Episode 14

Trailblazer Series: How Shalene Kite Rebuilt Her DBT Practice and Redefined Clinician Burnout

Published on: 3rd November, 2025

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE HERE!

In this episode of Off the Chair, host Dr. Colleen Long sits down with Shalene Kite, LPC, DBT LBC, RYT, founder of DBT of South Jersey and Rebel Mente, to talk about how she transformed her DBT practice into a thriving business that challenges clinician burnout and empowers therapists to build freedom through aligned entrepreneurship.

From building a team of more than twenty clinicians to launching a national training brand, Shalene shares how she turned her skills as a therapist business coach into a movement for mental health professionals who want to lead without losing themselves. She explains how her background in dialectical behavior therapy and yoga shaped her approach to leadership, balance, and passive income for therapists who crave a more sustainable future.

This episode dives deep into what it means to grow a purpose-driven DBT practice, create systems that prevent clinician burnout, and redefine success beyond the therapy chair. Shalene’s story reminds every listener that passive income for therapists is not just a dream but a strategy that works when led with clarity and heart.

Key Topics Covered

  • How Shalene rebuilt her DBT practice after experiencing clinician burnout and found a more grounded way to lead
  • What it takes to build passive income for therapists while staying true to your mission and your clients
  • How a therapist business coach helps clinicians systemize, delegate, and grow without overwhelm
  • The mindset shifts that protect therapists from clinician burnout and promote balance in business and life
  • How to diversify income through training, consulting, and creative offers that extend your impact
  • The connection between a thriving DBT practice, emotional resilience, and long-term sustainability
  • Why working with a therapist business coach can transform how you think about leadership and legacy

If you have ever wondered how to move from clinician to CEO, recover from clinician burnout, and create passive income for therapists that reflects your values and purpose, this episode is your roadmap.

Connect with us!

Website: www.offthechair.com

Instagram: @offthechairpodcast

YouTube: @offthechairpodcast

Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Website: www.claritypsychologicaltesting.com

LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

 

Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC

Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com

Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj

TikTok: @wellnesscounseling

LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

 

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW

Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com

Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare

LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj

Shalene Kite, LPC, DBT, LBC, RYT

Website: http://rebelmente.com

Instagram: @shaelenekite

Transcript
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About the Podcast

Off The Chair
Breakout From Burnout
In a world where a nail artist can out-earn a licensed therapist, behavioral health professionals have no choice but to get scrappy, color outside the lines, and start writing our own rules. The old path—graduate school, licensure, paneled with insurance, packed calendar of 1:1s—is broken. It’s time for a new blueprint.

That’s where Off the Chair comes in. We’re not just talking about surviving the grind, we’re exploring radically different ways to thrive. From building passive income streams to launching scalable service lines, we dive into business models that break the mold. We cover how modern technology; AI, digital products, automation, and online communities—can even help clinicians step out of the therapy chair and into a more expansive, creative, and financially free version of practice.

Off the Chair is the no-BS podcast for therapists and clinicians from all disciplines, trapped in a broken healthcare system, ready to break out of burnout, reclaim their income, and build values-driven businesses beyond mis-managed care and trading hours for dollars.

Hosted by Dr. Colleen Long, Dr. Jennifer Politis, and Erika Bugaj, LICSW—three clinician-entrepreneurs who’ve built, broken, and rebuilt thriving mental health companies—this show brings you weekly conversations on what it really takes to succeed in today’s broken behavioral health system.

Whether you're a growth-minded psychologist, a private practice owner, or a therapist wondering how to scale without selling your soul, Off the Chair is your roadmap to redefining what success looks like in mental healthcare.

What You’ll Learn
- Business & Practice Management: Navigate the operations side of private practice with insight into EMRs, scheduling workflows, profitability pivots, and systems that scale.
- Hiring & Leadership: From managing your first intern to leading multi-state teams, get real-world advice on creating aligned, sustainable teams (and firing fast when it’s not a fit).
- Financial Freedom for Clinicians: Understand compensation models, create recurring revenue streams, and stop trading time for money—all without compromising your ethics.
- Mental Health Industry Reform: Challenge the status quo with honest dialogue on insurance gatekeeping, clinician burnout, and what it takes to build a more human-centered system.
- Personal Resilience & Growth: Behind every spreadsheet is a dark night of the soul. We talk mindset, mission drift, and how to stay motivated when the math doesn’t math.
- Overcoming Challenges: The podcast addresses common challenges faced by therapists, such as negative reviews, legal threats, and the fear of failure, offering strategies for navigating these obstacles. Overall, Off the Chair aims to empower clinicians to: Become more effective leaders and managers. Build strong, efficient, and profitable practices. Enhance their personal well-being and achieve a fulfilling career. Stay ahead of the curve in a constantly evolving industry.

Why Listen?
Off the Chair isn’t just about the logistics of running a practice—it’s about reclaiming your creativity, your autonomy, and your voice as a leader. No jargon, no perfectionism. Just vulnerable, strategic conversations that meet you in the messy middle.

New episodes drop every Tuesday.

Connect with us!
Podcast Website: www.offthechair.com

Dr. Colleen Long, Psy.D.
Website: www.drcolleenlong.com
LinkedIn: Dr. Colleen Long

Dr. Jennifer Politis, PhD, LPC
Website: www.wellnesscounselingBC.com
Instagram: @wellnesscounselingnj
TikTok: @wellnesscounseling
LinkedIn: Jennifer Politis

Erika Bugaj, MA, MSW, LICSW
Website: www.dandelioncounselingcare.com
Instagram: @dandelioncounselingcare
LinkedIn: Erika Bugaj