The Money Sessions

More About Erica:

Erica Thomas is a therapist with her own private practice in Liberty Hill, TX. She currently niches in mother-daughter relationships, as a way of helping shape future generations of great, empowered women. She draws experience through her 18+ years of being a clinician, seeing thousands of women who have been impacted by their own relationships with their mothers and through her own personal journey as a daughter and a mother. Erica gets to be the super proud mother of 3 amazing children (2 sons and 1 daughter) and the super lucky spouse of a husband who is her best friend and biggest cheerleader.

To Contact: (512) 777-0899, https://vnclh.com/

How Harry Reconciled His Activist Identity With Charging Premium Fees. Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we are speaking with Harry Au, a Licensed Therapist and Registered Social Worker based in Ontario. Harry focuses his work on helping Asian and BIPOC individuals in a private practice setting. Harry will be discussing how he went from an activist with anxiety, guilt, shame, and judgement around the desire to have money, to a Premium Fee therapist with more money and resources for activism.

In this episode, Harry will share:

How his identity as 1.5 generation Chinese Immigrant and family conflict around money, led him to be money avoidant;

3 signs that led him to leave agency work and move into private practice;

The big leap he took allowing him to charge premium fees and return to activism with more intention, capacity, and resources;

How he went from burnout and overwhelmed, to an activist that charges $180+ per session.

Resources mentioned:

More About Harry:

Harry (he/him) is a therapist in Toronto, Canada, who works specifically with Asian clients. He's a quirky weirdo who is learning to embrace all of those parts of him, and is passionate about working with other quirky weirdos who want to do the same.

To Contact: 647-201-6610, harryautherapy@gmail.com

How Vanessa Went From Charging $85 Per Client To $250 Premium Fees Per Session. Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we are speaking with Vanessa Solis, a California based Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Vanessa has over a decade of experience working to create a space where people can tell their story. She offers traditional talk therapy as well as EMDR for women and teens. Vanessa is currently in the process of creating a group practice that supports the development of EMDR and Brainspotting for clinicians of color.

In this episode, Vanessa will share:

Her journey from community health to premium fees;

How race and class shaped her fee setting strategy;

What fears she battled with making the change;

How changing her fees and upleveling allowed her to show up differently as a mother, spouse, and clinician.

Resources mentioned:

More About Vanessa:

Vanessa Solis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Bay Area, CA. She helps women understand how previous trauma is connected to anxiety, depression. and low self esteem, and how that all works in the brain. She specializes in working with women of color in brain based therapy techniques, such as EMDR and Brainspotting, allowing clients to experience the brain's power in healing itself. Vanessa is in the process of creating a group practice that supports the development of EMDR and Brainspotting clinicians of color, in order to create an exponential impact in her community and beyond.

To contact - (925) 257-0205, Vanessasolislcsw.com, Vanessasolislcsw@gmail.com

How Susannah Started Private Practice And Became The Primary Breadwinner. Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Susannah Horwitz, a Colorado based License Mental Health Counselor. Susannah works with women and adolescents to heal trauma. She takes on a trauma-informed, nature based, expressive arts approach to help her clients get "off the couch" and into the outdoors to facilitate healing.

Susannah now works in Private Practice, charging premium fees, and is the primary breadwinner for her family. Taking what she learned with LIMB and applying it to her practice, she is able to set her family up for success and show up more fully for her clients.

In this episode, Susannah will share:

What three signs led her to charging premium fees and her fears around increasing her fees;

How she built her private practice without a website presence;

Why she did not want to be a therapist with 30+ clients;

What it's like to be the primary breadwinner, and how she is still managing a work-life balance.

Resources mentioned:

More about Susanna:

Susannah Horwitz is a trauma-informed, nature based expressive arts therapist and licensed professional counselor, with dual licensure in Massachusetts and Colorado. She loves to bring therapy clients "off the couch" and into the outdoors to help them connect with the multifaceted powers of imagination, sense of humor, playfulness, and creativity to heal trauma and thrive.

