Episodes
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Do you want to build a values based private practice? And are you thinking; âWhat does that actually mean?â
Many people may shy away from the business-aspect of running a practice because they feel awkward following the standard, capitalistic model of working with employees and clients, and where the goal is solely to maximize profits. Iâm here to tell you that you donât need to do it this way!
You can run a Canadian private practice that you are proud of, that makes you enough money, and that does good work in your community. Listen in on this episode to find out how!
*Insert the JANE App logo and sponsorship script linking to www.jane.app/mentalhealth
In this Episode:
What is a value based practice?
With clients
Incorporating other values
What is a value based practice?
âIt focuses more on integrating personal and ethical values into your private practice, rather than focusing on profit-driven motives [only].â - Julia Smith
What this means in my Canadian private practice is that any support staff that I hire, like my admin assistant, that they start off working with me for a living wage and for my associates I offer them a percentage split that is above market. If you want to hear more about this topic, I encourage you to listen to episode 135.
âDoes this mean that I have to spend more for an admin assistant? Of course! But my decision isnât based on that profit-driven motive of, âHow cheaply can I hire someone for this position?â because it doesnât align with my values.â - Julia Smith
With clients
A value based practice also takes clients into consideration. As much as I am not trying to pay my contact employees as little as legally possible, I am also not trying to charge my clients as much as legally possible.
âIt is also now how we are basing our rates, of, âWhat is the lowest rate that we can charge without resenting this work?â as well as making sure that we can pay our bills and have a happy, healthy life, and not be burned out!â - Julia Smith
Now, I base my decisions on âHow low can I go without resenting the work?â instead of, âHow high can I go?â
Incorporating other values
Of course, you can bring in other important values that resonate with you and your vision and mission into your practice, such as;
Offering equitable access to therapy through providing opportunities for sliding scale payments or pro-bono services
Hiring an intern who can charge a very reduced rate for more accessible therapy
Practicing what you preach by getting involved in social justice issues
Participating in community initiatives to create broader, social change
âWe are therapists, weâre here to help people! Yes, we deserve to be paid a wage that reflects the work that we do and we deserve to not get burned out. But ⊠we do value making ethical decisions! We do need to make profits in private practice, but capitalism should not be running the show - at least thatâs my personal opinion!â - Julia Smith
So, I encourage you to reflect on your personal and ethical values. How can you brainstorm in small or larger ways of bringing these values to fruition in your Canadian private practice?
Connect with me:
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Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 137: Dr. Stacey Hatch: Research, Private Practice Tips, and Seeing Clients at Home | EP 137
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
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Mentioned episode: https://www.fearlesspractice.ca/podcasts/raising-and-lowering-rates-ep-135/
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Life can take us in many different directions, and what helps is how we can make use of the knowledge that we acquire when exploring these routes.
For todayâs guest, Dr. Stacey Hatch followed her passion for psychology and working with people all the way from her near two-decade work experience in television to now running her own successful Canadian private practice!
In this podcast episode, we talk about her journey into counselling, how she managed to complete her studies while teaching and working, and advice on seeing clients directly out of your home.
MEET STACEY
Stacey is a clinician-educator-researcher. She is a registered psychotherapist and worked in primary mental healthcare at the Prince Edward Family Health Team for ten years, where she saw patients across the lifespan. She also served as the mental health lead and coordinator of the Mint Memory Clinic for seven years. She has a private practice in Prince Edward County where she sees clients in person and virtually. She provides psychotherapy within a trauma-informed approach in inclusive and equitable spaces. Dr. Hatch also holds adjunct professor positions at Athabasca University and Yorkville University and is a post-doctoral fellow at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Learn more about Stacey on her website and Psychology Today profile.
In this episode:
Staceyâs career
Pursuing a private practice while researching and teaching
Balancing work commitments
Offering therapy from your home
Marketing tips
Dr. Hatchâs private practice advice
Staceyâs career
Staceyâs successful therapy career that sheâs thriving in now started many years ago as a job in television!
Dr. Hatchâs journey to her private practice today has been a roundabout route, but she took many of her lifelong inspirations and interests forward and brought her experience together to now do what she is passionate about.
After her years working in television, Stacey began doing volunteer work in her local hospice, and thatâs when the desire to work in therapy really clicked into place for her.
