July 15, 2025 • 25 mins
If you’ve been circling a decision, second-guessing your copy, or feeling stuck in your practice—not dramatically frozen, but caught in that loop of “I’ll get to it later”—this episode is your lifeline. I’m digging into what it really means to “remember your why,” beyond the usual inspirational fluff. This isn’t about finding a fleeting spark of motivation. It’s about building a compass you can actually use when fear or overthinking try to take the wheel.
Together, we’ll unpack the moments therapists most often lose sight of their why—like marketing, networking, or making big investments—and how you can start using yours as a clear, confident filter for every next step. If you’re craving more clarity and less spinout, this is your grounding reset.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
1️⃣ Why “remember your why” can feel hollow—and how to turn it into a usable tool instead
2️⃣ The simple filter I use in my business to make aligned decisions (especially when fear shows up)
3️⃣ How to refine your why so it actually supports your marketing, not just your mission
Resources & Links Mentioned:
- Confident Copy: walkerstrategyco.com/cc
- The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com
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About Marketing Therapy
Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by Anna Walker—marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co—each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back to Marketing Therapy.
Today's episode is one, I think everytherapist and maybe honestly every person
needs in their back pocket, especiallywhen the doubts start creeping in.
Not if they start creeping in, but when,because they're such a normal experience
for anyone who runs a business or reallyputs themself out there in any way.
(00:23):
Now, you've probably heardthe phrase, remember your why.
It gets thrown around a lot anddepending on the head space you're
in, it can feel really grounding.
Like, oh yeah, I'm gonna remember my why.
I'm operating from my why, orit can feel kind of hollow.
Yeah, yeah.
Remember my why, whatever.
(00:44):
Today I wanna offer you a bit of adifferent take on this idea because
I don't believe your why is somethingyou feel, I believe your why.
Is something you use, not a mood, nota moment of inspiration, but a filter
(01:05):
in internal compass really a tool formaking decisions in your practice.
And that becomes especially important whenyou hit the moments that feel unclear,
uncomfortable, or just straight up scary.
Like when you're trying to write aboutyourself on your website or when you're
(01:26):
debating whether or not to reach outto someone to establish some sort of
networking relationship, or when you'restaring down a program or a service, that
could probably really help your practice.
But the price tag makes your stomach flip.
Those are the moments whenyou need your why the most.
(01:48):
Not because it's gonna magicallymake everything feel easy.
Unfortunately, I don't have thatmagic bullet, but because it can
help you figure out what to do next.
So here's the question Iwant to offer you today.
It's where this whole episode is grounded.
It's when I use in my ownbusiness over and over again.
Are you ready for it?
(02:10):
Does this help the people I mostwant to help find me faster?
Feel safer or say yes again.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help find me
faster, feel safer, or say yes?
If the answer to that question is yes,and the only thing standing in the
(02:34):
way is your fear or your discomfort,then that fear probably doesn't
deserve to make the final call here.
So in this episode, we're gonna talk aboutwhat it really means to remember your why.
Not in a fluffy, woowoo way, but ina really strategic and grounded way.
(02:55):
I'm gonna walk you through the momentswhere therapists often tend to lose
sight of their why, and I bet you canidentify with at least one or two of
them why it matters to reconnect with it.
And how you can start using yourown why as a decision making filter
starting now, starting this week.
(03:16):
So let's start with the moments whenit's easiest to forget your why.
Because in my experience, it doesn'tusually just disappear all at once.
It kind of gets buried under tasks,under fear or discomfort under,
I'll figure that part out later.
It's really easy to push it aside,and usually that happens in really
(03:41):
vulnerable parts of running a business.
One of the biggest ones that I see, andin many of these students that I coach
in Confident Copy, is writing aboutyourself and putting yourself out there.
So whether it's your website oryour Psychology Today profile,
or your little elevator pitchfor your Next networking event.
(04:02):
It's where therapists freeze and notbecause they don't know what to say, but
because it feels personal, vulnerablea little bit, or a lot cringe, right?
And it becomes really easy to overthinkhere because you're trying to sound
credible, but not sound robotic.
(04:23):
Sound warm, but not toocasual, but not too buttoned
up confident, but not bragging.
So instead of leading with your why, youstart editing and second guessing and
looking at what everyone else is doing.
And just like that, the core of whatyou do, who you do it for, why you
(04:43):
are the incredible clinician thatyou are, gets lost in translation.
