21 Side Hustles For Therapists [2024]
Are you a therapist looking for new ways to expand your income streams in 2024?
In an ever-evolving economic landscape, more and more therapists are seeking side hustles that not only supplement their primary income but also align with their passion and expertise. Whether you're hoping to save for a big purchase, pay off student loans, or simply add a financial cushion to your budget, the right side hustle can make all the difference.
We've curated a list of some of the most promising side hustle ideas specifically tailored for therapists.
By exploring these options, you'll discover innovative ways to leverage your skills, connect with new audiences, and enhance your financial well-being. Let's dive in and find the perfect side hustle to fit your unique talents and goals.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a therapy business ($74.8K/month)
Starting your own therapy business as a side hustle makes perfect sense because it allows you to leverage your existing skills and expertise to help more people while supplementing your income. Given your current credentials and experience, you could easily offer additional sessions during evenings or weekends, making it convenient to balance with your primary job.
The flexibility in scheduling means this venture doesn't require a significant time commitment, making it feasible even with a busy schedule. By focusing on specialized types of therapy you are passionate about, you could also establish a niche market, attracting clients who specifically need your expertise. This side hustle is relatively simple to jumpstart, as you'll already have the necessary licenses and certifications to begin providing therapy services almost immediately.
How much you can make: $10,000 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Professional cuddler, Sam Varnerin, developed her successful one-to-one cuddle service, Snuggle with Sam, as a result of recognising the universal human need for connection and touch, which also led to her opening Sam’s Snuggle School, a course for aspiring professional cuddlers.
2. Start an educational blog ($63K/month)
Starting an educational blog could be an ideal side hustle for therapists looking to supplement their income and share their expertise. You can effortlessly begin this venture with minimal costs by selecting a mental health niche you are passionate about and knowledgeable in. Establishing your blog on free platforms like WordPress allows you to share informative and valuable content without significant overhead.
Given that you already have a wealth of expertise and experience, creating quality content should come naturally. Promoting your blog through social media and SEO techniques can help attract a steady stream of visitors. Once you build a dedicated audience, you could explore monetizing through affiliate marketing or selling digital products, allowing you to generate additional income with relatively little ongoing effort.
How much you can make: $50 — $830,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $170 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
A one-man business teaching people how to use Microsoft Excel effectively has gone from getting ~15k pageviews a month in 2014, to more than one million pageviews every month as of today, generating an average monthly revenue of ~$10,000, with the majority of the money coming from online course sales and a newsletter, which has 40k+ active subscribers.
3. Become a wellness coach ($48.2K/month)
As a therapist, you could easily transition into starting a side hustle as a wellness coach. Given your expertise in mental health and behavior change, you could effectively help clients set and achieve health goals such as weight loss, improved energy levels, and stress management. This line of work is closely aligned with your existing skills, making it a seamless addition to your practice.
The flexibility that wellness coaching offers allows you to integrate it into your existing schedule without overwhelming yourself. You could choose to specialize in areas that interest you, such as becoming a corporate wellness coach, a nutritional therapist, or a weight loss coach. Since health and wellness coaching is growing in popularity, you could tap into a thriving market with minimal initial investment, making it a low-risk but potentially high-reward opportunity.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Chakra5 is a mobile wellness team that generates $6k per month doing yoga/meditation/pilates classes, vegan cooking classes and sound baths on demand, boasting a strong online presence to attract and retain customers while also using free tools to keep monthly business costs below $100.
4. Become a massage therapist ($87.2K/month)
As a therapist, you could explore the lucrative side hustle of becoming a massage therapist, a growing industry that offers various business opportunities. With options to operate independently from your home or rent a massage studio on an hourly basis, this flexibility allows you to seamlessly integrate massage therapy into your existing schedule, enhancing your income without significant disruption to your primary practice.
Starting a massage therapy business is not as difficult as you might think, as it caters to a high-demand service within many communities. By leveraging your current therapeutic skills and applying core business strategies, you could build a successful massage therapy practice that complements and enhances your overall professional portfolio.
