Adventures In Private Practice: Family Counselor Barbara Flor, LPC

Just six months ago Pennsylvania licensed professional counselor Barbara Flor opened her private practice. What inspired Barbara to take the leap into being her own boss? What challenges and joys has she experienced in the process? Read on.

Tell me a little about your practice…

I am a sole practitioner with an office in my home, in Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania.  I live on several acres surrounded by tranquil farms and tree-lined properties, so it’s a very peaceful, private setting.  I provide individual, family and group counseling for children, teens and adults with an emphasis on improving interpersonal relationships and family dynamics.  My years of experience as a school counselor, educator and victim’s rights advocate, gives me strong insight into issues affecting women, children and families as a whole.

Why did you decide to open a private practice?

I started my practice about 6 months ago, after years of dreaming, planning and procrastinating.  When my children were in college and I was an official “empty-nester”, I realized it was now or never.  I have been in the field of counseling and education for over 20 years, mostly working for schools and colleges, but I also volunteered my time at a victim’s assistance agency and became trained as a sexual assault counselor.  I have a passion for issues that impact women and children.   Owning a private practice allows me to concentrate on that passion.

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?

I have learned patience, empathy, flexibility and honesty. There is usually a reason people are the way they are.  Who am I to say that if I lived their life, in their environment, with the experiences they have endured, that I would be any different.  They are doing the best they can with the hand they’ve been dealt.  I need to do the best I can to help them with that and sometimes that means being honest and saying, “I’m feeling stuck, frustrated, confused...how can we move past this?”  With children, this can be even more difficult.  It’s imperative to meet the child on his or her developmental level and attempt to move forward from there in a manner that works for that child.  That may involve books, games, play, art, or talk therapy.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about private practice?

My biggest pet peeve in private practice is dealing with insurance.  I hope to someday become a private pay practice, but have found it is difficult to get started in my area without taking insurance.  I am competing with many other therapists who accept insurance.  I am on a few panels and am working consistently to get approved by more.  It is time consuming to do this and to do all the paperwork required to get paid.

How did you discover or develop your practice “niche”?

My passion is working with women and children.  While I do have several clients that fit in this “niche”, I also work with couples and families. I have to say I do enjoy the variety as well.  Many issues that affect women and children also affect couples and families, so the skills I have acquired over the years are helpful with all the populations I serve.  For many clients it comes down to relationships - relationships between parent and child, husband and wife, siblings, and other loved ones and significant others. We all have the basic need to feel loved, respected and to have a sense of safety, security and belonging.

What resource (book, website, person) helped you the most when setting up your private practice?

The Internet has been the overall, best source of help in my endeavor.  Between LinkedIn groups and Facebook groups for private practitioners, as well as numerous online resources and continuing education opportunities, I have massive amounts of information at my fingertips.  Specifically, Julie Hanks’ Facebook group, “Private Practice Toolbox” was the first resource I sought out and it helped me immensely.  I felt very comfortable and welcome in this group.  The members are kind and knowledgeable and are always there with helpful advice.  From there, I learned about other groups on LinkedIn, as well as books, websites and other people who have helped me along the way.  Joseph Sanok, a member of the “Private Practice Toolbox” Facebook group, helped me with the resources I needed to create my own website.  And many other members encouraged me to start a blog.  I could not have done all that I have in the last six months without these helpful, knowledgeable profession also.  It also hasn’t hurt to have a husband who is a financial guru.

What has surprised you most about being in private practice?

I am most surprised that I find being in private practice so fulfilling.  I truly love spending time in, and working on, my practice.  It is my “baby” and as they say, “If you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life”.

Has your private practice helped you grow professionally?

I have learned so much about myself as a professional and the things I am capable of doing.  It has given me the self-confidence to continue moving forward, even on the rough days.

Has it helped you grow personally, too?

Personally, it is a great feeling to know you are a professional who can earn a living doing something you love.

Being a therapist can be emotionally exhausting. What do you do to care for your own emotional and psychological health?  

Walk. Laugh. Love. I love to walk.  I try my best to walk at least 30 minutes a day, preferably outside if weather permits.  I love to laugh.  It is true that laughter is often the best medicine.  I make sure to try and laugh everyday, whether by watching enjoyable television shows, funny movies, or connecting with family and friends, I can feel the stress leaving my body when I laugh.  I recommend this to my clients as well.

