E19: How Najla navigated the transition from agency to private practice while staying true to herself, her culture, and her clinical work

In this episode, we will hear from Najla Sallum. Look, we do get into this work for personal reasons. Nobody sits back and says, “Hey, I want to make great money doing work that I can leave at the door. I know! I’ll become a therapist.”

So what happens if you are a minority in a small community of minorities who you want to serve – can you still charge great fees? Even if every single person in that community knows who you are?

Yikes. This is what we’re going to talk about today. Najla – who is Arabic-Brazilian – set out to work with this very specific community, but found herself feeling anxious and guilty about charging good money to work with her peeps. If you are passionate about working with a specific group who is often disenfranchised, but you feel super conflicted about charging for your services, this episode is for you.


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In this episode, Najla will share:

  • How she transitioned from an agency job into private practice;
  • How she realized she needed to raise her fees when she saw how other therapists were living their lives (stressed, overwhelmed & overworked) and knew she wanted something different;
  • How she managed to find balance between building the practice she wanted, creating the life she dreamed of, and doing the clinical work she was passionate about–all at the same time!
  • How she continued to stay true to her Arabic Brazilian roots while also fulfilling her professional goals;
  • And the lessons she learned from others throughout her journey.

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More about Najla

Najla Sallum is a therapist in Coconut Creek, Florida who works with those in the Aarabic Brazilian community. She walks her clients through the process of finding “their voice”. She focuses on helping individuals heal, energize, and become aware of their inner strengths. She believes that when people feel empowered, they are able to take charge of any situation. Najla says that regardless of age, there is always “truth” to be revealed.

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About the podcast

The Money Sessions podcast by Tiffany McLain, LMFT is full of deep, thoughtful, and sometimes raw conversations with real therapists who are in the midst of leaning into raising fees and making bank – all while working with the clients they are passionate about serving.

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