Ever feel like marketing advice demands you pick just one niche—but your caseload says otherwise? If you love working with a range of clients and fear that niching down means giving up what you enjoy, this episode is for you.

In this special "Ask Anna" edition, I answer a question therapists ask all the time: "How do I market my practice if I don’t want to give up variety?" We dig into the real issue behind that question (spoiler: it's not actually about variety) and explore how to create a clear, compelling message without boxing yourself in.

You’ll learn about the "Red Thread" framework I teach inside my programs—a strategy that helps you tie together your range of interests so your marketing feels both focused and freeing.

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

1️⃣ Why the fear of picking "wrong" keeps so many therapists stuck between joyless clarity and vague marketing

2️⃣ How the "Red Thread" helps you connect the dots between diverse client types and a cohesive message

3️⃣ The four types of Red Threads (person, problem, outcome, and approach) and how to discover which fits your practice best

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Confident Copy program: walkerstrategyco.com/cc 
• Join the waitlist for Confident Copy to access exclusive bonuses: walkerstrategyco.com/cc-waitlist
• The Walker Strategy Co website: 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: 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—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 there.

2

Welcome back to Marketing

Therapy episode 18.

3

Today we're kicking off what will likely

be an intermittent series called Ask Anna.

4

So this is where I'm going to be answering

real questions I get from therapists,

5

whether that's in our dms email inside

my programs, or from the clients

6

that I've worked with over the years.

7

Because let's be honest, if one person

is asking it, hundreds are quietly

8

wondering the same thing, right?

9

And today's question, it's funny,

when I put out our first ask for

10

the Ask Anna episode, I got this in

three different places, different

11

versions of the same question.

12

It is truly one of the most common

ones that I get, and quite frankly,

13

one of the most misunderstood.

14

So today I'm answering a question

I received from Melissa via

15

email and Robin in our Facebook

group among many, many others.

16

And that question is essentially,

what do I do when I like variety?

17

Does it mean that I can't

market myself effectively?

18

Do I have to pick just one thing?

19

What do I do if I enjoy variety?

20

This comes up constantly.

21

I am regularly, I'm talking weekly

coaching clinicians on this in our

22

Confident Copy program, and this comes up

with therapists who are brand new and with

23

those who are seasoned, been in practice

for years, and it makes a ton of sense.

24

Because when you hear people

talk about marketing or niching,

25

it's often presented in this all

or nothing black and white way.

26

It's like your only choices are pick one

population, stick with it forever, you're

27

married to it now, or give up on having a

clear niche or a specific message and just

28

throw a laundry list of issues out there.

29

Here's what I wanna say and what we're

gonna talk about in this episode.

30

This isn't really about variety.

31

This is about the fear that if you

choose wrong, you're either gonna

32

lose clients or you're gonna lose joy.

33

Am I right?

34

If you're sitting here listening

right now and you enjoy working with

35

this wide variety of clients and you

feel like all the marketing advice

36

has told you, you can't do that.

37

If you want to be effective, then you

feel like you're left with two choices.

38

Lose clients because you're not marketing

effectively or lose joy because you're

39

burnt out serving only one of those

populations in the name of marketing.

40

So what you're really asking, what Robin

and Melissa, and so many of you are really

41

asking is, how do I market myself without

sacrificing the parts of my work I love?

42

That's exactly what we're

gonna talk about today.

43

Because yes, you can

have a dynamic caseload.

44

Yes, you can love doing

multiple things and yes, you

45

can market yourself effectively.

46

You can attract full fee

right-fit clients while doing so.

47

Now first I wanna look at what's going

on underneath this primary question

48

because when someone asks, what if I like

working with lots of different types of

49

clients on the surface, that sounds like

a branding issue or a messaging issue.

50

But when you dig a little bit deeper,

it's not really actually about variety.

51

It's about fear, which so many

of our marketing challenges are

52

when we're honest with ourselves.

53

Fear that if you get too specific.

54

You'll lose out on clients.

55

You could help fear if you narrow

in, you're gonna box yourself

56

into something that doesn't feel

sustainable or leads to burnout.

57

Fear that you're gonna cut off

part of your identity, something

58

you've enjoyed for many years.

59

Possibly fear that you're gonna cut off

part of your income and end up stuck

60

in something you don't actually enjoy.

61

So this fear often gets masked by

a kind of internal tug of war that

62

I see, and I hear this often when

coaching clinicians in confident copy.

63

They say things like, I know I

should be more clear, but I don't

64

want to pick just one thing.

65

I want my caseload to feel sustainable,

but I also want it to be full.

66

I want to enjoy my work, but I

also want clients to actually

67

find me and pay my full fee.

68

I want to sound like a specialist

or an expert, but I don't want to

69

abandon the things I'm good at.

70

And the result of all that tension

is most therapists default to

71

trying to say everything at once.

72

I see this often when encouraging

folks to share their niche

73

statements in our Facebook group.

74

They will try and pack absolutely

everything they could possibly

75

do as a therapist into their

niche and into their marketing.

76

They write a homepage for their

website that lists every single

77

demographic they could serve.

78

Every presenting issue,

every modality they use

79

they initiate networking conversations

where that new person they've met

80

likes them, but they have no idea who's

actually the right fit to send their way.

81

It is these therapists trying to

hit every single note just in case.

82

Let me cover my bases,

is what I see So many do.

83

But here's what I want to gently

say, and this is ultimately something

84

that I think the people asking this

question already know that when you

85

try to speak to everyone in the same

sentence, no one really hears you

86

because no one feels truly seen.

87

Your favorite clients, the ones

you absolutely love working with.

88

That light you up.

89

You get excited when you

see them on your calendar.

90

They're not looking for a

therapist who says everything

91

or claims to work with everyone.

92

They're looking for someone who gets them.

93

Someone who can name what they're going

through in a way that makes them stop

94

and think, are you, in my head, it

feels like this was written just for me.

95

That's the type of experience clients in

this market in particular are seeking.

96

They don't know that.

97

But when we see what actually resonates

and what doesn't, that's the type

98

of experience they're looking for.

99

And when you try to hedge your bets

and just speak to everyone, spray and

100

pray, as we say, you dilute the thing

that would actually make you stand out.

101

This episode is about a lot of

different things, but if there's only

102

one thing you take away, I want you

to remember that there's a reason.

103

That clients choose you.

104

Even if you serve teens, couples, people

with trauma and eating disorders, this

105

big variety of clients, there's a reason

every single one of those chooses you.

106

And if you are using your marketing to

spray and pray, and you are not hitting on

107

that reason, that thing that leads them.

108

To choose you, then you will sound vague

and you will dilute the expertise that

109

your clients are ultimately looking for.

110

So often I see clinicians make this

mistake and the cost is massive.

111

They get on consults and feel

like they're auditioning for

112

jobs they didn't even apply for.

113

Can you resonate with that?

114

Have you ever been on a consult where you

feel that way or clients aren't actually

115

a fit, but they take 'em on because they

did reach out and they need someone?

116

Sometimes they even have a caseload that's

technically full, but it's not energizing.

117

It's not exciting.

118

It's not lighting them up and

reminding them why they got

119

into this work to begin with.

120

Oftentimes, I'll also see in these

clinicians kind of this low key anxiety

121

about raising their rates or putting

themselves out there because they're not

122

sure how to do that without losing people.

123

That's what they're operating from

is this fear of losing people,

124

of excluding, and so they end up

staying small in their marketing.

125

And oftentimes there's

this weird sense of shame.

126

You know, you see other therapists

out there being super successful and

127

maybe enjoying variety and somehow

they've got something you don't.

128

And so it can really feel like

you should be able to better

129

explain the work you do by now.

130

I think that's the real tension here.

131

And here's what's extra tricky.

132

A lot of therapists try to solve

this by doing what the internet

133

tells them to do or chat GPT.

134

So they force themselves, they

pigeonhole into one population or

135

one age group, one issue in the name

of niching, and then they end up

136

attracting only that kind of client.

137

And while the marketing feels a little

bit clearer, the work feels flat.

138

And repetitive and limiting.

139

And the clients who do this, who

narrow themselves in the name of

140

marketing, they miss the richness

of the variety they once had.

141

Maybe you're someone who enjoyed variety

in a group practice or community mental

142

health setting, and then launched your

private practice and quote unquote

143

niched because you were quote unquote

told to, and now you're like, I miss.

