Why Therapists Are Broke (And Will Stay That Way)

I just got back from a conference in Miami, and I’ll be honest—I left feeling like I needed another hour on stage. Not because people weren’t paying attention. They were locked in. But because I know that most of them will go back home… and do nothing.

And THAT is exactly why so many therapists are broke.

Let’s talk about it.

1. The Middle Class Is the New Poor

Most therapists are middle class. And the sad truth is—the middle class doesn’t work anymore.

Back in the day, middle-class folks could build wealth through homeownership. You bought a house, watched it appreciate, and by the time you hit retirement, boom—you had an asset.

That’s dead now.

When I bought my first house in 2003, it was $180K. My mortgage? $1,200/month. Today, that SAME house is probably $500K, with a mortgage of $3,500–$4,000/month. And yet, therapist salaries haven’t scaled to match this new reality.

If you’re making $75K–$85K a year, how are you affording a $500K house with a 7% interest rate? Spoiler alert: you’re not.

So while you’re still playing by the old middle-class rules, the system has changed the game on you.

2. No Systems, No Leverage

This is the biggest problem. Therapists have NO systems.

Everything is custom. Every eval. Every treatment plan. Every piece of patient education. It all relies on YOU manually doing the work every single time.

No systems = no scale. No scale = no leverage. No leverage = you’re stuck trading time for money FOREVER.

And that’s exactly why so many therapists are afraid of building systems. They think, “If I turn this into a repeatable process, won’t that make me less valuable?”

No! That makes you more valuable. It means you can help MORE people, while spending LESS time.

I systemized my entire PT practice. I turned what I did into repeatable, scalable frameworks. I took the same knowledge I used in the clinic and turned it into courses, coaching, and digital products. That’s how you break free.

3. Therapists Are Stuck in the Wrong Wealth Era

Here’s something most people don’t realize—wealth-building moves in eras.

• From 1950 to 1970, wealth was built through distribution. That’s when the traditional clinic model worked. You provided a service, got paid, and built a business.

• But today? Wealth is built through partnerships and AI.

If you’re still trying to “grind it out” in a clinic-based model, you’re operating in a DEAD wealth era. You’re competing against rising costs, decreasing reimbursements, and increased administrative headaches.

Meanwhile, the people making the BIGGEST money today? They’re leveraging AI, automation, and digital products. They’re not just working harder—they’re working smarter.

Here’s the Bottom Line…

If you’re a therapist and you’re broke (or barely scraping by), it’s because:

1. You’re still playing by middle-class rules that no longer work.

2. You have zero systems, so you’re stuck in a time-for-money trap.

3. You’re operating in a dead wealth era instead of adapting to where the money is actually being made.

So the question is—are you gonna keep struggling for 6.6% Medicare raises that won’t even cover inflation? Or are you finally ready to X what you’re doing and build real wealth?

Because the therapists who figure this out? They don’t just survive.

They thrive.

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