I've talked about this before, butwhen you are marketing your practice
specifically as a solo clinician.
You're not marketing a practice,you're marketing you, and so anytime
you're having to put you out thereor put words to what you do, it's
(05:06):
really easy to let that vulnerabilitykeep you from getting clear.
Another big one here isnetworking or outreach.
We did a recent episodetalking about networking.
If you haven't caught it, we'llinclude it in the show notes.
Networking is huge.
It reigns supreme when it comes togetting clients right now, but it is the
hands down number one marketing strategyI get the most pushback about from the
(05:29):
students and clinicians that I work with.
Reaching out to a colleague,attending an event, introducing
yourself to a new provider.
It feels like a lot, especially if youidentify as an introvert or it just
really feels out of your comfort zone,and I get it for so many therapists,
it's bringing up those thoughts,like, what if I say the wrong thing?
(05:50):
Or what if I come across as salesy?
What if they don't like me?
So again, visibility here isbecoming a trigger for fear, and
instead of marketing and makingdecisions and taking action from your
mission, you just start avoiding it.
Can you resonate with that one othercategory where I see clinicians lose
(06:13):
sight of their why is when it comestime to invest in their practice.
So that might be a course, acoach, a service, a resource.
It's one of the fastestplaces where fear gets loud.
Because unlike grad school where youcomplete the courses and know what's
(06:35):
gonna happen or licensure whereyou pass the test and do the hours,
there's no guarantee attached to it.
It's just you, your resources, yourgoals, and a really big decision.
And if you don't have a stronginternal compass in place.
When it comes time to makethese decisions, it's really
(06:55):
easy to just stay stuck.
Now, I wanna be clearhere, fear is normal.
What we're talking about right now isnot mitigating fear or removing it.
In fact, it's almost alwaysunderneath these stuck points.
Fear of failure, fear of success,fear of being seen, fear that you'll
(07:17):
spend time or money and it won't work.
But here's something I wantyou to remember, especially if
you're finding yourself in oneof those stuck places right now.
I know you tell your clients all thetime, the answers are already within you.
As a clinician, you probably seeyourself as a guide for your clients.
Back to those answers.
(07:38):
You're not giving them theanswers they already have them.
Therapy is about uncovering whatthose are and helping them discover
them for themselves, right?
In this case, your why.
Is also already within you.
You do not have to wait for someoneelse to give you permission.
You do not have to wait to feelperfectly ready, but you do need to
(08:00):
reconnect to the thing that made youwant to do this work in the first place.
And when you bring that back tothe center, it gets a whole lot
easier to figure out your next move.
So let's talk about how to actually useyour, why not just remember it, okay.
Remember your why.
Yeah.
How about use your why?
(08:22):
Because like I said earlier, I don'tthink of your why as a feeling.
You don't need to feel inspiredor fired up every single day.
That's not realistic.
You don't have to have perfectclarity before you make a move.
That's also unrealistic.
Your why isn't something you feel into.
It's something you can filter through.
(08:42):
It's a tool.
And when you're trying to decide whatto say, what to invest in, what to show
up for your why gives you somethingto measure that decision against.
So you're not out therefloating without an anchor.
You can actually bringyourself back to something.
So here's that question again.
The one I posed at the beginning.
(09:05):
Does this help the peopleI most want to help?
Find me faster, feel safer,or say yes, that's the filter.
So let's say you are staring atyour Psychology Today profile and
thinking about rewriting that hook,the thing that's gonna jump off the
page to the right fit client, okay?
(09:25):
This is one very small exercise,although as we know it's a powerful one.
This isn't about overthinking it.
It's not about impressing your peers.
It's about helping your idealclient recognize themselves, feel
understood, or take a next step.
If it does that, great, if not, make achange, or maybe you're thinking about
(09:51):
joining a consultation group or signingup for a training, the question becomes,
will this help me serve my clients moredeeply, more confidently with more ease?
If the answer is yes.
But the only thing holding you backis the fear or discomfort, then you
probably already know what to do.
(10:12):
That is what I mean byusing your why as a filter.
It doesn't erase the fear, but itdefinitely clarifies the path forward.
I now, sometimes things can get inthe way of being clear on your why.
I see a lot of therapists get stuck, notbecause they don't have a why, but because
the version of it they're working with.
(10:33):
That internal compass isn't actuallyspecific enough to guide them.
