The Practice of Therapy Podcast with Gordon Brewer
This podcast is here for therapists, counselors, social workers, psychotherapists, and mental health clinicians in their practice journeys. I'm Gordon Brewer and the person behind The Practice of Therapy Blog and Website that provides tools, resources and advice for people starting, growing or expanding their private practices. The podcast will help you learn from other experts in the field to move your private practice forward to success.
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Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151
10/26/2020
Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151
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 to help people". While this is true, it is much deeper. Danielle wanted to help people navigate through life in more fulfilling ways. She aspired to teach people how to be in a relationship with their mothers and fathers. Danielle wanted to give couples the tools they need to be the husbands and wives they want to be, not the ones their parents were. Her commitment is to do just that. *Danielle is no longer working out of the Largo area* Danielle's main focus is working with couples around issues of trust, communication, forgiveness after infidelity, intimacy, sex, and decision making (finances, children, etc.). She does pre-marital therapy and marital/relational enrichment. Danielle mainly uses Emotion-Focused Therapy & Solution-Focused Therapy. Danielle also sees individuals and does group therapy. As a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist, Danielle is trained in understanding how to see things relationally, not just individually. She is versed in locating where behaviors, beliefs, ideas, and feelings originate, how they affect our lives and relationships, and how to effectively manage and/or change them. Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs Danielle found herself chasing the high of what it felt like to get praise. There was a high associated with being successful and getting straight A’s. When she started a private practice, part of her was terrified to fail. Every time a client comes in and says something negative about the décor, Danielle would take it personally because she wanted everything to be perfect. Which, of course, perfectionism is unrealistic and impossible. It has been a real struggle to overcome these challenges. Danielle has embarked on her own therapy journey so she can accept the imperfections. Overcoming Shame As A Therapist Danielle felt many self-doubt thoughts after her first couple broke up after coming to her for couple’s therapy. She felt shame and loads of crappy emotions. Danielle needed to process it deeply and take it to therapy before she was able to accept it. She figured out that it wasn’t her job to fix relationships. That was the pivotal moment that she had as a private practice owner. The perfectionist part of us will take over, and an internal critic will take over – we compare ourselves to others, and we are harder on ourselves than others. The best thing we can do is just dismiss it and move forward. Flexibility In Private Practice Private practice allows for a flexible schedule. It’s essential to find a practice that works around your lifestyle. Some therapists like high caseloads. Whereas other therapists thrive with a lower caseload. In private practice, you can choose how many clients you see. Make sure you are able to understand where your boundaries are. Starting A Group Practice Danielle says a group practice wasn’t her version. Danielle thought she would stay in private practice forever with self-doubt – she didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else. However, it felt lonely and isolating. She thrives on community and connection. So, her first independent contractor came from an agency that Danielle used to work for. Actually, the independent contractor came to her – she wanted to join the practice. Danielle didn’t realize that people would like to be part of her practice. After a few conversations, Danielle decided to bring her on as an independent contractor. Black Lives Matter Danielle says that she has to do a lot of self-care. In staff meetings, they do vision boards. Sometimes, they also vent during staff meetings and chat about the different impacts. Danielle encourages her therapists to be in therapy themselves. As a Black clinician who sees a lot of African American clients, it can be cumbersome. Her clients are feeling hopeless. While on the other hand, some are feeling more hopeful about the changes happening in the country. Overall, Danielle says it's critical to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Danielle's Resources Resources Take the Listen to Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. Follow us on and ,
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Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151
10/26/2020
Danielle Branche | Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs in Private Practice | TPOT 151
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 to help people". While this is true, it is much deeper. Danielle wanted to help people navigate through life in more fulfilling ways. She aspired to teach people how to be in a relationship with their mothers and fathers. Danielle wanted to give couples the tools they need to be the husbands and wives they want to be, not the ones their parents were. Her commitment is to do just that. *Danielle is no longer working out of the Largo area* Danielle's main focus is working with couples around issues of trust, communication, forgiveness after infidelity, intimacy, sex, and decision making (finances, children, etc.). She does pre-marital therapy and marital/relational enrichment. Danielle mainly uses Emotion-Focused Therapy & Solution-Focused Therapy. Danielle also sees individuals and does group therapy. As a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist, Danielle is trained in understanding how to see things relationally, not just individually. She is versed in locating where behaviors, beliefs, ideas, and feelings originate, how they affect our lives and relationships, and how to effectively manage and/or change them. Navigating Perfectionistic Beliefs Danielle found herself chasing the high of what it felt like to get praise. There was a high associated with being successful and getting straight A’s. When she started a private practice, part of her was terrified to fail. Every time a client comes in and says something negative about the décor, Danielle would take it personally because she wanted everything to be perfect. Which, of course, perfectionism is unrealistic and impossible. It has been a real struggle to overcome these challenges. Danielle has embarked on her own therapy journey so she can accept the imperfections. Overcoming Shame As A Therapist Danielle felt many self-doubt thoughts after her first couple broke up after coming to her for couple’s therapy. She felt shame and loads of crappy emotions. Danielle needed to process it deeply and take it to therapy before she was able to accept it. She figured out that it wasn’t her job to fix relationships. That was the pivotal moment that she had as a private practice owner. The perfectionist part of us will take over, and an internal critic will take over – we compare ourselves to others, and we are harder on ourselves than others. The best thing we can do is just dismiss it and move forward. Flexibility In Private Practice Private practice allows for a flexible schedule. It’s essential to find a practice that works around your lifestyle. Some therapists like high caseloads. Whereas other therapists thrive with a lower caseload. In private practice, you can choose how many clients you see. Make sure you are able to understand where your boundaries are. Starting A Group Practice Danielle says a group practice wasn’t her version. Danielle thought she would stay in private practice forever with self-doubt – she didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else. However, it felt lonely and isolating. She thrives on community and connection. So, her first independent contractor came from an agency that Danielle used to work for. Actually, the independent contractor came to her – she wanted to join the practice. Danielle didn’t realize that people would like to be part of her practice. After a few conversations, Danielle decided to bring her on as an independent contractor. Black Lives Matter Danielle says that she has to do a lot of self-care. In staff meetings, they do vision boards. Sometimes, they also vent during staff meetings and chat about the different impacts. Danielle encourages her therapists to be in therapy themselves. As a Black clinician who sees a lot of African American clients, it can be cumbersome. Her clients are feeling hopeless. While on the other hand, some are feeling more hopeful about the changes happening in the country. Overall, Danielle says it's critical to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Danielle's Resources Resources Take the Listen to Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. Follow us on and ,
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Linda Sanderville | Liberating Your Identity In Private Practice | TPOT 150
10/19/2020
Linda Sanderville | Liberating Your Identity In Private Practice | TPOT 150
