Giving Myself Permission to Thrive: The Bold Decision That Skyrocketed My Therapy Practice

It was late 2022 and I was in a session with my hypnotherapist, full on stressing about how much I was struggling with my therapy practice.

I was seeing clients 4 days a week, with multiple clients in 7pm slots because I wanted to “be accommodating” (but if I was being honest, it was actually because I was scared people wouldn’t stay if I set time boundaries). On the days I had later sessions, I was often so exhausted by the time I got home that I couldn’t even make myself eat dinner before I fell asleep for the night.

I was working so hard yet still feeling like I was barely scraping by financially. And I was dreading the upcoming slow season” (aka the holiday-filled months of November through early January) that was right around the corner. What if I can’t make ends meet??, I worried, practically in tears from the income insecurity and frustration of not knowing how to make it better.

I was less than 2 years into running this business full-time and I was already feeling tired, uninspired, unfulfilled - and most of all, scared.

Because at a deep, probably not fully conscious level, I worried that maybe the truest, harshest reality was: I simply wasn’t cut out for this.

And then a catalyst moment happened that blew my worry apart at the seams.

My amazing hypnotherapist looked me dead in the eye and said in a strong and unwavering voice, tone heavy with the resonance of truth - exactly what I didn’t know I needed to hear.

“Erica, you need to raise your rates. Like, A LOT.”

Initially, I balked.

I can’t do that!, I stuttered, shaking my head.

I just raised my rates! I told her, wide-eyed and starting to panic a bit. I can’t raise them AGAIN!!

Why not? she asked me calmly.

I started to instinctively respond - only to shut my mouth a moment later when I realized I didn’t actually have anything to say.

Her simple and straightforward question had dumbfounded me into silence. It forced me to realize that I didn’t actually have a good answer for why I couldn’t raise my rates. The only answers that came to mind, really, were just manifestations of anxiety. Worries like: What if my clients became angry and left? and What would my colleagues say? What if they judged me?

I’ve tried to live my life in a way in which fear does not govern my decisions (or at least, not for long). So when I realized that Fear was in the driver’s seat, I decided to not let it stay there. I decided to stop playing small.

I took a deep breath, said a prayer, got a running start - and leapt into the process. Less than 4 months later, I had completely revamped my entire therapy practice.

I increased my session fee by almost $100 ( a big jump in the therapy world, trust me!).

I implemented a much stricter attendance policy.

I decreased the amount of days per week I saw clients.

I release my 6pm and 7pm availability; 5pm was now my latest session time available.

I processed with, said goodbye to, and made referrals for the clients who decided to terminate due to these changes.

I broke the lease on the current office I’d been renting and paid both office rents for two months so that I could move into a new office that better suited my needs.

And I am so, so freakin grateful I made the decisions that I did.

So why do I share all this with you?

Reason #1: The therapy field’s culture inspires guilt and shame towards those who make decisions that prioritize their well-being. We get taught that if our decisions aren’t 100% client-focused, that if we create any space for ourselves and our needs, wants, desires, lives - it means we’re being selfish, greedy, inaccessible, ineffective, negligent, etc.

This is why I choose to transparently share not just about how I make these decisions, but about how it feels as I’m making them. Because it’s so incredibly important to show up and represent other options and ways to engage. I want people to know that you CAN do what’s best for you and you ARE allowed to feel fucking great about it. Periodt. No shame or guilt required.

(And oh, P.S. don’t get it twisted - what’s good for you IS good for your clients. Don’t let them tell you otherwise 😉)

Reason #2: We think it’s a zero-sum game. Our decisions can either benefit us or our clients. We’re scared that if we structure our business in a way that’s best for us, that must mean it won’t be best for our clients - and our business will suffer (or even fail) as a result.

So, in response to that fear - lemme just share what happened after I revamped my practice this year…

^^ 2022 Annual Income from my therapy practice

Keep in mind I finished the revamp in March 2023. From then on, I saw an average of 4-5 clients a day (6 was my absolute max, and only occurred if there was a reschedule). I never, not once, saw more than 6 clients a day in 2023. And starting in Fall of 2023, I reduced down to 2 client days a week so that I could start my second business, Erica Murphy Coaching & Consulting.

And I made almost 14k more this year than I did in 2022 - even though I had 63.8% LESS sessions this year AND I was only seeing clients 2-3 days a week 🤯

^^ 2023 Annual Income from my therapy practice

(Check out my receipts if you don’t believe me!)

When you make decisions in alignment with your highest good - good things happen as a result.

No one else is living your life with you. YOU are the ONLY who’s with you 24/7. Every single second of every single day. So if you’ve been holding back, staying stuck, afraid to branch out, waiting for permission from someone or something to do the brave thing -

This is your sign.

This is it, now is the time, FUCKING DO the damn thing your soul has been calling you to but you’ve been resisting.

You know the one.

You’re magic, bb. Stop pretending to be basic when you’re anything but just because it feels safer to play small. Because you’re scared of your own power and what could happen if choose to unleash it.

Let it go. Free yourself. Trust that it’s safe to let your power flow.

And BE fucking magic 🪄