How to Start a Podcast as a Clinician: A Step-by-Step Guide (Plus the Exact Tools I Use)
How to Start a Podcast as a Clinician: A Step-by-Step Guide (Plus the Exact Tools I Use)
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I personally use Buzzsprout to host my podcast. If you choose to sign up through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend tools I genuinely use and love.
You've probably thought about starting a podcast.
Maybe you have ideas you wish more clinicians could hear. Maybe you're tired of repeating the same advice to clients or coworkers. Maybe you're trying to grow a coaching business, private practice, consulting business, or digital product and want a way for people to get to know you before they ever meet you.
I get it.
Podcasting has been one of the highest-leverage things I've done for my business (and I'm just getting started). It allows people to hear your personality, your teaching style, and your perspective in a way that social media simply can't.
The best part?
You don't need a production team.
You don't need thousands of followers.
And you definitely don't need perfect equipment.
You simply need a plan.
Here's exactly how I'd start if I were doing it all over again.
[PSST - If you'd like bite-sized advice every week, follow our podcast]
Step 1: Decide What You Can Be Consistent With
Most podcasts don't fail because they're bad.
They fail because they stop.
Before you think about microphones or logos, ask yourself one question:
How often can I realistically publish an episode for the next year?
Not your ideal schedule.
Your real schedule.
If you're juggling a full-time clinical job, a family, and building a business, maybe that's:
Weekly
Every other week
Once a month
That's okay.
Consistency creates trust.
I'd rather see you publish one excellent episode every other Tuesday for three years than publish weekly for six weeks before burning out.
Choose a schedule you can actually keep.
Step 2: Decide on Your Format
There are three common podcast formats.
Solo Episodes
If you enjoy teaching, this is the easiest place to start.
Benefits:
Easier to record
No scheduling guests
Positions you as the expert
Faster production
Challenges:
Can feel intimidating initially
Requires planning your content
Guest Interviews
Perfect if your goal is networking and bringing in different perspectives.
Benefits:
Guests often share the episode
Great relationship builder
Less pressure to generate every topic
Challenges:
Coordinating schedules
Variable audio quality
More editing
Hybrid
Alternate between teaching and interviews.
Your solo episodes establish authority.
Your interviews expand your audience and deepen relationships.
If I weren't introverted, I'd choose this.
You get the best of both worlds.
Step 3: Know the Purpose of Your Podcast
Don't create a podcast "about ABA."
Or "about therapy."
Or "about healthcare."
That's too broad.
Instead, answer this question:
When someone listens to my podcast for six months, what should be different about them?
Maybe they:
Feel more confident starting an online business.
Become stronger leaders.
Learn to supervise ethically.
Feel less burned out.
Build systems inside their clinic.
That transformation becomes your north star.
Every episode should move listeners one step closer to that outcome.
Step 4: Talk to One Person
One of the biggest mistakes new podcasters make is trying to sound like they're speaking to everyone.
Instead, imagine one listener.
Maybe she's a teacher driving home after a difficult day.
Maybe she's a parent who's quietly wondering what she's doing wrong.
Maybe she's looking for answers and someone she can trust.
Talk to her.
Use words she'd use.
Answer questions she's actually asking.
The more specific you become, the more people feel like you're speaking directly to them.
Step 5: Use Less Clinical Jargon Than You Think
As clinicians, we naturally speak in professional language.
But remember...
People don't connect with jargon.
They connect with stories.
Instead of saying:
"We're targeting antecedent interventions to increase treatment fidelity."
Try saying:
"Let's make it easier for people to do the right thing before problems ever happen."
Same concept.
Much easier to understand.
Simple language isn't less intelligent.
It's simply better communication.
Step 6: Name Your Podcast Well
Your podcast title should immediately communicate who it's for.
Good podcast names are:
Clear
Memorable
Searchable
Ask yourself:
Could someone understand what my show is about without reading the description?
Avoid clever if it sacrifices clarity.
Step 7: Create Simple Cover Art
Your artwork doesn't need to win design awards.
It just needs to be readable.
A few tips:
Use large text.
Don't overcrowd the design.
Stick to your brand colors.
Make sure it's readable as a tiny thumbnail.
Create it in Canva and export it as a square image (3000 x 3000 pixels).
Step 8: Plan Your First 20 Episodes
Don't launch after brainstorming one topic.
Instead...
Write down twenty.
Seriously.
That doesn't mean you have to record all of them.
It simply proves you have enough ideas to sustain a podcast.
If you can't think of twenty topics, you probably haven't narrowed your audience enough.
In the Clinical Boss program, we teach you how to choose content pillars that make content creation easier.
Step 9: Record Your Episodes
Don't wait until you have a professional studio.
Many successful podcasts started with a USB microphone in a spare bedroom.
