This 100th episode is a pause to reflect on what happens when you keep going, even when you don’t feel ready.

In conversation with Natasha, who has edited the podcast from the very beginning, I look back over how The Good Enough Counsellors podcast grew from small, tentative steps into something that now reaches therapists around the world. But more importantly, we talk about what this journey can teach us about private practice, confidence, visibility, and the legacy we leave through our work.

This episode is about the power of ordinary stories, trusting that small actions add up, and recognising that the work you do as a therapist can ripple out far beyond what you see day to day. We reflect on the power of everyday people doing meaningful work, and why showing up, imperfectly, really does make a difference.

1. What 100 episodes has taught me about starting before you feel ready
2. Why small, consistent steps matter in private practice
3. The importance of letting people know how they can work with you
4. How sharing your voice can help build confidence and connection
5. Lessons from guest conversations about anxiety, self doubt, and diversity
6. Why hearing marginalised voices matters in therapy and beyond
7. The idea of legacy, and how everyday work can have a wider impact
8. How therapists can trust that what they do really does matter

Mentioned in this episode:

1. Gloriously Unready, my earlier podcast project
2. The Lost Sun Society, Natasha's fiction podcast
3. Therapy Growth Group, my membership for counsellors in private practice

Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE

Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE

You can also find me here:

The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group

Josephine Hughes on Facebook

Josephine Hughes on YouTube

My website: josephinehughes.com

Keywords

podcast, therapy, growth, confidence, storytelling, community, mental health, private practice, diversity, inspiration

The information contained in Good...

Have you ever looked at your social media and felt disappointed because it seems that you're mainly followed by therapists?

In this month's social media episode, I'm exploring the question of why clients don't always follow us, even when we're sharing thoughtful, reflective content. Is it really the problem we think it is, and what can we do about it?

We look at how fear of visibility, professional language, and wanting to get things “right” can influence how you post and the impact that has on making connections with clients. I also explore what clients are actually looking for when they follow therapists on social media, and why warmth and feeling understood matter far more than sounding impressive or knowledgeable.

This episode lays the groundwork for the next couple of monthly social media episodes, where I’ll continue to unpack this topic and look more closely at what helps clients feel safe enough to follow you, and how trust builds over time.

• Why therapists in private practice often attract other therapists on social media
• Why this is a completely normal stage
• How fear of visibility and judgement affects what we share
• The difference between therapist-facing and client-facing content
• Why clients follow therapists who help them feel understood
• Why there’s nothing “wrong” with your content - it just may not be shaped for clients yet

I also share four simple, client-focused themes you can use in February to help your social media speak more directly to the general public:

• Talking about feelings and reaching out for support (Time to Talk Day, Children’s Mental Health Week)
• Love, loneliness, and the ways we connect (Valentine’s Day, Singles Awareness Day, Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week)
• Identity, inclusion, and feeling safe (LGBTQ+ History Month, Stand Up to Bullying Day)
• Nourishing your wellbeing (Boost Your Self-Esteem Month, Eating Disorders Awareness Week)

You can also find me here:

The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group

Josephine Hughes on Facebook

Josephine Hughes on YouTube

My website: josephinehughes.com

Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE

Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE

The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.

Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

January can bring a lot of pressure for counsellors and therapists, with worries about enquiries, a sense of falling behind, and rising self-criticism. This can feel even more intense for neurodivergent counsellors and those who are highly sensitive to pressure.

In this episode of Good Enough Counsellors, I’m joined by Eve Menezes Cunningham to explore a kinder way of moving through January, especially for counsellors in private practice.

Eve draws on therapy, yoga therapy, coaching and writing to offer a deeply compassionate, embodied approach to wellbeing. We talk about self-compassion, nervous system care, and how understanding ourselves, including neurodivergence and survival responses, can reduce shame and self-criticism.

Eve shares her accessible, cat-based way of explaining polyvagal theory (purr, hiss, hide), helping counsellors notice what state they’re in and respond with kindness rather than judgement.

We also explore why boundaries can feel so uncomfortable to set, particularly for people who learned early on to please others in order to feel safe, and why holding yourself with compassion after setting a boundary is just as important as the boundary itself.

We finish with Eve’s gentle invitation for January: to treat yourself as you would a beloved, precious creature, with curiosity, patience and care, rather than seeing yourself as a problem to fix.

1. Why January often feels hard for counsellors and therapists
2. Pressure, anxiety and self-criticism in private practice
3. Self-compassion and being kinder to yourself
4. Neurodivergence and nervous system awareness
5. Polyvagal theory explained through cats (purr, hiss, hide)
6. Why boundaries feel difficult and how to support yourself
7. A gentle, realistic approach to January without pressure

Eve Menezes Cunningham is a therapist, supervisor, podcast host and former Editor-in-Chief of the Irish Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has a monthly column in Platinum and her book 365 Ways to Feel Better is widely available. You can find Eve and her resources at https://selfcarecoaching.net.

Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE

Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE

You can also find me here:

The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group

Josephine Hughes on Facebook

Josephine Hughes on YouTube

My website: josephinehughes.com

The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for...