a second business—don't underestimate the effort.

Setting, Raising and Justifying Fees

• Dynamic Pricing Mindset:
  • $175/session is a strong, premium rate, but therapists can raise rates as their reputation builds.
  • Yearly increases are advised, with advance client notice (ideally scheduled for January). Raise by $25–$50 is common and typically doesn't result in losing many clients at this level.
  • Use tools like Tiffany McLean’s “Fun with Fees” calculator to set intentional rates based on lifestyle goals (15:05–15:43).
• Handling Criticism and Guilt:
  • Be clear about your needs and financial goals to resist guilt from peers about not being "accessible enough."
  • Notable Quote:
    "There are therapists you might be in school with... who are like, shouting about accessibility... but if you’re really clear, like, 'I'd like to pay my rent every single month and go out to eat when I want'... then when those people come at you... it's easier to not let it get in." (16:33–16:44 – Practice Consultant)

Pro Bono and Sliding Scale Ethics (21:47–23:13)

• Guiding Principle:
  • Establish financial stability first before offering pro bono or sliding-scale spots.
  • “You have to have all your bills paid, your retirement paid, you’re paying down your student loans... and then you can have as many pro bono spots as your heart desires...” (22:45–23:06 – Practice Consultant)
• One or two low-fee or pro bono spots are the norm, after the practice is on strong footing.

Membership Program (Abundance Party) Utilization

• Recommendation:
  • With limited time, pick targeted resources, e.g. "Build the Right Practice" course first, followed by "Know Your Niche," then the "Marketing Fundamentals." One hour per week is enough to stay on track (23:39–24:24).

Consultant's Outlook for the Intern (20:15–21:20)

• Positive Prediction:
  • The intern's efficiency and action orientation are highlighted.
  • Likely to be full in six months and possibly raising rates, with a shift to premium-fee-only clients as earlier, lower-fee clients graduate.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Burnout:
  "The cutoff for where burnout really starts getting its claws into you is 26 clients a week total." (04:40 – Practice Consultant)

• Marketing Your Value:
  "It's a me value." (08:53 – Therapist Intern)
  "You want to talk about them, not you... Make sure you're really nailing their daily lived experience." (09:53 – Practice Consultant)

• On Pricing:
  "When you set the fee and market well enough." (14:40 – Practice Consultant in response to 'when will people pay that much?')

• On Rate Increases:
  "Put it in your paperwork so that it's something your clients know is going to come..." (17:45 – Practice Consultant)

• On Offering Pro Bono:
  "You have to kind of earn your way into offering pro bono or sliding scale... you need to make sure all those things are handled first. And then you can have as many pro bono spots as your heart desires, as long as it doesn't start burning you out or you don't start getting resentful." (22:03–23:13 – Practice Consultant)

• Empowering Outlook:
  "You are efficient as hell. And you are somebody who gets shit done... I wouldn't be surprised if you were full in six months and you were maybe starting to be like, okay, this is a lot of clients..." (20:23 – Practice Consultant)

Key Timestamps

• Dream Caseload & Rate Goals: 02:15–04:10
• Work-Life Balance & Burnout Thresholds: 04:40–06:00
• Session Frequency & Value Mindset: 06:35–07:50
• Marketing Funnels & Niching: 08:29–11:54
• Acquisition Timeline: 11:03–11:24
• Courses: Not Yet!: 13:32–14:26
• Mindset on Raising Rates: 14:31–17:45
• Annual Rate Increases: 17:45–18:07
• Pro Bono Considerations: 21:47–23:13
• Consultant’s Six-Month Prognosis: 20:15–21:20
• How to Use Membership Resources: 23:39–24:24

Summary

This episode provides a practical, motivational, and honest roadmap for therapists looking to break free from grueling agency or double-job schedules and build a thriving, sustainable private practice. By focusing on clear messaging, smart rate-setting, targeted marketing, and protecting one's energy and time, Allison and her guest highlight both the possibilities and the rigor required for such a career shift. Listeners leave with clarity on what steps to take next, when to expand, how to justify fees, and how to grow a practice in accordance with their life goals.