The Freedom Therapist

Mia Poklepovich

Each week we’ll go deep on all things business, self, energy and freedom. There's growth, giggles AND tears, as we lean into the best version of our business - and selves too. We’ll also get to chat with some incredibly inspiring women who will generously share their stories on finding that magic. If you’re looking for deep conversations, no gatekeeping, practical advice all with a little bit of chaos, you’re in the right place. I'm your host Mia Poklepovich, a previously burnt out mental health occupational therapist and business owner, who found her way to fall back in love with business and life all over again. This podcast was created to be your safe space to learn AND unlearn all the things about scaling your business, without losing yourself in the process. Each week will be talking about ALL the things. And feeling ALL the feels. Because business is a wild ride, at all stages. So if you need an extra dose of inspo, a soft landing or just a moment to unwind you are SO welcome here.  Give yourself permission to take some space for you, and let’s be besties. I can’t wait! 

  1. 5d ago

    What No One Teaches Therapists About Digital Offers & Products (PLUS 3 Questions That Will Change That)

    You can write a session plan in fifteen minutes. You've done it a thousand times — you don't overthink it, you don't stare at the blank page, you just do it. So why have you been sitting on your digital offer for six months? In this episode I'm getting into the one thing nobody ever taught us — and why once you have it, everything changes. IN THIS EPISODE: Why "I don't have time" and "I'm not techy enough" aren't the real reasons your digital offer isn't doneThe one thing that separates writing a session plan in 15 minutes from staring at your digital offer for six monthsWhy this has nothing to do with confidence or tech — and everything to do with something no one ever taught usThe three questions I use with every therapist I work with to find their offer — and why the answer is probably already sitting in your Google DriveWhy your offer doesn't need to be built from scratch — and it’s probably closer than you thinkThe sequence that takes it from idea to something you can actually sellThe personal story behind my own MULTIPLE years delays — and the only thing that changedConnect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    16 min
  2. May 26

    How to Make Money From Your Knowledge & Expertise as a Therapist (And Actually Feel Good About It)

    Have you ever had that thought — can I really charge for this? Like, why would someone pay money for this from me? Is it really something people will want? If you have, you are absolutely not alone. And the reason that thought feels so sticky isn't random - it's deeply embedded in the systems and training that shaped us as therapists. In this episode, we're naming it, getting curious about it, and doing the real work of figuring out where it came from. Because that's the work before the work AND it matters more than any strategy I could give you. IN THIS EPISODE: Why so many therapists feel genuinely icky about charging for their expertise — and why that feeling makes complete sense given how we were trainedHow the systems we've worked in have wired us to separate the helping from the money — and what that looks like in our everyday situations.Why imposter syndrome hits so differently in the therapy profession, and how our evidence-based training can actually keep us stuck in a loop of tweaking and never launchingThe reframe that has shifted everything for me and why it's not about becoming greedy, it's about sustainabilityWhy burnt out, underpaid therapists don't help more people…and what financial stability actually makes possibleThe practical exercise you NEED to do this week on your money beliefs— and why the this matters the most if you want to growKEY TAKEAWAYS: Charging for your expertise is not at odds with your values — it's what keeps you in the profession long enough to actually change lives.The work before the work is the mindset work — you can have the best digital product in the world sitting in a folder, but if your nervous system is still wired to give it away for free, it stays there.Really good therapists making really good money do really good things with it — financial stability means capacity for complex clients, supervision, growth, and staying in love with this work.RESOURCES + LINKS: Listen to last week's episode (Ep. 68 68. Exactly Where to Start With Passive Income as a Therapist (And Why You're Already Closer Than You Think) - we chatted about it in this one!Find Mia: @miapokoEmail: hello@thefreedomtherapist.com.auCALL TO ACTION: If this one stirred something up for you — good. That means it landed. I'd love to know what belief came up for you when you did the exercise, so slide into my DMs over on Instagram at @miapoko or shoot me an email at hello@thefreedomtherapist.com.au. And if you're loving this series, please screenshot this episode and share it on your stories, or leave us a review — it genuinely helps this podcast reach more therapists who need to hear exactly this. See ya next week. xx Get The Complete Brand Kit for Therapists & Allied Health Practitioners for just $47 here: https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/brand Connect with Mia: Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    12 min
  3. May 21

