Selling the Couch

Latest Episodes:

316: Creating A Breathwork App with Brian Von Ancken Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Today’s session is all about building a breathwork app. It’s an interesting and nuanced process that most of us don’t understand. Breathwork can be a vital part of any therapy practice, and it is a tool that we should better understand. Join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Brian Von Ancken

Brian Von Ancken is Head of Partnerships at Othership.us. Brian and I met on Twitter, which has been a great place for me to connect and engage with many amazing people. Brian’s app is one of the top products on Product Hunt, and I’m curious about why he created an app like this that focuses on health and wellness. We will also talk about the technical aspects of creating a breathwork app.

Website

Get a discounted price on Othership by using the link: www.sellingthecouch.com/othership.

You’ll Learn:

Brian’s personal journey, finding wellness after difficulties, that led him to Othership
How Brian’s law degree benefits him in the entrepreneurial world
The biggest mental roadblocks that were in Brian’s way
Lessons learned in putting yourself “out there” on social media
How Brian connected with the Othership founder and ended up partnering together
How Brian’s breathwork app gained popularity through Product Hunt, a website that features new and useful products
How Othership is trying to fuel a movement toward peak experiences and elevated wellness
How the app material is recorded by breathwork facilitators in a high-quality production process
How Brian has struggled to remain authentic along the journey

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice. With Alma, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to navigate insurance with ease, connect with referrals that are the right fit for your style, and streamline those time-consuming administrative tasks. That means less time buried in the details and more time focused on delivering exceptional care to your clients. You support your clients. Alma supports you. Learn more at sellingthecouch.com/alma and get 2 months FREE—an exclusive offer for STC listeners.

Ready to create your own course? Download the FREE Online Course Guide!

Learn how to create and market your own online course in Melvin's unique online course guide. Download the FREE online course guide today!

Online Course Guide

315: How to Use Loom to Record Your Course Quickly and Efficiently Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

Even with seven years or so of course-building under my belt, I certainly do not claim to be an expert with all the answers. Always the student, I’m constantly learning and tweaking the process, and I’m always happy to share my tips and valuable lessons with you. There are so many tools, equipment, formats, etc.--- and it can all be very intimidating! In today’s solo session, I’m sharing tips about my favorite recording tool, Loom. Join me now!

You’ll Learn:

Why Loom is my favorite recording tool for online courses and the STC podcast
My tips for using Loom to record your online course videos:
Alter the sharing style. You can record your screen, your voice, or both. I recommend a combination of all three for variety. Don't be afraid to show your fce on camera!
Stick with one big idea per video. The “Show Recording Time” feature in Loom helps you avoid overwhelming your audience with long sessions. I try to stick to 4-7 minutes.
Decide beforehand your format for each video. My advice is to start with what problem you’ll solve, give three tips, and share a common mistake from your personal experience.
Create a custom thumbnail. Loom helps do this beautifully.
Create folders in Loom before recording. It’s 100x better to organize them from the beginning.
Invest in a mic to boost the sound quality. “Small improvements in quality lead to a big impact.”
Record with a digital DSLR. The quality will be 100x better than what a webcam will give. You have to buy a USB Capture Card to allow the DSLR to shoot video.
Have a very, very clear call to action. Whether the next step is to watch the next video or complete a workbook or exercise, be clear about it for your audience.

Resources:

See my gear recommendations! www.kit.co/mvarghese

Check out the Mastermind! www.sellingthecouch.com/mastermind

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to create your own course? Download the FREE Online Course Guide!

Learn how to create and market your own online course in Melvin's unique online course guide. Download the FREE online course guide today!

Online Course Guide

Try Alma!

314: Finding Our Enough as Entrepreneurs with Keri Nola Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

Today’s session is very relevant to the season of life that I’m currently navigating. How far do we keep going as entrepreneurs as we reach our goals? How far is enough that our lives and responsibilities are balanced by the work we do and not pushed aside by work? How big do we want our business and our revenue goals to be? Join us for a closer look at “enough” in today’s podcast!

Our Featured Guest

Keri Nola

Keri Nola is a good friend and a repeat guest on the podcast, even though it’s been far too long since she has joined us here. After more than a decade of growing a prosperous practice as a licensed psychotherapist, Keri expanded her work into other avenues. She’s a best-selling author, podcaster, and founder of the Abundance Activator for Healing Entrepreneurs. Her global practice allows her to mentor healers as they conquer fear and doubt so they can step into their power and serve abundantly. Keri helps us dive into what “enough” is and why so many clinicians tell their clients that having more stuff doesn’t equal happiness—but they fall short in following their own advice as small business owners. Keri shares her internal thought process about building new products and services and her decision-making process.

