Episode 201: The Dos and Don'ts When Starting a Private Practice

Summary

---

Podcast Summary:

Private Practice Startup Podcast
Episode 201: The Dos and Don'ts When Starting a Private Practice
Date: July 18, 2020
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Susan Block, LMFT

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the essential “do’s and don’ts” mental health professionals should follow when starting—and growing—a successful private practice. Featuring therapist, private practice expert, and newly-minted Private Practice Startup team coach Susan Block, the conversation is equal parts practical advice, real-world experiences, and motivational encouragement.

Whether you’re building your client base, shaping your brand, or fighting self-doubt, this episode offers actionable steps and honest insight into the challenges and joys of running your own therapy business.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Susan’s Background & Unique Experience

• Susan is an experienced marriage and family therapist, recognized as one of Coral Springs, Florida’s top therapists.

• She’s passionate about animal welfare and volunteers with local shelters (see [03:41-05:25]):

  “You take them out and they’re depressed when they’re there, and then they go back and it gives them like a little boost so that when people are walking by the kennel, their tails are wagging again and they look more adoptable.”
  (Susan, 04:48)

---

2. The "Do’s" of Starting a Private Practice

A. Specialize and Create a Niche

• Stand out by focusing on what you love, getting extra training, and building your authority.
• Niches help set you apart and allow you to “charge what you’re worth.”

  “Find what is your passion. Fall in love with it, get some extra training in it so that you can charge what you’re worth.”
  (Susan, 08:12)

B. Build a Strong Online Presence

• Essential for client generation, especially for private-pay practitioners.
• Start with basic platforms (website, Psychology Today, GoodTherapy, etc.)
• Don’t get overwhelmed; start small and add as you grow.

  “Having a strong online presence is almost mandatory... If you’re self-pay, you have to.”
  (Susan, 09:04)

• Ties back to niching: Know whom you’re marketing to.

C. Invest in a Professional Photo

• Show warmth, professionalism, and authenticity.
• Phones suffice—just keep it clear and representative.

  “You could actually have a professional photo without a friend intakes. So just really, you know, having a good photo to put on your website, to put on your directories... is really important."
  (Susan, 14:15)

D. Connect and Network with Colleagues

• Reduces isolation, builds support and referral systems.
• Organize or join lunches, local events, online communities, or case consultation groups.

  “Private practice can be very isolating... So getting out there, whether it's through the Facebook groups or going to some networking events... is just a good way to connect.”
  (Susan, 15:20)

E. Content Creation: Blog & Vlog

• Write articles or record videos on your niche area for your website/social media.
• Increases reach and establishes expertise.

F. Outsource What You Dislike or Don’t Know

• Delegate website building, admin, and technical marketing tasks to specialists.
• Consider time-value: focus on what only you can do (counseling, client connection).

  “Outsourcing is hiring people to help you with areas that are just too much for you or you don’t have an interest in... I just knew right away that's where I was going to spend most of my budget.”
  (Susan, 19:34)

G. Master the Intake Call

• Practice confidence and refine your “client converting” script to turn inquiries into paying clients.

  “The importance of having a really good plan for your intake call is super important... that’s everything.”
  (Susan, 21:34)

• See [client converting call script resource mentioned at 22:13].

H. Get Specialized Training

• The more skilled and confident you are, the more value you can provide—and charge for.
• Build legitimacy in your niche.

I. Prioritize Self-Care

• Prevent burnout by taking real breaks and “staycations.”
• Susan models this by taking frequent mental health days.

  “Self care is knowing, you know what, I need to take a day off today... Whatever it is that you enjoy that really recharges you, take that time.”
  (Susan, 25:03)

---

3. The "Don'ts" of Starting a Private Practice

A. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

• Avoid “shiny object syndrome”; instead, benchmark your progress against yourself.

  “Compare yourself to where you were six months ago, a year ago... let that be who you compare yourself to.”
  (Susan, 26:30)

B. Don’t Waste Time on Outdated Marketing

• Skip strategies like mass business card drop-offs at doctors’ offices.
• Focus time and money on high-impact online strategies.

  “You could run an ad on Facebook for a minimum of $5 that it's so minimal and it really gets your face out there.”
  (Susan, 28:45)

C. Don’t Try to Do Everything At Once

• Build your business in phases; don’t burn out by attempting too much immediately.

D. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help

• Lean on colleagues, friends, or hire a coach/mentor for guidance and accountability.

  “Just calling, reaching out for help, or even hiring a coach, you know, it’s okay to get some coaching... It's going to come back so much more when you're building your business.”
  (Susan, 31:13)

E. Don’t Underestimate Your Value

• Believe in your training and expertise; don’t undercharge out of fear or discomfort.

