Help for Therapists Who Want More Private Pay Clients

As therapists, counsellors, and coaches, we have a commitment to care for others-- including those who struggle to care for themselves. A successful private practice is both willing and able to honor this commitment. Each private practice honors this commitment differently, but common ways include:

Offering low-fee or pro-bono services to at least a segment of clients; and/or
Using your extra funds from a full roster of self-pay clients to facilitate charitable cash donations to worthy causes; and/or
Volunteering your time in other ways to help the community around you as well as the global community more broadly.

A sustainable practice also includes creating a sense of community for yourself as a therapist or counsellor. Private practice can be isolating. A therapist or counsellor without community is more vulnerable to burnout, and less able to provide the best care to their clients. There are many ways to find community, of course. In Dr. Chloe's programs for clinicians, we offer community through our private Facebook group, our monthly group support call for therapists, counsellors and coaches, and our private listserv where members have an open format to discuss things like their overall practice health, specific client challenges, or just connect and enjoy a sense of community with a diverse professional community.

PROFITS IN ACTION

Having a successful and sustainable practice empowers you to provide low-fee or pro bono services within your community as part of your commitment to helping underserved populations. You can feel empowered to have a profitable practice knowing that it only increases your resources to help others. Kiva is one of our favorite places to donate, where we fund micro-loans to female entrepreneurs in developing economies around the globe.

We all know that we feel our best when we're organized. A well-organized private practice reduces stress for the therapist and counsellors, since everything runs smoothly. The right documents help a therapist and counsellors keep healthy limits with clients around topics like billing, annual fee raises, late cancellations, attendance requirements for clients who wish to hold a standing appointment, and many other sensitive interpersonal issues that benefit from setting clear, neutral boundaries at the start of engagement.

Clients also tend to feel better when they get a clear sense that their therapist or counsellors is well-organized in terms of things like client agreements, billing documents, and office policies that have clear and relatable language. Especially for a therapist or counsellor with self-pay clients where adhering to office policies (or not) can mean the difference of hundreds or thousands of dollars annually, clear and organized paperwork is essential. The right paperwork will anticipate common issues of private practices by including clear policies that neutralize many delicate situations when clients' emotions may be running high.

As our world moves to a digital format, the need to maintain organized boundaries over email has become essential as well (such as when a client emails to say they need to cancel, and their cancellation will either mark them as late or be part of a pattern of frequent cancellations that is creating a burden to a therapist or counsellor who is blocking her own schedule with a standing appointment for the frequent-canceller). Trying to create timely responses to emails "on the fly" is challenging for therapists-- so a bank of email templates for common (and not so common!) client situations can be a good resource for therapists or counsellors to keep their private practice organized.

Each therapist has their own way of creating organization, but one way that we help is through offering our document collection.

Let's face it: While many of us were taught how to be excellent therapists or counsellors, we were often not taught in graduate school how to be business people (including how to get clients, which is an essential part of any private practice). In fact, many therapists or counsellors are actually very shy about putting themselves out there or marketing themselves. They thrive in a cozy private practice office doing individual sessions with their clients, but actually getting those clients into their practice remains a hurdle for even the best of therapists/counsellors: Getting clients is a different skill set from treating clients.

Therapists or counsellors who struggle to create a profitable practice are often vulnerable to burnout, because they may need to see far too many clients just to pay their basic bills (including those expensive student loans, in many cases!). It is hard for these therapists or counsellors to be well-organized, since they are often juggling too many clients than is really best for them (or for the clients!). Alternatively, other therapists or counsellors may languish without enough clients, feeling constantly stressed because their practice not sustainable without enough clients. Therapists or counsellors without enough clients (or too many insurance clients and not enough self-pay clients) often benefit greatly from finding community and encouragement, as well as practical ideas on how to grow their practice so they can easily begin to pay off their loans, take care of their families, enjoy vacations or time off, and get massages or see a personal trainer to ensure their own self-care keeps them refreshed and ready to bring their best level of care to sessions.

