Over the past 18 years I’ve been blessed to have developed a very strong referral base for my private practice and for those who share space in my office. When coaching clinicians new to private practice, one of the biggest concerns (and understandably so) is “How am I going to get clients?” One of the [...]

This week I was asked to do a Skype consult with someone who is working hard to learn Mindfulness Meditation and couldn’t quite get “there”. His struggle reminded me of my struggle, as well as the struggle I often hear about when teaching Mindfulness techniques to my clients, family, and friends. I was first introduced [...]

Perhaps one of the greatest challenges we face as counselors is to sort through a lot of “stuff” (theoretical orientation, preferred treatment strategies, transference, counter-transference, what the client is saying, what the client is really saying, etc.) to determine the intervention point, and then to choose a reasonable intervention to assist our clients. I admit [...]

About half of my private practice coaching clients are just starting out in business for themselves. We work on setting up a business, establishing a niche, gaining a good reputation in town, pulling together marketing efforts, and establishing relationships to get the referrals flowing. The other half of my coaching clients are stuck – in [...]

So… how do you do it? Do you carry a pager? Do you carry your cell phone into the shower with you? Do you have an answering service? Do your clients have access to your cell phone… your email… your FaceBook…? Do you check in and respond to your clients when you are on vacation? [...]

Many private practitioners are uncomfortable with money matters. Setting fees, collecting co-pays, billing for no-shows, and raising fees can be huge sources of stress unless you are able to manage these realities of running your own business. One thing is certain – your clients will react less defensively about money issues, the more comfortable and [...]

I see adults in my private practice. I can count on one hand, the number of times I’ve had to call our local Child Protective Services. Sometimes though, I hear stories that really make me wonder… I’m working with a 40-ish woman who is dealing with childhood sexual abuse issues that she just revealed 2 [...]

Each year I have at least 2-3 students who want to start their Private Practice ASAP! They see that as the only option; a chance for freedom and success on their own. Many seasoned therapists shudder at the idea of a newly graduated student going into Private Practice “too soon”. I think about how I [...]