Selling The Couch With Melvin Varghese, Ph.d. | Weekly Conversations To Build And Grow Your Counseling Private Practice

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. https://

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 athttp://www.sellingthecouch.com/easywebinar ( www.sellingthecouch.com/easywebinar).) In webinars, focus on sharing your story, your WHY, and you

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 r

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 thehttps://www.creativeelements.fm/nathan-barry/ ( 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 t

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. https://goodtherapysf.com/ (www.goodtherapysf.com) https://www.amazon.com/101-W

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. https://www.mindfulcounselinggr.com/ (Website) You’ll Learn ●     How a video can bring intentionality to your sacred work of therapy in a vi

What if I told you that there is something simple and free that most of us can do daily for an hour or less that yields amazing physical and mental benefits? Would you want to know what it is? Since the pandemic has forced us to take a closer look at our habits and make some changes, I want to share this life-changing activity that has become an almost daily habit for me. It’s hiking! Incorporating a midday hike several times each week helps me sleep better at night and stay centered for daily tasks. My inner “research nerd” got curious and took a deeper look at the intersection of hiking, mental health, and entrepreneurship, and I want to share with you what I’ve found. You’ll Learn ●     Why hike? What are the benefits? ○     Hiking helps keep our minds sharp and agile. ○     Hiking helps us to focus better. ○     HIking can spark serious creativity. ●     If you’re a hiker, please s

Today’s show takes on a very niched perspective, but the information and wisdom are useful in many aspects of our work as clinicians and business owners. We are specifically discussing how to move from an online course to a membership model. Maybe you’ve wondered about these components of your practice and how to make the transition. Join us for expert advice! Our Featured Guest Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CEDRD-S Jennifer McGurk is a registered dietitian in NY whose specialty is helping clients with eating disorders. She made the transition from an online course to a membership model, so she is sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of such a move. I hope our discussion will be helpful to you if you’re considering a similar transition. https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/theecourse/ (Website) You’ll Learn: ●     How membership sites can help a clinician accomplish career goals ●     Details of Jennifer’s journey in private practice from an online course to a

This is the last episode until September while I take some time off to focus on self-care before the summer ends. Today’s episode is a valuable one if you are thinking about launching an online course sometime soon or in the future. My encouragement to you is to do it! Get started! Join me for this solo episode in which we discuss the basics. You’ll Learn ● The most common reasons to launch an online course: to put your message out there to impact more people in different locations, to feel more fulfilled in your purpose, to diversify income streams, and to spark more creativity ● The highlights of my online course creation story that began in 2015---complete with all the doubts and fears ● How my first online course has surpassed my wildest dreams in passing the $200K mark in revenue ● What it means to me to build a successful online course: ○ I can build a life around my loved ones and self-care instead of fitting my loved ones and self-care around my career. ○ We as a family can contribute time and resourc

At the beginning of this month, we reached our seven years of podcasting milestone here at Selling the Couch. That’s pretty crazy when statistics show that three out of every four new podcasts die after only seven episodes. Join us to learn what it takes to beat the odds and keep your podcast going. When I started the show back in 2015, podcasts were new. I am naturally introverted, so podcasting does not come easily to me. I remember being fearful on multiple levels and wondering how long I would be able to maintain sustainability with the podcast. We experienced slow and steady growth over time, however, and we currently average anywhere between 21,000 and 26,000 downloads in a month. Today’s session is a solo episode in which I share five tips that have helped me keep the podcast going. Stay tuned to learn more! You’ll Learn: You have to have done a decent amount of podcast episodes to hit hockey stick growth Tip #1: Focus on building systems initially rather than releasing a mass of episodes.  Notice

If there is one thing I’ve learned as a small business owner, it’s that it takes courage to show up imperfect. We want so badly to be perfect and put together in front of our audience, but perfectionism makes us less authentic and connected. Join us to learn more about being OK with being imperfect. Samara Stone is a return guest to the podcast, and I’m thrilled to welcome her back! In addition to her work as a therapist, Samara is a branding expert who has a curated community, Be Full Grown, for black women over 40 who are ready to imagine, create, and live a life of their own design. Samara is in the process of launching a podcast, and she has already proven her courage in showing up imperfect through some major life difficulties. We will discuss how we, as clinicians, can show up imperfect when perfectionism always has a pull on us. Samara also shares helpful guidelines for sharing appropriately on social media, which is something we all need to keep in mind.  https://www.befullgrown.com/ (Be Full Gro

Today’s session covers the power of building in public, which has been a new concept for me in the last few months. This is a way for business owners to build their products and services in public on social media while others come along for the journey. It’s not easy for those of us who don’t want to display our messiness, but it is a very powerful strategy. Think of building in public as a marketing technique that doesn’t feel like marketing. Join us to learn more! Our Featured Guest: Kevon Cheung Kevon Cheung is a friend who lives in Hong Kong. I have learned a lot from watching him build in public on Twitter. I went through his Build in Public Mastery Cohort last winter, and I learned so much! Kevon will explain this concept, what it means, and why it’s important for us as business owners. We will wrap up with Kevon sharing his FUEL framework, a method to use in creating social media posts. https://publiclab.co/ (Public Lab) https://buildinpublicmastery.com/ (Build in Public Mastery) You’ll Learn: Wh

Today’s session 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! https://affinitycouplescounseling.com/ (Affinity Couples Counseling) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m