144

Those age groups, I

miss those demographics.

145

I miss treating those issues, and you

can start to feel a little bored or a

146

little burnt out, and then it feels like

you're back to this black and white thing.

147

Well, I either stay here or I go broad

and I go back to being vague and generic.

148

I want to tell you right now

that there is a third option

149

one where your message is clear.

150

And your caseload is energizing and your

clients feel seen in your marketing, not

151

just as a checkbox on a list, oh yes,

I qualify for this item on the laundry

152

list, but as a real human with real needs

that you are uniquely equipped to help.

153

That's what I wanna talk about next as we

get into really answering this question.

154

How do I maintain variety in my marketing?

155

So this third alternative, what do you do

when you enjoy working with a wide range

156

of people, but you still want to attract

full fee, right-fit clients without

157

being scattered or generic or boring.

158

You find your red thread.

159

Your red thread is a concept that

if my confident copy students

160

are here listening, or maybe

you're a magnetic niche method

161

student, you know all about this.

162

Your red thread is about tying together

the variety of clients that you enjoy

163

and finding that thing, that reason that

those clients pick you regardless of which

164

bucket or category they may fall into.

165

Because here's what I

believe about this work.

166

I believe you can have as

much variety as you want.

167

I believe you can have a

beautifully diverse and interesting

168

and sustainable caseload.

169

You just need a message that

ties it all together, and that

170

is what the Red Thread does.

171

It's the through line, the theme that runs

underneath all the work you love to do.

172

It's what makes you not a generalist,

whatever that is, that's your red thread.

173

It's what gives your practice focus.

174

Even if all your clients don't

all look the same on paper.

175

Now, there are four kinds of red threads

that we see most often and that we

176

have seen be incredibly effective,

particularly in the private pay space.

177

You don't have to memorize these, but

when you hear them, I'm guessing one

178

or two might instantly click for you.

179

So there's four types of red threads.

180

The first is a person based.

181

This means that you work

with a type of person.

182

Even if the circumstances for

that person are different.

183

So that can be high achieving women, new

parents, helpers, neurodivergent people.

184

The details vary, but it's this

identity thread that's consistent.

185

So if you reflect on the variety that

you enjoy, the clients that light you up.

186

Is their common denominator.

187

Something about who they are.

188

Then there's a problem based red thread.

189

This is the traditional version

of thinking about a niche, and

190

that's where you help people

through a really specific struggle.

191

So traditionally that's, well, I do grief

or I do trauma, but it can actually be a

192

lot more creative than that if you want.

193

It can be anxiety that's rooted in

perfectionism or overthinking people

194

pleasing a disconnection from yourself.

195

Relationship issues.

196

So in a problem based red thread, you

can work with teens and couples and

197

adults, but they're all navigating

the same internal challenge.

198

That's the theme in

this type of red thread.

199

Now the latter two red threads that

I'm gonna share here are especially

200

powerful if you have a wide range

of clients you enjoy serving.

201

So when I am coaching clinicians

through this in confident copy and we're

202

deciding how to articulate their red

thread and how to put words to their

203

niche, if they have what feels like very

disparate specialties, usually one of

204

these is what we lean into most heavily.

205

So the next one is outcome based.

206

So this is you focusing on

the result or the outcome.

207

People want out of therapy, even

if they're coming from different

208

backgrounds, different demographics,

different presenting issues.

209

Your clients want to feel more

confident, more connected.

210

They want to experience long-term change.

211

They want to restore a sense of

joy or balance in their life.

212

They wanna heal the root cause.

213

The desire here is the common thread.

214

And that can be really, really

powerful if you have a wide range

215

of presenting issues because you as

a clinician are likely leading them

216

to some similar end point, right?

217

So reflecting on that can be powerful.

218

And then finally is the

approach based red thread.

219

So this is the one that's

about how you work.

220

So if you notice the first three person

problem and outcome, they were about your

221

clients and what they have in common.

222

Sometimes you are your niche, so it

could be your method, it can be something

223

very specific like E-M-D-R-I-F-S, brain

spotting, relational life therapy,

224

or it can just be your style, your

environment, your direct, honest, no BS

225

approach, your inclusive environment.

226

Clients are drawn to you in

this case, not just for what you

227

help with, but how you do it.

228

So those are the four kinds of red thread

person problem, outcome, and approach.

229

And at this point, I have coached

thousands of clinicians in this

230

framework and seen the way that it can

liberate clinicians who have felt bound

231

by the traditional niching advice.

232

And enjoy rich variety while still having

a very clear and focused message that

233

establishes them as an expert, as a

specialist in the minds of their clients.

234

Now, most of the clients I work with often

see themselves in more than one of these.

235

So if I just ran through this and you're

like, well, I see similarities in all of

236

them, you're absolutely not alone in that.

237

That's very, very normal.

238

In Confident Copy, we help you figure

out which one or two are going to create

239

the strongest foundation for your niche.

240

Because yes, there are likely themes

in all of these, but which one or

241

two are really the cornerstones for

you to base your marketing upon?

242

And here's the key there.

243

We always come back to

the client's perspective.

244

What are they looking for?

245

What do they think they need help with?

246

What's going to make them stop scrolling?

247

And say to themselves, this feels

like me for your example, maybe your

248

red thread is your somatic approach.

249

You realize that that's the common theme.

250

But if your clients are mostly

showing up, just saying, I wanna feel

251

less anxious in my relationships,

we need to lead with that.

252

They aren't necessarily

seeking out somatic therapy.

253

And so the approach based red thread

might not be the best fit there.

254

Can you see what I mean?

255

So you're still using the somatic work?

256

But your marketing is speaking to what

your clients are actually aware of

257

right this minute that my friends is

how you enjoy variety and still have

258

focused effective marketing, particularly

when it comes to private pay clients.

259

Now, once we identify a red thread,

it's one thing to know this, it's

260

another to bring it to life, right?

261

So here's how we do that.

262

We start by writing a niche

statement that reflects your variety.

263

We need to make sure that we

are calling out those distinct

264

groups, but still feels cohesive.

265

It's the kind of thing where every

single one of your ideal clients could

266

read it and feel like, yes, that's me.

267

So it's about figuring out a way to

language the work that you do in such

268

a way that every single client would be

like, are you speaking directly to me?

269

That's the cool part of a red thread.

270

'cause that's actually possible

when we figure out what yours is.

271

After that, we look at

your website structure.

272

Okay?

273

So we need to make sure that there is

a clear path for each of the different

274

types of clients that you work with.

275

It's not that we are just

mashing them all together and

276

marketing to them all at once.

277

We need to make sure that there's a

home for each one of those different

278

specialties on your website.

279

We don't want anyone to

feel like an afterthought.

280

We want everyone to feel like they

belong because you are speaking to

281

them specifically, and that happens

primarily through your website structure.

282

Then we bring that red thread into places

like your homepage and your about page,

283

the more universal pages of your website.

284

That way, no matter who lands

on your site, they feel seen.

285

They feel like you get it, and they trust

that you're someone who can help them.

286

So that red thread becomes a theme

for all of the marketing that you do.

287

And then the specialties underneath

that, those different demographics or

288

presenting issues that you enjoy, those

become the pillars of your marketing.

289

So sometimes you lean into

your red thread more heavily.

290

Sometimes you lean into those

pillars more heavily, but they

291

all work together as a system.

292

'cause here's the thing, you

do not need a single narrow

293

niche to get full fee clients.

294

What you need is a clear and cohesive

message that shows people what makes

295

you the right therapist for them.

296

Because again, if there's anything

you take away from this episode,

297

I want it to be the reminder that

there is a reason people pick you.

298

There is a reason you are the right

therapist for the right client.

299

Once we figure out what that something

is, we unlock the power of your marketing.

300

The thing I love most about this

red thread framework and putting

301

it into action with clinicians

is watching the shift in energy.

302

That happens when therapists

see it come together.

303

It actually just happened

today in Confident Copy.

304

I have been working over the last week

with a newer student on figuring out her

305

niche, and today it clicked and she said,

I know my clients can see themselves in

306

these words, there's a sense of relief and

excitement kind of sitting up straighter

307

and being like, yes, I found it.

308

I found it.

309

Those light bulb moments

are the best because.

310

It is, it's liberating from the

traditional advice they've gotten that

311

they have to make themselves small

or box themselves in to be effective.

