Selling the Couch

Hosted by Melvin Varghese, PhD

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300

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Oct 2026

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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*

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November 5, 202635 min

ENCORE: How To Build An Email List Alongside Your Online Course

Today’s encore features a coaching call about how to build an email list simultaneously with an online course. You’ve probably heard that social media is the best option for building an email list, but is it? There are pros and cons to consider. Join us as we discuss this topic that is relevant to many people. I hope it’s helpful for you! Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call: Tami Zak, AMFT Tami Zak was part of our first beta group for Online Course School last fall. Her practice is based in northern California, but she works virtually with clients from all over the state. To broaden her reach and the help she wants to offer couples, Tami launched her podcast, Marriage Breakdown, in 2021. Tami now faces the dilemma of developing her email list along with her online course, and she is overwhelmed with where and how to begin. You are invited to listen to the coaching call with Tami and Melvin! Affinity Couples Counseling Marriage Breakdown podcast You’ll Learn: Tami’s online course idea to further develop her podcast topics and help couples communicate better Why an email list is important alongside an online course Why depending on social media alone to build a loyal following is not altogether sufficient How Tami feels overwhelmed and intimidated about where to start and where to spend money to build an email list Melvin’s tip #1: “There isn’t one solution to building an email list, but it’s more about what aligns with your creative energy.” How to focus on building “your island” in the social media “ocean” How Tami uses her lead magnet on her podcast and website to help build her email list–and she’s ready to dive into social media to some degree Melvin’s tip #2: “Think of offering your lead magnet as the beginning of a layering process to go from podcast, website, and then on to social media.” Why it’s overwhelming to dive into content creation and send out a newsletter Melvin’s tip #3: “Don’t feel obligated to send out too many newsletters; even once a month is OK when getting started. You can change things up at any time. “ Why it’s important to be consistent at whatever stage of development you are in Melvin’s tip #4: “Think of how you can batch content with short tip videos to include in your newsletter.” Options in using podcast content for quotes, tips, etc. to use in a newsletter and on social media Why Tami feels that her next steps will be around leveraging her content in a newsletter -- 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. Join us: sellingthecouch.com/haven

October 29, 202624 min

432: 11 Years, 2 Million Downloads, and the Business Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

What does 11 years of building a business actually teach you — especially when things don't go according to plan? In this final episode of Selling the Couch for 2026, Mel reflects on 11 years of entrepreneurship, more than 2 million podcast downloads, and some of the hardest lessons he's learned along the way. And rather than focusing on the milestones or successes, he's sharing something more personal: the mistakes, unexpected challenges, and changes that have reshaped how he thinks about building a sustainable business. One of those lessons came from STC Elite, our former mastermind for therapists creating online courses. Although the program helped more than 50 colleagues build their courses, its business model depended heavily on just two launches each year. When enrollment began to slow, Mel realized how vulnerable that structure had become. That experience ultimately helped shape the decision to close STC Elite and create Haven, our small, intentional community for therapists building income and impact beyond the therapy room. In this episode, Mel shares three lessons that he wishes he'd understood earlier — and why they matter for therapists building private practices, online businesses, and careers that support the lives they actually want to live. In this episode: What the inversion principle can teach therapists about planning for uncertainty Why building a resilient business matters just as much as building a successful one How AI is changing the way therapists and private practices get discovered online Why depth, specialization, and genuine expertise may be your greatest advantages in the AI era How long-form content like guides, podcasts, and YouTube videos can help build lasting trust Why slow, consistent growth can be more valuable than chasing quick wins How caregiving, family responsibilities, and different seasons of life change what success looks like Why comparing your business to someone else's can lead to burnout How to define what "enough" means for you and protect what matters most As we close out 2026, Mel leaves us with three questions worth reflecting on: Are you designing your business for success, resilience, or both? What does depth look like in your work, and are you giving it enough time? Whose definition of success are you working toward? Whether you're just starting your private practice or have been building a business for years, this conversation is an invitation to rethink what sustainable success means to you. -- 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. Join us: sellingthecouch.com/haven

