Therapists Rising Podcast

Dr. Hayley Kelly
  • 4.4 (5)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Therapists Rising Podcast, where we share real, raw, and behind-the-scenes stories and lessons from Therapists who are thinking outside the traditional clinical box and choosing to do things differently in their careers. I’m your host, Dr. Hayley Kelly, and I myself have made the journey from a very experienced, but burnt out and unhappy, Clinical Therapist - to a successful entrepreneur who runs a business she loves, is thriving financially, and working and living life on her own terms. Join me, and be inspired, as I speak with other Therapists who too are broadening their horizons, and experiencing more abundance, joy, and fulfilment than ever before. Together we will laugh, soak up priceless wisdom and take actionable steps, to help you transition from clinical practice to non-clinical offerings, and diversify and amplify your income - all while honouring your wellbeing and having a work-life balance. If you’re ready to be inspired and take action on your dreams, then you’re in the right place, friend. This is the Therapists Rising Podcast.

  1. From 7 Enrolments to Six Figures: How a Vestibular Physio Built an Online Program from Scratch

    6D AGO

    From 7 Enrolments to Six Figures: How a Vestibular Physio Built an Online Program from Scratch

    Picture a physio who launched her first online program with seven people enrolled. Six of whom she already knew personally. A sales page with no checkout connected. A program she hadn't finished recording yet. That was Vicky Stewart's launch one. Her most recent launch just crossed six figures. Today's guest, Dr. Vicky Stewart, is a vestibular physiotherapist who spent years watching patients with chronic dizziness fall through the cracks of traditional healthcare. She built The Shift, a 10-week online group program, to reach the people her clinical hours never could. She didn't have a following, a marketing budget, or a polished funnel when she started. She had a clear problem, a willingness to start messy, and the psychological capacity to treat early results as data rather than verdicts. This conversation is about what it actually looks like to build something over time, across seven launches, when the numbers are small at first and the fear is loud throughout. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1️⃣ Your First Launch Is Not a Verdict, It's a Data Point — Seven people enrolled, six of whom Vicky already knew. Most people would have interpreted that as proof the idea didn't work. Vicky interpreted it as proof of concept. If one person paid, others will too. That reframe, from verdict to data, is one of the most reliable predictors of whether a therapist keeps going or quietly shelves the whole thing. 2️⃣ You Don't Need a Large Following to Fill a Program — Vicky built her early launches almost entirely through existing professional relationships, referrer networks, and speaking opportunities, including a keynote in Dubai, before she had any meaningful social media presence. The skills therapists already use to build referral networks in private practice transfer directly. You probably already have more reach than you think. 3️⃣ Messy and Started Beats Perfect and Waiting, Every Single Time — Vicky launched her beta without a checkout page connected to her sales page. She was already in open cart week when she found out. She sorted it in real time, ran the program anyway, and built everything else from there. Seven launches later, she has a waitlist, a team member supporting her community, and her first six-figure result. None of that happens if she waits until she feels ready. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: How Vicky's pricing evolved from $330 for her beta to $1,697 per enrolment, and what had to shift internally to make each price increase feel possibleWhy researching competitors actually made things harder, not easier, and what she decided to do insteadWhat it looked like practically to build this while working four days a week with three kids at homeThe moment her husband took a redundancy and what that did to her approach going into her most recent launchWhy she decided early on she was never going to dance on Instagram, and how she filled her program anywayThe listener question that stopped me in my tracks: "If you'd waited until you felt completely ready, where would you be today?"What Vicky says is the one breadcrumb she'd leave anyone who is still sitting on their ideaRESOURCES: Connect with Vicky Stewart: Website: dizzyresolve.comInstagram: @dizzyresolveYouTube: @dizzyresolveTherapists Rising Programs: Caseload to Course Bootcamp: therapistsrising.com/bootcampThe Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other therapists find conversations that give them permission to start before they're ready.

    1h 16m
  2. From Perinatal Psych to Florist: When Your "Side Idea" Becomes the One That Works with Carla Anderson

    FEB 19

    From Perinatal Psych to Florist: When Your "Side Idea" Becomes the One That Works with Carla Anderson

