Are we there yet? Part 1

With the upcoming Mind Your Own Business Conference Challenge: Clients Unlimited, private practice has been ON THE BRAIN. 

I'm collecting tips and picking brilliant people's brains (want to interview geniuses? Host a conference) and all I want to talk about is making your counseling dreams come true. There's nothing like talking to these private practice leaders to make it feel like the future you've always wanted is right within your grasp. 

But some of you aren't AT your future yet. You're still thinking about it someday down the line, after you get your license, or after you've worked in an agency for a while. Some of you want to consider it part-time, some of you want to know what you can do RIGHT NOW as an intern to get started.

If that sounds like you, what you need to determine today is what needs to happen either BEFORE you're in private practice or in order to know you're ready for private practice.

In the spirit of my conference preparation, I'm pulling from some of the best minds in the business together to tell you how you can make sure you are more prepared before you step into your own amazing private practice someday. 

But what if I don't know if I want to go into private practice or not? What if I want to work at an agency?

If that's true, don't stop reading. These practices are necessary steps for your success as a professional counselor, no matter where you work! 

Research your market.  Tamara Suttle walks you through market research for therapists on her blog post, "Do You Know What Your Colleagues Are Up To? Market Research in 9 Simple Steps." This is not to foster competition, because you know I believe that we don't have to compete with others to be successful. You have something to offer that no one else does, and researching your market helps you highlight your unique gifts and offerings. 

Have an idea of what you want to DO in your practice. In "10 Signs You Are Ready To Go Into Private Practice" Amy Flaherty says that you need to start with having a business plan before you try to open your doors. I agree. (And I didn't do that, by the way...and wished I had.) If you don't know what you want, how will you know when you get it?

Have a solid self-care plan in place BEFORE you start.
Working for yourself is HARD. That plus a business that is about giving to others on a daily basis is a recipe for DISASTER without a self-care plan. In "10 Self-Care Strategies for Private Practice Shrinks," Julie Hanks gives you ten practical ways to do just that. 

Create SYSTEMS to prevent yourself from working too hard on the wrong thing or doing the same thing over and over again. Oh my goodness this was so hard for me to learn! I tend to be a big thinker but an in-the-moment doer...and that doesn't work long-term. You'll end up stressed and avoiding things you don't like to do, which, contrary to expectation, won't make those things go away. Tracey Lawton solves that problem in her article, "5 Systems For Success Tips."

Be okay with failure. Failure happens, so there's not much point in taking it personally. Besides, it's all in how you define it. In, "Have You Failed Lately? 7 Reasons You Should Try To Fail..." Miranda Palmer gives you seven excellent reasons failure is not something to avoid.

These are just some of the important things to have in place for your private practice before you start! 

Again, if you are thinking about going into another line of counseling work, don't think these don't apply to you. Every professional counselor needs to have a goal for their career (like Amy says) and practice good self-care (like Julie told you!) These are important pieces of preparation for life as a professional mental health therapist. 

Watch this spot next week for more steps to professional success in "Are we there yet? Part 2."

What is your dream for professional success? Comment below! 

*Cough* *Cough*

That's pretty much what I've sounded like for the last two weeks. On a Monday, I came down with a vicious 3-day cold that turned into bronchitis. Right now, I think I'm almost over it, but time will tell.

Two weeks out sick is no fun...period. But if you're a private practice counselor, it can mean it also severely impacts your business. Cancelled clients mean loss of income, not to mention the worries about letting down your own standards of professionalism by late canceling or having a coughing fit in the middle of session. 

When you're "sick & tired," it's even hard to manage the things you have to do to just be sick. You have to cancel client appointments, field new calls and emails and often put off important items on your to-do list. Even if you have the support of a group or agency taking care of the calls, there's networking events you may have planned on attending or an email newsletter you were scheduled to write. 

It's a lot! And it feels like a lot more when you're sick, cause everything feels harder. 

My method of coping with this problem mostly consisted of feeling guilty and panicking at 4 a.m. when I realized I didn't follow up on the steps I needed to transfer my domain name. (All my marketing materials pointed there and Google finally likes me...what if I lose it?)

