Libsyn Directory

Alison Pidgeon | Being A Group Practice Boss | TPOT 147

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Release Date: 09/28/2020

Embracing Changes In Your Private Practice | TPOT 155

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

This episode is all about embracing the changes that 2020 has thrown at us. As we adjust to the new normal, it's time to think about what opportunities we can find. For instance, if you haven't already, maybe it's time to ditch your physical office and go full-time into telehealth. Also, it's time to start thinking about diversifying your income through or . Tune in as I speak about all sorts of ways you can embrace the curveball that is 2020. Start With Your Why What are your priorities? Why do you want to be in practice? Why do you want to do the things that you do? This year we...

Faith Dulin | Setting Boundaries And Working With Difficult Clients | TPOT 154

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Faith Dulin and I talk about her experiences as a new therapist and working on boundaries with people. As therapists, we like to be accommodating. However, people-pleasing will take a toll over an extended period of time. One way that Faith works on her boundaries is by seeing her own therapist. Plus, we talk about working with clients who are challenging to engage with, and we give tips on building rapport with clients upfront. Meet Faith Dulin I moved to Charlotte from the West Coast 20+ years ago. I have a military background and worked uptown in corporate America before...

Kathryn Esquer | Connecting With Other Therapists During The Pandemic | TPOT 153

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

As a telehealth therapist, do you ever feel alone? My guest, Kathryn Esquer, knows exactly what this feels like. She misses the daily interactions with fellow mental health professionals. That’s why Kathryn created the , an organization for the next generation of therapists in private practice. Tune in as Kathryn speaks about how she created a community, politics in the therapy room, and the benefits of finding your network. Meet Kathryn Esquer Kathryn Esquer is a Clinical Psychologist and MBA graduate. She currently works in her rural hometown in central Pennsylvania providing...

How Great Clinicians Fail; Reverse Interview with Julie Herres | TPOT 152

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Julie Herres interviews Gordon about how great clinicians can fail. First, clinicians can fail when they don’t know their numbers. It’s critical to understand the profit and loss of your business. Another significant mistake clinicians make is not charging enough for their sessions. A therapist must understand how their money mindset is holding them back from making enough money to run a private practice. Plus, we talk about the importance of having six months of income saved for emergencies, how to avoid debt, and why you need to stop bootstrapping. Meet Julie Herres...

Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Danielle Branche joins the show. She talks about navigating perfectionistic beliefs when it came time to create her private practice. After loads of therapy, Danielle finally came to terms with the idea that a perfect private practice simply isn’t possible. Also, Danielle speaks about the transition from private practice to group practice. Plus, we talk about overcoming shame, the black lives matter movement, and the importance of boundaries. Meet Danielle Branche If you ask any therapist why they were drawn to this profession, most of them would answer with, "I wanted...

Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Linda Sanderville | Liberating Your Identity In Private Practice | TPOT 150

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Linda Sanderville explains how she wants to shift generational poverty – it’s all about a money mindset shift. We talk about navigating our mindset blocks when it comes to having a thriving private practice. Also, Linda reveals what it takes to create a practice that fits your lifestyle, including why you should never feel guilty for raising your fees. Lastly, Linda speaks about how she found her liberated identity and gives her thoughts on the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Meet Linda Sanderville Ready to receive greater abundance in your private practice? Without guilt,...

Elizabeth Broyhill Morris | Creating Hope And Resilience | TPOT 149

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Elizabeth Broyhill Morris, the Founder of Living Hope, joins the show. We talk about the difference between hope and expectation. When we expect something to happen, we are relying on external factors. When we hope, we understand that our life is in our own control. Then, Elizabeth reveals the eight practices you can utilize to sustain hope - Surrender, Stillness, Grief, Honesty, Curiosity, Forgiveness, Resilience, and Joy. Stay tuned as Elizabeth dives into how to put these actions into place to start your journey to joy. Meet Elizabeth Broyhill Morris Elizabeth Broyhill...