    Picture a psychologist with 25 years in perinatal mental health — burned out from holding space for loss and trauma for decades. She needed something that was just hers. No clinical notes, no disclosure risk, no empathy fatigue. She chose floristry. And then her perinatal colleagues found out. And asked her to bring it to conferences. Then to teach it online. Now she has a waiting list of clinicians who want in. Today's guest, Carla Anderson, is a clinical psychologist who built two very different streams inside one business — perinatal mental health training for healthcare clinicians, and floristry-based therapeutic programs for clinician self-care. She didn't plan it. She followed her gut. And the market responded in ways she didn't see coming. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1️⃣ Your Burnout Might Be Pointing You Somewhere — Carla needed something that shut her brain off after 25 years of perinatal loss and trauma work. Floristry did that. What started as self-preservation became the foundation of an entirely new program. Your burnout isn't a problem to solve. Sometimes it's a signpost. 2️⃣ The "Weird" Idea Is Often the One That Takes Off — Carla kept reverting to her safe perinatal niche because floristry felt too new, too hard to package. Then perinatal conferences kept asking her to run the floristry sessions. Fellow Incubator members asked when they could join. The market told her what it wanted — she just had to listen long enough to believe it. 3️⃣ You Don't Have to Explain Everything Upfront — People come to Carla's workshops thinking it's about flower arranging. By the end they're doing deep reflective work through metaphor. You don't need a ten-paragraph explanation. You just need to get people in the room. The experience does the convincing. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why healthcare clinicians (GPs, midwives, doctors) are desperately under-resourced when it comes to psychological support skills — and how Carla fills that gapWhat therapeutic horticulture actually is and the science behind why nature-based practices workHow she structured her first beta launch (including the Valentine's Day flowers disaster that became an accidental metaphor)The internal flip-flopping between the safe niche and the exciting one — and how she finally stopped revertingWhat it looks like to let market feedback build your confidence instead of waiting for certainty firstWhy everything is figureoutable — including how to teach flower arranging onlineRESOURCES: Connect with Carla Anderson: Website: www.carlaandersoncliniciantraining.comFacebook & Instagram: @carlaandersoncliniciantrainingLinkedIn: Carla AndersonTherapists Rising Programs: Caseload to Course Bootcamp: https://therapistsrising.com/bootcampThe Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode made you look at your "just for me" hobby differently, subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other therapists find conversations that give them permission to build something unexpected. You don't have to abandon what you're good at to build something new. You don't have to have it all figured out before you start. And you definitely don't have to ignore the thing that lights you up just because it doesn't fit the obvious mould. What if the thing you thought was just for you is exactly what other clinicians need? What opens up when you stop treating your own joy as a liability?

    55 min
  3. Corporations Are Paying Psychologists to Teach Play - Here's Why It's Working

    FEB 11

    Corporations Are Paying Psychologists to Teach Play - Here's Why It's Working

    Picture a corporate wellness landscape where companies are tired of boring PowerPoint workshops but also can't justify wine tastings when burnout is a WHS compliance issue. There's a gap there. A big one. And what if you could fill it? Today's guest, Dr. Mitzi Liddle, is doing exactly that. She's teaching corporations about play and pleasure - yes, you read that right - as nervous system regulation tools. Not fluff. Not entertainment. Neuroscience-backed performance enhancement. And teams are actually booking it. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1️⃣ Play Isn't Childish—It's a Nervous System Tool – When Mitzi started noticing corporate teams responded better to movement, music, and laughter than traditional lecture-style workshops, she followed that thread. Play and pleasure aren't frivolous—they're pathways to regulate your nervous system out of chronic stress and burnout. They bring you into your window of tolerance where creativity, energy, and clear thinking actually live. 2️⃣ There's a Gap in Corporate Wellness (And You Can Fill It) – Organizations don't want boring PowerPoint workshops. But they also don't want wine tastings that waste time. They want something engaging AND evidence-based. Something that addresses real burnout while meeting psychological safety requirements. If you can position experiential work with neuroscience backing, you've found the sweet spot. 3️⃣ Diversification Doesn't Mean Starting Over – Mitzi's been a psychologist for 20+ years. She didn't abandon her expertise—she expanded it. Corporate playshops for teams. Group programs for individual women. Both use the same foundation (play, pleasure, nervous system regulation) but serve different audiences. You don't need a brand new skill set. You need strategic positioning. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why "playshops" get better engagement than traditional burnout prevention workshopsHow to position play and pleasure so corporations take it seriously (and pay for it)The neuroscience behind why these "soft" concepts actually work as performance toolsWhat changes when you follow your energy instead of grinding through what you think you "should" doHow Mitzi created her beta program fast—and what supported that momentumWhy dabbling and experimenting is actually the path (not a failure to commit)The one piece of advice for therapists who want something different but feel stuckRESOURCES: Connect with Dr. Mitzi Liddle: Website: www.drmitziliddle.com.auInstagram: @drmitziliddleTherapists Rising Programs: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorThe Collective Mastermind: therapistsrising.com/collectiveInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode made you rethink what's possible for your practice, subscribe and review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other therapists discover conversations that challenge the status quo and open up new possibilities. You don't have to choose between engaging work and credible work. Between joy and professionalism. Between staying small and burning out. What if the thing that lights YOU up is exactly what your ideal clients need? What opens up when you give yourself permission to follow that?