Website

Use coupon code “sellingthecouch” at www.theabundanceactivator.com to lock in current rates on Keri’s Abundance Activator for the remainder of 2022.

You’ll Learn:

Why it’s tempting and seductive to build bigger and have more
How your “more” should be aligned with your season of life, personality, and energy
How to evaluate your desire to grow–Where is it coming from?
The difference in feeling the slow simmer of a divine pull vs. the frantic need to compare and compete with others
Why it’s important to look for alignment, both in ourselves and in others we might follow
Why you have to welcome abundance as a resource to help you (and your team) relax and take care of yourselves
Why it’s OK to want to create something new in a way that serves others and helps you
How care, attunement, and mindfulness are involved in deciding who should work with us (It’s OK to say NO to working to some people–for their own good.)
How Keri has learned to figure out her “enough” by deciding what is true and checking in with herself for peace and alignment
Why you need to ask, “Am I living what is true for me?”
An overview of Keri’s Abundance Activator, her membership community for healing entrepreneurs

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Ready to create your own course? Download the FREE Online Course Guide!

Learn how to create and market your own online course in Melvin's unique online course guide. Download the FREE online course guide today!

Online Course Guide

313: The 10 Biggest Mistakes I Made As An Online Course Creator Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

These past few years, I’ve been focused on building a life around my family and self-care rather than fitting those things around a career. I’ve learned that there is much wisdom in slowing down and not keeping up a crazy pace. One thing that has helped me accomplish these goals is creating an online course. Even though I’m super grateful and blown away by the success of the Healthcaster’s course, I made a lot of mistakes along the way. Join me as I share my insights and lessons learned.

You’ll Learn:

The 10 biggest mistakes I made as an online course creator:
1–I didn’t understand how my childhood trauma affected my course pricing.
Check out these resources: “The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship” (Inc Magazine), We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers, and courses by Tiffany McLain.
2–I gave my students lifetime access to coaching and community.
This caused me to feel resentment for not charging more for that kind of access to me.
3–I focused too much on gear instead of creating a steady marketing system.
I have learned that marketing, which is not my strength, is all about authenticity and connection.
4–I focused on being in the “middle of the pack” on pricing instead of in the upper tier.
Ask yourself, “Do you want to be the Apple or the Walmart in your niche?”
5–I didn’t realize that I could invite students into other experiences beyond my course.
Options include a mastermind, cohort-based course, and other recurring income buckets.
6–I realized that looking at my bank account doesn’t drive sales as testimonials do.
Follow me on Twitter for more information on this topic.
7–I thought I’d be stuck on one business model, so I built a “strip mall model.”
I didn’t realize that offering several products requires a lot of work, so I’m moving to a “skyscraper model.” Find out more at www.sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.
8–I thought having a mentor with a similar course meant that I couldn’t create one.
When someone else has a similar course, you can niche down into a more specific message.
9–I was too concerned about the sale over the relationship.
This came from a poverty mindset instead of the abundance mindset to which I aspire.
10–I didn’t think about the one-off sale on the front end and the recurring invitation on the back.
A certain number of students will want a more in-depth experience with us.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

312: SEO When Doing Telehealth Across The State Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Today’s topic is a relevant one for many clinicians as telehealth services have become a widespread, vital, and normal part of the healthcare field. Specifically, we are focusing on how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) changes when you practice telehealth across your state or even in multiple states. I’m continually fascinated by SEO and how it works, and it’s something I’m still learning. If you are like me, join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest

Jessica Tappana, MSW, LCSW

Jessica Tappana is the founder of Simplified SEO Consulting, a firm that helps private practice owners build their businesses through Search Engine Optimization. She’s a group practice owner in Missouri and an SEO nerd who loves taking therapy websites to the top in Google rankings. In today’s session, Jessica talks about the biggest considerations in SEO as telehealth becomes the norm, as well as tips to improve SEO in practicing telehealth. We wrap up with Jessica’s insights about SEO as it relates to location-based services.