An example of that is, Ijust want to help people.
Okay, that's beautiful, but itis way too vague to actually
make decisions with help Who?
With what?
Toward what kind of change.
(10:54):
You can't write a homepage,market yourself, build a referral
network, invest in your next stepwith a why That is that broad.
Or probably the most common why that Isee clinicians operating from is some
variation of, I want to build a fullpractice, or I want a full caseload.
Also a totally valid goal.
(11:16):
I share that goal with you, but that'sa business need my friend, not a why.
If you're only focused on being full,you'll say yes to whatever comes your way.
Which is often a very fast pathto burnout or misaligned clients.
Or maybe you've sat with your why and youhave something like, I want to do deep
(11:41):
work with people who are ready to heal.
Okay, that's closer and it sounds likea why, but it's still centered around
you and the kind of work you want to do.
It doesn't yet connect to what yourclients are actively looking for
or how they would describe what itis that they're struggling with.
(12:04):
So try flipping it.
Ask yourself, what does thiskind of work actually help my
clients feel or experience?
What do they want, even if theydon't have the language for it yet?
That's the beginning of a why.
That can guide your marketing.
Not just your choice of modality.
So that could look like not doing deeptrauma work with people who are ready
(12:27):
to heal, but helping women reclaim theirpower and step into their full self.
Or maybe your why is empoweringparents to see and believe.
That they are the perfect parentfor their child and giving them the
skills they need to practice that.
(12:49):
Maybe your why is helping couples.
Come back to one another and rememberwhy they fell in love to begin with.
Your why is the deeper goal here.
It's the transformation that youwant your clients to experience.
It's that deep seated desire that maybeyou felt as a teen when you engaged in
(13:16):
therapy yourself and realized what waspossible with good, solid, real support.
It is why you do this work?
What are you wanting to make happen?
What are you wanting people to experience?
That is your why.
(13:36):
So if you're listening to this andrealizing your why feels a little fuzzy
or maybe is more of a business needthan a deeper motivation, that's okay.
This is your invitation to zoomback out and to reconnect with
what actually led you here.
And not just because it's emotionallygrounding, although it absolutely is,
(13:56):
but because it has the potential to makeeverything else in your business clearer.
Your copy, your content, yourinvestments, your visibility.
When you know your why and yourusing it as a filter, marketing
stops feeling like guesswork andstarts feeling like alignment.
(14:17):
Imagine how freeing that could beif marketing felt like alignment.
Not guesswork, so let's bringthis down to earth, okay?
Because maybe you're not frozenin the dramatic, overwhelmed
sense of the word right now.
You're not panicking, you're not flailing.
But maybe you're sitting hereright now with a decision or a
task that you keep circling around.
(14:39):
You know it matters.
You want to do it well.
You've maybe even drafted the emailor outlined the update or open to the
tab to enroll, but something keepsyou from actually following through.
That's the version of stuck I wannatalk about the kind that shows up
as overthinking or rewriting orwaiting for just quote unquote, a
(15:03):
little more clarity before you move.
This is where your why becomesmore than just that grounding idea.
This is where it starts to become a tool.
So again, start with the filter.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help?
Find me faster, feel safer, or say yes?
(15:25):
If the answer is yes, butyou're still hesitating, it's
probably not about strategy.
It's probably fear.
Fear of doing it wrong or wasting yourtime or money being seen in a new way.
But that doesn't make youunprepared, and it doesn't mean
the next step is the wrong one.
It just means you're human.
(15:46):
These are natural feelings.
So what I wanna offer you isthis one, define your why.
Remember why you chose to do this work.
Keep it simple and clear.
Again, not a business need, not too broad.
(16:07):
But that strong internal compassthat led you to do this work to begin
with, and then run the next stepyou're considering through the filter.
And if the only thing standing between youand action is fear, not real misalignment
with your why, but just fear, then that'syour sign to go ahead and move forward.
(16:31):
Because the most powerfuldecisions you make in your business
won't always feel comfortable.
I can attest to this.
Over the last six years, the bestdecisions I've made have been
when I have been the most afraid.
But despite the fear,they did feel aligned.
You're never gonna feel a hundredpercent ready and you don't need
(16:53):
to wait for total clarity becauseit will probably never come.
Clarity tends to come after the action.
Clarity comes from commitment.
Confidence comes from commitment.
