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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Every therapist has questions they’re embarrassed to admit they don’t know — the ones they secretly Google or whisper in supervision. This episode is dedicated to normalizing those questions and giving therapists permission to stop pretending they have it all together.

Amber shares her own early-career moments of feeling lost and underprepared, and then walks through the most common “quiet questions” she hears from supervisees and therapists she coaches.

Listeners will learn:

• Whether you’re allowed to fire a client
• If it’s normal to get bored in sessions
• What raising your rates actually means
• Whether you have to do trauma work
• How to know if you’re a “good enough” therapist
• What to do when you don’t want private practice to be your only path

This episode lifts the shame and brings clarity, honesty, and compassion to the places therapists struggle silently.

Therapists deserve support — not secrecy.

Have your own “quiet question”?
DM Amber at @privatepracticeunlocked — you’re never the only one wondering.

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

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Most therapists build their schedules around what clients want… not what they need. And that’s exactly how burnout sneaks in. In this episode, Amber breaks down a healthier, more intentional approach to scheduling — one that centers your wellbeing, your energy, and the lifestyle you’re working toward.

Amber shares a relatable story about the days when she said yes to every client request, worked through lunch, and didn’t have a single moment of breathing room. That season taught her a powerful truth: your schedule should support your life, not swallow it.

Listeners will learn:

• Why your schedule should reflect your life before your client load
• How to build energy-based scheduling blocks
• Why buffer time and real lunch breaks matter more than people think
• The importance of setting a weekly session cap
• Why clients should choose from your availability — not the other way around
• How to adjust your schedule seasonally so it stays aligned with your needs

Amber reminds therapists that your schedule isn’t just a calendar — it’s a boundary, a business strategy, and a form of self-care. Therapists deserve schedules that leave room for rest, joy, and the full lives they want to live.

Feeling stuck with your current schedule?
DM Amber on Instagram @privatepracticeunlocked with the word SCHEDULE and she’ll share a framework to help you redesign your ideal week.

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

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