October 22, 202614 min

431: How to Sell Your Online Course with Webinars and Email Marketing

What actually makes someone decide to buy your online course? It's not just the information you're teaching or how polished your webinar looks. More often, it's the trust you've built with the people you're trying to help. In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel takes you behind the scenes of a live coaching session inside Haven, our small, intentional community for therapists building sustainable online income beyond the therapy room. This time, we're talking about how to market and sell an online course using webinars, email marketing, and storytelling, without relying on high-pressure sales tactics or complicated launch strategies. You'll hear Mel work through real questions from therapists who are building their own courses, including how to write more compelling launch emails, whether to start with a live or prerecorded webinar, and why YouTube Live might be worth considering for your next launch. In this episode: - Why people don't just buy online courses, they buy trust - How webinars and email marketing work together during a course launch - The email strategy Mel recommends - How to use storytelling to make your course marketing more memorable - Why one meaningful statistic can be more effective than overwhelming readers with data - How to use a solution framework in your launch emails - Why specific, personal details make stories more engaging - How to avoid unnecessary backstory when writing marketing emails - The pros and cons of live versus prerecorded webinars - What Mel learned from hosting webinars with almost no attendees - Why live webinars can help you become a more confident presenter - How YouTube Live can give your webinars a longer shelf life - Why making your content discoverable beyond your website is becoming increasingly important One of the biggest takeaways from this coaching session is that your audience isn't simply evaluating the information inside your course. They're also getting to know you. Your story, your perspective, your sincerity, and the way you help people understand a problem all contribute to that relationship. -- 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. Join us: sellingthecouch.com/haven

October 15, 20269 min

430: YouTube for Therapists: How to Grow Without Chasing the Algorithm

What if growing a YouTube channel as a therapist didn't require posting constantly, chasing trends, or becoming an influencer? In this episode of Selling the Couch, Mel takes you behind the scenes of Haven, our small, intentional community for therapists building sustainable online income beyond the therapy room. He's sharing an excerpt from the first session of our Calm YouTube Flywheel Accelerator, where we explored a different approach to YouTube — one built around being found, creating meaningful content, and building momentum slowly over time. Because YouTube doesn't have to be another platform where you're constantly performing. It can become a library of helpful content that continues serving people long after you hit publish. In this episode: The difference between performative YouTube and calm YouTube Why being found matters more than being impressive How to organize your channel around your areas of expertise Why evergreen videos can be more valuable than chasing trends How to create a posting schedule that fits your actual life What Mel learned about burnout from his first year of podcasting How the flywheel approach helps your content build momentum over time What to prioritize when starting a YouTube channel from scratch A simple exercise to help you come up with your first five YouTube video ideas One of the biggest shifts we teach inside Haven is moving away from the idea that every video needs to be entertaining, impressive, or optimized for the latest algorithm. Instead, think about building a collection of helpful resources around the topics your ideal audience is already searching for. Each video becomes another resource in your library. And over time, those videos can help people discover your work, get to know your perspective, and build trust in your expertise. The goal isn't to go viral. It's to create something useful that compounds over time. -- 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

October 9, 202619 min

429: How to Grow Your Therapy Business Without Living on Social Media

What if you could use social media to grow your therapy business without feeling like you have to be online all the time? For many therapists, social media comes with a complicated relationship. You know it can help people discover your work, build trust, and create new opportunities. But you also know how easily it can pull you into constant checking, comparing, posting, and wondering whether you're doing enough. After 11 years of building Selling the Couch, Mel has seen both sides of social media. But that growth also came with costs to his attention, energy, and mental health. Today, he's sharing three principles that have helped him rethink his relationship with social media, along with the questions he's still navigating himself. In this episode: Why therapists often have a complicated relationship with social media The difference between using social media as a tool and treating it like a home Why Mel shut down his nearly 10,000-member Facebook group How removing social media and email from his phone has helped him protect his attention Why going viral isn't the same as building a sustainable business What Mel means by slow, quiet compounding How to build trust without posting every day Why your email list, podcast, and community matter more than follower counts How to create a business that isn't dependent on changing algorithms The emotional toll of measuring your worth through likes, views, and engagement Why boundaries around your time, expertise, and attention matter Three questions to ask yourself before opening a social media app Social media is a tool, not a home. One of the biggest ideas in this conversation is that you don't have to choose between constantly showing up online and disappearing entirely. The goal isn't to abandon social media or become perfect at setting boundaries. It's to decide what role these platforms should play in your life and business before they make that decision for you. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by social media, frustrated by the pressure to keep posting, or unsure how to market your work without sacrificing your peace of mind, this episode offers a thoughtful place to start. -- 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

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