This session covers an important topic in today’s world. I had an unsettling experience personally with the issue of privacy regarding my personal information. It has been a big, bad mess all the way around that has taken a lot of time and effort to straighten out. I’ve become a big believer in the importance of knowledge and awareness about online security. As being in the online world becomes the norm for practitioners and business owners, how can we protect our personal information? Join us for this informative conversation! Our Featured Guest Kyle Krzeski Kyle Krzeski is the co-founder of Removaly, a company that removes private information from the internet on an initial and ongoing basis. Kyle helps us understand how companies get access to our private information, what those most common pieces of information are, and the practical steps you can take to keep yourself safe and secure. http://www.sellingthecouch.com/removaly (Selling The Couch: Removaly) You’ll Learn: ● How companies get access to our pe

Today’s session is a solo episode in which I share details about why I have made the $4K investment in studio lighting for my home office since 2019. This session is prompted by a Twitter feed that has gone viral about this subject. You can check it out on Twitter and see lots of pictures of my lighting gear, including before and after examples that really show the improvements. Even though this gear can be pricey, you can follow my tips, start small, and add quality equipment over time to take your videos and online presence to the next level. You’ll Learn: ● My top five tips for lighting your home studio: ○ Invest in a key light to create a natural look. ■ Pro Tip: look for a key light with remote control intensity settings and invest in a heavy duty light stand. ■ My gear: the Aperture 120D + Light Dome 2 ○ Invest in a fill light to keep you from looking like an evil villain. ■ Pro Tip: Use a 10-ft. USB-C to USB cable so it doesn’t turn off in the middle of something important. ■ My gear: the Falcon Eye

Today’s topic is one of great interest to me because of my journey through life. It can be difficult and very challenging to balance fatherhood and entrepreneurship in a way that feels like you are giving your best to both roles. Maybe you find yourself in a similar situation. Join me for today’s conversation to learn more! Our Featured Guest: Ryan Spence Ryan Spence is a father of two, a former corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur, and a life coach who helps others show up as their best selves to live their best lives. Ryan and I connected through Rachel Rodgers’ The Club, and I quickly grew to respect his intentionality around fatherhood and entrepreneurship. Ryan’s oldest child is neurodivergent, so he faces some unique parenting challenges. In today’s session, we are having an open and honest conversation about the nuances of balancing fatherhood with entrepreneurship, along with how to best handle work disruptions and challenges that come with being a parent. Ryan is full of practical advice that can hel

Welcome to Session 300! I never even imagined reaching this point, and I’m very grateful to be at this milestone. I love everything about connecting with people through podcasting, so thank you for joining me on this journey. Today’s show is a coaching call about online courses and the imposter syndrome that sneaks in with fear and doubt. Join us to learn more! Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call: Nikki Sewell, LCSW Nikki Sewell was part of our beta group for Online Course School’s eight-week live experience where we went through each step from start to finish in setting up your online course. Nikki is ready to get her pilot students into her course, but she has encountered a lot of fear around charging her worth for her grief course for therapists. Nikki built a successful private practice focusing on the niche of grief counseling, motivated by losing her father to suicide during her grad school years and suddenly losing her husband at age 41 back in 2013. Join the coaching call with Nikki and Melvi

If you are struggling to build your email list, today’s show can help! With over 300 STC newsletters and 5K subscribers, I’ve learned a few lessons about what works–and what doesn’t. We are fortunate that the STC newsletter has a much higher “open rate” than the 20% average, which can be attributed to what I have discovered along the way. Join me as I go solo today to share my insights that you can put into practice right now. You’ll Learn: ● Why your mindset should be to make recipients excited to open your weekly newsletter ● My tips for building your email list through newsletters: ○ Spend time crafting the subject line. (The https://www.headliner.app/ (Headliner) app helps!) ○ Write to one person. (Picture yourself sitting with a friend around a campfire.) ○ Use the intro section to share a personal story. (Have boundaries and safety considerations in place; I don’t say anything that would embarrass Grandma!) ○ Stick to a consistent format. (We use sections for an intro, top tool, podcast info, and top S

Today’s show covers lessons I have learned from launching a successful cohort-based course (CBC). The process takes a lot of work but is very rewarding, so if a CBC is in your future, don’t miss this episode. You’ll Learn: ● How I launched my first online course, The Healthcasters, in 2015, even though I felt like an inadequate novice ● How Online Course School launched in late 2021, with 16 workshops for nine colleagues in the beta cohort group ● Ten lessons learned from my CBC launch: ○ Get your beta students through your email list, previous courses, and Mastermind class colleagues. ○ Screen the participants well. (I did this through one-on-one Zoom calls.) ○ Do welcome calls with breakout rooms, so the students get to know each other. ○ Keep the CBC length around 6-8 weeks, or structure a break after a few weeks if it is longer. ○ Have an assistant with you on all workshops. ○ Tier your support for students at multiple levels. ○ Start with the “I do/we do/you do” framework for teaching. ○ Prep your lesson

Today’s show covers a topic that always brings out the nerd in me. If you are an STC regular, then you know the importance I place on my video and audio gear. With the future of our field being that telehealth is here to stay, a quality home studio setup can help you stand out in your field. For me, the quality of my studio has evolved over the years as I’ve had more money to invest. Join the conversation to learn how to take your videos to the next level by building a dream home studio. Our Featured Guest Kevin Shen Kevin Shen is a consultant who has been producing online videos for more than ten years, doing most of his work on YouTube. He has developed courses to teach what he has learned about making powerful videos and building a professional quality studio. He shares why a professional studio matters, along with practical considerations to make if building a home studio is on your radar for the future. http://www.dreamstudiocourse.com/ (Dream Studio Course) You’ll Learn: Why a professional video studio