Veronica Cisneros | Unapologetic Self-Care In Private Practice | TPOT 148

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

Veronica Cisneros joins the show to talk about how therapists can start empowering their personal and professional lives. Most likely, you lack vulnerability. Veronica says it’s time you started taking care of yourself and engage in the hobbies that spark your joy and fire your passions. Think about the life that you want to live in. How are you currently pursuing it? Well, it’s time to start permitting yourself to do the things that you want to do. Plus, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need

Alison Pidgeon | Being A Group Practice Boss | TPOT 147

The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer

In this episode, Alison explains what it is like to run a group practice, like a boss! Alison is into tracking data; she likes to make her decisions based on numbers. You’ll hear loads of tips about having a group practice. For instance, don’t wait to delegate for when you’re stressed out and on the verge of burn out – it’s probably time to delegate today! Stay tuned as Alison explains how she finds the best clinicians for her practice and the ways that she compensates her staff.

More Episodes

Meet Alison Pidgeon

Alison Pidgeon, MA, LPC is the Founder and CEO of Move Forward Counseling LLC. What started out as a solo private practice in early 2015 quickly grew into a group practice and has been expanding ever since.

Alison has been working in the mental health field since 2003. She graduated from Immaculata University with a master's degree in counseling psychology in 2007. She earned her license as a professional counselor (LPC) in 2009. Her time spent working in community mental health helped to shape her as a leader and made her aware of the problems which exist in the mental health system.

Taking what she learned from the traditional model of mental health care, Alison set out to create something different when she started her private practice. Her attention to detail to the whole client experience and treating her staff exceptionally well have created a reputation of excellence that is recognized by the community.

Learn How To Delegate

Practice owners get caught in the trap of bootstrapping everything like answering the phone and cleaning the office. Why? Because they want to save money. However, you are putting a hard cap on how large you can grow your business. There’s a way to make sure you’re hiring trustworthy people who will do good work and be reliable. It’s possible to delegate sooner than you need to. People wait too long to start delegating. Don’t wait until your drowning at work.

Find Good Clinicians

When starting a group practice, it’s essential to find the best clinicians. However, whenever clinicians wanted to join Alison, they said they couldn’t because they needed health insurance. That’s why Alison decided to switch from an independent contracting model to an employee model. That way, Alison can offer her employees the opportunity to have health insurance. This has been a total game-changer for Alison. Her turnover rate is a lot lower. Plus, she gets so many more applications with the employee model.

Moving Toward Group Practice

Look at your systems. This will have to change when you hire people. Most likely, your systems will only work for a private practice rather than group practice. For instance, you may need multiple phone extensions. Plus, you’ll need to change up your website. Change your wording from “I” to “we.” Also, think about whether or not you want to be a boss. Managing people is a significant aspect of group practice. If that sounds terrible, then group practice may not be right for you. Think long and hard about what you love to do.

Determining Fit

It would help if you were clear about your mission, vision, and values. Your values will speak a lot about the culture of your practice. You can even print these things out and have your potential clinicians look it over. The clearer you are about what you want will help you attract the right people and repel the wrong people. Having a problem employee is a nightmare and not worth the stress. That’s why Alison is picky about who she hires. Alison wants her clinicians to be organized, timely, and self-sufficient. If a clinician isn’t organized enough to manage themselves, it will not be a good fit. Also, Alison values boundaries – you can’t teach good judgment. So Alison wants to know if her potential clinicians have good boundaries with their clients.

Recruiting

Alison uses Indeed.com, plus she has an employment page on her website. She gets quite a few resumes through that as well. Therapists talk to each other. So one therapist will tell their friends. That’s why Alison likes to have an employment page on her website so that people can reach out to her directly.

Compensation

Alison says that compensation will depend on the laws in your state. In Pennsylvania, there’s not a lot of options. Alison pays her therapists more to see a client and less for administrative work. She doesn’t go the salaried route because your therapists will get paid the same amount no matter how many clients they have. At a minimum, they have to do twenty-five hours a week. If they want more, then they can earn a bonus. However, they don’t need to work forty hours a week if they don’t want to.

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