How much you can make: $5,000 — $275,000/month
How long does it take to build: 100 days (?)
Professional cuddler, Sam Varnerin, developed her successful one-to-one cuddle service, Snuggle with Sam, as a result of recognising the universal human need for connection and touch, which also led to her opening Sam’s Snuggle School, a course for aspiring professional cuddlers.
5. Become a public speaker ($72.3K/month)
As a therapist, you could easily transition into public speaking by leveraging your expertise and insights to inspire and educate broader audiences. Your background equips you with the skills to address mental health topics, stress management, relationships, and personal growth, making you a compelling and authoritative speaker.
This side hustle doesn't demand a significant time commitment, allowing you to manage it alongside your regular practice. By starting a social media channel and sharing your motivational talks, you could gradually build a following and create impactful online content that resonates with people seeking guidance and positivity. The initial setup is straightforward and requires minimal investment, providing a practical and rewarding way to supplement your income.
How much you can make: $7,000 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Founder Ellen Yin shares how she profitably bootstrapped growth from a $300 client project into 7 figures in lifetime revenue and how she launched a $10K/month online course using pre-selling to test and validate her offer.
6. Become an author ($227K/month)
As a therapist, leveraging your expertise to become an author could be a powerful side hustle, allowing you to share your professional insights, experiences, and advice with a broader audience. Writing a book or contributing articles related to mental health, therapy techniques, or personal development could not only establish you as an authority but also create new revenue streams through book sales and royalties.
Embarking on this journey is relatively accessible and does not require a significant time investment initially. With self-publishing options, you have complete control over the process, making it easier to fit writing into your schedule. Plus, your existing knowledge base could provide a wealth of material, making the writing process more straightforward and efficient.
This venture could open up additional opportunities, such as speaking engagements or workshops, further supplementing your income. By dedicating small, consistent blocks of time to write, you could effectively manage this side hustle alongside your primary therapeutic practice.
How much you can make: $200 — $1,500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
This case study follows full-time thriller and action-adventure author Nick Thacker who earns between $10k to $20k per month from writing, predominantly through Amazon Kindle Unlimited sales, and goes in-depth into his self-publishing strategy which maximizes sales and minimizes costs, such as developing a mailing list and utilizing print-on-demand services.
7. Become a blogging coach ($26.4K/month)
As a therapist, starting a side hustle as a blogging coach could be a seamless and lucrative opportunity to supplement your income. By leveraging your communication skills and understanding of human behavior, you could guide aspiring bloggers on various aspects such as building successful business blogs, optimizing conversions, and choosing impactful blog topics. Since blogging is increasingly being adopted as a content marketing strategy, there is a growing demand for blogging coaches.
One of the advantages of becoming a blogging coach is that it requires minimal startup costs and can be done remotely, making it easy to fit into your existing schedule. You can start small by creating blogging courses or offering one-on-one coaching sessions during your off-hours. This flexibility allows you to steadily grow your side hustle without overwhelming your primary responsibilities as a therapist.
How much you can make: $3,000 — $80,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 12 days (?)
Ryan Robinson explains how he built a blog with over 500k monthly visitors and generates $25,000-$55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and his own digital products like courses and books.
8. Start a career advice business ($27.9K/month)
Starting a career advice business could be an excellent side hustle for therapists, as it leverages your existing skills in understanding and empathizing with people's needs. You could provide personalized guidance to clients looking to advance or transition in their professional lives, utilizing your knowledge of industries, job markets, and resume-building techniques. This venture aligns well with the inherent therapeutic skills of listening, analyzing, and offering practical advice, making it a natural extension of your current expertise.
The best part is, launching a career advice business is relatively easy and demands minimal setup, enabling you to start small and scale gradually. You could offer one-on-one consultations, facilitate workshops, and provide online resources all while maintaining your primary job. Given the growing demand for expert career advice, especially for mid-career changes and skill upgrades, this side hustle offers both a lucrative and fulfilling opportunity to make a meaningful impact on your clients' lives.
