What You Need To Succeed As A Solopreneur Therapist

 Why are so many therapists bad at building a business? A key to building a successful private practice is developing discipline.

Guest post by Clinton Power, a Sydney-based Gestalt therapist and the owner of Clinton Power & Associates and founder of Australia Counselling Directory.

When I first dreamed of being a therapist, my vision was about helping people, making a difference and feeling good about contributing to the well-being of others.

After 10 years as a therapist, I’ve become acutely aware of the reality of running a business by myself. While I still enjoy the reward of doing all those good things I mentioned, I’m also realistic about what it takes to run a private practice. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that to be a successful therapist in private practice today, you need to be a solopreneur.

What is a soloprenuer therapist?

So what’s a soloprenuer therapist? Effectively it means you’re an entrepreneurial therapist that works solo. Being a solopreneur therapist means you can hold a big vision of what you want for your business and you’re always on the lookout for new opportunities.

You might have all your qualifications, a lovely office space in the right area where your ideal client is located, the furnishings to accompany it and perhaps an attractive website. But that’s no guarantee that you will attract clients to your practice.

In my mind, to be a successful therapist and soloprenuer, you need to have some of the following skills:

• Marketing skills to effectively communicate about your services
• Accounting skills to track your income and manage your finances
• Discipline to show up and complete your marketing activities
• The ability to create a vision for your business and implement the smaller steps needed
• Interpersonal skills to network with other therapists and allied professionals
• Willingness to learn about online marketing, social media and good website design
• Basic SEO knowledge to help your website and articles show up in the search engines
• Writing skills and basic copywriting skills so you can convert your readers into paying clients

Are you getting the idea?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s not my intention. I hope you have a sense of how versatile you need to be to be able to run a therapy business that brings you clients on an ongoing basis.

I’m not talking about a hobby therapy business where you see a handful of clients a week. I’m talking about what’s needed to create a thriving practice where you are the ‘go to’ person in your niche and you can make a very comfortable living from being a therapist.

The importance of discipline for the solopreneur therapist

In my coaching and consulting work with many healthcare professionals, I talk to a lot of therapists that are wanting to build their businesses, but are not sure what they’re doing wrong.

If there’s one theme that seems to capture what many therapists struggle with, I would say it’s discipline for the solopreneur.

Maybe it’s from my many years as a classical musician, where I had to be disciplined in my musical practice to maintain my performance standard, but I see discipline as an essential part of my business, but also the mindset needed for success. And I see discipline as a major stumbling block for many therapists.

It’s so essential for the soloprenuer therapist to have discipline, because if you don’t do the work, no one will do it for you.

Tips for developing discipline

Here’s a number of ways you can work on your discipline in your private practice:

• Create a publishing schedule for your blog and stick to it
• Give yourself learning goals to increase your knowledge of how to use social media effectively
• Study the basic principles of copywriting so you can write powerful copy for your services and events
• Learn how to manage money effectively using accounting software that makes your job easier
• Create a networking schedule to build relationships with other healthcare professionals and make yourself accountable
• Create a marketing plan that breaks down into weekly tasks that you follow through on
• Create 1, 3, and 5 year goals for your business, write them down and review your progress every 3-6 months
• Join a mastermind group or find an accountability partner and schedule regular meetings so you can support, encourage and challenge each other

This is just a start, but I hope I’m giving you some ideas here.

I believe if you choose just one of those ideas from the list above and commit to the application, it can only benefit your therapy business.

The practice of discipline is one that many people struggle with, however, I do believe it’s like a muscle that you can build and strengthen with practice over time.

I invite you to experiment with shifting your mindset from thinking of yourself as a business owner to a soloprenuer, and notice what happens in your business. Take this as a challenge to help take your business to the next level.

Clinton Power is a Sydney-based Gestalt therapist and the owner of Clinton Power & Associates- a private practice dedicated to helping singles and couples move out of relationship pain. He is also the founder of Australia Counselling Directory, a free directory for find counsellors and psychologists in Australia. Clinton is also a passionate coach and consultant for healthcare professionals. Find him on Twitter @sydneytherapist.

(c) Can Stock Photo

Why Some Shrinks Fly Solo

In past posts I've explored the the positives and negatives of joining a group private practice. Now, it's time to focus on the pros and cons of running a solo private mental health practice. When I opened Wasatch Family Therapy nearly 10 years ago, it started out as a solo practice that slowly built over time into a group practice. While I like being "in charge" and autonomous, I'm also an extravert and I highly value my connections with others.

