Explore every episode of the podcast Fearless Practice
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raising and Lowering Rates | Ep 135 | 04 Sep 2024 | 00:21:46 | |
Today we're going to get a little more personal! I'm going to share more about my Canadian private practice and how I run it, especially when it comes to raising and lowering my rates. In the spirit of integrity and authenticity, I want to share these things with you! In this episode, I'm going to be talking about how I raised my rates and then lowered them, and the reasons why I chose to do this, and what I have learned along the way. In this episode:
Playing the market Around eight years ago, I started at $125 per session. At this point that price was considered high for a Registered Counseling Therapist, let alone a candidate, which I was at the time. Over the years, I got up to $300 for intake and $275 for subsequent sessions, and I had remained at this price for the past two years. The reason why I wanted to play the market was because I was curious to see what my worth was financially. I had gotten burned out a few years ago, and was encouraged to raise my rates so that I could see fewer clients but still pay the bills. Managing the stress of raising rates I noticed that I felt a significant amount of stress each time I decided to raise my rates but was not sure why. What I noticed in the beginning was that I would slowly adjust and feel more comfortable with the new price, and then the stress would reduce. But as my rates got higher and higher, I was unable to destress from the price increase. Staying connected with community I realized I started to feel disconnected from my community because, as you raise your rates, fewer and fewer people can afford your services There are other ways to help community, such as hiring other therapists who can see clients at a lower rate or referring to other awesome therapists. But I love being a therapist and doing the work with clients. I wanted to help my community in a way that worked for me as well as for them. The unexpected solution! In the spring, I realized that I wanted to lower my rates. I was scared to do it though, because I was nervous that I would reduce my income too much and I wouldn't be able to afford the bills. However, the solution to my problem arrived unexpectedly! I received news that Registered Counselling Therapists and Registered Psychotherapists in Canada no longer have to charge tax! This meant that I could adjust and lower my rates more easily and become more accessible to my community. My associate and I wanted to find a price range that would be more affordable for clients, enable us to cover our expenses, and allow us to maintain a balanced work schedule without needing to work five days a week. Within one day of the tax being taken off, we decided our range and posted it on our Instagram and website, and emailed our clients to let them know, and jumped right in! It's a great feeling to know that you could charge more but you choose not to because you want to live and work in alignment with your values. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Heidi Sturgeon: How I Launched and Grew My Canadian Private Practice | Ep 134 | 31 Jul 2024 | 00:52:46 | |
Join Julia for an encore presentation of her 2022 conversation with Heidi Sturgeon. It's a thought-provoking episode that has an unexpected twist at the end! You can find the show notes here. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 133: Canada's new tax exemption on regulated therapy services | EP 133 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Kelly Hoskin: Trusting the Process for Success in Canadian Private Practice | Ep 125 | 29 May 2024 | 00:27:38 | |
Sometimes people can feel nervous to start their careers since they don't know where it will end up. We may feel like we need to know exactly how the journey will look before we head towards a new destination. In this podcast episode, Kelly and I discuss how she had no intention of working in psychotherapy initially after grad school, but found her way there. She discovered more of what she loved along the way! MEET KELLY Kelly Hoskin (BSW, RSW) is a registered social worker and psychotherapist passionate about supporting teenagers and adults, Indigenous peoples, and those grieving the loss of a pet. Kelly lives in Angus, Ontario and provides sessions virtually and in-person, including walk and talk therapy. She feels strongly in meeting clients where they're at and staying flexible to their needs. The client is the expert in their own life, and Kelly helps them to navigate their healing journey. Learn more about Kelly on her Instagram and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
Kelly's entrance to social work Kelly got her bachelor's degree after high school, and then she worked for a few years at an employee assistance program. Eventually, she decided to complete her bachelors of social work. After she graduated from her bachelors of social work, it took her another few years to figure out what to do with her degree. From social work into private practice Kelly worked as the coordinator in a collective of therapists, and she was well-known there. She did potential client's risk assessments and recommended them to a therapist in the collective. Kelly was then motivated to start a private practice, with just a Bachelors of Social Work. She wanted to make sure that there wasn't a specific rule stating that she wasn't allowed, and within her province, it is allowed - but maybe not always recommended! Since further studying is often encouraged or required. Always check with your college! Kelly approached the team as joining a psychotherapist, and was met with a warm welcome. They were supportive of her trying it out, and it just took time, her confidence, and support from other psychotherapists - with peer supervision - but Kelly did get there! Working in NIHB People who have status, either Inuit or indigenous, can access this service and they can receive up to 22 counselling sessions per calendar year. The therapist is paid directly from the government, so the client doesn't have to pay at all. In order to be a part of this program you can fill out an application as to why you would be competent to be part of this program. You can learn more about this service on their official website. Kelly markets to her clients via her social media platforms, as well as receiving clients through her referral network. Additionally, Kelly hosts a networking event each month for both fellow practitioners as well as clients, which allows more people to find out about her work, as well as allowing her to provide a platform for more therapists and clients to meet. Kelly's advice for listeners You are not the only one who doesn't know what they are doing with the business side of private practice! Connect with your community of fellow therapists and practitioners, so that you have people to learn from and lean on, this is not a journey that you have to walk alone. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 124: Seeking Out and Mastering Work/ Life Balance | EP 124 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Kelly on her Instagram and Psychology Today profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| How Do I Prepare for Private Practice While Still in Grad School?: Live Consultation With Barb Barker | Ep 35 | 24 Aug 2022 | 00:47:06 | |
Are you almost finished grad school and want to start Canadian private practice? What are the essentials that you need to have ready before you see clients? It can be daunting to step into the counselling world after completing your studies, but getting yourself prepared while in grad school is the best step you can take to rocket yourself quickly and comfortably into Canadian private practice. In this podcast episode, I do a live consultation with Barb, who is excited to begin her journey as a therapist, and we discuss the essentials to help her – and you – launch your Canadian private practice. MEET BARB BAKER Barb is a parent, wife, and intern counsellor. She hopes to open a private practice right after graduation. Currently, the focus of her practice will be parenting and neurodiversity (specifically autism). Learn more about Barb on her Psychology Today profile. In this episode:
It's easier to get your CECs through CCPA If you can, become a CCC – Canadian certified counsellor – as well as an RCT – registered counselling therapist (or Psychotherapists in Ontario) because it provides you with easier access to completing your education credits. Your college could provide some CECs but CCPA offers many more options for getting continuing education credits. If you are still in grad school, consider getting a student membership at the CCPA. Then, once you have completed grad school, it can be a smooth transition to become a CCC. Also, join the counselling college in your province (if it has one)so that insurance companies will cover your services and so that you adhere to the best code of ethics and standards of practice for counselling. Get your liability insurance Once you become a CCC, you can apply to get your liability insurance through the CCPA. Getting liability insurance through CCPA is affordable and easy to do. Check out my podcast with Tara Scullion from BMS insurance to learn more! Start blogging If your student budget allows it, launch your website through Brighter Vision and start blogging to lay the foundations of your SEO. If you know your niche and your ideal clientele then start writing basic blog posts. Consider putting a banner on your website: "Opening Sessions 2023" and then in January, you can update the banner depending on when you receive your certification and/or licensing. Write blog posts that include keywords about your ideal clients and the locations where they are so that when they search for counsellors within their area, you pop up. Repurpose your content Even if social media isn't your thing, you can easily repurpose content – like from your blog posts! – into Instagram reels, which are currently what the algorithm favours. Instagram is not only a great tool to connect with your ideal audience but it can also connect you with other professionals in your field and area. It is a networking opportunity between you and your clients and you and your peers. Focus on networking and building your online presence while you wait to get your full certification and/or licensure. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Barb on her Psychology Today profile. Learn more about liability insurance and licensing through the CCPA website. Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Listen to my podcast episodes on networking, blogging, and building a social media presence. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Michelle Noftall Returns: The Benefits of Trying Something New in Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 34 | 17 Aug 2022 | 00:33:21 | |
Does progress in your online Canadian private practice feel slow? Do you want to increase the reach to your ideal clients, but don't know where to start? I know some strategies that can help you. In this podcast episode, Michelle returns to talk about how our live consultation in the Spring helped her private practice become successful. We revisit her Canadian private practice journey and how she was able to become five times busier by using a few new simple approaches to marketing and business. Join us and see how they can help you too! MEET MICHELLE NOFTALL Michelle Noftall is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who opened her own online practice, OPAL Counselling NL, this past Fall. Her areas of interest are grief, loss, and life transitions. She is also a musician and educator who has almost finished a training program to integrate music into her counselling practice. She strives to provide a valuable service to her clients as well as build on her own strengths and passions as she does so. Learn more about Michelle on her website. In this episode:
Early struggles that Michelle faced in her practice Before my first consultation with Michelle, she had struggled with a period of slow growth within her Canadian online practice. After our conversation, she tried some new techniques and approaches to marketing that I recommended, and things turned around for the better! Helpful Instagram changes Michelle was inspired after our first consultation and committed herself to making some of the changes that we had discussed to help her reach and surpass her goals. Some of these changes included:
In creating her Instagram reels, Michelle got more comfortable and as she did so, she became more popular online. She often created reels out-of-office to be less formal, makes some reels outside, and used music in the background. Taking professional photos Michelle reached out to a friend of hers whom she had previously worked on music projects with to take some high-quality, professional photos. Together, they took some new headshots and did some indoor and outdoor photoshoots. These top-quality photos can instantly boost your credibility and approachability, so consider investing in working with a professional photographer to take a few. Investing in a professional website Creating an authentic, smooth, and professional online representation of yourself and your business is an integral aspect of building sustainable success for your Canadian online private practice. Consider working with companies like Brighter Vision to build you an impactful and easy-to-use website that connects you more easily to your ideal clients. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 33: Neena and Meg from Articulate Design Co: How to Design a Gorgeous Counselling Space Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Listen to Michelle's first episode on the Fearless Practice Podcast Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Neena and Meg: How to Design a Gorgeous Counselling Space | Ep 33 | 10 Aug 2022 | 00:45:38 | |
Do you provide counselling in-person, online, or both? How do you incorporate your branding colours, ethos, and approach to therapy into the atmosphere of your office? Are you looking at your space now and thinking that it may need some sprucing up? In this podcast episode, I speak with Neena and Meg about the best way to create a unified and welcoming therapeutic space. From adding layers of textures and light to the science behind a calming office, there is something new here for you to learn! MEET NEENA AND MEG Neena and Meg are two clinicians on a mission to change the way we interact with our wellness spaces. They want to optimize the client and clinician journey through the creation of both function and beautifully designed spaces. They believe that inspiring spaces, inspire. Learn more about Neena and Meg on their company's website. In this episode:
The secret behind Articulate Design Co's success Different design companies promise to help clinicians create a welcoming space for their clients. But what made Neena and Meg's company grow so fast and sustainably? The secret lies in the fact that they are both clinicians themselves. They understand the deeper reasons behind what it takes to create the best therapeutic environment for both therapists and their clients. Designing a space that embodies the business When Neena and Meg work with clinicians to create their therapy space, they combine two things; the aesthetic of your business and the needs of your ideal clients. Neena and Meg strive to create unique spaces for each of their clients. They do not want their designs to be recognizable as their work because they strive to elevate the essence of the clinician's space, atmosphere, and their approach to clients. Neena and Meg's tips Designing a peaceful and welcoming therapeutic space is a multi-layered process. However, some principles that Neena and Meg suggest being mindful of include:
These tips work for both in-person and online counselling spaces. Incorporate them together in your room because your physical and virtual presence needs to be aligned. Integrate your space with your branding To further align your virtual and physical counselling space, as well as to remain consistent in your business and marketing efforts, you can (subtlety) bring your company colours into the atmosphere. The more your clients can interact with your branding colours, the more they will recognize your online presence. When clients see and feel that branding consistency, they tend to trust you more. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 32: Raising and Setting Your Rates Ethically for New and Current Clients Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Neena and Meg on their company's website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Linktree profiles. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Setting and Raising Your Rates Ethically for New and Current Clients | Ep 32 | 03 Aug 2022 | 00:24:55 | |
When was the last time you raised your hourly rate? Do you feel anxious or nervous when it comes to addressing your hourly fee with new or current clients, especially when you know you need to increase your income to continue providing top-quality therapy? There are a lot of emotions involved in setting and raising your rates and they can sometimes hold you back from making progress in your business if you don't address them. I have struggled with this too. So I hope this episode will help you to decide how to raise your rates ethically and where to start when setting your rates. In This Episode:
What to consider when setting your rate A lot goes into deciding on an amount to charge per hour for your time and energy with a client. It can make it easier for you, and them, to understand your value by making sense of what goes into it behind the scenes. I recommend setting your rates based on your skills, experience, training, outcomes, and the unique qualities that you have as a therapist. If you are starting from the very beginning, I recommend doing some research on Psychology Today and finding out how much therapists in your field are charging in your area. Find the middle range, and add on an extra $10. For new clients, I recommend (bravely!) raising your rates, especially once you are three weeks full, and keep doing that until you find a good flow of having a session or two available every three weeks. If it doesn't work, then you can lower the rates again, no problem (as the new rates only apply to new clients). Overcoming the emotional toll of raising your rates Remind yourself of why you started your Canadian private practice. For me, I wanted to achieve a healthy work-life balance because I did not want to see a lot of clients and get burned out. I wanted to provide high-quality therapy to my clients while also making time to enjoy life. How to ethically raise your rates Therefore, when people are looking at your services they will know exactly what your prices are before engaging with you. When raising your rates for clients that you are currently seeing, send out an email stating that you are raising your rates and they can either pay the new rate or reach out to you if it's too expensive. If a client cannot afford your new rate you can refer them to a therapist within their budget or offer them a discount. Keep in mind that, depending on the situation, it may be unethical to end therapy with a client and refer them out right away. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 31: Heidi Sturgeon: A Fellow Canadian Therapist's Private Practice Journey | EP 31 Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Research the prices of other therapists in your area on Psychology Today Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Heidi Sturgeon: How I Launched and Grew My Canadian Private Practice | EP 31 | 27 Jul 2022 | 00:51:47 | |
What does success look like to you in your Canadian private practice? Where do you want to place your focus and time within your practice? Do you even have to hire more therapists? In this episode, Heidi and I speak about our respective Canadian private practice journeys – how surprisingly similar they are! – and what lies in store for us now. From networking to overcoming hurdles to reclaiming our approach to a work-life balance, we talk about it all. MEET HEIDI STURGEON Heidi is a clinical social worker that has a group online private practice in Halifax. Her vision to offer another option for clients seeking therapy led to her developing an Online Mental Health Private Practice in 2016, www.heidisturgeon.com, that provides secure and confidential therapy to clients in the comfort of their home, office, or location of their choice. In 2019 her practice expanded to become the first Online Mental Health Group Practice in Atlantic Canada. When not working with clients or working on her Private Practice Heidi can be found on or near the water, reading or appreciating a good cup of coffee. Learn more about Heidi on her website. In this episode:
Launching an online practice Heidi launched her private practice into the digital space after she resigned from her government job in 2015. Way ahead of the curve, Heidi decided to have this feature in her Canadian private practice to make it more client-focused and accessible. There are often barriers to clients accessing therapy due to transportation issues or finding affordable child-care services to take care of their families while they seek professional counselling. More than that, Heidi wanted to work from a home office space and have more control over her schedule, and building a Canadian online private practice helped her to achieve those goals. Allow flexibility and change For any Canadian therapist on their private practice journey, Heidi's advice is to have a plan in mind and to work towards your goals but to also allow some flexibility. There will be changes and shifts that happen in your business and life and practicing being flexible and open-minded will help you to more easily overcome those challenges. Heidi's tips for finding clients Get going on building your network. Referrals can find you through any stream whether through past or current clients, or fellow therapists who need to refer other clients out. Networking efforts can look different and range from:
Do you want to hire therapists? There is the hustle-capitalist culture in our society that urges people to constantly push to the next level, to never stop, and to always be chasing a goal. If you want to grow a successful and large Canadian private practice, hiring more therapists is key. However, is that what you want? Are you defining your work fulfillment based on the quick succession of successes, or on the quality of the work that you do with clients and colleagues? Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 30: Tara Scullion: What You Need to Know About Canadian Private Practice Insurance Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Heidi on her website, Psychology Today profile, Instagram page, and Facebook page. Listen to my podcast episode What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | EP 27 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Tara Scullion: What You Need to Know About Canadian Private Practice Insurance | Ep 30 | 20 Jul 2022 | 00:35:12 | |
What is your sleep-at-night factor when it comes to insurance? Do you lie awake at night fretting over what could go wrong, or have you taken the necessary steps to protect yourself and your practice? Whether your Canadian private practice provides teletherapy, in-person counselling, or both, you need to make sure that you cover your bases. In this podcast episode, Tara and I discuss the ins and outs of liability insurance and which essentials you need to have in your insurance package to maintain professional protection and integrity. MEET TARA SCULLION Tara is a Registered Insurance Broker and Associate Director at BMS, a specialist broker that provides insurance coverage and risk management services to over 500,000 healthcare and regulated professionals across Canada and globally. Tara and the BMS teamwork to deliver evidence-based industry data and professional liability to counsellor and psychotherapist members across the country. Learn more about Tara on her LinkedIn profile and business website. In this episode:
Liability insurance Liability insurance can also be called errors and omissions insurance or malpractice insurance. You could potentially be found liable for damages if some advice or treatment you gave goes awry, and that's where you can offset some risk onto yourself by taking out liability insurance. What you should make sure to include in your liability insurance policy:
Some of Tara's insurance package recommendations for therapists For Canadian therapists in private practice, Tara recommends taking out packages that include:
Liability insurance for online therapy Now that many Canadian therapists are providing telehealth due to the pandemic, the business world has had to develop new strategies to protect both practices and clients online. You have to look at:
To further protect yourself and your practice, be sure to remain within your scope of practice both where you are located and where your client is located. This means that you keep to the regulations of your client's province, even if it differs slightly from yours. Read up on GetCyberSafe about how you can further protect yourself and your Canadian private practice online while providing teletherapy and if you practice in different countries. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: How to Create a Video that Takes Your Marketing to the Next Level | EP 29 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Tara on her LinkedIn profile and business website Jane App – use the promo code FEARLESS for one month grace period Listen to my podcast episode about Starting a Canadian Group Private Practice | EP 26 Protect yourself online and read up on resources on GetCyberSafe | |||
| How to Create a Video That Takes Your Marketing to the Next Level | Ep 29 | 13 Jul 2022 | 00:21:25 | |
Are most of your social media postings and marketing efforts static pictures? Do you want to elevate your practice in the eyes of prospective clients? Or would you simply like to boost your Canadian private practice's online presence? Whatever your goals are, making a video to advertise your Canadian private practice is the next best thing to connecting with your ideal client face-to-face! In this episode, I share my experience and share with you some of my secret tips to help you to create your first video, and how to make it great! In This Episode:
Why you should use videos in your marketing It is crucial for anyone who is starting and growing a Canadian private practice to make use of videos in their marketing and online advertising. In your videos, you can talk about:
Standard networking is still important but if you want to take your marketing to the next level, you should consider a video! Invest in your private practice by making a professional video You could shoot a short video with a friend and edit it yourself, but that is a risky choice, as it may cause more harm than good because it may look less professional, hereby undermining the true quality of your practice and the therapy you provide. Even though it is expensive, consider it an investment for your Canadian private practice because it will move your business to the next level. Tips for your video
Top tip: Before you work with your videographer, ask to see their resume and any past projects they have worked on to see whether you like their style or not. Get to editing. Once your videographer sends you edits, you can go back and forth with them to get the best final edit. You can give them your preferences and they can recommend their professional opinions. Now, put your professional and amazing video on the front page of your website so that any clients that are on your page can watch it! Consider putting a short 15-second cut of the video on your Psychology Today profile for an extra boost. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 28: How to Manage Burnout in Canadian Private Practice: Live Consulting with Holly Sher Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| How Do I Manage Burnout in My Canadian Private Practice? Live Consulting With Holly Sher | Ep 28 | 06 Jul 2022 | 00:50:13 | |
Are you stuck in the loop of taking on more clients at a discounted rate to make ends meet, leading you to become more and more burned out from the extra therapy hours? Where can you save some time and make passive income to help you increase your income and get more work/life balance? It is possible to create systems that make it easier for your Canadian private practice to grow (and your clinic hours to shrink). All it takes is some planning, some consulting, and a bit of bravery. In this episode, I talk with Holly about how she can do just that. MEET HOLLY SHER Holly loves being a therapist for a living and finds it super rewarding being on another's journey with them. She loves animals (even bats), her partner, cooking, gardening, and a good thunderstorm. Learn more about Holly on her Psychology Today profile. In this episode:
Feeling underpaid and overworked Many Canadian therapists in private practice offer sliding scales to potential clients who need financial assistance. Over time, this can lead to burnout, as the therapist may take on more and more clients simply to make ends meet. For Holly, I recommend:
Letting go of EAP work Making the leap can be scary, but once you get there, you will have more time and energy to attract the clients that you want – and that can pay you what you need and deserve. 1 – Crunch the numbers: how much income do you need? 2 – Stick to the number that you need. Provide a set amount of sessions, and once those are up, invite them to sign up for additional services of yours until they can afford your full fee. 3 – Offer a membership community: create a course or membership community that your EAP clients can sign up for at an affordable monthly price to receive additional videos and webinars that you post. Reducing Administrative Work When writing up notes after a session, don't spend hours on this task. Learn how to write clear and concise notes by speaking to your clinical supervisor and colleagues. Also, hire a virtual assistant to answer phone calls and emails so that you can focus your energy on counselling clients and having more time off! It may take a lot of time at the beginning to hire and train a virtual assistant but once the onboarding is complete, you will have more freedom to do the things that you enjoy. Pick one system Instead of splitting your time, energy, and money between various platforms and software, pick one. I recommend Jane App as it is fully suited and designed for therapists. Some of the benefits include:
Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | EP 27 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Holly on her Psychology Today profile | |||
| What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | Ep 27 | 29 Jun 2022 | 00:19:26 | |
When last did you make time for your hobbies? Do you feel like you are on a constant hamster wheel within your job? What does success mean to you? At the beginning of my private practice journey, I thought that business success would help me feel happier and fulfilled. But over the last five years, I realized that I had to make a change. In this podcast episode, I open up about my Canadian private practice journey and how my idea of what success means has changed. I hope that my experience will give you some food for thought about what success means to you, and how to find that invaluable fulfillment while starting and growing your own private practice. In This Episode:
What I thought private practice success would feel like First when I started my Canadian private practice around five years ago, I started it because I wanted to:
I thought that if I worked really hard, I would have a happy life. This idea is normalized in university with the cycle of working hard, becoming burnt out, recuperating over a couple of weeks, and then starting the whole process over again in order to get a degree. What I realized about private practice success I now practice being aware of hustle culture and reminding myself that it will not fulfill me. This helps to stop myself from going back to the old ways of burning myself out to get things done. Achieving work-life balance What are your expectations and what does your current mindset around having a Canadian private practice look like? Will your work help you in your life to achieve a more genuine sense of well-being and fulfilment? If you are getting stuck in the mind loop of thinking that you will only be happy in the future once you have achieved a certain level of success, I challenge you to reframe that mindset! Remember that happiness is not something you reach. It is something that you gain by doing the work, the work of prioritizing well-being every day! What I wish I knew when I was starting my practice What I wish that I did when I started my practice was to invest more time into my hobbies, be social outside of work, and focus on things in my work that I actually enjoyed doing rather than the things that I felt I needed to do in order to reach a certain level of success/happiness. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 26: Starting a Canadian Group Private Practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Starting a Canadian Group Private Practice | Ep 26 | 22 Jun 2022 | 00:21:45 | |
At the beginning of my private practice journey, I knew that I wanted to run a group practice. I didn't know how or when! But I knew that it was something I wanted to do because I liked the idea of passive income and not being burnt out by seeing a lot of clients. Though a lot of work at the beginning, I'm so glad I committed to the journey! In This Episode:
Why hire another therapist? By hiring therapists to start your Canadian group private practice, you can help more clients while making passive income. You're also helping other Canadian therapists to reach their full potential by giving them an opportunity to have more clinical freedom and work/life balance. You can also enjoy working in a great environment and within a like-minded community of because you have hired them! When and why I hired my first therapist I decided that I wanted to hire an associate because:
How to hire your first therapist
Do research to see which type will best suit how you want to run your growing group practice. I chose an independent contractor agreement as I don't have to pay my associate if they don't have clients but also my associate gets a larger amount of pay if they have clients.
It is totally worth it to hire a Canadian lawyer to write the contract because – when done correctly from the beginning – it can save you a lot of time, money, and energy in the future by making sure that you have everything correctly in order with your new therapist from the get-go. You can even reach out to law firms in your province and see if they have associates or students that might want to write the contract for a reduced rate and remember that you will make this money back.
Hire someone that you know, respect, and have a good relationship with. However, steer clear from hiring your best friend as this may change the dynamics of your relationship!
Take some time to go through the contract with your prospective therapist, negotiate fees and terms, and bring them on board! Will I hire more therapists?
