Practice to Profit: Simple Business Growth Strategies for Sustainable Success

From 1:1 Sessions to Passive Income Courses: A Play Therapist’s Growth Story with Lynn McLean

• Jenny Melrose: Business Strategist • Episode 481

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Ever wished the parenting advice that actually works could meet you on your couch, at your pace, right when a meltdown is brewing? We sit down with play therapist and LCSW-S Lynn McLean to unpack how she transformed her parent coaching from room-bound sessions to flexible, evergreen online courses—without losing the heart of her work.

Lynn shares the moment-by-moment realities that drove the shift: parents stretched thin, the whiplash from Zoom fatigue, and the need to revisit strategies when kids hit new phases. She breaks down the skills that travel across ages—like reflecting feelings and smoothing transitions—and explains why lifetime access matters when your toddler becomes a teen. You’ll hear how a simple opt-in guide about why popular parenting trends stall warms up new listeners, how Facebook, SEO, and a short weekly show called Tantrum of the Week pull fresh families into her orbit, and why early enrollments often come from relationships built over years in practice.

We also go behind the build: the two-to-three month recording and platform ramp-up, the six-month idea-to-launch arc while running a full caseload, and the candid battle with imposter syndrome. Lynn outlines a clean playbook for therapists eyeing passive income: name the outcomes you deliver, structure content for clarity and reuse, lean on email to nurture trust, and borrow speed through masterminds and expert help. The result is a sustainable model that protects your energy, multiplies your impact, and gives parents tools they can replay on hard days.

If you’re a parent craving practical, evidence-based help or a clinician ready to scale your reach, this conversation offers a grounded roadmap and real-world examples you can copy. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs calmer mornings, and leave a review to tell us the next parenting challenge you want solved.

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Jenny:

She loved helping one-on-one clients, but it limited her growth by being stuck in the therapy office. Lynn McLean is sharing how she was able to transform her business by introducing passive income through online courses. Hi, Lynn. Welcome to the podcast. How are you?

Lynn:

Hi, thanks. I'm good. I'm so happy to be here. Thanks for inviting me.

Jenny:

Of course. I am super excited to have this conversation about from one-to-one sessions to passive income on courses. I, before we actually jump into that, will you introduce yourself and your business? Tell us a little bit about what this exactly you do.

Lynn:

Absolutely. So I'm Lynn McLean and I am a child and family therapist. I'm a licensed clinical social worker and supervisor. And I decided at the outset of my career to really focus on kids and parents. And so I am a registered play therapist and supervisor. And I have a private practice in Houston, Texas.

Jenny:

Okay, very good. And you have recently added in for what you do to creating courses. Tell us a little bit about how that came about.

Lynn:

So I have always loved teaching parents as much as I know about how they can interact with their kids in a way that works. And I had courses in person that were highly successful, loved them, parents loved them, and then COVID hit. So we couldn't really do things in person. We moved them virtually, and everybody was a hundred percent on board until we all got back to business as usual. And I feel like then it was a shift to people didn't want to be on the computer, they were busy. It was a very different um priority. People didn't want to come back into the office for that. And so I thought, well, I really want them to still have the material. And so I decided to put things online so they could grab them when it was convenient. And um it's a great resource for my um in-person clients as well, because I can tell their parents, hey, listen, if you do this class, it works great, and you can do it on your own time and you don't have to come back in and it's more affordable.

Jenny:

Yeah, I love it. Yeah. And would you say there was a specific moment when you realized that trading your time for money in the therapy room wasn't sustainable anymore and that the courses were a great way to have that passive income?

Lynn:

That's such a great question. I don't remember one defining moment that I was like, this is a thing. And you know, I've been doing this a long time, and I think um you start to realize the scope of the need that's out there. And I realized if I could make things available to people who may not even be in Houston, that it would be a good resource. And if I spend my time writing and recording, promoting a course, it is um so many fewer hours, but could potentially reach so many different people. So I have a real passion for doing that. And honestly, it is a way for me to scale back a bit and have some passive income. Talk about trading time for money. Love being in the in the room with my little clients, and I love being with their parents and giving them like individual guidance. But if I could um reduce some of that and still get paid, like that's a great way to reduce wear and tear on the therapist.