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, fear, or self-sabotage? Linda Sanderville helps therapists move beyond the initial stage of practice building, to increase profits through subconscious work, trauma release, and authentic business design. Working with Linda means growing your income in the next stage of your private practice, with all of the clarity and impact, and none of the scramble to hustle harder. She has an uncanny intuition for pinpointing your limiting beliefs and getting you unstuck so you can master your unique business strategy! When she’s not working on unlocking your unlimited potential, you’ll find Linda watching Arrested Development on perpetual repeat, and happily downing a vegan doughnut or an apple-ginger green smoothie. Don’t be surprised if you hear her adorable toddler sounding loud and proud in the background of a Zoom call! Creating A Practice That Fits Your Lifestyle Private practice should fit your lifestyle. Linda knew that she needed a strong foundation and clarity in her private practice. She loves her work – it’s her calling and her mission. Linda realized that if she doesn’t take care of herself, she won’t be able to take care of her clients. So, she wanted to design her practice from the ground up in a way that she wouldn’t have to leave it. From the start, Linda wanted her practice to revolve around her lifestyle and taking care of herself and her family. How To Start Building Your Practice The first step is to unlearn unhelpful information. It would help if you had your own style of doing things. Reflect on and examine social work culture more objectively. That way, you won’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself. In social work, there’s a martyr-like quality. You don’t have to stay up late hours and help your clients. If you don’t stay up late, then you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Lastly, Linda says to look at your numbers. Figure out how much money you need to make your practice work. What will it take for you to show up excited to work for your clients? We are not taught about money in grad school; however, it’s an essential piece of the puzzle. Navigating Money Shame Recognize that you have subconscious money blocks. Some people don’t realize they have a money block until they start looking at setting their fees. For instance, when you think about raising your fees, you might begin to wonder if people will think you’re greedy. However, you know in your heart that you’re not greedy. So, where is that mindset block coming from? Many people have a fear of perception. If you want to have a sustainable private practice, you need to learn how to raise your fees. To be sustainable, you can’t work for free. When clients invest in you, then you can show up better for them. Finding A Liberated Identity Recognize the effects of how you can tend toward devaluation of yourself as a result of other experiences. These effects should not be impacting your private practice. As a Black woman, Linda thinks about how she would do things if she had white man confidence. In general, women do not ask for more money, they don’t ask for raises, and they don’t ask for promotions. We have a responsibility to take care of ourselves emotionally, financially, and physically. It's time that we take control of our own lives and make our wildest dreams come true. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Linda's Resources Resources Take the Listen to Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. Follow us on and ,
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Elizabeth Broyhill Morris | Creating Hope And Resilience | TPOT 149
10/12/2020
Elizabeth Broyhill Morris | Creating Hope And Resilience | TPOT 149
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 Morris is the Founder of . Through her own experience of finding Hope after struggle and trauma, she found herself privileged to offer love and encouragement to others who were in despair. In sharing her words and wisdom and receiving them from others, she came to believe that Hope is not an emotion – it is an action that must be practiced consistently and intentionally. This project has been a labor of love that evolved over the course of several years, gaining traction, slowing down, and eventually going silent for a time. The turning point, however, was in 2015, when Elizabeth lost a precious friend who died unexpectedly and tragically. In her grief, Elizabeth was called to speak on a broader platform to people who were losing hope. From this experience grew a team of devoted individuals who brought the community of to life. Elizabeth lives in Chapel Hill, N.C., with her husband, their son, and a new baby on the way. She is a voracious reader, amateur cook, aspiring gardener, and passionate community volunteer. Hope vs. Expectation There is a big difference between hope and expectations. Disappointment is just an unmet expectation. Who are you hoping to be, and who are you expecting to be? Hope is the sweet spot. You should never fully expect something to happen a certain way. Expectations are focusing on something outside of yourself. We need to think about our locus of control. People who are happiest in life have an internal locus of control – they know themselves well, and they know how to handle their own emotions well. People with an external locus of control are continually responding to what they think everyone else wants or thinks. At the end of the day, we need a great “I am.” We all have the ability to tap into our internal wisdom. Expectations are entirely external. Whenever we are externally focused, we are going to get tripped up. Eight Practices To Sustain Hope Elizabeth identified eight specific practices that create and sustain hope – Surrender, Stillness, Grief, Honesty, Curiosity, Forgiveness, Resilience, and Joy. It is these eight Practices that became the cornerstone of . You have to be totally focused on your personal therapeutic practice and you can’t put it down. So, Elizabeth sat down and thought about her process of recovering from divorce. These steps need to be interchangeable for any challenge in your life. Elizabeth dives into her eight practices for hope: Surrender: let it go. Stillness: sit with it; it’s gone now. Grief: we have to process our grief; it is absolutely vital to go through the grieving process. Do not get stuck in the grieving process. Honesty: sit down and get honest with yourself. Ask yourself, how did I get here? Curiosity: what happened in your past that shapes the way you pursue this? All the puzzle pieces are starting to come together. Forgiveness: there is a lot of value to forgive someone. The most significant piece is forgiving yourself for going through that. You can really find freedom through forgiveness. Resilience: pull your bootstraps up, stand up, and move forward. Find fresh new air. Joy: this is the ultimate practice of hope. Step into a space of complete freedom and joy – it’s an incredibly loving place to be. When we are in crisis, we need to slow down enough to get the landscape. This framework gives people steppingstones. Grief is at the heart of everything we struggle with as human beings. Once we can move through grief, we can be on our way to find joy. [fusebox_transcript] Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Elizabeth's Resources Resources Listen to Listen to Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. Follow us on and ,
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Veronica Cisneros | Unapologetic Self-Care In Private Practice | TPOT 148
10/05/2020
Veronica Cisneros | Unapologetic Self-Care In Private Practice | TPOT 148
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
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Alison Pidgeon | Being A Group Practice Boss | TPOT 147
09/28/2020
Alison Pidgeon | Being A Group Practice Boss | TPOT 147
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.
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David Hall | What We've Learned About Group Practice And Avoiding Pitfalls | TPOT 146
09/21/2020
David Hall | What We've Learned About Group Practice And Avoiding Pitfalls | TPOT 146
In this episode, David Hall joins to speak about making the transition from private practice to group practice. First, think about if you’ll add employees or independent contractors to your practice. Then, decide how you will pay them; there are many different structures to set this up. However, you need to know the financial side of your practice before you start paying others. Stay tuned as we talk about keeping it simple and the reasons why you may want to think twice before starting a group practice.
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LaToya Smith | Telling Your Story & Diversity In Private Practice | TPOT 145
09/14/2020
LaToya Smith | Telling Your Story & Diversity In Private Practice | TPOT 145
In this episode, LaToya Smith of LCS Counseling and Consulting Agency joins the show. LaToya speaks about the importance of telling your story as it relates to creating connections and networking in your community. Plus, storytelling is a great way to build your brand and expand your social media presence. Stay tuned as we talk about the Black Lives Matter movement and diversity in private practice.
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LaToya Smith | Telling Your Story & Diversity In Private Practice | TPOT 145
09/14/2020
LaToya Smith | Telling Your Story & Diversity In Private Practice | TPOT 145
In this episode, LaToya Smith of LCS Counseling and Consulting Agency joins the show. LaToya speaks about the importance of telling your story as it relates to creating connections and networking in your community. Plus, storytelling is a great way to build your brand and expand your social media presence. Stay tuned as we talk about the Black Lives Matter movement and diversity in private practice.
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Rebecca Toner | Supervision And Seeking Support In Your Private Practice | TPOT 144
09/07/2020
Rebecca Toner | Supervision And Seeking Support In Your Private Practice | TPOT 144
In this episode, Rebecca Toner joins to speak about supervision and seeking support for your private practice. She explains exactly how a supervisor can help you with your clinical journey. Plus, Rebecca reveals the most significant obstacles that clinicians face at the beginning of their career and some ways to overcome those common challenges. Stay tuned as we talk about how you can find a niche and the ways to navigate imposture syndrome.
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Ashley Comegys | Moms Building Online Therapy Practices | TPOT 143
08/31/2020
Ashley Comegys | Moms Building Online Therapy Practices | TPOT 143
In this episode, Ashley Comegys gives us the basics of building an online practice. We talk through some of the challenges of being a full-time virtual therapist and how clients react to telehealth during COVID-19. Stay tuned as Ashley explains the process behind getting licensed in several states and the importance of flexibility during these uncertain times.
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Dana McNeil & Nancy Ryan | Getting Confident For Successful Couple's Practices | TPOT 142
08/24/2020
Dana McNeil & Nancy Ryan | Getting Confident For Successful Couple's Practices | TPOT 142
Dana McNeil and Nancy Ryan speak about how to be a successful couple's therapist. A couple's therapist needs to be compassionate and connect with the pair. Plus, a couple's therapist has to control the room and not be afraid to make mistakes. If you're looking for a private practice niche, couple's therapy can be an excellent tool for your practice. However, if you find out that couple's therapy is not your specialty, please refer to another therapist. Tune in for more tips about couple's work!
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Back To Basics In Private Practice | TPOT 141
08/17/2020
Back To Basics In Private Practice | TPOT 141
When I first started my practice, there was very little information explaining how to start a private practice. However, there are a lot of basics that are important for people to know. This episode is all about getting back to the basics and thinking about what is needed in order to have a successful practice. I share what I have learned through my own successes and failures (by the way, there have been a lot). Plus, I share what I've learned from other clinicians and conversations that we've had. Enjoy!
