When I started my counseling private practice in 2006, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I'd read a few business articles, take an accountant friend out for lunch, and try to make sense of it all. Without a plan, it took a really long time to get traction.
Starting a counseling private practice can be an incredibly challenging endeavor. Firstly, there are numerous logistical and administrative hurdles to overcome. Obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications, navigating complex legal and ethical guidelines, and setting up a proper infrastructure for client management and record-keeping all require careful attention to detail.
Additionally, securing suitable office space, acquiring the essential equipment and supplies, and developing a professional website and marketing materials demand significant time, effort, and financial resources. The administrative tasks alone can be overwhelming, particularly for individuals who are primarily trained in the clinical aspects of counseling.
Beyond the logistical complexities, establishing a counseling private practice also presents unique professional and personal challenges. Building a client base from scratch can be an arduous process that involves marketing, networking, and creating a positive reputation within the community. Competition from established practices and managed care organizations can further complicate matters. Moreover, as a private practitioner, one must handle all aspects of running a business, including managing finances, handling insurance claims, and dealing with the stress of unpredictable income streams.
Balancing the demands of providing quality therapeutic services with the responsibilities of business ownership can be emotionally and mentally taxing, requiring resilience, adaptability, and a strong support system. Overall, starting a counseling private practice requires determination, perseverance, and a comprehensive understanding of both the clinical and business aspects of the profession.
I've put together some steps to help you get started. This is not an authoritative guide, but a great first step. Of course check your own state's rules and your licensure and if you want more help, join me in our free course Pillar of Practice: How to Start a Practice.
- Name your private practice: Naming a private practice can be tough. Do you name it your name or something else? Quick tip: Don’t name it your name, so if you ever want to sell it, it is easier. For tips on naming, read this article about how to name your private practice.
- Buy a URL: A URL is the www. [your practice] .com, a .com is always preferred. When you name a private practice, make sure you can get the same URL as your name.
- Make sure you are licensed correctly in your state: You should know how to do this. You'll need to have the correct professional license to practice.
- Create a plan: Creating a quarter-by-quarter plan will keep you on track to meet your first year goals.
- Get liability insurance: You’ll want at least $1m/$3m coverage. I use HPSO, but I’ve been hearing that they have not been reimbursing all legal payments like they should. I’ll let you know if I hear more.
- Create a website: Creating a counseling website is one of the first things you want to do. There are a number of ways to do this:
? Build your own counseling website.
? Rent a website through BrighterVision
? If you do it yourself, Bluehost has a number of videos to help you set up a
website through WordPress.
- Get rid of that email: Want to look like you’re brand new, then keep that aol, yahoo, or gmail account for professional use. Instead, set up a new professional gmail and use the alias feature to have your name @ your domain . com
- Set up your legal structure: I had an accounting friend help me, usually a PLLC is best, but consult a local attorney or accountant if you aren’t sure.
- Find a bank for your private practice: After your business is legal, get a separate bank account for the business and keep all receipts that have to do with the business.
- Have private practice paperwork: Make sure you have your intake, progress notes, informed consent, and HIPAA forms in order. You can create it yourself or save time by purchasing a paperwork packet.
- Identify a specialty: So help me, if you say, “I do individual, couples, and family therapy” or “I see everyone” I’m going to freak out on you. Stop saying that, it means nothing! imagine your kid was dealing with angry outbursts, would you see a counselor that “sees everyone” or someone who says “I help angry kids.”
- Rent private practice space (if doing in-person): When you’re first starting out, keep your costs low, I mean dirt cheap low. The best way to do this, is to sub-lease from an established practice. You can offer to give 10-20% of your gross income in exchange for using the office. Another option is to pay per day. For example, you might say, “I can pay $50 per day for exclusive use of the office on Tuesdays.”
- Learn to be media savvy: Engage the media using Help a Reporter Out. Private practice owner, Julie Hanks says in her article 10 Reasons to Become a Media-Savvy Therapist, “This decision to become media-savvy has altered the course of my professional life in exciting and new ways”
- Start an e-mail list: An email list is one of the best ways to connect with readers, potential clients, and non-local clients in the future. Say your niche is angry kids. You may have an email list that offers a PDF of “7 Quick Tips to Reduce Your Child’s Anger.” Then create an automated email sequence that sends an email 1-2x per month with a tip for that population. You don’t want to be sales-pitchy just offer great content. I use Aweber.