312

That's what this work is about,

helping you own the work you

313

do best and then reflect it in

a way that actually connects.

314

When therapists land on their red

thread and really start to put this

315

concretely together, everything begins

to shift and not just in theory,

316

I've seen it over and over again.

317

They start getting inquiries from

RightFit clients, people who actually

318

feel aligned with their work, who

are willing to pay their full fee.

319

Without a ton of

handholding or convincing.

320

I think one of my favorite things I hear

from Confident Copy students, and I've

321

heard this from a handful of them, is

they get on consult calls and clients

322

read the website, copy back to them,

like proving how deeply they connected

323

with it and the consults, they often

start to feel easier 'cause the person

324

on the other end already feels connected.

325

They already feel seen.

326

They already know what they want.

327

And they already trust that you're the

therapist who can help them get it.

328

Your marketing did this heavy lifting

in this initial rapport building

329

that when you get on the phone,

you're already 50% of the way there.

330

I love hearing from clinicians after they

unlock this too, that they feel confident

331

raising their fees, that they don't feel

like they have to niche down further in

332

order to justify that they see the value

of what they're offering and they've

333

put words to it, and that is empowering.

334

And even beyond the marketing

wins, there's something

335

more personal that happens.

336

Right?

337

And this is, again, getting back to

the fundamental fear that is underlying

338

this common question about variety.

339

It feels like you have to sacrifice

either clients or joy, right?

340

The fear that you're missing something.

341

All of a sudden, you don't

have to sacrifice your joy

342

in the name of marketing.

343

You don't have to erase the nuance

of your work in order to sound clear.

344

You can be the versatile, dynamic,

multi-passionate clinician that you are

345

and still run a premium ful fee practice.

346

I think that's the greatest win of all.

347

No longer defaulting to a niche

that doesn't fit or staying stuck

348

in that vague middle zone that

isn't really helping anyone.

349

You start speaking clearly, you

start showing up powerfully, and

350

your marketing finally reflects the

depth, the variety, the richness,

351

and the quality of your work.

352

So I've been chatting for a while,

but hopefully offering a helpful

353

answer for anyone who has been

sitting here thinking to themselves,

354

how do I do this well, when I enjoy

so many different types of clients?

355

So Melissa, Robin, I hope this

was helpful for you and I hope it

356

was helpful to anyone else that

has wrestled with that question.

357

If this conversation has hit home for you,

and if you have been trying to figure out

358

how to talk about the work that you do

without shrinking it down to some box, or

359

if you've been holding back from marketing

because nothing feels quite right, I want

360

you to know that we can help with that.

361

And that's actually exactly what we do.

362

Inside of Confident Copy.

363

We help therapists like you define

your red thread, shape it into a

364

niche that still honors your variety,

and then most importantly, bring it

365

to life in your marketing in a way

that actually resonates with those

366

clients that you love working with.

367

The ones who are ready, who are

full fee, who feel like a yes.

368

From the very first email you get from

them and if you've been stuck in that

369

place where you're trying to sound clear,

but end up feeling boxed in, please

370

know today that there is a better way.

371

Twice every year.

372

We reopen confident

copy at a reduced rate.

373

We add in some really

incredible extra bonuses.

374

And if you're listening to this

375

next one is coming in August.

376

So over the next few weeks, I'm

gonna be sharing more of the behind

377

the scenes of Confident Copy.

378

What happens, the power of the coaching,

the community, the curriculum there.

379

If you're not already on our

email list, make sure you are.

380

There's a link in the show notes to

join the wait list for Confident Copy.

381

By joining the wait list,

you get an extra discount.

382

Hello, extra savings.

383

But you also qualify for a

continuing support bonus that I've

384

never offered in this way before.

385

That allows us to continue working

together for six months following

386

the Confident Copy Program so

I can really help you implement

387

as you move on from the program.

388

Now, whatever it is that you choose

to do, whether I see you in Confident

389

Copy, where I would love to support

you or not, please know that you

390

don't have to give up variety,

nuance, or joy just to market better.

391

There is a better way and I would

love the opportunity to show it to

392

you inside of Confident Copy, or at

the very least, by continuing to hang

393

around this podcast and this community.

394

I'm so grateful that you're here and

I'll see you in the next episode.