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Pivoting and Transitioning in Private Practice | TPOT 140
08/10/2020
Pivoting and Transitioning in Private Practice | TPOT 140
In this solo episode, Gordon gives tips and tricks on pivoting in private practice. Whenever you're thinking about making a change, the first thing to consider is "why?" What is driving your decisions and is private practice the right fit for you? One way to think about your "why" is by doing a brain dump. Get all your thoughts out on paper - Gordon does this every single week. Stay tuned as he speaks about knowing your numbers in private practice and the importance of outsourcing. Think About Your Why COVID has caused most of us to think about what we are doing and how we can change things. Think about your "why." Why are you thinking about going into private practice? Many people want to make more money in private practice. However, why do you want the money? Think about your lifestyle. What is the life that you want to create for yourself within your practice? What is going to feed you emotionally, spiritually, and physically? A person can go into private practice and realize that it's no different than working nine to five for someone else. It's not the best fit for everyone. You need to have a massive drive to succeed in private practice. An entrepreneurial spirit is an absolute must – there should be a growth mentality there. At the end of the day, you have to be a self-starter, and you have to hold yourself accountable. If you're not wired this way, then private practice may not be the best fit. Understand Your Numbers If you are in private practice and you're not making a profit, you will not survive. Get a clear picture of your numbers as you begin to change things in private practice. If you're thinking about adding another person to your practice, make sure you understand your practice's financial side. Do a deep dive into your numbers and understand how all the financial pieces work. How much do you get per session? What does it cost you per session? Break things down in that way. Outsource Your Admin Work Once you reach a critical mass with your clients, spending time on admin work is not a good use of your time. You make money by seeing clients, so don't spend too much time working on admin work. Once you outsource your admin work, you'll find that it pays for itself. That way, you have more free time to see clients. The hardest part around this is a mindset shift. You have to get your head around the idea of return on investment. In order to make money, you need to spend money. Think about the math! Do A Brain Dump Think about all of the things that are important to you. Every week, write down everything you need to do and everything you want to accomplish. Take a sheet of paper and jot down all of the things that you wish to change in your private practice. This way, you can capture all of those thoughts. Map out how you want to get to where you want to go. If you're creative, you can take these thoughts and create a visual map on a poster board. Cut Out The Deadwood Have a space that is comfortable for you and allows you to do the things that you want to do. Throw things away or donate items that you do not need anymore. This is called cutting out the deadwood. You can do this in private practice. Look at your systems and processes. Are there things that you are doing that no longer serve you? Maybe your clients are filling out too many forms. Think about how you can streamline your systems. Also, think about your subscriptions. It may be time to change your cell phone plan. Are you paying for things that you don't use? Then it's time to clean things up and cut the deadwood. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Resources For all of my digital products and courses, I am offering a 20% discount for the month of August. Use the promo code "AUG2020" to get the discount. > Session Note Helper 3.0 Join the Blog post and free download: Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Rachel Barbanel-Fried | Pivoting And Changing Priorities In Private Practice | TPOT 139
08/03/2020
Rachel Barbanel-Fried | Pivoting And Changing Priorities In Private Practice | TPOT 139
What opportunities have you found during COVID-19? Rachel Barbanel-Fried joins the show and reveals the opportunities she is taking advantage of during this time. If you haven’t thought about it yet, consider how your priorities are changing for the next year. Plus, Rachel explains why therapists need to be comfortable talking about money. Stay tuned as we speak about the importance of finding your niche and considering lifestyle when styling your perfect practice. Meet Dr. Rachel Barbanel-Fried Dr. Rachel Barbanel-Fried, aka Dr. RBF, is a clinical psychologist, writer, and optimal performance consultant based in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. She consults with executives and organizations looking to elevate performance and reach new levels of success in the workplace and beyond. She also sees individuals, couples, and families in a therapeutic setting who are looking to move forward towards growth, change, and healing. Dr. RBF utilizes an evidence-based, collaborative approach. She’s direct, down-to-earth, and non-judgmental, specializing in working with people from diverse backgrounds. Talking About Money When you have a private practice, you are a small business owner, and you are creating something of your vision. Rachel assists other clinicians to build their practices, and she helps them figure out a work-life balance. Most clinicians do not want to run a business. So, they need to work on getting comfortable with money and talking about money. We need to be comfortable talking about uncomfortable things. For many of us, it’s awkward to tell clients what our fees are. Rachel got stiffed from a client because she was uncomfortable talking about money. Now, Rachel is really good at talking about money. For instance, she collects fees at the time of service. Know What You Do Well Know what you do well in, and know when you need to refer out. If you’re not the right person for your client, your job should be to assist them in getting the help they need. That’s why it’s essential to define your niche. When you work with clients who are a good fit for you, it makes for better clinical work. You never want to look at your schedule and not be excited to see your clients. At the very least, you want to feel like you’re enjoying what you’re doing. That doesn’t mean you need to be psyched every day, but you need to feel good at what you’re doing. Start With Your Lifestyle There is a number that is associated with your lifestyle. What do you need to bring home for you and your family every year? Then, work backward from that. So, how much do you need to make on a daily basis? It’s a great approach to private practice. If you don’t know where you are going, then how are you going to get there? Take stock of what works for you and what doesn’t work for you. Therapy During COVID Rachel walks while on the phone with her clients during therapy. It enables her clients to get out and get back into the world during COVID. It has been so useful for Rachel; she actually doesn’t want to give it up. What opportunities can you think of during COVID? Hopefully, you have had time to think of your priorities during our current situation. What do you want your life to look like for the next year? Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Rachel’s Resources Resources Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Bewindi Bobb | From Agency Work To Full Time Private Practice | TPOT 138
07/27/2020
Bewindi Bobb | From Agency Work To Full Time Private Practice | TPOT 138
In this episode, joins the show to speak about her recent move to full-time private practice. Bewindi explains the mindset shift that is necessary actually to make a move to private practice. First, the thing you need to know before making a move is your purpose. Are you driven to private practice, or are you just jumping on the bandwagon? Plus, Bewindi gives her thoughts on Black Lives Matter and the importance of mental health in the Black community. Meet Bewindi Bobb Bewindi was born and raised in the beautiful, gorgeous Island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Her journey towards accepting the calling to be a counselor is interesting, but let’s just say, she eventually stopped running (insert laughter) and realized that being a counselor is not just a profession but a God-given and ordained calling and ministry. Bewindi is super passionate about seeing people become free to live happily and free from emotional baggage, free from whatever is blocking, delaying, or hindering their healing. She loves the opportunity to create a safe space where clients receive permission to express themselves, their feelings, and find themselves while gaining a new and changed perspective. She helps professionals who are dealing with unresolved emotional conflicts such as depression, anxiety, grief, stress, etc live freely by equipping them with tools to renew their mindsets. She loves to encourage and empower clients and when they apply the tools, they are able to show up for themselves and be their best selves in all areas of their lives. Additionally, she provides Christ-Centered Counseling to whom it applies and for those who request. With over 14 years of clinical experience, she is driven and fueled by her professional and personal values including but not limited to Faith, Empower, Purpose, Service, Encourage, and Teach. She is so honored to be in this space and knows that whether she is providing therapy, coaching, supervision or speaking to an audience or on her podcast, ‘Empowered to Empower You’, which can be found on Spotify, Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Google, etc, she is convinced that people are definitely encouraged and ignited. Focus on Abundance Bewindi wanted to make the jump to full-time private practice for a long time. However, Bewindi would always focus on why she couldn’t make a move to full-time private practice. When in reality, we should be focusing on the reasons why we can make a move to private practice. Once Bewindi made the jump, her schedule filled up! She made the jump into abundance – even amid a pandemic. Full-Time Telehealth Bewindi is doing 100% telehealth. She has been authentic and honest with her clients. Most likely, Bewindi will not go to the office for the rest of the year. Most of her clients have adapted and adjusted. However, there are a few clients who miss going to the office. Tennessee has been hit hard with COVID, and many people are switching back to 100% telehealth as well. Private Practice Isn’t For Everyone When starting a private practice, you have to know your purpose. You shouldn’t be doing something just because everyone else is doing it. It’s essential to think about and reflect on the why behind your decisions. What is your purpose? Or are you trying to mimic someone else’s path? Just because Bewindi has a license, doesn’t mean she needs a private practice. Some people actually love working for a group practice. That doesn’t mean they need to start a private practice. Overall, think about your purpose before making a jump. Black Lives Matter Bewindi has a set of values that anchor her practice and a set of values that anchor her personal life. Faith is a tremendous value for Bewindi. If she combines all of her values, Bewindi believes that Black Lives Matter. Bewindi is honored that 99% of her practice is Black people. One of the messages that Bewindi takes from these times is that we need to invest in our mental health. Mental Health in the Black Community Mental health is a stigma in the Black community and the Asian community. It’s awful that it took things like this to happen for people to seek mental health. However, Black people have been reaching out for mental health help now more than ever. People are experiencing so many losses, and they are so angry. The Black Lives Matter movement gives an outlet for our feelings. Bewindi is thankful that people recognize the need for mental health care. It’s time to permit yourself to feel without being judged. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Bewindi’s Resources 901.319.9677 bewindi.bobb@outlook.com Resources Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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BEST OF Telehealth Episodes | TPOT137