So whether you're reworking your copy,defining your niche, investing in support,
trying something new in your marketing oryour practice, don't wait for it to feel
(17:18):
easy because that day may never come.
Instead, let your why lead you.
I think there's one area where thisconversation around your why gets
especially real, and I don't seeenough therapists talking about this.
And that is investing in your practice.
It is, as I mentioned earlier,one of the biggest fear triggering
(17:40):
decisions a therapist can make.
And no wonder anytime our money's on theline, fear is a really natural response.
Because there's likely no guarantee thatthe investment you make is going to turn
into exactly what you're hoping for.
There's no client on the calendar yet.
Right, and I wanna hold space for thenuance here because sometimes the answer
(18:04):
really is, I can't afford this right now.
And that's okay.
That's valid.
It is never a good idea to putyour financial wellbeing at risk.
I do really believe that.
There are certainly people thatput their neck on the line to make
investments and I believe there's a timeand a place, but it's not that every
single investment is one worth making.
(18:26):
But I wanna say this part plainly becauseI think it really needs to be said.
The most successful therapists Iknow, the ones that I'm, are coming
to mind as I sit here today, the oneswith the strong referral streams,
who are actually considering havingto tone down their marketing.
Because their caseload and referralsare so strong, the full fee, premium
(18:48):
fee clients that they see on aregular basis, the sustainable
practices that support the lives theywant, they've invested in support.
They don't just white knuckle it alone.
They don't stay stuck in research mode.
They don't try to bootstrapevery single thing.
They know when something isbeyond their zone of genius.
(19:12):
And they bring in help to fill that gap.
They spend money to make betterdecisions, to stop spinning,
to move faster, to go further.
And I know how hard that can feel, andI know you're hearing this from someone
who is paid to help therapists, but Imean this, regardless of who you work
(19:32):
with, regardless of what it is thatyou're paying for, anytime fear comes up
around spending money on your business.
I want to remind you that this isinvestment, that it's possible to
spend money to get better outcomes
every year, my businesscoach raises her rates as she
(19:52):
should , just like you should.
And every year I sit with that decision.
It happens in October.
This is about to be our fourthrenewal, so it'll be our fourth
consecutive year working together.
And I know she's gonna hit me with herincreased rate, I'm prepared for it,
but every time she sends it over, woo.
I do.
I have to sit with it.
(20:14):
It is not a small decision.
It's not a small investment.
It brings up absolutely everything for me.
Scarcity, doubt, the voice thatsays, maybe I can just figure this
out on my own this time, but everyyear I come back to the filter.
Is this gonna help me do my work moreclearly, more powerfully, with more ease?
(20:37):
Will it help the people I'm here to serve?
Find me faster?
Or say Yes with more confidence.
And every year, at least so far, theanswer's been yes, and I know what to do.
Here's the thing, even if that investmentdoesn't unfold exactly the way I expect,
even if I don't use every single pieceof the resource or the support, I
(21:03):
don't view this as betting on my coach.
I view this as betting on myself.
And you know what?
I trust myself.
To act on what I learn.
I trust myself to make it worthwhile.
I trust myself to get a returnon my investment because I'm
the one in control of that.
And that is the mindset I seein the therapist who succeed.
(21:26):
A level of ownership over their results,a willingness to bet on themselves, not
looking for certainty, not necessarilylooking for guarantees, but betting
on what they know they are capable of.
So if you've been hesitating toinvest, whether it's in your marketing,
(21:48):
something else related to your practice,this is the moment to pause and ask.
Is the resistance coming from misalignmentbecause this isn't the right choice?
Or is it coming from fear?
If the answer is fear, but theinvestment still aligns with your
mission, with your why, with yourvalues, with your goals, then fear.
(22:10):
It doesn't get to make the call here.
Hear me.
Spending money on yourpractice is a good thing.
It's not irresponsible.
It's not indulgent.
I think I see some therapists believethat, whether they know it or not,
that this is indulgent to spend moneyor to hire someone or to get support.
It's how you grow and staying stuck,spending months spinning, tweaking,
(22:35):
guessing, waiting often costs more intime, money, and impact than a clear
and aligned investment ever will.
So as we wrap up today, I want to remindyou that your why isn't just a mission
statement on a sticky note, okay?
(22:56):
It's not a paragraph in your notesapp or something you slapped into
the about page of your website.
It's a filter.
It's a compass for you.
It's a tool you canreturn to, even when fear.
Or uncertainty or second guessing,try to hijack your decision making.
