Welcome back to my September Rebel Series — where I share the “rules” I’ve broken in practice, and how they’ve made me a stronger, freer practitioner.
This week’s rebel move?
Osteo Rebel Rule #3: I talk about money.
Here’s the thing — money is one of the most uncomfortable topics in our profession. There’s a lot of judgment, shame, and silence around it.
Especially when it comes to debt.
But hiding in the shadows never did anyone any good. And quite frankly - I have nothing to hide.
During COVID, when my clinic was closed for 9 months, I went into a lot of debt. Then, trying to make up for lost time, I made some big (and risky) moves that created… yep, even more debt.
And I’ve talked about it openly — even down to the numbers — on a podcast with my own Money Coach. Not because it was easy, but because I don’t believe debt makes you “bad” with money or “less than” as a practitioner.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
✨ Debt is neutral. It means nothing about you as a person.
✨ Every business that grows carries debt at some point.
✨ Debt is a tool. “Interest” is simply the cost of using that tool.
Sometimes that tool is cheap (mortgage interest). Sometimes it’s expensive (credit cards). But both are still tools. And sometimes, the only tool available is the expensive one.
No debt — not even credit card debt — makes you a bad person or bad at business. It simply means you needed money badly enough at the time. Period.
For me, debt has been one of my greatest teachers. It forced me to expand, to stretch, and to create new ways of generating income I never would have built if I’d just coasted along playing safe.
And here’s the proof: since March of this year, I’ve paid off nearly $30,000 in debt — with that number growing every day. I’m working a plan to be fully debt free by Christmas. And even if I don’t quite make it, it doesn’t matter — the momentum is here, and sooner or later (I’m betting on sooner), it’s all getting paid off.
But here’s what I’ve also learned, after mentoring osteos both in the Collective and beyond:
👉 Not talking about money is creating bigger problems.
👉 Many osteos aren’t saving — for retirement, for sick leave, or for their dreams.
👉 They’re giving away treatments, even with waitlists, because they’re afraid to ask for more… while continuing to struggle financially themselves.
This is your profession. This is how you choose to make money. Which means you can’t just avoid the conversation and hope it magically works itself out in the background. Spoiler: it won’t.
Like anything else worth mastering, you’ve got to learn it, understand how it works, and the very first step is being willing to talk about it.
So here’s my rebel truth:
💥 Your debt isn’t a dirty secret.
💥 Talking about money doesn’t make you unprofessional.
💥 And silence isn’t noble — it’s what keeps practitioners broke, burned out, and unprepared for the future.
Mic. Drop. 🎤
✨ Rebel Homework:
- Take 10 minutes to actually look at your numbers — your rates, your debt, your savings (or lack of them).
- Ask yourself: Am I undercharging, giving too much away, or avoiding the money conversation altogether?
- Then do one small rebel move: raise your rates, stop discounting, or simply tell a colleague where you’re actually at financially.
Start talking. That’s where the freedom begins.
With love + rebellion,
Gen 💫
P.S. I’d love to hear from you — what’s your biggest money challenge right now? Hit reply and tell me, or come DM me on Instagram.
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