07/13/2020
BEST OF Telehealth Episodes | TPOT137
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 – 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 (). 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 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: 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 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. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Clay’s Resources Jonathan’s Resources Jeremy’s Resources Danielle’s Resources Call Danielle: Email Danielle: Resources - Use the coupon code "GORDON" and get 2 months free. The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Jennifer Sneeden | Your Marketing Mindset In Uncertain Times | TPOT 136
07/06/2020
Jennifer Sneeden | Your Marketing Mindset In Uncertain Times | TPOT 136
In this episode, Jennifer Sneeden shares her journey in private practice. Unfortunately, it took Jennifer months after opening her private practice to realize the importance of marketing. After becoming a marketing guru, Jennifer recognized that she could help other private practice owners with marketing their private practice. You’ll hear Jennifer give marketing tips. First, stop saying you need to “get clients.” Instead, think about how you can “attract clients.” Plus, Jennifer and Gordon dive deep into changing your marketing mindsets. Meet Jennifer Sneeden Business coach and author, has written three books and helped thousands of therapists and coaches all over the world create thriving 6-figure businesses that they love. Jennifer understands that success in business starts from within, but that mindset must be combined with effective marketing techniques in order to get results. To learn more about Jennifer, visit JenniferSneeden.com. Masters and Disasters of Private Practice When it comes to masters and disasters, Jennifer started in the disaster category of private practice. She opened her practice in 2007, and she agonized over finding the right leather couch. Plus, she spent weeks perfecting her business cards. After improving everything, Jennifer was in her office all by herself with ZERO clients. So, Jennifer realized that she needed to market – people don’t just show up! It took a few months for Jennifer to realize that she needed to get on any panel that would take her. Jennifer started making $43 an hour. However, she wasn’t going to get where she wanted to go with $43 an hour. Learn To Market Jennifer made herself a student of marketing for eighteen months. She realized that she wasn’t the only therapist that sucks at this stuff. So, Jennifer launched her coaching business on how to market yourself. Now, Jennifer is a total marketing junkie. It took her a long time to get there because she never realized how important it was going to be for her success. Give, Give, Get Marketing Jennifer’s philosophy is to come from a place of service. What do your clients need, and how can you help them? Provide value before you ever ask for something in return. When you provide value, people will want to work with you. Serve first, then ask later. Jennifer teaches how to serve clients through marketing. When you can come from an adding real value perspective, then clients will naturally show up. If you come at people from desperation, not only will it feel icky, but it will also repel the clients you’re seeking. Attracting Clients in Uncertain Times Some people are questioning if they should even be marketing during COVID. Jennifer says that there has never been a greater need for therapy services than there is right now. There is so much global psychic trauma. Who is going to make this better? Mental health professionals are going to allow us to get through this difficultly. Step up and tell others that you are here to help. It’s the most exceptional service you can offer to clients. When you hide, you can’t do any service. Make A Marketing Mindset Shift Empower yourself to make your private practice stronger through COVID. First, don’t try and do anything until you have decided that you will be successful. It is all about mindset. Permit yourself to change your mind about things, especially when it comes to marketing your private practice. Use marketing to generate clients and eventually make money. Sometimes, there can be a scarcity mindset when it comes to marketing. Often, the mindset you have about money will be the mindset you have about marketing. If you think there’s not enough money to go around, you most likely believe there are not enough clients to go around. Remember, that mindset will give you the results that you want. The actions you take are not going to get the results that you want if you don’t come with the mindset of having great value. You do not need to “find clients,” and you do not need to “get clients.” Instead, it’s about attracting clients. Put your best work out there and know that people will want to work with you. When you have a scarcity mindset, clients will not be attracted to your practice. Rather than finding clients, your clients should be able to find you. A client will need to WANT your services. Make yourself be seen and available to your ideal client. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Jennifer’s Resources Books Resources The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Danielle Blessing Taylor | Telehealth Creativity In Private Practice | TPOT 135
06/29/2020
Danielle Blessing Taylor | Telehealth Creativity In Private Practice | TPOT 135
In this episode, reveals her creative avenue for telehealth. Before COVID-19, Danielle was already utilizing telehealth services for her clients. So, COVID-19 wasn’t as much of a shock to her therapy business – essentially nothing changed! Danielle describes how subleasing an office can save you loads of money, and she also gives her telehealth tips and tricks. Tune in later as Danielle and I speak about working with couples and high-risk patients virtually. Meet 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. Starting Your Private Practice Danielle uses her EHR as the base for her practice; it is straightforward. It has everything you need like scheduling, billing, and all of that. At first, Danielle started off having an Excel spreadsheet, and her husband would track how much she was making. It just became a headache. Danielle says to set up your LLC or sole proprietorship to keep it separate from your personal stuff. When tax season comes, it’s easier to look at your business credit card and bank statement. Then, write it off from there. 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. Couples’ Work in Telehealth Knowing your client’s names is essential. You have to keep addressing each person by name because they won’t be able to tell who you are looking at. Couples’ work in telehealth can be challenging. Not being able to move around puts you in an interesting position. A therapist can only get so loud. So, Danielle uses telehealth to her advantage. For instance, she will ask one of the partners to go in the other room and calm down. Having another place to cool down in isn’t something you can usually do in the office. Higher Risk Clients in Telehealth Danielle says that higher risk clients need someone in person that they can also see. Someone needs to be monitoring this person, especially if they have severe depression. A few of Danielle’s clients have been suicidal. She cannot call 911 when she is in a different room than them. So, you have to find the right emergency number to call. Plus, it’s essential to have current emergency contact numbers up to date. Seeing an actively suicidal person on telehealth is a liability. Consent Forms Danielle built in her telehealth consent form into her other paperwork. There is a separate section on technology and everything else the client needs to know. There is a clause where Danielle encourages them to be sober during therapy sessions. Also, there are crisis numbers in the forms too. Basically, Danielle adds anything a client should know about telehealth into the paperwork she already needs to give out. Subleasing An Office Danielle blocks off a week every couple of months and rents the office by the hour. It is the same office every time, as long as they have the same rent situation, Danielle will keep renting out that space. Having the same space every time she speaks with clients helps them feel more comfortable and familiar with telehealth. Plus, it helps have a balance between in-person practice and telehealth. Essentially, Danielle has created a hybrid practice. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Danielle’s Resources Call Danielle: Email Danielle: Resources The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Systems, Processes, G-Suite & HIPAA In Private Practice | TPOT 134
06/22/2020
Systems, Processes, G-Suite & HIPAA In Private Practice | TPOT 134
In this episode, Gordon dives deep into the systems and processes it takes to run a private practice. No matter what size your practice is, you will want things to run as smoothly as possible. A few ways to ensure your practice is running smoothly is by automating specific administrative tasks. Plus, you’ll need to consider where and how you are storing all your documents and information. Later, Gordon dives deep into the benefits of using G-Suite and how to ensure your practice stays HIPAA compliant. Systems and Processes Systems and processes are what happens when you receive a client’s call until the time you discharge them. Particularly on the back-end in terms of the clinical documentation and the administrative functions. For example, when you get a new client, you’ll probably give them some paperwork or forms. We need to do that, just legally and ethically have them sign forms, understand their HIPAA privacy policy, understand their fees, and the risk involved in doing therapy. Especially with teletherapy, our clients need to understand the risk of doing virtual therapy. In addition, we have that whole moving piece for those of us with insurance-based practices. We are checking benefits for their insurance and then filing the claims. So, when I say systems and processes, it means all of those things that occur outside the therapy room in terms of documentation and administrative functions. When starting in private practice, all of those things can be overwhelming, particularly in the beginning. A lot of people are not sure how to pull all that together. Regardless of the size of your practice, you want those things to run smoothly. Divide Your Tasks So the first thing that I think is helpful is to divide things into what I think of as clinical functions versus administrative functions. So, you’ve got your progress notes and session notes, your treatment plans, your discharge plans, all of that kind of documentation that we keep for our patients. Those are the clinical functions, and that’s the stuff that we really have to focus on keeping protected and confidential. These things are commonly referred to as personal health information. The administrative side includes tracking things like where your money is coming in and coming out from. Plus, it would help if you had a marketing plan and a business plan. Those things are all administrative functions. HIPAA HIPAA comes in around our clinical functions. A lot of times, we can make HIPAA much more complicated than it is. If you want to keep paper records, which there’s nothing wrong with that, then HIPAA doesn’t apply other than keeping it under a double lock. With analog paper records, you can quickly run out of space. I have moved to pretty much paperless office now and any documents we get, we either scan them and convert them, or we put them into an electronic health record system. Also, we use our Google Drive, which is HIPAA secure. I make it a policy within my practice that the only thing that I’m going to communicate with a client by email is just something around appointment times and changing appointments and sending out initial paperwork. I’m not going to use email to address clinical issues as I would in a session. So in that