If you take insurance in your practice, there's a good chance you're losing money somewhere in the process without even realizing it.

In this episode, I'm joined by Justin Ith, co-founder and CEO of Aria, to talk about the hidden costs of accepting insurance and the places where revenue tends to slip through the cracks. We break down credentialing, eligibility verification, claim submission, and denials, and Justin shares what practice owners should be paying attention to in each area.

We also talk about why so many denials actually start much earlier in the process, how small errors can turn into lost revenue, and how automation can help growing group practices reduce administrative work without continually adding more staff.

If you're running an insurance-based practice and want to protect your revenue while making the administrative side of your business easier, this episode is for you.

Watch on YouTube

04:41 Meet Justin Ith, Co-Founder of Aria
05:27 The Story Behind Aria
10:07 Four Ways Insurance-Based Practices Lose Money
11:32 Credentialing Mistakes That Delay Revenue
14:28 Eligibility Checks & Medicaid Challenges
16:52 Claim Submission, Modifiers & Human Error
19:02 Why Insurance Denials Really Happen
23:56 How Aria Helps Practices Automate & Scale

Show Sponsor Wise Practice Summit

If you're enjoying today's episode, I want to personally invite you to one of my favorite events of the year—the Wise Practice Summit, happening October 8th through 10th in Nashville, Tennessee.

If you're a practice owner who wants practical strategies to grow your business, become a stronger leader, and connect with other faith-based practice owners who truly understand the unique challenges of this work, this event is for you.

Over three days, you'll hear from incredible speakers, gain actionable tools you can implement right away, and connect with trusted partners like GreenOak Accounting and other experts who are dedicated to helping private practice owners thrive. More importantly, you'll be surrounded by a community of people who share your heart for serving others while building healthy, sustainable businesses.

We're just a few weeks away, so if you've been thinking about joining us, now is the time to grab your ticket. I'd love to meet you in Nashville and spend those three days learning and growing together.

Learn more here: https://www.wisepracticeconsulting.com/summit-2026-1

Meet Justin Ith

Justin Ith is the co-founder and CEO of Aria, the practice automation platform for growing group practices. He has spent the past decade in health technology, with a focus on billing and revenue cycle, working with organizations of every size, from solo practices to large systems like Optum, Providence, and Seattle Children's. What he cares about most is the business side of running a practice: the owners who set out to help people and end up buried in back-office work they never trained for. That is the problem he started Aria to work on.

Justin's Resources

• Justin's LinkedIn
• Aria on LinkedIn
• Aria

Links and Resources

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Have you ever thought, "I know what I'm supposed to do, so why am I still stuck?"

I've been there too.

We can listen to all the podcasts, read all the books, take the courses, go to the conferences, and fill notebooks with great ideas. But knowing what to do and actually implementing it are two very different things.

In this episode, I'm wrapping up our four-part series by talking about what I think so many practice owners are really missing: implementation and accountability.

I'm sharing several stories of practice owners who didn't find some magical strategy that suddenly fixed everything. They started taking small steps, asking questions, getting support, and actually doing the things they already knew they needed to do.

One practice owner built a full caseload. Another finally started paying herself. Another reached the point where she could step away from her practice for several days and trust that everything would keep running.

That kind of change happens one step at a time.

I also share more about the Wise Practice Membership Community and why we've built it around not just teaching you what to do, but helping you actually implement it alongside other faith-based practice owners.

So instead of asking yourself, "What should I learn next?" I want you to ask: What am I going to implement this week?

Watch on YouTube

03:51 Why Knowing What to Do Isn't Enough
05:44 Information Overload vs. Implementation
07:28 Why CEO Time Often Falls Apart
10:11 What Actually Creates Transformation
10:42 From Grad School to 50 Clients in Five Months
12:20 Rebuilding a Practice From Scratch
13:25 Making Changes That Finally Create Profit
15:12 Building a Practice That Can Run Without You

Show Sponsor Ubuntu Freelancers

Imagine starting your day knowing the phones are being answered, new client enquiries are being followed up, appointments are booked, your inbox is organised and your administrative systems are running smoothly.

That's what building the right team can do.

One practice owner recently shared this after hiring through Ubuntu Freelancers:
"I am elated with Nicole! I feel a huge relief every time I open my email. She has already made a huge impact helping me create routines and stay on top of daily priorities. I truly feel she is going to be a life-changing addition."

