Do you need a Clock and a Couch to Earn Money as a Therapist?
May 19, 2025You Don’t Need a Therapy Room to Make a Real Difference
It happened on a fall school trip. Sixth grade. I was standing on a small wooden stump with 20 other students, wobbling, arms flailing, trying not to fall off. We were doing one of those team-building rope course challenges. The stump was too small. The task seemed impossible. After several failed attempts, I said it out loud:
“This is impossible.”
The instructor didn’t correct me. He just said, “Okay. We’re done.”
The game stopped. That was it.
Then he added something that’s stayed with me ever since:
“When someone believes it can’t be done, it can’t be done.”
That moment shaped how I lead, how I teach, and how I show up today.
The Beliefs That Box Us In
In the therapy world, there's a quiet but powerful belief that many of us still hold:
Helping only happens in one room, with one client, for one hour.
It’s the model we were trained in. It’s structured. Sacred, even. And it works—until it doesn’t.
When a client cancels, or doesn’t show, or moves away…
When your energy dips…
When your family needs you, but your schedule is full…
That once-reliable model starts to feel more like a box than a calling.
And here’s the hard truth:
Belief is contagious. And so is burnout.
Time Isn’t the Only Limiter—Location Is, Too
The deeper issue isn’t just about the schedule. It’s about geography.
You were trained for the room. The couch. The clipboard. The fluorescent lights.
But your clients? They’ve changed.
They’re listening to podcasts.
They’re buying mini-courses.
They’re looking for help at 2 am while scrolling on their phones.
Not because they don’t value therapy—but because they need access.
And that’s where your calling could stretch, if you let it.
You Were Trained for the Room. But the World Is Training for On-Demand.
Let me tell you what happened recently.
I had set up a meeting and rearranged my whole morning. Prepped. Researched. Showed up ready.
And then… nothing. No call. No reschedule—just a complete no-show.
I didn’t just lose 60 minutes. I lost the chance to serve, help, and make a difference.
And I thought:
This is what so many therapists go through every week.
One client, one hour, one paycheck.
And if any part of that equation breaks, so does your income.
It’s a fragile system. A faithful one—but fragile nonetheless. It works well until it doesn't.
What If Your Message Didn’t Depend on the Clock or the Couch?
Here's something that might feel controversial, but I hope you'll hear it with curiosity:
You don’t need a room to make a real difference.
You don’t need a zip code. You don’t need Zoom. You need:
- A message
- A method to share it
- A model that lets you help when you’re not in the office
That’s where courses and coaching products come in.
Not as replacements for therapy—but as expansions.
Not as sales gimmicks—but as stewardship of your hard-earned wisdom.
From Maps to GPS
You remember maps, right? One person, one route, one destination.
They work. But GPS changed everything.
Now, everyone can access directions, 24/7, wherever they are.
And that’s what a well-crafted course or resource can become: your GPS.
It’s still your insight. Still your heart. Just in a format that scales.
Who Misses Out When You Stay Small?
I think about my sister, adopted and struggling with specific mental health needs.
My parents searched and searched. They made calls, joined waiting lists, asked for help.
But the right-fit provider? Not in-network. Not in town. Not available.
She suffered. We all did.
What if the right help had been packaged in a way they could access?
That’s the question I want you to carry today. Not as pressure, but as possibility.
A Small, Faithful Step Forward
You don’t have to stop doing what you love.
You don’t have to burn down your practice.
But you can build something new—slowly, wisely, and with purpose.
You were trained to help.
You’re allowed to scale that help.
Even if the people you’re made to serve don’t live in your zip code.
Want to explore what that could look like?
Grab the free guide: 15 Ways to Package Your Experience into a Coaching Product.
These are simple, doable formats—many you can build in an afternoon.
Visit courses.coursecreationstudio.com/store to get your copy.
And if you already have a course idea in your head, the Step-by-Step Cohort might be your next faithful step. I’m walking 10 students through how to turn their insight into income—without selling their soul.
Let’s put your mission in motion.
Course Creation Planning Worksheet Download
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