F. Don’t Overbook Yourself

• Understand your time and energy limits to avoid burnout. Set boundaries around your caseload.

G. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid (Bonus!)

• Fear is natural—do it anyway.

  “You’re going to be nervous, you’re going to be afraid, but don't be afraid to be afraid.”
  (Susan, 36:00)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On stepping into higher fees and growth:

  “[My coach] said, ‘You are not ready [for a six-figure practice].’ …And I said, ‘I’m ready.’ ...I went home and took that chance... And ever since that time, I have been charging what I’m worth. I have that six-figure practice. I’ve had it for several years now, and it was the greatest thing I ever did.”
  (Susan, 33:50)

• On self-care role modeling:

  “I have to say you role model that very well. So I’m always telling you that you’re great, you’ll take a day off just because…”
  (Katie, 25:27)

• On building a niche:

  “Find what is your passion. Fall in love with it, get some extra training in it so that you can charge what you’re worth.”
  (Susan, 08:12)

• On networking:

  “This is really about creating relationships with your colleagues so that you don’t have to come across as salesy, but that they genuinely get to know who you are.”
  (Susan, 16:41)

• On content creation reaching further than you realize:

  “It’s so amazing to think about the profound impact that we can have on people that we don’t even know that we’re having when we’re producing this valuable content...”
  (Kate, 29:46)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Lunch Buddies—Susan’s Volunteer Work: [03:41-05:25]
• The “Do’s” Start: [07:05]
• Niching & Specializing: [07:05-08:42]
• Online Presence Importance: [08:45-12:19]
• Professional Photos: [14:15]
• Networking & Support: [15:20-17:53]
• Outsourcing: [19:55-21:22]
• Intake Calls: [21:34-23:03]
• Training & Consultation Groups: [23:03-24:20]
• Self-Care: [25:03-25:45]
• The “Don’ts” Start: [25:48]
• Don’t Compare, Waste Time, Overbook, or Undercharge: [25:48-35:42]
• Bonus Don’t: Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid: [35:50-36:23]
• Coaching & Next Steps: [36:40-end]

---

Final Takeaways

• Success is built step by step, not all at once.
• Invest in yourself (specialization, self-care, professional presentation, and support systems) and don’t do it alone.
• Fear and uncertainty are normal—use them as fuel to move forward.
• You and your expertise are worth it.

---

Resources Mentioned

• “A to Z Cheat Sheet” and practice-building email series: [02:17]
• Client Converting Call Script: [22:13]
• 10 Immediate Action Steps for Practice Growth (Susan’s freebie): [36:34]
• Coaching & E-course offerings at PrivatePracticeStartup.com
• Free six months PsychologyToday.com profile (email: [e-mail]): [12:36]

---

Listeners are encouraged to check the show notes for all resources, freebies, and links mentioned. For more inspiration, subscribe and connect with the Private Practice Startup community.

---

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Private Practice Startup podcast where we help ambitious private practitioners across the globe to brand themselves and grow their dream practices. We chat with successful private practitioners, business coaches and marketing experts, bringing you tons of practice building Ninja tips. Visit privatepracticestartup.com for awesome resources, attorney approved private practice paperwork and our signature marketing E course. Here are your co hosts, Dr. Kate Campbell and Katie Lemieux.

[B]

Hey everybody. Welcome back. Welcome to another episode of the Private Practice Startup podcast. We are really excited you guys are here. In fact, we're always excited that you guys decide to join us. And we really hope our podcast is helping you grow and expand your business. And we love when you actually reach out to us and let us know how that's going. So this week's podcast is called the Do's and don'ts for starting a Successful Private practice and continuing a Private practice. That's really important. And our guest today is not only a colleague, but friend and also my office mate, which is really cool. Susan Blacklist, marriage and family therapist. But before we get into that, we hope that you guys join us the previous week as we talk to Whitney Owens all about the five pitfalls between churches and counselors. So if you are niching or looking to niche in a faith based type private practice, this is a perfect podcast for you. Of course we talk about marketing because what is a podcast with us without marketing? So we dive into that. But we also talk about how to connect to churches, faith based communities and some things to watch out for. So you want to join us for that one as well?

[C]

I have to jump in really quick because you forgot to announce one of the most exciting things because Susan is our newest team member.

[B]

I know that is very. I thought I was going to announce that at the end. Look, Kate was just so excited.

[C]

I'm just so excited. Yes, Susan is our newest team member as one of our coaches and we're really excited. We'll tell you more about it in the end. I didn't know you were strategically leaving that out, but Kate, I gotta say.

[B]

I think you just did. You had a Katie moment. You're usually like cool as a cucumber and wait and do everything at the right time. I'm the one that's always like jumping in and talking over me. That's the truth. We reverse roles. That so. Yeah, we'll share more about that at the end. See now, now, now I got my flow messed up.

