Podcasting for Therapists: Should You Start a Podcast?

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Have you ever wondered if starting a podcast could help you grow your therapy practice, build your professional reputation, or share your expertise in a bigger way?

Maybe you love listening to podcasts and have thought, I could do this.
Maybe people have told you that you have a lot of knowledge to share.
Or maybe you’re looking for a way to expand beyond one-to-one clinical work through consulting, continuing education, coaching, speaking, or course creation.

If so, you’re not alone.

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Over the years, I’ve had many therapists, counselors, social workers, coaches, and mental health professionals ask me some version of this question:

Should I start a podcast?

My answer is: maybe.

Podcasting can be incredibly powerful, but it is not automatically powerful just because you hit record. A podcast works best when it has a clear purpose, a specific audience, and a connection to your larger professional goals.

Before you buy a microphone or start brainstorming episode titles, here are some important things to consider.

Why Do You Want to Start a Podcast?

The first question I would ask any therapist who is thinking about starting a podcast is simple:

Why do you want one?

This question matters because your “why” shapes everything else.

It shapes your topics.
It shapes your format.
It shapes your tone.
It shapes your calls to action.
And it shapes whether you are speaking to potential clients, other therapists, referral sources, organizations, or a broader public audience.

A podcast designed to attract therapy clients will sound different from a podcast designed to provide continuing education to therapists.

A podcast for couples will sound different from a podcast for clinicians.

A podcast for parents of anxious teens will sound different from a podcast for therapists who want to learn about documentation, ethics, AI, or clinical interventions.

Before you start recording, ask yourself:

• Who am I trying to reach?

• What do I want this podcast to do?

• Do I want it to help people find my practice?

• Do I want it to support a coaching offer?

• Do I want to create educational content for other professionals?

• Do I want it to support a course, membership, book, or consulting service?

• Do I want this to be a creative outlet?

• Do I want it to become part of a larger business model?

There is no wrong answer. But there does need to be an answer.

Without clarity, it is easy to lose steam once the initial excitement wears off.

Is Podcasting Too Crowded?

One concern I often hear is, “Isn’t everyone starting a podcast?”

Yes, there are a lot of podcasts out there. There are therapy podcasts, wellness podcasts, coaching podcasts, mental health podcasts, and personal development podcasts.

But crowded does not always mean saturated.

There is still room for a clear, thoughtful, well-positioned voice.

The bigger issue is not that there are too many podcasts. The bigger issue is that many podcasts are not clearly positioned. They do not have a defined audience, a clear promise, or a reason for listeners to keep coming back.

For therapists, this is where your clinical training can become a strength.

You know how to listen.
You know how to organize ideas.
You know how to explain complex concepts.
You know how to speak to pain points, needs, fears, and hopes.

But you still need clarity.

A podcast for “anyone interested in mental health” may be too broad. But a podcast for high-achieving professionals managing anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout is much clearer.

A podcast helping couples communicate through resentment and disconnection is clearer.

A podcast teaching therapists practical continuing education they can use in their work is clearer.

Specificity helps people recognize that your show is for them.

Who Is Your Podcast For?

One of the most important decisions you’ll make is deciding who your podcast is really for.

Not who could listen.
Not who might find it interesting.
But who you are intentionally speaking to.

Are you speaking to potential therapy clients?

Other therapists?

Parents?

Couples?

Women in midlife?

Clinicians in private practice?

Mental health professionals who need continuing education?

Referral partners?

Healthcare professionals or organizational leaders?

The clearer you are about your audience, the easier it becomes to create episodes that connect.

When you try to speak to everyone, your content can become vague. But when you picture a specific listener, everything becomes easier.

You can ask:

What is this person struggling with?
What are they curious about?
What do they need to know?
What would make them feel seen?
What would help them take the next step?

For example, when I speak to therapists who need continuing education, I know they are busy. I know they want practical information. I know they want learning that fits into real life — while walking, commuting, cooking dinner, working out, or folding laundry.

That understanding shaped the way my podcourse model developed. It came from paying attention to what therapists actually needed: accessible, flexible, affordable continuing education that worked with their lives.

That is one of the gifts of podcasting. It can help you listen to your audience more deeply over time.

What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Another important question is:

What do you want this podcast to help you become known for?

Therapists often have many interests. You might work with anxiety, trauma, couples, family systems, parenting, grief, ADHD, burnout, midlife transitions, perfectionism, or practice building.

