Side Hustle For A Therapist: 12 Ways Therapists Can Earn More

In today’s fast-paced world, even mental health professionals are seeking ways to boost their income and expand their skillsets with side hustles. If you’re a therapist looking for innovative opportunities beyond your full-time job, you’ve come to the right place.

In this blog post, we’ll explore various side hustle ideas tailored specifically for therapists – from teaching psychology courses to offering online therapy sessions and much more.

Whether you’re searching for creative outlets or aiming to achieve financial goals, these ethical side hustles can pave the way towards a fulfilling work-life balance while maintaining your professional integrity.

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Table of Contents

What Is A Side Hustle For A Therapist?

A side hustle for a therapist is an additional job or income stream that allows them to use their skills and knowledge outside of their primary counseling practice.

These opportunities enable you as a therapist to utilize your skills, expertise, and passions in unique ways while creating multiple streams of revenue. In addition to the financial benefits, engaging in a side hustle can offer personal growth, creative outlets, and work-life balance enhancements.

The benefits of pursuing a side hustle extend beyond just monetary gains – they also help you to expand your professional network and reputation as a subject matter expert in the field of psychology.

There have been some success stories where therapists have generated over 100k in extra income through various passive opportunities such as affiliate marketing and virtual therapy services.

Why a Therapist Needs a Side Hustle

Therapists may consider pursuing a side hustle for various reasons, the most apparent one being to generate additional income. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a therapist is $47,660; therefore, many therapists feel they need additional income.

Apart from monetary benefits, taking on a side job can contribute towards personal growth and professional development.

For instance, teaching psychology-related courses in local schools or colleges allows you to explore new areas of expertise while honing your communication skills.

Similarly, engaging in public speaking engagements or creating educational resources provides you with an opportunity to share your knowledge more widely and establish yourself as a thought leader within the mental health community.

Such experience not only helps you expand your own skillset but also enables you to provide better support for your clients in therapy sessions.

Side Hustle Ideas for Therapists

There are many side hustles you can take on that are either related to therapy or outside the realm of the field.

Teaching psychology or related courses, online therapy sessions, coaching or mentoring, writing and creating educational resources, public speaking engagements, and investing are just some of the many side hustles that you can pursue for extra income.

Let’s take a look at some of these side hustle ideas:

Teaching Psychology or Related Courses

Teaching psychology or related courses is an excellent side hustle for a therapist looking to share their knowledge and expertise with others.

Many local colleges and universities seek qualified professionals as adjunct professors to enhance the quality of education provided in their departments. You can have an arrangement with the school to teach the course load at a time that fits your schedule.

In addition to formal teaching positions, you can also conduct workshops and seminars through community centers or online platforms. This not only allows you to reach a wider audience but also provides flexibility when it comes to scheduling.

Moreover, adding teaching credentials to your professional profile improves credibility among peers and clients alike while offering networking opportunities within academia.

Online Therapy Sessions

Online therapy sessions can be a great source of side income for a therapist. With the rise of telemedicine following the COVID-19 pandemic where some therapies that required close contact with people were stopped, more and more people are seeking mental health services online.

This means that there is a growing demand for therapists who can offer virtual counseling sessions via video or phone calls.

By providing these services, you can expand your client base beyond your local area and work with clients from all over the world.

Plus, it allows you the opportunity to work from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Online therapy also offers greater flexibility in scheduling appointments which can help accommodate clients’ busy schedules.

Coaching or Mentoring

As a therapist, you can also pursue coaching or mentoring as a side hustle. With your expertise in mental health and interpersonal relationships, you can offer guidance to individuals or groups looking to improve certain aspects of their lives.

For example, therapists may coach clients on how to manage stress and anxiety or navigate difficult personal relationships.

One advantage of coaching or mentoring is that it allows you to use your skills in a different way than traditional therapy sessions. It provides you with an opportunity for creative problem-solving while helping others achieve their goals.

Writing and Creating Educational Resources

Another great side hustle for therapists is writing and creating educational resources.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you can use your expertise offer group therapy sessions or, if your writing skills are great, write articles on specific mental health topics.

Many therapists create e-books, webinars, and online courses to share their knowledge and help more people.

If you have strong research skills, you can write peer-reviewed journal articles that highlight the latest developments in the field of mental health.

Public Speaking Engagements

Public speaking engagements offer therapists a great way to share their expertise publicly, network with potential clients, and earn extra income. Therapists can participate in conferences or events as keynote speakers, panelists, or workshop facilitators.

You can build a successful side hustle by becoming a respected public speaker on work-related issues such as burnout prevention and productivity in the workplace.

By sharing insights about common mental health concerns faced by young adults or providing practical strategies for managing anxiety and depression symptoms in everyday life settings at local schools, you can make money through speaking engagements while creating awareness on mental well-being amongst students too.

Start a Podcast

Many professionals in numerous fields are successful podcasters as they share their knowledge with the world.

If you have public speaking skills, consider starting a podcast where you to share your knowledge and stories (if you are not great at public speaking, you can work on improving that skill).

As an expert in psychology and mental health, there are people who would be interested in your knowledge and self-help tips to improve their lives.

Once established, your podcast can be a great tool to let people know about your practice and you can monetize it by running ads.

Start a YouTube Channel

There is an audience for mental health content, which means starting a YouTube channel to share tips about mental health care, self-care, and parenting is a viable project.

You can add a fun spin to challenging concepts to make them easier to understand.

When your channel reaches a certain number of subscribers and views, you will be eligible to run ads and earn a passive income.

Writing as a Freelancer

If you enjoy writing, consider freelance writing.

Rather than focus on general subjects focus on writing gigs related to your field as those will earn you more money because you will have an expert’s perspective.

Investing in the Capital Markets

Trading is a side hustle that involves buying and selling financial securities in the capital markets.

While it requires knowledge of market trends and analysis tools, some therapists have successfully made money through it.

With the rise of online trading platforms and accessible educational resources, more people are trying their hand at trading as a way to make extra income.

How to Start a Successful Side Hustle as a Therapist

You can start a successful side hustle as a therapist by following these steps:

Identify Your Skills and Interests

Before starting a side hustle, you should identify your skills and interests. This will help you determine which opportunities are the best fit for you. For example, if you enjoy teaching, becoming an adjunct professor or offering private psychology courses could be a great option.

It’s also important to consider what type of work complements your therapy practice and aligns with your personal goals. For instance, if you specialize in working with young adults, developing an online course on mental health for college students could be beneficial.

Research Potential Opportunities

To start a successful side hustle as a therapist, researching potential opportunities is crucial.

Look at current trends in mental health and psychology-related fields to see what opportunities are available.

Create a Plan

A key step in starting a successful side hustle as a therapist is creating a plan. This document will help you determine your goals, strategies, and potential challenges to overcome.

When creating your plan identify your unique selling proposition (USP). What sets you apart from other therapists (if the side hustle is therapy-related) Why should clients choose you over others?

Additionally, it’s essential to set realistic financial goals that align with the time and resources available to devote to this new venture.

Establish a Strong Online Presence

To start a successful side hustle as a therapist in the digital age, you should establish a strong online presence.

This involves creating an engaging and informative website that highlights your expertise and services. Social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube channels geared towards mental health could be viable options for marketing yourself.

Use clear language and avoid jargon to describe your offerings so clients can easily understand what you do.

Keep in mind that a strong online presence doesn’t just mean having social media accounts or websites. It also means staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in the industry while ensuring that your content is high-quality and unique.

Use peer-reviewed journals or respected magazines when writing blog posts or articles about psychology-related topics since this demonstrates credibility to potential clients.

Networking and marketing your services is crucial when it comes to establishing yourself as a therapist with a side hustle. Developing strong relationships in the industry can help you gain more clients and generate new opportunities for yourself.

Consider The Legal and Ethical Implications

Therapists who are considering a side hustle need to be mindful of the legal and ethical implications. It’s important to consider whether the side hustle may create any conflicts of interest, violate any confidentiality agreements, or breach professional regulations.

As a therapist, you should also think about how your side hustle relates to your primary work in terms of professional integrity and reputation. Ensure that your clients do not experience any negative effect from your additional income-generating activities.

In short, you need to be transparent to maintain the sanctity of your counseling practice while pursuing alternative means for financial growth.

How to Balance a Side Hustle with Therapy Practice

Balancing a side hustle with therapy practice can be challenging, but there are a few things you can do to be successful at both. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Set Achievable Goals and Priorities

As a therapist pursuing a side hustle, set achievable goals and priorities. This means taking the time to identify what you hope to accomplish with your side hustle and establishing realistic benchmarks for success.

One helpful approach might be to map out specific timelines or milestones that align with your larger career goals.

Prioritize Self-care

You can easily get caught up in work and forget about self-care. However, it’s important as you pursue a side hustle to prioritize your well-being.

Set boundaries and taking time off to prevent burnout.