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 25: Kelly Stevens: Tips for Relocating Your Canadian Private Practice with Ease | EP 25 Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice | EP 06 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Redefining Work-Life Balance in a Canadian Private Practice | Ep 124 | 22 May 2024 | 00:13:32 | |
We always hear about "optimization", and to the extent that many folks may be influenced to outsource everything possible so that they have more free time. But imagine this; if you had all this extra free time, after the time to rest, exercise, and spend time with loved ones, what would you be doing? If you had more free time and the mental capacity for tasks that you enjoy, what would they be? You don't have to outsource all the parts of your private practice, maybe only the parts that you either need help with, or that you really don't like doing. If you're a great therapist, but you also love marketing or SEO (like me!) then there's nothing wrong with structuring your tasks so that you still get to do these tasks that you enjoy doing in your practice. Work-life balance is just that, a balance that you have to test out to discover where it lies for you. This is what I've done, listen in to learn more! In this Episode:
Some background on my experience so far Sometimes therapists can only stay in the profession for a while because they can get severely burnt out, and I didn't want that to happen to me. When I started my Canadian private practice part-time, I was still working at university as a therapist. Even though I loved both jobs, I could tell that I was getting burnt out. So, once I fully transitioned into private practice, things started to slowly get better! And I started to finally achieve some more work-life balance. I share more about this on this podcast episode; a 50/50 work week. Additionally, I share how having more free time helped me to overcome some obstacles that cropped up during this time. The reality of my choices At a time, this 50/50 work week split was great because it provided me with the chance to get to everything I needed to in my practice while allowing myself to rest on the off days. However, with this additional extra time, I was getting a little bored. I started to ask myself what fills my soul, beyond doing the therapy work that I love. I could sense that there was something more that I wanted to do and contribute to with my time and energy; I just had to figure out what that was. What I came to understand was that by outsourcing everything that I possibly could, there were types of work that I was no longer doing that I did enjoy doing. Do things because you love doing them So, even though a business owner could technically outsource every single thing in their business to someone else - besides only what they can do - that's not something that you have to do! You can still find the balance between hiring outside assistants and help, and still doing the tasks that you enjoy doing! Remember that you don't have to follow everyone else's example. Take advice and learn from other people's experience, but at the end of the day, you are the one who can build a system that is best-suited for your needs and desires. Some questions for you to think about could include:
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 123: Michelle Ham: Joining a Collective to Build a Successful Practice | EP 123 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Kelley Stevens: Tips for Relocating Your Canadian Private Practice With Ease | EP 25 | 15 Jun 2022 | 00:42:48 | |
Do you have to move your Canadian private practice? Are you nervous about losing clients? Though daunting, moving your Canadian private practice to a new city or province can potentially provide you with the opportunity for business growth, financial gain, and personal development! If you are moving or have been thinking about relocating, in this podcast episode, I speak with Kelley Stevens about her experience of moving (three times!) and all her knowledge, tips, and advice to aspiring Canadian therapists who are seeking to try something new for themselves and their practice. MEET KELLEY STEVENS Kelley Stevens is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a private practice consultant for therapists. Kelley teaches online courses and hosts workshops for therapists looking to build successful and sustainable cash-pay private practices. Learn more about Kelley on her website. In this episode:
Do you want to move to a new province? If you are considering a big move and heading across the country, the first point of call would be to check your current licensing and whether or not it is correct for the new province that you will be working in. Sublet a business address in your new city While you are planning your arrival in the new city or province, make it a priority to set up a physical address for your business. This is great to boost your search engine optimization (SEO) in your new city because it makes it much easier for people who are searching in your area to now find you. The easiest way to do this would be to contact a therapist in the city you are moving to and see if you can sublet their address, or even an office in their building for an afternoon or two a week, as your business physical address. Letting go of your previous referral list For any Canadian therapist who moves to a new location, having to let go of an old referral source is a professional heartbreak. However, you can leverage your existing network to help you land new connections in your new city before you have even settled in. As long as it is legal and you're licensed correctly, you can provide telehealth in your new Canadian private practice so that you can stay connected with your previous clients! Which marketing efforts to focus on first after moving To prepare to move and for once you arrive, Kelley recommends:
Kelley's advice for relocating therapists Connect with other therapists to support one another in your personal business growth and development. Consider joining a Facebook community of therapists that is centered around your current city and the new city that you are thinking about moving to. Go to the in-person networking events in the city that you live in. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 24: Hire a Canadian Virtual Assistant: How and Why You Should Do it Today Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Kelley on her website, Facebook, and Instagram profiles Connect with other telehealth therapists through the Telehealth Therapist Network and Frame | |||
| Hire a Canadian Virtual Assistant: How and Why You Should Do It Today | EP 24 | 08 Jun 2022 | 00:21:34 | |
When I started my Canadian private practice I did all the admin, from answering the phone to responding to emails. It took up a lot of hours that could have been focused on seeing more clients or building my practice. But finally I hired a virtual assistant and now my practice is growing and I haven't looked back! Are you still doing all the admin within your private practice while providing therapy to your clients? Do you find yourself stretched thin between all the deadlines and to-do lists? Maybe it's time for you to hire your first virtual assistant (VA)! In this podcast episode, I tell you my story and explain exactly how you can get started. In This Episode:
Why is hiring a VA important? As a counsellor, you don't want to waste your valuable time doing admin work like answering phone calls or responding to emails. These admin tasks can easily be done by someone else, freeing up your time and energy to focus on what you do best: being a therapist and helping people! Some reasons why hiring a VA is important for your business:
How I hired my first VA I decided I wanted to hire my own VA because I wanted the freedom to train them from the ground up for my specific Canadian private practice and I wanted them to do specific tasks that were not included in packages at virtual assistant companies. After realizing that these companies were not the right fit for me, the next option was to write up an ad and post it online. In this ad I wrote about:
How to train your VA After you have found your VA, and hired them, this is what I recommend to train them to become a well-suited employee for your Canadian private practice: 1. Meet with your VA once a week for 30-minutes 2. Create a Google Doc instruction manual and have your VA as an editor so that you can both edit it as you are talking in real-time. 3. Use Slack for communication with your VA about scheduling or any work-related queries. Remember that Slack is not PIPEDA compliant, so be careful not to share any identifying information through it. 4. For password privacy, use Dashlane to share passwords securely with your VA and monitor how your VA is checking up on the accounts they need to. 5. Set up a virtual phone to contact your virtual assistant! Use Grasshopper to communicate with your VA easily and professionally. When should you hire your first VA? As soon as you can! It is one of the best investments that you can make in your Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 23: What should I Include in my Canadian Marketing Plan?: Live Consultation with Michelle Noftall Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice How I Set Up My Canadian Private Practice | EP 02 How I Grew My Canadian Private Practice | EP 04 Consider using Slack for online communications with your VA Consider using Dashlane for security and privacy with your VA Consider using Grasshopper as a virtual phone system Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| What Should I Include in My Canadian Marketing Plan?: Live Consultation With Michelle Noftall | EP 23 | 01 Jun 2022 | 00:47:21 | |
Are you fully utilizing the power of keywords in your blog posts? What works and what doesn't work in your current marketing plan? From Instagram reels to networking relationships, your marketing plan is important and should be fine-tuned and optimized. In this episode, I do a live consultation with Michelle and discuss how to strategically diversify her marketing plan to advertise her Canadian private practice to her ideal clients. MEET MICHELLE NOFTALL Michelle Noftall is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who opened her own online practice, OPAL Counselling NL, this past Fall. Her areas of interest are in grief, loss, and life transitions. She is also a musician and educator who is beginning a training program to integrate music into her counselling practice. She strives to provide a valuable service to her clients as well as build on her own strengths and passions as she does so. Learn more about Michelle on her website. In this episode:
Utilize your blog posts Keywords in blog posts have dual purposes. You can use blog posts to help your ideal clients connect with you while they look at your websites, but you can also strategically use keywords in blog posts to help your Canadian private practice rank higher on online searches. When reviewing your marketing plan, consider looking at the blog posts you are writing and the keywords you are using. Tactically (and tactfully) combine keywords with the common pain points of your ideal clients as well as the geographical locations of your prospective clients. Instagram reels Instagram's algorithm currently favours videos more than photographs, so you can greatly boost your presence on Instagram by posting more reels instead of infographics. In your Instagram reels, be sure to use:
Your marketing plan should not only include the platforms you use but also your look within the content. Remember to be genuine in your appearance so that when your audience sees your videos, they see what you would look like in a therapy session. You want to look approachable and kind. Network Invest in creating info and/or business cards to give to people and companies in your community that you plan to network with. Networking is an important part of marketing yourself and building reliable, mutually beneficial relationships within your community. By creating some small, aesthetic, and professional cards, you can easily strike up a conversation and make a business connection. Contact businesses, doctors, and organizations that work with clients in your niche to foster referral sources and create business connections. Building business relationships Networking is the first step to creating long-term, mutual business relationships. The next step is to offer your new business connections a small giveaway or offering to give to their clients, thereby linking the client to you and your services. Consider recording a free webinar or video series to offer your new networking referral to give to their clients. Stay consistent With any marketing plan strategy, it can take a handful of times for a prospective client to interact with your content online before they reach out to work with you. Therefore, you must stay consistent with your marketing efforts. Diversify how you interact with your audience to boost your marketing efforts. Use Instagram reels, infographics, free webinars, and network with the local community to foster trust and encourage interaction. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 22: Linzy Bonham: Build the Financial Foundation For Your Canadian Private Practice Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles Check to see if you are eligible for EI benefits on this website Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Create info and business cards through Moo | |||
| Linzy Bonham: Build the Financial Foundation for Your Canadian Private Practice| EP 22 | 25 May 2022 | 00:50:07 | |
Do you worry about money in your Canadian private practice? Have you separated your personal bank account from your business account?? How do you plan for retirement? In this podcast episode, I speak with Canadian money coach Linzy Bonham who covers the basics of how to build a strong financial foundation whereupon you can build your Canadian private practice. MEET LINZY BONHAM Linzy Bonham is a therapist turned money coach who teaches Canadian therapists and health practitioners the money skills to feel empowered and in control of their private practice finances, so they can have rich and fulfilling lives. Linzy has helped hundreds of therapists and health practitioners in her signature course, Money Skills For Therapists, and thousands more through her free resources (including her podcast by the same name). Learn more about Linzy Bonham on her website and Instagram. In this episode:
The importance of separating your bank accounts Many therapists may find it difficult to handle the business aspect of owning a Canadian private, but remember that managing your money and running a business is a skill that can be learned. Linzy has seen that many therapists new to private practice often struggle with supervising their bank accounts and separating their cash flow. Create separate bank accounts to lessen confusion and the potentiality of losing track of where your money is going. Find the balance between saving and spending your private practice income There is a balance that you can find between spending too much and being too strict with yourself. Running a successful Canadian private practice is an important job that requires money management skills and business tools. Allow yourself to find the balance between saving money and enjoying the benefits of your hard work by using the profit first model. Practice the "Profit First" philosophy Profit First is a budgeting system developed by Mike Michalowicz, the business writer, where small business owners are encouraged to divide up their expenses and pay a different percentage of their income into the following labeled bank accounts:
Is there ever a time when you can spend money from your sales tax account? Yes, but it depends on your return of investment on the decision that you make. There could be situations where you borrow money from your tax fund to purchase a course or skill that can immediately help you to boost your Canadian private practice. You need to be honest with yourself and trust yourself that whatever money you spend from your sales tax account that you are saving to pay your taxes at fiscal year-end, you will put it back in. How to plan and save for retirement Speak to a financial advisor to figure out what makes sense for your situation and goals. It does not have to be perfect, so start small for now, and develop it as you grow. Lay the foundations as soon as you can to help yourself in the future. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 21: Jara Dekker: Are You Curious About Being a Digital Nomad Therapist? Sign up for my free e-course about How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Listen to Linzy Bonhams' Money Skills for Therapists Podcast Follow Linzy Bonham on her website, LinkedIn account, and Instagram profile Learn more about Profit First through Mike Michalowicz's book Check out this website to calculate your projected tax expenses Listen to Julia Smith's podcast episode about budgeting for your Canadian Private Practice Look at different bank accounts like Tangerine Check out Linzy Bonham's Money Skills for Therapists course | |||
| Jara Dekker: Are You Curious About Being a Digital Nomad Therapist? | EP 21 | 18 May 2022 | 00:41:31 | |
Have you considered taking your Canadian private practice online and overseas? Would you be interested in becoming a digital nomad therapist? Is it even possible? In this podcast episode, I speak with Jara Dekker, a seasoned traveller who's been working on the move for the past five years. We discuss the pros and cons of digital nomadism, how to make friends, and how to combine the passion that you have for life with the passion to continue building your Canadian private practice. MEET JARA DEKKER Having stood at the crossroads between visionary and project manager for many years, Jara has learned that relationships are THE most important investment you can be making in your life. This discovery has resulted in her creation of Little Black Book, the system for nurturing and creating your network, a second mind holding all the details so you don't have to. Learn more about Jara Dekker on her website. In this episode:
How Jara became a digital nomad A digital nomad is a person who works remotely, full-time or part-time, while traveling to new places. From completing her schooling in the Netherlands to adventuring with her family from Hawaii to the Philippines, traveling around the world herself, and coming from a family of travellers, it feels natural for Jara to move from place to place. What to consider as an aspiring digital nomad therapist Set the standard for what you are willing to do and what you are not willing to do during this experience. For example, would you want to predominantly stay in Airbnb's or hotels? Adjust your expectations to create your budget accordingly. Where would you like to go? Think about the countries and continents you could travel to. Remember the time zone differences so that you can still provide therapy sessions at hours that are appropriate for you and your clients. Since a strong internet connection is going to be vital for you to continue providing therapy, make sure to check that the places you want to go to and work in have the appropriate connectivity requirements. Create the life that you want At any point in your life, it is important to ask yourself – as both a therapist and a client – whose voice is dictating my life? If you find that you are living your life by someone else's advice or rules, then it may be time to change things up and find what truly feels good and works for you. Start small to try it out. If you want to try the digital nomad life, take a month away, find someone to sublet your apartment or to take care of your home, and try being a digital nomad therapist somewhere. How to make friends wherever you go Even though constant travelling can sometimes feel lonely, it's not. You will create a massive network of online friends and loved ones as you travel. Jara's tips for making new friends:
Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 20: How Do I Optimize My New Canadian Private Practice? Live Consulting with Cayle Fiala Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about Jara Dekker on her LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook profiles and her website Research these countries which encourage digital nomad workers | |||
| How Do I Optimize My New Canadian Private Practice? Live Consulting With Cayle Fiala | EP 20 | 11 May 2022 | 00:36:35 | |
Is your Canadian private practice brand new? Are you unfamiliar with the business side of running a Canadian private practice? When you are starting out, it can be daunting to make sense of sales tax protocols and how to write a great Psychology Today profile. In this episode, I do a live consultation with Cayle and discuss various tips and tricks to help her establish the foundations of her new Canadian private practice. MEET CAYLE FIALA Cayle is an educator and therapist with a passion for art, inspiring creativity, and building meaningful connections. She is currently in the process of building her own private practice in rural Saskatchewan. Cayle's professional title is The Rural Therapist. Learn more about Cayle on her Instagram. In this episode:
Give your practice its own name It can be tempting to use your name for your Canadian private practice, as you may have already made a name for yourself. However, give your business its own name. This will make it easier to market or sell one day while establishing it in its own right. 'If at some point down the road you want to sell your business, it will be a lot harder to sell your business if it's your name.' – Julia Smith Therefore, consider your long-term goals and how your Canadian private practice may develop when you are choosing its name. Julia got an HST number as soon as she started her Canadian private practice to minimize business worry, but if you know you are not going to be earning more than 30K, you do not need to get an HST number. When you do get an HST number – and if you start with one – it can be very beneficial to include the tax within the price to separate it. 'That HST number is for your sales tax, the 15% … with Jane App you can easily include in your price the 15% sales tax so that when clients get their invoice it's already included in it, so that when you give everything to your accountant it will show your sales tax as well as the money that you charged for therapy, and it's really easily divided.' – Julia Smith How to word your Psychology Today profile The first two sentences on your Psychology Today profile matter the most. In the first paragraph, discuss:
In the second paragraph, discuss:
In the third paragraph, discuss:
Offer group therapy at a lower rate If you would like to have reduced hourly rates, offer the reduced rate for group therapy. You can then help many people and keep therapy accessible while still earning sustainable income for your Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 19: How to Set Up Your Canadian Private Practice for Financial Success www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Check out more of Cayle Fiala's work on Instagram. Learn more about the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Ali Taylor: Why You Need a Canadian EMR for Your Private Practice| EP 11 How to Set Your Psychology Today Profile Up for Success | EP 12 Sign onto Psychology Today | |||
| How to Set Up Your Canadian Private Practice for Financial Success | EP 19 | 04 May 2022 | 00:20:52 | |
I love to look at numbers and create a flexible yet profitable budget, but it's entirely another story to follow a budget. Learning how to effectively manage money is an important skill to master as a Canadian private practice owner. If in the past you have found it challenging to create and stick to a budget or you don't yet know where to begin in developing one, I discuss helpful tips and advice in this episode to help you get started. In This Episode:
Have an emergency fund I recommend to anybody who is starting in private practice to either have another job to help you pay the bills while your private practice is being set up or to start an emergency fund. Have savings that could sustain you and your Canadian practice to the value of, at minimum, three to six months of expenses. This lends you some peace of mind, gives you the resolve to focus on your business goals and values, and helps you to place your focus on building your practice without being too worried about finances. Make sure you have personal health insurance Invest in yourself. Find a good health insurance plan to save yourself extra – and potentially sudden – expenses. The sooner you purchase private health insurance, the better! Live below your means I love the term hedonic treadmill. It describes the treadmill that you get stuck on when you upgrade your lifestyle as your income increases and then you find yourself constantly working to afford your daily expenses. To curb the hedonic treadmill, I recommend you up the percentage of how much you put into your income tax account as your level of income increases. Some general expenses when starting a private practice Expenses can fluctuate in a Canadian private practice, but below is a list of some general payments that private practice owners make when they start their business. Monthly payments:
Annual fees:
Then, you'll need to calculate how much you need in your business savings per month. Calculate your monthly and annual fees and divide them by 12, and add a little more money on top. Your monthly savings should be around $650, following this basic outline. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 18: Sue Cook: How to Build a Successful Canadian Private Practice Jane App: Use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Look at Manulife for health insurance policies Consider marketing your private practice on Psychology Today. Want *6 FREE* months of Psychology Today that'll give me a free month too? Email me at info@fearlesspractice.ca your name and we'll hook you up. Pursue your education through Mental Health Academy Use Grasshopper for your virtual phone system. Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Sue Cook: How to Build a Successful Canadian Group Private Practice | EP 18 | 27 Apr 2022 | 00:48:37 | |
Many Canadian therapists feel overwhelmed by the business side of running a group private practice. It takes a practice owner with initiative and a collaborative nature to support their counsellors in providing the best therapy that they can as well as focusing on growing the group practice. In this episode, I speak with Sue Cook about how she created a supportive framework that helps clinicians in her Ontario group private practice provide their best therapy. MEET SUE COOK Sue Cook is the owner and operator of Family TLC. She started working in this profession in the early 1980's and has had the opportunity and privilege of assisting thousands of people reach their mental health and wellness goals. In 2000 her passion for making lives better came to fruition as she began running her own practice and in 2012, this expanded as she began to invite others to join her business. Sue's business goals, and big vision have guided her as she has built some leading edge components to Family TLC, making it into the multi-location growing therapy business it is today. Learn more about Sue Cook on her practice's website. In this episode:
The drive to build a Canadian group private practice Many clinicians have to learn how to run their businesses alongside providing therapy for their clients. This can be difficult without a business consultant. For Sue, her drive to build a group private practice in Ontario comes from:
Sue recognized therapists' need for business support. So, she created helpful scaffolding and business services that save her counsellors time, and money, and supports them while they focus on providing therapy for their clients. Providing training to new therapists When Sue hires new counsellors, she trains them in the Family TLC way. This methodology helps the new therapists to follow the guidelines of the practice while also using any therapeutic method with their clients. Sue's staff are taught a 12-week checklist. The training includes:
Hiring Canadian counsellors that best fit the practice Sue's approach to hiring therapists is collaborative and honest. Her hiring process involves:
Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 17: Blogging: Why It Is Important For Your Canadian Private Practice and How To Do It www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Sue Cooks' LinkedIn profile Family TLC's website Family TLC's Instagram Family TLC's Facebook Check out Family TLC's podcast | |||
| Blogging: Why It Is Important for Your Canadian Private Practice and How to Do It | EP 17 | 20 Apr 2022 | 00:16:17 | |
As soon as I started my private practice, I started blogging. Over time, it has helped me grow an audience, rank high on Google, and maintain a consistent connection with my clients. If you find blogging daunting, or you have been meaning to start but just don't know how to get going, in this episode, I discuss helpful tips from my personal blogging experience to help you get started. In This Episode:
What is blogging? A blog is a place where you can write about your personal experiences or share information. As a counsellor, blogging is a really useful tool that you can use to create great content for your website that also allows you to share helpful information with your clients. Why is blogging important?
I started blogging as soon as I opened up my private practice and I would recommend it to anyone who is opening up a private practice - even if it hasn't opened yet - start blogging now, so that you can build up that SEO! Things to keep in mind when blogging Write for your audience Write in an accessible, clear, and simple language that will draw in your audience while keeping the information understandable. Plan your blog post ideas Set aside some time to create a rough schedule of blog post ideas for the next 6-12 months, and then all you will have to do is fill in the information when you write the blog. Find a rhythm that works for you, but keep it consistent. Write about your niche Cover topics that relate to your niche to build a solid foundation of expertise that your audience can read through. Keep a simple layout Make sure that your blog has:
4 tips on how to blog
Keep your blogs date-free so that even if you stop blogging, your audience won't know.
This makes the blog more visually appealing and will encourage people to stay on that page a little bit longer and engage with the content. Always make sure to use royalty-free images from a site like Unsplash and reference the photographer.
Longer blogs are often left unread or skimmed through.
This helps your content to remain relevant for both your audience's interest and for Google's SEO rankings. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 16: 3 Things to Do Differently in Your Canadian Private Practice Jane App: Use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Get a website as unique as your practice with Brighter Vision Ep 08: How to build a Canadian Website that Ranks High on Google with Austin Kirkland Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Create your blogs using the free tool Canva Find great royalty-free images at Unsplash Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 3 Things to Do Differently in Your Canadian Private Practice | EP 16 | 13 Apr 2022 | 00:16:58 | |
This episode is a little nerve-wracking because I am going to recommend NOT DOING certain things in your Canadian private practice, that many counsellors do. If you do any of these things and it works for you, that's cool, no judgment. These are just tips that I've found helpful in my private practice journey in order to get a work-life balance. In This Episode:
I don't get the point of keeping a waitlist and then contacting somebody 2 months later to let them know that I can see them. This is what I recommend you do:
I would argue that the time you put into free consultations should be focused on other things such as offering more spots for counselling, building your private practice, or working on marketing. This is what I recommend you do:
As therapists we want to help people, I get it, but I just don't think that sliding scales should be used. It can put you in a position of having to negotiate a session price for each client. It can undervalue your worth and it can also be harder to raise your rates when your private practice is full. And clients that paid the full fee, may resent not getting a deal. This is what I recommend you do:
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 15: Amelia Hutchison: How To Ethically Build Your Social Media Audience Jane App: Use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Ep 07: How I Developed A Marketing Strategy For My Private Practice - Networking Open Path Psychotherapy Collective Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Michelle Ham: Joining a Collective to Build a Successful Practice | Ep 123 | 15 May 2024 | 00:30:31 | |
Many therapists may feel daunted by the idea of returning to school to get their masters or a PhD, especially after they have settled into their adult lives. However, it truly is never too late! If you have a desire to take your Canadian private practice to the next level, or you feel frustrated working on someone else's schedule, and you desire more professional autonomy, taking a step forward with additional training may be very helpful to you. In this podcast episode, I chat with Michelle who did just that. MEET MICHELLE Michelle Ham, C.C.C., is a compassionate and dedicated psychotherapist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With a Bachelor's Degree in Family Social Sciences and a Master's in Counselling Psychology, Michelle brings over a decade of experience in social work to her practice. She is committed to creating a safe and inclusive space. Michelle's therapeutic approach is rooted in a holistic, integrative, and person-centered framework, allowing her clients to collaboratively navigate their pathway to change. Through evidence-based modalities such as Internal Family Systems, somatic-based work, narrative therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness, Michelle provides personalized therapy sessions that empower her clients to find healing, understanding, and growth. Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram account, and Psychology Today profile In this episode:
Michelle's journey into psychotherapy Michelle graduated with an undergraduate degree in family social sciences in 2008. She then started working in the social work world, holding various different positions. Following this desire to have more autonomy over her time, Michelle returned to school in 2021. She took her masters in counselling psychology online so that she could manage her course work, while continuing with her job, and being a mom. Michelle's steps into private practice Once Michelle graduated, she opened up a sole-proprietorship for her own private practice, and she rents office space in a local collective. The office space is shared with other therapists, and Michelle is able to reap the benefits of an extensive referral network through her collective's director, as well as enjoying the professional company of others while scheduling and working her own hours. The lessons learned thus far Even though there has been so much change and trial and error moments, as Michelle explains, she also says that she enjoys having the chance to set her own hours, set her own schedule, and to see the clients that she wants to. Marketing a private practice Even though Michelle's only been in private practice for a few years, her caseload is already filling up. She credits this partially to the well-connectedness of the collective, which networks with the local community. Additionally, when Michelle was still a student, she was intentional about working on her social media platform to slowly and organically begin growing an online presence. Michelle's advice for new therapists or practice owners Michelle encourages listeners to explore what is most suitable for them in terms of whether they want to do a sole-proprietorship or to take another approach. You can tailor the way your business works to your preferences - that's important to do! Whether you want to open an in-person Canadian private practice or offer therapy services online, make sure that it is what you want to do, feel qualified in doing, and that you have a strong support network around you. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 122: Embracing the Dynamic Nature of Niching | EP 122 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram account, and Psychology Today profile Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Amelia Hutchison: How to Ethically Build Your Social Media Audience | EP 15 | 06 Apr 2022 | 00:32:59 | |
Are you a therapist working to build your social media presence? How do you remain ethical while entertaining your audience? In this podcast episode, I speak with Amelia about how to build a Canadian social media presence that is professional, ethical, and true to who you are, while still connecting to your audience and helping you get clients. MEET AMELIA HUTCHISON Learn more about Amelia Hutchison on her website. In this episode:
Building your social media presence TikTok is currently the new place to be. Many people spend their time on it socially as well as to find people to work with. It is also a great resource to showcase your talents and Canadian private practice in a fun way that revitalizes the standard marketing methods. Due to its algorithms, if you post a successful video on TikTok, you can easily gather thousands of followers. TikTok is fast-paced and made up of small, short videos. If you post something that people like, it has a good chance of catching on and attracting followers. Amelia's tips for increasing your social media following 1 – Remember to work on maintenance. Even though you are focused on growth and increasing your number of followers, remember to maintain those that you already have. 2 – Create content that feels good to you. Avoid getting caught in the trends and trying to make videos that feel unnatural to you and your social media aims. You do not need to make dancing TikTok videos to have a full caseload. 3 – Answer your audience's frequently asked questions. Make a series of 30-second to one-minute videos that answer your audience's basic questions about you, what you do, how your therapy practice works, who you are a good fit for, and so forth. Show your personality in your content A lot of social media can feel like constant strategies or marketing, so use your normal speaking voice in your content to truly connect with your audience. What would it be like for your audience to have a conversation with you? This also allows your audience to get to know you, and for them to see what it would be like to work with you in person. Set Boundaries Have a disclaimer on your social media pages that explain how you show up in this space, how regularly you respond to DMs, and the type of content that you usually put up. These social media boundaries will let your audience know what to expect from you, and provide you with social media boundaries that help you to remain focused on your content without feeling overwhelmed to do or say everything. Connect with me: Resources and useful links: www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period support@jane.app for access to their demo clinic to test Jane's features first-hand Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Amelia Hutchison's Instagram. | |||
