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Selling the Couch

Selling the Couch

Hosted by Melvin Varghese, PhD

BusinessHealthFitnessScienceInterviews guestsExplicit
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Episodes

300

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN

About the show

With 1.81 million+ downloads, Selling the Couch is an Apple Top Career podcast for current and future mental health private practitioners who think differently. Psychologist Melvin Varghese interviews successful therapists in private practice about how they built their businesses as well as top entrepreneurs, business/marketing, and social media experts.* You'll learn how therapists get referrals, grow their practices, work through fears, find their enough, and stop "trading time for income." Melvin also shares the lessons as he grows his impact + income beyond the therapy room (podcasting, YouTube, writing, online courses, masterminds, investing, etc) and the tips and tools he uses to grow STC from a single-person business to the CEO of a 6-figure business.* Featured in Psychology Today, Good Therapy, and Psych Central ****Get show notes and even more good stuff at sellingthecouch.com/stcpodcast*

Listen to episodes

60 recent
October 1, 202620 min

428: The Marketing Advantage Therapists Don't Realize They Have

Do you ever feel like you're just… bad at marketing? You don't want to become an influencer. You don't want to post every day, chase an algorithm, manufacture hot takes, or turn every part of your life into content. And maybe that's not actually a problem. In this solo episode of Selling the Couch, Mel explores why conventional marketing advice can feel so uncomfortable for therapists, and why the very skills clinicians have spent years developing may actually be some of the most valuable content skills in an increasingly AI-generated world. Therapists are trained to listen deeply. To notice nuance. To build trust slowly. To center the other person. To sit with complexity instead of rushing toward a simple answer. Conventional online marketing often asks us to do nearly the opposite. So what if you stopped trying to market like an influencer and started creating content more like a therapist? In this episode: Why Mel has no desire to become a therapist or social media influencer Why conventional marketing can feel especially uncomfortable for clinicians The difference between performing online and genuinely connecting Why AI-generated content may make real human perspective even more valuable What therapists already understand about building trust Why depth can matter more than content volume How podcasts can create familiarity and trust over time Why consistency doesn't have to mean posting every day How specificity helps people feel genuinely seen Why your clinical training can become an advantage when creating content The belief that may actually be keeping therapists from sharing their ideas Three questions to ask yourself before creating your next piece of content One of the biggest ideas in this episode is simple: You're not trying to build an audience. You're building trust. And those require very different approaches. Instead of asking how you can create more content, Mel offers a different model. So if you've ever thought, “I'm just not good at marketing,” this episode may help you rethink what good marketing can actually look like for a therapist. -- Ready to build income and impact beyond the therapy room? Haven is our small, intentional community for therapists who want to turn their expertise into work that can reach and serve more people — without simply adding more clients or more hours to their calendar. Whether that looks like writing, speaking, podcasting, YouTube, a course, or something else entirely, Haven gives you thoughtful frameworks, practical support, and a community of colleagues to help you build it in a way that feels sustainable for your life. Haven is open for enrollment - join us: sellingthecouch.com/haven

September 24, 202617 min

427: When Life Doesn't Fit Your Business Plan

What happens when the life you’ve been building toward suddenly has to change? In this solo episode of Selling the Couch, Mel shares a personal update about entering a new season of caregiving, and the difficult questions it has raised about business, ambition, family, and what success actually looks like when life gets heavy. For several years, Mel knew that increased caregiving responsibilities for aging parents would eventually become part of his family’s story. This summer, that season arrived. It meant selling a recently paid-off home, temporarily moving in with his in-laws, searching for a home designed for multigenerational living, and reconsidering some of the plans he had for the next chapter of his work and life. But this episode isn't really about having the perfect plan for caregiving. It's about something much more human: What do you do when the season you're actually living doesn't match the one you planned for? Mel shares three ideas he keeps coming back to as he navigates this transition: Why margin may be one of the most important assets you can build into your business The question he now asks before taking on something new Why caregiving requires far more flexibility than most schedules account for What it means to let ambition bend to the reality of your current season Why slowing down doesn't mean giving up on the things you want to build How he's intentionally designing The Unshakeable Golfer around greater flexibility Why his definition of success now has to include his mental health The difference between building toward “more” and building toward “enough” Why hard seasons call for presence over productivity and flexibility over optimization One of the hardest parts of entrepreneurship is that we don't build our businesses in a vacuum. Life continues happening alongside the goals, launches, revenue targets, and plans we've made. And sometimes, life asks us to change those plans. -- Ready to build income and impact beyond the therapy room? Haven is our small, intentional community for therapists who want to turn their expertise into work that can reach and serve more people — without simply adding more clients or more hours to their calendar. Whether that looks like writing, speaking, podcasting, YouTube, a course, or something else entirely, Haven gives you thoughtful frameworks, practical support, and a community of colleagues to help you build it in a way that feels sustainable for your life. Haven is open for enrollment - join us: sellingthecouch.com/haven