It's not an approach I'd recommend. In fact, it was really stressful! What I should have done was prepared a plan of action before I ever got sick in the first place. But I didn't think about it...just like probably many of you never thought of it either. It just doesn't seem like a big deal, until it is. 

So that's why I created a free download for you, a done-for-you plan of action for therapist illness. It's just a few simple steps with pre-scripted outgoing email responses and voicemails, but it will save you a world of headache when you are drugged up on cold medicine and your head feels like you're wearing a hat 3 sizes too small. 

Download it now, and save it in a place where you can find it easily the next time you're sick. Read over it first, as there are a few steps you can take now to greatly increase your success with the done-for-you system. 

When you're sick (and come on, everyone gets sick) you need to be ready and able to focus on taking care of yourself, not trying to haphazardly extricate yourself from obligations and check off items on your to-do list. Get this free download now to avoid all that nonsense. 

Check it out! 

What do you think of the download? Comment below and let me know! 

Are you afraid to be specific?

Have you ever had a client that just wasn't getting a concept you KNEW that they needed to understand to complete the transformation they desired? For example, when a borderline client absolutely refuses to see a situation beyond one extreme or another, and you KNOW if you can just get

through to them that it doesn't have to be an absolute, it will completely change their life? You just want to shake them and say, "Just because I'm saying something you don't like, it doesn't mean I don't care about you! In fact, it's BECAUSE I care about you that I share things with you that you just don't like to hear." If they could just get that, here's what would open up in their life:

• A profound sense of freedom from the emotional ups and downs of borderline personality disorder.
• Realization of the love and support from people in their life that they thought were enemies.
• Freedom from the desire to self-harm or self-sabotage.

Can you think of what that would mean for a client? Just think about all that would open up for them. Now think about how hard it is for a clinician, like you or I, to watch that happening while KNOWING that freedom is just around the corner.

That's how I feel when I see a counselor (private practice, agency, or otherwise) insisting that they want to serve "everybody." When I have time I coach counselors in marketing, private practice profit, and creating a business that serves them, not the other way around. Recently I had an introductory session with a counselor that I just knew right away wasn't going to be a coaching match for me.

Because she didn't get that it was okay to be specific in what you wanted to work with.

Let's face it, there are clients that just don't float your boat. And there are clients that you speak with that give you this super-profound feeling of connectedness to a divine purpose, satisfaction and completion when you work with them. If you're being honest with yourself, you'll know I'm not exaggerating. You've had that feeling - sort of a combination of the exhilaration of a roller coaster ride, a rush of energy, and relief, because you know you fulfilled your purpose today.

It's okay to hold out for those clients.

I'm not a fan of discrimination or refusing to serve those you are qualified to help. But here's what I am a fan of:

•  Actively attracting those you love to work with.
•  Sharing your excitement about these groups with your bosses and potential referral sources. (People LOVE to send you clients that you really want to see.)
• Choosing not to invest your energy in attracting "everyone" because ultimately it wastes resources you could be using bringing in those you love to work with.

If you're advertising, it's a waste of money to put out the ad for 'general counselor looking to serve every Tom, Dick and Harriet.' (This phrase really should include some extra x chromosome.)

If you're talking to referral sources, it's a one-way ticket to the trash bin to hand your card to someone who doesn't know the people you just love to work with.

If you're in a multi-counselor agency or group practice, you're heading for burnout if you don't make your preferences known.

But here's why people (i.e. YOU) often don't want to be specific.

•  I'm afraid it will drive clients away. You're right. It will drive away the ones you don't want anyway. It will bring in more of the people you do want.
• What if people don't feel like they can call me because they're not in my specialty? Trust me, they'll do it anyway. Ask anyone with a specialty. Anyone. You still get "regular clients."
• What if I change my mind about what I like to work with? So what if you do? You can have multiple specialties. I do. (Teen anxiety, premarital counseling, sexual abuse…and counselor business coaching!) Just focus on one at a time. You don't have to eliminate anything,
• But I need money/hours. You have to make your own decision about how hard of a line you take on this, but I want you to consider this fact: every non-ideal client you accept is taking the space that an ideal client could be filling. Ideal clients generally stay longer (more money/hours) and give you more job satisfaction to work with, extending your energy and staving off burnout. Think about it.