Jenny:

Yes. Oh my goodness, yes. And like you said, we're able to impact that many more people by offering them the classes online like that. So it just is a win-win for everyone. What fears or hesitations did you have about creating a course as a therapist?

Lynn:

I think I have relied so heavily, and I mean, honestly, I love the individual contact and the personal contact with people. So thinking about putting um information out there to folks without being directly in front of them was a big hesitation for me. Uh, because when I'm even if I'm virtual with a parent, I can kind of read their feedback and go, okay, it looks like you have a question. So I had wondered about the impact of that, but I think people still enjoy having time on their couch after they've been at work or lunch hour that they can just move through the material on their own. I think that they gain in convenience what I felt like I was losing in the direct connection. And then honestly, I'm not gonna lie, I have imposter syndrome about it. Like, who am I to put this information out? So that was a huge stumbling block for me and one that I just decided to get over again, because if I thought if I can get this material out there for people, that is a bigger priority than worrying about my own insecurities.

Jenny:

Yes. We always talk about the fact that when you actually hold back from putting something out there, which letting that imposter syndrome actually take over, it's almost turns into being selfish because you have such a great solution for them. So if you can push through and be able to put it out there, it's gonna help that many more people. So yes, that's the hope. Yeah. Yes. So how long did it take you from idea to launch timeline wise? And you were obviously still running your practice at the same time as well.

Lynn:

Yeah. Um, that's another one of those great questions that I don't think I have super clear idea because it was a lot of conceptualizing. And so you know this about me. I didn't have a whole lot of this technology under my belt, and so I had to learn a whole bunch of how to do it. So it took me probably a couple months to really get uh the idea about how I was going to record the course, getting the course together, getting the presentation together, and recording it, and then finding a platform to put it on, all of that. It was probably a two or three months. And then I was working at the same time on having an opt-in for my email list to um to promote it. So, you know, all in it was probably from you know, hesitation, anxiety, procrastination, learning curve. It might have been about a six-month process of making it all work, if I'm being honest. It was I was not one of those. Guess what? I had an idea and I did it already. I wasn't one of those people.

Jenny:

That was what I was gonna ask me. I've had a feeling that in all in all, through masterminds, it's probably been about six months when we started talking about it to getting it out there. And we did, I mean, six months though, to be working full time in the therapy office and then also adding on different content that's uh like you said, an opt-in to grow your email list, all the things that had to be added in. Uh, six months is quick for a lot of people, probably sitting back listening, going, holy crap, that's amazing. Um, so I know you hesitated with that, but it it's fast for a lot of people. So, what role did your email list or existing audience play in your sales of the course?

Lynn:

It's been fun for me to see old and new faces show up in the course enrollments notifications. So I've had people who have followed me because maybe they brought their kid in, or maybe they knew me personally, and just adding something of value to them, they were like, Oh, yeah, add to cart. So that was those relationships, relationship in our field is a huge thing, and and that yielded sales. Um, the other really fun thing for me is seeing people, I have never seen their name, sign up for the um email opt-in and then later purchase either my big course or um the the smaller one because it lets me know that people are out there finding the information and and they are not somebody who would have ever known me. And it's a great um, it's a great feeling to go back to that idea of like being able to impact people who may not even be able to bring their kid to me. Like, oh, okay, they can get some parenting input. And so that's been great. The the other piece of it that I didn't really consider when I thought about it as passive income was the benefit that it adds to my in-person clients. So, as part of my intake process now, I give them a discount on the online courses, and that's part of the follow-up email. It's like, hey, listen, if you really want your kid to make good progress, I have this workshop and I also have an online class, and you these are discounted uh rates at this link, and you can sign up, and it really helps me feel like I'm supporting my in-person clients in a different way, in a richer way than I could before.

