Growing a successful private practice doesn't always start with confidence—it often starts with necessity. In this inspiring conversation, Anna sits down with Nashville therapist Tozia Ware, who shares the story of leaving a group practice after earning just $6,000 in six months and building a six-figure private practice in less than two years.

Together, they explore how choosing a clear niche, creating client-centered website copy, and showing up consistently in relationships transformed Tozia's practice. From embracing a specialty before he felt "ready" to discovering the power of authentic marketing in an AI-driven world, this episode offers both practical strategies and encouragement for therapists at every stage of practice.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

1️⃣ Why niching down early can actually help you attract more clients—not fewer.

2️⃣ How writing about your clients' lived experiences creates stronger marketing than listing your credentials.

3️⃣ Why your website is only the beginning—and how networking and relationships amplify your marketing.

4️⃣ How authenticity and human connection are becoming your greatest marketing advantage in the age of AI.

Resources & links mentioned

• Confident Copy: https://walkerstrategyco.com/cc
• The Walker Strategy Co website: https://walkerstrategyco.com

Connect + subscribe

Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who's building their private practice. Explore more marketing support for therapists:

The Walker Strategy Co website: https://walkerstrategyco.com

About Marketing Therapy

Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by Anna Walker, a marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co—each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.

Hey, hey.

2

This is one of the most inspiring

conversations I have had all

3

year with a therapist, and I'm so

glad that you get to listen in.

4

In this Marketing Therapy episode,

I'm sitting down with Tozia Ware, who

5

is a clinician here in Nashville who

specializes in working with the BIPOC

6

community and who has expanded into a

couple of other interesting micro-niches

7

that you'll hear about in the episode.

8

But Taja shares about how he went from

making $6,000 in six months, $6,000 in

9

six months, to now making six figures

net in just his second year in practice.

10

He has an incredible story of stepping

into confidence as a pre-licensed

11

clinician, owning a niche, making

decisions, and giving himself,

12

as he says, permission to profit.

13

And how figuring out his niche and a

really, really solid website has served

14

as a workhorse as he has grown his

premium fee practice here in Nashville.

15

I think every single clinician can take

something cool away from this one, and I

16

can't wait to hear what it does for you.

17

Let's dive in

18

Anna Walker: Tozia, good morning.

19

Welcome to Marketing Therapy.

20

I'm so happy you're here.

21

Tell us a little bit about you, first of

all, where you're located, and your niche

22

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

23

So, so happy to be here.

24

I'm located in Nashville, Tennessee,

and my niche that's a, that's

25

a, a good question because it's

kind of evolved and changed, but

26

my niche is psychedelic assisted

therapist and also a trauma therapist

27

Anna Walker: Amazing.

28

All right, I wanna know kind of going

way back to the beginning, Tozia.

29

Tell us about how you came into

this work, certainly how you got

30

into private practice and sort of

what led you to choose this path

31

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

32

So, man, how long has it been?

33

It's been like three years or

almost three years I would think.

34

So, graduated in fall of 2023 and

joined a group practice, but I was just

35

such a baby therapist at the time so I

wasn't really privy to how the payment

36

structures were at group practices.

37

And I will share that I made a total

of $6,000 over the span of six months.

38

Anna Walker: What?

39

Tozia Ware: Yeah, it was like,

honestly like less than $1,000 a month.

40

And so at the top of the year 2024 I

41

I was like, "Oh, this is not good.

42

Not good at

43

Anna Walker: That's not gonna work

44

Tozia Ware: Not gonna work at all."

45

My wife and I, we were living on

savings and so we really didn't see

46

the impact until we got that 1099 back,

and then that's when I was like, "Hey,

47

I have to leave this group practice."

48

Went to a practice that just charged

rent and that was actually maybe I think

49

March of 2024, and I believe that is

the time that I joined Confident Copy

50

Anna Walker: Yeah, it was early 2024.

51

Okay.

52

Wow, okay.

53

I didn't realize this.

54

So you decide to make that pivot it

sounds like out of necessity, right?

55

To, to be able to pay the

bills and that kind of thing.