Website

You’ll Learn:

The biggest difference in approaching SEO as telehealth becomes the norm
Why content generation is the solution to improve SEO for telehealth provider
Why there is less work required to maintain an SEO ranking once you achieve it
Jessica’s tips for telehealth practitioners to improve SEO:
Create a unique location page for each state in which you are relevant.
Have a technically-sound website.
Blog regularly. (The optimal frequency depends heavily on your location and level of competition.)
The value in truly useful content for our clients that ALSO improves SEO
Why SEO doesn’t like “psycho-babble” but notices readability

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

311: 10 Lessons I've Learned as a Course Creator (part 2) May 26, 2022

Show notes

Today’s solo episode is the second in a two-part series about the lessons I’ve learned as a course creator. I launched The Healthcasters course back in 2015, and it recently passed the $300K revenue mark. Those results are far more than I could have ever imagined, and as I’ve reflected, I realize that I have learned a lot through this journey. I hope some of my lessons learned will be helpful for you! Join me for today’s session where I’ll cover #6-10 of my top ten lessons learned.

Lessons learned as a course creator (#6-10)

Social media marketing can be intimidating. Focusing on webinars makes more sense in many ways.
Webinars magnify your strengths as a teacher.
Webinars make it easy for viewers to sign up for your course.
Webinars can be evergreen, and you can sprinkle in live ones whenever you want. (EasyWebinar makes the process simple. Check it out at www.sellingthecouch.com/easywebinar.)
In webinars, focus on sharing your story, your WHY, and your expertise.
“Low prices attract tire-kickers.”
A higher price will make you want to over-deliver to your students.
A higher price limits impulse buyers and attracts more of the students you want.
Charging a higher price allows you to reinvest more money into better quality gear for the future.
Don’t compete on price.
Offering discounts and lower prices will affect the quality of your students.
Consider offering time-limited bonuses, like a group coaching call, video series, etc., rather than offering discounts.
Have an easy way to gather testimonials. (Check out testimonial.to at www.sellingthecouch.com/testimonial.)
Students can choose a video or text testimonial about their experience.
Separate your course success from your self-worth.
Your course isn’t who you are, but it’s just one thing you do.
Don’t compare your course success to someone else’s. “Comparison is poison.”

You can check out all of my 10 Lessons Learned (with video!) in my Twitter thread!

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

310: Creating an Online Course for Parents May 19, 2022

Show notes

I’m the fortunate podcast host with two guests today, which is a first for me! They are long-time friends of mine from grad school who have taken a unique idea and brought it to fruition in starting their company and launching their first online course. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to hear all about it, so join us to hear their story!

Our Featured Guests

Jordana Mortimer, PhD

Erin Avirett, PhD

Jordana Mortimer and Erin Avirett are both child neuropsychologists with independent private practices. They have been friends for 15 years since their days in grad school, and they always had the idea to start a business together. Even though they live in different cities in Texas (Jordana in Fort Worth/Erin in Amarillo), they made things happen this year in starting their company, Mind and Child. In addition, they developed and launched their first online course, Parenting 101, for parents with kiddos under the age of twelve. The course takes their experiential parenting lessons and merges it with solid research and data. In this session, Jordana and Erin share how this business idea originated, how they approached marketing, and how they are handling the practical challenges of working together. Even though close friends don’t always make good business partners, they share with us how they are navigating that intersection and overcoming the odds to make it work well for their families.

Mind and Child Website

Erin’s practice Website

Jordana’s practice Website

You’ll Learn:

How Jordana and Erin first developed the idea for Mind and Child with the overall goal to help parents and families on a larger scale
How their roles as testing psychologists helped Jordana and Erin to follow through on their dream of starting a business together
The hardest parts of creating their online course
How they promoted the course with social media, blogs, and ads
How the course feels genuine and authentic with their mission and purpose
Why they consulted with advertising experts to know which social media platforms were best for marketing their course
How they have navigated challenges with marketing their business but setting boundaries to protect family time
How Jordana and Erin coordinate their social media interactions by alternating weeks to handle posts and engagements
Why Jordana and Erin hired a friend’s video production company to film their course, which was more complicated than they had envisioned
Specifics of the filming process, set design, using a teleprompter, speaking succinctly, etc.
Why being close friends and business partners has been beneficial in every way without any real hardships or friendship-threatening challenges for Jordana and Erin
A few details about their website, course, and private practices

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

309: 10 Lessons I've Learned as a Course Creator May 12, 2022

Show notes

Today’s solo episode is the first in a two-part series about the lessons I’ve learned as a course creator. I launched The Healthcasters course back in 2015, and it just passed the $300K revenue mark. Those results are far more than I could have ever imagined! Join me for today’s session where I’ll cover the first five of my ten lessons learned.

