Outlasting the algorithm with Melanie Emlyn

Two therapist moms and practice owners, Alicia Murray and Ashley Comage, swap shows for an unstructured conversation about what sits behind the polished social media version of private practice. Alicia is a licensed mental health counselor in New York who runs a virtual group practice and founded Therapist HQ. Ashley is a licensed clinical social worker and military spouse who runs a multi-state online practice from Virginia, founded Race to Empower, and hosts the Therapist Mom podcast. Listen for an honest look at capacity, comparison, and choosing a sustainable career path while raising kids. Connect with Ashley Comegys:InstagramRaised to Empower WebsiteTherapy with AshleyStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

What if your private practice didn’t have to follow the usual rules?Alicia Murray talks with Dr. Erica Aten, a licensed clinical psychologist, private practice owner and business coach for neurodivergent healthcare professionals. Late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD, Erica shares how understanding her brain helped her rethink work, build a practice that fits her capacity, and develop coaching that moves beyond one-size-fits-all business advice.They discuss task switching, burnout, shiny-object syndrome, flexible schedules, values-led business decisions and the importance of making room for life outside work.Connect with Dr. Aten:InstagramStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray talks with Emma Jack, a physiotherapist, healthcare coach and founder of Press Play. Both have endometriosis. They discuss how to run a successful private practice while managing a chronic health condition. Emma shares her endo diagnosis story and the surgery that changed her capacity. She also covers how she rebuilt her business around her needs and why "human first, therapist second" guides her work.Connect with Emma:InstagramPhysio WebsiteEndo WebsiteStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray talks with Gordon Gooding, LCSW, founder of Gooding Wellness Group in Cold Spring Harbor, about how an “accidental” group practice grew slowly into a 20-therapist team. Gordon explains why he prioritizes clinician experience, strong fit, and a high-touch client experience over rapid expansion, and why those choices have shaped retention, referrals, and reputation.They discuss how private pay affects hiring, compensation, and marketing, along with the importance of staying teachable as technology and client expectations evolve. Gordon shares advice for building a practice with integrity, consistency, and a clear clinical standard.Connect with Gordon:InstagramFacebookYouTubeGordon's Practice WebsiteFree email coursesStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray sits down with Irene Koutsidis-Martelli, an LCSW and trauma-informed therapist practicing in New York and South Carolina, to talk about what happens after the marketing works. The conversation focuses on how social media can help clients feel seen before they ever enter the room, and how therapists can use that connection without losing curiosity, boundaries, or clinical depth.We discuss how Irene uses Instagram to attract aligned clients, why self-diagnosis content can open useful clinical doors, and how relational therapy can make room for humor, identity, and real human connection.Connect with Irene:InstagramIrene’s WebsiteStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Therapists can diversify their income in ways that fit their values, strengths, and capacity. Alicia and Gabrielle discuss what it takes to build revenue beyond one-to-one clinical work, including email marketing, lead magnets, retreats, courses, consulting, and speaking.Gabrielle Giuliano Vellani shares lessons from building multiple income streams while running a practice—and why it helps to start with what people already ask you for, rather than building something entirely new.Key topicsWhy email can be a particularly warm audience—and why Gabrielle makes it a priority.The importance of repeated audience touch points before someone decides to buy.Three ways Gabrielle has grown her email list: freebies, Facebook groups, and virtual summits or trainings.How community questions can reveal gaps and potential new offers.Turning clinical expertise into paid trainings, consulting, coaching, and other opportunities.Why selling can be a way of sharing how you help—and how lower-priced offers can build trust.Setting prices and choosing offers that align with your values and capacity.Why a course isn’t necessarily the right next step for every therapist.Using relationship-building, pitching, and networking to find new opportunities.How to think about profitability, time freedom, and when to pivot away from work that no longer fits.Connect with Gabrielle:InstagramGabrielle’s WebsiteMedicare Consulting for TherapistsFree Guide to Income StreamsStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:1 Free month of Jane - use code THERAPISTHQ1MO for your first month free of my practice management softwarePaubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray talks with licensed mental health counselor and private practice founder Kaela Ason about the pressure high achieving women place on themselves, especially in business ownership and therapy work. They explore how worth gets tied to productivity, why boundaries matter, and how curiosity can replace shame when it comes to delegation, rest, and decision-making.In this episode, Kaela shares what she has learned from building her solo practice, working with high achieving women of color, and managing her own perfectionistic tendencies while running a business.Connect with Kaela:InstagramWebsiteFree Relationship Values GuideStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:Paubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray talks with Donnie Newman, a New York based therapist specializing in body image, self-esteem, and disordered eating, about what it really looks like to market a private practice on social media. Donnie shares how her own growth, discomfort, and confidence shifts have shaped her content, plus the boundaries she uses to stay ethical and protected online. This conversation is especially useful for therapists who want to show up more consistently without losing themselves to comparison, comments, or the pressure to go viral.Connect with Donnie:InstagramWebsiteDonnie’s Algorithm Reset GuideStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources and Links:Paubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia Murray talks with Liana Ross, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor, KSEC certified addiction specialist, and clinical director of Gooding Wellness Group, about navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and maternity leave while running a private practice. Liana shares what it looked like to plan leave, protect her schedule, rebuild her caseload, and manage the emotional reality of returning to work as a parent. They also cover the mental load of childcare disruptions, the importance of intentional boundaries, and why having a practice that fits your life can make return-to-work feel more sustainable.Connect with Liana:InstagramWebsiteStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:Paubox for your HIPAA secure email - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practices

Alicia talks with Mel Emlyn, a Calgary-based manual osteopath, certified nutritional practitioner, 500-hour registered yoga teacher, and wellness content creator, about what it really takes to use social media as a healthcare practitioner. They dig into the emotional side of showing up online, the business case for smaller engaged accounts, and how to create content that builds trust without letting the internet run your life.Key topicsThey discuss how Instagram has changed over time, and why creators should not force themselves into one format just because the algorithm is pushing it.Alicia and Mel both talk about the value of experimenting with content types, including carousels, talking-head videos, b-roll, stories, and short series.They unpack how creators can separate their self-worth from performance metrics, especially when a post flops or doesn’t get the reach they hoped for.Mel explains why she sees social media as a business tool and a safeguard, not just a marketing vanity project.They discuss how smaller, niche, highly engaged accounts can still convert well for practices, retreats, partnerships, and sponsorships.Mel shares her rule for personal content: if she reveals something difficult, she tries to return later with a lesson or takeaway rather than simply unloading online.Alicia and Mel close with practical advice for practitioners who are just starting out: be gentle, expect discomfort, show your face, and protect your energy with boundaries around app use.Connect with Mel:InstagramWebsiteStay Connected with Alicia:InstagramFacebookWebsiteResources & Links:Use Paubox for all of your email needs - use code THERAPISTHQ for $250 off your first yearPrivate Practice Launch Kit - Get started with your practice branding and setupHQ Marketing Community - Ongoing support and marketing tools for private practicesRun Your Practice with Jane - use the practice management software that both Mel and Alicia discuss in the show