For the past 24 years she traveled an eclectic career path that has included employment as a public school teacher in Baltimore, an Outdoor Experiential Educator in Michigan and Ohio, A museum arts educator in Ohio, A school counselor in Boston, the lead singer in a touring East coast band, an Expressive Arts therapist and Director of a College/Career Access program in Lynn, MA, a private practice therapist (and budding coach/retreat leader) in MA and CO, and most importantly a mother.

To connect: Susannah@susannahHorwitz.com , SusannahHorwitz.com

How Shawny Wrestled With Charging $200 Dollars Per Session While Working Exclusively With The Transgender And Queer Community. Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Shawny Sena, a Minnesota based License Marriage and Family Therapist. Shawny exclusively works with Transgender and Queer children and teens, helping them heal "deeper than language" through movement, art, stories, imagination, and music.

Shawny has wrestled with the complexity of charging premium fees while continuing to work with clients who come from marginalized communities. Today she has leveled up from the burnout of group practice to living the life she wants without compromising her integrity, values, and the community she loves to serve.

In this episode, Shawny will share:

- Three signs that led her to raise her fees;

- How her feelings towards participating in a racist and capitalist system, informed her decision around fees;

- How she went from underpaid and overworked in group practice to charging premium fees in private practice, without compromising her clientele;

- How doing the work in LIMB allowed her to change her fees ethically and confidently.

Resources mentioned:

More about Shawny:

Shawny Sena is a Marriage and Family Therapist based in Minneapolis, MN. She works with LGBTQIA kids, teens, and adults and specializes in reconnecting clients with their playful instincts and creativity, especially when they have been inhibited by developmental trauma. Her background in the arts, sex education, and play therapy guide her beliefs that pleasure and joy are the ultimate tools of healing.

To Contact: Shawny@ShawnySena.com

How A Significant Personal Loss Led Erin To Charging Premium Fees. Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Erin Collins, a therapist based out of Massachusetts. Erin focuses her work on teens and adults experiencing anxiety, as well as people healing from different types of loss.

After the father of Erin's sons passed away from Cancer, Erin had to step up and become the sole financial provider for her children. Along with this new role, Erin had to deal with her own grieving, and the grieving of her children. This difficult reality led Erin to rethink her views on private practice and premium fees.

In this episode Erin will dive into:

What it means to look at your financial reality despite being terrified;

Fears and strategies to overcoming the "I can't" mindset regarding charging premium fees;

How doing the work to overcome an empathetic nature led her to where she is now;

How she was able to craft out a new life for herself and her children, despite the challenges she faced.

Resources mentioned:

More About Erin:

Erin is a psychotherapist in the Boston area specializing in anxiety, grief and loss. She is the mother of two teenage sons who lost their father two years ago to colon cancer. Erin is currently in the process of starting a second business as a life coach for women struggling with momfectionism.

To contact: https://www.erinpcollinstherapy.com/

617-682-7376, erin@erinpcollinstherapy.com

How Sam Got Off Insurance Panels; A Step By Step Approach Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Samantha Osborne, a clinician located in Asheville, NC. Sam holds many titles: Board Certified Counselor, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, and Mental Health Integrative Medicine Certified Provider (MHIMCP).

She became interested in mental health after struggling with her own anxiety and depression. She now centers her practice around helping others in similar mental spaces to "live with less anxiety and more joy".

In this episode, Sam will share:

What it was like to come from an upwardly mobile, working-class family to owning her own business;

Three signs led her to make the change from insurance panels to private pay;

How she used a no-judgement, no-nonsense decision making approach to get off insurance panels;

How canceling insurance panels led her to having an upwardly mobile family and the impact it's had on the well-being of her family.

Resources mentioned:

More about Sam:

Samantha Osborne is a therapist for ambitious overachievers in Asheville, NC. She's a "super fan" of the Money Sessions, and she has picked up several new hobbies since starting her private practice.

To contact - www.SamanthaOsborneTherapy.com

How Melisa Went From A Corporate Setting To Creating A Bigger Impact On Her Community Without Sacrificing Her Own Well Being Or Time With Her Family. Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Melisa Alaba, A Licensed Professional Counselor and Life Coach out of Marietta, GA. Melisa has been in practice since 2003. She currently works through private practice and a group practice specializing in helping professional women of color heal from emotional trauma and live extraordinary lives.