Lessons learned as a course creator:
Decide between a skyscraper or a strip mall model for your online business.
This concept comes from Nathan Barry, the CEO of ConvertKit. Find out more from his appearance on the Creative Elements podcast hosted by Jay Clouse.
A strip mall model offers multiple products that diversity your income, while a skyscraper model features a single, scalable flagship product.
I started STC with a strip mall model, but I’ve decided to move to a skyscraper model and use my mastermind as my single product.
Focus on one marketing channel instead of jumping around to several.
Find the sweet spot where you enjoy hanging out and where your ideal audience can be found.
Check out Infinite Dial for free analytics on social media trends.
Think about going from a “rented audience” to an “owned audience” as you seek to build your email list.
Less is more when it comes to course content.
Teach content that gives a concrete roadmap to help your students get from point A to point B.
Be a niche of one.
I definitely didn’t do this very well in trying to reach too wide of a variety of healthcare providers with my first course. I know better now!
Don’t stress over your gear initially.
Start simple. I recommend Loom for recording and the Rode VideoMic NTG, which is an affordable mic with quality sound.
You can save for future equipment upgrades by setting aside a small percentage of your income over time.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

308: How Writing A Book Helped Grow My Practice May 05, 2022

Show notes

Today’s session is special because our guest is a friend and colleague from our internship days at Vanderbilt. He has accomplished many things in his career, one of which is co-authoring a book to grow his group practice. It is an innovative endeavor that definitely qualifies as “outside-the-box” thinking. Tom’s insight will be helpful if writing a book is in your future! Join us to learn more!

Our Featured Guest:

Tom McDonagh, PsyD

Tom McDonagh is in group practice in San Francisco, where his work focuses on anxiety, stress, burnout, and other related issues that are common for many people. Tom went the traditional route to publish the book which he co-authored, 101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety. In today’s session, he shares why he wrote the book as a co-author, along with the structure, format, and challenges of choosing that route. He also shares wisdom about the traditional publishing process as it relates to marketing a book.

www.goodtherapysf.com

101 Ways to Conquer Teen Anxiety by Dr. Tom McDonagh and Jon Patrick Hatcher

You’ll Learn:

Why Tom wanted to write a book as a creative way to get his message out
How Tom and Jon Patrick Hatcher decided to team up and co-author this book together (after shelving their original idea for a “break-up” book aimed at men)
How co-authoring brings an opportunity to give a different, complementary perspective to your ideas
The basics of the traditional publishing process
How Tom and Jon divided up the tasks to produce the content for the book in a week-by-week process
What Tom would change about the publishing process in hindsight, and why he would choose to self-publish if he could go back
Why Tom wishes they had been given more time for editing and rewriting
How Tom’s practice has been thriving with a virtual therapy format since the beginning of the pandemic, helping people deal with anxiety and feelings of disconnection

ENCORE: Creating An Epic Welcome Video,Bryan Nixon, MA, LPC Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

Today’s topic is very specific, but it’s one that makes a big difference in your private practice and has a meaningful impact on your clients. We are talking about creating an epic welcome video for your practice website. If making a welcome video isn’t part of your website already, don’t miss today’s episode about showing up authentically in ways that connect you to your clients.

Our Featured Guest

Bryan Nixon, MA, LPC

Bryan Nixon is a group practice owner in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His welcome video on his website stands out in my mind as a beautiful and powerful example of what we’re bringing forward in today’s show. Bryan will break down the process of creating such a video, along with things a clinician might overlook when creating such a video. We will wrap up with helpful tips if creating an engaging welcome video is on your to-do list.

Website

You’ll Learn

● How a video can bring intentionality to your sacred work of therapy in a visual experience

● How Bryan identified the vibe he wanted to communicate about his practice

● Why Bryan decided to feature an old, scarred dresser in his welcome video and the symbolism it presents to clients

● What a client really wants to know about a therapist: Will you see me? Will you hear me? Will you connect with me?

