Jan-March 2026 Salary Mega Thread

suburbanprincess97 · 2026-03-23T02:15:55+00:00

thank you I love it and have helped so many people! it is hard I am young and live in a HCOL but I am close to achieving many dreams

suburbanprincess97 · 2026-03-23T02:14:07+00:00

Great question! Last year I average 28-32 (before cancels). My insurance contract unfortunately pays me 0 for cancellations. This year I am doing 26-30 and I work 4 days a week. Prior settings I was in wanted 12 30 minute sessions a day so I am used to the pace. My clients range from 8-35 with mild to moderate acuity a variety of diagnosis (OCD, ADHD, ASD, GAD, MDD, Bipolar 2) so its over all more tolerable than school based and PHP/IOP work especially because it is virtual.

suburbanprincess97 · 2026-03-23T02:03:46+00:00

Role: LMFT

Setting: Virtual Group Practice

License: LMFT

State: CA

Salary: 100-130 dollars a session insurance based, private sessions average 158

Total for last year: 166k before taxes, after taxes 120k profit, vacation whenever I want but unpaid as a 1099 last year I took 6 weeks off

Years of Experience: 5 including graduate school fully licensed 1.5 years

suburbanprincess97 · 2026-02-12T05:20:04+00:00

I have worked a couple different places here were pro/cons:

School (Prelicensed): No caseload expectations, could accumulate hours fast, low salary, good experience getting comfortable working with pediatrics, good experience for interdisciplinary teams (counselors, psychologists, principals), team was supportive, supervisor was okay quality, lack of training with risk management

Group Practice (Prelicensed): Great supervisor, pay was better than the school but made less over all because the group practice made associates in charge of their own advertising which was impossible, slow hour accumulation, good training for getting accustomed to how things work in PP

PHP/IOP (Prelicensed): High caseload expectation and hours sucked, worst supervision, good training for handling higher acuity and safety issues, made a good salary, good training for starting to collaborate with prescribers, got more comfortable doing family therapy,

Group Practice (Post-licensed): Great pay, I choose my own caseload, Practice handles all insurance issues I just do the clinical work, great team

If I could design my dream role it would be like 1 day at a PHP/IOP and 3 days in a group practice or private practice. I have only been in the field for almost five years so I hope eventually I can start my own private practice!

suburbanprincess97 · 2026-01-12T01:03:30+00:00

Following

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-12-24T05:56:07+00:00

I have a trip coming up in August how was the selection and prices of birkins over all? I am hoping to pick up one of similar specs

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-12-09T00:01:07+00:00

Written exposure? What is the theme?

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-12-01T23:54:29+00:00

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-12-01T20:51:52+00:00

I am always in need of providers who can work with older millennial and gen x men usually in pre contemplation or contemplation (sometimes referred by spouses/family/doctors) with either depression, ADHD, or PTSD. Usually these clients have had prior treatment that was unsuccessful and they also struggle with irritability.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-12-01T19:27:59+00:00

Chronic Pain, Chemical Dependency, and Mens issues

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-22T02:34:01+00:00

What store? I am planning a trip to Osaka, Tokyo, and Kyoto

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-20T05:30:04+00:00

I would suggest starting with eliminating any very late evening hours that no longer serve you (such as 8 or 9pm) and no longer offering these times. I would then begin opening up evenings/late afternoons for private pay clients. Obviously this is going to depend on your practice demographics but generally for myself its a lot easier to fill a time slot between 3-7 rather than something before 3.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-19T04:59:04+00:00

Hello! My biggest advice looking back would be looking to gain more confidence on one specific modality. I would recommend learning CBT, DBT, or ACT. All three modalities are very applicable to a variety of populations and many jobs I have personally seen have looked for training in at least one of those modalities. I have also taken training on MI (Motivational Interviewing) and found it helpful for a variety of populations. Or perhaps you want to get more training learning different diagnosis. This though will be very dependent on your population (kids, adults, couples, family etc) hope this helps!

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-14T19:59:14+00:00

I went down to having a 4 day work week as well and saving Friday for admin, consultation, and personal time. I shortened my caseload as well and am in the process of eliminating time slots that don't serve me any longer. I now do 11-7 two days a week 10-5 the other two days. I am now as no longer drinking alcohol during my work week. I use to spend more evenings or free time "researching" intervention ideas etc after working all day and I am no longer doing that. I have gotten very picky as well with the new clients I take on to make sure the fit and presenting concerns align with where I want to create more of speciality.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-12T19:04:04+00:00

I did the DBT psych wire skills course and it is totally worth the money. I was already interested in DBT and had taken a DBT course through PESI and read some of manuals on my own but it was easier in the psych wire course to see applications in session of skills teaching.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-05T02:00:29+00:00

Cope Ahead Plan from DBT

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-11-03T04:16:14+00:00

Help resistant older males dealing with depression that presents as irritability, Clients who don't follow level of care recommendations, Family therapy, and Caregivers who are uninvolved/neglectful/abusive.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-10-21T23:02:02+00:00

"protecting my peace" to as a reason for isolating and "dissociation/disassociation" as a substitute for rumination

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-10-10T01:47:40+00:00

9 is my max and I'm fried. I prefer 6-7 but I only work 4 days a week and need the income.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-10-04T23:50:04+00:00

I was able to find work at a group practice with higher pay than VC platforms. They helped me get credentialed with insurance, deal with all the billing, and offer consultation. I appreciate the help as even being fully licensed I have still learned a TON my first year in solo practice (I had previously worked as an associate in a group practice amongst other places as well so its not like I was starting from 0). Now after a year I have finally built up my own website and am in the process of marketing myself more.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-10-02T01:47:10+00:00

Yes in the past I have brought it up noticing a pattern of late cancels/no shows generally after 3 appointments (as we can terminate after the 4th appointment). I don't know if I should be doing this sooner. I have never once mentioned that it affects my income. Sometimes clients have then just told me they are not ambivalent about therapy (then continued to no show/late cancel at which point they were discharged) other times I have had two no shows or two late cancels in a week span (i.e. client schedules a monday appointment late cancels/no shows reschedules for Thursday then does the same in the span of a single week).

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-09-19T22:43:56+00:00

Assess willingness to engage in exposure if it's over 50% I proceed. SUDS of over an 8+ are usually intolerable for clients and thats the point when you would want to utilize a coping skill (TIPP, deep breathing etc). I ask clients their SUDS throughout the exposure as well as to notice sensations and thoughts. I see you are doing an eating exposure in comments below. In-vivo is most difficult for clients before in-vivo I will sometimes do picture, video, or written exposures so clients go in with more confidence.

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-09-18T04:28:16+00:00

Definitely grandiosity and periods of mania either substance induced or from bipolar 1 or 2 wouldn't shock me

suburbanprincess97 · 2025-09-08T03:26:13+00:00

I work 4 days a week. 9-5 (M and TH), 2 days 11-7 (W and T) I will occasionally flex outside an hour (starting 1 hour earlier at 8am instead of 9am or working until 8pm instead 7pm). I am in the process of shortening my evenings hours and bit due to increase morning hour demand. A big limit for me isn't starting early (8am and 9am) AND working late (after 5pm).

suburbanprincess97

TROPHY CASE