How much you can make: $3,000 — $100,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Loopcv is a job search automation platform experiencing 15% monthly growth, offering solutions for bootcamps, universities, career coaches, developers, recruitment companies, job boards, affiliates, and companies looking to perform internal restructuring.
9. Start a pet vlog
Starting a pet vlog could be a fantastic side hustle for you as a therapist, especially if you love pets and have a flair for creating engaging content. As a therapist, you understand the power of empathy and connection—skills that can be easily adapted to showcase the charming, amusing, and heartwarming moments of pets in a way that resonates with viewers. With some basic equipment like a decent camera and video editing software, you could quickly get this side venture off the ground without a huge time commitment.
Balancing a pet vlog with your therapy career is feasible as capturing pet moments and editing videos can be done during your downtime. The flexibility of this side hustle means you can work on it around your therapy schedule, making it a low-stress way to supplement your income. Additionally, the potential for generating revenue through ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise sales provides several monetization options that could turn your passion for pets into a profitable venture.
How much you can make: $83,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
Discover how Amman Ahmed turned a $50 investment into a $9.6 million/year business by creating soothing audio tracks for pets on YouTube, Spotify, and more, with only $5,000 spent on marketing over the years.
10. Start a freelance writing business ($62.6K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could be an excellent side hustle for therapists looking to supplement their income while leveraging their expertise. As a therapist, you possess strong communication and writing skills, which are crucial for success in freelance writing. This avenue allows you to write on topics related to mental health, wellness, and psychology, thus enriching your professional knowledge and reaching a wider audience.
The flexibility of freelance writing means you could easily fit this side hustle into your existing schedule, working from home at times that suit you best. Additionally, it doesn't require a significant investment to get started, and you could begin by pitching articles to relevant publications or starting a blog. By contributing to various niches and platforms, you could gain additional income without a considerable time commitment.
How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
11. Start a social media management business ($128K/month)
As a therapist, you could diversify your income by starting a social media management business. This side hustle is particularly flexible, allowing you to define your work schedule and fit it around your existing practice without a significant time commitment. Given your understanding of human behavior and communication, you could craft compelling content and develop effective strategies that resonate with the target audience.
Getting started is relatively easy and low-cost; you simply need a good grasp of social media platforms and some marketing acumen to develop strategies aligned with clients' goals. You could offer a range of services, from setting up social media accounts to crafting marketing strategies and posting regularly on behalf of your clients. This endeavor could be particularly rewarding as it allows you to engage your entrepreneurial spirit while utilizing your expertise in human interaction and communication.
How much you can make: $100 — $550,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study is about how the founder of AdvertiseMint, a Facebook advertising agency, started the company with just one employee and has since grown it to 25 employees, managing close to $100 million in digital media buys for clients such as Coca-Cola and Viacom.
12. Start an online video editing business ($37.7K/month)
One exciting side hustle for therapists looking to supplement their income is starting an online video editing business. Given your strong communication skills and ability to work effectively with clients, this venture can be an easy transition. The initial steps involve outsourcing video editing tasks to experienced professionals, allowing you to act as the intermediary who collects and uploads footage from clients for editing.
This side hustle can work seamlessly alongside your therapy practice because it doesn't demand extensive daily hours, and the initial setup is straightforward. You could manage your existing therapy sessions while handling client communications and video project coordination during your off-hours. This venture requires minimal effort to maintain and can create a steady stream of additional income without overwhelming your primary responsibilities.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $100,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
VEED.IO, a London-based start-up co-founded by Sabba and her partner, offers a simple online video editing platform using batch job cloud architecture to help social media managers across the world auto subtitle, filter, rotate videos and much more, earning the company $5,300 MRR and the founders Ramen profitability within just a year of starting.
13. Start a clothing retail kiosk
Starting a clothing retail kiosk could be an excellent side hustle for therapists looking to supplement their income and explore entrepreneurial opportunities in the fashion industry. As a therapist, you already possess strong interpersonal skills and an understanding of human behavior, which can be invaluable when it comes to anticipating customer needs and preferences. A clothing kiosk requires relatively low startup costs and manageable inventory, making it a feasible option for a part-time venture that doesn't demand excessive effort or time commitment.
