Badass Therapists Creating Practices That Thrive
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.
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Badass Therapists Creating Practices That Thrive
123 The Joy of Supervisory Mentoring with Sari Dangler, MS, LPC-S, LSSP
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.
glasses off. All right, hey, I'm dr kate walker one more time hey, I'm dr kate walker and welcome to texas counselors creating badass businesses. Also, the practice grant giveaway 2024 finalist sorry, dangler, and this is super cool because you this whole series we're doing is share the love. So learning how to promote our colleagues, learning how to connect our colleagues with ideal clients, ideal supervisees, learning how to review our colleagues and just make sure we're all promoting each other because we're solving the problem of filling the gaps in access to care everywhere. So I'm super excited to interview Sari today and shout out to myself she took my course, she took the 40-hour training to become a supervisor in Texas with Kate Walker Training. So I was so excited to see your name pop up on our random number generator and I'm so glad you're here. So tell us a little bit about you and about your business.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Kate, so much. I really appreciate this opportunity. So, yeah, I was as surprised as you were, but I'm glad to connect and I can say that I've seen you before and it's awesome. So I have really enjoyed creating these connections within the last year when I've grown my business. So I'm a licensed professional counselor supervisor now and I also used to be a school psychologist and I have been in the field for over 15 years as a solo practitioner. But really last May I started growing my business. But you can't call, I think, split small practice, so I do some place office space. So that's been kind of like my passion for the year, and so I myself had focused on psychological assessments and I have lots of ideas in that area too where I want to go.
Speaker 1:Now that I'm supervised, I can do all that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Excellent. All right, I'm going to go to my list of questions here. Where are you located and how can listeners refer clients to you? Talk us through that.
Speaker 1:So our practice is in Frisco. I don't know if some of the listeners might not know Frisco too well. It's in West Frisco area. We have now-.
Speaker 2:It's north of Dallas right.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's north of Dallas, south of Prosper, next to the colony. I guess that's kind of like the area. There's eight practitioners of us right now. Like I said, I'm a police office space. I have very pleasure to have all these amazing people to join me while they are growing their own practice. They're still happy to be there and part of Positive Paths. Really, you can find me from my website. It's positivepathsus. You can call me 469-207-3935. Really, on my website I have all my contact information. I am pretty compulsive with my email, my text messages and all that, so I usually get back pretty quickly.
Speaker 2:Okay, and it's positive pathus. Is that what you said?
Speaker 1:Yes, Unfortunately the comma's gone. There's no ending.
Speaker 2:I have to.
Speaker 1:I have to do yes.
Speaker 2:Great, I love the name of your practice, and so people can go to your website and then find the email or click the contact they can if they're a potential client. That will take them to a form they fill out, or that it's an email they have to complete, or what does that look like? I want to make it as easy as possible for folks to connect with you if they're looking for counseling services from one of your folks looking for counseling services from one of your folks?
Speaker 1:Of course, yes, that's what I do, so we have a 15-minute free consultation that I offer, and I believe that all my counselors have that too. But I usually try to make sure I'll find the best match for whoever it is, and if not in our house, I know lots of people and I've been networking this past year and created awesome connections and relationships with other clients, because we cannot take care of everyone. That's the kind that we have. You know limits and boundaries, so I will work hard to find whoever that is it's not from our counselors and someone else in the community.
Speaker 2:Awesome. So you have a way for them to book the consultation and you have a good referral list to make sure folks can find and connect with who they need. What about superlatives? I'm sorry, keep going. I've interrupted you.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's all right. Sometimes I talk too much. So I actually host a monthly networking event as well. So I don't know, I've always been all over the place. So I love doing all kinds of things, and one of the things that I love my own business is that I can do now all these things that I didn't have time to do when I was working full time in school. So, yes, I have a great resource for that Supervisors. I just got my license in October, which was actually approved in a day. I was really impressed with the board One day, yes, and I actually had to be at the TCA conference that we met the first time in person. They were actually there and had a table and I had to kind of give them high five for that. So I think that was really awesome. But so, yes, so I'm taking into the vices. I'm kind of starting it slow, so just to kind of make sure that I have time and commitment to do that and guide them through their journey too.
Speaker 2:Excellent. All right, I'm going to pause, just Okay. So we've got a way for potential clients to connect. You've got a way for supervisees. I want to know what do you love about your business, and not just being a therapist but practicing? I mean, you've got this strip mall model, so you sublease spaces to fully licensed folks and to LPC associates. So what do you love about running this business?