Ubuntu Freelancers helps therapy practices build high-performing remote administrative teams with carefully matched professionals who become a genuine extension of the practice.

If you're ready to spend less time managing your business and more time doing the work you love, Ubuntu would love to help.

Wise Practice listeners receive five complimentary hours of onboarding support with every successful placement. Just mention the code WISE when you book your Discovery Call at www.ubuntufreelancers.com.

Links and Resources

Join the Wise Practice Community (The Wise Practice Community will open for enrollment August 26–28.) https://www.wisepracticeconsulting.com/community

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Running a private practice means making mistakes. The goal is not to avoid every single one. It is to recognize what is keeping you stuck and make changes before those patterns start controlling your business.

In this solo episode, I'm sharing 10 mistakes I regularly see practice owners make, including trying to do everything themselves, making decisions based on emotions instead of data, chasing shiny objects, waiting too long to hire, and avoiding difficult conversations.

We'll also talk about why your practice will always go through changing seasons, how easily your identity can become tied to your business, and why consuming more information will not help unless you actually implement what you are learning.

Y'all, you do not have to fix everything today. Choose one area that stood out to you and take one practical step forward.

Watch on YouTube

00:00 Ubuntu Freelancers
01:39 Welcome and upcoming private practice webinar
03:30 Ten common mistakes practice owners make
05:40 Trying to do everything yourself
10:01 Data, shiny objects, and hiring
15:30 Difficult conversations and changing business seasons
18:55 Identity, investing, and implementation
24:10 Building community, episode recap, and Wise Practice membership

Show Sponsor Ubuntu Freelancers

If you've thought about hiring remotely but weren't sure where to start, you're not alone.
Questions about quality, communication and finding the right person stop many practice owners from taking the next step.

That's where Ubuntu Freelancers comes in.

Ubuntu specialises in connecting therapy practices with exceptional South African professionals who have the skills, professionalism and experience to become valued members of your team. Every candidate is carefully vetted and matched to your practice, making the hiring process straightforward and stress-free.

Whether you're hiring your first Virtual Assistant or expanding your support team, Ubuntu guides you through every step of the journey.

As a thank you to Wise Practice listeners, Ubuntu will cover the first five hours of onboarding support with every successful placement. Simply mention the code WISE when you contact Ubuntu at www.ubuntufreelancers.com.

Links and Resources

Free Webinar: 10 Proven Strategies to Grow a Christian Private Practice [ August 25th ]
Registration is required, so be sure to save your spot here!

Join the Wise Practice Community (The Wise Practice Community will open for enrollment August 26–28.)

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Wise Practice Masterminds

Are you making business decisions based on actual data, or are you chasing whatever shiny idea feels promising this month?

When your practice has one great month followed by one disappointing month, it can be hard to know what is really working. You might invest more money in marketing, hire another therapist, or make a major change without having the numbers to support that decision.

In this episode, I'm sharing the 12 key performance indicators, or KPIs, that every private practice owner should be tracking. These numbers can help you identify problems earlier, make calculated decisions, understand whether your marketing is paying off, and create more consistent growth in your practice.

We'll talk about the intake numbers that matter, including new inquiries, conversion rates, and no-show percentages. I'll also explain how to measure the real value of your Google Ads, what to look for inside Google Search Console and your Google Business Profile, and why revenue alone does not tell the full financial story.

For group practice owners, we'll also cover payroll, operating expenses, therapist caseloads, client churn, and average length of stay. These metrics are not about judging your team. They are tools that help you start better conversations, improve the client experience, and make thoughtful decisions about the health of your practice.

You do not have to track everything perfectly overnight. Choose one number from this episode and start there. What we consistently measure is much easier to understand, improve, and grow.

Watch on YouTube

02:58 Why Your Practice Growth Feels Inconsistent
05:23 Why Measuring Your Numbers Matters
08:28 Intake KPIs Every Practice Should Track
10:36 Conversion Rates and Intake No-Shows
13:52 Marketing KPIs and Google Performance
17:18 Revenue, Payroll, and Operating Expenses
20:49 Therapist Caseloads and Client Churn
23:42 Average Length of Stay and Final Takeaways

Show Sponsor Ubuntu Freelancers

What happens when a potential new client calls while you're in session?

Maybe they leave a voicemail. Maybe they don't. Either way, there's a good chance they'll call another practice.

Every missed enquiry is someone looking for help, and every delayed response is a missed opportunity to grow your practice.

