Episode #776: Choose Your Hard: Agency Burnout or Building Your Practice

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Abundant Practice Podcast

Episode #776: Choose Your Hard: Agency Burnout or Building Your Practice

Host: Allison Puryear
Guest: Rebecca Smith
Release Date: July 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Allison Puryear and Rebecca Smith dive deep into the emotional, financial, and strategic factors at play when therapists consider leaving agency work to start a private practice. Guided by a listener's heartfelt question, the duo candidly discusses the realities of "choosing your hard," providing both validation and practical advice. They break down the myth of ever feeling "truly ready" and reassure listeners that both the agency grind and private practice journey come with their unique challenges and rewards.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Answering the Listener's Dilemma: Are You Ready or Just Escaping?

• Question: After four years in agency work, the listener is torn between the instinct to stay (for perceived safety) and the pull to leave (for something better)—but wonders if their desire to leave comes from readiness or just wanting to escape something hard.
  (00:49)
• Rebecca empathizes: “Every time I commit to staying, I feel the sinking feeling I can’t shake. How do you actually know when you’re ready, like truly ready versus just ready to escape something hard?” (00:49)

2. Emotional Readiness vs. Strategic/Financial Readiness

• Allison: "Emotional readiness and financial readiness are two different things... if it’s based on vibes and not being afraid, it’s not going to happen. You’re going to be afraid, and then you’re going to do it." (02:20–03:03)
• Rebecca: "You have to pick your hard. You have to choose your difficult. It’s going to be hard to stay in a place that doesn’t work for you... It’s also going to be hard to build a practice... Which is serving the future you want?" (03:05–03:33)

3. There’s Never a Perfect Time to Leap

• They discuss how real-life obligations (pregnancy, serious illness, major moves) may make timing less than ideal, but outside of those, waiting for the "right" time is often just procrastinating.
  (03:54–04:37)

• Allison: "If you’re kind of like in the normal life that's burnout kind of space... there's never going to be a right time. Waiting until your kids go to school—you’re gonna freakin’ wait forever." (03:54–04:37)

4. Time, Energy, and Emotional Costs

• Making a major change (like launching a private practice) always requires emotional and time energy, but putting that energy to a more meaningful use can be freeing.
  (04:37–05:11)

5. Financial Preparedness & Strategy

• Allison’s Guidance:

  • Have at least 3–6 months of expenses saved before taking the leap (especially in 2026, with fuller practices taking longer to build).
  • Most people should start their practice while still employed, using any practice income exclusively as a launchpad fund—not "fun money."
  • Save thoroughly and plan, as money and security are deeply intertwined for most.
    (05:32–07:27)

• Quote: "If you want a full-time private practice, do not approach it as fun money on top of job money... sock all the rest of that money away. It creates an emotional safety." (06:33–07:11)

• Rebecca: Emphasizes the difficulty but also the immense difference in how those hours pay off compared to agency work:

  • “When you have a premium fee and you add three clients, you are going to put so much in the bank.” (07:38–07:53)

6. Embracing the Challenge: Not About Impulsivity

• They note the listener is already ahead by mapping out a plan, combating a narrative that equates action with impulsivity.
  (08:00–08:24)

• “You’re already doing better than people who are like, I don’t know, maybe I’ll start a practice...” (08:00–08:24)

7. Strategic Steps for Successful Transition

• If you are in a position where you need to leave immediately, have a clear, actionable plan:
  • Define your niche.
  • Get your website tailored to your niche.
  • Network intentionally.
  • Ensure consistency in all online messaging and profiles.
    (09:10–10:34)
• Rebecca: Market realities have changed:
  • “Now, things have shifted in the market for therapy... There are things you need to do to fill your practice. Making sure you are doing what you can for SEO, for AI, everything across your online world is consistent.” (09:58–10:33)

8. Leaning Into Accountability & Support

• Both hosts highlight the importance of guidance, mentorship, or programs (like Limitless Practice or Abundance Party) in making the leap.
  (10:34–11:33)

• Rebecca: "It’s like someone’s holding your hand and shoving you off a cliff at the same time. You need both of those things." (11:33–11:47)

• For solo practitioners, accountability and “shoving yourself off that cliff” is critical—otherwise you risk staying stuck out of fear.