56

When you decided to make that change

and join this practice that is, like

57

you said, just charging rent, what were

your hopes and goals for your practice?

58

Did you have them yet or was

it just survival at that point?

59

Tozia Ware: I'm so glad that you asked

that because it was just survival.

60

Like, it was just survival at that point.

61

Honestly, I was devastated that I made

so little right out the gate because I

62

grew up, you know, in this generation

of you get a degree, get the job, make

63

the money, white picket fence, golden

retriever, and that was not the case.

64

And so devastated, a wave of, regret

came over me of like, what did I just do?

65

I just left my, you know, 90K a year

tech job for the past five years to

66

essentially jump straight into poverty.

67

It was nerve-wracking.

68

And so at that time it was

survival, and my goal was to just

69

get better than what I was getting

70

Anna Walker: Yeah.

71

Okay.

72

So you make that pivot, and obviously,

like you mentioned, you joined

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Confident Copy, but what other

actions did you take to kind of

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stand up your own brand effectively?

75

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

76

Well, I will have to say it

started with Confident Copy.

77

Like, Confident Copy was the, like,

leap pad into knowing what my brand was.

78

And, you know, saying Confident

Copy out loud now and thinking

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back, it gave me so much confidence.

80

The, the website.

81

Anna Walker: name it with

a, with something in mind.

82

Tozia Ware: You know, and, and it's

so funny that you mention that,

83

'cause it actually never clicked until

now, looking back in hindsight, but

84

I'm like, "Oh, me having a website,

I had so much confidence then."

85

And so that was like the leap pad

of, like, figuring out what my brand

86

was, what, what I wanted to do, the

type of populations that I wanted to

87

see, and so that was really the start

88

Anna Walker: Yeah, that's incredible.

89

Okay, now you hinted at this.

90

Tell me about what's

gone on with your niche.

91

So originally in Confident Copy,

where you landed, and then where

92

you find yourself today, and

sort of how you've gotten there.

93

I'm so curious

94

Tozia Ware: Yeah, absolutely.

95

So right out the gate as a pre-licensed

therapist some programs will normally

96

say, like, "See whoever you can see for

the practice," and things like that.

97

But I believe that I was in your Facebook

group around the marketing books Facebook

98

group, and so many therapists, and I

think including yourself, was essentially

99

saying whenever you market to everyone,

you market to no one essentially.

100

And so I took note as a

little baby therapist, I was

101

like, "I need to hone in."

102

And s- when I told some colleagues,

they were like, "Well…

103

well, what if, you know, you don't

get people and this and that?"

104

But me doing that, I

actually got more clients in.

105

And so whenever I started Confident

Copy, my passion was really, and it still

106

is working with the BIPOC populations

around racial trauma, racial stress.

107

That was just a passion that I had then

from my own personal lived experience

108

and throughout living in the South.

109

And so I was like, "This is

something that's needed here."

110

But since then it has just warped and

evolved into so many different things.

111

And for anyone listening to this

right now, I just wanna say you're not

112

stuck with whatever you start with or

whatever niche that you start with.

113

That thing can evolve and grow into

something, like, more and beautiful

114

while also keeping the existing

population you were working with

115

Anna Walker: Yeah.

116

That's such an important message.

117

I think when people think about

niching, they do, they're like, "Oh, no.

118

Like, I'm married to this

for the rest of my career.

119

I have to, you know, forsake

the other populations or

120

presenting issues that I enjoy."

121

So what a powerful message.

122

So are you continuing to work with

that BIPOC population even now?

123

Tozia Ware: Yes, continuing to

work with the BIPOC population.

124

And I will say that it has evolved

because now I am a psychedelic assisted

125

therapist and I work with songwriters and

creatives in Nashville doing intensives.

126

And so I, I know it's like they, they

kinda go hand-in-hand but kinda not.

127

But it, but it's still underneath

the same umbrella of, you know,

128

relational therapy, and I think that's

where I'm really at right now is

129

relational attachment therapy, and that

really spans across all populations

130

Anna Walker: Yeah.

131

Okay.

132

And how did the addition of the

psychedelic-assisted and then the

133

intensives, like tell us about how

those came about, 'cause I think those

134

are two kind of hot topics right now.