Speaker 1:So, like I said earlier, I worked as a school psychologist for 12 years and you know, in the beginning I was really passionate about that and really wanted to work at schools with kids, and then you're in the head with kind of huge caseloads and maybe not that much support that we really need. So when I'm now in my own practice, I can actually do what I really love and I'm passionate about. So when I was in school I couldn't go to networking events. I couldn't, you know, create these relationships, but really in our field are important, whether it's in counseling, that relationship or relationships just with other professionals, and so that's been one thing that I've been really loving to create and just with a short time period that I've had, I've been able to create lots of good connections with people who are supportive and show up and also support our business, and then I also can kind of structure my day however I want to Like today.
Speaker 1:You can see I'm working from home. So today is let's work on paperwork, or I actually have been planning on updating my content. Paperwork and practice policies and things like that Make that a little bit easier to navigate and make sure that I have everything that I need. So that's really what I love. I have always these ideas in my really what I love. I love and you know I have always these ideas in my head what I want to do.
Speaker 1:So now that I've been doing psychological assessments for 15 years and I cannot see myself not doing psychological assessments, so that's something that I've been picking up and doing in my practice. But now that I'm a supervisor, been picking up and doing in my practice, but now that I'm a supervisor, that's going to open totally different avenues and I actually am planning to put up some workshops where I'm going to teach other masters of a professional how to do assessments. So I think networking events, these workshops and all that are kind of like my way of giving back to the community and helping others to grow their business. I really love supporting small businesses and I really, you know, love helping people, create connections and relationships and make sure that really our people in our community gets the care they really need.
Speaker 2:So you were able to kind of turn the volume down on your caseload, which opened up a lot of freedom to do the things you love and networking giving back, and this sounds like a really cool niche that you're able to and I'm going to I'm going to extend this a little bit. I don't know if I heard you say this, but this is something like an LPC associate who's maybe interested in the psychological assessments or being able to even promote that as part of their own business. This is something you would might be open to training them or specializing in if they came to you for supervision yes, I am looking to supervise lpc associates who want to learn how to do assessments that's going to be a very hands-on involved in my process.
Speaker 1:We are going to learn to do iq tests, we're going to look at rating skills and also to have the opportunity to complete those assessments in my practice or part of my practice, so that they gain the experience with that, and so that's one of the things that I'm planning for sure. And then also other master's level practitioners just open those workshops to whoever wants to. I know that there are other ones that LPC associates who can do assessments too in our field, who are master's level professionals, and there is such a great need in that area there's not enough people to complete them. The lines are long, at least here in our area, so the more the merrier, I think.
Speaker 2:That's huge. I mean, I know a lot of our listeners' ears perked up because I see that a lot in the social media threads. You know, can LPCs die not diagnosed but do psychological assessments and all? And the answer is yes, yes, you can. You just need proper training and supervision and for you to provide to. If you're listening, keep listening, because we're going to talk about again how to contact Sari and hopefully attend one of these networking events or trainings that you're going to offer. So very cool. Okay, so this is the part. What? Where do you struggle in your business? What do you find yourself as a business owner, maybe needing some help with?
Speaker 1:as a business owner maybe needing some help with. You know, it is funny that you ask that, because when we go to school for counseling, no one tells us about business.
Speaker 1:Right, that's something we kind of have to learn as we go, and I have to say that I've learned a lot. I made mistakes and so really, when I established my practice and when I decided to stop lead space, I didn't really want to manage people. But when you have your own, you do manage people, and so that's been something that I've been kind of struggling and growing and learning. I really want to have a practice where we have open communication. I want to hear the good and bad. I want you to be able to come to me and tell me what's going on, and so I think that's one of the things. And tell me what's going on, and so I think that's one of the things.
Speaker 1:Getting supervising started, that's been another. I don't think I've really put as much energy into it that I maybe should have, so kind of finding the avenues for the market myself and put myself out there so that people can find me. That's another thing. And I think the third one is I I'm still looking a couple of supervisor I'm sorry, I'm still looking for a couple of people to add to my practice who would love to stop, leave another space and kind of are more team oriented uh, want to have people around there. We have team meetings whenever we have time. Sometimes that hasn't been great success because people are busy and that's good, because I love that. I love seeing my artists being busy and people coming in and out, because I know that we're helping our community so you don't want just anybody.
