The Money Sessions

Tiffany McLain
  • 5.0 (4)
  • CAREERS
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Deep, thoughtful, raw conversations with real therapists who are in the midst of leaning into raising fees and making bank – all while working with the clients they are passionate about serving.

  1. AI IS Replacing Therapists: Here's What You Can Do About It

    1D AGO

    AI IS Replacing Therapists: Here's What You Can Do About It

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math.🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application AI is already here. And yes—it is replacing therapists. Not all therapists. But many. And the ones most at risk? They're not who you think. In this episode, Tiffany cuts through the noise, the panic, and the denial to tell you the truth about what's actually happening in the therapy industry—and what you must do right now if you want to stay relevant, in demand, and well-paid in 2026 and beyond. Because this isn't about fear. It's about positioning. If your work is standardized, manualized, surface-level, or transactional… AI can—and will—replace it. But if your work is relational, complex, deeply attuned, and rooted in true psychological expertise? AI can't touch you. The problem is: most therapists are being trained, incentivized, and pushed into models that make them easier to replace. And almost no one is talking about it. In this episode, Tiffany breaks down: What AI is actually replacing in therapy (and why it's accelerating fast) Why insurance-based, high-volume models are the most vulnerable How "checkbox therapy" and worksheet-driven work set you up to be replaced The difference between transactional care and transformational work Why undercharging is no longer just a money issue—it's a survival issue What clients who can pay premium fees are really looking for (and why AI can't replicate it) How to position yourself as irreplaceable in a rapidly changing industry Why your relationship with money directly impacts your long-term relevance The role of authority, depth, and clinical leadership in the future of therapy This episode is a line in the sand. Because the therapists who thrive in 2026 will not be the ones who waited. They will be the ones who adapted, elevated, and claimed their value early. If you're ready to build a practice that AI cannot replace… Inside Lean In. MAKE BANK., you'll learn how to create a Life-First Practice—charging premium fees, working fewer hours, and positioning yourself as a high-level clinician clients trust deeply. email tiffany@leaninmakebank.com with the subject line "I'm Ready." Because AI can replace tasks. It can replace scripts. It can replace surface-level care. But it cannot replace you—if you build your practice the right way.

    21 min
  2. From $100/session avg to $225: Kara Cruz's journey from CMH to scaled offerings

    APR 13

    From $100/session avg to $225: Kara Cruz's journey from CMH to scaled offerings

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application In this episode of The Money Sessions, Tiffany sits down with therapist Kara Cruz, who began building her private practice while working full-time in community mental health. Like so many clinicians leaving CMH, Kara started out charging relatively low fees and trying to grow her caseload during evenings and weekends while balancing the demands of a full-time job. But as her practice evolved, Kara began thinking more strategically about sustainability, impact, and income. Over time, she raised her average fee from $100 to $225 per session and began expanding beyond traditional one-to-one therapy by developing scaled offerings like therapy groups, consultation, and trainings for other clinicians. Her journey highlights an important truth for many therapists: a sustainable practice doesn't have to rely solely on individual sessions. In this conversation, Kara shares how she moved from burnout and overwork toward a practice model that includes multiple revenue streams and greater flexibility. In this episode, we explore: Kara's transition from community mental health to private practice The challenges of building a caseload while working a full-time job Why raising fees often requires both financial and mindset shifts How Kara increased her average session fee from $100 to $225 The role therapy groups and consulting play in scaling a practice Why therapists benefit from diversifying income streams Resources mentioned: LIMB Academy FWF Calculator Kara`s website Kara`s Instagram kara@karacruz.com

