Jenna's Story: From Burning Out to Private Practice Financial Stability In One Year
Jenna's transformation in the past year, from feeling the crunch of burnout in a group practice to thriving in her own private practice, is nothing short of inspiring.
A year ago, Jenna was stuck at a professional ceiling, with her income capped and her days packed with clients that didn't align with her passion.
Add to that the growing financial needs of her family, and you've got the perfect recipe for the need to shake things up.
Deciding to join the Thrilled Therapist Program wasn't just a business move for Jenna—it was a creative outlet and a crucial step towards achieving financial stability. The program offered her the human contact and support she craved, a far cry from the isolating DIY alternatives. As a full-time working mom, Jenna didn't want to wear the hat of a marketing guru; she wanted to be a therapist, and Thrilled Therapist promised—and delivered—a guiding hand.
Jenna's ideal clients are individuals grappling with life-altering diagnoses, injuries, or disabilities. Before the program, her marketing message was murky, but now, she can clearly articulate her mission to help these individuals find hope again. This clarity has not only filled her caseload quickly but allowed her to select clients that she truly enjoys working with.
Financially, the program has been a game-changer for Jenna. Working fewer hours for more pay has granted her the freedom to enjoy life, pursue hobbies like golf, and prevent the dreaded burnout. Her advice to other therapists? Investing in a program like this might seem like a big leap, but it's one that lands you in good hands. The personalized support and effective marketing strategies make it worth every penny.
Looking back, Jenna started with only 30% of her caseload being her ideal clients. Now, she's at a whopping 90%, which has significantly contributed to her professional satisfaction. For therapists looking to break free from the constraints of group practice and find joy in their work again, Jenna's story is a beacon of hope and a testament to the transformative power of finding your niche and getting the right support to showcase it.
Interview Transcript:
Hunter: So I'm here with Jenna. She started with us and our program about a year ago. Jenna is a more thrilled therapist than she was last year when I first met her, but, uh, I don't know all of the details of that story. So we're gonna be chatting about that today. So give uh, people a sense.
Jenna: Yeah, so this time last year I was a part of a group practice. I had been a part of that group practice for about four years. And, um, I think I was feeling burnout. Um, part of that, I think because I wasn't seeing my ideal client. Um, and it was really hard in a group practice setting to be able to market to them.
Hunter: Okay. So you kind of felt like you had a full caseload and your income was sort of capped at that point and there wasn't anywhere else to go at that point.
Jenna: Yeah, and I have a growing family too, so my financial needs were becoming more demanding. Um, and so there was this financial pressure to make a change.
Hunter: How did you come to make that decision or what was that like?
Jenna: Yeah. Well, obviously, um, in the time of moving, getting a bigger, you know, house with a higher mortgage, it didn't feel like maybe the one is smooth, but, um, I think I was really feeling, um, limited creativity and also financially. And so it just, I needed to make a move so I could have the freedom to make business choices around my private practice too. Mostly prevent burnout, but also kind of secure the financial stability of myself and my family. And I'm a, you know, I'm a creative person and so the idea of creating a business and marketing, um, around my niche so I could work with the demographic that I love to work with was, you know, really exciting.
Hunter: What is the demographic or who is your ideal client?
Jenna: My ideal client is somebody whose life has been flipped upside down by a diagnosis, injury, or disability. And they are feeling hopeless and are looking basically to kind of change their life and find hope again.
Hunter: Why did you choose to work with Thrilled Therapist?
Jenna: Um, I took the leap with thrill therapist because of the human contact. Um, you know, a lot of these therapists, private practice startup programs, um, you can get some human interaction, but it's kind of like, you know, they start off, you watch a bunch of web videos that are prerecorded and then you're essentially building your website by your, you know, doing all these things by yourself.
Jenna: And as, you know, a mom, somebody who works full-time and somebody who didn't, like I became a therapist, I did not wanna be a marketing professional. Um, that was a lot to ask and it felt really daunting. And so the idea that we were kind of gonna be, or thrilled therapist was gonna hold our hand was really enticing. Especially as a brand new business owner and helping to make sure that I could be successful was, you know, that was priceless for me.
Hunter: A piece of the program is, is not just building a website or not just creating your profiles, but really it's actually creating, uh, a clear marketing message to explain what it is that you do. So I know a year ago I asked you, what do you do?
