Aug 10, 2020
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
TherapyNotes.com -
use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months free.
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
Blog post and free download: Cool
Resources
Meet Gordon Brewer, MEd, LMFT
Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast &
Blog. He is also President and Founder of Kingsport Counseling Associates,
PLLC. He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer,
and writer. PLEASE
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