Profits are more than just making money. In the holistic sense, and from its Latin root "profectus" meaning "progress" or "advance", a truly profitable practice is one that is also sustainable and organized. It enriches the clients, the therapist, the counsellor, and the community around it. A profitable practice allows the therapist or counsellor to focus on what they enjoy most: Doing excellent therapy! Dr. Chloe's course for therapists and counsellors addresses all of these issues in her course for therapists who wish to build these private practice essentials.

	Practice in a Box $599	Private Practice Essentials $379	Social Media 101 Workshop for Therapists $49 $29	Private Practice Document Collection $325	Therapy Techniques Training $149
Video & Audio Modules
Online Community
Accountability Planner
Social Media 101 On-Demand Workshop
Crossing the Finish Line: Turning Soft Inquiries into Solid Bookings
Document Collection
Use of Nervous Energy Worksheets

Thank you for the inspiration, encouragement, and guidance!

Judith Roberts, Ph.D., LMHC

My practice is growing thanks to YOUR video course. The principles on charging for late cancellations were especially
insightful and helpful.

Joseph Sacks, LCSW

Thank you Dr. Chloe. It was a wealth of knowledge and a great experience to join the group coaching call.

Preeti Presswala-Shah, LMFT

I’ve implemented 11 action items from your course— and I’m only on module 2! It’s been a valuable resource for me.
Thank you!

Laurie Phuong Ertley, LMFT

Dr. Chloe's insights and guidance is inspiring to me as I try to develop my practice. She is a shining light for people who are starting out!

Thomas Fleming, LCSW

Thank you, Chloe! Since starting your videos, I have: moved to a new office; done a newsletter announcement of 15% fee increase to occur 3 months from now; begun offering online sessions (I've completed two already!); and tried to change my attitude a bit to be more open with people! I don't know where you get your energy, but I love that you're willing to share it with others!
This is a great value for me.

Dr. Elena De Franceschi

Just wanted to thank you for the invaluable advice in your program. I really took the lessons to heart, and I am now booked at least a month in advance-- and that's after raising my fees to appropriate levels that truly reflect my expertise, thanks to your advice. I've found that it's not only good for me, it's actually good for my clients as well if I'm practicing good self-care in every regard. Thanks again for one of the most enlightening therapy office programs I have ever
come across!

Dr. Kenneth Grossman, PhD

I just want to thank you for sharing all of this knowledge on building a private practice. I’ve never known a colleague that was so generous in sharing this type of specific information on how to really get a practice started, especially a strong profitable practice. In graduate school, this was just not something that was taught. I really appreciate all that
you’re sharing here!

Dr. Natasha Manning, PhD

Been in private practice for about 2 years now, and I am really enjoying the material. It has been a great catalyst to take my practice to the
next level.

Dr. Kevin Kilcawley, PsyD

A must have resource for a therapist. Dr. Chloe's tried and true tools for effective client communications and office management will enrich an established practice or set up for success a
beginning professional.
Yulia Brockdorf, RD, LD, CDE, CST, NCC, LPC, BC-ADM

This video series is incredibly meaty and full of good information. It’s like you have a good friend who is telling you everything you need to know about how to get clients and have a successful practice. It’s a solid course, plus it’s fun to watch!

Dr. Judith Zackson, PhD

I was on the call and did not get a chance to say hello. Want you to know I enjoyed the abundance of information
and conversation.

Patty Murray

Thank you very much for the kick in the butt I need to start my private practice. I deeply appreciate the role play and the coaching to get it in gear.

Truly this was a gift to me

Lesa Rader-Giberson

Hi Dr. Chloe, I just wanted to reach out and say thank you. I heard you on two webinars for therapy sites a while back and was impressed with what I heard and decided to purchase your course. I'm familiar with a lot of the so-called coaches and consultants out there and have been mostly disappointed with the quality of info they ultimately deliver once you get past the "freebies."

However, I've been more than impressed so far with the information, concepts, and ideas in Profitable Practices. I appreciate your approach to private practice. I come from a corporate background so naturally a lot of what you share really resonates with me. I hope you continue to develop this approach and grow it.

James Killian, LPC

Dr. Chloe's programs for clinicians

Private practice Products

Practice in a Box

$599

Private Practice Essentials

$379

Social Media 101 Workshop for Therapists

$49 $29

Private Practice Document Collection

$325

Therapy Techniques Training

$149

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

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