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What if the heaviest part of private practice isn’t the clinical work — it’s everything around it?
In this episode of the Private Practice Elevation Podcast, you’ll learn how to build a practice that actually supports you and not just your clients.
We cover where overwhelm really comes from, how to set a foundation that keeps your practice from running you ragged, and the small, doable steps you can take to get the joy back.
Here’s the problem: most therapists drift into their practice.
You start solo, you do things one way because you’re the only one doing them, and before long the admin, the paperwork, and the after-hours notes have quietly taken over. You’re working all the time and something just feels off, but you don’t have the space to step back and figure out why.
Today Daniel is talking with Damien Adler, registered psychologist and co-founder of Zanda, a complete practice management system used by tens of thousands of practitioners across more than 20 countries. Damien built a group private practice with his wife before turning his focus to technology, which gives him a rare view: he’s lived the admin overwhelm himself, and now he sees the same patterns play out across thousands of practices worldwide.
This Episode Answers…
How do I build a therapy practice that supports me, not just my clients?
It starts with a question most owners skip: what do you actually want from your practice — professionally and personally? Flexibility, financial freedom, the right kind of clients, time with your family. Damien encourages every owner to define this, even if you’ve been in practice for ten years.
From there, get honest about what success really means to you, and anchor it to what’s meaningful rather than vanity metrics like headcount or top-line revenue. (You can grow your top line and still not be profitable.)
Why do so many private practices end up running their owners ragged?
Because they’re never intentionally designed. Most practices operate in an idiosyncratic way — built around the owner, or around one key admin person who knows how everything works. That feels fine until it isn’t. It’s not a system anyone else could step into, which leaves the whole practice vulnerable.
And without the right systems, owners get so buried in clinical and admin work that they can’t step back to fix it. The cycle feeds itself.
Where do I actually start if I’m already overwhelmed?
Small. Pick one thing — a task that eats extra time, something repetitive, or just a task you don’t enjoy — and either automate it or delegate it.
Start a written list of everything that’s bugging you (an old-school notebook is fine), and don’t let the length scare you. Break it down, start with easy wins or high-impact items, and schedule recurring time to work on the business instead of just in it. It compounds faster than you’d think.
Other Key Takeaways
- Why your training prepared you for clinical work but not for running a business
- How “vanity metrics” like staff count and revenue can pull you away from what you actually want
- Why a practice built around one key admin person is a hidden risk, not a strength
- How most practice management systems can do far more than scheduling — automations, client bookings, payments, integrated insurance
- Where AI genuinely lightens the load: drafting SOPs and writing clinical notes in your own style, saving roughly 15 minutes per session
- Why you should block recurring quarterly time in your calendar now — before it gets bumped
- How bouncing your schedule off your partner or close friends surfaces stress you can’t see yourself
- Why feeling overwhelmed by the business side is the norm, not a personal failing
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 186. From Burned-out Psychologist to Software Entrepreneur with Damien Adler
- Zanda Health Website
- Damien on LinkedIn and X
- Damien’s Substack
Watch The Video:
This Episode Is Brought To You By The Following Sponsors:
Zanda practice management software is excited to partner with Private Practice Elevation Podcast to support practitioners with simple, secure tools that reduce admin and strengthen practice operations. Together, we’re helping practitioners spend less time on paperwork and more time with clients.
If you’re ready to spend less time on admin and more time with clients, visit zandahealth.com to start your free trial.
Alma is on a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care by giving providers the tools they need to build thriving in-network private practices. When providers join Alma, they gain access to insurance support, teletherapy software, client referrals, automated billing and scheduling tools, and a vibrant community of clinicians who come together for education, training, and events.
Learn more about building a thriving private practice with Alma at helloalma.com/elevation.
About Damien Adler
Damien Adler is a registered psychologist, entrepreneur and co-founder of Zanda Health, a global practice management software. He comes from a background in health administration, previously holding senior positions in the public health sector. He later founded a successful group private practice, and it was here that Damien discovered his passion for utilizing technology to make life easier for health practitioners.
These days, Damien dedicates his time to improving healthcare practices through technology. His unique insights stem from working closely with thousands of practitioners worldwide, from hospital settings to private practices, allowing him to identify universal challenges and opportunities within allied health.
About Daniel Fava
Daniel Fava is the owner and founder of Private Practice Elevation, a website and SEO agency focused on helping private practice owners create websites that increase their online visibility and attract more clients. Private Practice Elevation offers web design services, SEO (search engine optimization), and WordPress support to help private practice owners grow their businesses through online marketing.
Daniel lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife Liz, and two energetic boys. When he’s not working he enjoys hiking by the river, watching hockey, and enjoying a dram of bourbon.
