Building Your Private Practice In A Digital World: NASW Webinar Nov. 8

Let me show you how to build strong online presence to grow your private practice!

If you're not a social worker, you can stop reading now. I know social workers are supposed to be inclusive, but this is one small exception. This webinar is only open to social workers. If you are a social worker AND a  member of National Association of Social Workers (NASW) then I hope you'll join me for my first national webinar "Building Your Private Practice In A Digital World: Creating A Strong Online Presence For Your Practice" on Nov. 8.

Those of you who read my blog regularly already know that I am a social media junkie and technology nerd AND a social worker in private practice. I've combined these passions webinar designed to help private practice social workers present themselves well online and attract new clients. In this 90-minute webinar social workers will learn more about:

• Why online practice presence matters
• Which 2 key questions can guide you in developing your online practice presence
• The elements of an effective private practice website
• How to make it easier for potential clients to find your practice and become your clients (SEO)
• How to build an engaged social media following to build your practice

Webinar Details

Title: "Building Your Private Practice In A Digital World: Creating A Strong Online Presence For Your Practice".

Date: Thursday November 8

Time: 1-2:30 PM Eastern Time

Who: To participate you need to be a member of any NASW Specialty Practice Section. If you're not an SPS member you can join one for $35

Cost: FREE

CEU's: 1.5

Registration: Pre-register here

Trey Ratcliff via Compfight

Private Practice Marketing Made Easy

Last week I spoke to group of local therapists on "Marketing Your Private Practice" and a record number of people attended the presentation. Why? Because therapists in private practice feel ill-equipped and uncomfortable with the business aspects of private practice. It's rare that a marketing course is included in a mental health graduate school curriculum, and few internships and practicums offer marketing mentorship. In my graduate program in social work, just the words "private practice" were treated as "bad words," as if making money while helping people was somehow morally wrong.

For some therapists  the word marketing brings up feelings of anxiety, even dread. "I am not comfortable with self-promoting," I've heard many therapists say.  "I'm not in this for the money so I hate to think that I have to market my services."

Over nearly 10 years in private practice I've learned that marketing isn't as difficult or scary as it sounds. Most therapists already have the relationship skills that make marketing effective. You're already good at building relationships and communicating. You just need to apply your skills differently.

 Build relationships of trust

You already know how to market, because marketing is simply building relationships of trust in a different way. Marketing requires reaching outside of your therapy office, and often beyond your comfort zone. Whatever strategy you use: talking to strangers, talking to friends and colleagues, meeting with physicians or schools, or finally getting a website, it's all about building relationships of trust.

Let 2 simple questions guide all of your marketing

• Who is your ideal client? Identifying your ideal client is  not just getting clear on the demographic and diagnoses that you like to work with, but also the characteristics, values, and traits that you look for in a client.
• What is your basic practice message? This is a simple message that focuses on one aspect of your work and emphasizes the benefits of your services in layman's terms.

Talk to everyone and anyone about what you do

In graduate school you learned how to communicate, build rapport, and put people at ease. Building relationships of trust isn't just limited to talking with your clients. Effective marketing is simply applying all of the skills you know to a broader group of people. Talk about who you want to work with what you do with strangers in the grocery store, neighbors, extended family members, or online communities, media contacts, or other professionals.

Remember you're promoting your passions, not yourself

Effective marketing isn't about pushing yourself on others, but about letting the things that you're passionate about shine through in every conversation, every blog post, every interview, an every page of your website.

It only takes three

According to private practice guru Lynn Grodski, it only takes a few "practice angels" to have a full practice-three people who will consistently refer your ideal clients to you. You probably already have three referral sources ready to refer to you. All you need to do is warm the connections you already have.

How do you feel about marketing your practice? What works and what doesn't? Share your comments below

photo credit: Hen3k Hen3k

A Day In The Life Of A Private Practice Therapist

After reading my recent posts on multiple income streams for therapists, Psych Central Associate Editor and blogger, Margarita Tartakovsky asked me how I, and other therapists, juggle so many different aspects of private practice. I've been thinking about her question and thought it might be fun to start a series that peeks into "a day in the life" of therapists in private practice. I thought I'd start with me, and start with--today. Just to give you a little background...I'm a wife and a mother of 4 children ages 5 to 21. I've been in clinical practice for 16 years and I serve as director of  Wasatch Family Therapy, a private outpatient clinic that I founded in 2002. Recently, because my clinic has grown significantly, I've stopped taking new clients in order to spend more time leading, training, and pursuing other passions, like writing, media contributing, etc.

You'll notice that my "day in the life" doesn't include seeing any clients. I am currently on a month-long sabbatical from clinical work, and from as much administrative work as possible, during the month of November to dedicate time and energy to finishing up my first book. After being approached by a publisher a few months ago I decided that it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up, but it would require cutting back on a lot of other responsibilities in order to make the deadline. I will resume seeing clients, running staff meetings, and training therapists the first week in December.