    1h 5m
  4. Stop Hunting for Ideas: The One Question That Actually Creates Clarity

    FEB 4

    Stop Hunting for Ideas: The One Question That Actually Creates Clarity

    You've got the notebook. The voice memos. The Google Doc titled "possible program ideas" you haven't opened in weeks. You're not short on ideas. You're drowning in reasonable options. And somehow that feels worse than having no ideas at all. Because when you're stuck with multiple good directions and still can't get traction, it starts to feel like a you problem. Like you're overthinking it. Not ready. Not disciplined enough. Here's what you need to hear: You're not failing at this. You're misoriented. You're trying to choose before you're positioned to see clearly. And the question you're asking yourself is keeping you stuck. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1️⃣ This Isn't Confusion - It's Misorientation – Your brain is doing exactly what it was trained to do: analyse before acting. But when there are multiple good options, analysis mode creates paralysis. Your nervous system reads commitment without clarity as threat, so you stay stuck in research mode. This isn't a motivation problem. It's a starting-point problem. 2️⃣ You're Asking the Wrong Question – "What program should I create?" forces comparison, activates imposter syndrome, and assumes you need something novel. The better question: "What problem am I already solving repeatedly, whether I intend to or not?" This shifts you from ideation to pattern recognition, from theoretical planning to lived experience. Most therapists don't need a new idea - they need better visibility on work they're already doing. 3️⃣ Depth Creates Blind Spots – If people keep bringing you the same problem without you marketing for it, that's data. But experienced therapists dismiss what feels familiar, obvious, or "too simple." The more expertise you have, the more invisible your skill becomes to you. You're not underestimating the work - you're underestimating yourself. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why therapists trained to assess before acting get stuck when building programsThe nervous system response that keeps you in "gathering information" modeHow to recognize when you're dismissing your most obvious starting pointWhy confusion is often a sign of depth, not failureThe one question that creates grounded momentum instead of endless scanningWhy orientation matters more than urgency when building sustainable practicesRESOURCES: Therapists Rising Programs: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode reduced the frantic energy you've been carrying, subscribe and review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help other therapists find conversations that actually shift how they're thinking. Clarity doesn't come from choosing the best idea. It comes from standing in the right place to see what's actually there. You're not behind. You're just facing the wrong direction. What shifts when you ask a better question?

    19 min
  5. Why Everything Just Changed for Therapists: Money, Burnout, and Technology Collide

    JAN 28

    Why Everything Just Changed for Therapists: Money, Burnout, and Technology Collide

    For 12 months, I've been warning you the traditional therapy model is breaking down. Some of you have been listening. But many have been waiting for clarity. Here's what you need to hear: The last eight weeks changed everything. November 2025: Australia restricted Better Access referrals. December 2025: Fifth consecutive year of US Medicare cuts. January 30, 2026: US telehealth flexibilities expire. While those policy changes hit, something else shifted: 1 in 8 young people now use AI chatbots for mental health advice. Corporate wellness budgets hit $53 billion with contracts being signed NOW for 2026-2027. This isn't slow erosion. This is all five forces reaching tipping points simultaneously. This is the convergence. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: 1️⃣ Three Realities Converging Right Now – The math isn't working (Medicare cuts, Better Access restrictions, client affordability crisis). Your colleagues are planning exits (52% US therapists burned out, 29% considering leaving). Future clients expect something different (70% Gen Z prefers virtual, 1 in 8 young people use AI chatbots). 2️⃣ Every Disrupted Profession Made This Mistake – Accounting got automated. Physical therapy faced reimbursement cuts. Personal training went digital. Each time, practitioners said "our profession is different." They were wrong. Pattern: professions split into commodity/premium tiers, early movers capture premium positioning, late movers compete on price. 3️⃣ The Window to Move From Strength is Closing – Early adopters already generate diversified income. Early majority (you) see it's real but still research. Late majority arrives when landscape is occupied. Corporate contracts signing NOW. Course markets maturing NOW. Window open now—won't stay open. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why research-mode therapists experience decision paralysis under cognitive loadThe Kodak lesson: Believing current preferences = permanent demand is fatalAccountants who automated vs. those stuck "selling time"PT practices that diversified early: 200-300% revenue growth vs. 3-6x valuations for traditionalWhy "AI can't replace us" is technically true but misses the pointTechnology adoption curve: Waiting for certainty means you're lateResearch Path vs. Action Path: Which are you choosing?RESOURCES: Data Sources: Medicare cuts: BellMedEx 2025Better Access: Australian Dept of HealthAI adoption: Brown University School of Public HealthTherapists Rising: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode made you uncomfortable, subscribe and review on Apple Podcasts. Your reviews help therapists find honest conversations about what's happening in our profession. Therapists thriving in five years won't be ones who waited for perfect clarity. They'll be ones who moved with 80% information while they had stability. That window is open now. What will you do with it?