For example, therapist turned coach Jane had been working long hours at her therapy practice while also building an online coaching business on the side. She realized that she was neglecting her own self-care routine which led to feeling burned out and unproductive.

To address this, she began scheduling break times throughout the day so she could recharge mentally and physically.

Remember that prioritizing self-care not only improves mental health but has a positive impact on overall productivity too!

Manage Time Effectively

According to the Harvard Business Review, managing time is one of the top challenges in pursuing a side hustle. However, with the right approach, you can feel a sense of accomplishment in your day job, side hustle, and social life.

To juggle a side hustle, your social life, and therapy practice, prioritize tasks pertaining to your practice and allocate sufficient time to each one while maintaining an acceptable standard. Do the same for your side hustle and then establish personal touch points for your social and family life.

One useful tip is creating a balance sheet of your schedule for the week or month, allocating adequate time for work and relaxation.

Moreover, consider delegating some responsibilities that do not require your direct input, such as administrative tasks like responding to emails.

You can also consider outsourcing content creation or finding guest bloggers within your niche space to help ease the workload without compromising quality standards.

Create a Supportive Environment

If you are pursuing a side hustle, you need to create a supportive and flexible environment that allows you to balance your time effectively.

Talk to your immediate family members, people who you live with, and your friends about why you need more time to yourself to pursue a side hustle. If you are raising kids in a two-parent household, talk to your spouse about sharing responsibilities in a way that allows you to block out time for your side hustle in addition to your practice.

Additionally, networking with other therapists who have successfully pursued side hustles can provide valuable insight and support throughout the process.

The Benefits of Pursuing a Side Hustle as a Therapist

Pursuing a side hustle as a therapist has numerous benefits, such as:

Additional Income

This one is a no-brainer; given the rise in cost of living, one of the main reasons therapists look for side hustles is to bolster their finances. Whether it’s making more money to pay off student loans, save up for a vacation, or increase overall income, side hustles can be an attractive option.

Making more money goes beyond surviving to thriving as some therapists have successfully made over six figures in additional income through things like writing books or offering corporate retreats and workshops.

Creative Outlets and Personal Growth

Therapists often report feeling burnt out and uninspired after years of working in the same field. One way to combat these feelings is by pursuing a side hustle that allows for creative outlets and personal growth.

If you write educational resources, create an online course or YouTube channel, and do speaking engagements, these can be excellent opportunities for you to showcase your expertise publicly while tapping into your inner creativity.

A Source of Passive Income

If you are apprehensive about taking on a side hustle that will take up even more of your time, there are several passive income opportunities that exist. For example, if you enjoy writing, you can start a blog or publish e-books on psychology-related topics. These allow you to earn money online without spending much time or effort once the content is created.

The Challenges of Pursuing a Side Hustle as a Therapist

Pursuing a side hustle as a therapist comes with challenges such as:

Your Work-life Balance Suffers

As we mentioned before, running a therapy practice and a side hustle concurrently can be demanding on your time and easily cause burnout.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance and preventing burnout is crucial if you have a side hustle. It can be tempting to work long hours to make extra money or take on too many clients, but it’s important to prioritize self-care and set achievable goals.

Professional Integrity and Reputation May Be Called To Question

As a therapist, it can be tough to maintain professional integrity and reputation when pursuing a side hustle. For example, you may be tempted to promote a product or service to clients with a monetary incentive thus creating a conflict of interest.

To prevent this, you need to be transparent with clients about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise.

Also set clear boundaries between your therapy practice and your side hustle. For example, if you decide to offer coaching services in addition to therapy, make sure that you are marketing and delivering these services separately from your therapy practice.

By prioritizing ethical considerations and maintaining transparency with clients, therapists can pursue profitable and enjoyable side hustles without sacrificing their professional integrity or reputation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, side hustles are a great way for therapists to make extra income and explore their creativity. Whether it’s teaching psychology courses, creating educational resources or offering online therapy sessions, there are plenty of options available for those looking to supplement their income.

However, it’s important to remember the balance between work and self-care, managing time effectively and maintaining ethical standards with clients.

Before you leave

If you’re tired of scams and want a real solution for making money online check out my no.1 recommendation.

It’s helped me earn over $300,000 in the last 12 months alone:

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(This is a 100% free training)

David Fortune

David Fortune has been the editor NoBSIMReviews.com since 2019. He is an expert at writing content on stock advisory services, side hustles, reviewing online business opportunities and many more topics. You can learn more about David on our about us page.

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