| Brent McCombs: How to Take a Better Profile Photo | EP 14 | 30 Mar 2022 | 00:54:13 | |
Is it worth spending money on a professional photographer? How can you get the best smile for your Canadian private practice photos? I have found that getting a professional photo that encapsulates who I am has helped me reach my ideal clients. In this episode, I speak with Brent McCombs about how Canadian therapists can get the best headshot that is authentic, shows who they are, and helps connect them to their clients. MEET BRENT McCOMBS Learn more about Brent McCombs on his photography website. In this episode:
The importance of a great headshot For better or worse, people do judge books by their covers. Even though you have depth and character to you, it cannot be portrayed in a single image. But you need to try your best to display who you are and what you are in your headshot so that your clients can connect with you. So, in that opening moment when your client sees your photograph, what about yourself do you want them to see? Which aspects of you do you want them to understand and connect with? Always go for authenticity Especially as a Canadian therapist, you want to go for authenticity in your photographs. You want your clients to get a sense of who you are before they meet you and for them to find that their understanding was true of you because you were sincere in your photo. Authenticity is not only important for the client's sake, but also for your own. You need to feel confident and comfortable in who you are to provide the best therapy. If you feel like you are presenting someone that you are not, then you may struggle to feel grounded in who you are, and you may struggle even to trust and believe your own words if they do not feel like they are coming from you. How to take your best profile photograph 1 – Who are your clients going to be? Who are your ideal clients? Then find the middle ground between who you are and what they want to see in someone they feel comfortable with. 2 – How do you feel most comfortable and confident in yourself? How can you present yourself in a way that is genuine while also appealing to someone who does not know you well? In pursuit of achieving the 100% perfect portrait of yourself, you can achieve 80% quite easily. To get that last 20% of detail and refinement, Brent suggests:
Connect with me: Resources and useful links: www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period support@jane.app for access to their demo clinic to test Jane's features firsthand Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Brent McCombs reference this episode to receive a $100 discount for a photoshoot Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| The Importance of Having a Niche and How to Find One | EP 13 | 23 Mar 2022 | 00:15:58 | |
Why should you have a niche? Are you still figuring out what your niche is? Being able to say who I can help and how I can help them has allowed me to expand my practice, make myself known while getting to work with my ideal clients. In this episode, I help you to figure out how to find your niche, why they are important, and small mistakes to avoid. In this episode:
Meet Brent McCombs Brent McCombs is an Ontario born, Los Angeles trained recovering fashion photographer who settled in Halifax and (pre covid) was shooting portraits, commercial headshots, and weddings. Learn more about Brent McCombs on his photography website. Why should you have a niche? Initially, it may seem more pleasing to have therapists who specialize a little bit in everything but clients want to know what it is that you can actually help them with. So having someone in your group practice – or yourself – who specializes will help to draw clients to you instead of pushing them away because you make it clear why and how you can help them. You will still have a variety with a niche Having a niche will not mean that your entire client population is one with the same pain point. Often about half of your client base will share the same niche while the other half will vary. Have a niche because it helps you to build a more solid client base because you are more recognizable as an expert in that pain point, and other clients will still come to you for other reasons because you are recognized. Figuring out what your niche is In bigger cities, it is easier to stand out more when you specialize in a specific niche. However, in smaller cities where the therapist population is not as competitive, you can have a few niches. For example, you may say in smaller cities:
And in bigger cities:
So, a niche can be very general or quite specific. You can set it up whichever way is best for you, your client base, and where your practice is located. Avoid setting your niche as your therapeutic approach and rather advertise it as how you can help clients overcome their problems and support them in achieving their desired outcome for their life. Questions to ask yourself
Connect with me: Resources and useful links: www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month's grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| How to Set Your Psychology Today Profile up for Success| EP 12 | 16 Mar 2022 | 00:17:51 | |
Do you use Psychology Today? Are you unsure about how to go about setting up an outstanding profile, or how to edit your already existing one for the better? I have received a lot of new clients through my Psychology Today Canadian profile, and I would like to help you to do the same. Today I am sharing a list of things you can do today to help you stand out on this amazing platform, and help clients not only find you, but also, choose to work with you. IN THIS EPISODE:
What is Psychology Today? Psychology Today has an incredibly high Google ranking. This means that if you create a profile on it, you are truly putting yourself out there, and setting yourself up to receive great exposure. The monthly payments are inexpensive, so it is an affordable way to keep your name consistently available, marketed, and well-broadcasted in the online therapy world. How to make your Psychology Today profile stand out Draw your ideal client in with your first paragraph. Center your first paragraph around your ideal client so that they will click on your profile and continue to read about you and your services. In your first paragraph, talk about:
In your second paragraph, talk about:
In your third and last paragraph, talk about:
Use a sincere and professional photo on your Psychology Today profile Your photo will be the first thing that a client sees when they are scrolling through the listings. You want to make sure your photo:
Your 15-second Psychology Today profile video Psychology Today highlights the profiles that have uploaded videos. Even though it may seem odd to you, recording a short video will boost the ranking of your Canadian profile. Talk about your potential client, the struggles that they are going through, how you can help them, and how they may feel once they have concluded doing therapy with you. Speak slowly and smile as you talk. Link your website button to your booking page Your client has seen and read everything they need to know on your profile about you, to feel comfortable with you as their therapist so there is no need to link to your website. Instead, on your Psychology Today profile, link your website button to the landing page with your booking slots, so that clients can see your availability, and will email you if they have further questions. I use Jane EMR which has a beautiful and professional online booking system. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 11: Why You Need a Canadian EMR for Your Private Practice with Ali Taylor Jane App - use the promo code FEARLESS for a 1 month grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Ali Taylor: Why You Need a Canadian Emr for Your Private Practice | EP 11 | 09 Mar 2022 | 00:44:38 | |
Today I speak with Ali Taylor, a multi-disciplinary clinic owner who struggled to find a beautiful and practical online booking and electronic charting software for her Canadian clinic. Her long-time friend, Trevor, built her a solution as part of the website. Other practices were interested in using this new tool and so they partnered to build a full online practice management solution, called Jane App. I use Jane App in my Canadian Private Practice and I am so excited for Ali to share with us what she has learned about running her practice on the cloud, as well as the lessons from over 20 000 practices around the world who transitioned to the cloud and are now part of the Jane community. MEET ALI TAYLOR Ali owns a multi-disciplinary clinic in North Vancouver, BC, which she opened in 2011. At the time she struggled to find beautiful and practical online booking and electronic charting software for her practice, and so (her now co-founder) Trevor built her a solution as part of her website. Other practices were interested in using this new tool, and so Trevor and Ali partnered to build out a full online practice management solution called Jane. Ali is excited to share what she's learned about running not just her practice "on the cloud" but also lessons from the over 20,000 practices around the world who transitioned to the cloud and are now part of the Jane Community. Learn more: IN THIS EPISODE:
Finding a solution to the problem In 2011 when Ali was opening her own Canadian clinic in Vancouver, BC, she knew that she needed a way for people to book online appointments easily. There was no such software that existed. Trevor, Ali's friend (who is now the co-founder of Jane) was building her website and she kept on showing him what she needed and wanted. In the space of 6 weeks, he built a solution into Ali's website and this became the framework for the Jane App. Supporting Canadian small businesses by helping the helpers Ali had initially thought about franchising her Canadian business, but decided against it and further ventured down the software development area. Her reasoning for this was that it's so lonely being a clinic owner and the idea of working with a partner was really appealing to her. Small business owners don't get heard very often, and therefore there is not a lot of support for them. Jane's mission is to help the helpers and solve the problems they are facing by offering solutions that can improve the way they run their private practices. The 4 main components of Jane App Jane allows you to book, chart, schedule, invoice, process payments, and run your whole practice online.
Technology adoption in mental health At the time, Ali and her team expected Canadian mental health practitioners to be a year or two away from wanting to adopt an online platform. They started building telehealth and a few new features that would be beneficial to mental health practitioners, but then the pandemic hit and it jump started this technology adoption. Within two weeks Jane App offered telehealth and at no cost at all! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 10: How to Attract Clients With My Canadian Website? Live Consulting With David Mitchell Jane App - use the promo code FEARLESS for a 1 month grace period Purposely - Where Business Meets Purpose Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Live Consulting With David Mitchell: How to Attract Clients With My Canadian Website? | EP 10 | 02 Mar 2022 | 00:54:42 | |
David took part in my webinar about starting a private practice. Now, he is building his own online Canadian private practice in Prince Edward Island! In this episode, he and I discuss ways for him to grow his success, the importance of raising his rates, and other vital aspects of creating a thriving Canadian private practice. MEET DAVID MITCHELL Learn more about David on his counselling website. IN THIS EPISODE:
The importance of raising your rates As your Canadian practice grows and starts filling up, raising your rates is part of the process of growing it further. It may feel difficult to do, but it is crucial to both your mental health, to curb burnout, and to help ensure the financial success of the practice. Raising your rates may reduce your intakes, however, it helps you to still be earning good money while not running the risk of burning yourself out. Raising your rates can also help you to find that sweet spot between having the right amount of clients for your schedule and earning the amount that you want. Make sure to have an intake fee Every Canadian therapist experiences a client that comes once but never again. Intake sessions require a lot more energy because you are meeting the client for the first time, assessing the client, and starting to build a therapeutic alliance. Even if your intake session is the same amount of time as your regular sessions, consider charging at least $20 more for the extra energy it takes in that first session. Optimize your website for bookings
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 9: Joe Sanok: Raising your private practice rates to get to the 4-day work week Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about David Mitchell on his counselling website. Purchase the 'How To Start An Online Canadian Private Practice (Digital Workbook)' Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Joe Sanok: Raising Your Private Practice Rates to Get To the 4-Day Work Week | EP 09 | 23 Feb 2022 | 00:44:04 | |
As a therapist, you give so much of yourself to your work and your clients, so you need to ensure that you protect your time and your energy. How can scheduling your weekends accordingly with some hard boundaries around work help you achieve that elusive work-life balance? What is a 4-day workweek and would you consider it? How can raising your rates help you free up more time? Today I speak with Joe Sanok about raising your rates in your private practice, how to enjoy your weekends and why the 4-day workweek can help you reinvent your time, giving you more freedom, ideas, and happiness – while also helping the world. MEET JOE SANOK Joe Sanok is the author of Thursday is the New Friday: How to work fewer hours, make more money, and spend time doing what you want. It examines how the four-day workweek boosts creativity and productivity. Joe has been featured on Forbes, GOOD Magazine, and the Smart Passive Income Podcast. He is the host of the popular The Practice of the Practice Podcast, which is recognized as one of the Top 50 Podcasts worldwide with over 100,000 downloads each month. Bestselling authors, experts, scholars, and business leaders and innovators are featured and interviewed in the 550 plus podcasts he has done over the last six years. Connect with Joe: IN THIS EPISODE:
The importance of raising your rates and myths Raising rates is something that many therapists struggle with. There are also many myths around raising your rates that should be dispelled so that you can feel confident in your Canadian private practice rates. Myth 1: Be similar to those in the community False. People in your community that are therapists, counsellors, and mental health practitioners are not doing the same work and receiving the same education as you are. You are providing a service that is specific to you. Myth 2: Inflation won't affect you as much False. Your cost of business goes up every single year, and for you to stay in business you need to adjust your prices slightly each year to stay afloat financially. The internal inclinations and your rates
You need to start observing the three inclinations through the lens of raising your rates and ask yourself:
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: The Testing Psychologist Podcast Practice of the Practice website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| How I Developed a Marketing Strategy for My Private Practice – Networking | EP 07 | 09 Feb 2022 | 00:21:24 | |
Networking was an important factor in my marketing. Even though direct referral sources from other clinicians and doctors were helpful, networking itself could get expensive. Some aspects of it worked well, while others were a waste of time and money. I needed to branch out my Canadian marketing and network strategies to suit me and my practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
My first networking strategy First of all, I wanted to figure out which client base I was reaching out to. I knew I wanted to connect with other Halifax counsellors, so I created a spreadsheet with all the names and contact numbers of practices in my area and whether or not I had already contacted them. It was important to expand my contact list, so I also contacted doctors, yoga teachers, chiropractors, places of worship, and health practitioners. I would reach out to them and if they got back to me, we would schedule a meeting. If they did not get back to me, I would send a follow-up email, and if I received no response, I would let it go. Using a personal touch If I had a meeting with anyone, I knew it was important to follow up the meeting with a personal "thank-you" card, or some token of appreciation for their time and energy. I knew that meeting with people, creating connections, and getting out there was important for the growth of my Canadian private practice. What I learned from different types of marketing Through this process, I learned that some types of networking worked better for me than others. What didn't work so well:
What was working:
In hindsight, all my best networking relationships came from practitioners with whom I had a genuine connection, through a good conversation and meet-up experience. Focusing on relationships In networking, it is more effective to focus on building a relationship with your new connection than to try to convince them to work with you. They will decide whether or not they want to work with you based on the quality of the connection that you seek to establish with them. Figure out what works for you, what makes you shine, and then focus your time and energy on that, instead of slogging through the things that are not working. The more authentic the relationship is, the higher the chance that connection will refer out to you. Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 06: Building A Canadian Online Group Private Practice – Year Five Ep 03: Dealing With Unexpected Changes in My Canadian Private Practice – Year Two Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice - Year Five | EP 06 | 02 Feb 2022 | 00:18:51 | |
