Libsyn Directory

BEST OF Telehealth Episodes | TPOT137

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Release Date: 07/13/2020

Rachelle Heinemann | Confidence by Design: Navigating Self-Esteem and Growth | TPOT 329

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Rachelle is a licensed mental health counselor, eating disorder and analytic therapist. She works with clients in New York City and Brooklyn to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences. In this episode, we dive into society's intricate dynamics surrounding body image, self-care, well-being, and networking. Rachelle addresses societal pressures, personal struggles, and strategies for navigating them effectively. From exploring the impact of beauty standards and restrictive diets to redefining self-care beyond its spiritual connotations, Rachelle offers nuanced insights into...

Carolyn Boldt | Crafting Therapeutic Spaces for Private Practice | TPOT 328

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Carolyn is personally passionate about holistic health and wellness and an outspoken advocate that the environment of your space impacts your success. With over 40 years of experience in the commercial interior industry, she holds a BS in Interior Architectural Design from the University of Texas at Austin, is NCIDQ Certified, a Registered Designer, a LEED AP, and a Professional Member of the IIDA/International Interior Design Association. In 2004, she and her husband, Scott, co-founded CrossFields as a design-build firm in Atlanta. In 2011, they changed their focus to expand the impact of...

Maureen Clancy | Integrating Diverse Healing Modalities in Private Practice | TPOT 327

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Maureen Clancy has been a licensed therapist and trauma expert for the past 20 years, helping women go through enormous life changes who have experienced childhood trauma. In this episode, Maureen shares her journey of integrating alternative healing modalities into therapeutic practice. She discusses her exploration of various methods such as energy work, acupuncture, and Reiki alongside traditional therapy, emphasizing the holistic nature of healing. Maureen reflects on the limitations of the conventional therapeutic profession and advocates for the incorporation of alternative approaches to...

Kasey Compton | Journey to Self-Understanding: Insights for Private Practice Success | TPOT 326

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Kasey Compton is on a mission to help business owners find their entrepreneurial confidence. She went from bankrupt to Boss Babe when she took her first company from zero to three million in less than three years without ditching her life to do it. She owns three other businesses that have accumulated assets of over two million and are growing by the day. Her superpowers include cutting through the clutter to identify a strategic starting point, increasing efficiency through systems, and tapping into a person’s highest potential. She helps others by designing maps for their...

Dr. Jan Carney | Empowering Professionals: The Importance of Public Health Education | TPOT 325

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Dr. Carney is Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy, and Professor of Medicine, at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM). She is Chief of the Division of Public Health at the Larner College of Medicine and directs graduate public health education. In this episode, we cover Dr. Carney’s multifaceted approach to addressing various aspects of healthcare and public health. From guiding individuals through the maze of health information to advocating for systemic changes and collaborative efforts, Dr. Carney's insights underscore the complexity of...

Dr. Connor McClenahan | Crafting Client-Centered Profiles: An Approach to Authentic Engagement | TPOT 324

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Dr. Connor McClenahan founded Here Counseling, which provides a membership model for private practice so therapists can run their own private practices independently while benefiting from group resources. Dr. McClenahan runs a private practice in Los Angeles and Pasadena and has taught, coached, and written on digital marketing for therapists. His new 100-page workbook helps therapists build a strategic marketing plan and grow their practices. In this episode, Dr. McClenahan dives into the delicate balance private practice owners face between self-doubt and sincere empathy. Advocating for a...

Cameron Schober | Therapeutic Frontiers: Healing Innovation in Private Practice | TPOT 323

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Cameron Schober is an LPC-S and LMFT-S in the State of Texas, primarily practicing at The Hope Place in Mansfield, TX. Cameron’s main areas of clinical focus is treating trauma using a combination of Accelerated Resolution Therapy, psychedelic-assisted integration, and postmodern therapy approaches in conjunction with psychoeducation related to trauma and it’s effects on our nervous systems as well as our lives. In this episode, we talk about Cameron's journey through the realm of therapeutic practices, navigating challenges, and embracing novel approaches to healing. From grappling with...