Seeing counselors afraid to be specific is the biggest heartbreaker for me personally as a coach/mentor. Because I know it's keeping them - keeping YOU - from your counselor mission.

That's why I want you to consider today challenging your fear of being specific OR further defining your ideal client here for me below. Comment in the box about who that client is and why you feel passionate about working with them.

If you're not 100% sure yet, don't let that stop you. Share who you want to work with now. You will refine that, and it may change with time. That's okay. But writing it down here today provides accountability that you are not going to be one of the counselor generalizers. You know who you're here to work with and why.

Who is that client… for you?

You're the first to know!

It's here.

The 2014 Mind Your Own Business Conference Challenge: Clients Unlimited. 

And you're the first to know!

So? What's the big deal about that? (You may wonder.) 

Maybe you're thinking, "But I'm still in graduate school." Or, "I work in an agency." Or, "I'm still earning my hours." Or, "I can't afford training now."

"So..." you say, "why does this matter to me?"

It matters to you because:

Every counselor needs clients. 

If you're in private practice, that's how you earn your living. If you're working at an agency, you need to up the numbers OR you want to reach more people with your services. If you're an intern, you need hours.

The earlier you learn, the less time you'll spend stressing about it later on. 

All in all, I'd say I spent 2 1/2 years reading every business book I could get my hands on, buying advertising, testing copy, learning to talk about what I do, and falling flat on my face before I reached a point at which I felt I had a "pretty good handle" on business as it relates to client attraction and growth. If you're just starting your graduate program, or your internship, you are actually AHEAD of the game if you start learning now. By the time you really need client attraction to happen, you'll already be an old pro.

It's FREE. 

Registering for the conference gives you an all-access pass to:

• Six free, live video webinars with top private practice experts. (Recordings will be available for purchase, but everyone will have ample time to listen for free!)
• The exclusive MYOB Facebook group, which only opens admission once a year. (After this we'll close it till 2015!)
• Free gifts from me and the speakers (no one is selling during this conference - instead, we'll be giving something away at each event!) 
• The MYOB Conference Challenge, a community accountability exercise I'll be telling you about a little closer to the start of the conference. (Which will begin in July!)

How many more reasons could you need? Everyone who's involved in the conference will get:

• Real, actionable tips you can put to work for you tomorrow.
• Friendship and community with other counselors just like you.
• Tons of free gifts and goodies, as well as the inside track on our favorite services and private practice tools. 

Sound good to you? Then get in on the action here!

FREE 21-Day
Mind Your Own Business
Conference Challenge!
 

• Name:
• Email:
• subscribed: 1
• We will never spam you. Seriously.
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Sign up now to get free access to pre-conference activities, the Facebook group and of course, all the details about how to sign up to attend the webinars! Only registered members will be sent information about how to attend each event for free. So don't wait, or you might miss out! 

Register here.

Important: If you registered last year, you are probably still enrolled for this year. To re-register, you don't have to do anything, just look for the emails. (The first email, "Welcome To The Conference" will go out today.) If you are registered and don't wish to be for this year, no problem. There's an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email. 

Will you be attending the conference? Share in the comments section below!

<<<< Register here! >>>>

Memorial Day

A hero is someone 

who has given his or her life 

to something bigger than oneself.

Joseph Campbell

We will resume regular posting next week. Enjoy time with your family and friends.

Why are you qualified?

How do you know what you're doing?

"Are you married?"

"Are you a parent?"

"How old are you?"

"How long have you been doing this?"

When you're a student counselor or a counselor newbie, these questions just come at you. Most of the time, the harshest questions come from yourself.

"Are you really good enough to help them?"

"What if you hurt them?"

"Do you really know what you're doing?"

The good news is, it gets better. I was inspired to write this today because it's been so long since I struggled with those kinds of thoughts. And trust me, it's not because I don't have bouts of crazy insecurity.