Hunter: Uh, and you had a version of that that I don't think was super clear. So I'd be curious, you know, you've gone through the program, we helped you create that statement. To answer the question, what do you do? So if someone was to ask you, you know, Jenna, what do you do? What would you say today?
Jenna: I would say that I'm a therapist who helps people whose lives have been flipped upside down by a diagnosis, injury or disability. Find hope again. Really cool.
Hunter: Go ahead and say it without looking, without reading it.
Jenna: 'Cause I know you know it. No, I'm not reading it. I promise. I promise that's off the top of my head. I've actually had to say that or type that a million times. So it's in, it's ingrained in my brain.
Hunter: What have been some of the wins for you in the past year after you completed the program and as your business has kind of been growing?
Jenna: The big win was defining that niche and having that, you know, that statement and my website and everything. Just my whole marketing package being very tailored because, you know, after January I was opening up my S corp and starting my business and having to make Google pages and, you know, and so to have that already ready to go for me when I was going to open up the doors of my private practice was a really big deal, especially as new people are coming and checking out who you are and what you do.
Jenna: And so when I get consultation calls, especially at the beginning of my practice, I was very clearly able to articulate what I do to help these people and it filled up my caseload really quickly.
Hunter: Many therapists I talk to, marketing is a, uh, is a nice to have thing that they might do in the future. You know, it's almost like this item on the to-do list. That's something to do one day for themselves.
Hunter: And you did something different. You invested in marketing before your business was even formed. You put it at the top of the to-do list. Why did you do that?
Jenna: Well, marketing is your face, right? It's like, just like dressing up professional to go to work. It's the first thing that way that clients are encountering you. And so to not have that be cohesive or clear or put together, you know, people could breeze over your marketing or read it and not see how it applies to them. And so if I wanted to fill up my practice and not go, you know, those first few months of a brand new practice and being struggling, right?
Jenna: Financially, I felt like that needed to be on its a game. Um, so that I could be filling up my practice as quick as possible.
Hunter: What has changed in terms of how much money you're making or taking home on a monthly basis, as well as how many sessions you're working per week?
Jenna: Sessions per week. I was probably working 19 to 25. And in private practice that's a lot. Now I am on average working maybe 15 to 20.
Jenna: That's by choice. 20 clients a week works well for me. Um, but I'm taking home at least, um, a thousand to 1500 more a month, which is a big deal. To reduce your number of sessions a week by five to 10 and still be taking home a thousand to $1,500 more per month. Seems like a pretty good, uh, pretty good progress for a year.
Hunter: How has that influenced your life outside of work? What have, what, what has that done for you kind of outside of your professional life?
Jenna: Um, it's given me security, comfort. I've picked up hobbies. Um, I started taking golf lessons. Um, and so I kind of have these now cushy luxuries. Um, but those cushy luxuries have also been a key factor in preventing burnout for me.
Jenna: So having that extra money obviously gives me security and supporting my family, but it allows me to also do extracurriculars that kind of feed back into me so then I can continue to pour into my clients.
Hunter: What would you tell, uh, any therapist or clinician who is considering the Thrilled Therapist program, what do you feel like would be helpful or important for them to know?
Jenna: That it might feel like a lot. I mean, I, once again, now going through the program, um, it was worth every penny for me.
Jenna: I know it can feel like a lot to invest in yourself in that way, but this is also your business and your livelihood and the fact that basically, I, I guess the message I want to convey is, is that you're in good hands and that, you know, this team really, really sticks by you. They troubleshoot with you. And, um, it was so nice to be able to connect with you guys all the time throughout the year to help me really secure to make sure that my marketing was, um, producing effectively to support my business.
Jenna: Where in an online program you wouldn't get that type of support. So you really are nurtured and supported through Thrilled Therapist. Um, and so it might feel like a big leap, but you're getting a lot of bang for your buck.
Hunter: Then I have actually one more question I forgot to ask you. This time last year, what percentage of your caseload was your ideal client and what percentage of your caseload today is your ideal client and how has that affected you?
Jenna: I think when I first started this program, maybe 30% of my practice was my ideal caseload, but now it's 90%. That also has contributed I think, to my wellness as a therapist in practice is that once again, every day for the majority of my day, I'm working with people that I feel um, like I am really helpful to and that I really enjoy working with, which is a really big deal for therapists.