So the next time you are hesitatingin your practice or in your
(23:18):
marketing, ask yourself this.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help find me
faster, feel safer, or say yes?
If the answer is yes, thenthe next step is clear.
Not always easy, but clear.
And that's what I hope you take fromthis episode because you don't need to
(23:40):
feel 100% confident to move forward.
You just need a reason and a direction.
You already have that.
So let your why lead today, thisweek, and as you move into the
next seasons of your practice.
Thanks for being here today.
I'll see you next time.
Welcome back to Marketing Therapy.
Today's episode is one, I think everytherapist and maybe honestly every person
needs in their back pocket, especiallywhen the doubts start creeping in.
Not if they start creeping in, but when,because they're such a normal experience
for anyone who runs a business or reallyputs themself out there in any way.
(00:23):
Now, you've probably heardthe phrase, remember your why.
It gets thrown around a lot anddepending on the head space you're
in, it can feel really grounding.
Like, oh yeah, I'm gonna remember my why.
I'm operating from my why, orit can feel kind of hollow.
Yeah, yeah.
Remember my why, whatever.
(00:44):
Today I wanna offer you a bit of adifferent take on this idea because
I don't believe your why is somethingyou feel, I believe your why.
Is something you use, not a mood, nota moment of inspiration, but a filter
(01:05):
in internal compass really a tool formaking decisions in your practice.
And that becomes especially important whenyou hit the moments that feel unclear,
uncomfortable, or just straight up scary.
Like when you're trying to write aboutyourself on your website or when you're
(01:26):
debating whether or not to reach outto someone to establish some sort of
networking relationship, or when you'restaring down a program or a service, that
could probably really help your practice.
But the price tag makes your stomach flip.
Those are the moments whenyou need your why the most.
(01:48):
Not because it's gonna magicallymake everything feel easy.
Unfortunately, I don't have thatmagic bullet, but because it can
help you figure out what to do next.
So here's the question Iwant to offer you today.
It's where this whole episode is grounded.
It's when I use in my ownbusiness over and over again.
Are you ready for it?
(02:10):
Does this help the people I mostwant to help find me faster?
Feel safer or say yes again.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help find me
faster, feel safer, or say yes?
If the answer to that question is yes,and the only thing standing in the
(02:34):
way is your fear or your discomfort,then that fear probably doesn't
deserve to make the final call here.
So in this episode, we're gonna talk aboutwhat it really means to remember your why.
Not in a fluffy, woowoo way, but ina really strategic and grounded way.
(02:55):
I'm gonna walk you through the momentswhere therapists often tend to lose
sight of their why, and I bet you canidentify with at least one or two of
them why it matters to reconnect with it.
And how you can start using yourown why as a decision making filter
starting now, starting this week.
(03:16):
So let's start with the moments whenit's easiest to forget your why.
Because in my experience, it doesn'tusually just disappear all at once.
It kind of gets buried under tasks,under fear or discomfort under,
I'll figure that part out later.
It's really easy to push it aside,and usually that happens in really
(03:41):
vulnerable parts of running a business.
One of the biggest ones that I see, andin many of these students that I coach
in Confident Copy, is writing aboutyourself and putting yourself out there.
So whether it's your website oryour Psychology Today profile,
or your little elevator pitchfor your Next networking event.
(04:02):
It's where therapists freeze and notbecause they don't know what to say, but
because it feels personal, vulnerablea little bit, or a lot cringe, right?
And it becomes really easy to overthinkhere because you're trying to sound
credible, but not sound robotic.
(04:23):
Sound warm, but not toocasual, but not too buttoned
up confident, but not bragging.
So instead of leading with your why, youstart editing and second guessing and
looking at what everyone else is doing.
And just like that, the core of whatyou do, who you do it for, why you
(04:43):
are the incredible clinician thatyou are, gets lost in translation.
I've talked about this before, butwhen you are marketing your practice
specifically as a solo clinician.
You're not marketing a practice,you're marketing you, and so anytime
you're having to put you out thereor put words to what you do, it's
(05:06):
really easy to let that vulnerabilitykeep you from getting clear.
Another big one here isnetworking or outreach.
We did a recent episodetalking about networking.
If you haven't caught it, we'llinclude it in the show notes.
Networking is huge.
It reigns supreme when it comes togetting clients right now, but it is the
hands down number one marketing strategyI get the most pushback about from the
(05:29):
students and clinicians that I work with.