Carla Titus | Financial Foundations for Private Practice | TPOT 322

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Carla Titus is a finance expert with over 15 years of combined corporate financial planning, analysis, strategy, and online businesses experience. She provides fractional CFO services and financial consulting to business owners looking to grow their business profitably. Her priorities for her clients are to help them grow profits, have cash in the bank, and pay themselves well so they can build personal wealth. The journey to financial success in any business requires a solid foundation and forward-thinking strategies. Carla, a seasoned financial advisor, emphasizes the critical role of...

Dr. Liz Lasky | Adapting Private Practice for Modern Needs | TPOT 321

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

This episode covers Dr. Liz Lasky's transformative shift from traditional therapy to coaching, driven by her quest for personal fulfillment and financial success. Embracing skepticism, she champions that therapists can thrive financially while providing valuable services, inspiring others to pursue their dreams. We speak about diverse opportunities for therapists, stressing the need for innovation in the evolving landscape of mental health care. She advocates for balancing roles as a business owner and entrepreneur, believing it's safe to have it all. Dr. Lasky reframes success, encouraging...

Kristie Plantinga | A Guide to Effective Digital Marketing Tactics in Private Practice | TPOT 320

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Kristie Plantinga is a mental health nerd, writer, and marketer living in Colorado. She is the founder of TherapieSEO—a marketing agency serving therapists and coaches—and —a therapist directory that vets therapists so therapy-seekers can focus on fit, not quality. When she’s not writing about mental health and dreaming up creative content strategies, Kristie can be found snuggling her multiple terriers, sipping a homemade dirty chai, and half-helping her husband cook Lebanese food. This episode is all about navigating the evolving landscape of digital marketing. Kristie emphasizes the...

More Episodes

In this Best Of Telehealth episode, we feature four previous guests who know about running a successful virtual private practice. You will hear from Clay Cockrell, Jonathan Van Viegen, Jeremy Zug, and Danielle Blessing Taylor. The four speak about various topics like the importance of having a website and how to work with clients internationally. Plus, they give tips and tricks on making your virtual private practice run smoothly. As COVID is still among us, now is the time to think about how we will continue to serve clients virtually.

Meet Clay Cockrell

Clay Cockrell, LCSW is a therapist based in New York City and is the founder of several counseling oriented endeavors. Most recently he is the founder of Onlinecounselling.com – a listing directory with the mission of helping clients all over the world to find the therapist or life coach that will best meet their needs. The site also works through their educational resources and podcasts to help counselors work online in an ethical, responsible, and legal manner. A majority of proceeds from the site are donated to non-profit arts. Clay started his career as the creator of Walk and Talk Therapy (www.walkandtalk.com).

Where Are You Licensed?

The first question therapists will have licensure. Who can you work with? Back in the day, there weren’t a lot of regulations. People will think if you’re sitting in New York, then the therapy is happening in New York. However, that’s not how it works. The only thing that matters is where your client is sitting. Is your client sitting in Nebraska? Then that’s where you need to be licensed.

Can You Work With Clients Internationally?

There is a caveat. What about people outside of the United States? There is a massive mental health need all over the world. It would be best if you did some investigation on this. Think about your ethics and the different regulations around the globe. With the exception of Canada, no countries regulate virtual therapy. Clay says that he has clients all over the world. It’s a personal choice. Clay has the ability to work with people who need his services; therefore, he works internationally.

You Need a Website and Advertising

Your private practice needs a website. On that website, you will need to explain that you provide this service. Make sure it’s on your homepage. Plus, make sure you have another page about online therapy. On this page, make sure you describe the benefits of online therapy. Advertising is also essential. You can have your ad only show in a specific area. That way, people who are looking for you will find you. Find out where your target audience is and advertise to them. This is where the importance of having a niche comes in. Make sure you know who your ideal client is!

Meet Jonathan Van Viegen

Husband, Father of 2, Marriage and Family Therapist, Entrepreneur, and Coach, Jonathan Van Viegen, MA, MFT, CCC is the Founder and CEO of the Online Therapist Academy.

Jonathan helps therapists all over the world attract new clients and build thriving online practices so they can do more of what they love to do while serving their clients with passion, integrity, and authenticity.

Jonathan built a successful therapy practice in Canada before selling it all to travel full-time with my family. After transforming his struggling online practice into a 6-figure business, he decided to help other therapists do the same. His therapy website is: https://jonathanvanviegen.com/

The Do’s of Online Therapy

DO your research. Make sure you have the proper licenses to practice.
DO have a goal in mind. You can be both a coach and a therapist if that’s your plan!
DO protect your license. Make sure you operate under the necessary authority.
DO take action. Put one foot in front of the other. You can pay for mentorship – it will be a journey.
DO be consistent. Regardless of how you build your practice, get your momentum.

