Episode 45: Leadership Lessons They Don’t Teach in Massage School - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Episode 47: Why the Way You Speak to Clients Matters More Than You Think - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Ever notice how quickly clients start identifying with the stories they’ve been told about their bodies? “My hips are a mess.” “This shoulder never lets go.” “My body is just broken.” In this episode, Gretchen explores something a lot of bodyworkers underestimate: your words are part of the treatment. The way you describe tension, pain, compensation patterns, or “problem areas” can either help a client feel safer and more hopeful in their body… or reinforce fear, fragility, and a fixed identity around their pain. Through stories from her own practice, her daughter’s healing journey, and years of working with chronic pain clients, Gretchen breaks down the placebo and nocebo effects in a way that feels grounded and practical, not fluffy. This conversation is really about becoming more intentional with the cues you’re giving the nervous system—because communication isn’t separate from outcomes. It shapes them.   ----more---- CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH GRETCHEN [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/breakthrough] ----more---- If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/membership] to learn more and join us. ----more---- Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge [https://boncharge.com/?rfsn=8982562.20fae3]: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses [https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=GRETCHENPOPP]: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats [https://iaminharmony.com/gretchen-popp]: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping [https://lddy.no/1djcm]: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order! We are so grateful for your support of the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast and would love to hear how we can better support you! Click here [https://fivwcz4jkxc.typeform.com/to/VWy0heN8] to give us your feedback on the show.  If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/podcast-guest-submission] to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole. Click HERE [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/breakthrough-hypnotherapy] for your FREE Mindset Shift Hypnotherapy Session with Gretchen!

Episode 46: Hiring Without the Headaches with Julie Campbell - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Hiring for your practice shouldn’t feel like wandering through a legal minefield, but let’s be honest—most of us end up there, stressing about getting it “right” and terrified of making a costly mistake. What’s refreshing about this conversation with Julie Campbell is the real talk on why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for hiring ICs vs. W2s. Instead of chasing the option that looks best on paper, Julie Campbell encourages you to really sit with the actual kind of business you want to run, how much control you need, and what makes sense for your nervous system and bottom line—plus how “mistakes” in hiring might be inevitable but don’t have to break you. If you’ve ever guilt-tripped yourself for not having it all perfectly figured out, you’ll appreciate how both Gretchen Popp and Julie Campbell own their imperfect, learning-on-the-fly business journeys. There’s so much relief in hearing that messing up is just part of the process, not proof you don’t belong here. Take the pressure off: asking better questions, getting clear about what actually works for you (and your future team), and letting go of the fantasy of a totally risk-free business plan might be the most sustainable way to keep growing—on your own terms.   ----more---- CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH GRETCHEN [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/breakthrough] ----more---- If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/membership] to learn more and join us. ----more---- Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge [https://boncharge.com/?rfsn=8982562.20fae3]: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses [https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=GRETCHENPOPP]: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats [https://iaminharmony.com/gretchen-popp]: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping [https://lddy.no/1djcm]: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order! We are so grateful for your support of the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast and would love to hear how we can better support you! Click here [https://fivwcz4jkxc.typeform.com/to/VWy0heN8] to give us your feedback on the show.  If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/podcast-guest-submission] to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole. Click HERE [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/breakthrough-hypnotherapy] for your FREE Mindset Shift Hypnotherapy Session with Gretchen!

Episode 45: Leadership Lessons They Don’t Teach in Massage School - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

If you’ve ever wondered why finding (and keeping) the right team feels so daunting, you’re not alone. In this episode, Gretchen Popp pulls together real-deal wisdom from four fellow practice owners—each with their own take on what actually works when it comes to hiring, leading, and dealing with all the messy in-betweens of being an employer. Gretchen Popp shares how the hardest part isn’t just recruiting, but facing your own patterns and stepping into real leadership—boundaries, hard convos, and all. The stories you’ll hear hit on that push-pull of wanting to support your team without losing yourself in people-pleasing or burnout, and show why a sustainable workplace takes way more than good intentions. If you’re eyeing employer status or already there and feeling the weight, you’ll pick up concrete mindset shifts and permission to do it differently—honoring both your nervous system and your bigger mission.   Register for the Sustainable Success Blueprint CE Class HERE [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/success-blueprint]!  ----more---- CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH GRETCHEN [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/breakthrough] ----more---- If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/founders-join] to learn more and join us. ----more---- Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge [https://boncharge.com/?rfsn=8982562.20fae3]: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses [https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=GRETCHENPOPP]: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats [https://iaminharmony.com/gretchen-popp]: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping [https://lddy.no/1djcm]: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order! We are so grateful for your support of the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast and would love to hear how we can better support you! Click here [https://fivwcz4jkxc.typeform.com/to/VWy0heN8] to give us your feedback on the show.  If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/podcast-guest-submission] to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole. Click HERE [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/breakthrough-hypnotherapy] for your FREE Mindset Shift Hypnotherapy Session with Gretchen!