Reaching out to a colleague,attending an event, introducing
yourself to a new provider.
It feels like a lot, especially if youidentify as an introvert or it just
really feels out of your comfort zone,and I get it for so many therapists,
it's bringing up those thoughts,like, what if I say the wrong thing?
(05:50):
Or what if I come across as salesy?
What if they don't like me?
So again, visibility here isbecoming a trigger for fear, and
instead of marketing and makingdecisions and taking action from your
mission, you just start avoiding it.
Can you resonate with that one othercategory where I see clinicians lose
(06:13):
sight of their why is when it comestime to invest in their practice.
So that might be a course, acoach, a service, a resource.
It's one of the fastestplaces where fear gets loud.
Because unlike grad school where youcomplete the courses and know what's
(06:35):
gonna happen or licensure whereyou pass the test and do the hours,
there's no guarantee attached to it.
It's just you, your resources, yourgoals, and a really big decision.
And if you don't have a stronginternal compass in place.
When it comes time to makethese decisions, it's really
(06:55):
easy to just stay stuck.
Now, I wanna be clearhere, fear is normal.
What we're talking about right now isnot mitigating fear or removing it.
In fact, it's almost alwaysunderneath these stuck points.
Fear of failure, fear of success,fear of being seen, fear that you'll
(07:17):
spend time or money and it won't work.
But here's something I wantyou to remember, especially if
you're finding yourself in oneof those stuck places right now.
I know you tell your clients all thetime, the answers are already within you.
As a clinician, you probably seeyourself as a guide for your clients.
Back to those answers.
(07:38):
You're not giving them theanswers they already have them.
Therapy is about uncovering whatthose are and helping them discover
them for themselves, right?
In this case, your why.
Is also already within you.
You do not have to wait for someoneelse to give you permission.
You do not have to wait to feelperfectly ready, but you do need to
(08:00):
reconnect to the thing that made youwant to do this work in the first place.
And when you bring that back tothe center, it gets a whole lot
easier to figure out your next move.
So let's talk about how to actually useyour, why not just remember it, okay.
Remember your why.
Yeah.
How about use your why?
(08:22):
Because like I said earlier, I don'tthink of your why as a feeling.
You don't need to feel inspiredor fired up every single day.
That's not realistic.
You don't have to have perfectclarity before you make a move.
That's also unrealistic.
Your why isn't something you feel into.
It's something you can filter through.
(08:42):
It's a tool.
And when you're trying to decide whatto say, what to invest in, what to show
up for your why gives you somethingto measure that decision against.
So you're not out therefloating without an anchor.
You can actually bringyourself back to something.
So here's that question again.
The one I posed at the beginning.
(09:05):
Does this help the peopleI most want to help?
Find me faster, feel safer,or say yes, that's the filter.
So let's say you are staring atyour Psychology Today profile and
thinking about rewriting that hook,the thing that's gonna jump off the
page to the right fit client, okay?
(09:25):
This is one very small exercise,although as we know it's a powerful one.
This isn't about overthinking it.
It's not about impressing your peers.
It's about helping your idealclient recognize themselves, feel
understood, or take a next step.
If it does that, great, if not, make achange, or maybe you're thinking about
(09:51):
joining a consultation group or signingup for a training, the question becomes,
will this help me serve my clients moredeeply, more confidently with more ease?
If the answer is yes.
But the only thing holding you backis the fear or discomfort, then you
probably already know what to do.
(10:12):
That is what I mean byusing your why as a filter.
It doesn't erase the fear, but itdefinitely clarifies the path forward.
I now, sometimes things can get inthe way of being clear on your why.
I see a lot of therapists get stuck, notbecause they don't have a why, but because
the version of it they're working with.
(10:33):
That internal compass isn't actuallyspecific enough to guide them.
An example of that is, Ijust want to help people.
Okay, that's beautiful, but itis way too vague to actually
make decisions with help Who?
With what?
Toward what kind of change.
(10:54):
You can't write a homepage,market yourself, build a referral
network, invest in your next stepwith a why That is that broad.
Or probably the most common why that Isee clinicians operating from is some
variation of, I want to build a fullpractice, or I want a full caseload.
Also a totally valid goal.
(11:16):
I share that goal with you, but that'sa business need my friend, not a why.
If you're only focused on being full,you'll say yes to whatever comes your way.
