Therapist to CEO: Saltwater Coaching’s Bold Mission to End Burnout
How Saltwater Coaching helps therapists escape burnout and build private practices that support real freedom.
By
Aug 3, 2025
You Don’t Need to Burn Out to Break Through
NATIONWIDE - AUGUST 2025 - (USAnews.com) — The day Denielle Rigoglioso-Lambert left her executive role was the day she began rewriting what success could look like for therapists.
After years of leading two of Virginia’s largest community mental health agencies, managing more than 150 clinicians and overseeing multimillion-dollar operations, she had what most would call a dream career. But the emotional toll was substantial. Long hours, crisis-driven schedules, and constant management left her depleted. She realized she was helping others at the expense of herself.
That moment sparked the beginning of a new journey.
She left it behind and created Saltwater Counseling and Wellness, her own group private practice and soon thereafter, Saltwater Coaching and Consulting, a business designed not just to help therapists start private practices but to transform the way they approach their work and lives.
Why Saltwater Was Born
Saltwater Coaching and The 9-Thrive Private Practice Academy, was not founded as a business idea. It began as a personal solution to professional burnout for other therapists who she knew she could change their lives too. Denielle wanted more time with her family, more freedom in her schedule, and more alignment with her values.
She built her own private practice around a structure that worked: three-day workweeks, four-day weekends, and consistent six-figure revenue. There were no gimmicks or shortcuts, just a clear strategy, strong systems, and sustainable boundaries. Once she proved it was possible, she realized other therapists needed the same support.
“Therapists are taught how to help people. We’re not taught how to run a business. That’s where I come in,” Denielle says.
What started as a personal reinvention has become Saltwater Coaching and the 9-Thrive Private Practice Academy, serving therapists ready to take ownership of their time, income, and energy.
A Therapist-Centered Approach to Business
Saltwater Coaching offers what many traditional programs do not: coaching designed specifically for therapists, by someone who has been in their shoes. Denielle understands the clinical mindset, business mindset, the ethical considerations, and the emotional realities that therapists face when transitioning into business ownership.
At the core of her work is a fundamental truth: therapists deserve profitable and sustainable careers that do not come at the cost of their well-being.
“You don’t need more certifications,” she often tells clients. “You need a strategy that supports the life you actually want.”
9-Thrive Coaching clients learn how to attract the right clients, charge appropriately for their work, and set boundaries that support long-term sustainability. Every aspect of the 9-Thrive coaching program is grounded in both clinical insight and real-world business results.
What Makes Saltwater Coaching and The 9-Thrive Private Practice Academy Different
Many business coaching programs rely on broad strategies and one-size-fits-all templates. Denielle’s approach is individualized, strategic, and deeply connected to the therapist’s goals and personal values.
What sets Saltwater Coaching and Consulting apart:
Created by a licensed therapist. With years of experience leading mental health organizations and building her own practice, Denielle teaches from direct experience, not theory.
Blended mindset and strategy. Success is not only about tactics but also about healing long-held beliefs around money, worth, and capacity. Denielle integrates both.
Personalized coaching. Saltwater Coaching and the 9-Thrive offers real-time support and individualized feedback. Therapists receive guidance based on where they are, not where a template assumes they should be.
Proven transformation. Clients consistently report significant changes, such as reduced work hours, increased income, and restored energy. One said, “I feel like myself again, this doesn't even seem real!”
Long-term partnership. Saltwater Coaching and Consulting is not a one-time program. It is an ongoing resource for therapists navigating growth, setbacks, and every milestone in between.
A Redefinition of Success for Therapists
For too long, therapists have been told that exhaustion is just part of the job. That impact must come at the expense of income. Those long days and low pay are simply the cost of care.
Saltwater Coaching challenges that narrative.
Denielle believes that a healthy, sustainable private practice should provide both financial stability and personal freedom. That belief is reflected in the stories of her clients: clinicians who once struggled to believe private practice was possible, now celebrating consistent $10K months, three-day workweeks, and a renewed sense of confidence.
“Profit without freedom is just another job,” Denielle says. “We’re building practices that support your life, not consume it.”
Real Stories, Measurable Outcomes
The impact of Saltwater Coaching is not just theoretical. It is evidenced in the daily wins of its community. Clients share stories of finally picking their children up from school without checking emails, stepping away from agency work, and building businesses that reflect their values, taking vacations that they haven't been able to take for years.
“You’re not lazy or disorganized,” Denielle reminds clients. “You’re burnt out from trying to run a business without the tools you were never given.”
Saltwater provides those tools. Through strategic coaching, practical frameworks, and ongoing support, therapists are creating businesses that offer more than income, they offer autonomy, balance, and clarity.
From Burnout to Leadership
Saltwater is more than a coaching program for therapists. It is a professional shift, a mindset evolution, and a practical guide to sustainable private practice. The community is growing, and with it, the number of therapists stepping into leadership roles, expanding their practices, launching group models, and reclaiming their time.
“Do it scared,” Denielle often says. That simple phrase reflects the reality that change rarely comes without discomfort, but with the right support, it can also come with incredible growth.
If You Are a Therapist, This Is for You
Saltwater Coaching and Consulting exists for therapists ready to do things differently. Whether you're exploring private practice for the first time or looking to scale in a sustainable way, this is a place where burnout ends and clarity begins.
To learn more or connect with the Saltwater community, visit the following platforms:
