How to Become a CEU Provider in 3 Months (Even If You've Never Taught Before) with Michelle Risser [Ep 60]

What if you could teach what you already know and get paid repeatedly for it? In today's episode, I'm talking with Michelle Risser about becoming a CEU provide - the overlooked income stream that many therapists don’t even know exists.

Michelle drops some major truth bombs! Like you don’t need a separate business entity (your existing therapy license is enough!) and creating your course FIRST is actually the biggest mistake you can make. Instead, she explains how working backwards from the approval organization’s requirements can save you months of frustration.

We also dive into real numbers. Imagine teaching a 3-hour training to 20 people at $60 each—that’s $1,200 for three hours of work. And the best part? You can teach it again and again. Michelle has been doing this for 15 years, starting at her first agency job, and now helps other therapists build this revenue stream with her complete course and ready-to-use templates.

If you're tired of the back-to-back client grind and want to explore additional ways to earn without starting from scratch, this conversation will open your eyes to opportunities you probably haven’t considered.

More about Michelle Risser:

Michelle is a therapist in private practice and a multi-passionate entrepreneur. She believes that diversified income streams are the key to more impact and less burnout for mental health professionals. Michelle is passionate about helping therapists step into their expertise as approved CEU providers so they can have more income and more impact! She's the creator of several courses and group programs and also offers 1:1 consultation. Michelle lives with her family in Central Ohio, rows on a rowing team, is a cat lady with no cats, and is obsessed with knitting.

Topics covered on Therapist to Coach:

• Why Michelle pivoted from archaeology to social work (and how that path prepared her perfectly to become a CEU provider).

• Why teaching continuing education is easier than starting a coaching business or consulting practice.

• The biggest mistake therapists make when they want to become a CEU provider, and how can you avoid it.

• Which organizations should you apply to for CE approval, and how do their requirements differ?

• The credentials you need to become a CEU provider.

Resources from this episode:

• Therapreneur: A Therapist's Guide to 3x Your Therapy Income

• Therapist to Coach Accelerator program

• Therapist to Coach Startup School

This episode is sponsored by Berries — an AI-powered scribe tool designed for mental health pros. It’s HIPAA-compliant, private, and makes writing notes so much easier. Just record your sessions (with consent!),and Berries creates accurate, compliant notes for you—so you can stay present with clients and reclaim your time.

🎉 Try it at heyberries.com with code CARLY50 for $50 off your first month.

Connect with Michelle Risser:

• Website: www.mrisser.com

• Instagram: @michelle_risser

• Grab the FREE CEU Course Planning Checklist: www.mrisser.com/checklist and get the chance to purchase Diversify Your Income With CEUs course for $79!

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Quote:

"Unlike coaching, you do CEEs under your therapy license. You do not need a separate business." - Michelle Risser