Episode 44: How to Grow a Team Without Recreating the Same Burnout Culture You Were Trying to Escape - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Ever catch yourself building a business to escape burnout… only to realize you’re slowly recreating the same kind of pressure and exhaustion, just with your name on the door? This episode is a really honest look at how that happens—and why avoiding structure altogether isn’t actually the solution. Gretchen unpacks the difference between systems that control and systems that support, and how clarity, when it’s rooted in real values, can actually feel like relief for your team instead of restriction. She shares pieces of her own clinic experience, from creating alternative roles beyond hands-on work to learning how misalignment—not just overwork—drives burnout. The deeper takeaway here is that sustainable leadership isn’t about rejecting structure, it’s about being intentional with what that structure is in service of. When your systems, communication, and decisions are grounded in a clear mission and practitioner-first values, you create something that can grow without quietly draining the people inside it. Register for the Sustainable Success Blueprint CE Class HERE [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/success-blueprint]!  ----more---- CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH GRETCHEN [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/breakthrough] ----more---- If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/founders-join] to learn more and join us. ----more---- Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge [https://boncharge.com/?rfsn=8982562.20fae3]: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses [https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=GRETCHENPOPP]: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats [https://iaminharmony.com/gretchen-popp]: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping [https://lddy.no/1djcm]: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order! We are so grateful for your support of the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast and would love to hear how we can better support you! Click here [https://fivwcz4jkxc.typeform.com/to/VWy0heN8] to give us your feedback on the show.  If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/podcast-guest-submission] to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole. Click HERE [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/breakthrough-hypnotherapy] for your FREE Mindset Shift Hypnotherapy Session with Gretchen!

Episode 43: How to Become the Kind of Employer Good Therapists Want to Stay With - Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast

Good therapists don’t usually leave because “people don’t want to work.” They leave when they don’t feel seen, supported, aligned, or set up to succeed. In this episode, Gretchen talks about what it actually takes to become the kind of employer talented massage therapists want to stay with—and why retention is about so much more than filling a schedule or offering a decent paycheck. She shares lessons from her own clinic, including the mistakes she made, the repairs she had to own, and the systems that helped her team feel more grounded. This conversation is really about leadership as a practice: clear communication, thoughtful onboarding, fair compensation, real feedback channels, and a culture where people feel valued as humans, not interchangeable hands in a treatment room. Register for the Sustainable Success Blueprint CE Class HERE [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/success-blueprint]!  ----more---- CLICK HERE FOR A FREE BREAKTHROUGH EXPERIENCE WITH GRETCHEN [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/breakthrough] ----more---- If you’re a massage therapist who wants your practice to feel sustainable again, the Sustainable Bodyworker Membership is where we go deeper. Inside you’ll find practical tools, honest conversations, and support for building a practice that actually works for your body and your life. Click here [https://sustainable-bodyworker.com/founders-join] to learn more and join us. ----more---- Affiliate Links:  We’re careful about what we share here. Everything in this section is something we personally use and come back to again and again — tools that support our own bodies, nervous systems, and day-to-day work. Bon Charge [https://boncharge.com/?rfsn=8982562.20fae3]: Use code SUSTAINABLE for 15% off! Swanwick Glasses [https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=GRETCHENPOPP]: Use code GRETCHENPOPP for 10% off! InHarmony Meditation Mats [https://iaminharmony.com/gretchen-popp]: Use code NEURO5 for 5% off! Global Cupping [https://lddy.no/1djcm]: Use code NEURO for 20% off your first order! We are so grateful for your support of the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast and would love to hear how we can better support you! Click here [https://fivwcz4jkxc.typeform.com/to/VWy0heN8] to give us your feedback on the show.  If you’ve got a story, skill, or insight you think would help other bodyworkers, we’d love to hear from you — click here [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/podcast-guest-submission] to apply to be a guest on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast. The ideas and techniques shared by our guests on the Sustainable Bodyworker Podcast are their own unique perspectives and don’t necessarily reflect those of Gretchen Popp or the Sustainable Bodyworker team or community as a whole. Click HERE [https://www.neurocupping.com/p/breakthrough-hypnotherapy] for your FREE Mindset Shift Hypnotherapy Session with Gretchen!