There’s a particular season in private practice that rarely gets named.

You’re not burnt out.

You’re not failing.

You’re fairly booked, competent, and stable.

And yet — something doesn’t feel quite right.

In this episode of Not In Training, Ashleigh Nicole explores why so many therapists begin to feel stuck between years three to five of private practice, even when nothing is “wrong” on paper. This is a reflective conversation about the quieter middle years — the phase therapy training doesn’t really prepare you for.

Rather than offering strategies or solutions, this episode focuses on naming an experience many therapists silently carry: restlessness without a clear cause, stability without aliveness, and the tension that can arise when your identity as a practitioner evolves but your business model hasn’t caught up yet.

You’ll hear reflections on:

• Why feeling stuck in private practice isn’t the same as burnout or failure

• The overlooked transition phase after you’ve built a stable caseload

• How therapists can outgrow the way they work without outgrowing the work itself

• The role of meaning, values, and identity shifts in mid-career private practice

• Why this season often brings confusion, shame, or self-doubt — and why it doesn’t have to

• How simply naming this experience can reduce isolation and self-blame.

This episode is for therapists and counsellors who feel busy but unsettled, successful but quietly questioning, and unsure what the “next step” is meant to be — without wanting to rush into fixing or forcing change.

Sometimes, naming the thing is the work.

🎧 Listen if you’re navigating:

• Feeling stuck in private practice

• Mid-career therapist transitions

• Identity shifts after qualification

• Questions of meaning and purpose in therapy work

• The space between early career and burnout

✨ Join 'notes from the middle' email series

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, please rate the podcast on Spotify.

In this episode, I break down why enquiry dips in private practice aren’t a sign your business is falling apart, but a sign it’s time to pay attention. We dig into business patterns, emotional regulation, and the metrics that actually tell you what’s going on. You’ll learn how to audit your practice, spot the real blockers, and make grounded decisions instead of scrambling out of fear. If you want a steadier, more strategic business, this one is for you!

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Inquiry Slowdowns in Private Practice

07:37 The Impact of Business Patterns on Therapists

15:13 Regulating Responses to Inquiry Dips

22:12 Auditing Your Business Data

31:42 The Importance of Tracking Data

40:41 Creating Stability in Your Practice

If your inbox has gone quiet and referrals aren’t as consistent as you’re used to, and you want to actually understand what’s going on — and what to focus on to bring momentum back into your practice — book a 2-hour Therapy business Review

You’ll walk away with a clear 12-month plan, grounded in your data, your goals, and what’s genuinely possible for your business.

If your marketing’s starting to sound like everyone else’s, this one’s for you.

Let’s talk about what happens when you trade your own ideas for templates and how rebuilding trust in your creativity changes everything.

Here are the key highlights of today's episode:

• Creativity is essential for effective marketing• Templates can dull your unique voice• Trusting your own ideas builds confidence• Self-respect matters more than self-esteem• Creativity is a muscle — use it• Relying on prompts weakens creative thinking• Start with your own thoughts first• Rebuilding creativity strengthens agency

→ Make we connect over on Instagram @balanceandbuildtherapy