[C]

That's okay.

[B]

So anyways, if you're brand new to us, we wanted to say thank you. And we're going to hope after all of that little silly nonsense that you're going to stay with us. You're going to find where we're fun, cool people. And for that, we want to welcome you into our Startup Nation family. And we have a gift for you that is our A to Z cheat sheet, the essentials for building and growing your dream practice. Head on over to PrivatePracticesStartup.com there you'll see the Resources tab and there'll be a bunch of stuff there, but you'll want to look for the A to Z cheat sheet and that comes with five days of practice building emails. And don't forget to return to that tab because there's a whole bunch of great stuff there. Let me give Susan a formal introduction and we will dive into our topic and then tell you all about the latest and greatest on how we are here to serve you, Startup Nation. So Susan Block has a successful practice in South Florida. She's a licensed marriage and family therapist. She's extremely passionate about her work with couples and individuals. And 2019 three Best Rated.com handpicked Susan as one of the top three marriage therapists in Coral Springs, Florida. Susan has a deep passion for assisting other mental health professionals who are eager to succeed in private practice. She stays active by practicing yoga, kickboxing and running. And Susan has a soft spot for dogs and volunteers occasionally, occasionally at a local animal shelter. And she didn't put this in her bio, but I know what she does. It's called Lunch Buddies. It's such a cool thing. So I'm going to welcome you, Susan, and then I'm going to ask you to talk about Lunch Buddies for a second. So please join me in welcoming Susan.

[D]

Hi guys. It's so great to be with you today.

[B]

It's great to have you. So tell us quick about Lunch Buddies because I love it and I love to watch your post.

[D]

Well, I found Lunch Buddies on Facebook and basically what it is is you go to a local shelter and you take a rescue dog out for lunch for the. So it's the best date anyone could ever ask for. And really the ultimate goal is to a either have you fall in love with the dog and take the dog home. So it's like a lunch date that goes well or to get it adopted. It's dogs that basically would get overlooked otherwise. So it's the pit bull mixes and the older dogs and things like that. So it's an awesome program and I just love it.

[B]

And I know that. Yeah. And I know that you've had at least one of the dogs adopted, right?

[D]

Yeah, one of the dogs, which was a 10 year old dog, had like hip problems and took the dog out. And I think within like a month or two, the dog was. Was adopted. So really cool. I'd love to be a part of it.

[C]

I would have such a hard time not bringing every dog home with me. How do you do it?

[D]

It's so hard. But you know what? It's such a wonderful program. When I put them in the backseat of my car and they're sticking their head out the window, I feel like I've done a good deed and they get a chance to get out of the shelter. And what it does is a dog that might be depressed. So it's like mental health counseling, really. You take them out and they're depressed when they're there, and then they go back and it gives them like a little boost so that when people are walking by the kennel, their tails are wagging again and they look more adoptable. So it's actually just a really great way to help them with their own mental health.

[B]

I love it. Like, you can't get too far from what you do.

[D]

No, definitely not. Animals, people. It's all good couples.

[B]

Individual and dogs.

[D]

Exactly.

[B]

So we're gonna be diving into a topic that is near and dear to our hearts as well as you and the cool thing. Can I just share a little bit about our journey, give you guys some background? Susan and I go way back, way back to grad school. And myself, Susan, another colleague, Michelle, we actually went through grad school together. So we were all working full time and so we had to kind of do the part time track. I started out full time and then I dropped down to part time. So I've known Susan since 2001. And then we kind of went our separate ways, stayed in contact a little bit, and then I reached out to you. 2010. Yeah. So I had started private practice, Susan was looking to get in private practice, and we joined a place. Well, I guess I had started there first and you kind of came in with me. And we've been in the same space since 2011. And it's always great. We have our five minute chats or one minute chat, or if a client's late, 15 minute chats. And so, yeah, we catch up on life in those few minutes. And, you know, one of the great things, and I know I've referenced you on our podcast before too, is, you know, the thought about abundance.

[C]

So what's really Cool.

[B]

Susan and I actually specialize in the same thing in the same office, and there's so much abundance there because we can refer to each other, so there's never a competition.

[C]

We.

[B]

We're always collaborating, so it's a ton of fun. And like Kate said, we are super excited to bring you on because you are super passionate and helping therapists, really, in that startup phase, and that's what we're gonna talk about today. So, without further ado, let's dive into the do's of creating and starting up a successful private practice.

