If you’re running (or building) a private pay practice, chances are you’ve put a lot of thought into how to make it sustainable — for your clients, and for yourself.

But even smart, thoughtful therapists can unintentionally hold themselves back from building the practice they actually want. Over time, we’ve seen a handful of patterns come up again and again. Not because therapists don’t know what they’re doing — but because no one teaches this stuff in grad school.

Here are three common mistakes we see all the time — and some ideas for what to do instead.

1. Casting too wide a net

It’s completely understandable. You want to help people. You don’t want to exclude anyone. And especially if you’re early in private practice, it feels safer to keep things broad — more people = more potential clients, right?

But the opposite is usually true.

When your messaging is too general, it’s harder for potential clients to feel like you’re the right fit. They might browse your site or your Psychology Today profile and walk away thinking, “They seem great, but I’m not sure they specialize in what I need.”

The more specific you are — not just in your clinical work but in how you talk about what you do — the more you stand out.

Instead of:

“I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, or life transitions.”

Try something more grounded and client-facing:

“I work with women in high-pressure careers who are feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, and burned out — and want to find their way back to themselves.”

It doesn’t mean you can’t work with other people. It just means the right people will find you more easily — and feel more confident reaching out.

2. Undercharging out of guilt

Let’s just name it: charging for therapy can feel awkward. Especially when you care deeply about making mental health accessible. It’s easy to start from a place of, “What feels reasonable?” instead of, “What’s actually sustainable?”

But undercharging — especially long-term — is one of the fastest ways to burn out. It’s not just about covering your expenses. It’s about being resourced enough to keep doing this work with clarity and energy.

A good litmus test: if you’re consistently undercharging and overextending yourself because you feel bad raising your rate… that’s not a sustainable model. It’s self-sacrifice disguised as generosity.

And here’s something that often gets overlooked: many clients can get reimbursed through insurance even if you’re private pay. Which brings us to…

3. Not supporting out-of-network reimbursement

A lot of therapists assume that once they leave insurance panels, clients are on their own. But that’s not necessarily true.

Most PPO plans include out-of-network benefits — meaning clients can get a portion of your fee reimbursed after the fact. But if you don’t offer a superbill or explain how it works, clients might never realize it’s an option.

And while the insurance world can feel messy and opaque, you don’t have to navigate it alone — or become an expert.

That’s where tools like Mentaya come in. We help clients get reimbursed automatically through their insurance (without the paperwork headache). And when clients know that’s available, paying your full fee feels a lot more doable — and fair.

It’s not just about offering a form. It’s about removing friction and giving people a path to access care and use the benefits they’re already paying for.

Bringing it all together

You don’t need to do everything perfectly. But here’s what we’ve seen make the biggest difference:

• Clarity over generality. Don’t try to speak to everyone — speak directly to the people you’re best equipped to help.
• Sustainability over scarcity. Your rate should support the kind of care you want to give, long-term.
• Access without burnout. You can charge your full rate and support clients using insurance — it doesn’t have to be either/or.

At Mentaya, we’re here to help make that last part easier. So you can focus on your clients, not claims. And build a practice that actually works — for you and the people you serve.