Which is often a very fast pathto burnout or misaligned clients.
Or maybe you've sat with your why and youhave something like, I want to do deep
(11:41):
work with people who are ready to heal.
Okay, that's closer and it sounds likea why, but it's still centered around
you and the kind of work you want to do.
It doesn't yet connect to what yourclients are actively looking for
or how they would describe what itis that they're struggling with.
(12:04):
So try flipping it.
Ask yourself, what does thiskind of work actually help my
clients feel or experience?
What do they want, even if theydon't have the language for it yet?
That's the beginning of a why.
That can guide your marketing.
Not just your choice of modality.
So that could look like not doing deeptrauma work with people who are ready
(12:27):
to heal, but helping women reclaim theirpower and step into their full self.
Or maybe your why is empoweringparents to see and believe.
That they are the perfect parentfor their child and giving them the
skills they need to practice that.
(12:49):
Maybe your why is helping couples.
Come back to one another and rememberwhy they fell in love to begin with.
Your why is the deeper goal here.
It's the transformation that youwant your clients to experience.
It's that deep seated desire that maybeyou felt as a teen when you engaged in
(13:16):
therapy yourself and realized what waspossible with good, solid, real support.
It is why you do this work?
What are you wanting to make happen?
What are you wanting people to experience?
That is your why.
(13:36):
So if you're listening to this andrealizing your why feels a little fuzzy
or maybe is more of a business needthan a deeper motivation, that's okay.
This is your invitation to zoomback out and to reconnect with
what actually led you here.
And not just because it's emotionallygrounding, although it absolutely is,
(13:56):
but because it has the potential to makeeverything else in your business clearer.
Your copy, your content, yourinvestments, your visibility.
When you know your why and yourusing it as a filter, marketing
stops feeling like guesswork andstarts feeling like alignment.
(14:17):
Imagine how freeing that could beif marketing felt like alignment.
Not guesswork, so let's bringthis down to earth, okay?
Because maybe you're not frozenin the dramatic, overwhelmed
sense of the word right now.
You're not panicking, you're not flailing.
But maybe you're sitting hereright now with a decision or a
task that you keep circling around.
(14:39):
You know it matters.
You want to do it well.
You've maybe even drafted the emailor outlined the update or open to the
tab to enroll, but something keepsyou from actually following through.
That's the version of stuck I wannatalk about the kind that shows up
as overthinking or rewriting orwaiting for just quote unquote, a
(15:03):
little more clarity before you move.
This is where your why becomesmore than just that grounding idea.
This is where it starts to become a tool.
So again, start with the filter.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help?
Find me faster, feel safer, or say yes?
(15:25):
If the answer is yes, butyou're still hesitating, it's
probably not about strategy.
It's probably fear.
Fear of doing it wrong or wasting yourtime or money being seen in a new way.
But that doesn't make youunprepared, and it doesn't mean
the next step is the wrong one.
It just means you're human.
(15:46):
These are natural feelings.
So what I wanna offer you isthis one, define your why.
Remember why you chose to do this work.
Keep it simple and clear.
Again, not a business need, not too broad.
(16:07):
But that strong internal compassthat led you to do this work to begin
with, and then run the next stepyou're considering through the filter.
And if the only thing standing between youand action is fear, not real misalignment
with your why, but just fear, then that'syour sign to go ahead and move forward.
(16:31):
Because the most powerfuldecisions you make in your business
won't always feel comfortable.
I can attest to this.
Over the last six years, the bestdecisions I've made have been
when I have been the most afraid.
But despite the fear,they did feel aligned.
You're never gonna feel a hundredpercent ready and you don't need
(16:53):
to wait for total clarity becauseit will probably never come.
Clarity tends to come after the action.
Clarity comes from commitment.
Confidence comes from commitment.
So whether you're reworking your copy,defining your niche, investing in support,
trying something new in your marketing oryour practice, don't wait for it to feel
(17:18):
easy because that day may never come.
Instead, let your why lead you.
I think there's one area where thisconversation around your why gets
especially real, and I don't seeenough therapists talking about this.
And that is investing in your practice.
It is, as I mentioned earlier,one of the biggest fear triggering
(17:40):
decisions a therapist can make.
And no wonder anytime our money's on theline, fear is a really natural response.
Because there's likely no guarantee thatthe investment you make is going to turn
into exactly what you're hoping for.
There's no client on the calendar yet.