[D]

Well, I have to first start by saying I'm so excited to join the private practice startup, and I've watched you both evolve in this company, and I'm just so impressed and was so excited to be a part of this. So thanks for. Thanks for having me. And so I'm really excited about sharing some of the do's with private practice clinicians. And, you know, I was listening to your podcast. I think it was episode 84, how to start a Private Practice. And let me tell you, if you're listening to this, you have to go back to that episode 84, because it has the nuts and bolts of basically what to do before you get started in private practice. So anyone who's listening, check it out. So today I just wanted to kind of add on to that. And let's start with the first one. So basically specializing in creating a niche, I think, for any generalist that's out there, really making sure that you find whatever it is that you're passionate about. For myself, I love working with couples, so I didn't know that when I finished graduate school, I think working with couples just kind of found me. And then I fell in love with it and then took on more trainings and really kind of separated myself from the other therapists that were out there. And so find what is your passion. Fall in love with it, get some extra training in it so that you can charge what you're worth. So creating a niche is the first do. Do you want me to keep going?

[B]

Yeah, keep on going.

[C]

We're just listening.

[B]

Keep on going.

[D]

All right, so the next one, which I would like to spend a little bit of time with, it's creating and maintaining a strong online presence. You know, it's really interesting because a couple weeks ago, I went back to, I think, all of our alma maters, Nova Southeastern University, and was on a panel talking with upcoming graduate students, and they were really curious about what private practice life is about. And there was a really young girl that we were talking about having an online presence and she raised her hand and she said I'm not on Facebook. And I was shocked. I thought every young person in this baby has some sort of social media platform. And she's like, I'm just very private. I'm not really interested in that. And so really talking, I was talking with her about the importance in the business world now about you don't have to like it for your personal life. But if you're really looking to grow your private practice, having a strong online presence is almost mandatory. Especially if you're a self pay practitioner. If you're taking insurance, you might be able to get away with it. I don't even think so, but I think you have a, you know, an easier time if you're taking insurance, but definitely if you're self pay.

[B]

So yeah, and one of the things about that is we always talk about like think about yourself as a consumer. Even if you get a word of mouth referral, where do you go? You go online to check out the person, right? We're looking at reviews and how important that is. And you know, hopefully that that student will listen to this podcast. And you know what's interesting is I, as you say that I'm reminded my own journey. I remember also kind of being very much in that space of not, you know, I like to be private and whatever but you know, with this business and especially with the private practice startup, it's an online business and you're right, it is kind of almost necessary mandatory to be able to do that. But I sometimes it's an evolution and understanding like where our boundaries are and what's okay and what's not okay. And I'm sure coming especially out of school when the message is professional, professional, professional, boundaries, boundaries, boundaries, it's a little bit hard to navigate, so good point. I'm sure many students are in that place or people just starting up and.

[D]

I think one of the things to be really careful of and maybe this is part of a don't but I'm going to touch on it anyways is don't get so overwhelmed with all that's out there now as far as having a strong online presence, there's so much now we're so inundated with Facebook and lives and podcasts and videos and therapy directories and Instagram and I mean the list goes on and on. So I think it's just kind of finding what is a comfortable start for you and just focusing on that, taking it one baby step at a time. As your business grows, as your comfort level grows, so will your online presence.

[C]

I really like how you started with niching and specializing and really getting clear on that piece first. Because if you just dive into creating a strong online presence, you're going to be doing yourself a disservice because you won't be clear on who you're trying to reach with that online presence. And Susan's right. It is so important to have that really strong online presence with your, your awesome website, with whatever social media profiles that would be great for brand awareness that your ideal clients would be on. Right. You want to make sure that you're clear on who that niche is, who that specialization is, who your target market is, so that you can be really intentional with the marketing that you are doing online. And it is very effective.

[D]

And I think some cost effective ones that are out there are like the therapy directories, like the Psychology Today, the good therapies and now there's so many out there, they're really inexpensive and it's just an opportunity for you to be seen very quickly when you're just starting out.

[C]

And if you're listening to this episode and you want to get your first free first six months for free from Psychology Today, you can just shoot us an [e-mail] and we're happy to hook you up with that.

[B]

And before we go on, why don't we just take a quick break for.

[C]

Our sponsor, when it comes to keeping your practice organized, you want software that's not only simple, but the best. We recommend TherapyNotes. Their platform lets you manage notes, claims, scheduling and they have a new awesome telehealth platform for your online counseling sessions. They offer amazing unlimited phone support and email support. So when you have a question, they are there to help. To get started with the practice management software trusted by over 60,000 professionals, go to therapynotes.com and start a free trial today. Enter promo code PPS as in private practice startup and they will give you two months to try for free. Go to therapynotes.com knowing you need legal.

[B]

Ethical and competent paperwork is overwhelming, time consuming and let's face it, expensive. We're clinicians, not lawyers. We put in 100 plus hours of work scouring through the laws and ethics and paid thousands of dollars in expenses, expensive attorney's fees so you don't have to save yourself time, money and headaches.