135

Lots of clinicians are thinking

about one or both of those

136

things in their own practices.

137

Tozia Ware: Yeah, absolutely.

138

So when it came to psychedelic-assisted

therapy, I first heard about it in,

139

let's see here, I think it was my spring

semester of my last year of the program,

140

and I actually attended the Psychedelic

141

And so the conference is biannually.

142

It is so fun to be there to learn, you

know, what's going on in the field.

143

And, sitting in those presentations, I

was learning these different modalities,

144

how these psychedelic medicines were

helping people with complex trauma, PTSD,

145

and there was just something within me

that I was like, "Wait a minute, this

146

is the population that I work with, and

psychedelics is condensing 10 years'

147

worth of talk therapy into one session?

148

Sign me up."

149

Like, that sounds really cool.

150

And once again, I'm an internship

s- like, student at this time,

151

so I know, like, nothing.

152

But once I graduated and moved practices,

I got some extensive training, and

153

that- that's also the thing, is I w- I'm

considered a train-a-holic to some folks.

154

My training list looks like

a Cheesecake Factory menu.

155

But but I've since slowed down, because

what's so important about this work and

156

in psychedelics is the integration period.

157

It's like making sure that you are

actually sitting with this information,

158

sitting with these insights to make

that, to make those lasting changes.

159

And so incorporating that within

my practice, ketamine-assisted

160

psychotherapy, it's the only

legal substance at this time.

161

But psilocybin, also known as magic

mushrooms, it is up to probably,

162

hopefully be the first FDA-approved

psychedelic for treatment of PTSD.

163

And so I know the community is

very, very excited about that.

164

And then when it came to the intensives,

I kind of stumbled upon that.

165

S- someone reached out to me and they were

like, "Hey, we, we love your website," of

166

course, because I get that all the time.

167

And they were like, "Hey, we are working

with songwriters and creatives that

168

could really use the type of trauma

healing and modalities that you have,

169

and would you be open to you know,

opening this up for intensives?"

170

And so I've been doing that

for about a year, and it has

171

been a beautiful experience.

172

Anna Walker: Cool, cool.

173

You know, I've been talking a lot

about the idea of micro-niching

174

lately, how, like, choosing a super

specific population or a sp- super

175

specific presenting issue, something

like that, can be really powerful in

176

addition to, like, more general work.

177

So for you, you know, serving the BIPOC

population, for instance, but then

178

you kind of have these micro-niches

certainly of psychedelic-assisted,

179

but also these intensives for

a really specific population.

180

Do you feel like leaning into those

more specific areas has opened up some

181

additional marketing opportunities?

182

Like, does it make in any

way your marketing easier?

183

Or like you mentioned, you know,

this idea of, like, going too

184

broad can sometimes limit you.

185

What have you noticed there?

186

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

187

I think it's made the marketing

a bit easier for me because I'm

188

hitting a lot of different folks

with what I'm working with.

189

At the end of the day, regardless

of the population a lot of folks are

190

carrying a lot of pain, a lot of trauma.

191

And I tell you what, if, also

anyone listening out there, 60K

192

later in trainings, the common

goal is to just be with the client.

193

Anna Walker: Mm.

194

Tozia Ware: That was the red thread.

195

Right, right.

196

They're just be with the

client, just be in that space.

197

And it's like, oh, well,

well, thank you 60K later.

198

But I think that that's really what it is.

199

Like, yes, I think that the populations

that I work with, they are so happy

200

that there is a space and that is

a person out there for them, but I

201

haven't yet experienced someone jumping

on my website and being like, "Hey,

202

you also work with these populations.

203

I don't know."

204

It's like, "Oh, that's really

cool that you have, experience

205

and skills in other areas."

206

And being in Nashville,

I will say that almost…

207

And, and I know that you're also Nashville

too, Anna, but I feel like everyone,

208

if not everyone is, like, a creator or

a songwriter or some type of musician.

209

And so, the work that I've been doing has

not been bad for the marketing at all.

210

It actually made, made me more

marketable having these micro-niches.