9. Normalization of the Experience

• Both agree: every therapist has these fears and doubts—this is universal, not a sign you’re “not cut out for private practice.”
  (12:00–12:11)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You have to pick your hard. You have to choose your difficult.” - Rebecca (03:05)
• “The net doesn’t know it needs to be there until you jump.” - Allison (02:33)
• “If you want a full time private practice, do not approach it in that way... sock all the rest of that money away. It creates an emotional safety.” - Allison (06:33–07:11)
• “It’s like someone’s holding your hand and shoving you off a cliff at the same time. And you need both of those things.” - Rebecca (11:33–11:47)
• “Every therapist I’ve ever talked to—this is me, this is Rebecca, this is all of us, a thousand percent.” - Allison (12:09–12:11)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:49 – Listener’s agency/practice dilemma presented
• 02:20–03:03 – Emotional vs. financial readiness
• 03:05–03:33 – “Choose your hard” philosophy explained
• 04:37–05:11 – Real-life timing vs. always feeling unready
• 05:32–07:27 – Financial savings, how to build a launchpad
• 07:38–07:53 – Payoff differences: agency vs. private practice
• 09:10–10:34 – Concrete first steps if leaving agency work
• 11:33–11:47 – The value of accountability and support
• 12:00–12:11 – Normalizing the experience: “this is all of us”

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Key Takeaways for Therapists

• There is no perfect moment: Fear and uncertainty are normal; don’t wait for them to disappear.
• Plan for safety: Set aside real financial reserves and treat building your practice like a business from the start.
• Build while employed if you can: It’s harder but gives you security and a smoother transition.
• Strategic action beats over-planning: Don’t get stuck in endless preparation—have a plan, but keep moving.
• Seek guidance and accountability: Whether through programs or support groups, have someone to “hold your hand and shove you off the cliff.”
• Everyone doubts: Transitioning from agency to practice is challenging for all therapists, not just you.

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For further support, resources, or to join the Abundance Party community, follow the links mentioned or check the episode show notes.
Download the accompanying worksheet (“Common Fears”) to help you address your own readiness blockers.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

Welcome to Ask Abundance. Y' all ask the questions about having a fun and thriving practice. We answer them. We have a worksheet for you today so you can bring this answer into your life. If you want support in your practice, we have you covered with on demand or one on one support. Links for the worksheet and support are in the show. Notes can't get enough Ask Abundance. Check out our YouTube channel for the entire library. Yay. Welcome back to Ask Abundance. Today I'm joined by Rebecca Smith. Rebecca is a limitless practice grad who came aboard Team Abundance. She has a premium fee private pay practice in New Orleans and she's really great at helping Abundance therapists imagine what's possible for them. So she's going to tell us today's question.

[A]

Yeah. Thanks, Alison. Today's question is great. It says, I've been at my agency job for four years and I genuinely cannot tell anymore if I'm staying because it's a smart move or because I'm just scared to leave. Every time I start mapping out a plan for private practice, I talk myself out of it. But every time I commit to staying, I feel the sinking feeling I can't shake. How do you actually know when you're ready, like truly ready versus just ready to escape something hard?

[B]

All right, before we get into this, I would like to thank our sponsor Therapy Notes. I've talked about them for years and years, know their features by heart, but what truly sets them apart is that they genuinely care about your experience. It's not just about troubleshooting. They actively implement user suggested features like Therapy Search, Secure Messaging, Clinical outcome tracking, and their AI notes therapy fuel feature. Everybody at TherapyNotes believes in the product and wants you to love it too. Plus, they're independently owned, which means no venture capital, no pressure to prioritize investors over customers. This independence allows them to keep their prices fair, to focus on innovation and prioritize customer experience. With over 100,000 therapists already board, they've proven that you don't have to compromise success for quality. If you're ready to see for yourself, try Therapy notes free for two months with the code abundanttherapynotes.com all right, let's get into it.