    52 min
  3. This Is Where You Find Momentum When Feeling Stuck

    APR 6

    This Is Where You Find Momentum When Feeling Stuck

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math.🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application If you're feeling stuck in your private practice, you might think the problem is clarity. You might believe you just need the right idea. The right strategy. The right moment of inspiration. So you wait. You wait for the momentum to arrive. But in this episode, Tiffany shares a powerful realization from a conversation with her business advisor that completely shifted how she thinks about growth, action, and building a business. Because the truth is: Momentum isn't something you find. It's something you create. And if you're trying to build something that doesn't yet exist—like a Life-First private practice—waiting for momentum can keep you stuck for months or even years. In this episode, Tiffany pulls back the curtain on a moment in her own business when she realized she had been doing exactly that: waiting for the energy, the idea, the clarity to strike from the outside. Instead, she discovered that entrepreneurs, cycle-breakers, and therapists building new paradigms have to generate momentum themselves. Through decisions. Through action. Through disciplined thinking. If you've been waiting for the sign to finally raise your fees, change how you market your practice, or build a business that truly supports your life, this conversation will challenge the story that momentum has to come first. Because the real sequence looks very different. Action creates momentum. In this episode, we talk about: The common trap of waiting for inspiration before taking action Why entrepreneurs and cycle-breakers must create their own momentum How a single mindset shift changed Tiffany's approach to business growth The connection between personal discipline and business momentum Why therapists often stay stuck in "good enough" practices How your environment influences what feels possible in your business The power of surrounding yourself with therapists who are building Life-First practices Ready to create momentum in your own practice? Inside Lean In. MAKE BANK., therapists learn how to build Life-First practices—seeing fewer clients, charging premium fees, and creating financial stability without burnout. If you've been listening to this podcast and wondering when it's your turn, this might be the moment you stop waiting. Scroll down to the show notes and fill out an application to work with Tiffany and the team. Or email tiffany@leaninmakebank.com with the word Ready to learn more about stepping into your Life-First practice.

    16 min
  4. A $100/session Increase with David Flowers

    MAR 30

    A $100/session Increase with David Flowers

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application In this episode of The Money Sessions, Tiffany talks with therapist David Flowers about what it really takes to raise your fees—and why the biggest obstacle often isn't strategy. It's belief. Like many therapists, David began his private practice following the path most clinicians are taught: work hard, see as many clients as possible, and hope that financial stability eventually follows. But over time, he began realizing that the traditional model wasn't actually designed for sustainability. Instead of working harder, David started examining the numbers, assumptions, and money beliefs underlying his practice. That process eventually led him to make a significant shift—raising his session fee by $100. In this conversation, David shares the internal work, practical steps, and mindset shifts required to step into higher fees while staying aligned with his values as a therapist. In this episode, we explore: Why raising your fees often triggers unexpected fear and doubt The financial math therapists often overlook in private practice How money beliefs influence clinical and business decisions What helped David move forward with a $100 session fee increase The importance of designing a practice that supports your actual life Why sustainability matters for both therapists and clients Resources mentioned: LIMB Academy Fun With Fees Calculator David´s website  dave@davidflowerstherapy.com

    1 hr
  5. Our Industry's Toxic Relationship to Money: What it Costs Us All

    MAR 23

    Our Industry's Toxic Relationship to Money: What it Costs Us All

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application There are people out there who want therapy and can easily afford $300, $400, even $500 per session. They're not rare. They're not mythical. They're not just in Silicon Valley or Manhattan. They're everywhere. But many of them will never walk through your door — not because they don't need therapy, and not because they don't value therapy. They won't come because they don't trust therapists around money. In this episode, Tiffany pulls back the curtain on a dynamic that's quietly shaping the future of our profession: the toxic relationship therapists have with money — and how it's pushing well-resourced clients away from therapy altogether. After a decade of working behind the scenes with therapists and hearing what's really happening inside private practices, Tiffany shares the uncomfortable truth: When therapists publicly shame wealth, criticize colleagues for charging premium fees, or martyr themselves financially, we don't just hurt ourselves. We damage the credibility of the entire profession. And the clients who could most easily pay Life First Fees? They see it. They read the Facebook threads. They watch the Instagram commentary. They notice the resentment and the guilt around money. And then they quietly go somewhere else. Executive coaches. Consultants. Energy healers. High-end coaching programs. Not because those professionals are more qualified — but because they appear more confident about the value of their work. In this episode, Tiffany breaks down: Why therapists with toxic money beliefs are unintentionally repelling well-resourced clients How therapist culture often shames colleagues who want financial stability and freedom Why people who can afford therapy are actively paying attention to how therapists talk about money The hidden ways martyrdom and self-sacrifice show up in therapist business models Why marketing strategies alone cannot fix a broken relationship with money How unresolved attachment wounds often get projected onto financial exchanges with clients What happens in sessions when therapists feel anxious, ashamed, or conflicted about charging fees Why many high-income clients end up working with coaches instead of therapists The professional authority therapists actually hold — and why we routinely undervalue it How raising the bar around money conversations can elevate the entire field This episode is a direct call to therapists to step into professional leadership — not just clinically, but financially. Because therapy is not a charity model. It is a professional service grounded in deep psychological expertise. And when therapists treat it that way, clients respond accordingly. If we want a profession that is respected, sustainable, and capable of transforming lives, we have to transform how we talk about money. If you're ready to build a Life First Practice and charge fees that support the life you actually want, email Tiffany at tiffany@leaninmakebank.com with the word "Ready." Or apply to work together through the link in the show notes. It's time for therapists to stop apologizing for earning well. It's time to raise the bar — for ourselves, for our clients, and for the profession.