Along with being a counselor and life coach, Melisa is the CEO of VisionWorks Coaching and Counseling. She is a Breakthrough Coach, Speaker, Published Author and Creator of the B'HEALED Transformation Process.

In this episode, Melisa will share:

What it was like as in the corporate setting;

How she was able to take care of herself and her family more efficiently, while making a bigger impact on her community;

Why she does not believe in the zero sum game;

Her approach to charging premium fees and valuing her work.

Resources mentioned:

More about Melisa:

I'm Melisa Alaba.

CEO of Vision Works Coaching and Counseling, Breakthrough Coach, Speaker, Published Author, Creator of the B'HEALED transformation process, Mama, and chocolate lover. I'm a licensed counselor with a Masters in Psychology from Roosevelt University, and a Life and Happiness Coach.

My book – Live Out Loud: 52 Ways to Reawaken Your Spirit and Live a Life of Purpose – was featured in the movie 72 Hours.

My advice has been featured in Ebony Magazine, Ebony online, Parents Magazine, Redbook, ABC online.

And I've made live appearances on Fox News and CBS as well as given talks at countless events.

For the past 20 years, I've coached hundreds of women of color to work through deep trauma, heal their wounds, have life-changing breakthroughs, and get to their next level. Find out more here: Melisa Alaba on Youtube

To Contact: visionworkscoaching@gmail.com

How Rae Created An Equitable And Sustainable Group Practice By Reducing Their Caseload By 75%. Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Rae McDaniel, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Sex Therapist in Chicago. As a Gender and Certified Sex Therapist, They work with people feeling anxious about a transition they are experiencing, whether it be through sex and gender or sexual identity and relationships. Rae strives to support individuals in feeling confident in their own skin and finding community.

In this episode, Rae will share:

Why having no safety-net caused Rae to take bigger risks and create such a powerful business;

How they overcame fears in creating a sustainable practice and why that allowed space to impact a wider community;

How being queer and non-binary has informed their busiess decisions and clinical practice;

Why taking care of yourself as a clinician allows space to give back and support a wider more diverse community.

Resources mentioned:

More About Rae:

Rae McDaniel, MEd, LCPC, CST (They/Them) is a non-binary, Gender and Certified Sex Therapist, Coach, and Educator who works with transgender/non-binary/questioning folks feeling anxious and lost about transitions they're experiencing in gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and relationships. They are the creator of GenderFck: The Club, a one-of-a-kind, research-based online coaching community of transgender/non-binary/questioning folks who are on a mission to transition with less suffering, more ease, and (dare we even say it!) pleasure and the founder of Practical Audacity, a Gender & Sex Therapy group practice in Chicago, Illinois. Rae is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and a Certified Sex Therapist through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).

To contact, www.genderfck.club, www.practicalaudacity.com, Instagram: @practicalaudacity, Facebook.com/practicalaudacity

How Allyson Went From A Single Mother On Food Stamps To A Published Author With Over 300,000 Followers On Social Media. Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we're speaking with Allyson Dinneen, a marriage and family therapist, author, and Instagram star. Allyson went from being a single mother relying on food stamps to becoming a published author in the US, UK and Australia as well as growing a huge following on social media.

Allyson describes once being a therapist who writes a little, to a writer who does a little therapy. Through her book Notes From Your Therapist , Allyson seeks to cultivate emotional well-being, recognize the struggles of being human, and offer a nurturing, compassionate perspective, just as she does in her practice.

In this episode Allyson will dive into:

How community mental health led to conflicted feelings of wanting to give back to the community and how the system is broken;

How a Google search about sliding scales led her to raise her fees;

Why raising her fees helped her prioritize her time which ultimately led to financial security through a book deal;

How she still struggles with raising fees with current clients and her process for working through that;

In what ways codependency shows up in practice and how to undo boundary violations learned through taking care of our parents;

How she demonstrated that no matter where you are or the struggles you face, it is possible to charge premium fees and pursue the life you want for YOU.

Resources mentioned: