300 episodes

With over 1.5 million downloads, Selling the Couch is a top podcast for mental health private practitioners who think differently.

Psychologist Melvin Varghese interviews successful therapists, top entrepreneurs, business/marketing, productivity, and social media experts.

You'll learn how therapists get referrals, make money, work through fears, and how they've stopped "trading time for income."

Melvin also shares the lessons as he grows his impact + income beyond the therapy room (podcasting, video, online courses, masterminds, investing, etc) and the tips, tools, and tech he uses to grow STC from a single-person business to the CEO of a 5-person 100% remote team.

You get bite-sized and highly actionable tips to guide your private practice and entrepreneurial journey.

Selling the Couch Melvin Varghese, PhD

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 326 Ratings

With over 1.5 million downloads, Selling the Couch is a top podcast for mental health private practitioners who think differently.

Psychologist Melvin Varghese interviews successful therapists, top entrepreneurs, business/marketing, productivity, and social media experts.

You'll learn how therapists get referrals, make money, work through fears, and how they've stopped "trading time for income."

Melvin also shares the lessons as he grows his impact + income beyond the therapy room (podcasting, video, online courses, masterminds, investing, etc) and the tips, tools, and tech he uses to grow STC from a single-person business to the CEO of a 5-person 100% remote team.

You get bite-sized and highly actionable tips to guide your private practice and entrepreneurial journey.

    ENCORE: How To Work Through Perfectionism When Launching Your Online Course (Katie Lear, LCMHC, RPT, RDT)

    ENCORE: How To Work Through Perfectionism When Launching Your Online Course (Katie Lear, LCMHC, RPT, RDT)

    If you’ve had a standoff with perfectionism in starting something new, you’ll want to join us for this coaching call in today’s session. Like most clinicians who are branching out with an online course, my guest is struggling with her fears about this new endeavor and whether she will get it right. Join us to hear the conversation.
    Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call
    Katie Lear, LCMHC, RPT, RDT
    Katie Lear is a therapist in solo private practice near Charlotte, NC. She was part of the Online Course School Live Cohort, and she’s part of the Online Course School Mastermind this year. She is preparing for the beta group launch of her course, and her next step will be to record the digital version. This process gives a chance to collect feedback from beta students on the lessons and modules before creating the digital version. Join us for this open and honest conversation around fear and perfectionism.
    Katie's Website
    You’ll Learn:
    A look at how Katie arrived at her private practice niche working with preteens and tweens around anxiety and OCD symptomsWhy Katie decided to jump into the online course worldHow an online course income stream helps clinicians build a balanced life outside their career, have more time and capacity for family, and utilize another way to reach clientsThe starting point for content in Katie’s course: teaching about coping skillsHow Katie is looking to incorporate a playful element into her courseHow Katie is dealing with “blank-page syndrome” in creating her course slidesTips for Katie in distilling and refining the content for her courseWhy heart and intent matter more in an online course than “Hollywood-level” productionWhy there is great value in teaching with the structure of three tips, three steps, and common mistakes
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
    https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
    Mentioned in this episode:

    • 48 min
    ENCORE: How To Not Let Work Become Your Identity (Dan Cumberland)

    ENCORE: How To Not Let Work Become Your Identity (Dan Cumberland)

    Welcome to a brand new season of Selling the Couch! After an extended sabbatical of several months, it’s good to be back on STC with new, exciting shows. Today’s topic is one that we have all contemplated to some degree. I imagine that many coffee shop conversations and therapy sessions have included discussions around how we think about work and integrate our work into our post-pandemic lives. Join us to learn more!
    Our Featured Guest
    Dan Cumberland
    Dan Cumberland is a creative, catalyst, and collaborator at The Meaning Movement. He created this blog and community to help people pursue a deeper meaning in what they do beyond simply earning a paycheck. From his personal experience, he knows what it’s like to sacrifice too much for work and face burnout and hopelessness. He is intensely passionate about helping others wrestle with the big questions around work, meaning, and purpose. In this conversation, Dan inspires us to find meaning without letting work become our identity, along with his top tips for finding a healthy balance between work and life. 
    You’ll Learn:
    Why entrepreneurs are programmed to find meaning in their work through the areas of people, product, process, and profitWhy pursuing your passion usually means sacrificing something elseHow Dan came to a watershed moment with his passion, The Meaning Movement Why entrepreneurship is a constant reimagining of yourself and your purposeWhy there is never a clean line between who you are and what you doDan’s top tips for finding a balance between work and lifeHow to assess your happiness and satisfactionInfo about Dan’s beta cohort assessment for finding balance in life
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
    https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
    Connect with Dan
    Website and Burnout Assessment
    Mentioned in this episode:

    • 40 min
    ENCORE: Where Should I Focus My Online Course Marketing?

    ENCORE: Where Should I Focus My Online Course Marketing?

    One of the new things for STC this year is the incorporation of coaching calls into the podcast from time to time. Join us for a glimpse into today’s coaching call about online courses.
    Our Featured Guest for today’s coaching call
    Heather McKenzie, LCMHCS
    Heather McKenzie came through Online Course School as a beta student back in the fall of 2021. Online Course School is a live, eight-week experience that takes your online course from a simple idea all the way through the development stages so that you are ready to record. Heather created a course specifically focused on anxiety that can be found at Dial Down Anxiety. Like most of us who create an online course, she faced a common struggle about how to handle marketing time and costs to promote her course. Join us to hear the coaching call!
    McKenzie Counseling 
    You’ll Learn:
    How to handle logistical challenges in the online presentation of your courseWhy Heather’s course is an eight-week course to help people understand anxiety and DBT emotion regulation skillsHow marketing options for an online course can be overwhelming for most people How to pinpoint your own superpowers in teaching and the style that works best for youHow to structure the content levels for promoting your course in six-month blocks:Start with webinars, both free and paid.Offer a downloadable guide or cheat sheet.Use a core blog post as a stand-alone feature that blows people away.Tips from Melvin about content levels:Offering too many things can confuse people, so stick with one core webinar.Less is more!Be thoughtful about using the words “webinar” and “workshop” so as not to intimidate people.Link your blog post videos to YouTube to drive more traffic back to your webinar.Consider that high-quality offerings through webinars, guides, and blog posts help to establish your authority as an expert and give people value that keeps them returning.How podcasting can help with future promotion by giving a call-to-action to your webinarWhy you need to take notes during the first offering of your course with beta students to know what content resonates the most; that content can be used for future free webinarsIn summary, five tools to market an online course that have evergreen potential:Webinar (start with live ones and then transition to evergreen ones)Downloadable guides or cheat sheetsCore blog postSelect podcast episodesMini-podcast 
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
    https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
    Mentioned in this episode:
    We'd LOVE To Partner With You!
    ➡️ Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

     ➡️ Looking to launch a successful podcast?
    Please check out our free "Using Podcasting To Grow Your Business" workshop for therapists:
    https://sellingthecouch.com/podcastingworkshop

    • 55 min
    ENCORE: Avoid These 3 Mistakes The Average Investor Makes

    ENCORE: Avoid These 3 Mistakes The Average Investor Makes

    Today’s show focuses on one of my favorite topics, which is personal finance. Investing can be overwhelming and very confusing. Join us to learn how anyone can approach investing with knowledge and confidence.
    Our Featured Guest:
    Andy Gupta
    Andy Gupta and I have become good friends over the past couple of months. He is a kind and genuine person who worked for 20 years on Wall Street. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School who understands the ins and outs of investing, and he wants to make investing more approachable for average people. Andy has a particular passion for helping women understand investing, and he looks to use his wealth in ways that help others.
    Andy’s 30-day investing course: Anyone Can Invest Now
    Andy's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418356686326993
    Andy's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/andy-gupta
    You’ll Learn:
    Andy’s background of growing up in a family without wealth in Mumbai, India, and then going to college in the US while holding multiple jobs to make ends meetWhy Andy feels that his mission is to help others with investing so they can achieve financial security and freedomWhy Andy’s definition of financial freedom revolves around increased time spent with his family, creating a financial safety net for them, and making a positive impact on othersThree mistakes that the average investor makes:Trying to “time” the market“This is a fool’s errand. The difference in trying to time the market vs. staying in for the long haul is astronomical.”Believing that cash in the bank is safeYou are guaranteed to lose money every year because of inflation.Taking on too much risk by overexposing themselves in one areaIt's best to mix asset classes to reduce your risk and potentially increase your return for the level of riskAndy’s tips for investing smartly:Have a cash reserve on hand.Diversity by investing in asset classes that don’t “move together.”
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
    https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit

    • 35 min
    359: What Therapists Should Know As Billions Are Invested In Mental Health Startups

    359: What Therapists Should Know As Billions Are Invested In Mental Health Startups