A Day In The Life

November 15, 2011

7:30--9:00AM

Woke up and get kiddos off to school, morning routine...

9:00-9:30AM

Worked on some rough song lyrics and musical ideas at the piano.

Ate breakfast. Contemplated exercise but decided to dig into book writing.

9:30AM-12:30PM

Worked from home on writing my first book on women's emotional self-care due to publisher by end of the month. Yikes. Totally overwhelmed by the thought. Reviewed my survey data to integrate into book.

Reviewed bank accounts, bills, etc. online.

Consulted for a few minutes with an old friend via Facebook who is in a family crisis.

Talked with my clinic office manager regarding tomorrow's staff meeting agenda items and other miscellaneous office stuff.

12:30-1:00PM

Talked with my TV producer and brainstormed about next week's segment "Should you keep your kids believing in Santa?" Read over blog responses to a recent parenting question about how moms handle the question, "Is Santa real?". Researched the topic online and sent in rough outline for tomorrow's production meeting.

1:00-2:00PM

Picked up daughter from preschool and got a birthday treat on the way home.

Responded to a reported request for interview.

Ate lunch.

2PM-3:30PM

Worked from home answered 30 business emails.

Phone consult with my Dir. of Child & Adolescent Services to discuss some difficult cases and recent referrals. She gave me updates on the status of our new Provo, UT location that opened last month.

Scheduled videographer to come to tomorrow's staff meeting to shoot footage of new therapists for our practice website.

Scheduled and posted social media updates on Twitter and Facebook(s).

Updated websites JulieHanks.com, WasatchFamilyTherapy.com, and added a few elements to a new site for emotionally focused couples therapists in the greater SLC area that I'm working on while my daughter colored and did art projects at the table.

3:30-4:00PM

Home assistant arrived and I give her the day's assignments - laundry, dishes, organized pantry. (I have a high school girl come 2-3 afternoons a week as a "home assistant" to run errands, fold laundry, organize, etc. Best thing I've ever done for my own self-care.)

More research and book writing.

Added more 2012 calendar items - trips, book tour, holidays.

Researched Christmas gifts for my staff online.

Downloaded a new Christmas CD Mindy Gledhill Winter Moon.

4:00-5:00PM

Napped. YES!

5:00-5:30PM

Helped 9 year old with spelling and vocabulary homework.

6:00-7:00PM

Pick up teenage daughter and went out to dinner as a family for 5 year old's birthday.

7:00-8:00PM

Son went to scouts, husband went to church meeting and I helped daughter open and put on ballerina costume from grandma and dance around the family room.

Social media updates.

Uploaded photos from birthday party.

8:00-9:00PM

Help get kids ready for bed, read, snuggle.

9:00-11:00PM

Wrote this Psych Central blog post.

Installed Photoshop updates to crop logos of recent media quotes for websites.

Did website and social media updates.

11:00-12:00PM

Check in with hubby, talk, watch TV, bed.

OK, it's your turn! I'd love to hear from other private practitioners, or students planning on going into private practice. Track your activities for a day and Email me your "day in the life of private practice" here. I just might feature you and your practice in his blog series!

Multiple Income Streams Soothe Therapist's Financial Anxiety (part 2)

Developing multiple income streams is crucial to maintaining income stability in private practice. "Having different income sources allows me to be a bit less stressed when my main funding source, private practice, takes a dip," shares Jill Kristal, President of Transitional Learning Curves. Reducing financial anxiety is not the only benefit of developing additional income avenues. Multiple income streams allow therapists to fully express their many talents, gifts, and passions.

Writing and speaking provides former actor Frank J. Sileo, PhD with creative fulfillment as well. "I used to be an actor in a past life so getting up in front of others has helped get that need met, " Sileo adds. Additionally, multiple income streams allow therapists to make a difference on a larger scale, reaching far beyond the therapy office. "I had a desire to have more impact on troubled eaters than one-to-one sessions or even workshops and talks could provide," shares therapist and healthy eating expert Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed.

If you missed "Multiple Income Streams (part 1)" click here

Here are more potential income streams for you to consider as you seek a stable income and fulfilling career.

Teach classes

Therapist Mary Pender Greene, LCSW-R has created paid opportunities through giving workshops, webinars, retreats, seminars, training sessions, keynotes and public speaking engagements that have grown out of her passion.

These streams naturally grew out of my private practice and at the core, are centered on the struggles of adult human interaction… such as improving communication, expressing feelings, reflection, solving problems and refreshing relationships.

Michael Heitt, PsyD of Heitt Clinical & Corporate Consulting, LLC adds to his income through teaching masters students at Johns Hopkins, doctoral students at Loyola University and facilitating an online licensure prep course.