I reached out to other private practice therapists who practice alone to see why they chose to "fly solo."

Autonomy

Florida social worker and healthy eating expert Therapist Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed. grew up as an only child, so she's used to being independent and working alone. That autonomy and comfort level has helped her to succeed. “I love being in private practice. I make my own schedule, decide whom I want to see and whom I don’t, set the fee schedule and slide if I want, and get to have an office in my home which makes both life and work easy,” Koenig shares.

Self-expression

Creating an environment that accurately reflects who you are is important to North Carolina therapist Erika Myers, LPC. "Having your own space in which to practice in a way that feels authentic to you, building an individual reputation rather than relying on a group name for recognition,” are reasons why Myers chooses to practice in a solo setting.

Flexibility

Illinois counselor Melanie Dillon, LCPC of Center For Wellness, Inc. practiced independently for 17 years. Of her experience she says, "Private practice gave me a very flexible schedule and autonomy. It also helped me grow to learn all aspects of being a small business owner. It was ideal for parenting and having a second income.” Eventually Dillon developed a mind/body group practice with two chiropractors when she found herself as a single mom and needed to provide a stable income.

As the second oldest of nine children in my family of origin I am used to being "in charge" and in having close connections with others. So, it makes sense that eventually, I grew my own solo practice into a group practice where I am still the sole owner and decision maker. Guess I just can't get away from being the "bossy" older sister.

photo credit: cuatrok77

How To Find Top Student Interns To Grow Your Practice

There is an "it" factor when looking for interns to train in your private practice.

Here's how I've found amazing interns that stay at my clinic even after graduation.

Over the past several years I have trained and mentored many graduate students and new graduates working toward clinical licensure. Working with interns has been a great way to build my practice, leverage my time, and satisfy the part of me that loves mentoring.

Most graduate students who train at my clinic during school are offered a therapist position after graduation which creates a win-win situation -- the student gets a job they're already trained for and I get to add talented and enthusiastic therapists to my team! After interviewing several therapists, I've learned to be very selective about who I bring on at Wasatch Family Therapy.

I recently consulted with a private practice therapist who has a waiting list for new clients. As we started exploring the option of hiring a graduate student to train she expressed some concerns. Her biggest questions were:

• How do you find talented graduates students?
• When interviewing potential student interns, what qualities do you look for?
• How do you know if they're going to be a good therapist and work well with your private practice clientele?

So, here's what I've learned after several years of interviewing and hiring student interns...

How do you find gifted graduate students?

• Contact local graduate programs in your discipline and see if they are  looking for internship/practicum placements for their students.
• Fill out the necessary paperwork to be an approved placement at local schools, even if you're not quite ready to bring on a student. When you're ready to train an intern you'll already be approved.
• Reach out to traditional and for-profit schools. I've found that the for-profit programs (Argosy University and University of Phoenix in UT) are more flexible in terms of internship start times and the number of clinical hours per week required. I have been very pleased with the caliber of students from private, for-profit universities.

When interviewing potential student interns, what qualities do you look for?

• After interviewing grad students for several years now, the biggest "it" factor I look for is likeability. I know that sounds simple, but it's true. If I enjoy talking to them and I trust them during the interview process, then it's likely they will quickly put clients at ease, too.
• I look for people were "born" therapists and just need the formal credentials and trainig in order to actually to all themselves a therapist.
• I look for people who have long-term goals that include working in a private practice setting, like mine, beyond the internship.
• I always ask about their style of handling conflict, feedback, or direction in work settings and discuss several scenarios that might arise in private practice.

How do you know if they're going to be a good therapist and work well with your private practice clientele?

• You don't. There's no guarantee that someone will be an effective clinician. I suggest that you make sure that there is a clause in your contract that you can stop training a grad student that isn't working well with your clientele.
• I often require that interested graduate students volunteer at my clinic for several months before securing a clinical internship. There is such a high demand for interns in my area that we can be extremely selective. This volunteer time gives us both a chance to make sure it's a good fit.
• A 3-step interview process helps screen potential interns before bringing on.  I do an initial interview, a second interview, and a "mock" case presentation at team meeting. While I ultimately decide which intern we will "hire," I trust my team's input as to whether the student would be a good fit.

While it's always a risk bringing on a new student to my team, I find comfort in the fact that the number one predictor of client outcome is the strength of the therapeutic alliance. Generally, if it's easy for me and my team to connect with a grad student in the interview process, it's safe to say that clients will feel the same way about them. Ultimately, it's your practice and your reputation on the line as the owner of your practice.

