THIS ISSUE IS SPONSORED BY

​Mentaya is a mental healthcare startup that helps private practice therapists unlock the value of out-of-network insurance benefits for their clients.​

​Use the code AVIVIT for a 30-day free trial of the Benefits Checker.

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

Last week I had lunch with a friend whose business is a luxury design service.

During our conversation, she received a new lead through an app that “guaranteed” business leads at $13 per lead. Naturally, she was excited.

In her world, the lifetime value of a client is somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000.

Just like in private-pay therapy, it can be worthwhile to pay for leads if it helps grow your client roster.

For my friend however, this new exercise turned out to be a disappointment.

After spending 20 minutes putting together a custom quote, she received a response: it was far beyond the client’s budget.

So $13 bought her a misaligned lead that wasted her time and delivered frustration.

I’m sharing this because I see the same pattern across therapy practices.

Clients come back to me years after our initial conversation, having spent thousands on ads that brought leads who:

• were looking for in-network providers
• used up time on free consult calls
• dropped off because they were misaligned with the practice

So we see that the true cost of bad of bad leads if far greater than what you pay-per-click or lead.

It’s time, energy, and attention spent on people who were never a fit in the first place.

That same time and budget could have been invested in building a stronger therapy brand, a clearer message, and a strategy that attracts clients who can actually pay your rates.

Only once you have these foundational elements in place, you will be in a good position to invest in ads.

But you may find that, you won't even need to do that.

If this feels familiar and you want to figure out how to position your practice so it attracts better-fit clients from the start, we can look at it together.

You can start here:

​Book a Strategic Direction Call​

See you next week,

Avivit

And now to the news!

NOTEWORTHY

ACA Premiums Could Rise Sharply in 2026

KFF projects significant increases in ACA premiums if enhanced subsidies expire, which could lead some enrollees to drop coverage.

​Watch Here​

Why it matters: As insurance becomes more expensive or less accessible, more clients may reconsider how they pay for care, including private-pay options.

BUSINESS AND PRIVATE PRACTICE

Understanding Out-Of-Network Billing

A practical breakdown of how out-of-network billing works, including reimbursement, superbills, and how clients navigate insurance when a therapist is not in-network.

​Read More​

Why it matters: Out-of-network isn’t just a billing detail. It’s a positioning strategy that affects pricing, client expectations, and how accessible your services feel.

INDUSTRY NEWS

From Growth to Proof in Behavioral Health

Industry leaders predict a shift from rapid expansion to a stronger focus on outcomes, specialization, and measurable value across behavioral health.

​Read More​

Why it matters: Generalist positioning is getting harder to sustain. Clear specialization and demonstrated value are becoming the differentiators.