211

Anna Walker: Yeah, I can imagine.

212

I can imagine.

213

Okay, so what's interesting to me,

Tozia, when I think about your journey

214

is you joined Confident Copy and

215

And from my perspective, I've been serving

clinicians for seven years, I feel like

216

tw- right around there, 2024 to now has

been the greatest shift, like, the m- the,

217

the fastest change in the last two years.

218

So you've just been, like, you

jumped on that rollercoaster and

219

it was already, like, flying.

220

So what have you seen change in the

market in these last couple years

221

as you have been getting your feet

under you and building your practice?

222

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

223

So let's start from the beginning.

224

So whenever I joined in early

225

again, I, pre-licensed therapist,

I came in not knowing a thing.

226

And, you know, in the cohorts

that I was with at the time in the

227

program, I was in there with seasoned

therapists, therapists that had

228

been on for years without a website.

229

I think what has changed is more

therapists are starting to recognize

230

that they need to be active

participants in their marketing.

231

And around that time, I remember that

a lot of people did not want to do it.

232

Like, they didn't wanna

create the website.

233

They didn't wanna show up on social media.

234

They wanted to outsource all the work.

235

But I think with the rise of AI,

people are wanting more humanness

236

and more connection, and just even

a little bit of that has increased

237

my referral sources, like, 10 times.

238

Anna Walker: Yeah.

239

Yeah.

240

Man, I couldn't say it better myself.

241

Tozia Ware: Yeah, yeah.

242

Please, go ahead.

243

Anna Walker: No, please, I, I think what

you're noting there around people desiring

244

humanness, like, that is becoming your

absolute most valuable asset in your

245

marketing right now, is just your ability

to be a human and to not outsource,

246

like you said, to a robot or to someone

else, but, like, to actually own that

247

Tozia Ware: Yeah, absolutely.

248

And, you know, at that time, in

hindsight, I feel like the first

249

robots were actually the therapist.

250

Anna Walker: Tell me more

251

Tozia Ware: I would love to.

252

At the time, you know, this journey,

and even to this day, so many

253

therapists, they put this information

on their websites robotically.

254

And that is, "I went to this

university, and I have this degree,

255

and I'm trained in these modalities."

256

What I've learned, clients

don't care about any of that.

257

They care about the moments,

the moments that they are in.

258

They want to hop on your website

and they want to read the

259

exact moment that they're in.

260

That's what gets them.

261

But I will say that's

how we're trained, right?

262

We're trained to be professionals.

263

But also, that's killing

our, our clientele.

264

You have services, it's killing your

sales because it, it does come off as

265

not as personable and not as human.

266

You telling me your de- your degrees

and your certifications doesn't tell

267

me anything about the work that you're

able to do with me, or can you even

268

be with me in this moment in space?

269

That in and of itself has

been a game changer, and that

270

started with Confident Copy.

271

That is one thing out the gate

that you taught us is to name those

272

moments, and I can't tell you how

many times I have therapists hop on my

273

website or clients and they're like,

"The way you worded that, I did not

274

know that someone like you existed.

275

Like, I felt so seen reading

your website because I've been

276

carrying this for so long."

277

We can't see a client saying,

"Hey, we have six certifications

278

in somatic therapy."

279

That means nothing.

280

Anna Walker: Right.

281

Tozia Ware: And so that, that's

what I mean about the first, you

282

know, robots out here were, were the

therapist in how they were operating.

283

But it's not that we're operating wrong

in that sense, we're just operating

284

in the way that we were taught

285

Anna Walker: Mm, mm.

286

So it's kind of undoing that or at least

reframing a bit of that training when

287

you consider your marketing and what

it is that you're putting out there.

288

Tozia Ware: Absolutely

289

Anna Walker: Okay, awesome.

290

Okay, so now tell me, so you graduate

Confident Copy, you launch your website,

291

you're, you know, you're feeling legit.

292

Then what did you do?

293

'Cause websites don't

operate in a vacuum, right?

294

You can launch a website, but if

no one sees it, it doesn't matter.

295

So tell me about what, what happened next

296

Tozia Ware: Yeah, and I'm so glad you

mentioned that because I've, I've talked

297

to a few colleagues recently that they

finally after, you know, 10 decades

298

completed their websites and they're

like, "Well, I'm not getting anything."

299

Well, yeah, because no

one knows you exist.

300

Yeah.

301

And so after I completed Confident

Copy, and I think that, I don't

302

know if it's still this way now,

but at the time it was 16 weeks.

303

I just wanna put a badge on myself.

304

I completed it in 13

because I was so eager.

305

Anna Walker: You were a speedy student.

306

Tozia Ware: I was like- Yeah … "Let's

get this done, 'cause I need the money."

307

It was, it was out of desperation.

308

But once I completed the website, I shared

it with friends, family, colleagues,

309

because I was so proud of the hard work

that I put into it over those 13 weeks.

310

I will say to you, that summer it was a

little slower because that was my first

311

experience of a slummer, summer slump.

312

And what I did is I met with, like,

two to three therapists for coffee.

313

I tell you what, Anna,

come August I was full.

314

They were sending me referrals left and

right, and it wouldn't have happened

315

if I would not have put myself out

there to let people know that I exist.

316

And I think that is the,

where the humanness comes in.

317

Like,

318

we can't outsource our energy.

319

We can't outsa- or outsource our aura.

320

People need to know that first

they know you and they feel

321

confident sending people your way.

322

I always tell new clinicians,

and even seasoned clinicians,

323

this is not a profession where

you build it and they will come.

324

I always joke you know, I run consultation

groups ab- for, for folks all over the

325

globe, and I always joke that, you know,

in Tennessee, especially in Nashville,

326

just like, gas stations and churches,

there's a therapist on every corner.

327

Anna Walker: That is the truth

328

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

329

It like, it's over, like, 3,000-plus

therapists in Nashville, and there's

330

no competition though, because people

refer to who they remember and that just

331

takes you getting yourself out there.

332

Anna Walker: Oof.

333

Tozia Ware: Sorry.

334

I know I-

335

Anna Walker: else away from this

episode, let it be that very thing.

336

I love that.

337

You know what's interesting to me, too,

especially early on like you mentioned,

338

there's this intangible that comes with

having a website you're proud of, knowing

339

who you are, knowing how to talk about it.

340

There's this intangible

benefit that we can't measure.

341

Like, it's not, it's not quantitative,

but when you feel good about what it is

342

that you're putting out there, like you

said, you felt proud sharing this, there's

343

something to be said for that, right?

344

There's kind of the energy of putting

yourself out there confidently y-

345

and there's a willingness to make

those connections and provide someone

346

your, your website and whatever.

347

And I think early on, that is absolutely

mission critical, 'cause if you

348

don't feel good about that, you're

going to remain kind of small in your

349

marketing, and there is no greater

opportunity, window of opportunity in

350

your marketing than after launching your

website, and you made the most of that

351

Tozia Ware: Absolutely.

352

And if I can share a

little bit more about that

353

Anna Walker: Please do

354

Tozia Ware: Once again, I want

to reiterate for those folks

355

listening, pre-licensed therapist,

did not know what I was doing, and

356

niched down right out the gate.

357

And even at that time, I still

did not know what I was doing.

358

Like, even once the website

was up, did not know.

359

But at least there was a billboard

explaining what I would want to

360

do and what I love doing, what I'm

passionate about, that got people in,

361

and I was figuring it out as I went.

362

And as I continued to grow, I was

understanding more about the copy

363

that I put on my website of like,

"Oh yeah, this makes sense now.

364

This is why I put this."

365

And so I kind of grew with my website.

366

Also wanna say, it is so, so,

so important to have a website.

367

There are therapists out there

to this day that think that

368

they can survive without it.

369

You may be able to survive,

but are you able to thrive?

370

Those are two different things.

371

The website is the billboard for yourself.

372

Some folks are sticking with you

know, these you know, Psychology Today

373

or I think SimplePractice offers,

like, a, a short little website.

374

And, and that does not capture

the essence of you so that

375

people can land on your page.

376

Like, people are looking up

therapists 2:00 AM at night.

377

They don't wanna land on a page

where they gotta read all your

378

degrees and not know what this meant.

379

Once again, they want to know

the moments that they're in.

380

If they land on my website at 2:00

AM, I wanna have that in my copy.

381

"You're probably reading this at 2:00 AM.

382

Anna Walker: Mm-hmm

383

Tozia Ware: There's a

heaviness in your chest.

384

You feel like you tried

everything and nothing's working."

385

That is what they want to read and see.

386

It's visceral, yeah.

387

I will share this also, which, you

know, every time this happens I

388

always think, like, Anna really took

care of us in this program, y'all.

389

I, I will say that.

390

Last summer I had a client that

was looking for a therapist for

391

ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

392

And that treatment, it can be a little

bit pricey, but the way that I do

393

it, it's still very much affordable.

394

Let me tell you that this client mentioned

that they were going between another

395

therapist and myself, but the other

therapist's website was hard to navigate,

396

it was clunky, the information wasn't

clear, the fees were not visible, it was

397

hard to even know how to contact them.

398

And my website was clean, easy to

navigate, everything was listed.

399

And so they chose me over that other

seasoned therapist because of my website.

400

Because I believe also that trust

and safety starts with our website.

401

In psychedelic therapy, we ha- we

do something called preparation

402

And we are prepping someone for

the experience, you are also doing

403

that for, like, with your website.

404

And so y- the website, like if,

if I jump on a website and it is

405

giving me a hard time, I'm not

gonna lie, that puts me at unease.

406

It stresses me out even more, and

I, it's, it, I don't know if how

407

that experience will be working

with someone that, you know, their

408

website isn't where it needs to be.

409

And so I just wanted to share that

because the website has worked

410

in so many ways that I could not

even imagine that it would have

411

Anna Walker: Interesting.

412

Wow, you got insight into…

413

I mean, that client sharing that

with you, I think that's happening

414

way more than we realize, 'cause you

don't often hear that from the client.

415

But we know they're looking at five,

seven, nine other therapist websites, and

416

they are making decisions based on it.

417

So what interesting insight into

that actual experience and how yours,

418

because the experience was better

and it was cleaner and whatever

419

that they, they, they chose you.

420

Like you said, credentials

be damned, essentially.

421

So

422

Tozia Ware: yes, exactly

423

Anna Walker: Yeah.

424

Okay y- before we put, hit record,

you mentioned that things are going

425

better than you could have hoped for.

426

So tell me, how are things

going in your practice today?

427

Tozia Ware: Yeah, things are

going so great in my practice.

428

So whenever I left, you know, the, the

group that I made $6,000 in six months,

429

once I left, I made that $6,000 back

in 30 days, and so that was amazing.

430

And so my first year, so 2024, I brought

in, I believe, 70K in the practice,

431

and last year I made over six figures.

432

And that was actually six figures in

net, and I did not overwork myself.

433

I worked, like, three to,

three to four days a week.

434

And so I, I will say

that was the catalyst.

435

The website was honestly

the catalyst for my success.

436

I cannot lie.

437

Because someone- and, and things are

going so well because of the website.

438

I get so many referrals

through my website.

439

I have like, the processes

are so streamlined that I had

440

someone ask, because I'm doing

so well now, "How do you sell?

441

How do you sell yourself?

442

How do you get your ideal client?

443

How do you get your premium rate?"

444

And I, and I will say this.

445

My rate at the time when I started

Confident Copy was $145 an hour.

446

This year I am at $200 an hour.

447

Anna Walker: Good for you

448

Tozia Ware: And thank you, thank you.

449

And there was a little bit of old

programming, you know, that, that was

450

left of like, "Oh, will anybody buy this?"

451

Or, "Will anybody buy me?"

452

And the answer is yes.

453

Yes they will.

454

My supervisor at the time, she was,

when I, when I said I was gonna raise

455

my rate, she was like, "Be patient."

456

And I was like, "What

do you mean be patient?

457

Like, I, I wanna raise my rate."

458

And she was like, "No, no, no.

459

Be patient.

460

Once you raise your rate, that

old programming will come and

461

you want to, you know, fall back

to what's safe and what's small.

462

And if a client hesitates once you say

the rate, will that turn them off?"

463

And she was like, "Be patient.

464

The right client will come at your rate."

465

And I will tell you they did.

466

And so starting with my website, the

selling piece, I feel like I never

467

have to sell anybody because all

of the information is on my site.

468

And so whenever they hit that contact

form, it's really having a short

469

consultation to check the vibes.

470

And you know, I always say I love

surprises, but not when it comes to money.

471

And I ask them have they, where they

seen, they're like, "Oh yeah, I saw it.

472

We're good to go.

473

It's great."

474

I rarely have to sell.

475

I rarely have to have a consult

with someone that cannot pay my full

476

rate, and I don't accept insurance.

477

So I'm all private pay.

478

And so I think that has been the thing

that's changed for me is leaning in and

479

standing in that confidence that we,

we are essentially essential workers,

480

and people want what we have to offer.

481

And- We cannot do this work

without being well-resourced.

482

Since then, Anna, I've become like a,

a radical therapist need to get paid.

483

Because even starting out and my website

was done, and even at the 145, I would

484

have colleagues saying, "Oh, well,

you shouldn't increase your rate,"

485

and, oh, my, my even Black and Brown

colleagues, they were like, "Oh, well,

486

you know, Black and Brown folks can't

afford therapy, and you should just,

487

you know, keep your rates the same."

488

There was something in me that I was

like I'm not going to subscribe to

489

that narrative, and I did not, and I'm

happy to report over 90% of my caseload

490

are Black and Brown folks paying full

rate, and they did not bat an eye.

491

It was not an issue

492

Anna Walker: Hmm.

493

Man, there's so much to be said there.

494

We could do an entire podcast episode

or entire podcast on this probably.

495

But

496

Tozia Ware: I'm ready to come back, Anna

497

Anna Walker: Yeah, let's do it.

498

We can have round two together.

499

I would love that.

500

But what's interesting is I think

you're speaking to the fact that

501

a lot of clinicians sometimes

unintentionally assign or project

502

things onto their ideal client.

503

Well, this population can't pay that.

504

And that there are ways that you

can remain accessible to, to the

505

people that you love to serve while

also being well, well-resourced, you

506

know, well yourself, meeting your

own goals and that kind of thing.

507

That they are, those two things are

not necessarily mutually exclusive.

508

You can serve a really wonderful

population and make a big impact and

509

also be paid what you deserve to be paid.

510

Tozia Ware: Absolutely.

511

And I, and I think that's the biggest

thing that, that changed for me over

512

the two years, was really working on the

money wounds that I carried into this

513

profession, and what we are being fed.

514

You know, in, in many of our programs,

we're kind of taught directly or

515

indirectly that you didn't come

into this work to make money.

516

You should be doing this from

the kindness of your heart.

517

And then, you know, your old money

wounds of whatever you were fed before

518

the age of 18 of people with money are

greedy, or if you care about money,

519

you're caring about the wrong thing.

520

But I learned very early on and

quickly that I cannot effectively

521

show up and do this work ethically

when I am stressed and burnt out.

522

Like, that, that was a

devastating part for me.

523

I just graduated six months ago and

I'm already financially burnt out?

524

Absolutely not.

525

Something had to change.

526

And so, I give a lot of

therapists permission to

527

profit, and we can be so much.

528

Anna Walker: to profit.

529

I love

530

Tozia Ware: Yeah, and, and, and I

think it, it really did start with

531

you, Anna, that you gave us permission

to show up with the confidence on

532

our website, because if you have

that, the website sells itself.

533

Anna Walker: Yeah.

534

Tozia Ware: and that's what you

taught early on, that like there's

535

not much you really have to do.

536

If you have the right language in those

moments and they're visceral, oh my

537

goodness, you're gonna get your item

fine at your full rate easy, and that has

538

come easy for me over the past two years

539

Anna Walker: That's incredible.

540

The other thing, you mentioned the

word permission, and that was kind

541

of coming to my mind earlier because

I think you've also given listeners

542

here permission to not have it all

figured out when they start, right?

