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Life as a provider

8 ways to make more money as a therapist

Whether you want to go full-time with your practice or boost your current income, here’s where to start.

February 14, 2025 • Updated on December 8, 2025

9 min read

It’s no secret that the demand for therapy has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the CDC, rates of mental health counseling among American adults aged 18 or older increased by 4 percent between 2019 and 2023 alone. As a therapist, then, the care you provide to your clients is more valuable than ever — and your compensation should reflect that.

“As far as business advice for therapists, I think the biggest hurdle is overcoming a certain mindset related to being a helping professional. Recognize that running a practice with a business mindset and being a helping professional are not mutually exclusive,” says therapist Stephanie Straub, who helms CNY Therapy Solutions in Syracuse, New York. 

“Because many [therapists] see this [profession] as something they're called to, they believe they should be content settling for low wages jobs in high burnout settings. [But] there’s nothing wrong with wanting to do work that feels good and get paid well for it.”

So how can you boost your income? Read on for eight tips.

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1. Keep overhead low

Being mindful of business expenses can make a big difference, especially when you’re first starting out. Rent, insurance, software, and other costs can add up quickly when starting a private practice. Particularly as you grow your income, try to determine what’s absolutely necessary (liability insurance, for example) and cut out what’s not (paid marketing campaigns, perhaps) so your income doesn’t get eaten up by overhead.

“Start out small… try not to bite off more than you can chew,” Straub advises. “Start by subletting space in another therapist's office. Build your caseload and then move on to your own space.”  

Once you do snag a spot of your own, “you don't have to have all brand-new furniture in your office,” she adds. “A lot of my office was (and still is!) furnished with Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace finds.”

2. Price your services competitively

Make sure the cost of your services aligns with fees charged by rival practices in your area. Remember to compare yourself to practitioners of a similar geographic area, experience and education level, and care specialty, as all of these factors affect the cost of care. 

“A lot of people set their fees low to attract clients — again, I think this is related to the money mindset struggle — but I think it’s okay to set a fair wage,” Straub says. 

Start by researching and comparing current rates in your local market, and don’t be afraid to increase your pricing accordingly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks average salaries by job title and geographic area, and websites like ZipRecruiter also publish estimates. For hyper-local stats, it’s also worth finding local providers who share your background and treatment niche. Their websites may list their pricing information.

If you decide to increase your rates based on this research, communicate the change warmly — but clearly and directly — to clients. Aim to share your decision at least 30 days before new rates go into effect.


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3. Choose a niche and learn how to market to it

Specializing in a particular area of mental healthcare (like addiction or eating disorders, for example) can help you stand out from would-be competitors and draw in new clients — especially if you tailor your marketing strategy toward them. 

First, make sure your website and profiles on provider directories clearly describe your practice specialty and are appropriately tagged and SEO optimized. This helps the right clients find you.

It can also be smart to leave physical marketing materials, such as flyers or business cards, in places your target clients are likely to frequent. If you want to specialize in adolescent mental health, for example, the local teen center would be a great place to drop off materials. Forging relationships with local school counselors or pediatricians could be another great way to get referrals for this age group.

“Networking is good, but I found it most helpful to get in front of my ideal client base through public speaking and presentations within the community,” says Straub, who specializes in maternal/perinatal health. “That way I wasn't just a name and a phone number their primary care doctor gave them; they could get a sense for who I was and what I was about, and they connected with that.”  

4. Lean into content creation

Feeling creative? Try “taking what you do in the therapy room” and dreaming up salable content for clients and non-clients alike, Straub suggests. Blogs, social media posts, contributed articles, podcasts, and more can all establish thought leadership and get you in front of potential clients. 

There are also plenty of opportunities to create paid content that directly boosts your earnings.“For example, you could create a course or an e-book on reducing anxiety. You only have to create that one time, but you profit from it multiple times,” she says. “I know many therapists who have created an entire ‘brand’ for themselves and make a good living with that in addition to the work they do in the therapy room.”

When building your brand, the most important thing is to be authentic. If you hate social media, there’s no need to force yourself to become a TikTok influencer. Do what feels right to you and is most likely to reach your ideal client base, whether that’s posting, public speaking, or podcasting.

5. Try consulting

If you’re looking to increase income without taking on more clients — and all of the administrative work that comes with them — consulting can be a great option. Sharing your expertise with other professionals, either inside or outside the mental health field, can become a lucrative side hustle.

For example, if you’ve built a thriving private practice, you could offer paid coaching for other therapists who want to start their own businesses. Or, you could offer your expertise to corporations that want to expand their mental health benefits for employees. The possibilities are endless; just think about your business superpower and who might benefit from tapping into it.

Then, advertise your consulting services on your website as well as on networking sites like LinkedIn. Creating thought leadership content on relevant subjects can also help people find and reach out to you.

6. Consider supervising

Becoming a supervisor is an excellent way to share your expertise with the next generation of therapists while simultaneously supplementing your earnings. Supervisors can be paid either by their employers (if they work for a health system or in a similar large group setting) or directly by the trainee clinicians they’re guiding.

To become a supervisor, you must be in good standing and have full licensure. Many states also require providers to have a certain amount of post-licensure experience — often somewhere from two to five years — before supervising others. Typically, you must also complete a supervisor training course approved by your state board and apply for supervisor status. 

While this process can be labor-intensive, the result is a fulfilling way to expand your work and help shape the future of mental health care.

7. Get help managing student loan debt

Given the advanced education needed to become a therapist, many providers are forced to use a good chunk of their earnings to pay off student loan debt. Taking advantage of student loan forgiveness programs can free up some of that hard-earned cash.

Not all therapists are eligible for loan forgiveness. But you may be if you work in a public organization (such as a public school or government agency), practice in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area, or meet other conditions. 

Depending on how much you make, you may also be eligible for an income-driven student loan repayment program. After making these income-adjusted payments for a certain period of time, you may be forgiven any balance remaining on your loan.

8. Find support

Whether you’re just striking out on your own or looking to grow an already established practice, don’t hesitate to seek advice from entrepreneurial colleagues and other professionals who’ve been in your shoes.

“What I found helpful was working with a business coach that specialized in helping therapists get up and going,” Straub says. “I also joined online communities so I knew I wasn't alone in my struggles, read books, and listened to podcasts on the topic.”

Joining networking organizations, either at the local or national level, can also be a great way to connect with peers — or potential mentors.

How Headway helps you run a more profitable practice

Perhaps the simplest way to boost your earnings as a therapist? Joining Headway, which comes with no subscription or membership requirements. As the nation’s largest group of in-network mental health providers, we’re able to work directly with top insurance plans to negotiate enhanced reimbursement rates for our providers. You keep most of your session payments (which are delivered via guaranteed biweekly payments), while we collect a small portion to fund our operations — and pay for provider perks like fast and free credentialing services, billing and claim support, and clawback protection. We also offer our clinicians access to a provider directory, an EHR with integrated telehealth and tons of time-saving features, and a library of continuing education credits.

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This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.

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Life as a provider