[C]

We're Kate and Katie from the Private Practice Startup and we invite you to experience the quality of our paperwork with our HIPAA form. As our gift to you, go to privatepracticestartup.com head over to our resources tab and download the free HIPAA form today. You can also shop our a la carte and paperwork options under the paperwork tab. Enjoy.

[B]

All right, give us another do, Susan.

[D]

Okay, so the next one would be having a professional photo. I think a photo speaks a thousand words, and nowadays people want to see what you look like. They want to get to know you before you get to know them. So having a strong, solid professional photo, you don't have to spend a lot of money on it now, especially with the way our camera phones are. You know, click it into portrait mode, and you could actually have a professional photo without a friend intakes. So just really, you know, having a good photo to put on your website, to put on your directories, your business.

[B]

Facebook page, is really important, and it is very important. And not taking a photo where you're cutting someone else out of it, where you can see that, or we've come across a photo of a therapist with an owl. You know, if you do equine therapy, that makes sense. Or if you, you know, utilize pets, that makes sense. But keep it consistent, keep it professional, and really show your personality. Like, let that shine. You know, gone are the days of the super stuffy, you know, professional photos.

[D]

Exactly. Just, you know, be. You have a good smile on your face, be warm and compassionate in your photo, and people will connect to it. So the next do is, I think, a big one. It's. It's connecting with other colleagues and other professionals out there who can potentially be a great referral source for you, but also a good support system. You know, private practice can be very isolating. Katie and I, a lot of times will be in the same office for, you know, five hours or so and never see each other. You know, we hear the footsteps back and forth, but we never actually get to see each other. And, you know, when you're locked in a therapy room, you know, with client after client back to back, it can be very isolating. So getting out there, whether it's through the Facebook groups or going to some networking events, if that's your jam, then get out there and just really connect with other therapists. Even doing case consultation groups are really good because you can talk about some of the concerns that you have with some of your clients and you're getting feedback from your colleagues. It's just a good way to connect.

[B]

And I know you've. Susan, you've actually, you've done a lot of networking, but you've also organized events to network and just kind of share, you know, how effective was that for you? What results did you get?

[D]

I mean, so basically I think it was a few years ago. This is like right before there was like an abundance of networking events for mental health practitioners. And I was seeing all these people on like private practice, startup, Facebook group, and some of the other ones that I'm a part of, and I never had a chance to meet any of them. I had been working full time a while back, a few years ago, and so I didn't have the chance to really get out there and mingle with other colleagues. So I decided to just start a very simple lunch and get a group of people together. And it was so much fun. The first one that we did and it was so basic that I ended up turning it into more of like a networking event and teaching people how to network, not just pass out a million business cards and everybody throws them out after. But this is really about creating relationships with your colleagues so that you don't have to come across as salesy, but that they genuinely get to know who you are. And because they like you, they want to refer their friends or family or even other clients that they might feel would be a good fit for you to you.

[B]

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

[D]

Yeah, no problem. So the next do is thinking about blogging or vlogging. And so for people who might not know what blogging is, it's basically just writing an article of some kind or some kind of research that you do on a particular topic that you're interested in and having it posted on your website. A lot of people are looking for information and they might stumble upon your blog because it's connected to your website or because it's based on a topic of interest for them. So it's just driving people to your website more for information. And also vlogging, which are video blogs, doing like a quick one minute or two minute video on a particular topic. If you're into working with couples or addiction or anxiety management, just putting yourself out there on a video and then connecting it onto YouTube or doing a live on Facebook. Just a great opportunity for people to again connect with you and your services before they ever reach out to work with you. So the next tip or the next do is outsourcing. I know you guys have talked about this on many other podcasts. Outsourcing is hiring people to help you with areas that are just too much for you or you don't have an interest in. For example, I never wanted to build A website for myself. I wouldn't even know where to begin. So immediately I knew that I had to pay someone to create my website and then to SEO, putting it out there so people can find you. I just knew right away that that's where I was going to spend most of my budget was outsourcing for my website and my online presence. So just finding the things that you don't mind doing and taking that on, but the things that you really don't want to do, to outsource those to reputable companies.

[B]

And sometimes I would just like to add is sometimes we can be, okay, decent at something, but we really have to weigh the cost in time of us doing it. You know what I mean? I see Kate shaking her head. She's created seven websites. She's created a lot of websites. Yeah. And the time is. It's always longer than you actually think it's gonna. I swear to God, like, everything in life is like that way. Right. We're like, okay, we're gonna get this all done today. And now we have to three things extra to do.

