Podcast Summary: Private Practice Startup Podcast

Episode 128: Scarcity Proof Your Practice
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Keri Nola, retired psychotherapist, intuitive healer, and mentor
Date: March 24, 2019

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores how therapists and private practice owners can "scarcity proof" their practice. The conversation centers on shifting from a scarcity to an abundance mindset, integrating worthiness around receiving money, and building collaborative, rather than competitive, relationships in the mental health field. Keri Nola draws from her own journey and coaching experience to illustrate how addressing personal money wounds can unlock greater abundance, flow, and satisfaction in practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scarcity Consciousness in Therapy

• Keri highlights that scarcity thinking—particularly around money and receiving fair compensation—is endemic to the therapy profession.
• The hosts and guest discuss long-standing cultural narratives in the helping professions about self-sacrifice, under-charging, and avoiding profit, and how these mindsets negatively impact both therapists and clients.
• Quote:

  “There is like an allergy to receiving in exchange for the service that we offer... there's a lot of shame and guilt and fear that often rises up in us.”
  —Keri Nola (04:32)

2. Worthiness and Money

• Scarcity proofing is not just about raising fees, but about healing the sense of unworthiness or shame connected to asking for money and receiving abundance.
• Keri observes many therapists set arbitrary or low earning goals (e.g., $60,000/year), thinking that's "all that's possible," rather than what they truly want.
• Quote:

  “If you could make more than that [salary], doing the work you love, would you be open to it? And 100% of the time they say yes... So you’re taking 60,000... because that’s what you think is possible, not because that’s what you’re actually designed to receive.”
  —Keri Nola (06:23)

3. Scarcity Beyond Money: Niche and Clients

• Scarcity mindsets show up not only in finances, but in how practitioners take on “any” client, even those outside their ideal focus, or act as generalists instead of honing a specialty.
• Accepting non-ideal clients or working for less than one deserves affects the quality of care and professional fulfillment.
• Quote:

  “Scarcity proofing the practice is not only about money, but it’s also about where you’re being scarce in other ways. Are you taking on clients that don’t really resonate, that you aren’t here to serve?”
  —Keri Nola (08:28)

4. Competition vs. Collaboration

• The hosts and Keri champion collaboration over competition, sharing personal examples of referring clients and resources to colleagues—amplifying abundance rather than feeding into fear or lack.
• Non-compete agreements are challenged as symptomatic of scarcity thinking.
• Quote:

  “We refer to each other because... it’s this constant... abundance is there. It’s collaboration and it’s not competition.”
  —Katie Lemieux (10:00)
  “It can look like we’re the same but we each have a unique signature of our gift... the more we can lift each other up and rise together, the more space that creates for us to serve and help each other.”
  —Keri Nola (12:01)

5. Diagnosing Scarcity Mindset

• Keri uses reflective and narrative prompts to help coaches and therapists explore their relationship with money.
• Exercises include naming the first three words that come to mind when thinking about money, and exploring if their “relationship” with money is estranged, close, or misunderstood.
• Quote:

  “Are you married to money? Are you divorced? Are you estranged? Do you feel connected, close?... we really start to dive into the relational aspect because money is just an energy.”
  —Keri Nola (13:16)

6. Healing and Scarcity-Proofing Your Practice

• The process involves gaining clarity on what abundance would look like (clients, income, emotional state), naming both wounds and fears, and choosing strategies—ranging from energetic or belief work to deep lineage healing.
• Naming and claiming money wounds alone often releases enough energy for change.
• Quote:

  “Clarity is one of the fastest ways to... open these doors... they have to be able to name and really claim what it is they’re desiring so we can start to align the energies in that new way.”
  —Keri Nola (15:58)

7. Case Study/Transformation Example

• Keri shares a story of a therapist client who had deep family-of-origin money wounds, could barely voice her true income desire, but after three months of coaching, surpassed her $80,000 goal and was able to celebrate publically—with her transformation empowering others.
• Quote:

  “She couldn’t even say it, like, her throat would crack...and by the end of the three months coaching, she had crossed the $80,000 profit mark and was able to, like, shout from the rooftops.”
  —Keri Nola (18:04)

8. Celebration, Visibility, and Abundance Practices

• Celebration—sharing wins and being witnessed by others—is vital for activating and sustaining abundance.
• The act of openly celebrating financial or other successes is healing, challenges stigma, and models abundance for clients.
• Giving is part of abundance; when practitioners have more, they can offer sliding scales or pro bono services without fear or resentment.
• Quote:

  “Celebration is a huge part of the abundance activation, also being visible to yourself and to others in that process.”
  —Keri Nola (23:16)
  “The more we have, the more we can give... if we have, we can do that without resentment or fear of losing something.”
  —Keri Nola (21:28)

9. Handling Fear of Rejection and Letting Go

• Katie shares a personal anecdote about dealing with a client moving on, naming the initial fear and sense of rejection, talking it through, and releasing it—a process that flattens shame and provides freedom for abundance.
• Quote:

  “I just shared all the garbage that was going on my head... and then it was like, it’s said, it’s gone. It’s not true. Nothing of it’s true.”
  —Katie Lemieux (24:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• “There is like an allergy to receiving in exchange for the service that we offer—there’s a lot of shame and guilt and fear that often rises up in us.”
  Keri Nola (04:32)

• “If you could make more than that... would you be open to it?...you’re taking [what you think is possible, not what you’re actually designed to receive.”
  Keri Nola (06:23)

• “Scarcity proofing the practice is... about where you're being scarce in other ways...There’s something different between who we can serve and who we’re meant to serve.”
  Keri Nola (08:28)

• “It can look like we’re the same, but we each have a unique signature of our gift.”
  Keri Nola (12:01)

• “Are you married to money? Are you divorced?...money is just an energy.”
  Keri Nola (13:16)

• “Clarity is one of the fastest ways to open these doors...they have to be able to name and really claim what it is they’re desiring.”
  Keri Nola (15:58)

• Transformation Case Example—Income Goal & Outcome
  (Story runs 17:59–19:55)

• “Celebration is a huge part of the abundance activation.”
  Keri Nola (23:16)

Actionable Takeaways for Listeners

• Reflect on your own relationship with money: What three words come up? Is there shame, scarcity, or openness?
• Name and claim your financial and practice desires—don't limit yourself to what you believe is "possible."
• Seek collaboration over competition—there are enough clients for everyone.
• Practice celebrating your wins with trusted colleagues or friends to build your abundance mindset.
• Consider your niche—focus on who you are meant to serve, not just who you can serve.
• Acknowledge and process feelings of rejection or scarcity so they do not block further growth.

Free Resource Mentioned

• Keri Nola's 6-Day Abundance Activation Challenge: A guided journey through money wounds and relationship with abundance, available at kerinola.com (see show notes for direct link).

Final Message

Keri encourages therapists to embrace both financial abundance and love for their work:
“What if it was okay to do it for the money and also do it because you love it...As we allow ourselves to receive, we also reflect back that it’s safe for clients to receive in their own lives.” (25:43)