All of those topics may be meaningful to you.

But from a listener’s perspective, too many unrelated topics can make it hard to understand what your show is about.

Podcasting works best when people can mentally file you under something.

Maybe your thread is:

• Practical continuing education for busy clinicians

• Helping therapists grow professionally

• Helping women navigate midlife

• Supporting couples with communication

• Helping clinicians use technology ethically

• Teaching therapists how to turn their expertise into courses, podcasts, and educational offers

Your podcast can become a body of work that builds your authority over time.

Each episode may seem small on its own, but over months and years, you are building a library that reflects your values, expertise, curiosity, and professional voice.

Choose a Format That Fits Your Energy

There are many ways therapists can structure a podcast.

You can do solo episodes.
You can interview guests.
You can have a co-host.
You can create short educational episodes.
You can do long-form conversations.
You can create a limited series.
You can offer Q&A-style episodes.
You can even create episodes that support continuing education, if you have the right approval structure and process in place.

Each format has benefits and challenges.

Solo episodes are wonderful for building authority because your audience hears directly from you. They can also be easier because you are not scheduling with guests. But they do require you to organize your thoughts and carry the episode yourself.

Interview episodes are great for networking, collaboration, and bringing in expert voices. They can also take some pressure off because you are in conversation. But they require scheduling, preparation, guest communication, and sometimes more editing.

A limited series can be a great way to start if a weekly podcast feels overwhelming. You might create a six-episode series around one topic or one audience to test the waters before committing to an ongoing show.

When choosing a format, don’t just ask, “What’s popular?”

Ask:

• What can I sustain?

• What fits my personality?

• What serves my audience?

• What supports my larger goals?

• What kind of show would I actually enjoy creating?

Because if you do not enjoy it at least somewhat, it will be very hard to keep going.

Ethical Considerations for Therapist Podcasters

Because we are therapists, we have to talk about ethics.

Therapists are not just content creators. We carry professional responsibilities into public spaces.

That means podcasting requires thoughtfulness.

One major issue is confidentiality. Do not share identifiable client details. And remember, details do not have to include a name to be identifying. A unique combination of age, location, family structure, occupation, diagnosis, or situation could potentially identify someone.

If you use examples, consider using composites, fictionalized examples, or general patterns instead of specific client stories.

Another issue is scope.

A podcast is not therapy. It is education.

That needs to be clear.

Listeners may feel like they know you. They may feel connected to your voice. That is part of the power of podcasting, but it can also blur boundaries if you are not careful.

You want to have clear disclaimers.
You want to avoid highly individualized advice.
You want to be careful not to overpromise outcomes.
You want to distinguish general education from clinical recommendations.

And if you are speaking to other therapists, you want to be clear that your content does not replace supervision, consultation, legal advice, or ethical decision-making.

Guest selection matters too.

If you interview guests, consider how you are vetting them. Are they speaking within their area of competence? Are they making claims that need to be questioned or contextualized? Are they promoting something that aligns with your values and your audience?

Podcasting gives you reach, and reach comes with responsibility.

What Do You Actually Need to Start?

You do not need a perfect studio to start a podcast.

You do not need the most expensive microphone.
You do not need a huge launch plan.
You do not need to have everything figured out forever.

But you do need some basics:

• A clear concept

• A defined audience

• A name

• Simple artwork

• A way to record

• A microphone

• A hosting platform

• A basic editing workflow

• Show notes

• A plan for how people will find the show

One mistake people make is spending too much time on the equipment and not enough time on the strategy.

Yes, sound quality matters. But the best microphone in the world will not fix a vague concept.

Start with clarity.

A simple episode structure might look like this:

1. Open with the problem or question.

2. Introduce who the episode is for.

3. Share three to five main teaching points.

4. Offer examples or stories.

5. Give the listener a practical takeaway.

6. End with a clear next step.

That is enough.

The key is to make the listener feel like you are taking them somewhere.

Common Mistakes Therapists Make When Starting a Podcast

Here are a few common mistakes I see therapists make when starting a podcast.

The first mistake is starting too broad. A podcast for anyone interested in mental health is probably too broad. A podcast for therapists who want practical, accessible continuing education is clearer.

The second mistake is not having a call to action. If someone listens and likes you, what should they do next? Should they visit your website, join your email list, download a guide, book a consultation, listen to another episode, or explore your courses?