Speaker 2:You want people who are team minded and who realize the benefit of networking and working together and creating that synergy yes, for sure I'm.
Speaker 1:I was a solo practitioner for I don't even know, 13, 14 years. I worked in a similar setting with my great mentor, kimberly Hatley, so where I started my own business and I loved it because you have your own freedom to grow your own business and kind of do counseling whenever you feel fits you, whether it's evening, weekend or during the day. So I kind of like to erase from my from here. I'm like sometimes I go like wow, look, there's a girl. What was your question?
Speaker 2:again. Well, we're talking about. You know where you struggle and where you might need help, so you know. I guess what I hear you saying is you know when you add people, you must manage people and you want to hear the good and the bad. But to create an avenue where that's a safe space, you do have to have that team mentality, to know that that we are all in this together, not just okay, this is the place where I do therapy, then I go do whatever right you really do want people to be for each other's benefit.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly. So I refer clients to my girls all the time because, like I said, and like you kind of mentioned that day too, I'm more focused on the psychological assessments although I do have a case for the counseling clients too and so I want us to get to know each other, because it is really a fact that if you don't know the person, you're not really comfortable referring to them. So I might know everyone who I kind of have joined my practice, but they don't know each other and I feel that sometimes we kind of I don't know kind of get lost in that we are busy. And don't take me wrong, if you have little kids and family, that's awesome. That is so important time in your life. My kids are grown.
Speaker 1:I guess that's another thing that I can, I have time to put into this, but I feel that we quite often lose that focus and how important it is to network and create relationships and and get to know each other. And I guess that was my point earlier that I was saying I was solo practicing for a long time and it gets lonely out there. So one of the reasons why I created MySpace is to have people to join us and have that someone to collaborate and maybe consult, or if they have a client who's asking something that they can't do, that it's not their specialty or in their training, then we have someone else, maybe in the practice, that we can refer to and that we would refer in the house. But, like I said earlier, we can't do everything. We need to know our boundaries and we need to know what we are trained and experienced to do, and sometimes we do have to refer out in the community too, and that's where this networking comes.
Speaker 2:So I think that that's a thing that not all practitioners know and but that's a thing that not all practitioners know, and especially if you're young and if you're starting your career, and that's a theme. It's funny because in this series you're the second interview that I've done, and the previous one mentioned that as well the importance of networking, and maybe we don't realize that early in our career, but it is so important and it's part of the mission of Texas Counselors creating badass businesses. It's just this. Okay, we're better together and there's enough to go around, so I love that.
Speaker 1:Yes, for sure, especially in this area where I'm at, we have lots of counselors, so you have always a choice, and so I'm pretty sure people who know someone, they rather refer to that person than someone you don't know at all. So that's again where this. I went to networking events myself and I still go. I. That's my way of supporting other business owners in their you know, in the words and what they, how they want to grow their business. So I show up. That's what I thinking up is very important to other people and supporting them. But that's where that came from. I'd like to do that. I'd love to do this myself. I want to create our own networking event.
Speaker 1:So we have that every third Friday. It's at Suatras, korea. It's a restaurant, and so from 11 to 1 pm, so it's open to everyone, it's a free event and really the purpose of that networking is to meet other professionals. It's not only counselors. We have lots of time, treatment facilities, outreach managers come to tell us we have sponsors every month. This month we have Jane Hamilton from the Maples, so she's going to tell us we have sponsors every month. Um, this month we have jane hamilton from the maples, so she's going to tell us about her program, so the sponsors come in there and introduce us to the programs that we also sometimes have to do, we have to be knowledgeable of because we have to refer to a level of care and so I don't know. It's just gonna a way for people to know about the programs and also meet a set of professionals and there's also psychohypnics practitioners, psychiatrists. There's occupational therapists, sometimes speech and language therapists, because we need all that to take care of our people in our community.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic. I mean, that's a huge thing to build and it sounds like you've done a great job. All right, I want you to talk about your side hustles now and we talked about this before we hit the record button, right, what do you want to? What do you want to talk about that you can promote to our listeners and folks, who I know that you have peaked to their interest with the psychological assessments. How can they consult with you? How can they connect with you?
Speaker 1:So I'm definitely open into consulting. That is something that has been on my mind to focus on and work on this year with other practitioners. I am putting up workshops in the work for master's level practitioners to learn how to do assessments. Practitioners to learn how to do assessments.