Have you trained interns in your private practice? I'd love to hear about where you find them, how you screen them, and if it's worked to build your practice!

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(c) Can Stock Photo

Social Media Ethics (part 3): Top 3 Ethics Gurus You Should Be Following

photo credit: Carol VanHook

Where do I go for trusted information on ethical use of social media for therapists? Here are the top 3 resources on the cutting edge of online ethics for mental health therapists that I find myself referencing time and time again. I have taken their online courses, read dozens of their articles, signed up for newsletters, and of course, I follow all of them on social media sites.

Here my top three recommendations, links to my favorite resources on each site, and their social media links so you can follow them:

1) The Online Therapy Institute (OTI)

The Online Therapy Institute, co-founded by DeAnna Marz Nagel, & Kate Anthony, is a premiere resource for all things digital. OTI and Keely Kolmes, Psy.D. created a comprehensive Ethical Framework for the Use of Social Media by Mental Health Professionals that is an invaluable resource. Also, watch Nagel and Anthony discuss common online scenarios therapists face online in this Ethics and Social Media video.

Twitter @TherapyOnline Facebook The Online Therapy Institute

2) Dr. Keely Kolmes

Dr. Keely Kolmes is on the forefront of social media ethics discussions and offers a variety of excellent articles on her website. As a sought after presenter at professional conferences Kolmes speaks on a the intersection of digital ethics and mental health care. Check her presentation schedule on her website to see if she's presenting at a nearby conference.

Twitter @DrKKolmes

3) Zur Institute

The Zur Institute, founded by Dr. Ofer Zur, offers dozens of continuing education courses for mental health professionals, including free resources on social media and ethics. I'm currently taking the online course Digital and Social Media Ethics for Therapists (for 8 CEUs) through the Zur Institute and I'm finding it to be very helpful in clarifying my social media ethical philosophy (much of the course content was written by Dr. Keely Kolmes).

Twitter @ZurInstitute Facebook Zur Institute

Where do you go for social media ethics discussions? Do you have any resources that you'd like to share with other clinicians? Please post them in the comments below.

Social Media Ethics (part 2): Developing Your Social Media Policy

Social media ethics are starting to be addressed by mental health professional organizations or licensing boards but those guidelines, if they exist, are generally vague.

It's important for clinicians to take time to think through the implications of their online interactions on clients to avoid dual relationships, putting client's privacy at risk, or jeopardizing the therapeutic relationship.

Including a written social media policy as a client's initial treatment contract helps clarify how technology will be used in client-therapist interaction so it doesn't interfere with treatment.

On the forefront of the social media ethics discussion is licensed psychologist Keeley Kolmes. Psy.D. Dr. Kolmes' comprehensive social media policy has been a model for mental health therapists around the world. She generously allows clinicians to adapt her social media policy for their own use and frequently speaks, writes, and teaches on social media topics. I used it as a springboard for developing my own social media policy.

If you don't have a social media policy, I suggest that you develop one. The goal of your policy is to clearly outline your expectations regarding online interaction, educate the client of risks, and have a clear rationale for how you will or will not engage with clients online. Here are some suggested topics to cover in your policy and a few questions to help you solidify your philosophy regarding social media interaction.

Friending Will you accept friend requests on Facebook, Linked In, Google+? Why or why not?

Following Will you allow clients to follow you on Twitter, Blogs, Pinterest? If not, how will you handle it if they do follow you? Will you follow back?

Messaging Is it appropriate for clients to contact you via SMS? Or social media sites like Twitter DM? If so, what information is appropriate?

Business Review Sites What are the risks that clients take when reviewing your services on sites like Yelp or Healthgrades? Keep in mind that if a client gives you a negative review it is unethical to respond directly to the review as it breaks client confidentiality.

Google Reader What if a client wants to share an article with you through Google reader?

Search Engine Do you make a practice of Google searching your clients? Are there emergency situations where you would search for their information or information of someone close to them?

Location Based-Services If clients check-in to your location on GPS services like Foursquare or Facebook check-in are they aware of the risks that they might be identified as clients?

Email Correspondence What type of information is appropriate to send via email? How quickly a client can anticipate an email response?

Email/Newsletter Lists If you have a newsletter sign-up on your website do you expect clients to sign up on email or newsletter lists?

If you can think of a topic I missed in the list above, let me know.

Are you willing to share your social media policy? If so, please post the link in a comment below.