If your counselling private practice isn’t growing as fast as you’d hoped, it’s very tempting to compare yourself with others who have a bigger practice than you and think it’s easier for them. This is particularly true when your practice is still small and you’ve not had many enquiries. It can make you doubt whether you can ever have a successful counselling private practice.
As a coach to many private practice therapists, I’ve seen first hand how hard it is to believe in yourself, especially when you’re just starting out. But I’ve also seen many counsellors grow their practice and leave Therapy Growth Group because they don’t need it anymore. And it’s not that people have found it easier than you – they’ve had to work on their practices over time.
As the saying goes “it took me twenty years to be an overnight success”.
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Why Comparing Yourself to Bigger Therapists Can Knock Your Confidence
When you compare yourself with others, all you’re seeing is the public face of the practice. And quite often, you may be comparing something that you find difficult (for example, speaking on video) with someone else’s natural strengths (another therapist may have been a teacher before training).
So they may well find that aspect of their practice easier but you don’t know the experience of their clients or how they themselves feel behind the scenes.
And even if they’re running a full practice with returning clients, what you don’t see is where they started. They may well have been full of fear and uncertainty and just a handful of clients at the start.
Comparing yourself with them can contribute to a sense that you’re not good enough but you probably aren’t comparing like with like.
Small Beginnings Are Normal in Private Practice
There’s always someone, in a counselling forum somewhere, who tells you they set up and filled up with clients straight away.
While that may be true, in my experience, it’s unusual.
It’s much more common to attract one or two clients to start with, for them to end, and to feel like you’re starting again. But gradually, over time:
- More people find out about you
- More recommendations occur from colleagues, acquaintances and past clients
- More previous clients return for further sessions
It takes time to build trust and visibility. Repeated actions gradually show people that you’re consistent and reliable, and gradually more people find out about you. Consistently turning up – wherever you promote your practice – matters far more than an initial surge of clients.
You’re learning the craft of marketing and over time, you get better at it. Small numbers at the start don’t mean failure.
Why Starting Small Can Actually Help You
I once worked with a therapist who’d taken time to carefully craft her profile. All she needed was permission to publish.
However, the moment she did, she was inundated with enquiries – and it was actually rather stressful.
She had to field daily requests and she filled up quickly before she’d had time to establish her working routine, boundaries and self-care. She felt under pressure to say yes and the inevitable learning she had to make at the start were seen by a full caseload of clients.
Sometimes a slow start can be beneficial – starting anything new is a learning curve – and this way you have time to make mistakes without the spotlight of pressure on you.
Helping One Person Still Counts
Part of what can make us envious when we compare ourselves is our definition of success. All too often, it’s defined as a “full” private practice that fulfills all your income needs.
But let’s think about other ways to define success, especially at the start:
- Someone making an enquiry, even if they don’t come back, shows you’re having an impact in your advertising
- A conversation that helps someone learn more about therapy is still helping them
- Social media posts that encourage someone is something that’s hard to measure but it means your post has worked
It’s really helpful to focus on your bigger purpose behind having a successful practice. For example if you entered therapy to help people, you can have an impact in lots of different ways.
Courage Matters More Than Confidence
Firsts are often scary. I was terrified when I received details of my first placement client. I was scared when I ran my first training. And the only reason I was able to publish my podcast was my family and my podcast editor were cheering me on.
Most people don’t feel ready when they begin. It’s a myth that you need confidence to start anything. Confidence usually comes after you’ve started.
It’s more important to be courageous – and courage is not the absence of fear. It’s about taking action despite the fear.
And just like my family, people are often more encouraging than we expect – and much more likely to be OK with our mistakes. Because learning, growing and making mistakes is part of being human.
Keep Going, Even if You Feel Small
Remember, it’s easy to look at established therapists and forget that they were where you were once.
I was just the same – and yet now my work reaches thousands of people every week and it has a ripple effect that I often don’t even see.
If your counselling private practice feels like it’s not growing right now, remember — the most important thing is to keep going, keep experimenting, keep trying.
And If You Need More Help
I offer support to therapists in private practice through my content, my training and Therapy Growth Group.
You can find out about my one off trainings here and if you’d like more in depth support, read about Therapy Growth Group here.
FAQs
Is it normal for a private practice to start slowly?
Yes. Many therapists begin with only a few clients and gradually build their practice over time. Slow growth is extremely common in private practice and doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
Why does my counselling private practice feel so small?
It often takes time to build visibility, trust and confidence as a therapist. Many established practices started with quiet periods, small numbers and uncertainty.
How long does it take to grow a therapy private practice?
There’s no fixed timeline. Some therapists fill quickly, but for many people growth happens gradually through consistent visibility, referrals and experience over time.
Does starting small mean I’m failing?
No. Starting small is a normal part of building a private practice. Small beginnings often allow therapists to learn, experiment and develop confidence without overwhelming pressure.
Why do I compare myself to other therapists?
Comparison is very common in private practice, especially when you’re feeling discouraged or uncertain. But you’re usually comparing your own beginning with someone else’s more established stage of business.
Do therapists need confidence before promoting themselves?
Most therapists feel nervous about visibility, marketing or putting themselves out there. Confidence usually develops through taking small actions repeatedly rather than waiting to feel fully ready.
Can you still help people if your practice is small?
Absolutely. Helping even one person matters. A single enquiry, conversation or social media post can still have a meaningful impact on someone’s life.
What helps a private practice grow over time?
Consistency, courage and visibility all help a practice grow. Repeated small actions over time often matter more than trying to grow quickly all at once.
Why is consistency important in private practice?
Consistency helps potential clients and colleagues gradually build trust in you. Over time, repeated visibility makes it easier for people to remember, recommend and contact you.
What should I do if I feel discouraged about my private practice?
Try to focus on progress rather than comparing yourself with others. Many therapists experience slow periods, self-doubt and fear while building their practice. Growth often happens more gradually than people expect.