As a psychotherapist, you're in the business of helping people
4 Steps To A Thriving Private Practice: Work Less, Live More, and Get Paid
As psychotherapists, we’re in the business of helping people. We all have a natural tendency to want to help because that's what we're trained for. That being said, do you ever feel like your entire life is all about your clients and that you often forget to make time for yourself? Do you find yourself working long hours for low rates because you want to help every single person? If so, then this article is for you. What you might not know is that those long hours and low rates actually hurt your clients more than help them. This is because you lack the rest and renewal to truly be your best for your clients. It's time to reevaluate your practice. Let's start working on ways to make you more money, get you working with better clients, and get you more time back.
1. Protect Your Energy
As you know, your energy transfers to your clients. If you're feeling overworked and underpaid, those feelings of disempowerment can be felt and even transferred to your client during a session. On the other hand, if you're feeling empowered and in control of your thriving private practice, your clients can bask in this positive energy as well. Your energy enables them to heal and feel empowered in their own lives. The best thing you can do for your clients is to make time for yourself. Do things outside of your practice that replenish your energy and keep you feeling fulfilled.
2. Be Mindful Of The Time You're Giving Away
If you take the time to think about it, are you compromising your own lifestyle for the comfort of your clients? Are you often afraid to turn away clients, raise prices, and set schedule boundaries out of fear of upsetting them, losing them as clients, or making them uncomfortable? If you're relating to any of this, I promise you that your heart is in the right place, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for change. Your time is precious and only you can determine how much of it you’re giving away every day.
3. How To Create A Healthy Balance
The first thing you need to do is create balance in your life. This is a decision you have to make every day. You need to make time for yourself and not let yourself take on too many clients and bury yourself in client work. How can you be an exceptional therapist when you haven't taken the time to rest and enjoy your life? Your private practice should empower you to help people while also giving you more time to live a more balanced and fulfilling life. This is why it's so important to create boundaries so that you, your practice, and your clients can thrive. If you're worried about how your practice can succeed while taking on fewer clients, there is a solution. Raise your rates. If you're so in demand that your schedule is full, you're working longer hours, and you still have new clients reaching out, you're doing everything right, and it's time to pay yourself for it.
4. Know Your Worth
Take a look at what you're making now and how many hours you're working. Now, what do you wish you were making, and how many hours do you actually want to be working? When you decide what you'd like to be making annually, take a look at how much more you'd need to charge, or look at creating some higher priced packages-not how many more clients you'd need to take on. The demand is there, and you are worth the rates for your exceptional service.
You Can Do This!
Take the next week to truly reflect on the changes you can make within your practice that can make it thrive and truly empower you to live a fuller, more prosperous life. If you need some help with the next steps, schedule a complimentary Private Practice Clarity session with me. I've turned my once overwhelming private practice into a thriving multiple 6 figure business that enables me to devote lots of time to self care, pursue other hobbies, and be there for every single school pick up and event for my now 10 year old. I want this for you too! Let's talk about how you can make more, work less, and have the private practice of your dreams.