    17 min
  6. From $110 to $300/session as a neurodivergent mom of 2 littles with Alyssa Desroches

    MAR 16

    From $110 to $300/session as a neurodivergent mom of 2 littles with Alyssa Desroches

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free Ready to charge Life First Fees? Click here to fill out an application In this episode of The Money Sessions, Tiffany sits down with therapist Alyssa Desroches, a neurodivergent clinician and mom of two young children who realized the way she was running her practice simply wasn't sustainable. Like many therapists, Alyssa started out doing what she thought she had to do: accepting insurance, keeping her fees relatively low, and packing her schedule with clients just to make the numbers work. At one point, she was seeing 28 clients a week at an average of about $110 per session—all while trying to care for two little ones and manage her own neurodivergent needs. The math wasn't working. And neither was the lifestyle. In this honest conversation, Alyssa shares what happened when she began questioning the system she was operating in—and ultimately raised her fee to $300 per session while reducing her caseload and reclaiming her time and energy. This episode is a powerful look at what happens when therapists stop building practices around survival and start building them around the life they actually want. In this episode, we explore: What it looked like to run a practice seeing 28 clients per week The pressure many therapists feel to stay on insurance panels How motherhood and neurodivergence shaped Alyssa's priorities around work The mindset work behind raising her fee from $110 to $300 per session What happened when she began charging her new rate How she redesigned her practice to support her family and her nervous system Why fewer clients can lead to more sustainable clinical work Resources mentioned: LIMB Academy Fun With Fees Calculator Alyssa Desroches Website

    39 min
  7. The Weirdest Episode I've Ever Done — with Therapist Maggie

    MAR 9

    The Weirdest Episode I've Ever Done — with Therapist Maggie

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free This episode is unlike anything Tiffany has ever done on The Money Sessions. A week before recording an entire season of the podcast, Tiffany received a winding, honest email from a therapist named Maggie. Maggie was already charging $250 per session. She had a full practice. On paper, everything looked "successful." And yet… something wasn't right. Instead of booking a private consult, Maggie made a bold proposal: What if we recorded the conversation — live — and let listeners hear the decision-making process in real time? Tiffany said yes. What follows is a raw, unscripted, fly-on-the-wall conversation where nothing is polished and nothing is hidden. You'll hear Tiffany think out loud, name unconscious dynamics, challenge money stories, and explore what Life First Fee really means — even (especially) for therapists who "already charge a lot." This episode is part money work, part psychoanalytic process, and part mirror. If you've ever wondered: "Is it enough to just raise my fee?" "Why do I still feel anxious even though I'm doing well?" "What if something is still off — even when the numbers look good?" …this episode is for you. In this episode, Maggie and Tiffany explore: Why charging $250/session doesn't automatically mean you're living your Life First Fee The difference between saying your fee and actually committing to it What happens when a practice looks ideal on paper but feels unsustainable in the body The hidden cost of seeing 18–20 clients a week — even at high rates How "being busy" can keep you from facing deeper questions about desire and ease Why Maggie's nervous system — not her spreadsheet — was sounding the alarm The unconscious stories therapists tell themselves about worth, entitlement, and greed How many therapists are closer than they think… but still not in reality What it really looks like when 100% of your caseload pays your Life First Fee   Resources mentioned: LIMB Academy Fun With Fees Calculator

    45 min
  8. How Charging Life First Fees Turned Survival into Freedom – Angie Pulido-Banner's Story

    MAR 2

    How Charging Life First Fees Turned Survival into Freedom – Angie Pulido-Banner's Story

    Ready to set your fee? You choose the dream, we'll do the math. 🎁 Download our FREE Fun with Fees Calculator 👉🏽 https://www.leaninmakebank.com/free From agency burnout to financial peace, Angie Pulido Banner's story is a powerful example of what happens when you stop waiting for permission and start leading your life like a CEO. In this episode, Angie shares: How years of overworking and undercharging finally reached a breaking point The fears she had to overcome to set premium fees Why she stopped apologizing for wanting more and started building with intention The personal and clinical shifts that followed once she charged what she's worth What her life looks like now that she's no longer in survival mode Resources mentioned: LIMB Academy Fun With Fees Calculator  Angie`s Instagram

    46 min
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5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Deep, thoughtful, raw conversations with real therapists who are in the midst of leaning into raising fees and making bank – all while working with the clients they are passionate about serving.

Information

  • Creator
    Tiffany McLain
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    175
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ©2019
  • Show Website
    The Money Sessions

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