Meet Allyssa Powers Therapist in Private Practice + Educator
Hello my friend! I'm Allyssa Powers, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S), and I'm on a mission to fill the gaps in our learning about private practice and business ownership. Raise your hand if you were taught anything about private practice in grad school…. cue crickets! Welp, same here.
I had to learn everything the hard way about building and sustaining my own private practice. I read tons of business books, listened to podcasts and made SO many mistakes along the way. However, even with all the trial and error I had to do I still absolutely loved owning and running my practice and I wasn’t half-bad at the business side of things, in fact I fell in love with learning how to make, market and sustain my mighty little biz.
I consider myself to be a highly driven person, so when I set my mind to something I am going to figure out how to make it happen. I had always wanted to own my own business and I figured other people do it, so how hard can it be? I had a lot of determination, a slight caffeine addiction and the whole internet at my fingertips.
My DIY Journey Into Private Practice
It got me thinking…why aren’t we taught any of this in school?
I mean we learn all kinds of things in school that we don’t end up using… (career counseling I’m looking at you!) But for so many of us private practice ownership is the end game, we know we want to get there eventually, but how?
It is hard to think about DIYing all the steps to opening your business when you are already working your 9-5 or maybe you feel intimidated because you are a baby therapist fresh out of grad school lacking confidence and direction. Not to mention it can be frowned upon to go directly into private practice without “paying your dues” (don’t get me started on that)!
Also the online space is full of differing opinions, especially on social media! There are so many private practice “coaches” all telling you different things…
“Building a solid Instagram following is the best way to build a practice!”
“Completely self-pay is the only way to make money as a therapist.”
“You have to constantly market yourself to get consistent clients, you are gonna have to post on social media daily to grow.”
“Private practice is too hard to break into now.”
Actually, none of that is true, but plenty of coaches will charge you over $1000 to teach you their “secrets.”
I felt sad about the state of our field, so many people were writing online saying they burned out from being a therapist before they even got their independent license. I mean come on, that is SO upsetting because:
It is so hard to get our degree to begin with
We desperately need good therapists
We shouldn’t be the lowest paid masters degree when we are vital health care providers
Most therapists are totally passionate about what they do, but the passion gets sucked out by bad working conditions and pay
However, these problems felt too big for me and honestly I was so happy in my own biz. I was chugging along making a good income, with a full caseload of clients I had seen for years and years, but then everything changed…I got pregnant!
Motherhood Lead Me To Becoming a Continuing Education Provider
Imagine me in Athens, Greece getting ready to come home from our belated honeymoon across Europe with a little baby Jack in my belly, I knew I had gotten pregnant on the trip. I even had a pregnancy test packed in my carry on. I was ready to become a mother, but I was scared about what would happen to my practice when I did. My career and small business really was my “baby” in so many ways, but I knew I was passionate about education and wanted to leave a legacy of helping not just 1:1 with clients, but in a way that would stop trading time for money, because I knew I wanted my time to go to my kids before they go to school.
I Became a YouTuber?
While I was pregnant I started my YouTube channel Allyssa Powers, with the tagline “Teaching you the things that grad school didn’t”. I figured I loved watching YouTube in my spare time and I wanted to make sure I still had some sort of outlet to help people, even when I couldn’t do 1:1 therapy while on maternity leave. I love making videos and helping people navigate the field is a big passion of mine, but I still felt more and more like I wanted to help people to avoid burnout and find a way to make practice building sustainable without the huge price tag. My wheels were turning on ideas of ways I could help, every Reddit post I saw on burnout and leaving the field lead me closer and closer to my idea for Allyssa Powers LLC.
Baby #2 Enters The Chat
Now with little Teddy baby I knew I was going to take an extended maternity leave from my practice, my boys are only 22 months apart and I needed to be in full on mom mode. So while I was pregnant with Teddy I submitted my application to become a NBCC certified continuing education provider.