    Today’s session covers a topic that many clinicians are pondering. Many, like me, are having conversations with themselves in their heads about the available opportunities and the most efficient and ethical ways not to be left behind as technology presents new options in our field. The issue is how we can navigate the world of mental health tech startups that are available to join us to support our good work. Examples of what these startups provide are electronic health records, website design, marketing, and more. The truth is that the pandemic changed everything and catapulted the tech startup world into the range of billions of dollars. Don’t miss my enlightening conversation with today’s guest!
    Our Featured Guest
    Michael Fulwiler
    Michael Fulwiler is Head of Brand Marketing at Heard, a company that assists therapists with bookkeeping and financial needs. I’ve come to rely on Mike’s expertise as a good friend as I navigate the aspects of STC, trying to be a protector of our field while staying in alignment with my values. In this session, Mike and I discuss the mindblowing numbers around the multitude of mental health tech startups and how clinicians can be informed about which ones are most likely to succeed or fail. We also discuss the vitally important topic of client data privacy and the top three considerations we should have before signing up for a product or service. 
    Heard Website
    You’ll Learn: 
    How to view tech startups in the mental health industry in terms of “headwind” and “tailwind” tendencies since the COVID-19 pandemicWhat the data shows about tech startups: 90% will fail!Why the big risk also comes with big opportunities in the startup worldWhat happens when a clinician contracts with a mental health tech startupWhy client data privacy is a valid concern when working with a tech startup (Hear Mike’s advice about watching out for red flags!)Top three considerations for a therapist about a tech startup:How they handle the data Whether or not there is a mental health professional on their team who helps with decisions and developmentHow compensation for therapists is structuredMike’s advice about doing your due diligence when contacted by a tech startupAn overview of Mike’s work and mission at Heard and what they provide for therapists
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at
    https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
    Mentioned in this episode:
    Need Community Support? Join the Mastermind
    If you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who are doing this. We meet together to build and grow and scale our online courses. You can learn more about that mastermind over at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.
    So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist.
    But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients.
    Simplified SEO Consulting is team of mental health professionals genuinely want to help you attract

    • 38 min
    358: Why I’m Going Back to Private Practice

    358: Why I’m Going Back to Private Practice

    I have big news! I’m going back into private practice! Don’t worry, though, because STC remains, and I’ll be adding 1-2 days of clinical work each week. In today’s session, I’m pulling back the curtain on my thought process as I’ve pondered this decision for quite a while. Do I have all the bits and pieces organized and figured out? The answer is NO, and that’s okay. I want to give you a glimpse into the messy middle of this decision and the three main reasons I have made this choice. 
    You’ll Learn:
    What my life was like when STC began in 2015 when I was working in a group practiceWhy I feel a responsibility to provide mental health support in today’s worldThree reasons I feel drawn to private practice:I genuinely miss clinical work.The mental health landscape is changing like no other due to COVID-19, AI tools, and heavily financed mental health startups.A “hub and spoke model” can keep things in perspective for me. How I’m structuring my “hub and spoke model” with a flagship offering as the “hub” and other offerings as “spokes”Questions that I’m thinking about and weighing in my mind about private practice:Is the insurance route or private pay route better?Do I have a niche for private practice work?How I’m confronting my fears about taking this new stepThe hopes and dreams I have about stepping into a new phase
    Resources:
    Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters  
    Want to launch your online course?
    Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit For Therapists: https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit
    Mentioned in this episode:
    So you’ve probably heard that blogging is one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients as a therapist.
    But I know that it can be intimidating to SEO optimize your blog post so that it’s actually getting found by your current and future clients.
    Simplified SEO Consulting is team of mental health professionals genuinely want to help you attract more of your ideal clients using a proven on-page SEO process.
    Please visit https://sellingthecouch.com/simplifiedseo
    *Use the code “MELVIN” to get 20% off any of our online, DIY SEO courses and mention Melvin during your consultation for $100 off of your onboarding fee for Done-For-You SEO services!
    Need Community Support? Join the Mastermind
    If you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who are doing this. We meet together to build and grow and scale our online courses. You can learn more about that mastermind over at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.

    • 38 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
326 Ratings

326 Ratings

EngagedMarriage.com ,

Approachable and Insightful

Melvin does a masterful job of interviewing a variety of experts, and offering his own insights. I am not a mental health professional, but I still gain a lot of value from this show. I highly recommend it!

JP10301 ,

Thoughtful, brave, kind

I am not a therapist but this podcast is top notch! Mel is thoughtful, brave, and kind. He is a gifted speaker who shares in an authentic and personal way. He has a niche to be sure but his lessons transcend (especially if you are interest in creating content online). He is a gift to the podcast feed!

lisa mustard ,

Honest & transparent

I truly appreciate Melvin’s authenticity. He shares so much of his journey and process with his listeners. His guests range with a variety of expertise and knowledge..I learn something new in each episode!

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