Aspire is honored to introduce you to our Expert Holistic 
Business Columnist Shelley Riutta, MSE, LPC. Shelley is the founder and President of the Global Association of Holistic Psychotherapy and Coaching. She is a Holistic Psychotherapist and creator of a six figure Holistic Psychotherapy practice. Because of her success at creating a thriving Holistic Practice she launched the Global Association of Holistic Psychotherapy and Coaching (GAHP) which supports Holistic Therapists, Healers, Coaches and Health Practitioners to develop thriving six figure Holistic Practices and learn about Holistic MethodsTM to accelerate the results of their Clients.
Shelley, I believe a great place to begin is with a definition of “Holistic Psychotherapy” for those who may be unfamiliar with the term or modality.
Holistic Psychotherapy is the leading edge therapy that people are needing right now in this exciting time of accelerated growth and expansion on the planet. Holistic Therapy addresses a client’s issues at the core level using Mind, Body and Spirit approaches. Many are turning to the holistic path of psychotherapy because they want to avoid using medications and they don’t want to be labeled for having struggles in their life.
Linda, when I speak of Psychotherapists, Healers and Health Practitioner’s who embrace the Holistic Methods in their practice I’m speaking of practitioners who:
- View people as Divine precious Spirits—Spiritual beings having a human experience.
- View people as already whole and complete Spirits who are struggling because they are disconnected from who they truly are—NOT because there is something wrong with them.
- Understands that Joy is our natural state and healing is about reconnecting with this Joy that is already present within them.
- Understands that Intuition is our natural guidance system in life and healing involves reconnecting with this powerful inner knowledge.
- Understands that Prosperity and Abundance is our divine birthright
- Understands that true healing addresses all levels– Mind, Body and Spirit—and this approach creates the most lasting and profound healing
This is such a powerful model to assist clients in their healing.
Shelley, today you are the leading Holistic Business Expert helping Coaches, Healers, Therapists and Health Practitioners to build a thriving business. It’s not what you initially set out to do so I’m curious what led you to this important work?
My path was really paved my own journey of developing a successful six figure Holistic Practice in Green Bay, WI.
After graduate school I had worked at a few agencies as a Psychotherapist and all along I knew I wanted to develop my own private practice doing more Holistic-based Psychotherapy. Well you know how it is when you don’t follow those intuitive urges when you first get them, a whisper eventually becomes a loud boom. My loud boom was having the threat of being laid off at the agency I was working for.
I was out on a walk with a dear friend of mine, Cheryl, and I was sharing my fear of being laid off. I expressed to her how I felt like my back was against the wall because there was no other agency I wanted to work for in our city. She said to me “Why don’t you start your own practice doing the Holistic work that you love to do?”
My immediate reaction was total fear. I was suddenly flooded with negative chatter and self-defeating thoughts like “I can’t do that, how will I get clients? I don’t know how to set up a private practice. I don’t think I know enough. What do I really have to offer? All the other Therapists and Holistic Practitioners are struggling in their Practices, why would it be different for me?”
Meanwhile a firm, yet loving voice deep inside me was saying “This is your true path, this is what you came here to do!” It was the voice of my Authentic Self. And ‘she’ was going head-to-head with the fears of my Conditioned Self and it was quite a battle.
Finally a thought came through, a divine thought, and that was “Why don’t I do it differently, why don’t I find a way to do what I love successfully, there must me a way?” I was determined to crack the code and create success for myself, even if those around me were struggling in creating their practice.
Holding that vision, I grew my private holistic psychotherapy practice, Radiant Life Counseling, to a six figure plus practice in Green Bay, WI – a fairly conservative community. When I reached that milestone I knew that if I could do it, anybody can do it. I began getting contacted by other Therapists and Holistic Practitioners from all over the area who were struggling and asking “How do I build a successful Holistic Practice like yours?”
That is a powerful story Shelley! I’ve always believed our journey prepares us for our soul’s work. How did you come to launch the Global Association of Holistic Psychotherapy and Coaching (GAHP) and what does the GAHP offer?
In June of 2010 I launched the Global Association of Holistic Psychotherapy and Coaching to teach everything I learned about creating a thriving Six-Figure plus Holistic Practice PLUS training on the Holistic Methods ™. Today GAHP is a leading edge Association that is designed to support Holistic Psychotherapists to develop Thriving Practices that use Holistic approaches that they LOVE and their clients LOVE. GAHP recognizes that true healing is assisting people to reconnect with their innate Spiritual Wholeness that is already present within them.
In the GAHP we offer 3 different Programs:
–Association Membership for Therapists, Healers, Coaches and Holistic Practitioners who practice from Holistic Approach
–Holistic Business School – A Business Coaching Program specifically for Therapists, Coaches, Healers and Health Practitioners
–GAHP Holistic Psychotherapy/Coaching Certification Training Program-This is a powerful training program to learn powerful Holistic Methods to accelerate the results you get with your Clients.
Shelley, over the years of Coaching Therapists, Healers, Coaches and Health Practitioners what are the key stumbling blocks that keep them from developing a thriving, profitable Holistic Business?
The key stumbling blocks I have found are:
-Mindset-what they believe is possible for their business. Oftentimes their potential is far beyond what they have conceived but they have a hard time believing in themselves that they could grow their business to that level. There are also incredible fears of being Visible.
–Effective Marketing Strategy– Many Holistic Practitioners don’t have an effective system to successfully market their practice so they easily get scattered, overwhelmed and feel stuck in growing a thriving business.
-Money Mindset-Holistic Practitioners have a hard time charging what they are worth and getting it. They also struggle with reaching their income goals. I find there are layers of limiting beliefs that need to be released for them to confidently charge a higher fee and also create leverage so they can multiple their income.
-Momentum-Holistic Practitioners oftentimes don’t create enough momentum to powerfully grow their business. They let their fears and perfectionism keep them from getting out there and making the impact they know in their Souls they want to make with their Holistic Business. Instead of them making leaps they make incremental progress that ends up ultimately frustrating them.
Shelley I have heard you say that you believe now is one of the best times to build a thriving Holistic Business, why do you believe that?
Well I believe our time is NOW meaning I believe Therapists, Coaches, Healers and Health Practitioners who practice from a Holistic perspective are on the leaders in the transformation that is happening on the planet. What they have to offer is SO needed at this time and they’ve been called to help heal those that are struggling. There is an epidemic of disconnection and struggle that people are feeling. They are searching for effective solutions that get to the core of their suffering and help them to finally heal.
Shelley, I see so many gifted Therapists, Coaches, Healers and Health Practitioners struggling in their practice and staying small. Do you have a message for them?
Get the support you need to step out of struggle and to shine. You are so capable of creating a thriving, joyful, impactful Holistic Business that is so far beyond your current thinking. Give yourself the gift of getting the right level of support. You deserve it and your sacred work deserves it.
I believe that in your Holistic Business you are spiritually destined to work with your ideal clients. These are clients that can get amazing results in their healing by working with you specifically. If you don’t step up and build your Holistic Business these ideal clients will not be able to have the shifts that are necessary that will contribute to the overall transformation on the Planet. What you do in your Holistic Practice matters that much to the collective whole. At a Soul level you decided before you came to the Planet that you could bring your very special spiritual gifts to the table. So trust that which is within you and love yourself enough to bring it into the fullest expression possible through your Holistic Business!!
Shelley, how can a Therapist, Coach, Healer, or Health Practitioner learn more about the GAHP’s programs and offerings?
A great place to start is to download my complimentary 6 piece Holistic Practice Building Kit which includes my audio training CD: Thriving Therapy Practice Secrets: 5 Simple Secrets to Creating a Thriving Therapy Practice, my video training “3 Mistakes People Make when Building their Holistic Practice”, The 9 Principles of Holistic Psychotherapy (see how it is different than traditional psychotherapy) and other resources to support you in creating a thriving holistic practice.
If a reader is struggling and is interested in finding a trained Holistic Psychotherapist or coach where can they go?
If you are struggling in any way and a Mind, Body, Soul approach speaks to you here is a listing of certified Holistic Therapists and Coaches. Click here.