You could choose to specialize in a niche that aligns with your interests, such as men's or women's clothing, uniforms, or even sports apparel. This side hustle allows you to experiment with business ownership without the risk associated with full-time commitments and extensive financial investments. By operating a kiosk, you could gain practical experience in retail, providing a solid foundation for future business endeavors in the textile industry.
14. Start a tack cleaning and restoration business
Starting a tack cleaning and restoration business could be a fantastic side hustle for a therapist looking to supplement their income. Given your existing schedule, this venture would be highly flexible, allowing you to manage your practice while offering services on weekends or evenings. It's also relatively easy to get started; all you need are some basic cleaning supplies and tools, which makes the initial investment quite low.
Moreover, the nature of this work doesn't require a significant time commitment, making it an ideal fit for someone with an already busy career. The skills required are straightforward and can be quickly learned, enabling you to offer a valuable service to local equestrian communities. This side business harnesses your attention to detail and care, similar to the meticulous work you do as a therapist, offering a rewarding way to diversify your income without overwhelming your schedule.
15. Start a marketing coaching business ($69.6K/month)
As a therapist, starting a marketing coaching business could make perfect sense and be a fantastic side hustle opportunity. You already possess strong listening skills, empathy, and the ability to understand people's needs—all crucial elements in effective marketing. Imagine guiding businesses to sharpen their messaging, refine their strategies, and amplify their voices through your psychological insights and expertise.
This side hustle requires minimal upfront investment, allowing you to start small with one-on-one coaching sessions, group workshops, or online courses. It's easy to get started and doesn't demand a significant time commitment, making it an ideal endeavor to pursue alongside your primary therapy practice.
Moreover, you'll get the chance to diversify your income while helping others achieve their goals, which can be deeply rewarding both financially and emotionally. Ready to transform your therapeutic skills into a profitable venture? Consider starting your marketing coaching business today.
How much you can make: $350 — $4,166,667/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,350 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
How Shannon Mattern built a DIY web design training business from scratch that now generates $10k/month in revenue through affiliate commissions and courses, without outside investment or debt.
16. Start a niche newsletter ($38.1K/month)
As a therapist, you could start a niche newsletter to share your expert insights with a broader audience. This side hustle allows you to deliver targeted, valuable information to a highly interested group, whether it's on mental health strategies, mindfulness practices, or coping mechanisms for stress. The demand for high-quality, specialized content is strong, and a well-curated newsletter could attract a dedicated subscriber base willing to pay for your expertise.
Starting a niche newsletter is relatively easy and doesn't require a significant amount of work to get started. You could begin by leveraging your existing knowledge and client experiences to generate content, then steadily grow your subscriber list through organic marketing channels. Over time, this side venture could provide supplementary income and professional satisfaction, all while making a meaningful impact on your readers' lives.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,055 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Sex blogger turns a free WordPress blog into a $2,000 a month part-time digital business by investing in education, self-hosting, and building relationships within the NSFW community.
17. Become a content strategist ($64K/month)
As a therapist, branching out into a side hustle as a content strategist could be a seamless transition due to your inherent skills in understanding and empathizing with people. Your expertise in analyzing behavior and communication styles can be directly applied to researching target audiences and determining the most impactful types of content. With minimal startup costs and the flexibility to work around your existing schedule, this side gig offers the freedom to grow at your own pace.
Moreover, your experience in building client relationships and trust puts you in an excellent position to collaborate effectively with various teams, ensuring content strategies align with broader business goals. The organizational and project management skills you’ve honed in your therapy practice will also benefit you here, enabling you to manage multiple content projects and meet deadlines efficiently. Starting a content strategy side hustle is not only viable but could also become a rewarding extension of your professional skills.
How much you can make: $500 — $550,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Draft founder, Karl, built a productized service for technical content, generating $10k in (mostly) recurring revenue in just three months of running the business, showing the success of skill-stacking and the impact of word of mouth and maintaining a strong network in a service business.