- Get a logo created: A nice looking logo an go a long way! Very few private practice owners have a quality logo and website. Doing this step alone will put you in the top 5-10% of private practices. A few resources for logo design are: 99Designs, Fiverr, and your own network. Unless you have a design background, don’t do this yourself!
- Buy lunch for someone: After you determine your specialty, find 10 people that are doing what you want to do. Offer to buy each of them lunch to pick their brains about the ups and downs of private practice. Here’s an example
“Good afternoon, ____________, I was reading through your website and I see that you help
angry kids. I love your video about what to do in tough situations. I’d love to pick your brain about the ups and downs of private practice. Also, it will help me know who to refer to you as those opportunities come up. I’d love to buy you lunch sometime.”
- Focus on one social media: Which social media are you already on? Do you love Facebook? Pinterest? Instagram? Start where you are already connected and learn a ton. Don’t be sales pitchy, instead, create content that mirrors your specialty.
- Evaluate your cancelation policy: Private practice consultant, Evan Center, says, “...it occurred to me that the standard 24-hour cancellation policy most therapists have has no connection to anything therapeutic OR business- focused.” What will yours be?
- Set up your private practice phone system: Landlines can be crazy expensive. I used Grasshopper for our lines, but there are tons of options that use your cell phone like Spruce. I don’t think Google Voice is professional enough to use.
- Determine if you are going to take insurance: This is not a lifelong decision. There are many ways to add or leave insurance. Each has its benefits. Taking insurance opens an immediate market. As well, it is much more convenient for the average person. However, focusing on private pay will reduce your paperwork, increase your ability to make more income over time, and reduce stress.
- Order business cards: Since you now have a sweet logo, put it on your business cards. There are cheap ones, but this is another area of investment that tends to portray a strong professional image. I personally use Moo because they are beautiful and hip.
- Schedule a few community talks: Now that you have a specialty, find partners that have an audience. These could be local non-profit organizations, United Way, or schools. These places can promote a free talk to their audience.
- Evaluate Electronic Medical Records Systems: Rob Reinhardt from Tame Your Practice has a great review of numerous cloud-based practice management systems. He says: “Even when you have narrowed the field, there are so many factors to consider, it can be very difficult to make a final choice. Very rarely will readers find that one of the solutions meets every single one of their needs. In most cases, you will need to prioritize the features most important to you and choose the one that fits most of them, perhaps with a leaning toward those most likely to add the missing features.”
- Start blogging: Within your website, blogging is the single best way to start ranking in Google. Also, it build authority and expertise. In doing this, you are creating a stronger value proposition. Potential clients will see you as being more valuable than some name on a list approved by insurance. Also, it helps with SEO (Search Engine Optimization aka how well you rank in Google).The more value you bring, the more influence and income you can achieve. Try to write 26 so you can have a weekly post for 1/2 a year. Do internal and external links.
- Optimize your website: After you have completed everything above, go through your website and optimize it for keywords. Ideally you want [your city] + [your niche] or [your city] + counseling/therapy/counselor.
- Set up a payment system: I use Square for my private practice. Yes, credit card companies take 2-3% however, think about the math. If every 33 times you get a payment that you would have lost because of forgetting their checkbook, not scheduling because of non-payment, or some other reason. I use Square.
- Become an Amazon Associate: Amazon will pay you 3-10% for sales of items when you refer people. Most counselors have their favorite books. If you’re recommending books, make them links through Amazon and you’ll get a percentage of everything someone buys for 24 hours after clicking your link!
- Sign up for the One Year Practice Plan Course
: This weekly newsletter will walk you through exactly what to do in your first year of private practice. You’ll get step-by-step instructions on exactly how to plan, launch, grow, and thrive in private practice.
So what'd I miss? What has helped you start your thriving practice that you love?
