STOP WITH THE DARN DOUBLE STANDARDS……

Today I’m speaking predominantly to the Psychologists out there.

And I’m going to jump straight in on this one….

I get so frustrated when I see Psychologists operating with DOUBLE STANDARDS. 

Yes, I HAVE looked inside to see why it TRIGGERS ME soooooo much… 

And it is because authenticity (like real authenticity - not just the fancy word of authenticity that people use to seem genuine) is a very important VALUE of mine - and yes, it is MY value and hence not necessarily that of the next person, but when I then continue to see the IMPACT this double standard have on clinicians and practice owners I can't help but get all worked up as it is JUST. SO. UNNECESSARY.

Double Standard #1: Comparing Yourself to Others

If you are a Psychologist in private practice and you receive Medicare Referrals then you will be more than accustomed to the use of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in your every day practice. As such, I am sure that you are more than familiar with the many unhelpful thinking styles that people engage in on a daily basis, one of those being ‘Comparing Yourself to Others’. 

To often I speak to practice owners whom are consumed (…ok, maybe consumed is too strong of a word, but it makes my point…) by what their perceived competition is doing. 

For example, they look at another psychologist’s amazing website and think ‘that is so much better than mine’ or they see another practice advertising for new roles due to their ‘overwhelming number of referrals being received’ and they are left thinking that they aren’t doing enough marketing or that their practice is falling behind and not growing fast enough - just because of the clever marketing copy being used by the other practice.

And this list goes on and on….

The thing is, comparing yourself to others is NOT always a bad thing. It can act as a motivator or as inspiration to be better, to learn more and to pursue your vision of your ideal and ULTIMATE private practice. 

Unfortunately though, a lot of people, instead, use it to break themselves down by giving themselves a hard time around why they aren’t ‘there’ yet… wherever ‘there’ might be. 

And that my friends leads us to the next Double Standard…..

Double Standard #2 = Perfectionism

Let me just give it to you straight….

The reason why you aren’t ‘there’ yet, is because of your Perfectionism. 

Because of wanting to get all your ducks in a row. 

Because of wanting to be totally ready before you act. 

Because …. just image…. someone actually says something negative about what you have done because you jumped in BEFORE it was 100% perfect. 

The problem with perfectionist is twofold. 

One, it leads to severe procrastination. That means that you don’t IMPLEMENT. You don’t take the ACTION that will get you to your very own Level 5 ULTIMATE private practice. It is why you are still stuck on that bloody hamster wheel of not up-levelling in your practice, of not putting yourself out there to be better and to be seen. 

And secondly, it causes Anxiety. I’m not even going to spell this one out - you KNOW - you are a Psychologist - you KNOW. 

If you are in private practice, then I know that you get to work with at least 1 client every week that suffers from this very same ‘condition’ of perfectionism. So take your own advice and deal with that annoying and very unhelpful characteristic. 

Double Standard #3 = Avoiding EXPOSURE (therapy) at all costs

Yes. I. Am. Going. There. (Because I care)

If you are in private practice, you will undoubtedly have a caseload of clients struggling with anxiety and the gold standard in treating anxiety remains Exposure Therapy. So my question is, if you as a psychologist KNOW (and you spend most days challenging your clients to accept this fact) that Exposure is THE best way to move forward and reclaim your life and achieve your goals and dreams, then why are you AVOIDING:

- putting your photo on your website

- starting a Facebook Page for your practice

- live streaming on Facebook 

- doing recorded videos

- picking up the phone and calling your GPs and other referrers

- pulling that clinician in line that just does what ever the hell they want

- having that difficulty conversation with an employee whom is not performing

- having that chat to your accountant to let them know that you actually expect more

- saying no to your team, your friends, or your family when asked to do a task that is not your own

- and basically running your practice like the business it is.

Talk about double standards! I should not be needing to convince YOUI that Exposure WORKS. That Exposure is a good thing - sorry, a GREAT thing. That Exposure is what will get you to that next level in your private practice. 

The choice really is yours. 

You can either stay exactly where you are right now or you can man up and drop the darn double standards that are holing you back. 

What is it going to be?

Yours in Private Practice Success,

Gerda

PS: If you feel excited about what can happen once you rid yourself of the double standards, whether you are guilty of one, two or all three, why not take that next step with me and a small handful of other like-minded private practice owners from across Australia for the last Get-It-Done Residential Retreat of 2017. 

Come and IMMERSE yourself...

* in growth, 

* in inspiration, 

* in motivation, 

* in empowerment,

* in learning,

* in action-taking,

and walk away having had probably the 3 most productive days of learning and doing in your private practice of the last year :) THIS is the MOMENTUM your practice will need going into 2018. 

For all the details, visit https://www.gerdamuller.com.au/get-it-done-retreat/

About The Author

Gerda Muller is a Clinical Psychologist and owner of two Award-Winning Brisbane-based Group Private Practices, The Psych Professionals.

After starting her PhD on the topic of "Psychologists as Practice Owners: Current Challenges, Coping & Success Predictors", Gerda was appalled at the lack of support for Allied Health Professionals going into Private Practice and decided to do something about it. 

This was the start of Private Practice Success Australia and have seen Gerda become Australia’s Leading Private Practice Business Coach & Mentor to Allied Health Professionals who want to secure a financial future and leave a legacy for their family, all whilst having a never-ending riplle effect on the lives that they change on a daily basis in the mental health community

E: [email protected] | W: gerdamuller.com.au

WINNER: Queensland MENTAL HEALTH Achievement Award for Best Small Business 2015