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Badass Therapists Building Practices That Thrive

Badass Therapists Building Practices That Thrive

Written by: Dr. Kate Walker Ph.D. LPC/LMFT Supervisor
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Welcome to Badass Therapists Building Practices That Thrive, the ultimate resource for mental health professionals ready to step into their power, grow their practices, and create a career they love. I'm Dr. Kate Walker, a Texas LPC/LMFT Supervisor, author, and business strategist who's here to show you the path to success.
Formerly Texas Counselors Creating Badass Businesses, we’ve rebranded because, well, we’re way too big for Texas now! This community of badass therapists is growing nationwide, and we’re here to help you create a career and practice you love, no matter where you are.

Every week, you'll get practical advice, proven strategies, and motivation to help you build a thriving practice—one that gives you the freedom to live your life on your terms. From mastering marketing to designing scalable systems and becoming a clinical supervisor, this podcast is your roadmap to leveling up without burnout.

Hit subscribe and get ready to unlock your badass potential. Your thriving practice starts now!

© 2026 Badass Therapists Building Practices That Thrive
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Episodes
  • 168 The Supervision Side Hustle: How to Add Income Without Burning Out
    Jan 9 2026

    Most therapists think supervision is something they’ll do later—after they feel more confident, have more time, or somehow feel “ready.” In this episode, I’m breaking down why that mindset keeps so many supervisors stuck, underpaid, or holding onto their credentials without ever using it.

    I walk you through how to add supervision as a side hustle in a way that actually makes sense for your schedule, your income goals, and your license. We talk about common myths—like believing more supervisees automatically means more money—and what really matters if you want supervision to support your practice instead of draining it.

    If you’ve ever wondered how to price supervision, structure your schedule, market to the right people, or avoid difficult supervisee situations before they start, this episode gives you a clear, practical framework to get moving with confidence.

    In this episode, I cover:

    • How to structure individual, triadic, and group supervision so you don’t give away your highest-value client hours
    • Why “if you build it, they will come” doesn’t work for supervision—and what marketing actually does work
    • The biggest myths about difficult supervisees, volume-based income, and being “ready,” and how to protect your license while you grow

    If you’re holding onto your supervisor credential “just in case,” or you want supervision to become a sustainable income stream instead of a stressor, this episode will help you build it intentionally—from the very start.

    For supervisors who want clearer expectations, better boundaries, and fewer headaches down the line, the Supervisor Checklist gives you a practical starting point for contracts, structure, and decision-making.

    And if you want ongoing CE credit, leadership support, and real-world training you can actually apply, the Step It Up Membership is where this work deepens over time.

    Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.

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    20 mins
  • 167 From Manager to Mentor: Stop Babysitting, Start Leading Your Group Practice
    Jan 3 2026

    If running a group practice feels like herding highly educated cats, this episode is going to feel like someone finally put words to what you’ve been living. I’m joined by Amanda Esquivel, a Texas group practice owner who’s scaled to 50 clinicians across seven locations—and she’s breaking down why most “staff problems” aren’t actually staff problems. They’re leadership-role problems.

    Amanda names the four roles practice owners bounce between when growth accelerates: babysitter/manager, bottleneck, firefighter, and mentor-leader. And she’s honest about where she’s had to course-correct—because when everything runs through you, you don’t just get busy. You get stuck. Your team gets stuck too.

    We also talk about what employees are really reacting to when they complain about low pay, lack of tools, unrealistic expectations, and “promises” that don’t materialize. Amanda shares the transparency practices she uses to educate rather than defend—like showing where the money actually goes, tracking attendance metrics without shaming, and building a training hub so clinicians aren’t reinventing the wheel. The throughline is simple: your job isn’t to be everyone’s emergency contact. Your job is to build people and systems.

    If you’ve been living in manager mode, exhausted, resentful, and constantly “on,” this conversation will help you shift back into leadership that develops your staff instead of babysitting them.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • The four roles group practice owners cycle through—babysitter/manager, bottleneck, firefighter, and mentor-leader—and how to identify which one is running your practice right now.
    • How to shift out of constant firefighting and bottlenecking by building systems, metrics, and delegation structures that develop staff instead of controlling them.
    • What staff complaints about pay, tools, expectations, and follow-through are really communicating—and how transparency and education reduce resentment and turnover.
    • Practical leadership tools that support retention and accountability, including structured one-on-ones, attendance and caseload metrics, shared training hubs, and role clarity.

    If you’re ready to move out of manager mode and into grounded, sustainable leadership, start by grabbing the bonus resources that support this kind of systems-based growth.

    If you’re still clarifying how your practice should be structured, the free practice guide will help you name what needs attention next.

    For supervisors and practice owners who want clearer expectations and less daily friction, the Supervisor Checklist gives you a concrete place to begin.

    And if you want ongoing CE credit, leadership support, and real-world training you can actually apply, the Step It Up Membership is where this work deepens over time.

    Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.

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    59 mins
  • 166 HIPAA, VAs, and the Truth About Delegation in Private Practice
    Dec 26 2025

    If the idea of delegating in your practice immediately brings up fear about HIPAA, confidentiality, or losing control, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, I’m breaking down exactly what you can delegate right now (and what you shouldn’t) so you can protect your license while still getting critical tasks off your plate.

    I walk through real-world examples of delegation, from marketing tasks and intake calls to inbox management and follow-ups, and I clear up a lot of the myths therapists carry around about HIPAA. I explain how HIPAA actually works in practice, why delegating the wrong things first can waste time and money, and how proper training—not avoidance—is what keeps your practice safe as you grow.

    If your practice feels like you’re “building the plane while flying it,” or you know an uptick in clients is coming and your systems aren’t ready yet, this episode will help you get grounded and move forward with confidence instead of fear.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • What I recommend delegating first in a therapy practice, like intake calls, follow-ups, basic marketing workflows, and inbox management, without violating HIPAA
    • How I think about training and onboarding VAs, including HIPAA education, clear boundaries, and realistic expectations
    • Why I stopped using long written SOPs and switched to short screen-recorded workflows, and how that reduced mistakes
    • How to tell the difference between tasks that actually move you toward revenue and ones that just keep you busy

    If you’re ready to stop doing everything yourself and start building systems that support your growth, this episode gives you a practical, HIPAA-aware place to start.

    If you’re ready to lead with confidence, join the 2026 Supervisor Course waitlist for early access to bonus tools, templates, and fast-track grading. Strengthen your systems today with the free Supervision Onboarding Checklist, and get ongoing CEUs and live coaching inside the Step It Up Membership. You’re not just building a practice, you’re building a legacy.

    Get your step by step guide to private practice. Because you are too important to lose to not knowing the rules, going broke, burning out, and giving up. #counselorsdontquit.

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    12 mins
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