    47 min
  6. The REAL Truth About Passive Income for Therapists (It's Not What You Think) with Kayla Das

    JAN 22

    The REAL Truth About Passive Income for Therapists (It's Not What You Think) with Kayla Das

    Let's talk about passive income, and NO, this isn't another "make money while you sleep" pitch. This conversation with Kayla Das is the most honest, transparent take on passive income for therapists I've heard in a LONG time. Kayla's a Canadian social worker, business coach, author of The Passive Practice, and someone who's actually DONE this work. She's built multiple passive income streams and she's willing to tell you the TRUTH about what it really takes. Here it is: passive income isn't passive at the beginning. It's WORK. Consistent, upfront, sometimes-discouraging work. But once it's established? That's when you get your time back. That's when you can help more people without burning out in one-to-one sessions. If you're tired of trading hours for dollars and wondering if there's another way—this episode is for YOU. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Passive Income Is NOT Passive at the Beginning – This is NOT a get-rich-quick scheme. It's a "slow and steady wins the race" strategy. You'll put in consistent work upfront—sometimes for MONTHS—before you see revenue. Kayla didn't make a dime from her blog for six months. But she kept going. And now? It works on autopilot (mostly). Once it's built, you never start from scratch again. 2️⃣ Earned Income vs. Passive Income Changes Everything – One-to-one therapy = earned income. You work X hours, you make X dollars. There's a ceiling. With passive income, you create something ONCE—a course, blog, digital product, podcast—and it generates revenue over and over. That's what creates time freedom. But you need an audience to share it with (email list, social media, organic traffic). 3️⃣ It's About Pivoting, Not Quitting – Kayla's digital templates made NOTHING the first 30 days. Zero dollars. But she didn't scrap them. She pivoted—changed the marketing images, rewrote descriptions, tested things. Then it worked. The issue isn't usually your product—it's how you're presenting it. Be willing to fail, learn, and adjust. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why most therapists recreate their old employment environment in private practice (and how passive income changes that)Seven types of passive income streams for therapists: blogging, podcasting, online courses, hiring therapists, digital products, books, and affiliate marketingThe three passive income success indicators that help you choose the RIGHT stream for youWhy Kayla's blog made $0 for six months—and why she kept writing anywayThe real reason most therapists don't pursue passive income (it's the upfront "no money" period)Why you NEED an audience before you launchHow to know if you're ready to start building a passive income stream RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Kayla Das: Book: The Passive Practice: The Passive Income Roadmap for Maximizing Schedule Flexibility, Time Freedom, and Private Practice Profitability (available on Amazon)Passive Income Personality Quiz: Find out which passive income stream is the best fit for YOUR personality (6-8 quick questions!)Website: KaylaDas.comTherapists Rising: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykelly SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode gave you a new perspective on passive income—or if you're ready to stop trading hours for dollars and start building something that works for you—please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your reviews help more therapists find these real, honest conversations about building the businesses they actually want (without the BS or the hype). Thanks for being here. See you next week.

