How Many Sessions Should a Therapist See Per Week? (The Real Math)

Most practice owners set their full-time caseload minimum by feel. Somebody picked 18 sessions a week years ago, probably before there was a P&L worth reading, and nobody has checked it since. In this video I answer the question directly: how many sessions should a therapist see per week, and how do you find the number that's actually right for your practice? I walk through the two lines every owner needs to know (break-even versus your profitability line), show the real math on a salaried clinician at 18 versus 20 sessions a week, and explain why a percentage split changes the answer completely. Then I give you the four-step calculation to find your own number, where to start the bonus, and how to have the conversation with your team without it landing as pressure. What's covered: Why break-even is the wrong target for a caseload minimum The 18 vs 20 example: a 16.5% margin versus a 24.8% margin on the same role Why salary and percentage split models land on completely different numbers The four-step calculation to find your own minimum Where the bonus should start, and how to frame the change with your team All dollar figures in this video are illustrative. Your rates, splits, and overhead will set your own number. 🔧 Grab the free Clinician Profitability Tool (it runs this math clinician by clinician): https://navigatingyourbooks.com/clini... 📖 Read the full blog post: https://navigatingyourbooks.com/blog/... About Navigator Bookkeeping We're a bookkeeping and financial advisory team built specifically for mental health and therapy private practices. We handle your books inside QuickBooks Online and meet with you every month to walk your real numbers in plain English, so you understand your financial story instead of just receiving a report. Want to talk through your practice? Book a call: https://navigatingyourbooks.com/sched...