When the Numbers Don’t Add Up: A Coaching Call for Therapists Drowning in Overhead
May 22, 2025
Let’s have a real conversation, therapist to therapist.
We became helpers, not real estate moguls. But somehow, for so many of us, a huge portion of our monthly revenue is going straight into office rent, property management fees, and leases that leave little room for flexibility—or financial peace.
And for what?
Empty rooms four days a week?
A waiting area no one uses?
A second location that drains more than it brings in?
You are not doing it wrong.
But the model is starting to fail a lot of us.
You’re Not Alone—And You’re Not Crazy for Questioning It
I’ve coached solo clinicians who are paying rent for space they only use two days a week—because that’s all their energy or schedule allows.
I’ve worked with group practice owners who opened second or third locations with big dreams, only to feel tethered to a massive overhead and underpaid team.
And I’ve sat with seasoned therapists who returned to in-person work, hoping it would feel grounding again, only to find it’s just…expensive.
If your overhead is outpacing your joy—or your income—you’re not imagining the misalignment.
We’re Not Just Burning Out—We’re Being Bled Dry
Let’s be honest:
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Rent is too high.
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Reimbursement rates have barely budged in years.
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Operating expenses are rising across the board.
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And the emotional load of holding it all together—both for clients and for the business—has never been heavier.
You’re not only the clinician. You’re the custodian, the scheduler, the tech support, and the bank.
And in the middle of all that, the math just doesn’t work anymore.
So we push harder.
We take on more clients.
We cut back on support.
Until we’re left asking: Is this what I signed up for?
So… What If We Tried Something Different?
What if the solution wasn’t to shrink your practice—but to share it?
What if your unused days became someone else’s thriving practice?
What if your dream space didn’t have to be yours alone?
I’m not talking about giving up your vision.
I’m talking about expanding the way you see it.
Imagine this:
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Your beautifully decorated office, used 5–6 days a week by multiple aligned practitioners.
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A community-oriented suite where two solo clinicians split the week—and the rent.
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A group practice that shares a building with another, both cutting costs and building something collaborative.
It’s not a downgrade. It’s a business evolution.
We Deserve More Than Just Staying Afloat
This is about reclaiming control over our practices—and our peace.
Why should corporate landlords and real estate investors be the ones profiting, while we burn out trying to keep our offices open?
We pour so much heart into our work. We deserve business models that honor that—not exploit it.
A Coaching Invitation: Let’s Rethink the Way You Do Space
See if this sounds familiar- You’ve been:
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Avoiding your profit/loss spreadsheet
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Hesitating to open that second office
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Wondering if keeping your physical location is still worth it
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Or silently resenting how little you take home despite how hard you work…
If these resonate with you, it might be time to reevaluate. And you don’t have to do it alone.
This is exactly the kind of support I offer inside my coaching intensives and programs:
A safe, strategic space to reset the vision, run the numbers, and reimagine how you serve—without sacrificing yourself in the process.
If you’re ready to build a more sustainable, joyful version of your practice, let’s talk. You can also check out The Therapist Space Directory-built for therapists to build their businesses to be sustainable AND profitable!
Book a free discovery call or check out how we can work together. Your practice doesn’t have to be a pressure cooker. There is a way to do this differently.
You don’t have to do more.
You just have to do different.
Hey, I’m Dawn Leprich-Graves — coach, therapist, CEO, creative visionary, and connection catalyst.
I help powerhouse women stop settling for burnout disguised as success.
Whether you’re scaling your business, redefining your purpose, or just trying to remember what it feels like to enjoy your damn life — I’m here for it.
This is where strategy meets soul.
Where intuition is a business plan.
Where boundaries are sacred.
And where your big, wild, possibly-too-much dreams?
They’re exactly right.
Because burnout isn’t a business strategy.
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