Right, and I wanna hold space for thenuance here because sometimes the answer
(18:04):
really is, I can't afford this right now.
And that's okay.
That's valid.
It is never a good idea to putyour financial wellbeing at risk.
I do really believe that.
There are certainly people thatput their neck on the line to make
investments and I believe there's a timeand a place, but it's not that every
single investment is one worth making.
(18:26):
But I wanna say this part plainly becauseI think it really needs to be said.
The most successful therapists Iknow, the ones that I'm, are coming
to mind as I sit here today, the oneswith the strong referral streams,
who are actually considering havingto tone down their marketing.
Because their caseload and referralsare so strong, the full fee, premium
(18:48):
fee clients that they see on aregular basis, the sustainable
practices that support the lives theywant, they've invested in support.
They don't just white knuckle it alone.
They don't stay stuck in research mode.
They don't try to bootstrapevery single thing.
They know when something isbeyond their zone of genius.
(19:12):
And they bring in help to fill that gap.
They spend money to make betterdecisions, to stop spinning,
to move faster, to go further.
And I know how hard that can feel, andI know you're hearing this from someone
who is paid to help therapists, but Imean this, regardless of who you work
(19:32):
with, regardless of what it is thatyou're paying for, anytime fear comes up
around spending money on your business.
I want to remind you that this isinvestment, that it's possible to
spend money to get better outcomes
every year, my businesscoach raises her rates as she
(19:52):
should , just like you should.
And every year I sit with that decision.
It happens in October.
This is about to be our fourthrenewal, so it'll be our fourth
consecutive year working together.
And I know she's gonna hit me with herincreased rate, I'm prepared for it,
but every time she sends it over, woo.
I do.
I have to sit with it.
(20:14):
It is not a small decision.
It's not a small investment.
It brings up absolutely everything for me.
Scarcity, doubt, the voice thatsays, maybe I can just figure this
out on my own this time, but everyyear I come back to the filter.
Is this gonna help me do my work moreclearly, more powerfully, with more ease?
(20:37):
Will it help the people I'm here to serve?
Find me faster?
Or say Yes with more confidence.
And every year, at least so far, theanswer's been yes, and I know what to do.
Here's the thing, even if that investmentdoesn't unfold exactly the way I expect,
even if I don't use every single pieceof the resource or the support, I
(21:03):
don't view this as betting on my coach.
I view this as betting on myself.
And you know what?
I trust myself.
To act on what I learn.
I trust myself to make it worthwhile.
I trust myself to get a returnon my investment because I'm
the one in control of that.
And that is the mindset I seein the therapist who succeed.
(21:26):
A level of ownership over their results,a willingness to bet on themselves, not
looking for certainty, not necessarilylooking for guarantees, but betting
on what they know they are capable of.
So if you've been hesitating toinvest, whether it's in your marketing,
(21:48):
something else related to your practice,this is the moment to pause and ask.
Is the resistance coming from misalignmentbecause this isn't the right choice?
Or is it coming from fear?
If the answer is fear, but theinvestment still aligns with your
mission, with your why, with yourvalues, with your goals, then fear.
(22:10):
It doesn't get to make the call here.
Hear me.
Spending money on yourpractice is a good thing.
It's not irresponsible.
It's not indulgent.
I think I see some therapists believethat, whether they know it or not,
that this is indulgent to spend moneyor to hire someone or to get support.
It's how you grow and staying stuck,spending months spinning, tweaking,
(22:35):
guessing, waiting often costs more intime, money, and impact than a clear
and aligned investment ever will.
So as we wrap up today, I want to remindyou that your why isn't just a mission
statement on a sticky note, okay?
(22:56):
It's not a paragraph in your notesapp or something you slapped into
the about page of your website.
It's a filter.
It's a compass for you.
It's a tool you canreturn to, even when fear.
Or uncertainty or second guessing,try to hijack your decision making.
So the next time you are hesitatingin your practice or in your
(23:18):
marketing, ask yourself this.
Does this help the peopleI most want to help find me
faster, feel safer, or say yes?
If the answer is yes, thenthe next step is clear.
Not always easy, but clear.
And that's what I hope you take fromthis episode because you don't need to
(23:40):
feel 100% confident to move forward.
You just need a reason and a direction.
You already have that.
So let your why lead today, thisweek, and as you move into the
next seasons of your practice.
Thanks for being here today.
I'll see you next time.
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