The third mistake is expecting the podcast to grow without promotion. Publishing an episode is not the same as marketing an episode. You still need to share it through email, social media, SEO, blog posts, LinkedIn, Pinterest, collaborations, or guest appearances on other shows.

The fourth mistake is making the podcast too host-centered. Of course, your voice and story matter. But the listener is usually asking: Is this for me? Do you understand me? Can you help me think about something differently?

The fifth mistake is not connecting the podcast to a larger ecosystem. Your podcast should connect to your website, email list, services, courses, consultation options, lead magnets, or professional goals.

That does not mean every episode needs to be salesy. In fact, I recommend the opposite. Lead with value. But make sure there is a clear pathway for the listener who wants more.

How a Podcast Can Support a Bigger Business Model

This is where podcasting can become really powerful.

A podcast can support a private practice.
It can help potential clients get a feel for your style.
It can help referral partners understand your expertise.
It can support a coaching business.
It can support a continuing education business.
It can support a course, membership, book, speaking platform, or consulting service.

For me, podcasting opened doors I did not fully anticipate.

It helped me connect with experts.
It helped me create a library of educational content.
It helped me build a continuing education platform.
It helped me better understand what busy therapists were looking for.

Eventually, that became part of my podcourse model.

Now, when I talk with therapists who want to start podcasts or create educational content, one of the first things I encourage them to think about is strategy.

Not just, “What should I record?”

But:

Who is this for?
What is the listener’s next step?
How does this fit with your business?
What offer does this support?
What expertise does this highlight?
What do you want to be known for?
How will you sustain it?

Podcasting can be a creative project, but it can also be a professional asset.

Is Podcasting Right for You?

Podcasting may not be the right fit for you right now.

It may not be right if you need immediate income, if you are already overextended, if you do not enjoy speaking or teaching, or if you are not willing to promote your episodes.

It may not be right if you have no clear audience yet or if you are hoping it will be passive.

Podcasting is not passive.

It is relational.
It is cumulative.
It is a long-term visibility tool.

And like most relationship-building tools, it takes consistency.

On the other hand, podcasting might be a wonderful fit if you enjoy teaching, like having thoughtful conversations, want to build trust over time, have a clear niche, want to create evergreen content, and want to grow a continuing education, coaching, consulting, or educational platform.

A podcast can become part of your professional legacy.

It is a way of saying:

Here is what I care about.
Here is what I have learned.
Here is what I want to contribute.

And that is powerful.

Final Thoughts: Should Therapists Start a Podcast?

So, should therapists start a podcast?

Maybe.

But not just because podcasting is popular. Not because someone told you that you should. And not because you feel pressure to be everywhere online.

Start a podcast because you have a clear audience, a meaningful purpose, and a realistic plan.

Start because you have something to say that can help, teach, encourage, or guide people.

Start because it connects to your larger professional goals.

And start with the understanding that it does not have to be perfect.

Your first episodes may feel awkward. You may change your format. You may refine your niche. You will learn as you go.

That is all normal.

The important thing is to begin with clarity and build from there.

Want Help Creating Your Podcast, Course, or CE Offer?

If you are a therapist who has been thinking about starting a podcast, creating a course, or turning your expertise into a continuing education offer, I offer consultation to help you think through the strategy, structure, and next steps.

You can learn more at LisaMustard.com.

And if you are looking for flexible, affordable continuing education, you can explore my NBCC-approved podcourses at LisaMustard.com/podcourses. They are designed for busy therapists who want practical learning they can fit into real life.

Free CE Training for Therapists

Kym Tolson created an incredible free 1.25 CE training in partnership with Berries Academy, and I’m honored to serve as the course administrator through Mustard Consulting.

The four-part training covers:

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Other Resources:

FREE CE course! Earn 1.25 continuing education contact hours. The Promise of AI for Mental Health Professionals is available now.

8 Things Every Therapist Should Know About Family Estrangement with Karl Melvin: This 1.5-hour NBCC-approved course gives you a structured, practical framework to confidently assess, conceptualize, and support clients experiencing estrangement without oversimplifying or pathologizing the experience.

🤖 Free CE ChatGPT Tool: CE Course Builder for Mental Health Clinicians If you’re curious about teaching or continuing education but aren’t ready to commit to creating a full course, this free tool is designed to help you explore ideas, clarify learning objectives, and think like an educator, without pressure or obligation.

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The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with your own healthcare provider regarding any personal health or medical conditions.