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” -Winston Churchill

Getting Momentum Online

It took about twelve months for Jonathan to get momentum. Jonathan learned everything himself using webinars and training. Today, Jonathan has three sales calls. People show up to book calls with Jonathan; he doesn’t have to go out and find people. It took a lot of work and effort. If it were too easy, then everyone would do it.

Online Coaching vs. Online Therapy

With therapy, your client will come to you with the content. With coaching, we go to our clients with the content. We are teaching them skills that will help with their daily lives. We aren’t supposed to label our clients – why are we labeling how we assist them? Psychotherapy isn’t the be-all and end-all intervention for our clients. We can offer people coaching or therapy – you do not need to mix the two. There is no reason that we can’t provide both.

Meet Jeremy Zug

Jeremy grew up in the Pacific Northwest where he discovered his passion for people. He decided to go to college in Chicago to further develop his skills working with people and pursue a degree in counseling. While in Chicago he worked for a group practice as a practice biller and marketing manager. This initiated his desire to pursue learning about the business of private practice, particularly medical billing. He now lives in Michigan with his wife of 3 years. They both are pursuing their passion for helping helpers maintain sustainable and compliant billing practices. In his free time, Jeremy loves reading, fishing, biking, hiking, and camping.

Telehealth Claims

How can you determine whether your patient’s copay will be waived? There are some excellent resources, but the best way to do that right now is to call the insurance companies. You’re going to want to say: is telemental health covered on an outpatient basis for this patient? Then, give them the insurance information and the date of birth because that will lead the provider representative to tell you what they have. What we’re seeing as a trend is if the patient had telehealth benefits into their benefits before COVID-19, they are covered at one-hundred percent. If they didn’t have those benefits, the patients still have copays and deductibles applying through this time. It’s confusing for many people, but as providers, we can do the best job we can by being as clear as possible. We want to be as transparent as possible with that.

Telehealth is the New Normal

Providers can do a good job as far as lobbying with their government officials on telehealth being the new normal. Telemedicine is effective, and you can reach more people. Jeremy knows that insurance companies often get a bad rep, but this has been an enormous agenda item for them for a long time. Please send a letter to your governor, your senator, and congress members to push for it. Telehealth can also make the lives of the private practice owner easier too. Telehealth will make it more convenient to choose your hours, and therapists can even be available for clients who are overseas.

Meet Danielle Blessing Taylor

Danielle Blessing Taylor is a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist in DC, MD, VA, and PA who has been providing therapy since 2010 and has built her ever-growing private practice which was created in 2015. In addition to specializing in Telehealth, she also specializes in helping individuals, families, and couples to cultivate healthy relationships. She helps people to make sense of their past and create healthy changes for a happier life within themselves and in relationships with others.

Telehealth Tips

Danielle shows private practice owners how to position the camera at the top of the screen and put their head at the top of the screen. That way, it looks like you’re making more eye contact. If the internet goes out, Danielle encourages therapists to restart their computers and update their browsers. Also, clearing the cache in the browser and updating the actual computer system will help with any audio issues.

Danielle gives a tips and tricks sheet to her clients for the initial set up, which also explains how to troubleshoot if they have issues. Also, think about where you will be practicing therapy virtually. You need to be comfortable at home in a private space, where nobody can hear you. Do not be in a moving car. Danielle says it’s important to know where your clients are. If the client is in a different place, you need to be licensed in that state. Especially in the summer, clients will be on vacation all over the place, and not even realize that it will affect their therapy.

Telehealth Is The New Normal

Gordon was surprised how smooth the transition was for telehealth. However, some clients did not want to do it. Gordon is seeing 1/3rd of his clients online. At first, telehealth can be uncomfortable. Therapists are used to seeing people in person. It’s a little weird not being able to see people from the waist down. So, Danielle has started asking specific questions on her questionnaire. For instance, now, Danielle asks: do you have any physical limitations? Sometimes, you can’t even tell if someone is in a wheelchair when you’re talking online. Telehealth has become second nature for Danielle. Plus, her clients are so open when they are in the comfort of their own home.

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