sense, you’re keeping things a little more private. Using G-Suite You cannot make your regular Gmail account HIPAA complaint. Instead, you need a G-Suite account. G-Suite allows you to change the email name from @gmail.com to @yourcounselingpractice.com. Plus, when someone emails you, it is handled through the Gmail app, it’s just like using the free Gmail app. Also, you get the benefit of having HIPAA secure emails. G-Suite allows you to create all sorts of cool things with it. Google Drive is one of my favorites because it comes with cloud storage. Cloud storage is much better and more secure than storing stuff on your computer. If you’re storing things on your computer, there is always the potential for someone to hack into it. Also, you could lose your computer, or it could crash. However, if stored in the cloud, you will always have access to it, and you will always have a backup. Plus, Google’s security will be better than anything you can put on your computer; they depend on it. Most people are familiar with Google Docs and Google Sheets. The biggest nugget for private practice owners is Google Forms. It allows you to track how many sessions you have per week and the average session rate. This dashboard can be done on a Google Form – it will automatically put the information from the form to the sheet. This way, the data can be manipulated. If you get creative, there are lots of different ways you can set up systems and processes using Google G-Suite. Electronic Health Records System An EHR is a way to go! That way, you can file all your claims electronically. Plus, it makes things a lot more automated. Most EHR systems will track the money you make from clients. However, it doesn’t necessarily have a function to track business expenses. Instead, you’ll want an accounting and bookkeeping system. Keep in mind that QuickBooks is not HIPAA secure. Therefore, do not put any health information or client information in the accounting system. When you have a client, do not write their name in the accounting system, write that you received payment from a client. You can use your client’s name in an EHR or on Google G-Suite. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Resources - Use the coupon code "GORDON" to get 2 months free. The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Ed Darrah | Using G-Suite As A Platform In Private Practice | TPOT 133
06/15/2020
Ed Darrah | Using G-Suite As A Platform In Private Practice | TPOT 133
In this episode, joins the show and describes how to streamline your private practice using G-Suite. Ed reveals which G-Suite tools are HIPAA and BAA compliant. After loads of trial and error, Ed is here to describe what he now knows about using G-Suite to streamline and make your practice as efficient as possible! Meet Edward Darrah is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Edward holds board certifications in Counseling, School Counseling, and TeleMental Health. Edward founded & in 2015, providing mental health and sport performance services within the greater Philadelphia area. Edward is currently a full-time staff member at Temple University, where he serves as a mental health and performance counselor. Streamlining Your Practice Ed started to look at potential ways to streamline his practice. G-Suite is a HIPAA compliant platform, and it was very familiar to Ed because he uses it for personal work. Ed learned how to interconnect all the tools to use within his healthcare facility and transmit healthcare data. It was a lot of trial and error to connect the pieces. But once Ed became familiar with what he wanted to do, it became his primary EMR. Ed was looking at his return on investment, and he was pouring money into an electronic medical record that is well known, but his patients were not using a lot of the features that Ed was paying for. They didn’t sign into the portal, and they didn’t manually schedule appointments. Plus, his patients didn’t use the messaging system. Instead, they often chose text message or email as primary communication, all things that didn’t fit into this software. The most significant difference between an EMR that you pay for monthly is that once you create that account, everything’s there for you – forms are there for the scheduling and billing. The optimization is undoubtedly there, especially if you take insurance, which will be the most significant piece. EMR will undoubtedly give you an advantage if you’re doing insurance claiming. In contrast, an out of pocket provider might find that of the features and customization, the product might not technically meet all your needs, or you might not need everything. So, you might be overpaying on your subscription. Ed realized that maybe there’s a better way. With G-Suite and some of the third party add-ons, he found you’re able to build a robust system, and he doesn’t call it an EMR because it doesn’t do everything, but it does allow you to run your practice pretty efficiently at a low cost. Providers that are working part-time or even providers working full-time need to maximize their profits. Cloud Search Not many EMRs are going to have such a robust cloud search, like Google, that’s what they specialize in. So, if you were putting your documents into your drive, you can go into a patient’s folder and narrow it down. You can type in medication and then bring up the notes on that medication in seconds. So, in terms of paper and being able to access data, it makes sense to use both to allow more consistency and streamline that care. G-Suite Marketplace Within G-Suite, they have what they call the marketplace. The marketplace offers what we’re calling add-ons from companies that have other tools that G-Suite might not provide. They can add different applications like Google Forms or Google Docs to allow for different types of customization and accessibility. You have to make sure that the companies that you’re integrating with your G-Suite account are compliant. You need to go on their sites and look at their privacy policies if they offer a BAA. Then, make an informed decision. JotForm JotForm is just an alternate solution to Google Forms, but there are advantages to JotForm. You can take a natural electronic signature right on the form, which makes a document legalized. You could also capture your IP addresses, create form IDs, and submission IDs. You can take payments through JotForm so you can create a receipt or even an invoice and send it out. There’s a little more customization; there’s a bit more opportunity to make it more branded. They do have very streamlined integration to Google Drive into Google Sheets – it generates a PDF. It cuts down on error and time. About Ed’s Workflow Ed uses Google Meet for his telehealth work. There are things to keep in mind with telehealth. For instance, you should have a backup telehealth service in case a client is not able to access Google Meet. In addition, Ed uses Google Tasks in his calendar. It helps him stay organized and prioritize. Also, Ed uses Google Sheets as a chart, for case management, contact information, and taking notes. Google Voice falls into a BAA agreement. Many therapists are confused if they can or cannot use Google Contacts. Ed says not to use Google Contacts for client information – it is not covered under BAA. Instead, Ed will keep a separate Google Sheet with all of the information. Now, Google has something called Google Chat. Google Chat is under the BAA. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Edward’s Resources Resources (use the coupon code "GORDON" and 2 months free) The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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SPECIAL EPISODE: Racism, Fear And Caring In Private Practice | TPOT 132
06/08/2020
SPECIAL EPISODE: Racism, Fear And Caring In Private Practice | TPOT 132
In this episode, Gordon dives deep and speaks out about racism, white privilege, and fear and how we can do a better job about speaking truth, reaching out, and genuinely helping one another through this time. Gordon explains how we can speak loudest at the ballot box. Plus, he talks about how we can use free speech responsibly and the importance of emotional intelligence. It’s time that Gordon no longer keeps silent about racism, bigotry, and white privilege. Let’s end racism together. We Need To Speak Truth We need to speak truth to what is going on around us – this has been happening for centuries. Our country needs to do what we need to do to change things. Gordon is still learning about how his prejudices have affected himself and others. As white people, we do not know what it’s like to go into a place and be automatically self-conscious. Gordon hasn’t done enough to reach out to people in this situation and help them feel comfortable. We need to let people know that we are safe people. Have the power to speak out against other people’s injustices, prejudices, and racism. It’s time for us to speak out. We Need To Speak Out We can speak out loudest at the ballot box. The rhetoric and talk that we have heard from our political leaders over the last four years need to stop. This speech is doing nothing but creating more division within our country. The rhetoric has got to end. We need to use free speech responsibly – words do count. We have an opportunity to use our knowledge with psychology and emotions to teach people emotional intelligence. Racism is rooted in fear – it’s fear of someone that looks and speaks differently than us. There is no “they” or “them.” It’s all of US. We need to get away from separating ourselves based on economic status, what we look like, and how we speak. We Need To Stand Together We need to go above and beyond and reach out to our clients of color. We need to let them know that we are aware of what’s going on and how it may be affecting them. Gordon is feeling a lot of grief and guilt around this as a white person. It is time to be very aware and be there for others. Be present with people and stand with them. Reach out to each other and understand how racism is affecting those around us. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Resources The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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LaRonda Starling | Self-Care During Times Of Crisis | TPOT 131
06/01/2020
LaRonda Starling | Self-Care During Times Of Crisis | TPOT 131
Dr. LaRonda Starling joins the show and speaks about self-care. Private practice owners need to practice self-care because it’s too easy for business owners to work 24/7. We need to allow ourselves to be real people and take care of ourselves in the ways that we take care of others. LaRonda says we need to learn how to say no, practice prayer throughout the day, and be still. Tune in for more of LaRonda’s self-care advice! Meet LaRonda Starling Dr. LaRonda Starling is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, a National Certified Counselor, an adjunct professor at a Christian university, and the author of . She has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, a Master of Science degree in Counseling, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Psychology. As a clinician, Dr. Starling provides therapeutic services (psychological assessment and counseling) in a private practice setting. Along with her clinical experience as a mental health professional, Dr. Starling has over fifteen years of experience working in academic environments; first as a staff member and then as adjunct faculty in both classroom and online settings. In all that she does (working or volunteering), she hopes that God receives the glory as she uses the gifts He has so graciously given her. Why Private Practice Owners Need to Practice Self-Care Private practice owners need to take time for themselves. When you work for yourself, you have so many roles to take on. There is always a time where you could be doing some work. One of the things that LaRonda suggests is to be still. Sometimes that means to physically be still – stop being so busy during the day. Also, you need to spiritually be still. Find the Good in Your Day Who is God as a person? If you know that God is everywhere, then we can lean on God. Also, be intentional about prayer. Sometimes we only pray when something terrible happens. We need to take the time throughout the day to pray. Throughout the day, think about what is good. What’s the silver-lining of quarantine? Maybe you learned how to use teletherapy, that’s a fantastic silver-lining during this time. Saying No and Other Self-Care Techniques One way to practice self-care is by being able to say no in a loving way to other people. Also, make sure you can say no to yourself. You have time to do loads of extra work during the day, but you need to say no. Staying at home with the family, you may not have time to get up early and be still. Parents can set boundaries with their children, this is a great way to practice saying no. We still have to sleep, eat, and exercise. Plus, we need to surround ourselves with good people and good friends. There’s so much to do during the day, make sure you are taking care of your body and spirit. Plus, LaRonda says to take an hour by yourself and reflect on what’s going on with you. Being outside is a refreshing difference. When COVID-19 is over, we should be able to go out and get some fresh air and exercise. Lastly, don’t forget that every therapist needs a therapist. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! LaRonda’s Resources Other Resources The System If you want to be kept in the loop about things as they develop,and I’ll add you to list. Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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James & Lorinda Marland | Knowing When To Outsource In Private Practice | TPOT 130