Ubuntu Freelancers specialises in helping therapy practices build dedicated intake and administrative support teams who answer calls, respond to enquiries, schedule appointments and create an exceptional first impression for every client.

Because Ubuntu Freelancer's focus's on behavioural health organisations, they understand what great client care looks like from the very first interaction.

Wise Practice listeners receive five complimentary hours of onboarding support with every successful placement. Simply mention the code WISE when you book your Discovery Call at www.ubuntufreelancers.com.

Links and Resources

Free Webinar: 10 Proven Strategies to Grow a Christian Private Practice [ August 25th ]
Registration is required, so be sure to save your spot here!

Join the Wise Practice Community (The Wise Practice Community will open for enrollment August 26–28.)

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

What if the thing keeping your practice from growing isn't your marketing, your website, or how hard you're working?

Y'all, most practice owners already know a whole lot about what they should be doing. The hard part is actually following through when you're trying to make every decision, solve every problem, and carry the weight of the business by yourself.

In this episode, I'm talking about why community may be the missing piece in your practice growth. I'm sharing how support, accountability, and honest feedback changed my own journey from solo practice owner to group practice leader. We'll also talk about why more information isn't always the answer and how having the right people beside you can help you move forward with more confidence.

You were never meant to build your practice alone.

Watch on YouTube

01:46 Free webinar invitation
02:47 The hidden reason your practice isn't growing
05:18 Why practice ownership can feel so lonely
07:48 How community changed Whitney's business
11:00 Why information alone doesn't create growth
13:44 Every season of growth requires support
17:12 Inside the Wise Practice Community
19:28 Enrollment dates and webinar details

Show Sponsor Ubuntu Freelancers

If you became a therapist to help people, but now spend your evenings answering emails, managing schedules, chasing paperwork and trying to keep your practice running, you're not alone.

Ubuntu Freelancers helps therapy practices build dedicated remote administrative teams, so practice owners can spend less time managing the business and more time caring for clients.

Unlike general staffing agencies, Ubuntu focuses on work with therapy practices and behavioural health organisations. They understand the unique demands of mental healthcare and carefully match practices with experienced Virtual Assistants, Intake Coordinators, Executive Assistants, Billing Specialists and Client Care Coordinators who become a trusted extension of your team.

As a special offer for Wise Practice listeners, Ubuntu Freelancers will cover the first five hours of onboarding support with every successful placement. Simply mention the code WISE when you book your Discovery Call.

Visit www.ubuntufreelancers.com to learn more.

Links and Resources

Free Webinar: 10 Proven Strategies to Grow a Christian Private Practice [ August 25th ]
Registration is required, so be sure to save your spot here:
https://www.wisepracticeconsulting.com/events/10-proven-strategies-to-grow-a-christian-private-practice

Join the Wise Practice Community
The Wise Practice Community will open for enrollment August 26–28.
https://www.wisepracticeconsulting.com/community

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Y'all, building a successful private practice is not about chasing every new idea or reacting to every little problem. It is about creating steady habits that help you lead well, make smart decisions, and keep moving forward when things get hard.

In this episode, I'm sharing five habits I consistently see in effective practice owners. We're talking about staying consistent, developing leaders instead of simply managing employees, knowing your numbers, expecting change, and staying grounded in your faith.

I'm also sharing honest examples from my own practice, including hiring through turnover, building a leadership team, tracking the data that actually matters, and learning not to make every decision based on emotion.

Whether you are a solo practice owner or leading a growing team, these habits can help you build a practice that is sustainable, profitable, and aligned with the work God has called you to do.

Watch on YouTube

1:35 Welcome and Why Private Practice Feels Harder
4:02 Five Habits of Effective Leaders
6:56 Choose Consistency Over Constant Change
10:39 Build Leaders, Not Just Employees
14:32 Know Your Numbers
18:45 Expect Change Instead of Resisting It
22:42 Stay Grounded in Something Bigger
24:54 Recap of the Five Habits
25:38 Wise Practice Summit and Closing Thoughts

Show Sponsor Aria

This episode is brought to you by Aria, the practice automation platform.

You did the work. You billed for it. But did you actually collect it?

If you take insurance, the gap between the care you delivered and what actually lands in the bank can be wider than you think. Aria's reporting shows you that gap in plain numbers: what you charged, what you collected, and what's still sitting unpaid.

No more wondering where it went.

Right now, Aria is giving the Wise Practice community a free first month of reporting, no contract. It works with SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and other common EHRs, with more on the way.