[My favorite beginner microphone is linked here].
Record in a quiet room (preferably with a rug).
Turn off fans.
Put your phone on silent.
Then start talking.
Step 10: Host Your Podcast with Buzzsprout
Once you've recorded your first episode, you'll need a podcast host.
This is where I recommend Buzzsprout.
👉 Start your Buzzsprout account here
I've personally used Buzzsprout because it's incredibly simple, even if you've never launched a podcast before.
Instead of manually uploading your episodes everywhere, Buzzsprout distributes them to platforms like:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
YouTube Music
Pocket Casts
Overcast
Dozens of other podcast apps
You upload once.
They handle the rest.
Setting Up Buzzsprout
The setup process is straightforward.
Create Your Account
Buzzsprout has one of the easiest onboarding processes ever. Really. I did not have to watch a single YouTube video (thank goodness) and I had everything published in less than an hour.
You'll be guided through every step.
Add Your Podcast Information
Include:
Podcast title
Description
Category
Author name
Language
Spend time writing your description.
It's one of the first things potential listeners read.
Upload Your Cover Art
Upload the artwork you created in Canva.
Keep it clean and readable.
Upload Your First Episode
For each episode you'll include:
Episode title
Description
Keywords
Transcript (if you have one)
Buzzsprout makes this process incredibly intuitive.
Submit to Podcast Directories
Buzzsprout walks you through submitting your show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms.
After approval, every future episode can be published from one dashboard.
Step 11: Write Better Episode Titles
People don't click because an episode exists.
They click because the title promises something valuable.
Instead of:
Episode 7
Try:
Three Mistakes New BCBAs Make
Why Burnout Isn't Actually Your Biggest Problem
The Truth About Private Practice Nobody Talks About
Curiosity matters.
Specificity matters.
Step 12: Always Tell People What to Do Next
Never end with:
"Thanks for listening."
Instead, direct people somewhere.
Examples:
Download your free guide.
Join your email list.
Apply for coaching.
Join your membership.
Listen to another episode.
Your podcast should become part of a larger ecosystem.
Step 13: Promote Every Episode
Publishing isn't marketing.
After each episode, I recommend:
Turn it into a blog post.
Send it to your email list.
Create short video clips.
Post quotes on LinkedIn.
Share stories on Instagram.
Embed it throughout your website.
Mention it whenever you speak.
One podcast episode can become dozens of pieces of content.
Bonus Tip: Use AI Strategically
Here's where I'll probably get some flack: I think AI is one of the best podcasting tools out there. I'll usually record a voice memo with my ideas, have AI interview me by asking follow-up questions, then use it to organize my thoughts, simplify the message, and keep the episode focused and practical. Without it, your girl would ramble on for days.
And the work doesn't stop once you've finished recording. Drop your transcript into AI and have it generate keyword-rich show notes, timestamps, episode summaries, blog posts, social media captions, email copy, YouTube descriptions, and even pull out memorable quotes. You already did the hard part by recording the episode. AI helps you get far more mileage out of that content without spending hours repurposing it manually.
Just remember: AI is an assistant, not the creator. The best podcasts still come from your ideas, experiences, stories, and expertise. AI simply helps you package them in a way that's easier for people (and search engines) to find.
My Favorite Podcasting Tools
These are the tools I personally recommend.
Buzzsprout
The hosting platform I use.
It distributes your podcast everywhere while keeping everything organized in one dashboard.
Vimeo
Fantastic for editing audio, generating transcripts, and removing filler words.
Canva
Perfect for cover art, episode graphics, and social media promotion.
Claude
I use Claude to brainstorm episode ideas, organize outlines, write show notes, create blog posts from episodes, and repurpose content into social media.
A Perfect Starter Mic
Common Mistakes Clinicians Make
The biggest mistakes I see include:
Waiting until everything is perfect.
Talking to everyone instead of one person.
Using too much jargon.
Publishing inconsistently.
Never inviting listeners to take the next step.
Expecting instant growth.
Podcasting is a long game.
Think in years, not weeks.
Next Steps
If you're waiting until you have better equipment…
Don't.
If you're waiting until you feel more confident…
Don't.
If you're waiting until you know exactly what you're want to say…
Don't.
Start.
Your first episode won't be your best.
Mine certainly wasn't.
But every episode makes you a better communicator, a better teacher, and a more recognizable voice in your field.
The clinicians who build trusted brands aren't necessarily the smartest.
They're the ones who consistently show up.
If you've been thinking about launching your own podcast, I highly recommend starting with Buzzsprout. It's what I use, it's beginner-friendly, and it removes a lot of the technical headaches that keep people from ever getting started.
👉 Create your Buzzsprout account here
A year from now, you'll either have a year's worth of podcast episodes…
Or you'll still be thinking about starting.
The choice is yours.