September 17, 202641 min

426: How to Host a Small, Intimate Retreat as a Therapist

What if hosting a meaningful retreat didn’t require a luxury resort, a huge audience, or 50 people in the room? In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel sits down with licensed psychologist Dr. Shawn Hondorp to talk about what she’s learned from creating small, intimate retreats — including the logistics, the challenges, and the deeper value of bringing people together in person. Shawn shares how her first retreat started with just eight people at an Airbnb near her home, how she finds and chooses vendors, and why she believes relationships and the energy people bring to an experience matter just as much as their skills. They also talk candidly about the parts of hosting retreats that don’t always make it into the highlight reel: what happens when a vendor gets sick at the last minute, how to decide what to delegate, what it feels like when a retreat doesn’t fill as quickly as you hoped, and how Shawn has learned to define success on her own terms. In this conversation: What a small-scale retreat can actually look like Why Shawn started with an Airbnb and a group of eight How far in advance she plans her retreats How she finds chefs, movement instructors, massage therapists, and other vendors Why she prefers to work with people whose services she has personally experienced What to delegate when hosting a retreat How knowing your “zone of genius” can shape the experience you create What Shawn has learned from hosting retreats that don’t immediately fill Why creativity, play, and in-person community may matter even more in an increasingly AI-driven world How to start exploring a retreat idea without overcomplicating it One of the biggest themes in this conversation is that your version of a successful retreat doesn’t have to look like someone else’s. You can start small. You can build around the kind of connection you naturally create. And you can bring in people who are gifted at the pieces that aren’t your strengths. As Shawn puts it, sometimes the first step is simply asking: What am I craving? If you’ve had the idea of hosting a retreat sitting in the back of your mind but have felt overwhelmed by everything it would take to make it happen, this conversation offers a thoughtful and refreshingly real place to start. Learn more about Dr. Shawn Hondorp and her work: drshawnhondorp.com Connect with Shawn on Instagram: @innovativetherapist Listen to The Innovative Therapist Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. -- RESOURCES Join our FREE WORKSHOP: Your LinkedIn Profile is Either Working For You Right Now — or It Isn't Join Mel on September 18th for a free 60-minute live workshop designed to help therapists turn LinkedIn into a 24/7 silent referral partner—without becoming a content machine. You’ll learn how to optimize the five parts of your profile that matter most, make your expertise easier to discover by both humans and AI search engines, and build a quiet online presence that can lead to referrals, speaking opportunities, podcasts, and more. Save your spot at: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/linkedin

September 10, 202629 min

425: A Relationship-First Approach to Getting Referrals From Churches

Could churches and other faith communities become one of your private practice's strongest referral sources? For many therapists, networking with churches can feel intimidating—or even a little unclear. Who do you contact? What do you say? Should you offer free workshops? And how do you build these relationships without feeling like you're simply asking for referrals? In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel sits down with licensed therapist and group practice owner Whitney Owens to talk about a more relational approach to connecting with churches and faith communities. Whitney shares what she's learned from growing her own practice, being married to a pastor, and helping other faith-based practice owners build sustainable businesses. In this conversation: Why churches can be valuable referral partners for therapists Whether this strategy works if you don't have a faith-based practice Who to contact within a church (and why it may not be the lead pastor) Why warm relationships work better than simply dropping off marketing materials How to approach pastors by asking how you can support them Ways to find churches and faith communities to connect with locally Ethical considerations when clients attend your own church How Whitney navigated dual relationships and boundaries How church benevolence funds may help congregants access therapy Whitney's experience creating "mini EAP" relationships with churches Whether free or low-cost workshops are worth offering How to think about fees, sliding scales, and discounted services without undervaluing your work Why following up every few months is essential for building long-term referral relationships Start With Relationships, Not Referrals One of the biggest themes in this conversation is simple: People are more likely to refer to therapists they know, like, and trust. Instead of approaching a church with, "Here's my practice—send me clients," Whitney recommends starting with curiosity. What challenges is this church facing? What are pastors hearing from their congregants? Where are they feeling overwhelmed? How could your expertise make their work a little easier? From there, a relationship can grow into referrals, workshops, trainings, counseling partnerships, or other opportunities to serve the community. Think Depth, Not Volume You don't necessarily need relationships with 50 churches. A handful of strong, trusted relationships—nurtured consistently over time—may be far more valuable than trying to market your practice everywhere at once. And if you're part of another faith tradition, many of these same principles can be adapted to building relationships with the religious organizations and communities relevant to you. About Whitney Owens Whitney Owens is a licensed therapist, group practice owner, and founder of Wise Practice Consulting, where she helps faith-based practice owners integrate their values into the way they build and lead their businesses. Learn more: https://wisepracticeconsulting.com If you're a therapist looking for thoughtful, relationship-based ways to grow your referral network, this conversation is full of practical ideas you can begin using in your own community. -- RESOURCES Join our FREE WORKSHOP: Your LinkedIn Profile is Either Working For You Right Now — or It Isn't Join Mel on September 18th for a free 60-minute live workshop designed to help therapists turn LinkedIn into a 24/7 silent referral partner—without becoming a content machine. You’ll learn how to optimize the five parts of your profile that matter most, make your expertise easier to discover by both humans and AI search engines, and build a quiet online presence that can lead to referrals, speaking opportunities, podcasts, and more. Save your spot at: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/linkedin

