Beyond One to One: Expanding Your Practice Through Online Services
Dreaming about moving beyond one to one therapy? Join Kelley and guest Stephanie Clairmont MHSc (The Leveraged Practice), as they discuss the process of expanding your brand and making the jump into the e-learning world. Stephanie shares her personal experience and earned expertise to get you dreaming and planning for the next steps in your journey.
Are you considering taking the leap into the world of online therapy services and programs? Tune in to our latest podcast episode. You will learn the intricacies of online therapy services and programs, how to get started and why you’re going to love it. In this episode, we dive deep into the early days of online work and explore how therapists can build their online programs from their existing private therapy practice or from scratch.
Stephanie Clairmont, an expert in the field, joins us to share invaluable insights and advice on navigating the complexities of developing an online presence. Discover the four proven delivery models and three different therapy offerings that can help you access a wider range of clients and meet their needs effectively.
Learn when the best time in your career is to start launching online programs, and find out how to connect and share content related to your offerings. Explore the benefits of online therapy for both you and your clients, such as cutting your work time in half, increasing your income, and making a lasting impact. Don’t miss out on this transformative journey in the digital age – start your online therapy adventure today!
Stephanie Clairmont is a retired registered dietitian, entrepreneur, and mom of three young kids. She is the founder and lead facilitator at The Leveraged Practice, where she supports other health practitioners in developing an online program for their practice. Supporting hundreds of colleagues with her webinars and online programs, Stephanie combines her unique experience with research and best practices to change how health education is provided worldwide.
Website: www.theleveragedpractice.com
Instagram: @TheLeveragedPractice
How to Expand Your Private Therapy Practice with Online Programs
For many therapists, starting a private therapy practice is a dream come true. It’s a chance to work on your own terms, see the clients you care about most, and grow something meaningful. But what happens when your schedule is full, your energy is drained, and your income is capped? The answer for many private practice therapists lies in expanding beyond one-to-one therapy through online programs and group therapy practice models.
If you’re wondering how to grow your therapy practice without burning out, the insights shared in the Private Practice Pro podcast episode “Beyond 1 to 1” offer a game-changing roadmap for creating scalable, impactful services that benefit both your clients and your business.
The First Step: Know Your Why
Before launching a new offering, whether it’s a course, membership, or small group cohort, it’s essential to clarify why you want to grow your private practice in the first place. For some therapists, it’s about regaining work-life balance. Others are driven by a desire for multiple streams of income or to expand the reach of their cash-pay therapy practice.
Maybe you're running a full solo therapy practice and feeling maxed out. Or maybe you're just starting a private practice and want to build from a stronger foundation. No matter your reason, connecting to your deeper motivation will help keep perfectionism and self-doubt at bay. These are two common roadblocks in the therapy world.
Start Where You Are
You don’t need 10,000 Instagram followers or a polished website to start offering an online course. If you have an established private practice, referrals, or a growing therapy office, you already have a built-in audience. Whether it’s parents of your current clients, medical partners, or your professional network, you can begin sharing your offer with the people who already trust you.
If you're starting a private practice from scratch, focus first on building private practice foundations such as referrals, a clear niche, and solid clinical processes. But once those are in place, you don’t have to wait years to expand into new models.
What Type of Program Should You Offer?
The Leverage Practice outlines four proven models that therapists and other health professionals can use to grow their therapy practice and reach more clients efficiently:
Hybrid Program (High Touch): A mix of one-to-one support and online learning. You still meet with clients, but all your psychoeducation is handled through structured digital content, reducing session time.
Small Group Cohort: Think 6 to 10 people in a focused container. You’re facilitating, not teaching, and the group dynamic offers therapeutic benefits and peer support. This is ideal for a group therapy practice.
Group Coaching Model: This is your scalable therapy practice option. Everything is pre-recorded, and support is offered through scheduled Q&A calls or a moderated forum. It’s perfect for clinicians looking to make a bigger impact with a lower time commitment.
Maintenance Membership: Great for ongoing, lower-touch support. Once your clients graduate from more intensive care, this model allows them to stay connected at a lower price point while still giving them the tools and community they need.
How to Start Building Your Online Program
If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Your first step is simply to brainstorm. Write down everything you typically teach in your one-to-one sessions: worksheets, therapy tools, metaphors, frameworks, and psychoeducation content. These are the building blocks of a program.
The next step is to test your concept live. Rather than investing months into recording videos, start by delivering your program over Zoom to a small group of clients. You’ll learn what works, build confidence, and improve your offer as you go. Many therapists fear it won’t be perfect, but in truth, real success comes from iteration.
When to Add Online Programs to Your Practice
Timing is key. If your private therapy practice is already steady, that’s a great time to explore online marketing for therapists and group offers. If you’re still establishing your niche or audience, start small with a hybrid or group cohort model that complements your current one-on-one work.
It’s especially helpful to incorporate group programs if you’re transitioning to or already offer out-of-network therapy or private pay therapy. Offering an accessible, lower-cost online course is a smart way to meet the needs of clients who may not be ready or able to commit to full-rate therapy.
Don’t Let Perfectionism Hold You Back
Let’s face it. Private practice therapists are often perfectionists. You might spend weeks designing the perfect workbook or tweaking your slides. But as the podcast guests shared, your program doesn’t have to be flawless to be valuable.
In fact, the most successful digital programs often feel like a warm, real conversation—something you'd say in session over a cup of tea. Clients connect with authenticity more than polish.
And remember, you can always revise and update your materials. That’s the beauty of private practice tools for therapists in the digital space. They’re flexible, adjustable, and constantly improving.
Marketing Ideas for Therapists: Creating Online Offers
You don’t need to be a social media star to market your course effectively. Here are a few therapist-approved marketing strategies:
Share your course or group offering with existing referral sources (pediatricians, psychiatrists, or other providers).
Add the program to your website and optimize for mental health and therapy-related SEO.
Send an email to your list, even if it's small. You can use SOAP notes to highlight client pain points and how your course addresses them.
Mention your course during one-on-one sessions with appropriate clients.
Focus on aligning your marketing with your strengths. If Instagram drains you, consider blogging, podcasts, or local networking.
Pricing Your Offer Thoughtfully
There’s a wide range when it comes to pricing online offers. Many therapists price their group or hybrid programs between $1,000 and $2,000. Self-paced or digital-only programs often fall between $200 and $500, making them accessible to clients who need support but can’t afford weekly sessions.
Sliding scale therapy fees can still apply, especially if you're operating a cash-pay therapy practice and want to offer more inclusive options. This flexibility can help you ethically grow your private practice while maintaining accessibility and client care standards.
Final Thoughts: Just Start
Launching an online program won’t solve all your problems overnight. But it can give you breathing room. It can let you enjoy holidays in private practice without guilt, serve more people with less burnout, and build a business that works for your life.
You don't need to build a massive empire. Maybe your goal is just to cut down to two days of sessions and spend the rest of your time on your terms. That’s a powerful step in itself.
So if you’re a therapist wondering how to start your private practice or what’s next after filling your caseload, consider that starting a therapy practice doesn’t have to stop at one-to-one. With the right tools, support, and mindset, you can design a roadmap that leads to growth, freedom, and deeper impact.