[C]

It's the rabbit hole. You go down the rabbit hole, and then, you know, seven hours later, you're like, whoa, that just took me that long. And if you're looking at your hourly rate of what you charge in counseling with your clients, that is what your time is worth.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So most often you could have. You could have paid somebody else to do that. They could have done it quicker, better, more efficiently, and you could focus on more important aspects of the business.

[D]

And I'm going to actually take your advice, Kate, because I know we talked about this a few weeks ago that I need to hire an assistant. And so that's my New Year's resolution. I'm getting everything in place right now, kind of doing some behind the scenes so that I can pull the trigger in January. So I'm not going to be a hypocrite here. I'm going to take my own advice and outsource some of my administrative responsibilities.

[C]

Which is a good.

[B]

There's always evolution. So don't say you're a hypocrite because you have outsourced tech stuff and marketing and those things. So it's just.

[D]

Yeah, but I've been talking about hiring somebody for about three years now. So it's time.

[B]

Look at that. Susan's telling on her on the podcast, live in public.

[D]

I'm human, too.

[B]

Yeah. Now she gets to be held accountable.

[C]

What a good anxiety. Exactly.

[D]

All right, so moving along, the next one is you Know when you've got your office and you are ready to start seeing clients. The intake call. The importance of having a really good plan for your intake call is super important. You know, you got the clients calling you, you've worked hard at your marketing, now you want to actually, you sell yourself without sounding salesy. And so, you know, if I think you guys probably have something on the intake call, and I think if it's something you're a little rusty at, definitely get some training and really tweak your intake call. That's everything.

[C]

It really is. It's so important because you can, you know, you can have all these calls coming in, but if you don't have the confidence and don't know what to say when you're on the call and how to navigate that in a way to really convert your potential clients into actual clients, it's going to work negatively against your business. We do have the client converting call script as a resource for you guys, and we'll make sure to put the link for that in the show notes page. You guys will be able to check that out?

[B]

Yeah, we'll do that. And I'm going to throw something in because it's a Friday and I'm feeling good and actually my birthday is in three days, so we are going to give you a coupon code to get that for a second super duper discount. So, but that's gonna be on the show notes page.

[C]

So you get.

[B]

You're gonna have to head over to the show notes page for that. But I will include the coupon link to grab the client converting call script. I love it.

[C]

Katie's giving you some birthday love.

[B]

That's right. I'm giving you the gifts for my birthday. How about that?

[D]

And I think people who are listening really need to take advantage of that because I know I did something like that a few years ago and it really was a game changer for my practice. So moving along to the next one, you know, going back to something I said before that related to creating a niche for yourself, when you find the area that you're looking to specialize in, in order to feel really confident about the work you're doing and to be able to charge what you know you're worth, having some good professional training in that area of specialty is going to make you just, you know, stand out from the crowd. It's gonna make you be able to stay on that intake call, you know, the price that you want to be able to charge, and you're really doing a great service for your clients and for your community. So just finding either online trainings or in person trainings to help with that specialty is going to be important. Moving along, the next one, which I think I touched on a little earlier is joining some case consultation groups and how to find this would be going on to some of the therapy Facebook groups out there and seeing who's in your area locally. Whether it's doing it in person, maybe meeting at somebody's office or even doing a call online with a few of the therapists and just having that sense of support is going to really be helpful. And when you feel lonely and isolated, it'll be a good way to connect. The last thing which I think to be the most important, which I'm actually going to be doing today is quality self care is recognizing what your limitations are so that you can maintain your own mental health so that you can step into your clients the way that you would like to be able to and that the way they deserve. So self care is knowing, you know what, I need to take a day off today or I need to maybe go on a little staycation somewhere or even just taking the day off and binge watching a Netflix show for the day. You know, whatever it is that you enjoy that really recharges you take that time. This work is, is tough and when you're doing, you know, back to back sessions, it can be exhausting. So just quality self care and I.

[B]

Have have to say you role model that very well. So I'm always telling you that you're great, you'll take a day off just because or you'll. And I'm like, I gotta get on that, I gotta get on that.

[D]

After this podcast, I'm. I'm going away for the weekend with some friends. So I'm taking my own advice with that.

[B]

That's good. So why don't we dive into the don'ts.

[D]

Okay. These are ones I've seen so many therapists do and I've heard stories about this. So I'm just going to jump into the first one. Don't compare yourself to everyone else. It's really easy to do, especially with social media. You know, you're looking at a therapist online who's got this really cool video YouTube channel and they just look like they have it all together. And you could barely figure out how to use YouTube yourself. You wouldn't even know what to say on a video. And so you're thinking, oh, I have to hurry up and get these videos done. But yet you're not doing any of it. What I say is look back at your own accomplishments and compare yourself to where you were six months ago, a year ago, and let that be. Who you compare yourself to is yourself. And so just don't get overwhelmed with everybody else out there because they might be three, four years in and you're just starting out.