My training on Burnout Prevention and Vicarious Trauma was a total passion project. I wanted to make something tangible and free. I knew a lot of therapists needed a last minute ethics training to meet their requirements for licensure renewal so I thought what better way to give back than to make something less focused on the client and more focused on therapists.
You see I had never really burned out before…I felt like I was in the huge minority because I kept reading post after post of fellow therapists who deeply regretted their choice to get into the mental health field. It made me sad and honestly angry that our profession has been treated so poorly (mostly in terms of pay). I kept thinking and thinking about how I could help and what made my journey different.
I realized something…
It was private practice that had stopped me from burning out, by getting to call my own shots and work in the way that felt most aligned to my values I was able to really enjoy my career and make a great income on top of it. This is where my idea for continuing education that was business focused was born, it was such a good idea it had to already exist….but doing a quick Google search I realized, no it really doesn’t.
Yes there are some business trainings out there, but the vast majority are either very low in quality or they are behind a huge paywall. I felt so excited to take my next steps to become NBCC certified so I could make trainings for social workers, counselors and marriage and family therapists.
Building My Own Continuing Education Courses for Therapists
Now I am full time with Allyssa Powers LLC and my mission is simple yet powerful. You were trained as a therapist, not a business owner, our continuing education changes that.
We learn so many things in grad school about how to take care of our clients, but next to nothing about how to run a thriving business, even through for many of us we end up having to wear a clinical hat as well as a business owner hat.
Why all of our Continuing Education Courses are Business Focused
After experiencing firsthand the challenges of transitioning from clinician to business owner, I realized I wasn't alone. Countless therapists and social workers were struggling with the same questions:
How do I start a private practice from scratch?
What marketing strategies actually work for mental health professionals?
How can I use SEO to attract more clients?
Where do I find business-focused education that isn’t going to cost me thousands?
How do I balance starting my business with maintaining my current role at work?
This realization led me to expand beyond my clinical practice and into education, business coaching, and continuing education course creation specifically designed for therapists, counselors and social workers!
My Unique Approach
What sets my continuing education apart is simple: everything I teach comes from real-world implementation, not just theoretical knowledge. When I share SEO strategies, they're the same ones that got my practice ranking on Google's first page. When I discuss marketing it's based on strategies that actually converted calls into clients.
My educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Education, which means I understand not just what to teach, but how to teach effectively. Combined with my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and over seven years of therapeutic practice, I bring a unique blend of clinical understanding and business expertise to every course I create.
My Signature Programs:
The Private Practice Lab
My signature course, "The Private Practice Lab," is a comprehensive program designed to take you from wherever you are now to running a thriving private practice. This isn't just another generic business course – it's specifically crafted for mental health therapists who want to build practices that align with their values while generating sustainable income.
This course covers everything from initial business setup and systems to advanced marketing strategies. Whether you're just starting to consider private practice or you've been thinking about it for years, this program provides the step-by-step guidance that grad school simply didn't offer.
The Marketing and SEO Lab
For therapists who already have established practices but want to take their marketing and search engine optimization to the next level, "The Marketing and SEO Lab" provides advanced strategies that actually work in the mental health field.
This course dives deep into search engine optimization techniques that are both effective and ethically appropriate for mental health professionals. You'll learn the same strategies I used to achieve first-page Google rankings, along with marketing approaches that respect both your professional standards and your potential clients' needs.
My Philosophy: Values Focused Business
One thing you'll quickly discover about my approach is that I believe strongly in building businesses that enhance, rather than compromise, your life and values. Everyone’s “dream practice” is going to look different based on your own values and strengths.