543

Like you mentioned, like you kind of

lived into what you wrote on that website.

544

Sometimes I'll hear from

people, like I put…

545

You know, I…

546

If we write the copy for them or they go

through Confident Copy, sometimes they're

547

like, "I read this and I, I don't know if

I'm that good of a therapist," you know?

548

But you can live into that.

549

It doesn't have to be fully formed.

550

You can still be evolving.

551

What a wonderful thing

552

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

553

And also what I tell folks that your

clients don't know, and that's okay too.

554

Anna Walker: Mm-hmm.

555

Tozia Ware: And it's not that you can't

help them, like, and I think that's where

556

we really undervalue our skills that

we have been trained to be with people.

557

We have all the knowledge and

the skills, it's just putting

558

those things into practice.

559

Because what really helped me feel

into what was on my website is whenever

560

I stopped trying to chase all these

trainings and chase the next thing,

561

but actually put those things into

practice, and that's when it started to

562

land in my own body and nervous system.

563

But your website is only the door and

you grow, you know, throughout that.

564

But the door needs to look good.

565

The door needs to

566

Anna Walker: It does.

567

It does.

568

Right, we can't get around that

right now, that's for sure.

569

Okay.

570

Well, Tozia, this has been incredible.

571

Maybe we will bring

you back for round two.

572

You and I can chat about that.

573

But as we wrap up, I want you to

imagine that version of yourself, right?

574

So early 2024, you got your 1099, you

only made 6K in the last six months.

575

What would you say to that

version of yourself now?

576

Tozia Ware: Yeah.

577

I would say that First,

be patient with yourself.

578

You are good enough, and things

are going to unfold better than

579

you could ever have planned or

imagined by just trusting the process

580

Anna Walker: Hmm.

581

I think anyone could benefit

from hearing that today, Tozia.

582

Thank you so much for joining

me for this first version.

583

Maybe we'll have you back soon.

584

We appreciate you, and if people

wanna learn more about you, if

585

they're interested in seeing this

website where can they find you?

586

Tozia Ware: Yeah, so you

can go to my website at

587

modernhealingco , that's C-O, .com.

588

And also I'm on Instagram.

589

The handle is modernblacktherapist

. Because like I said, I'm kind of like

590

radical out here right now of talking

about how therapists deserve to be

591

paid and giving therapists permission

to profit because I just really value

592

this work, and I want to stay in it

as long as I possibly can, but I need

593

to fill my cup and give my clients

the overflow of that, not the lack.

594

And so follow me there and I will be

sharing all of these insights and nuggets.

595

And yeah, I'm just happy that I was

able to share what I had to share today.

596

Thank you

597

Anna Walker: Thank you so much.

598

We will link those things in the show

notes for, so folks can follow along.

599

We appreciate you and

we're cheering you on.

600

Tozia Ware: Yeah, thank you

601

Anna Walker: Absolutely.

602

Tozia Ware: Well, isn't

that an inspiring story?

603

I I hope you got something out of Tozia's

journey and what he shared, whether it

604

was just taking the leap out of necessity

into private practice, of owning a

605

niche, of figuring out micro-niches,

of giving yourself permission to,

606

as he said, serve clients out of the

overflow of your cup, not the lack.

607

That really stuck with me.

608

If you're interested in building out

a website like what Tozia has done for

609

himself and what he is using to bring in

those right fit clients right now, The

610

doors to Confident Copy live, our final

cohort of the year, are opening tomorrow.

611

Tomorrow, we are opening the doors to our

incredible 16-week program where you get

612

weekly live coaching, community feedback,

eyes on your niche and your copy as you

613

start figuring out what makes you you,

of injecting that humanness into your

614

marketing, and of bringing it to life

in such a way that it overflows into

615

everything you do to grow your practice.

616

You can get all the details,

walkerstrategyco.com/confident-copy.

617

If this is the right container for

you, I urge you to jump in now.

618

Like I said, it is your last chance

this year, and we would love to make

619

you another story of what it looks like

to step into who you're meant to be as

620

a clinician and bring in those clients

that you are most equipped to help.

621

I'll see you inside