Sustainable, Not Exhausted: Healthy Goals for Clinicians in Solo Private Practice

Goals that support sustainability, not burnout

January often arrives with pressure—new year, new goals, new expectations. For clinicians in solo private practice, that pressure can feel even heavier. You are the clinician, the admin, the marketer, the biller, and the visionary. Traditional “do more” resolutions don’t account for the labor realities of private practice—and they often push already-tired clinicians closer to burnout.

Instead of productivity-driven resolutions, this year invites a different question:
What would actually make my practice more sustainable?

Below are healthy, realistic goals for solo clinicians—starting with the most important one.

1. Prioritize Rest as the Foundation of a Sustainable Practice

Rest is not a reward for finishing your to-do list.
It is the infrastructure that makes ethical, effective clinical work possible.

In solo private practice, rest is often the first thing sacrificed. There is always one more note to write, one more email to answer, one more client you could squeeze in. But without intentional rest, the cost shows up as exhaustion, irritability, clinical numbness, or the creeping thought of leaving the field altogether.

Healthy goals might look like:

• Capping sessions at a number your body can sustain

• Building in true days off (not “admin days” in disguise)

• Letting rest be a planned part of your business model, not an afterthought

Rest isn’t passive—it’s preventative care for burnout.

👉 Call to Action – Burnout Support for Women Clinicians
If you’re already feeling depleted, rest alone may not feel accessible yet. You don’t have to figure this out in isolation.
Lisa Strube’s Women in Burnout Group offers space to process exhaustion, reclaim boundaries, and reconnect with yourself outside of constant output. If burnout has been whispering (or shouting), this group can be a powerful step toward recovery and sustainability.

2. Prevent Burnout by Naming It as a Systems Issue, Not a Personal Failure

Burnout isn’t caused by being “bad at self-care.”
It’s often the result of ongoing emotional labor, isolation, and structural pressure—all common in solo practice.

A healthy resolution is not “I’ll just be more resilient,” but instead:

• “I will stop normalizing exhaustion as part of being a good clinician”

• “I will build supports instead of pushing through alone”

• “I will evaluate my practice based on sustainability, not comparison”

Preventing burnout means shifting from survival mode to intentional practice design—and allowing yourself support while doing so.

3. Use Continuing Education as Support, Not Another Obligation

Continuing education is required—but it can also be restorative when done well.

For solo clinicians, the right CE:

• Reduces isolation

• Rebuilds confidence

• Offers practical tools you can use immediately

• Reminds you that learning doesn’t have to be overwhelming or performative

A healthy goal isn’t “get all my hours done as fast as possible.”
It’s choosing education that supports how you actually practice.

👉 Call to Action – Join the CE Cohort
The Therapist Institute for Continuing Education CE Cohort is designed to make learning feel supportive rather than draining. Instead of scrambling for credits alone, you’re invited into a structured, community-based approach that respects your time, energy, and real-world clinical work.

If CE has felt overwhelming or disconnected, this cohort offers a more humane way forward.

4. Choose Goals That Fit Your Life, Not Someone Else’s Practice

A sustainable practice is not defined by income benchmarks, full caseloads, or hustle culture metrics. Healthy resolutions are:

• Context-aware

• Energy-conscious

• Aligned with your personal and professional capacity

Your practice does not need to look like anyone else’s to be valid—or successful.

👉 Call to Action – Build a Practice That Fits You
You don’t have to design your practice alone—or based on someone else’s definition of success. The T2T Membership offers ongoing support, practical resources, and community for clinicians who want to build a practice that aligns with their values, capacity, and real life.

If you’re ready to stop guessing, comparing, and overextending—and start making intentional, sustainable choices—the T2T Membership is a space to grow without burning out.

A Gentler Way to Begin the Year

You don’t need to overhaul your entire practice this January.
You don’t need bigger goals or more discipline.

You need:

• Rest that is protected

• Support that is shared

• Learning that nourishes rather than drains

• Goals that make staying in this field possible

Sustainability is the resolution. Everything else builds from there.