Provide professional training

After several students urged Dr. Carol Clark to teach a sex therapy program, she launched STTI, the Sex Therapy Training Institute, and then expanded it to Addictions Therapy Training Institute, and eventually published a book.

As I taught and counseled, several concepts and interventions really solidified and I realized that these themes were incorporated in everything I did with students and clients, so I spent seven years putting it all into my book, Addict America: The Lost Connection.

Therapist and faith leader The Rev. Christopher L. Smith offers supervision/consultation with other mental health practitioners and other faith group leaders as an additional income stream.

Become a paid TV contributor

After a year of contributing on a local women's lifestyle TV show, Studio 5, I was offered a position as a paid contributor. One of my personal and professional passions is using the media to educate and inspire, so not only has this opportunity created an additional income stream, it's allowed me to doing something I love to do anyway and get paid.

Provide supervision to students and interns

Have you considered leveraging your time by hiring students and interns to provide clinical services through your practice? I started hiring therapists under supervision about 5 years ago, and graduate students a few years ago. Its been a great way to provide clinical services to additional clients without having to increase my direct care hours. My Wasatch Family Therapy colleague and play therapist Clair Mellenthin LCSW, RPT loves supervising therapists. She says that in addition to providing income, "One of the unexpected joys of providing supervision is forming relationships with new therapists and helping them to develop confidence and competence."

Public speaking

From community events, corporate settings to professional presentations, public speaking and presenting is another common income stream that you may want to consider. Dr. John Duffy speaks regularly on parenting issues, and also to corporations on team-building and relationship skills.

Do any of these income streams jump out at you?

What income streams are you developing to add stability to your practice?

Multiple Income Streams Soothe Therapist's Financial Anxiety (part 1)

Relying solely on direct clinical hours may leave private practitioners financially vulnerable to income instability. Since client hours in private practice can vary greatly depending on the time of year, state of the economy, number of new referrals, and several other factors, developing multiple income streams can help you to create a more stable income. "By having the other income streams in place, I have been able to be less susceptible to the ebbs and flows that occur in private practice during difficult economic times," says The Rev. Christopher L. Smith, LCAC, LMHC, LMFT. In addition to providing income stability, diversifying your professional activities with multiple income streams allows therapists to explore a variety of interests, to express creativity, and to get paid for their passions.

In addition to clinical hours, I own and serve as clinical director of a private therapy clinic where I oversee and supervise 10 therapists, write for PsychCentral and other publications, work as a relationship and emotional health media contributor, do public speaking, provide consultation to therapists building a private practice, and I'm currently writing my first book.  Curious about what other private practitioners are doing to add to income stability I reached out to several successful colleagues to see what additional income streams they've developed. Here's a sampling of what other therapists are doing to diversify their professional life and achieve greater income stability.

Write and publish a book

Many therapists have taken their clinical expertise and turned it into a book. For example, Frank J. Sileo, PhD has  written three children's books, including Bug Bites and Campfires: A Story for Kids about Homesickness (Health Press, 2009). Clinical Psychologist Dr. John Duffy took his passion for parenting and authored a book The Available Parent: Radical Optimism For Raising Teens and Tweens (Viva Editions, 2011). What areas of expertise could you write about?

Write for print publications

Supplementing clinical work, Terrie Browning, LPC, CFC, DCC writes for a column "My Healthy Mind" for a local magazine My Metro You. Not only does it provide additional revenue but she says it's also personally fulfilling. Of writing for publications she says, "Writing allows me to share knowledge on topics that are a concern for many people and offers a way for me to network myself."  Therapist Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed. has successfully written for professional publications including Social Work Focus, Social Work Today, Addiction Treatment Forum, and The Newsletter for the Society for Family Therapy and Research, adding an additional income stream.

Create a therapeutic product

Have you considered creating and selling a product based on your clinical expertise? Stephanie Ann Adams, M.A., LPC of Beginnings Counseling & Consulting, created a hybrid counseling/video series for premarital counseling through Twogether in Texas. To help families deal with the stress of relocation Jill Kristal, President of Transitional Learning Curves, developed a game and book series called 'Our Move'.

Develop a professional online network

The internet allows for many options for therapists to create passive income through membership sites. In addition to writing a local magazine column and providing clinical work, Browning, with the help of her adult children, developed a professional wellness center online called Experts Now. This online center offers wellness experts an avenue to offer services and sell products for a commission creating additional income for Browning.

Contract as a consultant

Consider asking yourself, "Which companies or organizations may want to tap into your areas of expertise?" Therapist Dr. Mario Kirk, LPC, Director, A Blessed Child, LLC, performs psychological testing for local attorneys and schools. Women's reproductive health specialist Pec Indman EdD, MFT consults and trains for county health programs and for the US Federal government.

Are you developing multiple streams of income to supplement your direct care hours? Please share your ideas in a comment below.

Watch for multiple income streams part 2 later this week!