    Exactly Where to Start With Passive Income as a Therapist (And Why You're Already Closer Than You Think)

    There is a visual schedule sitting in your downloads folder right now. A social story from three months ago. A parent handout you typed from scratch because nothing that existed felt like the right fit. A home program template you've made seventeen versions of. And I want you to know — that is a business. That is already a business. You just haven't looked at it that way yet. Because income beyond the one-to-one doesn't have to be this massive overwhelming mountain you build from scratch. It's already here. And today we're going to find it together. IN THIS EPISODE: Why so many therapists are already sitting on sellable resources and don't even realise itThe three income streams available to every therapist business — direct work, expertise, and journey — and why knowing where you're starting from changes everythingWhy financial diversification isn't just a nice business strategy — it's how we stop scrambling when clients cancel, when we're sick, when the landscape shiftsThe resource audit to do this week — how to open your folders, sort what you find, and start seeing your existing work completely differentlyWhy curiosity (not judgment) is the whole point of this exercise — and how to stay out of shame while you do itWhat I want you to spend the week ideating on before next episodeConnect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    12 min
  4. May 13

    5 Urgent Things I Stopped Doing That Grew My Business AND Regulated My Nervous System

    We're told that growth means doing more. More content, more strategies, more visibility, more of ALL the things. But some of the biggest shifts in my business — in income, in capacity, in how I actually feel day to day — came from stopping things. Not adding more. Subtracting. In this episode, I'm sharing the five things I stopped doing urgently that changed how my business runs and how my nervous system feels inside it. You'll learn: Why checking your email every day might be costing you more than you realiseHow working reactively keeps you stuck — and what working ahead actually looks like in practiceWhy one protected week per month with no clients or calls can grow your business faster than filling every slotHow to stop starting from scratch every time you create contentWhat it actually means to switch off — and why half-availability doesn't countIf you've been feeling like your business is running you instead of the other way around, this episode will give you five practical places to start taking it back. Connect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    13 min
  5. Apr 21

    How I Run My Therapy Business From Anywhere: The Exact Systems, Tools & Processes

    This is one I get asked about constantly. How the business actually runs when I’m not in the clinic or on a completely different time zone. Because from the outside, “working remotely” can feel daunting but it was the best and most sustainable shift I ever made for my business. In this episode, I walk through the exact systems, tools and processes that hold my business day-to-day. And we go even deeper on that - on what had to change in the way I work too. Because this wasn’t just about adding a few apps or tightening things up. It required a complete shift out of doing everything myself and into building a business that can actually run without me being across every step. Inside this episode, I talk about: the systems that stopped me being the bottleneck in my own businesshow we manage communication across different time zones (without being “always on”)the tools we actually use daily — and why I keep it simple what changed when I stopped working in a reactive way and how I prepared the business before ever stepping awayIf you’ve been thinking about taking time off, going on mat leave, working from somewhere else or just creating more space in your week… this will show you what that actually looks like behind the scenes. Connect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    20 min
  6. Apr 7

    Ready to Hire or Not Yet? 3 Checks Before Your First Team Member in Your Therapy Business or Private Practice

    Hiring your first team member can feel exciting - and terrifying - at the same time. Most therapists I speak to are asking the same questions: Am I ready? Can I afford this? What if I get it wrong? What if this makes things harder, not easier? In this episode, Mia walks you through the three checks she always comes back to before hiring whether it’s your first role or your next one. These are the foundations that stop hiring becoming rushed, stressful, or reactive. Inside this episode, you’ll learn: Why knowing your real numbers matters before you hireWhat to look at beyond just billable hoursHow to think clearly about the role you actually needWhy position descriptions matter more than most people realiseHow to tell if a role will pay for itselfWhat happens when systems aren’t in placeHow good onboarding protects both you and your teamIf you’ve been thinking about bringing someone into your practice but feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or hesitant this episode will help you slow it down and make a clear, informed decision. Connect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    13 min
  7. Apr 1

    Smarter Systems, Increasing your Cognitive Capacity as a Therapist, Sharing the Work You Love & Selling Out Your Offer with Imogen Nolan

    This conversation goes deep into how we're actually working as therapists — what we're carrying mentally every single day, and what changes when we start paying attention to it. I'm joined by Imogen Nolan, occupational therapist, mentor, and founder of Occupationally Neuro — and someone I've had the absolute privilege of watching build something incredibly thoughtful in this space. Imogen runs a community-based OT service supporting people with neurological and complex physical disabilities across regional Victoria, and she has taken what she sees every day in her practice around functional cognition and turned it into a body of work, a personal brand, and a mentorship offer that therapists were signing up to before she'd even officially launched. We talk about functional cognition, cognitive load, and why so many therapists are operating in a constant state of mental traffic without even realising it. Imogen breaks it all down in the most digestible way — including her traffic jam analogy that honestly needs to be on a t-shirt. Then we dive into the behind-the-scenes of how Imogen went from hesitant post-and-ghoster on Instagram to building a community so warm and trusting that her group mentorship sold out before she had even launched it. We talk personal brand, showing up consistently, letting go of perfectionism, and why the confidence really does come after you do the thing. What we cover: Why cognition is the missing piece in so many therapy models — and how it shapes everything we doA simple way to understand cognitive load (and why so many therapists feel mentally full before their day even starts)The “traffic jam” analogy that explains overwhelm in a way that actually makes senseSmall, practical shifts that reduce cognitive load immediatelyThe difference between reactive vs proactive ways of working — and how that shows up in your dayWhy your systems matter more than you think (and how they quietly shape your capacity)What it actually looked like for Imogen to start showing up online — including the fear, the “post and ghost” phase, and what changed over timeThe tension therapists feel between professionalism and being human onlineHow her personal brand led to real opportunities — referrals, collaborations and a sold-out first time mentorshipThe reality behind building something before you feel ready — and why that mattersHow cognitive load shows up in your business, your content, and your everyday life Connect with Imogen: Instagram: @Imogen_occupationaltherapist Instagram: @Occupationally_Neuro She is also the host of the Cognitive Capacity Chat podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-cognitive-capacity-chat/id1887698062 Connect with Mia: New Live & Free Masterclass: Create & Sell Your First Digital Therapy Offer https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/masterclass Instagram: https://instagram.com/miapoko and https://www.instagram.com/ot_inspire_therapy/ Get the Complete Personal Brand Kit for Therapists for just $47! https://thefreedomtherapist.com.au/kit Join the Waitlist for The Freedom Therapist Club: https://www.thefreedomtherapist.com.au/club

    1 hr

About

Each week we’ll go deep on all things business, self, energy and freedom. There's growth, giggles AND tears, as we lean into the best version of our business - and selves too. We’ll also get to chat with some incredibly inspiring women who will generously share their stories on finding that magic. If you’re looking for deep conversations, no gatekeeping, practical advice all with a little bit of chaos, you’re in the right place. I'm your host Mia Poklepovich, a previously burnt out mental health occupational therapist and business owner, who found her way to fall back in love with business and life all over again. This podcast was created to be your safe space to learn AND unlearn all the things about scaling your business, without losing yourself in the process. Each week will be talking about ALL the things. And feeling ALL the feels. Because business is a wild ride, at all stages. So if you need an extra dose of inspo, a soft landing or just a moment to unwind you are SO welcome here.  Give yourself permission to take some space for you, and let’s be besties. I can’t wait! 

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