The holidays can bring a unique mix of emotions for private practice owners — gratitude, exhaustion, guilt about taking time off, and anxiety about money. For many therapists, client cancellations increase, schedules look lighter, and income can feel unpredictable. And without context, it’s easy to assume something is going wrong.

In this Christmas Eve episode, Amber offers a calm, realistic conversation about how to navigate the holiday season in private practice financially, emotionally, and practically. Instead of treating holiday slowdowns like emergencies, she reframes them as a predictable business season that can be planned for with intention and compassion.

Amber shares reflections from her own early experiences in private practice, when holiday cancellations felt personal and stressful, and how learning to anticipate seasonal shifts helped her move out of panic and into steadiness.

Listeners will learn:
Why holiday slowdowns are normal and not a sign of failure
How to anticipate income changes instead of being blindsided by them
How to decide about time off intentionally rather than reactively
How to handle cancellations without personalizing them
Why understanding seasonality is a key part of sustainable private practice

This episode is an invitation to slow down, release shame, and approach the holidays with a steadier nervous system and clearer expectations.

Feeling stressed about cancellations, income, or time off this season?
DM Amber on Instagram @privatepracticeunlocked and let her know what feels hardest right now — she’ll help you think it through.

Let’s build the practice — and life — you deserve.

If Private Practice Unlocked has helped you feel more confident, less overwhelmed, or less alone in building your practice, you can support the show by making a small donation. Your contribution helps cover production costs and allows Amber to keep creating free, practical resources for therapists.

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