As I started to get busier in my Canadian private practice, I had to make a decision of how many clients I wanted to see each week. I needed to find my sweet spot. I figured that if I got to see 8 to 9 clients a week, that would be my capacity to do amazing work with those clients. If I started to see more than that, I would start to feel drained and not do my best work. I now knew that I was getting to a point where I needed to grow my solo private practice, to a group private practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
Aiming for work-life balance When I made the decision to not add more clinic hours to my Canadian private practice, I had to remind myself of why I started my private practice in the first place, and that was to find a work-life balance. There were so many things that I just would not have time for if I continued seeing a lot of clients each week. Because of the burnout that I had been going through, I also wanted to take more time off. This however was difficult because every week that I was taking off, I was saying no to money. Experimenting with taking time off Because of the fact that I had kept my budget so low, business was picking up and I was raising my rates, I could afford to take time off. I was starting to create some limits about how many clinic hours and how many weeks a year I was going to work, and because of this, I needed to hire another Canadian counsellor. Hiring an associate for my private practice Earlier in my private practice journey, I had found a Narrative Therapist to supervise me, and by the time I had finished the supervision that I needed to get my Registered Counselling Therapist licence, I had spent 2.5 to 3 years with my supervisor who I look up to and admire. In the fall I was talking to her about needing to find an associate and luckily, she volunteered! Finding a new clinical supervisor Because of the fact that our relationship now changed, I now had to find a new clinical supervisor. Having an online private practice meant that I couldn't just go down the hallway and go knock on somebody's door and talk to another counsellor about my clients. It had always been a dream of mine to be able to take a Narrative Therapy course by Gene Combs and Jill Freeman, but because of COVID, this wasn't possible. I decided that I was going to reach out to them to let them know that I was looking for a clinical supervisor. Onboarding my associate I replicated everything I did in year 1 during this onboarding process:
In my associate's first year, she started with a couple of sessions every week and throughout the months she started to get really busy with filling her caseload. After the stress of year four, it was really great to finally get to this place in my journey. Connect with me: Books mentioned in this episode Gene Combs and Jill Freeman | Narrative Therapy: The Social Construction of Preferred Realities Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 05: Transitioning My Canadian Private Practice from In-Person to Online Counselling – Year Four Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Transitioning My Canadian Private Practice From In-Person To Online Counselling – Year Four | EP 05 | 26 Jan 2022 | 00:30:28 | |
I was getting really busy in my private practice, this was exciting, but I was starting to burn out. I had some tough decisions to make so that I could free up some time and energy. However, nothing could have prepared me for a global pandemic and having to transition my Canadian private practice from in-person to online counselling. IN THIS EPISODE:
Making the decision to focus on my private practice Going into the fall of 2019 I knew I couldn't sustain the amount of work I was doing and I needed to cut down on the number of clients I was seeing each week. In mid-November/December I made the difficult decision to leave my job at Dalhousie at the end of January 2020. I had after all moved to Halifax to start my private practice and that is what I needed to focus on and continue building that. In addition to this, I also needed to get to a point where I wasn't feeling so burned out all the time. The change that COVID-19 brought on By the 3rd week of March, there was a notice that businesses would be closing down because of COVID. My last day of seeing clients in person, I needed to figure out how I was going to continue to counsel people. In a very short space of time, I had to make some crucial decisions and take some action steps:
Jane App (use code: FEARLESS for one month free) is the long-term plan I settled on for my video platform, and it was at no extra cost! This was a huge weight off my shoulders because then my caseload started to decline. People didn't want online counselling, they only wanted in-person counselling and others just decided that they were going to wait it out and continue sessions once everything was back to normal. This was stressful, but luckily, I had that emergency fund. It also helped that for the last few years I had lived on a very frugal budget. I could scrape by with paying my living expenses but I couldn't afford the rent at the clinic anymore. Taking more risks The clients I was seeing at the clinic, stayed with me. I was surprised, even though I shouldn't have been. For the past few years, I always had admin help from someone from the clinic where I rented space, and the last thing that I wanted to do now was to take on that role and take calls for intakes and answer emails. So, I hired a virtual assistant and began the process of training her. Having her do these tasks really legitimized my Canadian business, it felt more like a company than just me as a solo therapist. In September 2020 it started to get really busy again! The burnout was still lingering and I decided to cut out Saturdays and I changed the time I saw my clients. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 04: How I Grew My Canadian my Private Practice – Year Three Jane App - Book, chart, schedule, invoice, process payments, and run your whole practice online (use code: FEARLESS for one month free) Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Embracing the Dynamic Nature of Niching | Ep 122 | 08 May 2024 | 00:13:59 | |
As the saying goes; "the only constant thing is change", and it's true for Canadian private practices too. Sometimes you will set up a system that works well, but after months or years the practice has changed, and so the systems need to be updated. Or, the offering that you used to love doing with your clients is no longer something that used to light your spark - because you've most likely changed as a person and a therapist along the way - so you decide to change it up. The point is that niching can be a great way to build your business, but it can also be necessary to change your niche over time. It's something that I have experienced as well, so listen in on this episode if you're searching for some guidance! In this Episode:
Why niching is important If you want a further, more in-depth episode into niching in Canadian private practice, I recommend that you listen to my previous episode on this topic! However, for a short recap, niching is important because it:
How to niche Some of the factors that you can keep in mind when you are figuring out your niche may include:
My experience with niching
With my website: I actually had a little mis-step with niching in my own private practice this past year! When I was redoing my website, I hired a website developer to give it a full make-over, as well as a copy editor. Overall, I realized that I had become way too excited about all the possibilities with the new website and adding services. I hadn't niched down enough, which made it overwhelming for a potential client to browse through. In the end, I reduced the specialty pages on the menu so that they only relate to our main private practice focuses.
With my consulting: over five years ago I started my private practice consultation because I couldn't find any in Canada. So, I started Fearless Practice to help other Canadian counsellors get the help that they needed with their private practices. Over the years, I created the workbook about how to start an online Canadian private practice, as well as scripts to send clients, private practice paperwork, an e-course, and more! 'But as I continued to create these things, my consulting became irrelevant, because it's all in the workbook! As well as with the podcast … There have been so many episodes where I have interviewed other Canadian counsellors … There's just so much information that I have now on my website for Canadian counsellors, where you don't have to pay extra to have a one-on-one with me.' - Julia Smith Additionally, I nowadays direct people to take courses from LinkedIn and Google since they offer insightful and helpful courses for therapists to take. So, my consulting days have changed, and I niched down - again! I now focus specifically on helping Canadian private practice owners recover from burnout by helping them to restructure their practice so that it suits their needs and desires. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 121: Mila Arsenijevic: Balancing Growth in a Canadian Private Practice | EP 121 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Listen to my previous episode on niching, why it is important, and how to do it! Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| How I Grew My Canadian Private Practice – Year Three | EP 04 | 19 Jan 2022 | 00:12:11 | |
By the end of 2018 things were going pretty well. I was working in my private practice 2 days a week and I was teaching at Dalhousie. I was making money and all the hard work I had done in setting up the foundational phase of my Canadian private practice was paying off. The stage was set for me to grow my private practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
Starting my 3rd year off on a good note 'In my first year, I started to set those foundations for my private practice: the website, the video, marketing, networking, blogging… I also made a Psychology Today profile.' – Julia Smith With everything that I had done in my first year, setting up the Psychology Today profile and then getting referrals from the clinic, networking, and a doctor at Dalhousie, my private practice continued to grow in my 3rd year. For 2 days a week, I was working in my Canadian private practice. I would see up to 6 people on a Saturday and up to 6 people on a Tuesday. At Dalhousie, I was also seeing up to 6 people a day, twice a week. But because these were intakes, it was a lot of work and high energy output. When winter came around, I was offered to work a 3rd day at Dalhousie, it was really busy, but it was so worth it and I was gaining so much experience. 'Being able to work 2 days a week at the clinic in my private practice and watching it grow, and building my clientele… It was just a great time.' – Julia Smith Burn out started to creep in As winter was coming to an end and things started getting quieter at Dalhousie, I was offered to work there 1 day a week during summer and I was now at a point where I needed to add a 3rd day to my private practice. So now, I could see clients on a Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday. By September 2019 juggling my private practice and my job at Dalhousie University, it was getting to be just a little bit too much. When I wasn't working, I didn't have much energy to do anything else. With the busy schedule that I had, it was difficult to go out and socialize. The thought of interacting with people on my time off didn't sound like fun. Too tired to do anything When I was invited to social events, I couldn't go because I was working on the weekends. After working a long week, I was sitting in my apartment watching Netflix. 'It was becoming a concern, I was starting to see that I needed more than just 1 day off a week, of not doing anything. I wasn't unwinding, I was just watching TV and then going back to working on my business and then seeing clients throughout the week.'- Julia Smith I started to notice that I was getting headaches when I was counselling clients. This had never happened before. On the one hand, my Canadian business was growing and I was making money, but my personal life was not great and I was just burned out. 'I'm getting what I wanted, I have my dream job at Dalhousie, my private practice is doing well… But I feel like sh*t. So, I knew that some things needed to change.' – Julia Smith In the next episode, I will share with you how that change started to happen. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 03: Dealing with Unexpected Changes in my Canadian Private Practice – Year Two Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Dealing With Unexpected Changes in My Canadian Private Practice – Year Two | EP 03 | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:18:26 | |
I was in my second year of running my Canadian private practice and things were going really well. I wasn't stressed about finances and I was able to gain some really valuable experience with my job at Dalhousie University whilst being able to pay the bills. My private practice was slowly growing and life was good. But then January 2nd happened, one of the worst days in my private practice career and I had to deal with some unexpected changes. IN THIS EPISODE:
Losing my office space 'January 2nd, 2018, I'll never forget that day. At that point in time, I was looking forward to a new year of continuing to grow my private practice, continuing to work at Dalhousie, continuing to meet other counsellors and practitioners, to blog and market my private practice, and just hopefully watch it grow.' – Julia Smith I received an email from the owner of the clinic that I rented from. They let me know that they had decided to close the clinic and they were giving me 30 days' notice. This was totally above board contractually, but now I had 30 days to change my location, update all my contact details online, and notify my clients of where my new space was going to be. If I could find a new space…. Jumping into problem-solving mode I immediately started looking for office spaces to rent, I reached out to everybody I had networked with over the past year to find out if they had any space available, this was now my main focus – all whilst still working at Dalhousie and seeing my current clients. With all the networking that I had done, and the owner of the clinic reaching out to their contacts to try and help me, there were a few places I could potentially rent if I wanted to. 'It's always scary not knowing what's around the corner, what my next move was going to be, so my stress levels were really really high.' – Julia Smith Finding the perfect space Right away I started to meet with other Halifax practitioners to see what they had to offer. Some of the new places that I looked at weren't as nice as my previous space, or the location wasn't ideal or it wasn't as affordable. I contemplated renting a space by myself so that I could rent it out to other practitioners, but I had just moved to Halifax a year ago and I wasn't sure if I could commit to a 5-year contract or whether I would find anybody to help pay that rent. The stress was just too much. Luckily, I found a space that was the perfect fit for me, it was just starting up, everything was brand new and I could walk there. I was able to rent it by the day and there were great flexible options. 'At that time, I was just making enough to support myself and didn't have a lot of extra money, and wasn't sure how quickly I could fill an entire day, every single week and pay the rent every single week.' – Julia Smith Making some sacrifices I decided to rent the space for just one day, on a Saturday. I signed the contract and by February 2018 I had moved my entire practice to the new clinic. It was really great; the owners were lovely; it was a multi-disciplinary clinic and I met more professionals who ended up referring clients to me. I settled into a schedule of Saturdays being my days for my Canadian private practice. This meant that if a client wanted to see me any other day of the week, I couldn't offer that flexibility. There were also no late Friday nights or weekend getaways. 'I lost my weekends a bit, I lost my weekends for a couple of years in order to continue this private practice journey, but it was totally worth the loss of my Saturdays. It helped me get to where I am today.' – Julia Smith Growing my private practice for the rest of the year My job at Dalhousie was only during the fall and winter, and even though I was starting to fill my Saturdays a bit, it wasn't always as full as I needed it to be. I needed to find a job for the summertime to help pay for bills and luckily another opportunity at Dalhousie opened up which I got. 'It was my first teaching job ever, that was a great learning experience for me. I enjoyed it, though it was a lot of work, doing that during the summer and my private practice, I was starting to get a little burned out.' – Julia Smith Towards the end of that year, my Saturdays in my Canadian private practice were full and I felt financially stable to add another day, so I signed another contract for Tuesdays. Saturdays and Tuesdays would now be my private practice days from September onwards. By the end of my second year; I was working 2 days in private practice and 2 days at Dalhousie. I was making enough money to pay my bills and I even had some extra money to have some fun! The year ended on a really great note, despite that dreadful day in January. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 02: How I Set Up My Canadian Private Practice - Year One Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| How I Set Up My Canadian Private Practice – Year One | EP 02 | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:17:43 | |
I decided to move across the country to start a Canadian private practice in Halifax, NS with only 1 year of professional counselling experience under my belt, but I was pretty determined and really excited! In this episode, I am going to talk you through how I set up my private practice in that first year. IN THIS EPISODE:
Having to stick to a budget and have minimal expenses It was really important to me that I found someplace that was affordable. I wanted to put most of the money that I had saved and that I would be making from my private practice, back into my business and create the vision that I had for my Canadian private practice. Being able to find an affordable bachelor apartment in downtown Halifax was such a huge win for me. 'For that first week or so I was just sleeping on a yoga mat, in an empty apartment, questioning all of my life's decisions.' – Julia Smith How I started my Canadian private practice In that first month, I was finding my way and just getting settled into Halifax, but once I had everything figured out, I was ready to start building my private practice. 'I was really fortunate to have a consultant. That really helped my anxiety level, knowing that somebody had my back and that they had been through starting a private practice and they were going to help me.' – Julia Smith I already had office space where I could see clients, but here are a few things that I did to set myself up to start my private practice:
To get the exact steps I followed, sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice The top 3 things I focused on in the first year
'I didn't have a lot of money to put into marketing, to pay for advertisements. And blogging is free, it just takes up your time. And in that first year, I did have more time.' – Julia Smith I wanted to market myself as much as possible to get my name out there. So, for me, blogging was really important, I made a commitment to blog every single week.
After blogging for a while, my consultant really pushed me to network with other Halifax therapists in private practice, as well as other practitioners. This was nerve-wracking but it was a really good benefit to my private practice as I met other therapists in the area and built a community. We all learned about each other and I was able to build a network of people I could refer out to, or could refer to me.
'I think it's important to not only have a professional photo, but to also have yourself speaking on your website in a video where people can see you, hear you, and then hopefully feel connected to you. And, choose you to be their therapist because they feel a connection.' – Julia Smith This is also a great way to talk about your niche, who you are, who you help, and why you help. Creating this video was expensive, but it was so worth it because I definitely started to get more clients. Supplementing my income In that first year, I was seeing a few clients but not enough to feel secure. As I was building my private practice and doing all these things, I got a job for 2 days a week, counselling university students at Dalhousie University. I felt so lucky, I could live off of this income very frugally, I had posted my video at the end of the summer and I was starting to see a couple more clients in my Canadian private practice. I had completed all my foundational work in building the practice. But then sh*t hit the fan… Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 01: Why I Started a Canadian Private Practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Why I Started a Canadian Private Practice | EP 01 | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:13:23 | |
Welcome to Fearless Practice Podcast! This podcast has been a year in the making and I am so excited to finally talk to you about how to start and grow a Canadian Private Practice, and sometime in the future, how to make it into a group private practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
Meet your host My name's Julia Smith, I did an undergrad at McMaster University, a double honours in Health Studies and Psychology. The research tired me out and I took 3 years off to work in fashion. It was great to do something completely different, but after a while, I felt that I wanted to do something more with my career. I craved doing something interpersonal and I wanted to help and interact with other people. I got into Acadia University to do my Masters of Education in Counselling, the degree that I finally graduated with in 2015. Starting my counselling career After spending a year living at home with my parents while I was writing my thesis, I was ready to start my counselling career. I got a job working for the BC Government as a Child and Youth Mental Health Clinician. This job was perfect, it was a 1-year contract and it allowed me to explore and learn so much about counselling as a profession. I was also the only therapist in the community who helped anybody under the age of 19, so it was quite a bit of responsibility, and I loved it! Figuring out my next move I was trying to figure out my next move, then, a colleague of mine suggested that I start my own private practice. 'I had never even fathomed starting a private practice just with 1-year of professional counselling under my belt.' – Julia Smith This was an absolutely wild idea; but as I started to think about it more, it became more of a possibility that I could actually start my own private practice. I just had a couple more months left in BC and there were parts of me that knew I was not ready to commit my life to 30 years in a government job, so I knew what I had to do next. How I started my Canadian private practice I found a consultant in the States that helps counsellors start their own private practices, and watching his videos made me realize that I could actually do this if I just followed all the steps. I had money saved up and I knew that after my 1-year contract was over, I'd be able to support myself even if I didn't have any clients. 'I decided to take a huge risk and start my own private practice. There were definitely people in my life that thought that it was wild, and there were lots of people who were very supportive.' – Julia Smith In October 2016 I moved across the country from BC to Halifax, NS. In the months leading up to this, I had to find an apartment, I registered my business, and I also had to find an affordable place to counsel people. Luckily there was a clinic at that time that was offering office space by the hour and you only paid if you booked. 'It was like everything aligned to move to Halifax. I could afford to live there, cheaply, I could afford to start my private practice cheaply, I didn't have to pay my monthly rent, I could just book the times when clients booked with me and then have an office space.' – Julia Smith This is why I started a Canadian private practice! I can't wait for you to join me on the next episode where I share with you how I started my private practice. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| Trailer | 26 Nov 2021 | 00:00:32 | |
Welcome to The Fearless Practice Podcast! | |||
| Mila Arsenijevic: Balancing Growth in a Canadian Private Practice | Ep 121 | 01 May 2024 | 00:26:33 | |
Do you feel pressured to always be scaling and growing your Canadian private practice? In modern business, the idea is usually to push growth - but that's not always the case! Sometimes not growing can also help private practice. Every now and then you need to intentionally stop growing and instead focus on the foundations of your private practice, so that any future growth down the line actually holds and sticks because growth for growth's sake is not necessarily everyone's preference. In this podcast episode, Mila and I discuss how she launched her practice and how sometimes not aiming for growth is the best way to success! MEET MILA Meet Mila, the driving force behind Toronto Therapy Practice. With over a decade of experience specializing in perinatal mental health at esteemed institutions such as Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Mila is a compassionate and dedicated therapist committed to fostering trust and connection with her clients. Her journey in the mental health field began as a social worker, evolving into her role as the founder of Toronto Therapy Practice. Learn more about Mila on her Psychology Today profile and her Canadian practice website. In this episode:
How Mila became a social worker Since Mila had experience traveling internationally, she decided to study International Relations in Canada. She didn't enjoy it as much as she thought she would, but Mila did take psychology as a minor and ended up loving it enough to focus on social work in her masters. In her second year of placement in the masters program, Mila was at Sunnybrook hospital providing counselling. The job that she worked there went well enough that once she completed her studies, she decided to get a more permanent position and started her work experience. However, she was offered a position in England which she ended up taking, and went to London to live and work. Mila was in England for some time before returning to Canada. Getting into private practice While Mila was working at the hospital, she was doing outpatient counselling. She experienced some limitations in terms of how she was able to provide therapy within the hospital system. Mila noticed long wait lists, loads of people seeking access and care, and within the specific hospital rules, she thought that she could offer these necessary services in another way. Mila's advice on scaling via hiring One associate hired was a friend of Mila's, one was through word of mouth, and the other two were through Indeed. With a flexible schedule system that all her associates have, Mila is able to connect clients and clinicians on schedules that suit both of their needs. Additionally, Mila's practice and her associates have a hybrid model of offering in-person and online therapy. Dreams and aspirations for a growing practice Even though Mila has a lot of dreams for her private practice, she wants to make sure that she firmly establishes it now. With appropriate scheduling, processes, and systems in place, Mila wants to give her private practice the best shot at success as she can, and that means taking the time and making the effort to lay strong yet flexible foundations for it - and her - to depend on. There are also so many ways to get to the same place, so explore to find out what works well for you! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 120: 5 Ways to Tackle Isolation with an Online Private Practice | EP 120 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Mila on her Psychology Today profile and her Canadian practice website Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 5 Ways to Tackle Isolation With an Online Private Practice | Ep 120 | 24 Apr 2024 | 00:08:57 | |
Do you sometimes feel lonely working as a therapist? Do you have an online practice, and sometimes wish you could chat with a colleague between sessions to let off some steam or to get an ethical second opinion? How do you deal with isolation as an online therapist? Working as a therapist can be an isolating experience in and of itself, since you can't talk about the details of your work with friends or family. If you work from home like me, then I'm sure that you know that the isolation can be two-fold! In this episode, I share with you some tips that I have figured out to help myself - and you - enjoy your work as a therapist while still making time for life beyond it. If you are stuck trying to choose between how to handle the challenge, I invite you to listen in! In this Episode:
Be intentional Between your work days and work weeks, it can be so tempting to just unwind alone at home, without having to exert yourself further by going outdoors and trying something new after a potentially challenging or long day. However, don't isolate yourself further just because you may be nervous about going outdoors. Find hobbies that you enjoy that get you outside of your home - and that are separate from therapy - so that you can unwind and relax in the company of like-minded people while doing something that you enjoy. Get out of your apartment Sure, you can enjoy hosting friends at your home. However, if you also work from home and then you socialize at home, there is very little variation in your routine, and you may begin to feel a bit suffocated! This is even more important if you live alone at home, because staying connected with your friends and with your personal life beyond just working from home is important. Create peer-to-peer consultations If you have associates in your Canadian private practice, make sure to schedule a monthly peer-to-peer meeting so that you can consult together to stay connected and on the same page about the practice, and as well as about what's happening in your lives. Connect with your team to talk about client cases or maybe have some fun! Having and maintaining relationships with other therapists can help to ease that isolation since they know what it feels like to work in the profession. Meet with your assistants If you have a virtual assistant, schedule a 30-minute meeting weekly with them. This is not only important to discuss business issues, but also to stay connected to your staff so that you don't pass one another by like ships in the night. Make time for a weekly activity No matter which one you choose, there will be challenges, so you just need to figure out which challenge is the one that you feel most comfortable to work with so that you can make the most of your obligations while enjoying yourself. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 119: What I Learned from Going to the CCPA Conference | FP 119 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| What I Learned From Going to the CCPA Conference | Ep 119 | 17 Apr 2024 | 00:11:01 | |
Have you ever been to a counselling conference? Are you considering going to one this year for the first time, or are you a regular attendee? Whether you are more introverted or an extrovert, conferences offer spaces for both! Not just quiet workshops or long tables filled with fascinating people, but also where you can learn and develop your skills as a professional while enjoying time spent with other interesting therapists. I got out of my comfort zone a bit and went to a CCPA conference last year, and it was great! Going forward, I know what I'm looking for now, and how to find other great therapists. If you're interested in finding out how, listen in! In this Episode:
What is the CCPA? 'If you don't know, CCPA stands for Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and usually the conference that they have each year is in the springtime, but last year in 2023 they had it in October in Toronto.' - Julia Smith Usually, going to a conference for me is nerve wracking on a couple of levels! I was going alone to this conference, and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it or not. However, I was able to select the speakers that I was interested in, but it can be a hit-and-miss! However, going to conferences also contributes to your CEC credits that all members of the CCPA need to get each year. So, keeping all this in mind, I pushed myself to go! Conferences can be a lot of fun! 'With the CCPA conferences, you're expected to network. It is encouraged to talk to other counsellors. You don't look silly going up to people and starting conversations … Once I got into the swing of things, it was really fun to have conversations with counsellors from all over Canada!' - Julia Smith If you felt like you were getting a little over socialized, you could go see some of the workshops and talks that were happening around at any given time. I really liked that there were options to be silent and listen, or to put yourself out there and socialize! Even during lunches, it felt comfortable to sit down at a table with people that I didn't know and to strike up a conversation, since this is encouraged by the CCPA conference guidelines. Everyone's in the same boat! Choosing conferences going forward Despite the great time I had, I know that I want to be intentional about choosing the future conferences I'll go to. Specifically, I want to be mindful about going to conferences which will give certain information that I want to learn about. The CCPA conference is great for learning about many different things in the counselling world, from research to different types of therapy techniques to private practice information. Although, I know what I love! And so I would love to go to a conference on narrative therapy for therapists, because that is what I want to learn more about. 'So for you, as you're considering your budget for this year, I'd highly recommend budgeting some money for going to a conference, and honestly I'd really just start with the CCPA conference! The workshops are so diverse, everybody is a Canadian counsellor, and you get CECs for going!' - Julia Smith Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 118: Brittany Wells-Pantaleo: Growing a Group Practice Virtually and Ethically | EP 118 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Brittany Wells-Pantaleo: Growing a Group Practice Virtually and Ethically | Ep 118 | 10 Apr 2024 | 00:42:28 | |
Many counsellors may enter into private practice without expecting to open it into a group practice, since it can be a journey that develops as you explore your niche, assess the needs of your community, and as you develop as a person. However, if you find yourself on the entrepreneurial path, don't doubt that it can work! Even though many counsellors are not taught business skills in school, they can be learned, and you can work as an expert in your niche while being profitable and building your dream virtual group practice! In this podcast episode, I chat with Brittany about her experience of launching, managing, and working in her group practice that's virtual across Canada. She shares her advice and experience from starting without knowing to confidently planning for her future. MEET BRITTANY Brittany Wells-Pantaleo, MSW, RSW, is the Founder and Clinical Director of Moncton Counselling and Wellness. With a Master's degree in Social Work and as a Registered Social Worker, she has dedicated my career to supporting individuals in their mental health journeys. In 2021, she established Moncton Counselling and Wellness with the goal of providing compassionate and effective counselling support. Her organization has since grown, serving individuals and couples across Canada. Learn more about Brittany on her LinkedIn profile, practice website, and Instagram page. In this episode:
Why Brittany became a social worker Brittany's social work journey began in Ontario in 2016. While she was completing her undergrad, she began working in social worker positions. Brittany worked in the shelter system with a women's shelter and a youth shelter. Brittany applied and luckily got in the first round for her masters, and started in-person, but with the COVID-19 pandemic she had to move online for the last six months of her two and a half year program. Even though it was an intense experience, Brittany explains that it provided her with invaluable experience and skills which she brought with her on her journey to today. Starting a private practice In 2021, Brittany moved to Moncton, New Brunswick and began working for another private practice before venturing out on her own. By connecting with a fellow therapist, Brittany began receiving some referrals and building up her referral network and learning from this more experienced practitioner. However, Brittany's father was diagnosed with cancer, and she decided to take a risk and go out on her own so that she could stay closer to family during this time. Developing a group private practice Once Brittany understood what the mental health landscape looked like in Moncton, she came to find that there were lots of people seeking therapy and that there were a lot of waitlists. Since no other therapists were taking clients and Brittany's waitlist also began to grow, she considered opening up a virtual wing of her private practice. Using Jane App for a virtual practice Brittany highly recommends Jane App for managing her virtual group practice. Technology is all-encompassing these days, and so choosing a software managing system is important because it becomes an integral part of what your Canadian private practice develops around. Navigating virtual counselling ethically Since starting her private practice, Brittany has learned that it is slightly different for social workers. It is always good practice to work with your attorney or legal advisor, and get in touch with the relevant associations or colleges before you start working in a province, in-person or virtually. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 117: Courtney Vezina: Incorporating Community Values into Private Practice | EP 117 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Brittany on her LinkedIn profile, practice website, and Instagram page | |||