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

This idea of being ready, what are your thoughts on that in general?

[A]

I mean, I think the first thing that popped into my head was emotional readiness versus like strategic or financial readiness are two different things. I think that they're emotionally, I don't think there's probably right times. I think I'm A very you gotta jump and the net will appear kind of person because the net doesn't know it needs to be there unless you jump.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

I'm very interested to hear what you have to say about financial readiness and being strategic about it. But if it's like, based on vibes and based on not being afraid, it's not going to happen. You're going to be afraid, and then

[B]

you're going to do it. Yes.

[A]

And escape something I like. I love that. The very end of that question. Am I ready or am I just trying to escape something hard? It's like you have to pick your heart. You have to choose your difficult. It's going to be hard to stay in a place that doesn't work for you, that is not a good fit, that's not paying you enough, or whatever it is. It's also going to be hard to build a practice and which of you is serving the future that you want.

[B]

Yeah. I think it's funny. I've had the choose your hard conversation a few times this week with people.

[A]

This week? Yeah, this week. A few times already.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Which often when I'm having the same conversation over and over with people, it's actually my stuff. So now I've got to look at what's my choose.

[A]

We're not looking at you directly, Allison, but, like, maybe we are.

[B]

Yeah. So, okay, in terms of emotional readiness, 100% agree with you. You are never going to be ready. There's never going to be a right time. There are some wrong times. Like if you're nine months pregnant, that's probably the wrong time to start a private practice. If you've got somebody really close to you that's actively dying, like, they're really extreme circumstances, then that's the wrong time. But if you're kind of like in the normal life. Normal life that's burned out kind of space. Maybe you hate your job. Like, all of that points to, there's never going to be a right time waiting to your kids go to school. You're going to freaking wait forever. They're going to go to kindergarten. You're going to be like, well, wait, maybe this or that. You're throwing stuff in your own way.

[A]

Yeah. Part of what I'm hearing you say there is, like, making a change will take emotional and time energy. Emotional energy, time energy. A lot of energy. And so there. There's a lot of times when. When you know, you can spread out your energy in different ways, but very specific times, like, I'm about to move to a new city. I am about to have a baby that that energy needs to be funneled elsewhere. But most of the time it's going to take energy and you're gonna have that energy because you're gonna have to put it somewhere anyway.

[B]

Right, Right. It's funny because we have somebody in Limitless right now who was like, I don't know if it's the right time to join because a month into the program I'm gonna be moving across the country.

[A]

I talked to her. Yeah.

[B]

Ended up joining because it did. It just depends on how you do things. And she wanted to set things up differently in her new place. Yeah. So I get that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Let's talk about financial preparedness because that's important, especially now that it is taking people a longer time to get full. We need to make sure you're not having to get a job at the Gap because you know you need to pay a bill, maybe just your phone bill. I don't know what they pay a Gap, but it's probably not enough for your mortgage because that's, that's the world these days. I would say have at least six months worth of expenses, if not saved on the way to saved, like three months. For sure. For sure have saved. I would say the majority of people starting practices though are starting them on the side. And if you're starting it on the side, you don't need to have a ton of money saved. And every dime you make in your practice you can put towards when you do make that leap. So it's really easy to get used to. Oh, well, I saw clients, so this is now my fun money on top of my job money. If you want a full time private practice, do not approach it in that way. I want you to, aside from expenses for your practice, sock and taxes, save for taxes, sock all the rest of that money away. And that way when you're wanting to make the leap, I mean, you'll already have clients, so you don't need as many months saved up. But it's just going to create this emotional. If you're like me and money and security are like so tangled up, they may as well be the same thing. It creates an emotional safety to take that leap if you have plenty of savings to float you and you've got clients. So for most people, that's actually the path that I recommend at this stage is like build your practice on the side. Is it a lot of work on top of full time work? Yeah, it sucks. And unless you have a partner who can Pay all the bills or parents who are floating you for a while, unless you have some sort of privilege around money, in which case take it, use it, enjoy it.

