How Therapists Can Make Money Outside of 1:1 Therapy: 5 Steps to Get Started
Hi Fellow Therapists,
Have you ever thought, “I know I want to make money outside of 1:1 therapy, but where do I even start?”
For me, diversifying my income wasn't about leaving therapy or becoming some big entrepreneur. After carrying a 40+ client caseload and experiencing burnout that started affecting my health, I needed more flexibility, more options, and ways to use my expertise without constantly sacrificing my well-being.
But figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming. Between courses, consulting, digital products, speaking, coaching, and workshops, there are SO many possibilities. And before you know it, you've got 20 ideas sitting in your Notes app and no clue which one to pursue first.
That's exactly why I created my free training, You Already Have More To Offer: 7 Ways to Diversify Your Income Beyond 1:1 Therapy. I want to help you explore what's possible, recognize the value of the expertise you already have, and start building additional income without adding more clients to your caseload.
Here Are 5 Aligned Steps to Help You Get Started
1. Align: Choose One Income Stream That Fits You
One thing I've learned from diversifying my own income is that just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you NEED to do it.
With so many people online talking about courses, memberships, consulting, digital products, and all the different ways to make money, it's easy to feel like you should be doing ALL the things.
But here's what I want you to remember: You don't have to pursue every opportunity just because it's available to you.
Instead, start by choosing ONE income stream that makes sense for your expertise, goals, and capacity.
In my free training, I share what I call an Alignment Filter to help you narrow down your options:
Your expertise: What skills, knowledge, and experience do you already have?
Your capacity: What can you realistically build in this season without burning yourself out?
Your audience: Who do you actually enjoy helping, and who is the offer for?
Your impact: What problem do you want to help them solve?
The goal isn't to build whatever looks successful on Instagram. It's to create something that fits your expertise, your goals, and your actual life.
You don't need to start with five income streams. Start with ONE that feels aligned enough to explore, test, and build from there.
2. Get Visible: Let People Know What You Know
You can create an amazing offer, but if nobody knows it exists, how are they supposed to buy it?
And I know putting yourself out there can feel uncomfortable, especially when you're used to doing your work behind the scenes as a therapist.
But getting visible doesn't mean you have to become an influencer, go viral, or post on social media every single day. It's about helping the right people discover who you are, what you know, and how you can help them.
Start by figuring out where the people you want to reach are already spending their time. That might be Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, podcasts, professional organizations, speaking engagements, or other communities where your expertise could be valuable.
Then focus on showing up in ways that feel manageable for you. Let people see your knowledge, your perspective, your story, and who you help. This is how you begin building that know, like, and trust factor that helps people see you as more than just the therapist behind a private practice website.
And remember, visibility isn't just about getting more followers. It's about giving your future clients, customers, organizations, and potential partners an opportunity to understand what you know, what you bring to the table, and how you can help them.
Because you don't need everybody to know who you are. You need the right people to know how you can help them.
3. Validate + Build: Talk to Your Audience Before You Create Everything
A huge mistake I made when I first started launching offers and products outside of 1:1 therapy was spending so much time creating things before actually finding out if people wanted or needed them.
I would get excited about an idea, start putting everything together, and completely skip the part where I needed to make sure there was actually a demand for what I was creating.
So if there's one thing I want you to take away from this step, it's this: Before you start building, talk to the people you actually want to serve.
Find out what they're struggling with, what questions they're already asking, how they're currently trying to solve those problems, and whether they'd be willing to invest in a solution. And once you've done that, start with the simplest version of your offer that you can test.
Maybe that means hosting one workshop before creating a 12-module course, selling one digital resource before opening an entire shop, testing a consulting package before building an agency, or facilitating a live group before launching a membership community.
You don't have to create the biggest version of your idea right out the gate.
Start small, test your idea, learn from the experience, and make adjustments along the way. You want to know whether people actually need what you're offering, whether they're willing to pay for it, and whether you even enjoy delivering it before investing more time and resources into building it out.
4. Price With Purpose
Okay, let's talk about something that I know can bring up a LOT of feelings for therapists...PRICING. When you're used to charging by the session, figuring out what to charge for a workshop, digital product, consulting service, or coaching program can feel like a whole different world. And it's easy to start second-guessing yourself, wondering if you're charging too much or too little.
Instead of just picking a number and hoping for the best, I encourage you to start with two things: Your financial goal: What do you want this additional income stream to make possible for you? Market research: What are people currently charging for similar offers, and what are customers actually paying?
From there, think about who you're serving, how you're serving, and the level of support you're providing. A downloadable resource is going to be priced differently from consulting that requires your direct time and expertise. The same goes for memberships, coaching programs, and brand partnerships.
And remember, just because someone else is charging a certain amount doesn't mean that's what you need to charge. Your pricing should make sense for your financial goals, your audience, the market, and the time, energy, and expertise you're putting into what you offer.
5. Market + Launch: Create a Path for People to Work With You
Now that you've chosen your income stream, tested your idea, and figured out your pricing, it's time to actually get your offer out into the world! But here's something I want you to understand: Marketing isn't just about posting your offer and hoping somebody buys it. You want to create a clear path that helps people discover you, connect with your work, and eventually feel confident investing in what you offer.
Here's what that process can look like:
Visibility → Lead Magnet → Email List → Nurture → Offer + Launch
Think about it this way. Someone discovers you through your content, a podcast, or a speaking engagement. They sign up for your email list to receive a free resource, and now you have an opportunity to stay connected, share helpful information, and build that know, like, and trust factor we talked about earlier. So when you're ready to launch your offer, they're already familiar with who you are, what you do, and how you can help them.
That's why building your email list, creating valuable lead magnets, showing up consistently, sharing educational content, and being intentional about your launches all matter. These things work together to help you build relationships with the people you want to serve. Because ultimately, when someone thinks, “I'm ready to get some help with this,” you want your work to already be on their radar.
You Do Not Need More Clients to Make Money Outside of 1:1 Therapy
If there's anything I want you to take away from this, it's that you don't have to keep adding more clients to your caseload just to increase your income. Especially if you're already feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or stretched thin trying to manage everything on your plate.
You have SO much knowledge, experience, and expertise that can be used in ways beyond the therapy room. Sometimes it's just a matter of learning how to turn what you already know into something that creates value for others while also making sense for your goals and capacity.
And you don't have to figure it all out overnight. Start with one income stream, get visible, validate your idea, price it with purpose, and create a way for people to find and purchase what you're offering. Take it one step at a time.
If you're ready to start exploring what's possible beyond 1:1 therapy, I created my FREE training, You Already Have More To Offer: 7 Ways to Diversify Your Income Beyond 1:1 Therapy, to help you discover different income streams you can pursue using the skills and expertise you already have, without adding more clients to your caseload.
From one therapist to another, you do not have to build everything at once. You just need a starting point that makes sense for you.
-Asia E., LCMFT | Therapist To Therapists®
For more resources, tools, and support for mental health professionals, visit our website and follow along on Instagram at @Therapist.To.Therapists.
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