Selling the Couch

This episode features . . . .you! Nineteen of our listeners took the time to record their tips for getting referrals, which just happens to be the most-asked question for clinicians. This episode is bittersweet for me because it’s the last one of this season. I’m taking some time off to focus on being a husband and daddy and to take some much-needed time for self-care. But before I say goodbye, for now, let’s listen to these great ideas for getting those coveted referrals!

You can read the full show notes at: Session190

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s topic is one that puzzles many clinicians and leaves us feeling uncomfortable. We’ve approached setting fees on past episodes, but today we are diving deeper into setting fees that ensure our profitability. How do we make sure our business is growing, thriving, and allowing for future expansion? Join us as we learn more with today’s guest.

Reina Lombardi is an art therapist based in Florida. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge about debt, building a business, and setting fees. Reina understands the many challenges in owning a private practice, and she knows that we need to be profitable. I hope our conversation gives you a practical perspective on using objective data, and not emotions, to figure out where your numbers should be.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s show is about something a bit different, even though we’re in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. I’ve learned that we should have a virtual aspect of our business in place for scenarios like this. I’ve also learned how important diverse income streams can be when your regular practice is interrupted. I can’t maintain my business health if I rely solely on my clients. Five years ago, I launched my first online course, so now I’m sharing lessons learned over that time, especially about gear. Remember, though, that gear should help you achieve your goals and not just be another way to spend money.

www.sellingthecouch.com/session233

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s show is one that I’ve looked forward to for a long time. We are covering a topic that comes up frequently in the STC community, which is the process of hiring a virtual assistant. I’ve been through this process more than once, and it was a rocky road before finding Nicole three years ago. Hiring a VA teaches you about your strengths, weaknesses, and communication skills. I’ve learned what tasks I can delegate and what help I need for long-term sustainability in my business.

Today you’ll meet Nicole Denison, who is my awesome VA. I found her through my colleague, Laura Reagan, who raved about Nicole and her abilities. I’m so thankful to have found Nicole three years ago, and I can honestly say that STC wouldn’t exist as it does today without Nicole’s hard work and dedication.

www.sellingthecouch.com/session232

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s show is about a topic I’ve wanted to cover for a while. It’s about something many of us might have wanted to do in our practices. We are talking about retreats and mini-retreats, and I have the perfect person to fill us in on the details.

Mikella Millen is an art therapist in NYC. She has taken a great idea and made it reality by creating retreats focused on self-care for clinicians. She’s sharing with us how she developed this idea and validated the fact that people would want to sign up. We’ll talk about what went well and what didn’t go well, along with Mikella’s lessons learned along the way.

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s topic is a new one in the STC community. Have you ever thought about renting or subleasing extra office space? Whether you might be a prospective owner or renter, today’s show has great wisdom about how that extra office space can be put to good use in serving other clinicians and your community.

Elena Clemente has a practice in North Tampa. She has learned many lessons through renting out parts of her four-person office suite. In today’s show, Elena shares how she found this office space and what kinds of contracts she uses with colleagues who are interested in leasing the space. She’ll also share lessons learned along the way, specifically about features of the office and managing busy schedules. If you’ve thought about sharing office space in this way, then this podcast might be helpful for you.

A Special Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

To check out the brand new FREE 4 Part Masterclass offered for therapists by ZynnyMe, go to sellingthecouch.com/zynnyme

www.sellingthecouch.com/session230

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

As STC has grown, I’ve been wanting to address this topic of getting on other podcasts as a guest. In a typical week, I receive several requests from people wanting to be a guest on STC.  There are several reasons why I cannot accept every one of those requests, and there are things to consider in remaining authentic while seeking podcast appearances. In this solo episode, we discuss some tips to follow if you want to increase your exposure by appearing on podcasts.

www.sellingthecouch.com/session229

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s conversation focuses on an interesting topic. We’ve often discussed the nuances of a private pay practice, but today we are going deeper. Is it possible to build a successful private pay group practice in an area where most other clinicians take insurance? Join us as we explore this question together.

Deborah Duley has a practice in Maryland, which she manages remotely from her new home in Atlanta. Deborah has learned a lot along the journey in which she began as a solo practitioner in a private pay practice in 2013. She then went to a group practice where she niched down to work with women and girls. Deborah shares some of the mistakes made and lessons learned, her biggest fear in the transition from solo to group practice, and whether certain niches are better suited for private pay. She tells us how she focuses on self-care to combat the unique stressors of being a group practice owner.

www.sellingthecouch.com/session228

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s show covers an interesting topic that has come up in the STC community. We discuss multiple income streams frequently, but what is the best way to put those in place? Do I need to build my therapy practice before I launch a second income stream? Let’s answer these questions and more with today’s guest.

Annie Schuessler lives in the San Francisco Bay area. She’s been in private practice for 20 years, and she’s mentored other therapists for 10 years. She has insights learned along the way in her journey, and she’s here to share those secrets with us. We’ll discuss why it’s important to have additional income streams as a clinician, and Annie shares the three minimum steps to take before launching into other income streams. Join us for more from Annie!

www.sellingthecouch.com/session227

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.

Today’s topic is one that puzzles many clinicians and leaves us feeling uncomfortable. We’ve approached setting fees on past episodes, but today we are diving deeper into setting fees that ensure our profitability. How do we make sure our business is growing, thriving, and allowing for future expansion? Join us as we learn more with today’s guest.

Reina Lombardi is an art therapist based in Florida. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge about debt, building a business, and setting fees. Reina understands the many challenges in owning a private practice, and she knows that we need to be profitable. I hope our conversation gives you a practical perspective on using objective data, and not emotions, to figure out where your numbers should be.

www.sellingthecouch.com/session226

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Alma!

Building and managing the practice you truly want can feel overwhelming. That’s why Alma is here—to help you create not just any practice, but your private practice.