There’s a quiet tension running through my profession: an impulse to hoard, protect, and defend what we’ve built. You see it everywhere - coworkers competing for the same promotion, solo clinicians avoiding referrals, business owners guarding systems, and even large companies defending turf they barely touch. And I get it.
In service-based therapy work, especially for small businesses, the stakes feel personal. When you've poured yourself into your training, when your labor is emotional, when your income is tied to relationships and not just widgets, it's easy to feel like there's not enough to go around. Like someone else's win must mean your loss.
This is the scarcity mindset. And while it's understandable, it's also destructive.
The Trap
Ever seen a Chinese finger trap? You put a finger on each end and the harder you pull away, the tighter its grip. This is exactly how scarcity mindset gets you: the more you try to resist, the more stuck you become.
But scarcity isn’t just caused by internal views - it’s reinforced by external forces that shape how we work and what we fear. In our world of healthcare and therapy services, this might be:
- Rising living costs squeeze every paycheck.
- Insurers devalue services by reducing rates or denying coverage.
- Provider shortages fuel both demand and burnout.
- Red tape limits who can grow and where.
- Legislative shifts can upend entire business models overnight.
These pressures do more than make business hard. They make generosity feel reckless. They turn peers into threats. They teach us to protect, not to partner.
They let fear take control and put our own self preservation before the collective good.
What Does Scarcity Mindset Look Like?
Scarcity mindset isn’t unique to any discipline or industry. It’s common on the individual and the societal level. But there are certain variables unique to some groups that might make them more prone to falling victim to this way of thinking than others.
I work in music therapy. It’s a growing, but underutilized field with little recognition. Jobs for music therapists are scarce and often underpaid, especially compared to peers with similar education and training. Very few insurance companies will even reimburse for our services (zero in some states), and music therapy isn’t a core service for licensing facilities or participating in programs through Medicare or Medicaid. Additionally, in most states, music isn’t a licensed practice with the protections you would see for fields like counseling or nursing, so differentiating ourselves from other clinicians (or even volunteers) who might incorporate music into their work is an ongoing challenge.
Under these circumstances, one can imagine how scarcity mindset might creep into our work, as well as our interactions with one another:
- In private practice: Owners avoid partnerships or subcontractors out of fear someone will leave and "take clients."
- Among coworkers: Professionals see promotions as a zero-sum game, which erodes trust and teamwork.
- In leadership: Executives overprotect turf instead of mentoring the next wave of talent.
But this mindset limits growth. It breeds anxiety. And worst of all, it teaches the next generation that competition is safer than community.
And similarly to the finger trap, the solution to these issues isn’t resistance - it’s leaning in. The way out isn’t force; it’s a shift in approach.
Room at the Table: The Abundance Mindset
Years ago, I connected with another therapy practice owner. And as our professional relationship has evolved, so have our conversations. Where earlier dialogues were colored by fear and concern - about competition, imitation, or scarcity - what’s emerged is something far more thoughtful: a shift toward discernment and prudence. We’ve both grown into the idea that true leadership isn't about eliminating risk, but about stewarding influence wisely.
We explored what it means to lead with generosity, to develop our teams so they could succeed beyond our business - but lead them well enough that they want to stay, and to honor the work of fellow professionals even when they might also be seen as "competition." But one thing he shared with me early in our talks was his unwavering belief that there's “room at the table for everyone,” and that raising accessibility in our field calls for more companies to grow - not fewer. And the moment I read that, I knew this was someone I could both learn from and trust.
In a field like music therapy - one that has been fighting to legitimize and sustain itself for decades - this shift in mindset is paramount. How on earth are we supposed to advocate for a profession that insists on gatekeeping best practices and systems? The truth is that, whether we see our colleagues as competition or not, abundance mindset isn’t only beneficial for our growth - it’s essential for our survival.
If that feels counterintuitive, consider this idea: Success is not a zero-sum game. Someone else getting the job you want doesn’t have to mean you lose. Another practice setting up shop across the street doesn’t have to mean yours is threatened.