| Courtney Vezina: Incorporating Community Values Into Private Practice | Ep 117 | 03 Apr 2024 | 00:35:12 | |
There are many different ways in which you can instill and live out the values that you have founded your Canadian private practice on. For Courtney, the value of community is a driving factor that positively impacts the work that she and her colleagues do. So much so, that her private practice offers a scholarship for students doing their bachelors in social work or psychology! In this podcast episode, Courtney and I discuss her entry into private practice, why she decided to do her doctorate, and how she has found ways to bring the sense of community into her private practice. MEET COURTNEY Courtney is a Registered Psychotherapist who owns a group clinic; Courtney James Counselling and Psychotherapy, with locations in Kemptville and Brockville, Ontario. Courtney is currently completing her Doctorate of Counselling and Psychotherapy and is excited to engage in the further development of this amazing field of work. In her clinical work, Courtney uses a humanistic, trauma-informed lens and specializes in relational difficulties and developmental trauma. Courtney's clinical work and Doctoral studies are focused on her work within the foster care and adoption community. Learn more about Courtney on the practice website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles. In this episode:
Why Courtney decided to become a psychotherapist Right after high school, Courtney started her psychology studies and then went into the field to gain frontline experience after graduating. Afterward, she shifted into the mental health field with a position in a school board. It was during one of her maternity leaves that she started her masters program in Counselling Psychology in 2017. Starting a doctorate Most counsellors can open a Canadian private practice with only a masters degree, but Courtney went further and is working towards completing her doctorate. For Courtney, the doctoral program that she's in is not specifically research-based, and it encourages a different style of approaching this field that's specific to psychotherapy. Courtney's private practice While Courtney was completing her masters program, it was her intention to start a private practice. Even though Courtney began as a solo practitioner, she quickly hired colleagues into her private practice. Growing the private practice Courtney was mindful of where the needs were in her community, and so she therefore decided to open a second and third location in areas of her city where she knew that the population didn't have as much access to mental health care. The point is to take calculated risks for your business. You don't have to know if something is going to work before you try it - sometimes you have to try first to gain insight, and to then take informed action moving forward. Offering group sessions Courtney's practice is creating emotional regulation groups that she brainstormed with a few of her colleagues. Even though there is an interest in offering group therapy, Courntey and her team are working on the fine print and structural components of it before they fully provide this additional service to their clients. The mental health scholarship For students that are accepted into undergraduate programs in psychology or social work, Courntey's practice is offering a scholarship! This will be the fourth year that the scholarship is being offered, and her intention behind offering it comes from the same community piece that is vital to her and is one of the foundational pillars of the practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 116: Samantha Sarty: Setting Business Boundaries to Grow Private Practice | EP 116 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Courtney on the practice website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Samantha Sarty: Setting Business Boundaries to Grow Private Practice | Ep 116 | 27 Mar 2024 | 00:39:42 | |
Building a practice is a tricky task because we know that it is going to be difficult sometimes. The question is, when have we gone too far and are perhaps risking burnout? It can feel difficult to maintain your personal and professional boundaries when you are the boss and things depend on you, but in essence, your business does depend on you, so it's important to take care of yourself. Whether you are a part-time Canadian private practice owner, or you work full-time, there's always something that you can learn from another counsellor's story. On today's episode, I chat with Samantha and we discuss growing your business without compromising on your boundaries, marketing with social media, and giving back to the therapeutic community. MEET SAMANTHA Sam Sarty is a Registered Social Worker and Registered Nurse practicing in Dartmouth, NS, Canada - the land of the Mi'kmaq people. She specializes in working with trauma particularly in the first responder and veteran population. She is currently working in solo private practice (Following Seas Psychotherapy) after working in the public mental health system for the last decade as well as part-time work for a group practice. Learn more about Samantha on her Psychology Today and LinkedIn profile, and private practice website. In this episode:
How Samantha became a social worker After completing university, Samantha pursued nursing but didn't want to go through the traditional route, and instead completed a mental health course, and then found her passion with that type of nursing work. Once Samantha completed nursing school, she went onto working at the local children's hospital before coming back to adult mental health in 2016. Using Jane App for managing a business Samantha uses the Jane App in her private practice, and for her it's incredibly useful and helpful. Without any associates or admin assistants, Samantha does all the work in her private practice currently, from taking the calls, replying to emails, and billing. Expanding the business with boundaries Samantha wants to grow the business while being mindful of her own personal boundaries at the same time. Since the business depends on her effort, she knows that it's important to scale the business while doing it intentionally with her needs so that she doesn't have to exchange the success of the business on a loss of her health or wealth. Using social media in private practice For Samantha, it was important to use social media as a tool to spread knowledge and information instead of disinformation. Not to give her clients or audience therapy through social media, but actionable tools, awareness, and information. In this way, social media can become a way to not only market your Canadian private practice, but it also becomes a way to serve the community. Even though Psychology Today is currently one of her strongest referral sources that brings her the most clients, Samantha has found that word-of-mouth referrals as well as referrals from doctors have been the most successful. How Samantha offers sliding scale Samantha does clinical supervision, and offers sliding scales for other therapists because she wants to help invest in the profession itself. Looking to the future With regards to what's up ahead, Samantha is considering the possibility of offering intensives to future clients. She's found that they can be incredibly helpful to clients looking to process traumatic events, so Samantha is wanting to incorporate this into the future of her Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 115: Jasmine Bird: Defining Your Success to Live Authentically | EP 115 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Canada's New Tax Exemption on Regulated Therapy Services | Ep 133 | 24 Jul 2024 | 00:11:42 | |
Today we are celebrating that Registered Counselling Therapists and Registered Psychotherapists no longer have to charge tax! There are decades of work behind the scenes to bring this to fruition, so it is a big deal! Thank you to the CCPA for making this happen! In this podcast episode, I'll give you all the information about what this means and what you should do next so that you're in the loop and on the right track. In this Episode:
Who doesn't have to charge tax anymore? Last month in June 2024, Bill C59 received royal ascend and that means that GST and HST can successfully be removed from counselling and psychotherapy services in provinces that regulate the profession. What does this mean? What this means for therapists across Canada is that if you are in a province that regulates psychotherapy or counselling therapy, which includes;
You no longer have to charge tax on therapy services! However, if you are certified in an unregulated province, it can be a little tricky. You may or may not be able to take tax off of your services, because it depends on if you have the relevant qualifications with a regulated province, what your provinces rules are specifically, and other factors. 'So before taking off tax in an unregulated province, you will want to speak to your MPs [and] to the board where you are certified just to make sure that you can legally do that.' - Julia Smith The CCPA is still advocating for those unregulated provinces so that Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC) may become included in not having to charge tax anymore, because this is currently not the case. No matter what, you should still contact the CRA to discuss your individual situation on whether or not to deregister your HST or GST number. Click here to find the CRA link! Addressing the change with clients Are you going to take the tax off of your therapy fee? Or are you going to keep the therapy fee the same and give yourself a little bit of a raise? There's no judgment if you do decide to go with the latter, since inflation has been tough these last few years. First and foremost, you may want to put yourself in your client's shoes because by not taking the tax off your fee and keeping it the same - depending on how you word it - your clients may not appreciate that, especially since for them it has also been difficult with inflation and rising costs. 'If you do decide to give yourself a raise, you want to explain to your clients why you are doing this, so that they understand and can respect it!' - Julia Smith Some therapists may not tell the clients that they are doing this because the final fee includes the tax in the price, so the tax could be removed without the clients noticing. But by not informing your clients of the change, it may bring up big issues in the therapeutic alliance if a client finds it out and feels cheated or lied to, so being transparent is usually the best route! In my private practice, we've decided to pass the benefits to our clients. With Jane App, it is super simple to do to change this feature! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 132: Destin Jones: Creating Canadian Therapist Communities | EP 132 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Jasmine Bird: Defining Your Success to Live Authentically | Ep 115 | 20 Mar 2024 | 00:29:50 | |
Jasmine is a great example of; working to live, not living to work. You do not have to grow your business exponentially just because you can. If you are doing well in your Canadian private practice, but the idea of owning a huge business is daunting to you - you don't have to take it that far! One of the ways of building a truly successful business that serves your clients - and you - is to structure it around your needs, as well as theirs. Be mindful of your values and intentionally incorporate them into your choices, both personally and professionally, so that you can wake up each day looking forward to your schedule instead of dreading it. In this podcast episode, Jasmine and I discuss her entry into private practice, what she did that worked well and how she's managing her success into the future. MEET JASMINE Jasmine Bird is the Founder of SOAR Counselling - Group Practice - located in South Surrey, British Columbia. She is a passionate and dedicated Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), who specializes in working with children, youth, caregivers, and families impacted by mental health challenges. Jasmine has over a decade of experience working across various mental health settings, such as Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry with BC Children's Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital and Community Child and Youth Mental Health Outpatient Programs with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and Fraser Health Authority. Learn more about Jasmine on her website, Psychology Today profile, and Instagram account. In this episode:
Why Jasmine became a therapist Ever since Jasmine was young, she was intrigued by people. She was curious about how they thought about life, the way that they approached it, and their stories and experiences. Jasmine completed her counselling education in B.C. and worked in organizations before starting her own private practice. She knew that she loved helping youth and their families and wanted to make a difference. Starting and growing a private practice Jasmine built her Canadian private practice in South Surrey. She felt lucky in the fact that her practice has been successful from when it opened its doors, so she was able to continue developing it over the years, with some minor financial dips here and there. Jasmine was also able to get some advice and help from her husband, who has completed a masters degree in business. In terms of building a successful business, Jasmine noticed a desperate need in an area of her community and decided to set up her practice there. Now Jasmine has five associates, and everyone is fully booked, including her! What's on the horizon? After Jasmine's business quickly scaled, she noticed that something wasn't feeling quite right. Now that her business has grown and is on the path to continue doing so, Jasmine wants to be intentional about structuring her business so that it doesn't get overwhelmingly busy and run away with her. Therefore, Jasmine's now decided to actually scale back a bit and to not continue growing the business, without intention. Her Canadian private practice is successful now, and she's focusing on maintaining that success at this level so that she can remain a successful niche business without getting swept away. Jasmine's advice for listeners Remember the power of vulnerability and the importance of being authentic, especially as a leader. And bet on yourself! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 114: Imogen McIntyre: Using Your Niche to Build a Private Practice | EP 114 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about Jasmine on her website, Psychology Today profile, and Instagram account Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| Imogen McIntyre: Using Your Niche to Build a Private Practice | Ep 114 | 13 Mar 2024 | 00:39:41 | |
How can you market your practice successfully in a big city? Do you have a specific niche that you want to figure out how to use well to connect with your best-fit client? Are you on the verge of considering to open two practices? Everyone talks about niching down, but it's always helpful to speak to someone that did it and made it work well! In this podcast episode, Imogen and I discuss the entry into becoming a clinical social worker, launching and running two Canadian practices, and really knuckling down into a niche to allow the business to flourish. MEET IMOGEN Imogen Mcintyre is a Registered Clinical Social Worker who has founded two private practices, one focused on LGBTQ and neurodivergent issues, the other focused on couples therapy for sticky topics: the ones that can be hard to talk about with friends or family (think infidelity recovery, mismatched libidos or sexual preferences, shifts in gender or sexual identity, mental illness and relationships, and many more). Imogen practices from IFS, Gottman, and EFT informed approaches and strives to provide couples therapy without shame or blame. Learn more about Imogen on their Psychology Today profile, and private practice website. In this episode:
Why Imogen decided to become a clinical social worker In 2015, Imogen got their Bachelors of Social Work. At the time, Imogen was a single mom and decided to go into social work. Imogen started in Vancouver before practicing in other places, and also worked for the government at the start of their career. They worked in youth work for a year, and even though it was an enjoyable experience, it wasn't financially sustainable, so Imogen went back to school to complete a masters degree. After completing their masters, Imogen was hired by a health authority and greatly enjoyed working with the team, but then went on maternity leave. Building up your own Canadian private practice One of the drivers for Imogen to open and pursue their own business was to have more freedom and autonomy with time. Now, Imogen has more autonomy in terms of time, and is working in an environment where they can meet their needs as well as the needs of their family. A clinical social worker as opposed to a social worker The clinical social worker designation is new in Canada, so it's not widely known yet, sometimes even in professional circles. With the RCSW, Imogen can diagnose things like ADHD and anything within the DSM, although there are some things that Imogen won't diagnose for due to not personally feeling fully qualified yet. Imogen's unique service offering Imogen noticed with their existing clients that people were asking for letters for different purposes, and Imogen wanted to figure out a way to offer clients this service while still being billed for the time and effort it takes to write them. Doing it through the Jane App platform means that the time during the sessions is dedicated specifically to the clients needs, and not for writing the letter itself. Marketing in a big city Imogen was able to build up their clientele in Vancouver relatively quickly, which is a challenge! Therefore, having a very in depth niche is what greatly helped Imogen to build their practice up relatively quickly and successfully. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 113: Veronica Loffreda: Why Diversifying Brings You Success in Private Practice | EP 113 Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||