I don't teach hustle culture or unsustainable growth strategies. Instead, I focus on helping you build a practice that:
Generates consistent, reliable income
Attracts your ideal clients naturally
Respects your professional boundaries
Supports your desired lifestyle
Maintains the highest ethical standards
Continuing Education That Matters
As both a practicing therapist and an educator, I understand the frustration of continuing education requirements that feel disconnected from your real needs. That's why every CE course I create focuses on practical, immediately applicable skills that will build your business knowledge. When taking my own CE courses I often felt frustrated that the ones I really wanted to take were sometimes in the 1k range…which felt steep or I paid for a training that was very poor in quality and left me feeling like I had wasted by time. I even considered calling my business “CE’s that don’t suck”, but I didn’t want to deal with all the punctuation (ha)! I really do feel that most CE courses are stuck in the 80’s. From the websites to the pamphlets you get in the mail, it all feels outdated. I wanted to create something for the “modern therapist”
My continuing education offerings include business-focused courses that qualify for your CE requirements while actually teaching you skills you'll use. From free ethics CE opportunities to comprehensive business trainings, these courses bridge the gap between maintaining your license and growing your practice. Why are we taught so many modalities and next to nothing about how to make this career sustainable? I love that the mental health field is client focused! It should be, but if we can’t “take care of our own” then what are we really doing? We are letting talented and valuable therapists burnout of a field that desperately needs them.
Why This Matters for You
If you're reading this, you're probably at a crossroads. Maybe you're working in community mental health and dreaming of private practice. Perhaps you've already made the leap, but are struggling with the business side of things or maybe you're established but ready to grow more strategically and finally work on that SEO.
Wherever you are in your journey, I want you to know this: the clinical skills you've developed are valuable, and with the right business foundation, they can create the professional and personal life you've been working toward. Private practice shouldn’t be just for the “lucky few” who can afford the 4 figure business training. Here at Allyssa Powers we are passionate about anyone who wants a private practice to be able to build one with our trainings all while getting continuing education credits along the way.
The mental health field has a significant gap between clinical training and business education. Most continuing education focuses on clinical skills, diagnosis, or treatment modalities which are all important, but what if you want to build a sustainable private practice?
This gap in learning isn't your fault, and it's not a reflection of your capabilities as a therapist. It's simply a systemic issue in how mental health professionals are trained versus how we're expected to practice in today's marketplace. This is why I am SO passionate about what I do as an educator. My courses, coaching, and resources exist to fill that gap with practical, ethically-grounded, and immediately applicable business education designed specifically for mental health counselors, therapists and social workers.
What Makes My Approach Unique
Values Based: No two practices are going to look the same, you will be encouraged to get clear on your own vision and align your business with YOUR values.
Realistic Expectations: I don't promise overnight success or quick fixes. Instead, I focus on sustainable growth strategies that build over time.
Ethical Integration: Every business strategy I teach is filtered through our professional ethical guidelines as therapists. Growing your practice should never compromise your professional integrity.
Practical Implementation: Theory is important, but implementation is everything. My courses focus heavily on actionable steps you can take immediately.
Ongoing Support: The counseling field keeps changing and evolving. That is why we continue to update our courses with bonus content so you can keep coming back for support.
Your Next Steps
Whether you're just beginning to consider private practice, ready to take the plunge, or looking to optimize an existing practice, the resources here are designed to meet you where you are and help you move forward with confidence, not to mention get those pesky CE requirements done for the year.
The journey from therapist to successful practice owner isn't always easy, but it's absolutely possible. With the right education, support, and strategies, you can build a practice that not only serves your clients well, but also creates the professional and personal life you've been working toward. You deserve to have a business that you love.
Ready to Invest in Your Business?
If you're ready to move beyond the limitations of traditional continuing education and dive into practical, business-focused learning that will actually impact your practice, I invite you to explore my courses. Whether you choose "The Private Practice Lab" for comprehensive guidance or "The Marketing and SEO Lab" for advanced growth strategies, you're taking a crucial step toward the practice and life you deserve.
Remember: you were trained as a therapist, not a business owner, but our continuing education changes that.
Your clients need what you have to offer. Let's make sure they can find you.
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The Private Practice Lab
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The Marketing + SEO Lab
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The Ethics Lab