Nothing pushes your buttons like taking action steps to grow your practice, right? You know what I mean if you’ve ever stood up to talk about your work — and your heart felt like it would burst through your chest. Or if you’ve gotten this close to asking for a referral, but at the last minute you chickened out. Or if you’ve ever had a client who needed more sessions, but you were too worried about looking pushy to bring it up. 

If any of that sounds painfully familiar, give yourself a big hug. Because you came by those issues honestly. 

As human beings, we are all biologically wired with a craving to belong. That’s why we have such a deep-seated aversion to being seen as deficient or anything less than stellar. And that, in turn, brings up fears of being isolated — or worse, of being kicked out of the tribe. So anything we do to grow our practice that brings us to the attention of someone else can stoke those fears. And keep us feeling stuck.  

The good news? Your practice is also showing you what is ready to be healed. It’s bringing to the surface what has unconsciously stopped you from getting the clients and the income you deserve. And now, from this fresh place of clarity, investing in your own personal growth can pay big dividends in your practice. 

Wondering where to start? Read the 5 typical client-attraction fears below and try the questions on for size. Notice which ones make your throat close, or your heart pound, or your face break out in a sweat. That’s a pretty good sign it’s an inner block that’s holding you back in some way. And if you can see it, you’re ready for a breakthrough. 

1.   Fear of Rejection: What if I talk to someone about my work and they don’t like me? Or they think I’m coming on too strong?

2.   Fear of Persecution: What if I allow myself to stand up and be seen, but then I’m punished for it?

3.   Fear of Inferiority: What do I have to offer that’s any better than what anyone else does? 

4.   Fear of Failure: What if I don’t make it as a therapist? Will another certification make me feel more confident?

5.   Fear of Success: If I get more clients, what if I have no time or energy for my family?

If any of these feel uncomfortable, breathe into it. And take heart, because these fears and the feelings they evoke can be released. Personally, I combine a specific sequence of therapies that helps my clients dissolve the old patterns that are standing between them and more clients — for good. 

Yet simply acknowledging them can help you begin cultivating the wisdom, courage and resilience to grow your practice with less stress. It all starts by welcoming what you’re experiencing instead of pushing it away. When you give yourself permission to sit with the issues you might otherwise avoid, you lessen their power over you. 

So next time you feel triggered when you’re talking about your work, find some quiet time. And ask yourself questions like these: 

·        When I experience this discomfort, what do I feel and where do I feel it? 

·        Is there an image that flashes through my mind when I first feel this sensation? 

·        Does the image have a color? A texture? A sound? Or even a flavor or an aroma? 

·        If that image is in color, can I turn it to black and white? 

·        If it’s clear, can I make it fuzzy? 

·        If it’s large, can I make it tiny?

·        If I see it as if I’m in the scene, can I step out of it and push it into the distance like I’m viewing it from far away? 

·        And when I do that, am I able to breathe a bit easier?

I know these might seem like crazy Jedi mind tricks. But they can actually help you begin navigating your emotions from a more clear and grounded place. So you feel expansive. And free to grow your practice — and your life — in inspiring ways.