I recently had a delightful chat with Australian counselor and consultant Clinton Powers via Skype about my evolution as a blogger. We talked about the many benefits of blogging as a marketing strategy, unexpected benefits that I've experienced through blogging, how to find your blogging voice, and how to address ethical concerns. I hope you enjoy the interview. Below, I've summarize the main points of our lively discussion.

What are the benefits of blogging as a practice marketing strategy?

Grow your practice by making it easier for clients to find you
Build your brand online
Fresh content improves SEO for your practice website
Establishes you as a credible expert in your field
Online networking with other mental health professionals
Positive impact on readers all over the world

What are your tips for developing your blogging voice?

Start where you are
Reject perfectionistic tendencies
Remember that you can edit
Re-purpose previously written content (papers, presentations, other media interviews)
Read and model after other therapists blogs

Where do you find inspiration for blog post topics?

Share your philosophical background
Write about themes you're seeing in therapy
Write about related news and current events
Summarize new research and add your take on it
Share other experts' content, including videos

How do you make time to write?

Write about the things that energize you and sound fun
Schedule time to blog once a week

How do you avoid ethical concerns?

Don't share client information
Don't share personal information

This interview first appeared on AustraliaCounseling.com.au

Eleven years ago I ventured briefly into the world of providing online counseling services. It was short-lived because there was not enough interest from potential clients in online counseling. At the time, there was a sense that online interventions would revolutionize counseling, and that it might even become a preferred method of treatment for many. While online counseling, also known as telemental health, and e-therapy, hasn't "taken over" the field of therapy in the past decade, electronic delivery methods have steadily grown.

According to APA’s Center for Workforce Studies, the use of videoconferencing jumped from 2 to 10 percent between the years 2000 - 2008, and the use of email for service delivery tripled during that same time frame.

The ethical concerns and uncertainties surrounding online counseling haven't changed much in the past decade. Is it really confidential? What problems are appropriate to treat online? Can you treat clients across state lines? What ages are appropriate to treat?

Professional guidelines and state laws still don't clearly outline what's appropriate and what's not when it comes to working with clients online which brings up a lot of anxiety for therapists, including me.

In spite of the questions that linger, my clinic is venturing into the world of online therapy this month. There is enough evidence of it's effectiveness, new secure delivery platforms, and enough client interest to offer online services.

Here's how my colleagues and I are managing our own anxiety about offering online counseling:

1) Pre-screening clients for appropriateness of online counseling prior to initial session.

2) Online counseling training for my therapists who are interested in offering online counseling.

3) Signed consent form by client acknowledging risks and benefits of online service delivery.

4) Working online with clients in our state.

5) Selecting a secure, easy-to-use online counseling platform. (We decided to go with CounSol)

If you're afraid of online counseling, here are a few resources that might help you get the courage to try offering services online:

Here's a helpful and brief summary of research on the effectiveness of online therapy effectiveness.
This site gives a side-by-side comparison of multiple online counseling platforms TeleMentalHealthComparisons.com.
Excellent online training from Zur Institute covering several areas of practice consideration - Telehealth: The New Standard: Ethical, Legal, Clinical, Technological & Practice Considerations
Here's another helpful online training series with several online therapy training modules Online Therapy Institute.

Do you provide online counseling services? Why are why not? I want to hear about your experiences!

EHR "SimplePractice" to Add Group Practice Option

As healers, we genuinely like to do our work. Guiding clients through the therapy process and seeing them make progress is why we do what we do. But if you're in private practice, you know there's a lot going on in the back end and that it's crucial to run an efficient and organized business.

How to Write Compelling Website Copy: Interview with Website Whisperer Nicole Bonsol

I recently had the opportunity to interview Nicole Bonsol, a writing, branding, and graphic designer for healers. She helps therapists create an inviting and powerful website and best craft their message to engage with their viewers. I was fascinated at what Nicole had to say, especially because of her unique role in the process of helping clinicians reach their audience. Here are some highlights of our discussion:

Private Practice Website: Should You Hire a Pro or DIY?

As therapists in 2016, we understand that having a functioning, informational, and attractive website isn’t just a good idea-it’s a necessity. But if you’re just starting out in private practice, it can be intimidating to build one from the ground up. How do you design your home page so a user can easily navigate and find what they need? How do you present information in a way that isn’t overwhelming or too “busy”? What’s the best way to make sure your content is mobile-friendly? And even when you figure out the answers to these questions, how do you make the vision in your head actually become reality on a website?

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