Why YOU Shouldn’t Sell Out to BetterHelp

An interview with Jeff Guenther, LPC from TherapyDen about the ins and outs of affiliate partnerships. Curt and Katie talk with Jeff about the offer he received from BetterHelp and why he turned it down – taking some time to discuss the therapist businesses and influencers who have chosen this partnership and the subsequent backlash from the online therapist communities. We look at how these types of partnerships can be formed, what you should consider when you are approached to collaborate with another company, and how much money it would take for us to sell out.
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Interview with Jeff Guenther, LPC, TherapyDen
Jeff Guenther, LPC, is a therapist in Portland, OR. He has been in private practice since 2005 and currently leads workshops on how health and wellness practitioners can build their digital brand and attract more clients online. Jeff is the creator and owner of two highly ranked healthcare directory sites, Portland Therapy Center and TherapyDen.

In this episode we talk about:
Jeff’s TherapyDen story – why/how he started it and the different types of partnerships and other business arrangements that he’s been approached with
How to sift out what is being offered and whether a partnership is beneficial or harmful
The salesy approaches that Jeff just does not respond to
The common origin stories and connections made with tech startups
Why Brighter Vision and others have gotten so much backlash when they partnered with BetterHelp
The movement from the online therapists’ groups to respond to Brighter Vision and the resulting discontinuation of the partnership with BetterHelp
The importance of taking care of the individuals in the profession
The corporate focus on commoditization of therapy
The different ways that companies like BetterHelp may be making money off of therapy clients and therapists (e.g., data mining)
BetterHelp’s plan to take over therapist directories and all of the entry points for therapy
The consequences of BetterHelp’s success and how they are changing the expectations
Ideas about larger provider networks that can be done well to support therapists and clients
The specifics of Jeff’s offer from BetterHelp and why he turned it down
The morals and values questions that come up when facing one of these offers
The practical reasons not to take these kinds of deals, no matter the money involved
The importance of being able to stand behind your partners

Our Generous Sponsor:
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You can learn more about Healthcasters at sellingthecouch.com/jointhehealthcasters (enter the promo code "therapyreimagined" at checkout for $100 off the listed price).

Who we are:
Curt Widhalm is in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is the cofounder of the Therapy Reimagined conference, an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and CSUN, a former Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, former CFO of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: http://www.curtwidhalm.com

Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant supporting leaders, visionaries, executives, and helping professionals to create sustainable careers. Katie, with Curt, has developed workshops and a conference, Therapy Reimagined, to support therapists navigating through the modern challenges of this profession. Katie is also a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: http://www.katievernoy.com


A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.