Jenny:

Yes. And I remember when we first started talking about the idea of being able to utilize your clients that you have already, because as a parent of an ADH child that was seeking a therapist to be able to be on the same page using the language that she uses and the techniques that she uses. For me, I was like, Oh, yeah, that's a no-brainer. I'll give it to me, like right now. Let me have it. Please, please, please. Right. So, and I think that was part of it in one of the masterminds that came up, and you had another mom in the group as well that was telling you the same thing. I would sign up for whatever you're offering. Like, I obviously am bringing you to help my child, but at the same time, we as parents need to know that language that we should be using. A lot of times we just don't know it. Um, so I love the fact that you're utilizing more and more of your clients that you already are seeing in person and then are able to also bring in people that you've never even seen before, never didn't even have their email. So, how do you feel like those people are finding you?

Lynn:

Um, I think people live on Facebook. So I do a promotion on Facebook. I um have pretty good Google um juice around parent coaching, parent education, and I am um I launched a podcast, and so I'm promoting that as well. So the Tantrum of the Week podcast. So people are hearing from me about how I support them as parents and how I would support their kids. And again, it's all about sharing all the play therapy skills I know. You don't have to be a play therapist, you don't have to be a play therapist as a parent. You can just absolutely like use a different tone or a different strategy with your kids. So those are the the ways I'm really looking to connect with people.

Jenny:

Yes. And you actually also offer an opt-in or a freebie so that they can have that first step of a little bit of a transformation. What is your opt-in that you offer right now? Is it a workshop or is it a guide?

Lynn:

It's a guide. Um, it's a play therapist explains why these top parenting trends are not working at your house and what you could try instead. I think there's so much information out there. It's amazing. Like if you get on TikTok on your for you page or Instagram, if your algorithm knows that you're looking for those things, they're really like the top people in my field are out there giving information. And it can be so hard to know how to individualize it for your kid and you're doing all the right things, but you're like, why isn't gentle parenting working at my house? And so I just wrote a little, I think it's a top five or top six. Like these are amazing trends, and I love that people are gentle parenting, but here's what you might need to add to that to actually get your kid to put his socks on so you can get him to school on time. So that's it. That and it's quick and easy, and it's not just here's why those things are wrong. It's here's some ideas about how to make things work better at your house.

Jenny:

Yes, yes, and it's that top tier of like how you actually start to bring people in. So if they're listening to the podcast, you offer that guide as part of the podcast. It's like, hey, make sure that you go and grab this, it's gonna continue to help you. So they come in from there and then they just continue to get nurtured through the podcast, through the blog content, everything that you're offering to see that you are the expert that they need in their lives.

Lynn:

Yeah, and hopefully, you know, it really resonates for them. Maybe my voice is the one that makes a difference. Maybe, you know, or if they find the podcast, I'm also putting things on YouTube. I'm trying to just get information in the ways that people want to hear it. So if they like to watch a video, great. 10-minute podcast on their morning walk, great. A quick email in their inbox. Here's, oh, there's a podcast out, or here's a quick parenting tip. I just really my heart is in supporting parents and and helping them then support their kids in a way that works.

Jenny:

Yes. Oh my goodness. So, how do you feel that your clients or students benefit from having access to your courses at their own time when they need it?

Lynn:

I mean, I don't have to tell you, parent parents are stretched so thin right now. And I feel like if you can use something online, and I know that courses online now, people are getting a little tired of those too. But I think when you're looking at something like parenting, where you get emotionally overwhelmed, if you can go back, and people have lifetime access to my courses. It's not like you have two weeks to take them and oh well, I spent that money and I'm never gonna get it back. It you can go back in and listen again. Okay, what was that tip about um helping kids through transitions? What did she say about reflecting feelings? Really, I want it to be evergreen content, which it is. I mean, it's stuff I use in my job and have for 30 years. So I feel like it's a way for them to get what they want when they can use it, go back to it when they need. And there's a lot of self-help stuff in the big parent class. Like, what are your goals? What do you want your kid to do? How are you gonna know they're doing it? Here's a worksheet on that, so that they can really make their way through and dig in and get something that helps and makes a difference.