05/25/2020
James & Lorinda Marland | Knowing When To Outsource In Private Practice | TPOT 130
In this episode, James and Lorinda Marland join in speaking about outsourcing work in private practice. A virtual assistant can be used to do loads of things in your private practice. For one, a VA will help you stay connected with clients. When a potential client speaks to someone on the phone the first time they call – that’s going to be a massive win for your practice. James and Lorinda talk about other things a VA can do for your practice, such as marketing, social media, and perfecting your website. Plus, they explain how a VA can help you build relationships and sell more content. Meet James & Lorinda Marland James Marland is Chief Operations Officer at with over 18 years of experience in social service and non-profit organizations. James loves the power of learning and holds a Master’s degree in Ministry and Business Administration. Lorinda has been doing secretarial and scheduling work for over 15 years. Her experience ranges from working in small businesses to large scheduling offices. Some of those years were spent working in the medical field with Philhaven, now Philhaven Wellspan. Lorinda enjoys working with the public and using her administrative gifts to help the business grow and thrive. She brings a unique perspective to the table having not only worked doing scheduling but also managing an office. on what makes it easy to onboard with a new virtual assistant and what might make it hard to start with a new practice. Using a Virtual Assistant to Stay Connected with Clients A virtual assistant will connect with the clients by passing along messages or just getting them in contact one-on-one with their therapist. A virtual assistant can generally do that a little quicker or maybe much quicker than the therapist. Many new clients like to get a live person on the phone – they appreciate that fact. When Lorinda first started taking calls for a therapist, she got like sixteen calls. Out of the sixteen, there were probably about four or five that she scheduled as new clients to her practice. Whereas if Lorinda hadn’t been there, the therapist wouldn’t have gotten all of those calls. How to Utilize a Virtual Assistant Despite COVID-19, we still have clients to see. We still have phone calls to make. We still have insurance issues to figure out. We still need marketing, podcasts, social media, webpages. It’s good to remember that even though a lot has changed, a lot hasn’t changed. You’re still a therapist, you’re running a business. How you do it now that the world has changed? We need to figure out that puzzle. One thing a virtual assistant can do is connect with current clients. A lot of work needs to be done to ensure that the existing clients keep coming to their sessions. The VA can spend a lot of time connecting with current clients, sending letters, checking emails, calling them, making sure they know about virtual therapy. A VA can even call the client and let them know about the missed session. Lorinda has been sending out emails, making phone calls to different referral places, and reminding clients of their appointments. She has also calls to reschedule with clients and touch base with them. Some of the clients aren’t as technology savvy. Lorinda has had clients call before their session, trying to figure out how to get into the link. Lorinda will send a message to the therapist and let the client know they are trying to enter the session while coaching the client on how to use the technology. Building Relationships Using a Virtual Assistant We still need to continue to build relationships with referral sources. A VA can let referrals know that you are doing teletherapy. Plus, they can find new referrals by contacting hospitals, schools, churches, and colleges. Now with everything kind of shut down, a VA can develop relationships with these referral sources because it does take time. Virtual assistants always pay off for people. The sooner you can get back with somebody, the more likely that person will go with you. Selling Your Content with a VA Many people have been trying to repackage their workshops, classes, paperwork packets, or some sort of online course or tool. Typically, that’s a lot of investment of time to get that going, but once it’s out there, you have it forever for marketing. So a virtual assistant can assist with social media and helping create teachable courses. They can also create blog posts for your website. You might have an HR policy that’s out of date, or you have to review your paperwork, and it’s not really clear. A VA can help you do those types of things. It’s essential to have systems and processes in place to where things are more automated. A virtual assistant can help you bridge that gap. When we’re starting out in private practice, we’ve got a lot of time on our hands. Once you get busy and your practice starts getting full, that’s really the time to begin outsourcing and getting those things off your plate. Keep Your Practice Running You do have to cut hours, don’t stop because you don’t want to stop completely. Maybe you can cut back a little bit, but keep doing your process, keep the routine, try to keep your current clients. Keep running those insurance reports and verifying benefits. Keep doing those things that have kept your business successful. Because if you have to start over again, there will be a month’s worth of work piled up. It will take hours to dig out from starting over again. It’s much harder to restart. So keep some of the momentum going. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! James & Lorinda’s Resources Other Resources The System If you want to be kept in the loop about things as they develop,and I’ll add you to list. Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Jeremy Zug | Telehealth And Insurance Best Practices | TPOT 129
05/18/2020
Jeremy Zug | Telehealth And Insurance Best Practices | TPOT 129
In this episode, Jeremy Zug from joins the show to explain what’s going on with telehealth during these uncertain times. Jeremy advises on submitting telehealth claims and explains how telehealth is rapidly becoming our new normal. Then, Jeremy gives tips on collecting from patients. As a business, we need to make money. Your patients may be in financial distress, so Jeremy describes what to do in this situation. Stay tuned as Jeremy gives the pros and cons of accepting insurance as a private practice owner. 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 is 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. Send a letter to your governor, your senator, and congressmen 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. Collecting From Patients People need to start collecting from patients – you are contractually obligated to receive it. If the person is out of work, you still have to collect the copay and deductible. As a business owner, you need to treat people the way you want to be treated. If a patient is short on cash, the provider should tell the patient they owe for the service. However, you can offer an extension on their debt. Another thing you can do is set up a weekly payment plan. That way, the private practice owner knows that that patient will pay. Plus, the patient can budget it into their weekly expenses. We should not feel bad for getting paid for what we do. Think about all the time and effort that you went through to get licensed. People know when they go to a doctor’s office that they are going to owe something. So, when a patient goes to a therapist, they should expect to pay. Jeremy suggests reading the book . Accepting Insurance It’s much easier logistically to not take insurance. However, there is a case to accept insurance. Clinically, you can work with populations that you are passionate about. If you work with military patients, that’s a huge client base, and they need it. If that’s your expertise, then do that. At the same time, you will sacrifice profitability. If you take insurance, then you will receive a hit on the money side. Do you want to work with those clinical populations? You will have to weigh that with the profitability side. There is something to be said about access to care and that growing market. Perhaps you can grow your practice faster when accepting insurance – plus, they can be easy to work with. There is a sense of speed and deployment with insurance, and that matters. However, you’ll have to manage paperwork and fuzzy bureaucracy. Jeremy’s Resources Other Resources The System Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Chris Swenson | The Inner Game Of Private Practice | TPOT 128
05/11/2020
Chris Swenson | The Inner Game Of Private Practice | TPOT 128
joins Gordon on the podcast to explain why we shouldn’t forget about our inner game in private practice. Our inner game is always happening, and it’s continuously turning – it shouldn’t be ignored. Chris describes how he found his passions, purpose, and principles by diving deep into mindset and the importance of mental clarity. Then, Chris tells us all about what it means to be a and why a bigger practice isn’t necessarily better. Meet Chris Swenson is the author of the recently published book, “Private Practice Warrior.” He is the Owner/Founder/solo-operator of Rhino Wellness Center which is Chris’ successful full-time solo practice in rural Colorado. Chris is a true Private Practice Warrior who is currently developing a program called, “Private Practice Warrior – A Powerful Mindset for Ambitious Practice Owners – The “Way” to True Fulfillment in Life and Business. To receive a free pdf copy of “Private Practice Warrior” and a special bonus, click The Inner Game The biggest thing for Chris is that he has learned to never forget about the inner game. It’s always going on. Early on in Chris’s private practice, he felt like he was like a slave to the practice. It didn’t feel like it was his. There was almost this illusion, and he had no sense of fulfillment. But once Chris stepped back identified his purpose, he found his passion and lives by his principles. Plus, he realized the big things he could do each and every day to move the dial, things began to fall more into place, and he began to feel a lot more fulfilled. Even though there are still struggles and challenges, we all have to fly through that turbulence to build a practice. Finding Mental Clarity Chris probably took a different journey than most. He got ingrained within the warrior community and learned about mental toughness and mindset. Chris found his purpose, passion, and identified the principles which he operates by each and every day. Plus, he has daily practices to make sure that he is making the right decision instead of making decisions out of fear. Chris