[C]

And it can really lead you to what we call S.O.S. shiny Object Syndrome. If you're paying attention to what everybody else is doing and you have all the shoulds of all the things that you should be doing, then you'll be chasing after all those shiny objects and really getting yourself nowhere. I like that point.

[B]

Yep. I'm going to start on a wheel.

[D]

So the next one is don't waste your time focusing on outdated or time consuming marketing. You know, things that might have worked back in, you know, 1980s or 1990s are going to be very different nowadays. So you know, going out to millions of doctors offices and it might be good for some, but is that really using your time wisely, going out and passing out business cards and knocking on all these doctor's offices doors and trying to get through all the gatekeepers, that could take hours and hours and hours. And it's really not going to benefit you as much as maybe creating a Facebook business page for yourself and having all your friends and family just to get started like your page or doing some Google Ads to get your website out there to the world. We live in a tech savvy time. Take advantage of it. You can get out there in the world while you're still sitting on your couch in your pajamas. So why not? It's like the most bang for your buck and I think just don't waste your time doing the things that used to work, but don't anymore.

[B]

It's funny, as you share that tip, I feel like I have an embarrassing story about us. When we first started, Susan and I literally walked up handing out our business cards and what did that result in? Nothing. So Susan, you don't even have to do it.

[D]

A lot of money, A lot of wasted time and money. And now, I mean you could run an ad on Facebook for a minimum of $5 that it's so minimal and it really gets your face out there. If I can share just a quick story, sad story, but I went to a funeral maybe just about a year ago and I went to the house after to visit with the family and there was somebody else that was there and a friend of the family, I didn't know this person and she came like running up to me as if we were best friends. And she's like, oh, my gosh, it's so great to meet you. I've been following your, you know, your blogs and your social media, and I just wanted to come over and say hello. I didn't even know who this person was, so she has known me for so long, and yet I had no idea who this person was. So the strong online presence really does work and use it.

[C]

I love how you share that story because it's so amazing to think about the profound impact that we can have on people that we don't even know that we're having when we're producing this valuable content, when we're clear about who we're serving and we're providing valuable content for them. Whether it's blogging or blogging or your social media posts or whatever podcast, you know, whatever forum it is, it's really cool to think about all of the people that you are impacting that you don't even know about.

[D]

Exactly. So that leads me to my next do or don't, I should say is don't try to do it all. Kind of going along with what we were saying before about comparing yourself to everybody else. Pace yourself. You know, what I found is when I was building my practice, it really goes in phases. And almost looking at it like, what do I need to do in phase one of building private practice? Going back to your podcast on how to start a private practice, that was like the first phase. And so just pace yourself, because what you would do two years down the road is going to look very different than what you did the first six months of building your practice. You're still going to have to do some of those things, but you're just going to build and grow from there. So just pace yourself. So the next one is don't hesitate to ask for help when needed. That might be calling up an old graduate friend that is now also doing private practice and saying, hey, look, what do I do about this or that or what do you recommend? I mean, Katie, you were steps ahead of me. And so when you made a recommendation for something I listened to or if I had a question about something, I called, I never felt funny about doing that. And so just calling, reaching out for help, or even hiring a coach, you know, it's okay to get some coaching because the little bit that you might spend in coaching or the lot of it, depending on what type of coaching you're getting is going to come back so much more when you're building your business and really being able to charge what you deserve.

[B]

And we couldn't agree more. I mean, we do coaching ourselves. We strongly believe in coaching. Yes, it fast, it fast tracks everything that you do. And you know, your coaches have been there because they've done all the mistakes for you and wasted all the time, money and energy and really have created something to really help and support you. So, big fan of coaching. We'll always do it. We'll continue to do it.

[D]

Whatever.

[B]

Mentoring, coaching doesn't matter.

[C]

Yeah, mentoring, coaching, whatever direction you go in, it's about finding a step by step proven system with someone who has either achieved what you want to achieve or has a lot of experience teaching people to achieve what you want to achieve. It really is priceless in terms of your return on investment. Yeah.

[B]

And then you have that long term relationship. I mean, you know, whether it's my interns or our coachees, our alumni, you know, I just, we're always there and wanting to help and support and know what's going on with them and it's awesome.

