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Therapists are natural creators.
Each session brings something new into existence - something the client didnât have before.Â
Across the behavioral health industry, thereâs a growing shift toward diversifying practices beyond one-on-one work. Courses, workshops, intensives, podcasts - the possibilities are endless. Many therapists I speak with feel drained by traditional formats.Â
Since 2024, my consulting has focused on helping trauma therapists channel creativity into offerings that are financially and personally fulfilling. In this article, Iâll explore the business potential and key considerations behind developing what I call âalternative offeringsâ to one-on-one therapy.
My favorite part about working with therapists on their alternative offerings is seeing how personal it all is for them.
With how they communicate about their practice, how they want it to expand, their loftiest dreams and goals, that is a portal directly to their inner child that fueled their first moments of natural excitement.
I see therapists of all ages melt when they start to untangle what has been sacred to them for so long.
However, as soon as they verbalize this to me, their face starts to shift. Reality kicks in. Their sense of wonder and possibility is dampened by the constraints of making it happen. There is a slight, subtle grief process.
My work involves a lot of grief work.
Adapting an original idea for a new offering requires a degree of level-setting and tangible expectations. The goal and target are two different things. Having the lofty dream of what this offering can be - the goal - is necessary.
So there is a loss that occurs when therapists start to plan the logistics and understand the inherent limitation in bringing something beautiful, albeit imaginary, to life.
These are ugly questions.
When we dream about our work, we envision the feeling, the satisfaction of when we give back and embody our purpose.
In the first few sessions of developing an alternative offering, we see where a fragile, pure idea collides head-on with the obligatory nature of a homework assignment.Â
With this inner dynamic at play, itâs important to help therapists map out some of their current professional endeavors and aspects of their business.
And thatâs just the first session. We still need to discuss the intersection of financial and creative meaning when creating an alternative, passive income opportunity.
The lines between personal time and professional time continue to blur. What are personal projects? What does it mean to be in âwork mode?â
Spending as much time as we do on work, itâs natural for us to fit personal meaning into our efforts.
In my experience working with therapists, specifically, there is a professional creative energy that requires a catalyst from personal meaning in our lives.
Thatâs why I like to use an axis that organizes professional energy - and even formal alternative offerings - on the basis of Financial Viability and Personal Creative Investment.
This exercise is useful in two cases:
â
The Y-Axis is Financial Viability.
Financial viability is important. It isnât selfish or greedy.
An offering high in financial viability means there is a lot of value and a great fit for potential consumers.
Think of this metric as a validator that people are willing to reliably pay for this offering; consumers are recognizing the tangible value in what this brings them.
The X-Axis is Personal Creative Investment.
This is often where the alternative offering originates from, but not always. It refers to how much personal capital or bandwidth of passion is infused into an offering.
Offerings that are high in Personal Creative Investment provide an intrinsic joy to the creator, offering and evolving parts of themselves through the process.
Now letâs explore the four quadrants.
Through my work with therapists, many offerings and aspects of their business can be assessed under this lens:
Using the financial/creative axis from above allows you to map how your offerings relate to one another and how you balance your energy.
As discussed, your B and C Offerings should balance each other out. Maximizing your A Offerings and eliminating your D Offerings are critical as well.
Just as we have inner parts and aspects to ourselves that serve us in different ways, our businesses do the same.
Taking an honest inventory and assessing our energy commitment helps us make plans for the future of our businesses.
With my first trauma-informed clients, I started to string together some patterns.
There were obvious (and less obvious) considerations and principles that would lend themselves to a larger structure of creation.
An alternative offering for a therapist has to serve them both professionally and personally, and given the nature of trauma-informed care, there is such an opportunity to create something that unlocks a client in treatment. It can become a passive income opportunity well worth pursuing.
Flourishâs Five Phases of Course Creation are a product of listening. Listening to the trauma-informed therapist as they navigate the creation process. Listening to my professional intuition on where to guide therapists as they actualize their offering, value proposition, and distinct place in the market.
This five-part guide is designed to help you birth your offering from the inside out: starting with purpose and ending with presence. Letâs walk through the process.
The first stageâConceptionâis all about clarity.