felt an internal struggle. However, once he began daily work and ingraining a new mentality, he feels great. Chris has a lot more confidence and is a lot calmer. Plus, Chris says he has more mental clarity for what he needs for decisions to be made. Boosting Our Mindset People will say to build your practice, scale your practice, expand your stuff, do all of these things, and then you’re going to reach that promised land and feel that sense of fulfillment. Chris found that it’s an illusion. If you have a bigger practice, you might end up more stressed, more mentally fatigued, and more tired. So, Chris looked at what really makes a successful practice for the long haul. He looked at numbers of failure rates over the years, and he noticed that the failure rate has remained the same even though we’ve got better technology and we’ve got a lot more programs. What is the missing variable? It’s our inner game. We have to get ourselves to do XYZ every day, and how do we get ourselves to do that? Get yourself, your mindset, mentality, purpose, passion, all these things in line. From there, you can accomplish great things. However, the point of it is not just to create this great business; this great practice, it’s about being a better person through doing all of it. Chris is just tired of seeing people struggle and have a hard time not getting that joy and fulfillment from what they’re doing. It’s not just building the practice. It’s becoming a better person through the challenges of building a better practice – which, of course, requires some mental skills, but also just a different mentality on how you look at your practice. Private Practice Warriors Chris initially had the idea for when he started seeing the struggles of private practice owners, he knew he needed to do something. Chris wanted to make a difference and what made a difference was being able to share stories with others. Chris thought about writing his book. He wrote it like a story. You get to follow the main character through their journey. There’s a lot of twists and some turns in the book as well. You begin to learn about the identity of being a warrior and identifying your purpose, your passion, never forgetting about the inner game, things like that. So you can take out a lot of those ideas as you learn from the story. Bigger Isn’t Necessarily Better What’s most important to you? What is the lifestyle that you want to have? What’s going to bring you fulfillment? Being a warrior is about wanting to be a better person. It’s about the personal growth that develops. It’s not only about becoming that way for a better practice but as a better person. There are challenges to grow or to put stuff out into the external world, those difficulties can lift and we can overcome them. As we begin to expand who we are now, we become that better person. Bigger could be better if it fits for you. There’s so much potential that a lot of us have as therapists to make a difference. There are times where a lot of great therapists could get a better reach if they were in private practice. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Chris’ Resources Get your free copy of Other Resources If you want to be kept in the loop about new G-Suite courses and tools as they develop,and I’ll add you to list. Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . 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Rob Reinhardt | Your Private Practice Contingency Plan | TPOT 127
05/04/2020
Rob Reinhardt | Your Private Practice Contingency Plan | TPOT 127
In this episode, Rob Reinhardt from Tame Your Practice joins Gordon to talk about the importance of having a contingency plan in private practice. First, Rob explains the difference between a contingency plan and a professional will. Plus, he reveals the first things you will need to do when thinking about your contingency plan, including considering who will be on your emergency response team. Rob highly recommends having another mental health professional on your team, rather than a family member. Later, Rob speaks about all the things you will need to inform your emergency response team about. If you need more assistance with your plan, get Rob’s book Meet Rob Reinhardt Rob Reinhardt, LPCS, M.Ed., NCC has his own successful counseling practice and is CEO of . Known for his expertise in reviewing and recommending EHRs for therapists, Rob previously worked in Information Technology for over ten years and has lived around technology his entire life. Contingency Plans for Private Practice Mental health professionals usually don’t have a contingency plan. If something happens to a private practice owner, what is the spouse going to do? The owner is in charge of helping all of these people get informed about the situation. Plus, there are all of the records to deal with. There’s all of this business to take care of. If there were no plans, an attorney would have to help them through it. It’s not just what happens when you die; there could be lots of reasons that you need a contingency plan. For instance, you need a plan in case you decide to retire or in case you find some fantastic job opportunities that you can’t turn down. What if your family decides to move across state lines? That would change everything. You might have to take an extended leave of absence to care for an ill family member. There’s any number of reasons that draw you away from your practice and require you to have this plan in place. Well, there are not many resources out there for private practice owners to create the plan. And that’s when Rob decided to sit down and write with Nancy Wheeler. They talk about how to make the plan and provide some templates that you can fill in your information and have that plan. Professional Wills Many people talk about a professional will in this context. The reason Rob doesn’t say professional will a lot, and instead, he talks about a contingency plan is because the professional will tends to be focused on if you die. Plus, it also tends to be focused on the business aspects of private practice. Some people do incorporate other things into the professional will, but not everything will be covered. For instance, what if somebody needs to get into your G Suite? What if somebody needs to get into your EHR? These are the kinds of details that often aren’t included in something like a professional will. So, make sure you’re covering all these things that someone would need to address if someone else has to care of business. There are so many things that you do that are connected to your practice that are in your head. However, you never really bothered to write down or explain it to anybody else. Starting Your Contingency Plan Get Rob’s book, , and go through it. Rob would step back and make a list of all these things that he does. Including all of the things that he doesn’t even really think about. They’re second nature to him. Think about what are all the things that you do, and if you weren’t there, who would do them? As you are making a list, think about doing these things, how are you doing them, and what are you doing them with? In other words, what tools are you using? Are you using G suite a lot? Some people have electronic health records, and they have bank accounts for their business. So, make a list of what are all the tools that you use, and how do you access those tools? Then, it can get even more detailed. So one example is electronic health records. We’re talking about protected health information here. It may not just be enough that somebody has your login and password information. You may want to have them set up in that EHR as a confirmed user. And in fact, some of the electronic health record systems have that as part of their programs. Rob advocates firmly using two-factor authentication. So that means you’re not just entering a username and password, but you’re often entering a code that you either receive via text or through an authentication app. It’s an extra layer of security to be sure that if someone gets your username and password, they can’t impersonate you and get into this sensitive data. Plus, who is your emergency response team? That’s the terminology Rob uses in his book. How is your emergency response team going to get that authentication data? The key is that you identify these workflows, how do you access the information, what information do you use, and how do you make sure that your emergency response team knows all of this? When Rob says an emergency response team, that could be a team of one, it could be a team of 10. It depends on your practice and what your needs are and so forth. So a solo practitioner may only have a team of one or two people to back them up. Emergency Response Team You want to identify your emergency response team, whether that’s an individual or a group of people, and you want to make sure you talk to them, and you set an agreement and give them everything they need to know. So, at a moment’s notice, they can jump in and take over. Many people do mutual agreements. They will be your backup, and you will be their backup. Get that established so that they know that they’re the backup; it should never be a surprise. Plus, they should know where to find the information if they need to jump in and take care of business. Also, make sure they are a mental health professional. Some people want it to be their family members. Especially when you’re talking about a professional will, it may be fine and well, but it’s essential to consider having a knowledgeable mental health professional take care of business. They have the clinical knowledge; they have the experience of things like HIPAA and ethics that a family member is not likely to have. They’re going to step in and know what’s essential and how to take care of the records. That’s a crucial facet of deciding who’s going to be on your response team. Another reason why it’s crucial to have a mental health clinician involved in this emergency response team because they may be providing some counseling as they help transition people to a new care provider. What does this emergency response team need to do? Apart from your day to day routine activities, how are they going to communicate this to clients? It’s essential to have already identified some clinicians that would be a good fit for the particular clients that you work with. Make sure those clinicians are aware that they are a part of your transition plan. Those clinicians need to know how to contact your clients, what to tell them, and the list of providers to make them aware of. Being transparent… Some of the resources below use affiliate links which simply means we receive a commission if you purchase using the links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Rob’s Resources Other Resources Join the Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Annie Schuessler | Private Practice Beyond The Therapy Room | TPOT 126
04/27/2020
Annie Schuessler | Private Practice Beyond The Therapy Room | TPOT 126