    45 min
  7. The Hidden Cost of Staying Stuck

    JAN 14

    The Hidden Cost of Staying Stuck

    I've been noticing this pattern with the therapists I work with. Incredibly capable people with clear ideas for what they want to build - programs, offerings, shifts in their practice. They can describe it in detail. But when I ask what's stopping them, the answer is always some version of "I'm stuck." In this episode, I'm not giving you productivity tips or telling you to just start. I'm naming the quiet problem that nobody talks about: the kind of stuck that doesn't look like stuck at all. Because this type of stuck comes with a cost that accumulates slowly, and most of us don't see it until we're years in. If you've been sitting with an idea for months (or years), if you keep researching instead of building, if you're waiting for more certainty before you commit - this episode is for you. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Staying Stuck Is Not Neutral - It Has a Real Cost – We believe taking action equals risk and staying stuck equals safety. But staying stuck erodes self-trust, creates ongoing frustration, causes decision fatigue, and leaves you feeling behind without knowing why. You're still on a trajectory - you're just not choosing it consciously. 2️⃣ Research Mode Is False Movement – When your version of stuck looks like productivity (taking courses, reading case studies, studying how others did it), it's especially dangerous. It feels like you're making progress. You're not. At a certain point, researching stops being preparation and starts being avoidance. You already have enough information to start. 3️⃣ You're Already Choosing Your Hard – Moving forward is hard. Staying stuck is also hard. Nothing worth doing is usually easy. The question isn't how to make it easier - it's which version of hard you want to choose. The uncertain pain of starting, or the familiar pain of staying where you are? YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: The specific Tuesday afternoon I spent three hours researching my program instead of building it (and the resignation that followed)Why high-integrity professionals get stuck in this particular patternThe difference between familiar pain and uncertain pain (and why we keep choosing familiar)How to identify which type of stuck you're experiencing (they're not all the same problem)Why compassion doesn't mean pretending there's no problemThe real cost of decision fatigue when you circle the same choice for monthsHow "not choosing" is still a choice with consequencesWhy clarity rarely arrives before commitment RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Therapists Rising: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykelly SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode helped you see the pattern you've been stuck in - or gave you permission to name what's really happening - please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your reviews help more therapists find these conversations and build the businesses they actually want without staying stuck in research mode for months. Thanks for being here. See you next week.

    36 min
  8. Before You Plan Anything in 2026, Answer This One Question

    JAN 8

    Before You Plan Anything in 2026, Answer This One Question

    Everyone's doing planning episodes right now. Goal-setting frameworks, vision boards, annual reviews - and those resources are great. But here's what I think most people are skipping: the single piece of clarity that actually makes planning work. I just came back from two weeks completely offline (forced digital detox courtesy of terrible cruise internet). And while I was offline, one question kept surfacing. Not "what do I need to do differently" or "what are my goals" - but something deeper that completely shifted how I'm approaching 2026. In this episode, I'm not giving you another planning framework. I'm giving you the clarity that makes planning obvious. Because without this foundation, you'll abandon your plan by February. With it, everything else falls into place. If you've ever set goals that looked good on paper but didn't stick, or found yourself circling the same idea without committing, this episode is for you. HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Planning Without Clarity Is Why Your Goals Keep Falling Apart – It's not a discipline problem or a commitment problem. When you plan based on what you think you should do (instead of what actually matters), the plans don't stick. Clarity isn't a nice-to-have. It's the foundation. 2️⃣ Three Questions That Surface What's Actually There – Before you plan anything, sit with these: What keeps resurfacing for me? What am I no longer willing to carry into 2026? What am I waiting for permission to do? One of these will hit harder than the others. That's your entry point. 3️⃣ Identity Drives Behaviour (Not Willpower) – We don't have commitment problems, we have identity problems. When you ask "Who do I need to become?" instead of "What do I need to do?", action becomes natural. Someone who "tries to build" versus someone who "is a builder" - same activity, completely different relationship to it. YOU'LL ALSO HEAR: Why 2025 was one of my hardest years in business (and the breakthrough that came from it)The identity question that changed everything while I was offlineHow Chris Williamson's annual review process inspired this frameworkWhy therapists are especially good at waiting for permission (and how to stop)The gap between who you are now and who you need to become (and why that's information, not judgment)How clarity makes planning and decision-making obviousReal examples of applying this to launching a beta, scaling your practice, and stepping back from clinical workRESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Chris Williamson on Diary of a CEO – Annual review discussionTherapists Rising: The Incubator: therapistsrising.com/incubatorInstagram: @dr.hayleykellySUBSCRIBE & REVIEW: If this episode gave you the clarity you needed before diving into planning - or helped you see the identity shift that's been waiting - please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your reviews help more therapists find these conversations and build the businesses they actually want. Thanks for being here. See you next week.

    38 min
See All (248)

Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Therapists Rising Podcast, where we share real, raw, and behind-the-scenes stories and lessons from Therapists who are thinking outside the traditional clinical box and choosing to do things differently in their careers. I’m your host, Dr. Hayley Kelly, and I myself have made the journey from a very experienced, but burnt out and unhappy, Clinical Therapist - to a successful entrepreneur who runs a business she loves, is thriving financially, and working and living life on her own terms. Join me, and be inspired, as I speak with other Therapists who too are broadening their horizons, and experiencing more abundance, joy, and fulfilment than ever before. Together we will laugh, soak up priceless wisdom and take actionable steps, to help you transition from clinical practice to non-clinical offerings, and diversify and amplify your income - all while honouring your wellbeing and having a work-life balance. If you’re ready to be inspired and take action on your dreams, then you’re in the right place, friend. This is the Therapists Rising Podcast.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Hayley Kelly
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Therapists Rising Podcast
  • Show Website
    Therapists Rising Podcast

You Might Also Like