When you can embrace this idea, you stop fighting to win opportunities-you learn to look for ways to create them. This is the very rationale for partnerships, for trade, and for specialization, which in healthcare, has led to deeper, meaningful careers, and ultimately, improved outcomes.
- Scarcity mindset whispers: "They’re a threat. We have to beat them.”
- Abundance mindset responds: "We could both benefit from each other, if we’re willing to work together."
Strategic Thinking: Abundance with Boundaries
Abundance doesn’t mean giving everything away. It means sharing strategically, mentoring generously, and leading with confidence instead of fear.
And here’s where the nuance matters: Abundance is not the same as oversharing. I’ve seen a reaction in some circles - especially from newer professionals who’ve felt excluded by gatekeeping - where the response is to go in the complete opposite direction: share every system, every form, every secret in the name of transparency. But that’s not sustainable either. Goodwill must be paired with good judgment.
To quote the Serenity Prayer, this is a “wisdom to know the difference” kind of idea.
This isn’t about giving away your trade secrets or pretending that threats aren’t out there. It’s about recognizing that the best innovations, the biggest opportunities, and the greatest benefits usually come from collaboration - not isolation.
This is how a mature professional approaches competition. Not to eliminate risk, but to build the kind of partnership or ecosystem where more people win - without being foolish about it.
Real-world shifts that work:
- Mentor generously - but don’t hand over the keys. Share principles, not playbooks.
- Create overflow systems. Can’t take a client? Refer out - and trust that goodwill returns.
- Be transparent about wages, costs, and reimbursement rates. This helps lift the entire field.
- Partner where it makes sense - alliances expand reach, credibility, and sustainability.
Scarcity in the System
We can't ignore that scarcity is often baked into the system. When insurers slash reimbursement rates or tie services to unrealistic treatment plans, we all feel the strain. When wages stagnate while the cost of living rises, even secure jobs start to feel unstable.
But here’s the thing: Even in systems designed around scarcity, abundance can be cultivated.
Employers who focus on mission and mentorship attract and retain better talent. Clinicians who build flexible, diversified practices create resilience. Teams that collaborate build reputations - and opportunities - that solo operators rarely can.
And when enough of us lean in this direction, we change not just our businesses, but the landscape as a whole.
Scarcity is a Trap - Not a Strategy
Choosing abundance doesn’t mean you ignore risk. It means you refuse to be ruled by it.
If you’re a business owner, a therapist, a leader, or just someone trying to carve out a meaningful career: protect what matters, but don’t hoard what could help others grow.
So, stop asking, “What if I lose something?” and start asking, “What could we build together?”
Those with an abundance mindset don’t just avoid conflict - they engage with it creatively. They’re not trying to win at someone else’s expense. They’re trying to reshape the situation so everyone comes out ahead. And where others only see zero-sum games, they look for opportunities to create win-win solutions.
Leadership by Example
Coming back to my friend and colleague, I’m happy to share that his abundance mindset is spreading. While he (and I) both withhold some proprietary secrets about our businesses, we share the basics of our business models, refer clients to neighboring providers, and actively work to expand access to music therapy in our communities. And this is something we’ve been encouraged to see some other providers begin to do as well.
That kind of spirit is refreshing, and honestly, necessary. It reminds me that abundance isn't just a personal mindset - it can be a leadership culture. One that creates ripple effects throughout entire communities, where companies refer to one another when it's in the client’s best interest, and where trust is the default, not the exception.
When leaders model that kind of respect and long-term thinking, everyone wins. And when we stop treating opportunity as a fixed pie, we actually expand the possibilities for everyone.
Just like the trap, the only way out of scarcity isn’t by pulling harder - but by shifting our grip entirely. And the best part? Even if you can’t control anyone else, you can take the first step.
So take the first step. Model it. Think outside the box. Explore a shared venture.
Abundance starts with one brave move. Make it yours.