In this episode, Annie Schuessler joins the show and talks about serving others outside of the therapy room. Annie explains what type of people are most likely to start a business outside of therapy, including the person who is on the verge of burnout or the person who is looking to be more creative. There are many ways we can serve others outside of therapy, including coaching, courses, and groups. Stay tuned as Annie dives deep into how we can best be successful when getting outside of the therapy room. Meet Annie Schuessler Annie Schuessler is a business coach and the host of the podcast. She’s been a therapist in private practice for 20 years, and a business coach for over 10 years. With her Rebel Therapist® Programs, she helps therapist entrepreneurs make an impact beyond the therapy room. You can find her resources at . Why We Go Outside of the Therapy Room Annie has noticed a couple of different kinds of types of folks who are drawn to creating a business outside of the therapy room. Someone who is headed to burnout will find other ways to generate income. Most likely, this person is hitting the ceiling in terms of the number of hours they can work. They have built a successful private practice. However, they want to use their time differently, and they want to be able to leverage their time, learning, and experience into something else. The other kind of person may not even have a full practice yet, and they may just be growing their private practice. However, they already see that there’s another part of themselves that they want to bring out into the world. Or there’s another message they want to bring out into the world. Plus, creativity is a massive value for them. So, from the very beginning, they want to create some programs beyond the therapy room so that they can express their full selves and work with people in these different ways. How To Get Out of the Therapy Room It works when a therapist can create some program that they can get started with quickly. We tend to have these big dreams and these visions of what it could look like, what our empires could look like. People have amazing ideas; the first step is creating something that is done more quickly so that before you have grown an enormous audience, you can start testing a pilot program. When people can start promptly and check something early in the process, Annie sees them getting early wins and being able to move forward as opposed to folks who have this tremendous vision and maybe don’t ever figure out how to accomplish it. Starting a Coaching Program Annie says that people are starting with perhaps either a small group coaching program or even a one on one coaching program. Make sure you are creating a separate website. This is going to be an independent business, so that you’re not taking any chances with your private practice. Start with one program. It could be one on one coaching where you’re walking through people through a process, within a very particular niche and a specific outcome. Or it could be a small group coaching program where you’ve got three people who you’re walking through a process that brings about a profound change in one particular area. Creating a Course Annie sees people growing their businesses into membership communities. It is a beautiful way to bring people together who share a particular problem and who share a specific identity. Plus, it’s a way to add value! Also, Annie sees people creating courses. That can be such a rewarding way to bring together a lot of the stuff that you’ve learned and that you love. However, some people believe that they can create a course, never touch it again, and make a load of money. Annie doesn’t see that working except for when it’s Oprah. Annie advises people to at least start with a lot of interaction where you’re just adding tons of value by actually being with the people who you’re serving and then pulling back from there. Being Transparent… Some of the resources listed below are affiliate links. This simply means that if you make purchase using the link, we receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Annie’s Resources Other Resources Join the (use code SPRING2020) Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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John Clarke | Why Knowing Your "Why" Is Important In Your Practice | TPOT 125
04/20/2020
John Clarke | Why Knowing Your "Why" Is Important In Your Practice | TPOT 125
John Clarke joins the show; he helps private practice owners build a practice that they love. In this episode, John gives tips on how to do private practice made human. First, start with your “why”. Why are you considering private practice, or why did you get into private practice in the first place? Later, John gives more tips on establishing your endpoint, creating company values, and knowing your ideal income. Meet John Clarke John Clarke is a licensed psychotherapist and a private practice expert at . After learning a lot of things the hard way while building his first practice in San Francisco, he started a blog to share with others the lessons he had learned. Private Practice Workshop was born, and this blog eventually evolved into so much more: a thriving Facebook community, a successful podcast, online courses, and coaching/consulting. Some therapists want to learn how to use digital marketing to grow their audience and get more clients, but the majority just want to leave it to the pros. John founded Unconditional Media, the digital marketing team for therapists, to meet the biggest need of private practitioners: getting more clients! When he’s not nerding out over all things private practice, he’s playing jazz drums, practicing Muay Thai martial arts, and talking to his pets like they’re humans. Having Fuel in the Tank Start with your why. You are crafting your purpose statement. Why do any of this in the first place? Why does this matter? Knowing your why will be your fuel source. So especially on days where it’s tough to get out of bed in the morning like in a crisis, you need enough fuel in the tank to make this worth it. There are more risks associated with being a business owner than being an employee. There are more risks; there’s more stress. You are going to take work home more often; you’re liable to different things that you’re not as responsible for if you’re the employee of a company. So for John, it has to be worth that. The bumps in the road have to be worth it. Why Private Practice? Many therapists feel like they were born to do this. They were born to help people. Take that one step further and write down why private practice? If your purpose in life is to help people, then why private practice? It’s not the most effective place for you to help people. Do you have other ideas behind your purpose? Whether it’s owning your schedule or increasing income. Try to get honest with yourself. Establish Your Endpoint The endpoint is a mission statement. You should think big! You should think of the ripple effects of your work. Your mission statement is this high-level impact that your business could have on the world. Start to sketch out how are you going to get there? If you don’t know where you’re going, than any place will do—reverse engineer your big tasks. So if you want to get 50 fully booked students in this launch, you can start to work backward and go, then what do you need to do in these next one to three months to build your email list for that? What do you need to do this week to create more lead magnets to make your email list? So it helps if you trace back what actions you are taking today and what they should lead to. Establish Company Values Establishing your company values will help you make decisions. Even if you’re a solo practitioner, John highly recommends doing this. Create the kind of practice that you want to have for yourself. Put some thought into that and get out a piece of paper to write stuff down. When we write, we get clarity and can see the big picture. Set Your Ideal Income and Ideal Schedule Get in there, create that income target and make it sure it’s based on something. What are you going to need to get that money, and how are you going to use it? Then, you can reverse engineer that around your schedule. If you want to make a certain amount, how many hours will you have to work to get there? What kind of schedule do you need? Start sketching out your days, weeks, months, and years and make sure when you look at your calendar that it seems right to you. It looks good. It looks like, yes, this is worth it. John’s Resources Other Resources (use code SPRING2020) Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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Jane Carter | Creating Meaningful Work During Times Of Crisis | TPOT 124
04/13/2020
Jane Carter | Creating Meaningful Work During Times Of Crisis | TPOT 124
In this episode, Jane Carter joins the show. We speak about why your mindset in private practice will change everything, especially during COVID-19. Jane’s motto is imperfect action. Instead of experiencing constant panic, we can use this moment to relax and reframe. Jane explains the various ways we can use our time during the coronavirus and why we need to focus on the things that we can control. Meet Jane Carter Jane Carter, LPC is a counselor and business coach from Asheville, NC. Jane has spent the last several years in private practice as a counselor and has recently begun focusing more on business coaching, not only for therapists but other businesses as well. Her website is: Jane says, “As a therapist, business coach, and life coach, I love helping people navigate the path to achieving their goals for a meaningful life. I apply these principles in my own life in the mountains of Asheville, NC, where I’m an outdoorswoman, world-traveler, dog-mama, food-and-wine lover, reader, and coffee-shop connoisseur. (I’m also known for making up great puns on the fly).” The Mindset in Private Practice We’ve all got crap. Our job is to help people turn it into fertilizer, which is the work of what all therapists are doing. The way you grow your business can be very healing of some of that deeper stuff without you even realizing it. It just feeds Jane’s soul to do this work. It’s fun to be with people on this journey. Imperfect Action Jane’s motto is imperfect action. Right now, we’re recording this podcast during the current virus crisis where we’re in lockdown; we are at home. I think a lot of people experienced this kind of sudden panic. Jane put together a mindset checklist of short-term strategies and long-term strategies. A lot of people are feeling overwhelmed at this moment. So Jane hopes that people mostly focus on their mindset right now. To be in business is just to be dealing with the problems that come up regularly. We should relax, reframe, and use this moment. Have a Moment Anxiety and fear make us want to contract and get small and hide under the covers. It’s hard to see beyond what we are going to do today, what are we going to do tomorrow? Sometimes we can get into that very reactive place. There are three things we need to do: Look at the big picture. Be intentional. See the expansion at this time. Fear and anxiety want us to contract, and this time may seek to expand us, some amazing things could come out of this time. How can we see an expansion at this moment? Private Practice as a Tool For Spiritual Growth We need to look at the big picture. The big picture is this will pass. Every challenge throughout history has given. The coronavirus will pass, we are going to get through this. Keeping that long view helps us to look at it kind of from a distance and go, okay, so what is our sense of purpose? When we look back at this moment in a couple of years, how do we want to say that we handled it? That’s a spiritual thing. Do we want to make decisions from a place of love or a place of fear? When we’re looking at the small picture and fear, it’s easy to get into those thoughts of, well, how are we going to get the money? When we look at the big picture, it gives us space to think about how we are serving people. We are here to fulfill our most profound purpose. So, when we go through a crisis, it’s an excellent opportunity to think about your “why.” It’s a gift to recommit and realign with why we are doing this. Figure Out What You Can Control We need to figure out the things that we can control. And then, the flip side is learning to just be with those feelings, to learn to be with the lack of control, to learn to be present with our grief and our fear, and just kind of allow it and wear it like a backpack. Jane wants to encourage people to be intentional at this time. We need to figure out how we want to use this time and who we want to be at this time? Look at the checklist and start checking things off. We can also be intentional about our goal for this time. What if it’s possible that this is the greatest thing for our private practice? Thinking about that question then allows you to start seeing that. Being transparent… Some of the links below are affiliate links. This simply means that if you use the link to make a purchase, I get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links! Jane’s Resources Email Jane For Her Free Checklist: jane@janecartercoaching.com Other Resources (use code SPRING2020) Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT Gordon is the person behind He is also President and Founder of . He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. , and . Follow us on
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