Retreats, Rest & Revenue: The Dual Life of a Clinician-Entrepreneur

Feeling fried, curious about therapist retreats, or secretly dreaming of side hustles for therapists that will actually restore you? We get it - and we made this episode for clinicians who want rest and revenue without the shame spiral.

We sit with Amy Johnston, founder of The Exhale Collective, to unpack how a practicing clinician builds therapist retreats into a life-saving creative business. We get candid about therapist burnout, the logistics of running international retreats, and how to launch side hustles for therapists alongside your clinical work.

This episode balances the hard numbers (deposits, payment plans, marketing) with the softer, lifesaving stuff - how a well-designed wellness trips for women rekindles joy, reduces overwhelm, and gives clinicians permission to exhale.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• How Amy turned weekend cabin experiments into full-scale therapist retreats - and the exact planning step that stopped her from losing money on a trip (yes, there was an “oh-shit” moment)…
• The real anatomy of therapist burnout for mid-career clinicians - why time off alone isn’t enough and what ritualized presence looks like in practice…
• Practical ways to fund side hustles for therapists without quitting your day job
• How to design therapist retreats experiences that heal versus just “vacation”

Ready to hear the messy, honest roadmap - the wins, the disasters, and the exact next steps Amy used to get from idea to an alternate stream of income? Press play and listen to the full episode now.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

Connect with us!

Podcast Website: www.offthechair.com

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Amy Johnston

Website: www.the-exhale-collective.com

Instagram: @the-exhale-collective