[D]

And if I can even add to that, a few years ago I hired a coach and I did. I spent a lot of money and it killed me to pay it, but I was so ready for whatever that next step was going to be. And I remember sitting with the coach at the time and I wanted that six figure practice. I was just ready for it. And the coach looked at me in our session and she said, you're not ready to have a six figure practice. Everything I was telling her and all my fears and worries and doubts and I don't know if I could charge this much and am I good enough? And she just looked at me straight in the face and said, you are not ready. And then I looked back at her and I said, I'm ready. I was like, I'm ready to roll up my sleeves. I'm ready to step into the fear. And I remember I left the coaching call that day and I had a call, a potential client back and I raised my rates so much more than I was charging and I was little by little inching up, but it was so small. And I went home and I took that chance and I actually didn't get that client. So I was like, oh my gosh, what am I doing? Maybe I'm not good at this and all the doubts. And then I tweaked my intake call so that I felt more confident on the next intake call. And ever since that time, I have been charging what I'm worth. I have that six Figure practice. I've had it for several years now, and it was the greatest thing I ever did. It was the best money I ever spent.

[B]

Awesome. I love that. That's a great story. And that's sometimes what coaches do is they just challenge us.

[C]

Right.

[B]

And I'm glad that you stepped into the fear. I got chills as you shared that, so thanks for sharing.

[D]

Of course. So the next don't is don't underestimate your value. Kind of going along with what I was just saying. You've worked hard and now you get to reap the benefits. But sometimes we have to get our head to kind of match what we need to do to really have the successful practice that we're looking for and that we know we deserve, logically. But some people are coming with some money issues or past fears from your upbringing, whatever it is that you have to work through, just don't underestimate your value. And so the next one is, and I think this is an important one, and I think many of us still struggle with it. I know sometimes I do is don't overbook yourself. Know how many clients you're going to need to be able to pay your bills, but also try not to overbook yourself, you know, with too many, because then you're going to end up getting sick. You're going to have to cancel those clients that you booked. And it's not really serving anyone. So figuring out what your boundaries are. And it'll be a little trial and error at first, I think also if you're insurance based, you know, for a lot of clinicians out there, they might need to see a few extra clients in their day. But I think just knowing what those boundaries are and sticking with it.

[B]

Awesome. Well, what do you hope everyone takes away from your message today?

[D]

Well, that actually leads me to one more.

[B]

You had a bonus.

[D]

I have a bonus today. It's Friday. It's bonus day. So the last don't is don't be afraid to be afraid.

[B]

Oh, I like that one. I think that's a good takeaway.

[D]

Fear is there. I mean, I'll be honest. I do many podcasts and it doesn't matter how many I do, I still get a little nervous right before or if I'm in front of the camera doing something, I get nervous. Do it. You're going to be nervous, you're going to be afraid, but don't be afraid to be afraid.

[B]

Nice. I like it. And I know that you have a giveaway for our audience.

[D]

What is that? The giveaway is I think you're going to have the link on the podcast.

[B]

We're going to put the link on the Show Notes page.

[D]

Okay. It's the 10 immediate action steps for growing and maintaining a successful private practice.

[B]

Awesome. So we'll put the link on that and we'll put the link for that on the Show Notes page so you guys can access that and all of the other great stuff that we had talked about today. We'll put that on the Show Notes page as well. And if you are in the startup phase and you are looking for coaching, you want to Visit our website, PrivatePracticesStartup.com and head over to the ecourse and coaching tab and there's where you'll find all the services. Susan will be joining us and she'll be supporting those folks who are in the startup phase, the beginning phase of private practice that are looking for coaching. So we're really excited to have her and we hope that you guys join us next week as we bring back one of our alumni, Ruth Harbin. Ruth has actually shared her story on a Facebook live and we're so excited that she's going to share it with you and her success story and what she had to step into. Being afraid of being afraid. Right. And step into and doing it anyways. And the amazing results that she has gotten not only during our course, but after our course. So she's going to share her success story with you guys. And I know Kate has a Stardew Nation superhero shout out to.

[C]

Yes, this comes from Beth. Beth says the private practice startup is a goldmine of resources for therapists who need help navigating how to run a successful practice. Their advice is solid and packaged in a way that's inviting and warm. Thanks, Kate and Katie for the great work you're doing in the world. Thank you so much, Beth. That's so sweet of you to share. We hope that our content is continuing to inspire you guys all along your journey. And if you're loving the content that you're hearing, definitely subscribe, rate and review our show. We always appreciate hearing feedback from you guys. It really does make our day because it's why we do what we do. And we always want to make sure that we're on track with the content that we're producing to really support you in the best way possible. So if there's a topic you haven't heard yet you want to hear, definitely let us know. Shoot us an email over at kateheprivatepracticestartup.com.

[B]

And have an awesome, inspired day, everybody. Take care.

[C]

See you next time. Thanks for joining us on the Private practice startup. Visit theprivatepracticestartup.com for awesome resources, resources, free trainings, attorney approved private practice paperwork, and so much more.