When Your Business Problems Aren’t Just Business Problems: An Entrepreneur Therapist’s Map to Freedom From Personal and Professional Chaos
I see it all the time – an entrepreneur therapy client comes in saying they’re struggling with “productivity,” or they need help with “business strategy.”
But then, about three sessions in, we’re suddenly talking about why they haven’t had sex with their partner in six months, or why they can’t stop yelling at their kids.
Here’s the thing – your inability to delegate isn’t just a business problem.
It’s probably rooted in your childhood role as the “responsible one” who others counted on (and who couldn’t trust anyone else to do things right).
And that shit is running your company into the ground AND destroying your marriage at the same time.
So what’s the deal?
How can you fix both your personal problems and your work issues?
That’s where an entrepreneur therapist like me comes in – let me explain a little bit about why business coaching alone isn’t enough, how your problems at home affect your company, and why the right type of therapy is the key to thriving, happy business AND personal life.
Because you deserve to have both – and, frankly, you can’t have one without the other.
Why Entrepreneur Therapy Works When Traditional Business Coaching Fails
Here’s the dirty secret nobody wants to tell you: Business coaching alone isn’t going to fix your business problems, because it doesn’t dig deep enough to get to their roots.
Most business coaches just treat you like a machine that just needs better systems. But you’re not failing at time-blocking because you don’t understand calendars; you’re failing because you’re terrified of disappointing people, so you say yes to everything. And those people-pleasing tendencies probably started in your childhood, and they affect every aspect of your life.
Another dirty secret: “Business issues” and “personal issues” aren’t separate, especially when you own your own business. Everything is connected, and you have to treat it holistically if you want to fix anything.
That’s why entrepreneur therapy is crucial.
I work from the intersection of mental health and business coaching, looking at the whole human instead of just the business owner. While traditional therapy works on your personal problems without the expertise to address your business issues, and business coaching only tackles your work problems, entrepreneur therapists like me are equipped with the skills and experience to help you with all of it, so you can thrive both personally and professionally.
The Personal Shit That’s Actually Tanking Your Business
As I’ve mentioned, your business and personal problems aren’t separate – and they’re likely a lot more closely related than you might think.
Here are a few brutally honest examples of personal issues I’ve worked on with my online business therapy clients, and how they can affect your work:
Sexual Health/Intimacy:
When’s the last time you had sex that wasn’t scheduled or obligatory? You might not want to hear this, but a dead bedroom = dead creativity. Your libido and your ambition share the same energy source, so if your sex drive has gone dormant, your artistic ability likely has, too.
What could this possibly have to do with your company? Well, entrepreneurs who are sexually disconnected are often emotionally unavailable to their teams and clients. Everyone you interact with starts to feel like they’re just a number or a robot to you rather than a real person, and that doesn’t exactly foster positive morale or strong client relationships. You also go into autopilot at work instead of getting inspired with new ideas, which makes you lose passion for your business.
So how can a business therapist like me help? We trace the exhaustion, the resentment, the “I’ll take care of myself after this next launch” pattern that’s been going for years. We get to the root of it, and use various proven techniques (including EMDR therapy) to process it so you can move forward with a revitalized sex life and renewed enthusiasm for your work.
Relationship Dynamics:
Your partner resents your business, and you resent them for not “getting it.” You’re either hiding financial stress or weaponizing your success. Whatever the case may be, work, no matter how well it’s going, seems to be a constant source of stress and tension in your relationships.
Here’s the thing – you can be great at client relationships but trash at the ones that actually matter. I can help untangle the martyr complex and the “they should just support me” entitlement (I’m sorry, but this is real talk!) to figure out where you’ve felt unsupported in the past, what you really need from your partner, and how to have true entrepreneur work-life balance.
Parenting/Family Roles:
I see these problems all the time: You’re crushing it at work while your kid’s teacher is emailing about behavioral issues, OR you’re so guilty about working that you’re helicoptering when you ARE home, which exhausts everyone. It feels like you just can’t have it all, both a flourishing company and family life, no matter how hard you bust your ass trying.
You might be the type of burnt-out entrepreneur who’s repeating their workaholic parent’s patterns, or overcompensating so hard you’re financially sabotaging yourself. Entrepreneur therapy can help you cultivate actual presence, not performative parenting. It teaches you how to build a business that serves your family instead of sacrificing it.
The “Everything Else” That Drains You:
Life is just so hectic and full, and there are constant drains on your energy and attention. There are volunteer commitments you can’t say no to (a.k.a. people-pleasing in nonprofit clothing). Aging parents, friend drama, health issues you’re ignoring… the list is endless, and it’s exhausting.
Therapy for entrepreneurs can help with ALL of these issues and more. A hot topic in my online business therapy sessions is building boundaries that don’t come with guilt hangovers. I can help you learn how to say no and only commit to what actually works for you, without feeling like shit about it.
The Integration That Changes Everything: Therapy for Business Owners
You’ll be amazed by what happens when you stop thinking of your business and personal problems as separate issues.
That’s where I come in – I’m not just a therapist who “gets” business, and I’m not a business coach who does vision boards.
I’m addressing the root systems and getting down to the real causes of the problems, so we can find true, sustainable solutions.
When we fix the personal stuff, the business problems and professional burnout often dissolve on their own.
For example, when you’ve learned how to stop people-pleasing at home, suddenly you can fire the nightmare client you’ve been tolerating.
When you get a confidence boost from improving your sex life, that healthy self-esteem shows up in your sales calls.
When you’re a parent who sets boundaries at home, you can finally hold them with employees, too.
You Can Have It All: Entrepreneur Therapy Shows You How
You don’t have to choose between business success and personal fulfillment – because the truth is, they often go hand-in-hand. You don’t have to pretend your dead bedroom or your anxious attachment style isn’t affecting your revenue, because it is. When you avoid your personal issues, you’re neglecting your business, too.
So make the responsible choice for your company and for yourself – give me a call.
I’m an entrepreneur therapist in Portland, and I am licensed to provide online business therapy and EMDR therapy in Washington, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, and Florida.
Book a free, no-strings-attached phone consultation with me to start building the life of your dreams.
Because the entrepreneurs who do the deepest personal work build the most sustainable, profitable businesses.
Period.