Youâll start by asking:
Consider both your formal expertise (licenses, modalities, clinical experience) and your lived experience. Sometimes your most valuable offering is where those two intersect.
Free-write your ideas. Donât edit. Let your mind wander to the stories, client breakthroughs, or personal moments that have shaped your passion. Get specific. Niche ideas are powerful: think âEMDR for male first respondersâ or ârelational trauma and dating for women over 40.â
Once you've generated ideas, it's time to structure your topic. Ask yourself:
Then comes validation, which refers to researching similar offerings, testing the value of your idea with peers or potential students, and paying attention to your own sense of excitement. If the market already has something similar, thatâs a good thing; it means thereâs interest. Your voice and experience will make it unique.
Finally, take a moment for inner reflection. Who are you creating this for? What version of yourself would have needed this course? What do you want participants to say about their experience?
Make a note of your answers and draw inspiration from them often.
Once your idea is clear, itâs time to map the journey. Whether your course is live or self-paced, your curriculum is the backbone.
Use these five stages of course flow to guide your sequence:
When your content involves trauma-related themes, trauma-informed curriculum design is essential. Start slow. Build safety. Consider beginning with collective trauma frameworks before diving into personal work. Let the group breathe, and leave room in your schedule for flexibility.
In terms of writing, donât overthink it at first. Dump what you know into a document or journal.
Cluster similar ideas. Ask yourself: What story am I trying to tell with this course? From there, let structure emerge organically.
Pro tip: Practice speaking your content aloud. Record voice memos. Teach a friend. Your clarity will sharpen in the process.
With your curriculum in hand, you can now explore the format, which is the practical shape your course will take.
Start with these elements:
And of course, logistics: Are you using Zoom? Will you record sessions? How do I decide on a a course platform like Kajabi or Mighty Networks? What does the student journey look like from sign-up to participation to post-course access?
Your course format should feel aligned with your content. If your course is rooted in practice and integration, your format should reflect that pace. If itâs a skills-based intensive, a shorter, focused burst might work best.
Delivery is where it all comes togetherâand often, where the most growth happens for facilitators.
Simulate your studentâs experience from beginning to end. What happens when they click âsign upâ? Are the steps intuitive? Are the tech tools easy to access and use? Treat your students like theyâre new to the digital world. Every click should feel clear and intentional.
Do test runs of live sessions. Feel out how long 30 or 60 minutes actually is. Pay attention to time allocation: what content needs the most space? What concepts deserve to sit in the middle of a session, where attention is strongest?
For recorded courses, walk through the student process multiple times. Can they find the content easily? Is it clear where to go next? The best course creators arenât just experts in their subject. Theyâre also masters of user experience.
Lastly, explore your course platformâs features. You might find that what felt unnecessary at firstâlike a community chat or automated remindersâbecomes essential after a trial run.
Now that your course has form, itâs time to bring it to the world.
Your marketing should begin early, with clarity around your courseâs identity:
As you promote, think about your ideal participant. Where do they hang out online? What problems are they actively trying to solve? Speak to those moments of readiness in your messaging.
And donât forget the basics: short email graphics (PNGs), a one-page flyer, a few social media posts, and a âflash pageâ on your website can go a long way when your message is clear.
Therapists are uniquely positioned to create offerings that are both deeply personal and professionally impactful. By honoring your inner voice, mapping offerings with clarity, and navigating the tension between inspiration and logistics, you can expand your practice in meaningful ways.Â
Alternative offerings arenât just side projectsâtheyâre expressions of purpose, tools for sustainability, and pathways to deeper fulfillment. Not to mention passive income opportunities.
When therapists root their creations in authenticity and strategic intention, they build legacies and impact beyond their wildest dreams. And you can become one such therapist. The process isnât always easy, but it is always worth it.Â
Creation is in your nature.
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This blog post is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, business, medical, or insurance advice. Laws relating to health insurance and coverage are complex, and their application can vary widely depending on individual circumstances and state laws. Similarly, decisions regarding mental health care should be made with the guidance of qualified health care providers. We strongly recommend consulting with a qualified attorney or legal advisor, insurance representative, and/or medical professional to discuss your specific situation and how the laws apply to you or your situation.