See where your money's going at https://www.heyaria.com/wise.

Links and Resources

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Wise Practice Masterminds

What do you do when private practice feels heavier than usual?

In this solo episode, I'm sharing honestly about the fear, stress, uncertainty, and pressure so many practice owners are carrying right now. From shifting caseloads and money worries to personal grief, leadership challenges, and the weight of caring for a team, this season has felt like a lot.

If your practice feels hard right now, you are not alone.

I'm talking about what I've been seeing in the private practice world, what I've been walking through personally, and how we can respond with faith, grace, community, and grounded rhythms instead of fear, overworking, or avoidance.

Y'all, this is a real and honest conversation about leadership, faith, hard seasons, and remembering that this will not last forever.

I also share why community matters so deeply right now and invite you to join us at the Wise Practice Summit, October 8–10 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Watch on YouTube

04:04 Fear, caseload struggles, and money stress
05:11 Whitney's honest update on a hard season
09:24 You are not alone if your practice is struggling
10:33 What not to do when things feel hard
12:16 Facing hard things with compassion and grace
13:36 Why practice owners need community
17:15 Finding rhythms that ground you
18:11 Remembering everything is a season
22:02 Wise Practice Summit invitation

Show Sponsor Aria

This episode is brought to you by Aria, the practice automation platform.

You did the work. You billed for it. But did you actually collect it?

If you take insurance, the gap between the care you delivered and what actually lands in the bank can be wider than you think. Aria's reporting shows you that gap in plain numbers: what you charged, what you collected, and what's still sitting unpaid.

No more wondering where it went.

Right now, Aria is giving the Wise Practice community a free first month of reporting, no contract. It works with SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and other common EHRs, with more on the way.

See where your money's going at https://www.heyaria.com/wise.

Links and Resources

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Wise Practice Masterminds

Y'all, marketing your practice does not have to mean spending a fortune and hoping something sticks.

In this episode, I'm joined by Joshua Brummel, co-founder of Therapy Flow, to talk about practical marketing tactics that are low-cost, high-impact, and actually worth your time as a practice owner.

We get into email marketing, reactivating past clients, networking in a way that feels more natural, creating content that can be repurposed across multiple platforms, lead magnets, SEO, and why your website still matters so much.

Joshua brings such a clear and helpful perspective on what is working in marketing right now, especially for group practice owners who want to be intentional with their time, energy, and money. If you've been wondering how to get more consistent with your marketing without overcomplicating it, this conversation is going to give you some really practical places to start.

Watch on YouTube

05:22 Marketing Tactics That Actually Create ROI
06:30 Why Email Marketing Still Works
09:24 How to Make Email Marketing Easier
12:16 Reactivating Past Clients
13:15 Networking With a Real Purpose
17:37 Repurposing Content for More ROI
19:11 Lead Magnets and Low-Cost Client Conversion
23:04 Why Volume Matters in Marketing
27:51 Website and Google Business Optimization
29:23 How TherapyFlow Helps Practice Owners

Show Sponsor Aria

This episode is brought to you by Aria, the practice automation platform.

You did the work. You billed for it. But did you actually collect it?

If you take insurance, the gap between the care you delivered and what actually lands in the bank can be wider than you think. Aria's reporting shows you that gap in plain numbers: what you charged, what you collected, and what's still sitting unpaid.

No more wondering where it went.

Right now, Aria is giving the Wise Practice community a free first month of reporting, no contract. It works with SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and other common EHRs, with more on the way.

See where your money's going at https://www.heyaria.com/wise.

Meet Joshua Brummel

Joshua is the Co-Founder of Therapy Flow, a marketing and CRM company. With over 8 years of experience working in the private practice space, he has played a pivotal role in helping practice owners build seven-figure businesses by driving marketing success for thousands of clients.

Therapy Flow is known for its ability to help therapy practices launch paid ads. Having managed more than $3 million in ad spend, they know how to not only generate consistent clients but also ensure a return on investment. Joshua is the author of 'The Flow,' a newsletter with over 15,000 weekly readers. and host of group practice con, a practice owner conference designed for 7-figure practices.

Joshua's Resources

Therapy Flow
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn

Links and Resources

Wise Practice Summit

Learn More about Wise Practice Consulting

Connect with Wise Practice on Instagram

Connect with Whitney Owens on Facebook

Check out all of the podcasts on the PsychCraft Network

Wise Practice Masterminds