How do you cope with the inevitable stressors involved with being your own boss?

I have had some very difficult jobs in my life.  When I am having a particularly difficult day, I think of those former challenges.   So far, nothing in private practice has been as stressful as some of those experiences!

What personal strengths have helped you succeed in private practice?

I have a strong business background consisting of an undergraduate degree in business, combined with experience working in business and with business start-ups.  This has been very helpful.  A private practice is a business.  Graduate school in the mental health field does not prepare you for the business side of private practice.  If you don’t have those skills, it is imperative that you get them, or find someone who can help you.

In addition, I have a very strong work ethic.  I am disciplined, responsible, and organized.  I have always lived by the motto, “Work first, play second.”  This has served me well.

 For more information about Barbara's private practice visit www.barbaraflor.com

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

Practicing Outside The Box: Psychotherapy On The Client's Couch

Michigan therapist finds niche providing in-home psychotherapy services

Would you travel to a client's home to provide therapy? After witnessing the high no-show rates while working at community mental health centers Michigan, therapist Tomanika Witherspoon, LMSW, CEO of Growing Counseling Services, decided to do just that.

She created an "outside of the box" specialty practice by focusing on providing in-home therapy.

In Witherspoon's experience, individuals who discontinued traditional therapy cited transportation, time and family responsibilities as the biggest barriers for receiving treatment. By providing in-home therapy, Witherspoon saves her clients travel time, travel expenses and time spent in an office waiting room.

What about her own travel time and expenses? Witherspon said that she does not bill for her travel time. However, to minimize the unpaid travel time and expenses, she only sees clients within a 20-mile radius of her location.

What about safety issues? "I typically do a phone-screening to gather the client's demographic information, insurance info, and the assurance that we will have somewhere to meet privately," Witherspoon says. "Safety is generally not a concern, but if it ever becomes one, I would meet in a colleague's office."

Providing in-home therapy services is not for everyone, but Ms. Witherspoon makes it work for her and her clients.

Visit GrowingCounseling.com to find out more about Tomanika Witherspoon, LMSW's "outside the box" practice.

Have you found a creative niche, a unique office space, use non-traditional interventions, or have something that sets you apart from other private practice clinicians?  I want to hear about it! Email me with "outside the box" in the subject line.

(c) Can Stock Photo

Therapist Media Cheat Sheet: Get More Clients By Maximizing TV Interviews

While TV interviews and appearances rarely lead to an immediate increase in new clients, they do raise awareness of your private practice and your specialty areas, expose thousands of people to your practice, and set you up as a credible expert in your field. Marketing experts say that it generally takes 7 exposures to your business brand before a client will actually try your products or services. In recent posts I share how to get TV interviews and how to present your best self during interviews. Here are some tips for getting the most mileage out of interviews to build your credibility and increase referrals to your practice.

1) Be explicit about how you'd like to be introduced

Reporters aren't worried about your branding, they're concerned about their story. It is your responsibility to protect your practice name and brand by being explicit about how the interviewer should refer to you on camera. After having a few interviews where they say my practice name incorrectly, or didn't mention it at all, I've learned to clearly spell out how I want to be introduced. In email correspondence with media contact I request something like this:

Please refer to me on camera as "Therapist Julie Hanks LCSW, Director of Wasatch Family." I also request a lower-third banner (the text box graphic that pops up at the bottom of the screen during interviews) with my name, credential, practice name, and website during the interview. Here's what I ask for: "Julie Hanks LCSW, Director of Wasatch Family Therapy, WasatchFamilyTherapy.com".

2) Request a link to your website

Always request that the interviewer mention your website address during the interview and shows your website address on  a lower-third banner. You want to make it as easy as possible for potential clients to find your practice website, and ultimately, set an appointment. Additionally, if the TV station posts a web article or video online request that they post a link to your website. Having large websites link to your website improves your visibility Google searches.

3) Capture the video to post on your website

I suggest keeping an archive of all TV interviews so you can use them on your own practice website. Many TV stations post the interviews online and allow you to imbed them on your own website without uploading and converting the video. If the interview is not available online, you can request a DVD copy of the segment from the TV station.

