Podcast Summary:

Private Practice Startup Podcast – Episode 110:
Title: Five Steps to a FULL Private Pay Online Therapy Practice
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Dr. Amber Lyda, Licensed Psychologist & Online Practice Coach
Date: November 3, 2018

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into building a thriving, private-pay, online therapy practice. Hosts Kate and Katie welcome Dr. Amber Lyda, who shares her "Five Steps to a FULL Private Pay Online Therapy Practice." With a focus on designing private practice around the life you truly want, Amber offers actionable insight on building, marketing, and sustaining an online mental health business—centered on authenticity, relationship, and service. The conversation is rich with practical tips, encouragement, and real-world examples directly from Amber's experience.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Start With Your WHY (Bonus Step)

• Amber’s Journey:
  Amber describes her transition from a "cushy" college counseling job to forging a practice built around her preferred lifestyle, prioritizing time and flexibility over traditional markers of success.
• Why Focus Is Crucial:
  “The clearer folks can get why they’re doing it, the easier it is to set up a marketing plan and a business plan that will support that.” (Amber, 07:16)
• Defining Moments:
  The leap comes when the comfort zone is outgrown, often after repeated compromise of personal fulfillment.

2. Step One: Do the Damn Video

• Video Is Non-Negotiable:
  Amber insists that therapists must move past video hesitancy: “If you’re not making video, you are really, really underselling yourself.” (15:06)
• Practical Approach:
  Amber started by making videos specifically for clients (e.g., teaching diaphragmatic breathing), which she later shared publicly.
• Tips for Getting Comfortable:
  • Pretend you’re speaking to a current client.
  • Start simple—record yourself teaching something you do repeatedly in sessions.
  • Remember: “Done is better than perfect.” (Katie, 18:05)
• Content Tips:
  • Grab watchers immediately: “Nobody wants to know who you are in the first 30 seconds. First three seconds, tell them what you’re going to help them with.” (Amber, 17:09)
  • Amy Porterfield’s content creation strategies (Recommended: Online Marketing Made Easy podcast).

3. Step Two: Get On the Right Social Media

• Go Where Your Clients Are:
  Usually, that’s Facebook, which has the best SEO for therapists.
• Repurpose Content:
  Share YouTube videos on Facebook for 2-for-1 marketing.
• Be Helpful First:
  Build trust in the novelty of online therapy by providing genuinely valuable resources before seeking anything in return.
• Addressing Video Discomfort:
  “If you can get yourself to make video with your face in it, that is best. But if you really can’t…do a podcast with your picture as a video slide.” (Amber, 15:16)

4. Step Three: Spread Wide, Then Go Deep

• Experiment Across Platforms:
  Try Facebook, Instagram, etc. at first, to “get your online footprint widely spaced.” (Amber, 21:09)
• Find Your Fit:
  Narrow to one you prefer and master it; for Amber, this is Facebook. Use tools like MeetEdgar for automation elsewhere.
• Organic Growth Is Possible:
  “It’s all organic, baby.” (Amber, 21:28)
• Pro Tip:
  Universities are eager to share helpful mental health content—offer your videos to their counseling centers for massive exposure. “That would be so easy to contact universities and be like, ‘hey, if you need some content for your page, here’s my YouTube channel. Feel free to use it.’” (Amber, 22:42)

5. Step Four: Don’t Forget In-Person Connections

• Your Network Matters:
  Despite being an online practice, “most of your referrals are going to come from person-to-person contact.” (Amber, 23:15)
• Start With Your Current Contacts:
  “If you’re going to have the wedding of the century and invite everybody you know and everybody that they know…write that list of people down." (Amber, 23:21)
• Outreach Script:
  Contact those in your network, prioritize complementary professionals, and reach out with a genuine, specific request to connect—all focused on learning about them, not pitching yourself.

6. Step Five: Relationship Nurturing

• Stay Genuinely Connected:
  Every interaction should invite a next point of contact, e.g., schedule a follow-up, or simply check in periodically.
• Be Authentic:
  Celebrate colleagues, send thanks, or just say hello—without expectation—keeps your network warm and fosters return referrals.
• Examples:
  Simple gestures like a birthday text or congratulatory email can be both heartfelt and effective for staying top of mind.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Lifestyle Design:
  “How can I build my practice…around the lifestyle I wanted to live?”
  — Amber Lyda (06:04)
• On Accountable Support:
  “Having somebody outside of me who knew what my real goals were and who could kind of call me out…That’s not what you said you wanted to do. You said you wanted to bring in time.”
  — Amber Lyda (10:42)
• On Being Helpful as Strategy:
  “What did turn into clients was every time I tried to help somebody else.”
  — Amber Lyda (12:30)
• Video Confidence Hack:
  “I pretend that only my client is gonna see it…so it just helps me not think about it.”
  — Amber Lyda (15:37)
• Simplicity of Content Creation:
  “It’s probably five minutes of something that you just did in session for the 20th time today.”
  — Katie Lemieux (19:34)
• Therapist Marketing Superpower:
  “We really have collectively so many skills that put us in a prime spot to really help us…not only do well in the therapy room…but do well in really creating a business.”
  — Katie Lemieux (28:48)
• Easiest Path Forward:
  “This is easier than you think. You don’t have to spend a ton of money…Just start the damn thing.”
  — Amber Lyda (30:04, 31:17)

Important Timestamps

• Defining your WHY – 07:09
• Amber’s story of leaving agency work – 08:23
• Accountability and Getting Off-Track – 10:29
• What truly works for building an online practice – 12:27
• The power of helpful content & video – 14:01
• Amber’s video tips (mindset, content) – 15:16
• Amy Porterfield’s content strategy – 16:19
• Step 1: “Do the damn video” – 18:00
• Step 2: Social media, Facebook focus – 18:17
• Repurposing in-session material for content – 19:07
• Step 3: Spread wide, go deep on one platform – 21:20
• Universities as video sharers/ninja tip – 22:19
• Step 4: Person-to-person networking – 23:13
• How to reach out: sample script – 24:12
• Nurturing professional relationships – 26:18
• Genuine follow-up examples – 27:03
• Emotional connection & trust in marketing – 28:35
• Takeaway: Start now, shortcut the obstacles – 31:18

Final Takeaways

• Build your practice intentionally around YOUR desired lifestyle, not what you think you “should” do.
• Video and helpful content are non-negotiable for connecting with clients and standing out.
• Start broad in your online presence, then focus on one platform you enjoy.
• In-person professional relationships still matter immensely—even for online practitioners.
• Stay genuine in all connections. Being helpful, present, and real is your best marketing asset.
• “Just start the damn thing”—perfection isn't required to be successful.

Recommended Resource:
Amber's free guide to launching an online practice with shortcuts to common questions (details in show notes).

To Connect with Amber Lyda:
Visit her YouTube channel (link provided in episode show notes).

Up Next:
Dr. Joy Bradford of Therapy for Black Girls
Stay tuned for niche-building inspiration next episode!

For tools, free trainings, and more, visit theprivatepracticestartup.com