I have recently begun my own private practice, and it’s not been easy. I joined with a friend who had already taken care of most of the initial requirements for a start-up business. So the hard part was already over- so I thought. The process of getting my name out as an associate of the practice began to make me feel as if I am putting myself out there like in online dating. You know; have a catchy tag line about myself, briefly describe myself and the services I provide, my history of practice experience along with education, etc. It was quite uncomfortable initially. I hesitated telling people that I had started a new venture. I felt self-conscious and wondered if I was capable of doing the job I had set out to do. I wondered if I would get any ‘interests’, as it is referred to in the online dating world. Just as people browse through your profile online, so too did people ask about the practice. But getting that ‘like’ or ‘expressed interest’ was not easy. The more time that went by, the more I began to question the decision. Finally, a referral came through, and I had my first client. I had to be on my “A Game”, because this person could potentially give out good or bad reviews. It could either become a long term relationship, or one short lived- and we would both go our separate ways. At this point, a light bulb came on- I realized that in order to present the best part of me, I just had to be confident and real. I am not perfect, and I don’t know everything, but I needed to show that I was capable of providing the service. Scratch that, I KNOW I am capable. Just like meeting someone from the online world for a coffee or dinner, we put our best foot forward, so too would I need to in the private practice realm. And, if the rapport is there, a clinical relationship can be built. If the fit isn’t right, understanding that it’s okay and others will come. It’s just a matter of time. People will peruse through credentials and professional experience, and if they feel they can relate or click, they’ll connect. If not, they’ll continue to the next profile.

Building a private practice financially is not easy. It is financially wise to have multiple income streams in order to stay afloat and cover overhead costs involved in running your business. Not only is this important in your transitioning to a full time counsellor but this can help balance costs when there are lulls in client appointment bookings. Utilizing these available time slots to generate other means of income may be a smart thing to do not only for cost but as a marketing strategy as well. Personally, I continue to be a registered nurse as well as work for EAP companies.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

–        Get established with an employee assistance program (EAP) or many. You may be one of their many treatment providers that they refer clients to in the community. Many EAP companies also have consulting positions, for example, workshop presenters, return to work consultants, crisis/debriefing counsellors. Typically, EAP companies on average prefer 5 years of post graduate experience in counselling. A great webinar offered by CCPA from time to time explains the in’s and out’s of EAP companies in more detail.

–        Offer to mentor/consult with other counsellors building their practice or developing their niche. Of course, you will need the professional knowledge and experience to offer this service but this could be a great additional income stream for seasoned counsellors.

–        Find a teaching opportunity through schools if you have a teaching background. You may also offer workshops on your expertise. You may also offer workshops to organizations as well.

–        Look into part time work with a community agency that offers counselling

–        Do you have group counselling experience? Can you offer group sessions to clients in your niche?

–        Assess what you are already doing now that could be turned into a potential income stream.

–        Volunteer for your local counselling association. This may not be an income stream but it may generate more referrals.

–        Publishing can also be another way for generating additional income through writing self-published content through the traditional means of publishing for a journal or paper or modern ways such as e-books, workbooks, creating downloadable resources such as videos, audio resources etc.,

Relying solely on direct client hours may hinder your success in developing your private practice. Client hours factor on referrals, state of the economy, time of the year etc., We counsellors need to think outside of the box in terms of generating more income as we become more established.

I’d love to hear from you about potential ideas for additional income sources. What do you think would work for you or has worked for you?

Andrea Cashman is a private practice counsellor who has founded Holistic Counselling Services for individual clients seeking therapy in Ottawa, ON. She also practices at the Ottawa Hospital as a registered nurse. Feel free to comment below or contact her at [email protected] or visit her website at www.holisticcounsellingservices.ca

We have all experienced supervision in counselling program practicums. It usually involves either one on one supervision or peer supervision with more than one trainee present. Supervision involves reviewing and discussing ongoing counselling cases in order to form case conceptualization. It involves tracking progress of your clinical skills and client progress. It involves discussion around interventions used and formulation of goals. It’s a requirement for counselling programs to determine competency in graduates. It is also a requirement for all counsellors in private practice and in most institutions as we are unregulated as of now. Once we are regulated with the CRPO and pass regulatory and training requirements, will we be able to continue practising without supervision, although, I would strongly advise it for continued education and competency. Counselling in private practice is enmeshed with isolation, so supervision and even peer supervision assists in networking further. Supervision is usually provided by regulated psychologists. Some psychologists may also provide you with third party billing to ensure your clients can access insurance coverage. Unfortunately, for counsellors now, we cannot provide this as we are unregulated.

Continue reading →