4) Post on social media

Social media video sites, like YouTube, allow TV interviews to reach beyond the live TV viewership. I upload every TV interview to my YouTube channel and set up feeds to my websites and social media profiles and pages. The Men's Doc Will Courtenay, PhD, LCSW says that many clients have viewed his interview clips online before actually meeting with him:

Now that we can post TV interviews on websites and YouTube, they're really a great opportunity for marketing. And it's really the best kind of marketing, because the television show or news station has identified you as an expert. Today, many people search for and Google psychotherapists to see what they can find out about them before they meet with them.

Psychotherapist Terrence Alspaugh, LCPC says that YouTube videos give potential clients a feel for his style and expertise giving them the confidence to set an appointment.

I had the interview posted on YouTube with a link from my website, and that exposure has helped to attract new clients. Several prospective clients told me that they watched the YouTube clip first, and as they were favorably impressed, they contacted me about couples counseling. The interview has been watched by over 400 people, so it serves as a way for prospective clients to see me in action before meeting me.

Private practice therapist with YouTube channels

Enjoy watching these private practice therapists videos on their YouTube channels.

Dr. Will Courtenay

Eileen Kennedy Moore, PhD

Shift You Life Now Tracy Latz, M.D., M.S.

Julie de Azevedo Hanks LCSW

Who’s Your Ideal Client?

“Who do you want to work with?” was the question I asked workshop participants in a recent private practice workshop at a local university. For many workshop participants, this was the first time they’d ever even considered asking themselves which clients they wanted to see in their clinical practice. Shrinking funding, crowded managed care panels, and a saturation of therapists have  left private practitioners feeling desperate to fill their schedules with anyone who is willing to see them.  However, based on my personal experience of nearly a decade in private practice, “Who do I want to work with?” is one of the most important questions a clinician can ask themselves.

This question, “Who do I want to work with?” has informed every other aspect of my practice: from my marketing and networking efforts, office location & decor, payment policies, website design, and more.

I was first introduced to this concept of an “ideal client” about 7 years ago when I picked up a practice book, Building Your Ideal Private Practice by Lynn Grodzki. I was hoping to find some guidance and direction for my solo private practice, and like most of you, I had no clue how to build a successful business and had never taken a business course.  I thought to myself, “What? I get to decide who I want to work with? It’s not just who wants to see me or who finds me on managed care panels?”  Ms. Grodzky taught me that the ideal client concept includes more than just a preferable diagnosis or demographic, but also includes identifying characteristics, values and traits.

Getting clear about which clients I want to bring to my practice has allowed me to build a joyful and thriving private practice that has grown from a solo practice to a flourishing clinic employing several therapist. Now, I am passionate about helping my clinical team at Wasatch Family Therapy, as well as the therapists who come to me for consultations, to identify their ideal clients and build profitable private practices.  This, in turn, provides excellent services to clients and allows the therapist to feel fulfilled.

Ask yourself these questions:

Which clients energizes you?

Which clients do you look forward to seeing?

What personal experiences drew you to this field?

Which clients have you had the most success with?

What social issues, population, diagnoses are you passionate about?

In Ms Grodzki's book she suggests completing these phrases to help you define your ideal client:

My ideal client appreciates…

My ideal client values…

My ideal client understands…

My ideal client agrees to…

When I first read Ms. Grodzki's book I identified my ideal client as working with educated, motivated, young adult women who were individuating from their family of origin, and trying to solidify their individual identities. They often presented with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and relationship distress. Here's how I filled out Ms. Grodzki's ideal client inventory years ago:

My ideal client appreciates... my education. my expertise and life experience. that change is a process. that we are in a collaborative relationship.

My ideal client values... personal responsibility and accountability. professional office space. self-exploration. excellent clinical services. technology and uses it regularly.

My ideal client understands... the importance of their past experiences on their present issues. that they are responsible for their own growth. my professional boundaries and office policies. that I won't give them answers, but I will guide them in the process.

My ideal client agrees to... pay my full fee at the beginning of every session. arrive on time to sessions. attend therapy on a regular basis. emotionally invest in the therapy process.

Several months after reading Ms. Grodzki's book I looked at my schedule one morning and realized that I had an entire day filled with my ideal clients! Though my "ideal client" has evolved through the years, I've found the question, "Who is my ideal client?" to be the most important question and foundation on which to build a successful private practice.

Now it's your turn. Who is your ideal client?