18. Start a SEO services ($87.4K/month)
As a therapist, you could tap into the growing market for SEO services to supplement your income without a significant time commitment. By leveraging your communication skills and attention to detail, you could help small businesses enhance their online visibility through tasks like optimizing website content, building quality backlinks, and conducting keyword research. This side hustle allows you to apply analytical and strategic thinking—skills you already use in your practice—to a new, entrepreneurial context.
Starting an SEO services business requires minimal upfront investment, mainly a computer, internet connection, and basic SEO knowledge, making it easy to get started. Given the flexible nature of SEO work, you could easily manage this side hustle alongside your therapy practice. Assisting local businesses in ranking higher on search engines not only offers a new revenue stream but also presents the opportunity to expand your professional network within the community.
How much you can make: $3,000 — $800,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study describes the journey of Russell Michelson who, after leaving his corporate job, turned his WordPress skills into a thriving boutique SEO agency earning $20k/month, thanks to client referrals and Upwork.
19. Start a leather bags business ($22.8K/month)
Starting a leather bags business could be a fantastic side hustle for a therapist looking to supplement their income. Leveraging your passion for craftsmanship, you could begin by sourcing quality leather and designing unique, high-quality handbags, satchels, or other stylish accessories. This venture doesn't require a significant time investment upfront, making it manageable alongside your primary career.
Since the business allows for gradual scaling, you could either handcraft the bags yourself or partner with experienced artisans to bring your designs to life. With the convenience of online platforms like Etsy, you could easily market and sell your products without needing a physical storefront. This side hustle offers an excellent opportunity to explore your entrepreneurial spirit while creating durable, timeless pieces that customers value for their style and functionality.
How much you can make: $500 — $45,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Faire Leather Co. is an online leather goods label with a total revenue of approximately $2.3 million, started with a Kickstarter campaign that overfunded eight times, and now operates as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business that is fully, vertically integrated, saving on costs and able to offer quality products.
20. Start a fitness blog ($18.6K/month)
As a therapist, starting a fitness blog could be an excellent way to supplement your income while sharing valuable insights into physical and mental well-being. With your existing knowledge about mental health, you could provide a unique perspective that resonates with readers seeking holistic wellness advice. Since a fitness blog requires only a modest initial investment and can be managed in your spare time, it offers a flexible and low-stress side hustle option.
You could easily begin by sharing workout routines, nutrition tips, and wellness advice to a growing online audience. Capitalizing on your expertise, you might find it straightforward to produce content that engages and inspires your readers. Over time, you could monetize your blog through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and product sales, turning your passion into profit without a significant time commitment.
Starting and marketing your blog involves creating workout videos, collaborating with fitness experts, and promoting content on social media. With dedication and consistency, your fitness blog could evolve into a rewarding venture that not only complements your therapy practice but also keeps you accountable in your personal fitness journey.
How much you can make: $9,000 — $59,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Haley Perry, founder and CEO of Endorphitness, built an online platform offering at-home health and fitness programs that has grown to garner $10K in monthly revenue through a one-stop-shop for all things health and fitness related and a loyal customer base that values the sense of community fostered through the platform.
21. Start a health blog ($52.8K/month)
Starting a health blog could be a superb side hustle for you as a therapist. Leveraging your existing expertise, you could share valuable insights on mental health, lifestyle changes, and general well-being, helping others lead healthier lives. The best part is that it's relatively easy to get started; a customized platform and reliable hosting are all you need to set up your blog.
Given that blogging requires minimal time commitment, you could easily fit writing posts into your existing schedule. By brainstorming topics, creating an editorial calendar, and consistently publishing, you'd build a loyal readership over time. Plus, you could monetize your blog through affiliate marketing or promoting your own health-focused merchandise, supplementing your income without a substantial amount of extra work.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $250,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Bey Moss, an e-commerce platform selling sea moss-infused health and wellness products, made over $800,000 to-date with less than $10,000 overall in ads after validating the product idea through reviews and feedback and leveraging their social media following to build a Bey Moss community.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
