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Listen to How She Filled Her Caseload with Less than 300 Instagram Followers, with Therapist Katy Hagenbach on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice
I’m honored to welcome Katy Hagenbach to the podcast today!
Katy Hagenbach is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate, EMDR-trained therapist, and founder of a private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. She specializes in working with high-functioning women navigating anxiety, burnout, identity, and self-trust.
Before becoming a therapist, Katy spent a decade in corporate banking and recruiting, an experience that continues to shape the way she understands ambition, achievement, burnout, and the invisible pressures many women carry.
Today, she’s passionate about helping women reconnect with themselves through therapy, while also sharing thoughtful, relatable content online around what she calls Modern Womanhood. Outside the therapy office, she’s a wife, mom, girls-girl, and co-founder of Charlotte Healing Collective.
When Katy started her private practice, she assumed she’d need 10k Instagram followers to attract private-pay clients.
But guess what? She FILLED her caseload with fewer than 50 followers!
Today, 90% of her clients are private pay, and 90% come from Instagram.
The best part? She’s built those results while posting just TWICE a week.
No massive audience. No viral Reels. Just intentional content that speaks directly to the women she wants to work with!
In today’s episode, we’re talking about how she filled her caseload with less than 300 Instagram followers.
Katy got crystal clear on her niche. She worked through imposter syndrome AND learned to show up authentically online (even when it felt incredibly uncomfortable at first).
The prompts in the Reels Membership were a HUGE help for Katy. She’s been able to create content that connects + use a simple Instagram ad to get in front of potential clients!
We’re also diving into why Katy’s talking-to-camera Reels consistently bring in the most inquiries. She’s learned that being herself was actually one of her biggest marketing strengths!
Katy’s story is such a powerful reminder that you don’t need thousands of followers or a complicated content strategy. You don’t need to spend HOURS on Instagram every day to build a successful private practice.
You NEED clarity, consistency + the confidence to keep showing up. Start where you are, and speak to the people you want to help.
Remember – a small audience can still create BIG results!
In this episode, How She Filled Her Caseload with Less than 300 Instagram Followers, with Therapist Katy Hagenbach, we cover:
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- Building a successful private-pay practice w/a small Instagram following
- Getting clear on your niche & speaking directly to your ideal clients
- Overcoming imposter syndrome + showing up authentically online
- Using consistent Reels & strategic Instagram ads to attract clients
- Why talking-to-camera Reels can drive more inquiries than viral content
- Thinking like a business owner and exploring opportunities beyond 1:1 therapy
Resources & Links:
⭐️ This episode is sponsored by Jane – use code: KELLY2MONTH for a 2-month grace period
⭐️ This episode is sponsored by Alma, the financially rewarding way to go in-network
⭐️ Private Practice Academy Bundle (PPA)
⭐️ Reels Membership
⭐️ Business Coaching Waitlist
⭐️ Free training
⭐️ Caption Guide
Connect with Katy:
- Follow on Instagram @therapywithkaty
- Check out her Substack
- Check out her website
Related Episodes:
- Episode 63: How to Get Clients from Instagram with a Small Following with Trauma Therapist Sarra Lashhab
- Episode 71: Courses & Scaling Beyond 1:1 Therapy Q&A
- Episode 85: Scaling Beyond 1-1 Therapy with a Small Instagram Audience with EMDR Therapist Carolyn Solo
More about the Business of Therapy podcast:
Are you a passionate therapist that’s burnt out and ready to transition to private pay? You’re asking yourself questions like “how do I build a business?”, “how can I effectively use Instagram to market myself” and “how can I scale a private practice?”
Welcome to the Business of Therapy podcast where we’ll answer those questions and more! Here you’ll find honest conversations about the good and the bad of being a therapist, tactical advice and best practices for marketing yourself on Instagram, and solidarity and community to find your own version of success as a therapist.
Join your host, Kelly McKenna, and her guests as they dive deeper into topics such as navigating burn out, mastering your mindset and boundaries, and tactics and strategies for marketing on Instagram, and more!
Kelly is a licensed therapist and business coach who grew her private practice on Instagram and has helped thousands of other therapists market themselves on social media, and effectively start and scale their private practice.
These episodes will leave you feeling empowered and equipped to take action towards your dream of a successful private practice.
Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!