September 4, 202628 min

424: Why Therapists Should Pay Attention To LinkedIn

What if you didn’t need to post on LinkedIn every day to build real authority? For years, the dominant LinkedIn advice has been pretty consistent: post constantly, engage with bigger accounts, chase visibility, and keep feeding the algorithm. But what if there’s a quieter—and more sustainable—way to use LinkedIn? In this episode, Mel shares what he’s learned after nearly four years of experimenting with LinkedIn, growing from roughly 400–500 followers to nearly 5,000 and generating more than 700,000 views without posting every day. More importantly, he explores why LinkedIn may be becoming increasingly valuable for therapists as AI changes the way expertise is discovered online. In this episode: Why Mel shut down a Facebook community of nearly 10,000 people and began experimenting with LinkedIn Why therapists may be overlooking one of the best platforms for building professional authority The problem with the “post every day” approach to LinkedIn Why your referral sources, collaborators, publishers, podcast hosts, and speaking opportunities may already be on LinkedIn How LinkedIn can help create a broader digital footprint around your expertise Why specificity matters more than having a massive following How to turn years of clinical experience into content people can actually find Why your LinkedIn profile should function more like a search result than a traditional resume How to use LinkedIn search to find referral partners, collaborators, journalists, publishers, and other opportunities Mel’s “Quiet LinkedIn” approach to posting consistently without burning out Why the goal isn't necessarily more followers—it’s more signal Instead of trying to win the follower or engagement game, Mel proposes playing a different one: the authority game. Tune in for the strategy! The goal isn't virality. It's becoming the obvious expert in your specific corner of the world. -- RESOURCES Join our FREE WORKSHOP: Your LinkedIn Profile is Either Working For You Right Now — or It Isn't Join Mel on September 18th for a free 60-minute live workshop designed to help therapists turn LinkedIn into a 24/7 silent referral partner—without becoming a content machine. You’ll learn how to optimize the five parts of your profile that matter most, make your expertise easier to discover by both humans and AI search engines, and build a quiet online presence that can lead to referrals, speaking opportunities, podcasts, and more. Save your spot at: https://melvinvarghese.kartra.com/page/linkedin

August 27, 202641 min

ENCORE: Finding Your Enough As An Entrepreneur with Jeanetta Garrison, LCSW

More is not always better. We often find that what we are chasing in our pursuit of success is not what we thought it was. Entrepreneurship for private practice clinicians naturally attracts many high achievers and recovering perfectionists, so we need to take a pause and periodically reassess and redefine what success looks like. Join us for a closer look at this important topic! Our Featured Guest Jeanetta Garrison, LCSW Jeanetta Garrison is an anxiety therapist in private practice in Charlotte, NC. She is the perfect person to share insights into today’s topic. In this episode, Jeanetta shares a personal story about what she learned about money during her childhood, along with how we navigate our aspirations and what we go after to achieve success. We wrap up with a discussion of knowing what is “enough” and being cautious about who we follow after as mentors and examples. Crown Counseling & Consulting You’ll Learn: Common characteristics of entrepreneurs in private practice Jeanetta’s family story of how she learned about money from her upbringing Having big hearts of service sets us up to allow boundaries to be crossed The need for clarity in communication with clients about cancellations and no-shows Chasing the proverbial “carrot” to reach success Jeanetta’s advice: “Remember your WHY and center your head, heart, and spirit around it.” Think about your success in terms of what you are sacrificing for it! Navigating the ebbs and flows that are inherent in entrepreneurship How Jeanetta grounds herself with what is “enough” for her in her business Thinking about money in terms of what it symbolizes to us (“All money is not good money.”) -- Ready to launch (or grow) your online course? Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work. You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way. Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven

August 21, 202627 min

ENCORE: 5 Lessons from 2 Years on LinkedIn

If you’ve been thinking about posting more on LinkedIn or if you’re curious about how to best use this social media platform, today’s encore is for you. It took me a long time to understand the purpose of LinkedIn and how it can be beneficial in connecting me to the right followers. Join me for an honest look at my experience and the biggest lessons learned. You’ll Learn: 5 lessons learned over the last 2 years on LinkedIn: The magic is in the DMs. Focusing on thoughtful relationships is better than chasing followers. LinkedIn’s search tool is amazingly helpful for making connections. The algorithm will always change. Don’t chase trends, but focus on consistency and diversified content. Experiment on LinkedIn, but don’t overthink the metrics. Watch out for growth gurus. Be wary of those who over-promise and under-deliver. I’m more interested in posting things that will help a young therapist like I used to be. Followers are less relevant than you think. It’s about the right people—not ALL people. Try creator mode and curate your network intentionally. The daily posting game is a slow burn. I’ve learned to pace myself in posting. I would rather focus on slower growth in followers and have consistency and sustainability. Connect with me on LinkedIn ! -- Ready to launch (or grow) your online course? Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work. You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way. Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven

August 13, 202625 min

ENCORE: The Anxiety Of Finding A Private Practice Niche

In today's encore, I share my journey of going into private practice, in addition to keeping STC running and growing. There were three main reasons for this decision: I missed the therapy room, a clinical arm to my business is a wise move, and I’d be able to more strategically diversify my income. But this decision brought me some anxiety, insomnia, and depression. I address these issues with my wonderful therapist, and did all the things that we therapists tell our clients to do. My worries and fears are probably normal for someone who feels the pressure to be successful in multiple businesses and endeavors. Join me as I share my insights on finding my private practice niche. You’ll Learn: What is a niche, and how did I choose my niche for private practice? Who do I want to work with? My top four insights on finding my private practice niche: Niches are living and breathing things that evolve over time. Family and friends will always recommend people outside your niche. There is a relational component to marketing beyond your website. Even though my niche focuses on tech and business founders, working within other branches of these niches will add diversity to my work. -- Ready to launch (or grow) your online course? Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work. You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way. Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven

August 6, 202622 min

ENCORE: Why Every Course Creator Should Start A Podcast

If you have ever considered creating an online course, or if you are already a course creator, you have probably thought a lot about marketing. The challenge is how to be thoughtful and creative in marketing your course, which becomes a separate income stream for your business. Starting a podcast is one of the best ways to market your course while creating a solid, compound income stream, and we are talking strategy in today's encore as I share what I’ve learned through my experience. Join us! You’ll Learn: Why starting a podcast has been one of the most rewarding personal and professional endeavors of my life Why podcasts are the perfect way to produce authentic, evergreen content and establish trust How a podcast becomes a way to avoid burnout and take self-care breaks while staying consistent with releasing and re-releasing content How podcasts allow dynamic ads, which are pure magic ( Captivate makes it easy!) and help build your email list How the podcasting format allows pre-roll, mid-roll, and end-roll ads to market your courses/resources consistently How the “flywheel effect” serves to compound your efforts over time if you leverage your existing course students on your podcast -- Ready to launch (or grow) your online course? Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work. You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way. Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven

July 30, 202629 min

ENCORE: Could Keeping Your Business Small Be the Next BIG Thing?

In today's encore, we will cover two questions that confront me daily: How big do I actually want to grow STC? What is the purpose of STC in relation to my overall life? Freedom is my most important value, and building my business around my life, family, and health is most important to me. Not every entrepreneur has the same goals, but these are questions for every entrepreneur to consider. Let’s take a closer look in today’s session! You’ll Learn: How I was compromising to fit life around my business instead of optimizing the business to fit the life I wanted 5 key concepts I learned from Paul Jarvis in his book Companies of one reject limitless growth. We should set firm growth limits to keep opportunity costs small. Companies of one are okay with limited success. More profits mean more productivity, sales, customers, and infrastructure to manage. Develop your business out of a side gig. Your business needs time to incubate and grow so you can devote yourself to it full time. Target a specific audience to find your niche. The more specific your target is, the easier it is to connect, build trust, and distinguish your audience’s needs. Embrace the power of simplicity and personality. Amplify your uniqueness by sharing your most powerful asset: yourself and your personality. -- Ready to launch (or grow) your online course? Haven is our membership for therapists who want to turn their expertise into sustainable online income through courses, content, and simple systems that actually work. You’ll get access to trainings, live accelerators, and a community that supports you every step of the way. Get on the waitlist: sellingthecouch.com/haven

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