When You’re the Therapist, Admin, Accountant, and Marketer

Part Eight in the series: Behind the Practice – Navigating the Real Challenges of Running a Private Practice
By Angela M Carter, IFS Therapist

There’s a moment in every private practitioner’s week when this thought arises:

“This isn’t what I trained for.”

It might be while replying to emails.
Chasing invoices.
Fixing your booking system.
Googling how to design a Canva post… while eating lunch at your desk between clients.

You became a therapist, a coach, a healer—because you wanted to serve, support, and guide.

But suddenly, you’re also:

• The receptionist

• The IT department

• The social media manager

• The bookkeeper

• The business strategist

• The emotional container for everyone else

And the weight of that?
It’s not just mental.
It’s somatic.

Because your nervous system didn’t sign up for ten roles.
Your inner parts didn’t consent to being in charge of everything.

Multiplicity Isn’t Just Internal—It’s Occupational

In Internal Family Systems (IFS), we honour the multiplicity of the mind.

But in private practice, you also face multiplicity in function.
You’re not just leading an internal system—you’re running an external one.

And often, parts get activated like this:

• A perfectionist part insists on doing everything “properly”

• A protector part distrusts delegating or outsourcing

• A scarcity part says you can’t afford help

• A competent part just gets on with it—but grows silently resentful

• A younger part feels confused, lost, and unsure who’s actually in charge

These parts try to carry it all, but the system begins to fray.

And you find yourself lying awake, wondering why you feel so anxious… even when your caseload is full.

A Personal Reflection: When I Realised I Was Everyone

There was a point early in my practice when I was doing it all—bookings, emails, accounting, website updates, designing handouts, training development, supervision… and, of course, therapy.

From the outside, it looked like success.

But on the inside, my system was exhausted.

I remember standing at my kitchen counter, realising I hadn’t eaten properly that day, still answering emails at 9pm, and thinking:

“I’ve become the organisation. But I’ve lost the organisation within.”

That was the turning point.

Not because I suddenly hired a team.
But because I finally asked my parts: “What are we afraid will happen if we stop trying to do it all?”

And they answered.

And we began—slowly, gently—letting go of roles that didn’t belong to us anymore.

You’re Not Lazy or Disorganised—You’re Overextended

Many of us wait until burnout before we realise:

Doing everything isn’t noble—it’s unsustainable.

It doesn’t make your practice more ethical, accessible, or human.
It makes you more brittle.

You’re not weak for needing help.
You’re wise for noticing where help is needed.

And when your parts trust that they don’t have to wear all the hats, they start relaxing.
So you can lead.

Try This: Lightening the Internal Load

This practice will help you check in with the parts trying to run your entire business—and begin mapping what you can release or resource.

Step One: Inventory the Hats
Write down everything you do to keep your business running. Include:

• Client work

• Admin

• Tech

• Marketing

• Finances

• Communications

• Emotional labour

Label each with:
Therapist / Admin / Marketer / Tech / CEO / Cleaner / Community / Other

Step Two: Ask the Parts What They Need
For each role, ask:

• “Who in my system is responsible for this?”

• “How does this part feel about the workload?”

• “What are they afraid will happen if they stop doing this?”

Step Three: Identify Where Support Is Needed
Look back and circle 1–2 roles that feel the heaviest.

Then ask:

• “What kind of support could help this part?”
  (eg. automation, scheduling changes, hiring help, clearer policies, a mentor)

Step Four: Make One Micro-Shift
Choose one small change this week:

• Set up auto-replies

• Batch your client notes

• Ask a peer for a resource

• Put a “CEO block” in your calendar

• Journal about what “enough” means for your practice

Let it be manageable. Let it be from Self.

Final Thoughts

You are allowed to be more than the container for everyone else’s transformation.
You are allowed to build a practice that holds you too.

You’re not here to wear every hat forever.

You’re here to lead—clearly, compassionately, and wisely.

And sometimes that means putting a few hats down…
So you can finally take your seat.

In abundant love and kindness for all gentle souls,

Angela xox 

Next up: Sustainability vs. Sacrifice: Building a Business That Nourishes, Not Depletes You