In this episode, Jane Carter joins the show. We speak about why your mindset in private practice will change everything, especially during COVID-19. Jane's motto is imperfect action. Instead of experiencing constant panic, we can use this moment to relax and reframe. Jane explains the various ways we can use our time during the coronavirus and why we need to focus on the things that we can control.

Meet Jane Carter

Jane Carter, LPC is a counselor and business coach from Asheville, NC. Jane has spent the last several years in private practice as a counselor and has recently begun focusing more on business coaching, not only for therapists but other businesses as well. Her website is: JaneCarterCoaching.com

Jane says, "As a therapist, business coach, and life coach, I love helping people navigate the path to achieving their goals for a meaningful life. I apply these principles in my own life in the mountains of Asheville, NC, where I'm an outdoorswoman, world-traveler, dog-mama, food-and-wine lover, reader, and coffee-shop connoisseur. (I'm also known for making up great puns on the fly)."

The Mindset in Private Practice

We've all got crap. Our job is to help people turn it into fertilizer, which is the work of what all therapists are doing. The way you grow your business can be very healing of some of that deeper stuff without you even realizing it. It just feeds Jane's soul to do this work. It's fun to be with people on this journey.

Imperfect Action

Jane's motto is imperfect action. Right now, we're recording this podcast during the current virus crisis where we're in lockdown; we are at home. I think a lot of people experienced this kind of sudden panic. Jane put together a mindset checklist of short-term strategies and long-term strategies. A lot of people are feeling overwhelmed at this moment. So Jane hopes that people mostly focus on their mindset right now. To be in business is just to be dealing with the problems that come up regularly. We should relax, reframe, and use this moment.

Have a Moment

Anxiety and fear make us want to contract and get small and hide under the covers. It's hard to see beyond what we are going to do today, what are we going to do tomorrow? Sometimes we can get into that very reactive place. There are three things we need to do:

1. Look at the big picture.
2. Be intentional.
3. See the expansion at this time.

Fear and anxiety want us to contract, and this time may seek to expand us, some amazing things could come out of this time. How can we see an expansion at this moment?

Private Practice as a Tool For Spiritual Growth

We need to look at the big picture. The big picture is this will pass. Every challenge throughout history has given. The coronavirus will pass, we are going to get through this. Keeping that long view helps us to look at it kind of from a distance and go, okay, so what is our sense of purpose? When we look back at this moment in a couple of years, how do we want to say that we handled it? That's a spiritual thing. Do we want to make decisions from a place of love or a place of fear?

When we're looking at the small picture and fear, it's easy to get into those thoughts of, well, how are we going to get the money? When we look at the big picture, it gives us space to think about how we are serving people. We are here to fulfill our most profound purpose. So, when we go through a crisis, it's an excellent opportunity to think about your "why." It's a gift to recommit and realign with why we are doing this.

Figure Out What You Can Control

We need to figure out the things that we can control. And then, the flip side is learning to just be with those feelings, to learn to be with the lack of control, to learn to be present with our grief and our fear, and just kind of allow it and wear it like a backpack. Jane wants to encourage people to be intentional at this time. We need to figure out how we want to use this time and who we want to be at this time? Look at the checklist and start checking things off. We can also be intentional about our goal for this time. What if it's possible that this is the greatest thing for our private practice? Thinking about that question then allows you to start seeing that.

Being transparent… Some of the links below are affiliate links. This simply means that if you use the link to make a purchase, I get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for using the links!

Jane's Resources Email Jane For Her Free Checklist: [email protected] JaneCarterConsulting.com Money Mindset in Private Practice | TPOT 005 Finding Your Superpowers in Private Practice | TPOT 038 Other Resources

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Gordon is the person behind The Practice of Therapy Podcast & Blog. He is also President and Founder of Kingsport Counseling Associates, PLLC. He is a therapist, consultant, business mentor, trainer, and writer. PLEASE Subscribe to The Practice of Therapy Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play. Follow us on Twitter @therapistlearn and Pinterest "Like" us on Facebook