It's because I know what makes me qualified. It's what makes you qualified, too.

It's because I care.

It's because I give my clients a different perspective.

Because I listen when most people would talk.

Because...all that stuff.

It's just what we do. 

 What makes YOU qualified to be a counselor? Share below! 

The Medication Deliberation

Have you ever had a client say to you, "I'm just not comfortable with medication?" Do you, yourself, ever struggle with whether or not to refer out to a psychiatrist, or if you decide to refer, when it's appropriate?

People - and counselors - have a lot of competing ideas about medication for mental illness.

Is it a panacea? (A sweeping solution, with the implication that some aspects of the patient's needs will slip through the cracks.)

Is it a band-aid, that will slow the damage to a wounded heart but not heal?

Is it a last resort, which should only be used when everything else has been exhausted?

Is it part of the intake process, something that should be dealt with at the beginning of therapy? 

To be honest, there is no one answer that will satisfy all therapists, and all clients. Some therapists, usually categorized as holistic therapists, do not believe in the use of medication, instead integrating alternative therapies like aromatherapy into their practice.

And whatever the therapist believes, the client may be resistant to medication, perhaps saying something like this:

• It's a sign of weakness.
• I don't want to "numb out."
• I want to trust God, not drugs (or) my church doesn't believe in medication.
• I don't want chemicals in my body.
• I believe my body can correct itself.
• I want to try the natural approach. 

Whatever you believe (or your client believes) there are two major options for how to approach this.

Continue to focus on non-medication alternatives. There are several resources that medical doctors recommend for situations like depression, such as increasing exercise. You might also recommend books like Trudy Scott's The Antianxiety Food Solution. 

If you choose to recommend medication, I find that you get the best results with your clients when you follow the following guidelines:

• Do your best to coordinate care with the client's prescribing professional. Ask the client for a release form from the doctor's office to speak with the doctor or the staff nurse about their medication and possible side effects. Most doctors do not have the time to fully explain every possible side effect, and will not see them on a weekly basis. Therefore, your doing research on the medication they are taking for possible side effects can help them greatly. If you see a side effect popping up, you may be able to recognize and intervene more quickly than they can recognize it themselves. 
• Reinforce medication instructions. Medication non-compliance is one of the BIGGEST challenges facing medical professionals today. A lot of that comes from misunderstandings of the risks of incorrectly taking prescription medications and lack of accountability. For example, many people tend to stop taking anti-depressant or bipolar medication when they start feeling better. But abruptly stopping some medications can drastically increase risk of suicidality and it must be addressed both before and during the implementation of a new medication.
• Emphasize the client's ability to choose what they do what they feel is right with their medication, but to do it SAFELY. Remind them regularly that you will listen if they truly want to cease medications, even if you do not agree, so that they will share with you if they stop medications and you can help them do it safely. Otherwise, they may hide it from you in order to avoid your 'disapproval' and follow an unsafe medication regimen on their own.
• Remind them of the importance of discussing non-prescription supplements with their doctors. "Natural" remedies, including St. John's Wort, can STILL interact with certain medications and cause unsafe side effects. 
• Don't neglect the emotional impact of societal perspectives on medications for mental health. Whether the client's immediate society is their church, their regional area, or their family, it matters what others think about them. They may worry about judgment from others, about keeping 'secrets', about being shunned or blacklisted. They may worry that others will simply think they gave up or sold out. And they may have transferred that judgment to themselves. 
• Consistently help them see the "big picture."  You can tell them that: "You don't have to be on medication forever, necessarily. Many people believe it is no different than taking a blood pressure medication. You have tried all the other alternatives. You may have to to dull side effects like sleeplessness, apathy, etc., so that you can implement what I am working with you on in talk therapy." Of course, if you don't believe in these things, don't go against your conscience, but if you approve of these statements they may be what the clients need to hear. 

What has been your experience with helping clients who have been prescribed psychiatric medication? What is one tip you think other counselors should know when working with clients considering psychiatric drugs? 

Post your comment below!