[A]

Absolutely. Yes. Yeah.

[B]

In 2026, I'm going to recommend that you're building it on the side first. And yes, it will suck because it's more than full time work.

[A]

It will suck because it's more, more than full time work. But it's also paid so much differently than full time agency work. It is hard, but when you have a premium fee and you add three clients, you are going to put so much in the bank.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If you're just seeing three extra clients a week, it's, it's going to pay off.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And this interesting thing about this question is that this person is obviously not impulsive. Not only because they're like kind of waffling back and forth, but also because they say every time I start mapping out a plan, you're already doing better than people who are like, I don't know, maybe I'll start a practice. Like they're getting a plan, they're figuring it out and that is going to, that's really going to pay off. And so the, the idea of being ready, I think really needs to come down to things like dollars and cents rather than fear or confidence. Right. Because it's going to be hard and you're going to have to come up against like disappointing people like the, like quitting or like maybe, maybe you can't take all your patients with you or whatever it is you're gonna, it's. There will be uncomfy times to build that future. And that's normal.

[B]

Yeah, that's normal. See, we talked about emotional financial strategy, so. Strategy I feel like we hit on with, you know, building your practice while you're still employed. That's going to be the best move for most people from a financial stability standpoint. If you are like, I have to get out of here, I have enough savings or a partner who can front our bills for a little while, then if you're in that position and you have to get out of your job now, some of us have been there, then I want you to really hit the ground running. I want you to make sure that you have very clear plans for how you're going get this practice going. I want you to be very clear on your niche. I want you to get your website very specifically up to that niche client. I want you to network with the people that your ideal client are going to first. I want you to, you know, now things have shifted in the market for therapy. So I used to be like, oh, do those two things and then choose from this list of things based on what you like. And that's not the case anymore. In 2026, there are things you need to do to fill your practice. And so making sure that you are doing what you can for SEO for AI, like making sure that your everything across your online world is consistent both with messaging. And you want to say something like Alison Perior, lcsw, not Alison Perrier, psychotherapist. On some things they need to be. Whatever it is you choose, you put it across all of them.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

There's a whole list. I mean, we have a whole course on it in the abundance party.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So join that if you need help with that. But make sure you have a plan and you're working that plan and you are working your plan every single workday.

[A]

Yes. And you don't have to have your practice started before you. Before you get more information, before you join a bun dance, before you start making your little list, before you read a book about how to budget for your practice. Like all of those things can happen. But if you're really trying to figure out what's the date that I jump pick that based on less emotional like financial data or whatever it is. Like, like I when. So I did limitless practice. Now it's been years ago. I don't understand how that's possible. And I, when I tell people the most helpful thing, I was like, it's like somebody's holding your hand and shoving you off a cliff at the same time. And you need both of. I ever told you that I usually you need both of those things.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The support. And you need somebody to be like, do it. I really needed that. And if you are alone and figuring this out on your own when you're going to do it, you have to shove yourself off that cliff.

[B]

Yeah. That's where that emotional readiness comes in. None of us are ready to jump off cliff. Like even cliff jumpers are like 1, 2, 3, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Amazing. Well, our free worksheet today is common fears. So that you can see yourself in this because this is like a. Every therapist I've ever talked to. This is me, this is Rebecca, this

[A]

is all of us, a thousand percent.

[B]

And I just don't want you to think that your concerns are a reason to not do private practice. So you can get that with the link in the show notes if you're listening to the pod or you can say the word worksheet in the Social Post. So yeah, amazing. Thanks, Rebecca.

[A]

Thank you. See you later.

[B]

If you're ready for a much easier practice, TherapyNotes is the way to go. Go to therapynotes.com and use the promo code abundant for two months free. I hope that helped. Please get in touch with any of your questions for Ask Abundance. If you're listening, you probably need some

[A]

support building your practice.

[B]

If you're a super newbie, grab our free checklist using the link in the show notes. I'd love for you to follow rate and review, but I really want you to share this episode with a therapist friend. Let's help all our colleagues build what they want.