Jenny:

Yes. And I love that you gave them lifetime access to the course because let's be honest, things change. Our kids go through different stages. Um, it's funny because Tabby was actually a guest two episodes ago, and she mentioned you how you're such a wonderful play therapist and how the parents, though, sometimes need to be able to recover their nervous system. So she actually offered them up some ideas of ways to kind of fix that nervous system, get out of that kind of fight or flight kind of mode that we can be sometimes in with our kids. Um, and I just for me as a parent, watching mine go from 80 bitty to now 16 and driving, it is a lot of transitions. That was something that Abby and I talked about. So the fact that you I'll give them that evergreen access to be able to go in and be reminded of the things that can help them kind of fix things with their kids. I love that. And I think a course is just so important for that.

Lynn:

Yeah, absolutely. And you know, you never go wrong with a skill as as basic as reflecting feelings. So it works for a three-year-old in a different way than it works for a 16-year-old, or honestly, it works for colleagues. I had a dad come back to class one time and tell me, you know, this really works on everyone. And I was telling me more. And he said, We have a guy that just keep complains in every meeting. And I learned about reflecting feelings. And so I said, You sound really frustrated about that. And the guy said, I am, and he shut up and we could go on with the meeting. So I love that you're doing it, and yeah, you can use it for people of all ages, and but when your kids go through their different phases, it it applies every age. Yes.

Jenny:

So let me ask you this. What's the first step a therapist should take if they're considering passive income as courses?

Lynn:

I think the first thing is really to um speak clearly and um confidently about what you do bring to the table. So, to your earlier point, you know what, you're not serving your clients or potential clients by going, oh, people probably don't want to hear from me. You probably know a lot more than you're willing to admit. So think about what that is and think about where your passion lies. Because we as therapists, that's usually the motivating factor. I want to reach people, I want to help people. So that can be your impetus. And then to your earlier point, also thinking about okay, how can this save wear and tear? Because therapist burnout is a big deal, but we still need to make money, like, still got to pay that house note. So it's one of those things that we can do to help protect ourselves, serve our clients. And then I do love all of your courses have applied so beautifully to my path. Like, okay, I know how to get people to bring their kids in for play therapy, but how do I reach, you know, a wider audience for this stuff? So learning about email marketing and learning about ways of promoting things for people to understand who I am. That's been huge. Seeking professional expertise. You don't have to bootstrap it. You know, I could tell everybody about how to do a play therapy practice, but I didn't know anything about email marketing. So highly recommend seeking expertise and hiring help if you need.

Jenny:

Yeah, no, a hundred percent. Um, I think one of my favorite programs has always been my mastermind groups because it gives us an opportunity to not only be potential people that could be your clients, right? Like as a parent myself of a kid that goes to therapy, it would make so much sense for me to want a course like this, to be able to help with that. But at the same time, having an expertise in different areas of email marketing or a podcast or how to make sure that we understand SEO or YouTube. There's just the mastermind always just brings together such an amazing amount of uh knowledge into one place and a very strong idea of where we're trying to go with our goals to provide that accountability that we so often need.

Lynn:

Yes. And I was gonna say the accountability has been huge for me. Um, asking for help has been huge for me. You have you put together amazing groups in the masterminds of people who know all kinds of really great things. You know, that that six months that it took me to really decide to put things out there and end up with a product that people could purchase, that would have been honestly 18 months if I had tried to figure all that myself, which is my typical way of doing things. So that's another big advice for anybody thinking about doing it, whether you're a therapist or in an unrelated field, find out who can teach you and find out who can do it at a much lower rate, probably, than what you might charge. Um, and and make those things work for you. Ask for help. Yes. No, absolutely.

Jenny:

So I appreciate you, Lynn, so much. I am going to make sure that we are linking to your play, how your guide that explains why parenting trends don't always work. And so they can make sure that they grab that. It's gonna be linked in the show notes. And uh tell us, remind us another time of your podcast because podcast listeners listen to other podcasts. So if you're a parent listening, definitely check out Lynn's podcast. Remind us of the name of it again.

Lynn:

It's called Tantrum of the Week because there's always a new one happening at your house. So it's a quick listen. It's available everywhere that you listen to your podcasts. And we um we really aim to get out about one a week.

Jenny:

Excellent. Yes, we're gonna make sure we link to that as well. Lynn, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me and share your knowledge with my audience. I appreciate you.

Lynn:

Thank you.

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Jenny Melrose

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