Speaker 2:So how can people find out about? I'm sorry, how can they find out? Do you have a newsletter that's going to go out or do you do like? Do you put it on social media? How can people connect and know about those workshops?
Speaker 1:that is a good question. I actually do send a newsletter. That's another thing that I do. With things that I do, uh, I love doing all kinds of things being all over the place, but but yeah, I send a newsletter at least two times a month and whatever is going on in our practice is going to be on the newsletter, whether it has to do with someone in my practice doing we are planning to do, maybe groups or things like that. So if you sign up, you can sign up on our newsletter on our website. So it's again positive pathus and I think it's on every page. You can sign it up and be on the know. I always put the networking events in there, whatever is going on, so that really is the best way to know what's going on.
Speaker 2:Okay, while you were talking, I was actually getting on your website, so I want I'm going to make you get specific here. Tell me exactly what I. Okay, and I, while you were talking, I was actually getting on your website, so I want I'm I'm gonna make you get specific here. Tell me exactly what I need to do in. Oh, okay, go to the bottom of the page.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if you go, I think it's in bottom of every page. If you go there, sign up for a newsletter and then there's a button that you click got you.
Speaker 2:You make this so easy you make I don't know.
Speaker 1:I um, yeah, I I'm pretty compulsive with my um, my website, which I also manage so actually I have two of them, because all of us have our personal websites and then we have the group website where all our girls are. So, uh, for now I'm also managing that. But you know, one thing you could help me with is if you somehow make it so that there would be more hours in a day.
Speaker 2:No, not yet. I'm working on that, Sorry. I will let you know when I break the space time continuum.
Speaker 1:Yes, I would love that, because I would need that for sure.
Speaker 2:Excellent, and again you're and it's funny that you say that because you have you've done a great job here. I'm actually looking at sorrycounselorcom but that is your Positive Path website as well, and I'm looking at that. I see that if I needed a 15 minute consultation as a potential client, I could submit my request. I see that I could look at your social media. I could see what insurance you're accepting. So fabulous, fabulous job on this, all right. So what are your goals for 2025? What do you see as far as growing and changing and doing all the fun things?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I probably need to put like a plan on paper, because my mind sometimes goes to too many places. So, really, my plans and my goals are to have that, get that workshop going and plan on that. Really, I'm getting a couple of supervisors. I would love to get some master's level LTC associates who would love to learn how to do assessments. I'm very excited about doing them and I am very happy and enthusiastic and passionate about teaching you guys how to do those as well, and there's different avenues with that. So I'm thinking about this consulting world and all that. So there's all kinds of ideas that I really have to kind of hone on to.
Speaker 1:I don't know target is better. I know there's so many things that I'd love to do but, like we said earlier, there's only this many hours in a day and I always tell my husband that I do, I will do this thing during my free time and he looks at me and says what free time. You don't have free time. But I think that's one of the realities when you're a business owner, you don't really you work with doing what we love.
Speaker 2:I know I'm that's true it's better, but I, I mean we love this. Right, I can say it is a labor of love. I mean I can. It's, it's obvious to me, and even the little bit we've talked and and in person, and and just this is a labor of love for you. I mean this is enjoyment. So I'm gonna I don't know if I'm feeding the fire, but good, good job, job well done. Thank you, I appreciate it. Okay, all All right. So, thank you, thank you again. Tell us one more time the best way to contact you if you're a potential supervisee, if you are a potential client or you are just somebody wanting to sign up for your newsletter, to attend one of your fabulous workshops.
Speaker 1:So really the best way to contact me is to go to our website, which is positive path that you, as all my contact information is there. You can sign up for 15 minutes free consultation. You can text me, you can email me. I am very compulsive with my social media, all that social media. I tried to say where from that? Well, that's another avenue to you know the marketing side of this right. So that's really the best way. You can call, you can email, you can text, so whatever is most convenient for you.
Speaker 2:Excellent, all right, well, thank you. Thank you again for entering the 2024 Practice Grant Giveaway, thank you for being one of our finalists and letting us dive a little deeper into your practice, and I just wish you the best of luck for 2025. And all of the clients supervisees networking. You can handle All right.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, kate, and thank you for having me have a good day, thanks.
Speaker 2:All right, I'm going to hit stop. Yes, I want to stop.