Welcome to Off the Chair

Aug 11

When therapist burnout meets business overwhelm, something has to change. Off the Chair is here to spark that change.

In this trailer, we introduce our unfiltered mission: to talk about what really happens behind the scenes of building and sustaining a therapist business in today's broken mental health system.

We are Dr. Colleen Long, Dr. Jennifer Politis, and Erika Bugaj, LICSW - three clinicians who have led, scaled, and sometimes struggled with running a group therapy practice while navigating the messy middle of motherhood, leadership, and identity.

This show is not about perfection. It is about truth, transparency, and tangible strategies for therapists who are ready to think differently. We created this space because we know therapist burnout is real. Clinician mental health is often ignored. And the old model of doing more with less is no longer working.

Each week, we will share honest conversations, behind-the-scenes lessons, and real-time reflections that merge business strategy with emotional clarity. Whether you're building your first therapist business or trying to breathe life back into your established group therapy practice, we are here to remind you that you are not alone.

If you are a therapist who is tired of pretending everything is fine, a practice owner who feels like the business is running you, or a clinician who wants more freedom without selling your soul, this podcast was made for you.

Subscribe now and join us every Tuesday for honest insights on therapist burnout, clinician mental health, the realities of running a group therapy practice, and what it takes to build a sustainable and fulfilling therapist business.

[00:00:00] Colleen Long: Hi, there we are, Dr. Colleen Long,

Erika Bugaj: Erika Bugaj, LICSW.

Jennifer Politis: And Dr. Jennifer Politis.

[00:00:07] Colleen Long: We're three women who've spent years in the therapy chair and even longer running practices built around them.

[00:00:15] Jennifer Politis: But this show, it's about what happens when we get out of the chair as clinicians, as leaders. And as real people and moms navigating the messiness of owning a mental health practice,

[00:00:26] Erika Bugaj: off the chair is where mental health meets real life

[00:00:30] Colleen Long: business ownership.

[00:00:31] Colleen Long: We'll talk about the behind the scenes of building a group practice, the emotional weight of leadership, the burnout no one warns you about and the weird. Wonderful WTF moments of scaling something that actually helps people expect honest convos, a lot of laughter, some probably inappropriate therapist jokes and insight that isn't just clinical, it's personal.

[00:00:55] Erika Bugaj: Why are we doing this? Because we've been handcuffed to the chair long enough. Figuratively, and well, sometimes it felt literal. And we know other therapists feel the same,

[00:01:07] Jennifer Politis: whether you're a practice owner, a clinician, thinking about leadership, or just someone who's curious. What therapists talk about when they're off the clock, off the chair, is your seat at the table?

[00:01:18] Colleen Long: Subscribe, follow, and let's make therapy, and running a business a little more human.

Chanlie Leavitt

Welcome to Off the Chair

Connect with us!

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Episode Transcript:

Episode 06: Solo Travel or Bust