Can I Feature Your Private Practice? Content Creation Opportunities on Toolbox

Talk to thousands about your practice by submitting content for Private Practice Toolbox.

I've written a lot about the importance of content creation in building a professional online presence, creating value for website visitors and social media followers, and establishing yourself as an expert in your specialty area.

Incoming links to your practice website boost SEO, boost traffic, and establish credibility. It's always better to create content for larger websites. Well, here's your chance to shine. I want to feature you on THIS blog in 2013! Here are 4 ways you can be featured:

1) Pitch a guest blog 

I'm always looking for guest posts from qualified individuals from a variety of fields who can share insights about how to run, manage, market, and thrive in private practice. I recently started working on my PhD and I'm not able to blog as often as I used to. I'm open to posts from professionals outside the mental health field as well. Attorneys, accountants, SEO experts, marketing, website design, interior design...If your expertise can help private mental health practitioners build successful businesses, pitch away!

2) Be featured in my"Adventures in Private Practice" series

Answer the following questions and submit them with a photo, a brief summary of your practice and a link to your website here.

• Tell me a little about your practice…
• Why did you decide to open a private practice?
• Clients that therapists find to be the most “difficult” are sometimes the ones who can teach them the most. What have you learned from your toughest clients?
• What’s your biggest pet peeve about private practice?
• How did you discover or develop your practice “niche”?
• What resource (book, website, person) helped you the most when setting up your private practice?
• What has surprised you most about being in private practice?
• Has your private practice helped you grow professionally? How so…
• Has it helped you grow personally, too? How so…
• Being a therapist can be emotionally exhausting. What do you do to care for your own emotional and psychological health?
• How do you cope with the inevitable stressors involved with being your own boss?
• What personal strengths have helped you succeed in private practice?

3) Be Featured in a "A Day In The Life" Series 

How do private practitioners spend their time? What does it take to create a thriving practice? Track your private practice activities for one day. Submit a word doc, photo, practice summary, and link to your practice here.

4) Be feature in my "Virtual Office Tour" series

Submit a video tour of your office space and I'll feature it on this blog! Submit you information here. Peek inside other therapist's offices.

Other ways to connect with private practice resources:

Join the Private Practice Toolbox Facebook Group

Join the Twitter conversation using hashtag #practicetoolbox (I'm @julie_hanks)

Join the 2013 Therapist Blog Challenge for help creating regular content on your private practice website.

Martin Fisch via Compfight

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

Do You Need Permission To Succeed?

As a recent private practice consultation group that I was leading came to an end, we took a few minutes to celebrate the growth and successes of each group member. I asked what each group would take away from their consultation group.  One therapist turned to me and said, "Thank you for giving me the permission to succeed."

I have never really thought about my private practice consulting services as giving colleagues "permission to succeed," but it seemed to fit. I asked myself, "Where did I get the permission to succeed?"

As I thought about it, I realized that my dad had modeled for me personal and professional success. As a child, I watched his music career flourish, how much he was energized through self-expression, and how he was motivated to inspire others through his work. My Dad's modeling taught me that I, too, could create a professional life where I could express myself, be creative when faced with challenges, and inspire to make positive change.

I grew up believing that everyone had permission to have an amazing, creative and fulfilling life. I think that's partly what inspired this blog. I want you to create a thriving private mental health practice that fills you with joy, that works for your life, and that reflects who you are.

When I saw my Dad a few weeks ago, on Father's Day, I made a point of thanking him for giving me permission to succeed. I let him know that I really valued that gift that he'd given to me -- the belief that I could find success and personal fulfillment in my professional life.

Do you need permission to succeed in your private practice?

Permission granted.

Social Media Ethics (part 1): Digital Dual Relationship Dilemmas

photo credit: Eric Schwartzman

I’ve spent months writing about how to effectively use technology, and social media in particular, to build your private mental health practice. While the Internet has opened up exciting new ways for mental health therapists in private practice to market their practice, reach potential clients, and educate the public, it has also allowed for new ethical dilemmas.

When I first started practicing nearly two decades ago, I was concerned about my child being on the same soccer team as a client's child, or about running into clients at parties of mutual friends. The increasing Internet usage by therapists and clients alike has created new opportunities for dual relationships online. Over the coming weeks I'll be discussing ways to use social media ethically in the digital age.

Here are a just few examples of digital dual relationship dilemmas that therapists now face:

• “A former clients sent a ‘friend’ request on my personal Facebook page? Should I accept it?”
• “One of my clients is a friend of one of my family members on Facebook. I don’t want him to have access to my personal information, photos, etc. Is there anything I can do to protect my personal information?”
• “A client just posted a comment on my private practice Facebook page that reveals some clinical information about his symptoms. How should I handle this?”
• “A potential client sent me a direct message on Twitter inquiring about my therapy services. Is Twitter confidential? How should I respond?”
• “During an initial intake with a new client the client shared some grandiose facts about her successful work history and public accolades. Should I Google her name to see if what she’s reporting is true?”
• “I just saw that a client is following me on Pinterest. I’m not sure how I feel about her seeing boards about how I want to decorate my dream house.”
• “Should I enable or disable comments on my private practice website blog? I'm concerned that it may look like I'm encouraging clients to comment on my blog."

I want to hear from you...

Have you faced any of these situations in your clinical practice?

What are some ethical dilemmas you've come across since venturing into social media?

Do you have any specific questions or ethical concerns about the impact of your online activity and it's potential impact on the client-therapist relationship?

5 Twitter Tricks To Promote Your Practice Online

Do you have a Twitter account for your practice but you're not sure how to get more followers? Do you feel like your tweeting into thin air and no one is "listening"? Here are a few tricks I've learned that have help me grow my Twitter following and promote your private mental health practice online and build your professional identity.

1) Search and follow

Use the search box at the right top of your Twitter homepage to search your specialty areas and interests. Follow people who are tweeting helpful and relevant info relating to your practice areas and let them know that you like what they're sharing online.

2) Make it easy for others to find you

Hashtags "#" are a great way to make it easy for others who are searching for certain topics. If you're tweeting a blog post about depression, add #depression to your tweet. While we're talking hashtags, I have a favor to ask you...will you use #practicetoolbox when sharing this article?

3) Mention others frequently

Talk directly to different Twitter users by including  "@" sign and someone's twitter handle in your tweet. Retweet great tweets and thank people who retweet you  i.e. "TY for RT @julie_hanks!" People want to talk to people, not agencies or businesses.

4) Learn from effective Twitter users

Use Twitter lists to organize key influencers that you follow.  Watch and learn from people who have large numbers of active Twitter followers and who tweet helpful information that's relevant to your area of interest. Learn from those "tweeps" that you admire and model what they are doing.

5) Drive traffic to your website

While it's great to tweet helpful information that others are producing, remember that your goal is to drive traffic to your website. You have a website right? An active blog on your site gives you content to tweet and link back to your site. You can also tweet links to different pages on your sit.

photo credit: harry-m

Want to connect with other private mental health practitioners on Twitter? Join my private practice Twitter list here.