● Why Bryan felt the importance of “telling the story” through narration for his video

● Three tips for creating an impactful welcome video:

○ Be willing to do your own work with authenticity before you think about a video

○ Connect to your purpose and your WHY in the world

○ Present your authenticity, but don’t be afraid to show your mistakes

● Bryan’s continuing ed program, Relationally-Focused Psychodynamic Therapy

● How restorative healing comes about as a result of the relationship between the client and the therapist

Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Tidemark VA Services provides billing, credentialing, client scheduling, and social media management services to therapists in private practice. The owner, Brittany, is a group practice owner who knows the ins and outs of our field.

Learn more about the services that Tidemark provides at https://sellingthecouch.com/tidemark.

Additional resources:

Learn about Bryan’s two-year, post-grad program: The Seattle School

Match Frame Creative (the company that created Bryan's video)

RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS JOURNEY

Disclosures: Please note that all opinions are my own and based on my personal experience. Sponsors are acknowledged. Some links in the description are affiliate links where if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I use these funds to continue to create helpful content to serve our field. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

MY FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS (These Can Be Watched At A Date/Time That Works For You):

Using Podcasting To Grow Your Business (Lessons Learned From 9 Downloads On Day 1 To 1.2 Million And a 7 Income Stream, 6-Figure Business)

How To Launch And Grow A Successful Online Course (Lessons Learned From A $297 First Sale To $150k Online Course)

MY FREE GUIDES:

Start your Podcast: The QuickStart Guide

The A To Z Online Course

MY COURSES:

The Healthcasters (A podcasting course + community for helpers/healers):

Online Course School (A course to create, sell, and grow a successful online course): COMING IN 2022 (please feel free to download the online guide course above and I can keep you updated as I'm trying to build this with ample input and care including a chance to work 1 on 1 with me!):

MY FAVORITE SOFTWARE:

My Podcast Hosting Platform (Captivate-Includes 7 Day Free Trial):

My All In One Online Business Platform (Kartra-Includes 14 Day Free Trial):

What I Use For Evergreen Webinars (Easy Webinar)

My Website Host (SiteGround-Includes Discount)

My WebSite Theme (Divi)

MY FAVORITE GEAR:

STC Home Office Tour!

My Online Counseling + Coaching Gear

My YouTube + Live Streaming Camera Gear

SUBSCRIBE TO THE STC PODCAST:

Since 2015, I've hosted a weekly podcast where I interview successful therapists in private practice and other business owners to help us grow our impact + income in and beyond the therapy room.

The podcast has been downloaded over 1.2 million times and is heard in over 140 countries.

You can find also it by searching “Selling The Couch” on any podcast app (eg: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify etc) or simply saying "Alexa, listen to Selling The Couch" on your Amazon device. =

Or simply click below for ease =).

SUBSCRIBE HERE

LET'S BE FRIENDS:

💌 Sign up to receive the free online course guide + receive weekly STC email newsletter (trusted by over 7k colleagues)

My website / blog

Instagram (I mainly post "behind the scenes" stuff about my life and business)

WHO'S THIS GUY?

Hi. I'm Melvin. I'm a psychologist (PhD), entrepreneur, and online creator living in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2014, I began to think about how to use the therapy skills we learn in grad school, and in our clinical work into different realms (e.g., podcasting, consulting, online course creation, etc).

This allows us to serve others on larger scales while diversifying our income beyond 1 to 1 work.

I make podcasts and videos about business, tech, productivity, and lessons I'm learning from becoming the CEO of a lean, mean 5 person 100% remote team (we're not really mean..it just rhymed =P).

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Additional resources:

RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS JOURNEY

MY FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS (These Can Be Watched At A Date/Time That Works For You):

MY FREE GUIDES:

MY COURSES:

MY FAVORITE SOFTWARE:

MY FAVORITE GEAR:

SUBSCRIBE TO THE STC PODCAST:

LET'S BE FRIENDS:

WHO'S THIS GUY?

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Selling the Couch

Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Additional resources:

﻿﻿RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS JOURNEY

MY FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS (These Can Be Watched At A Date/Time That Works For You):

MY FREE GUIDES:

MY COURSES:

MY FAVORITE SOFTWARE:

MY FAVORITE GEAR:

SUBSCRIBE TO THE STC PODCAST:

LET'S BE FRIENDS:

WHO'S THIS GUY?

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6

RESOURCES TO GUIDE YOUR BUSINESS JOURNEY