From launching the hospice with the board, Stacey started taking psychology classes and completed her Masterâs Degree in Counselling Psychology. Afterward, Dr. Hatch spent time working in a primary care clinic, and itâs an experience that she recommends to every therapist and counsellor.
Pursuing a private practice while researching and teaching
Even though some things ended up coming together serendipitously, many of the threads that wove Dr. Stacey Hatchâs career up until now did support one another and were built into her career together.
Balancing work commitments
Slowly but surely, Dr. Hatch is finding her work/ life balance.
It may have taken some time, but she is discovering that the more she puts in systems and helpful routines or mindsets, the more that she can do without becoming overly stressed or pressured.
Stacey also offers virtual sessions, and she even takes clients for sessions in a home office room.
Offering therapy from your home
Marketing tips
Some of Dr. Hatchâs most used marketing tools are;
A website that she loves and that showcases her Canadian private practice well
Uploading up-to-date blogs for new potential clients to read over
Connecting her website with her consultation platform to allow clients to book an initial consultation immediately
Maintains a Psychology Today profile and updates it regularly
Dr. Hatchâs private practice advice
Find out when you feel the brightest and work the best! Pace yourself, and work in the periods throughout the day when you are excited and open to working with them, rather than forcing yourself to work in periods when you struggle to do any work at all.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 136: Maureen Codispodi: Building an Accessible Virtual Private Practice with Reduced Rates | EP 136
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Stacey on her website and Psychology Today profile
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Episodes manquant?
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Are you interested in offering affordable and accessible therapy in your private practice? We all know that one of the main barriers to care is cost, and it is an issue that many Canadians face.
However, there are ways to incorporate low cost fees in your private practice! In this podcast episode, I talk with Maureen, who owns Help Clinic Canada. She noticed a strong need across her community, and brought her passion from her decades of working in mental health along with her to serve this need as best she could.
Now with a powerful vision, Maureen and her team are trying to make a difference in therapy accessibility.
MEET MAUREEN
Maureen Codispodi, founder and director of Help Clinic Canada, is a force of change in the landscape of mental health support in Canada. As a seasoned mental health and education professional, she is committed to breaking down barriers to mental health services and, with the support of her team, is making an impact in the lives of Canadians.
Learn more about Maureen on her website, business website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles.
In this episode:
How Maureen got into therapy
Starting a private practice
Growing a private practice
Whatâs working and whatâs not working
How Maureen got into therapy
After Maureen completed her undergraduate degrees, she worked with brain injuries and other brain-related issues for about five years as a front line worker. However, in these roles she experienced a lot of burnout.
She then transitioned into case management, but it was. At this point, she trained again and decided to become a teacher, and got her Masters in teaching and worked as an international school teacher.
After teaching for almost 20 years, Maureen transitioned into special education where she was leading teams and managing cases again.
âWhenever Iâve had breaks in work ⊠Iâve always gone back to mental health work as opposed to education because back then there weren't a lot of teaching jobs ⊠Only very recently I retrained to become a therapist, but I felt like I had walked the path for a long time and I was ready to take on more clinical-based work.â - Maureen Codispodi
Starting a private practice
Apart from Maureenâs inner knowing and passion to open a private practice, she also knew that she had a lot of life experience that she could bring into her practice and in working with her clients. So, she felt confident and inspired to go into this space.
Even while she was working on her private practice, her early ideas for Help Clinic Canada were already on her mind.
Growing a private practice
Primarily, Maureen wanted to break down barriers to therapy and counselling for Canadians. So in her private practice, they decided to offer therapy at the low price of $25!
Maureen and her team are excited to support people in their communities across Canada, and to give people access to therapy virtually, no matter where they are.
Whatâs working and whatâs not working
Help Clinic Canada is growing and gaining recognition as fellow practices, therapists, counsellors, and clients begin to network with them; however, progress is slow, and Maureen needs to find the right people to outsource tasks and secure funding for marketing, though she has started to find great people for the team.
While there have been bumps in the road, Maureen says that they have been lucky so far and they are excited about the road ahead!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 135: Raising and Lowering Rates | EP 135
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Maureen on her website, business website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Today weâre going to get a little more personal! Iâm going to share more about my Canadian private practice and how I run it, especially when it comes to raising and lowering my rates.
In the spirit of integrity and authenticity, I want to share these things with you! In this episode, Iâm going to be talking about how I raised my rates and then lowered them, and the reasons why I chose to do this, and what I have learned along the way.
In this episode:
Playing the market
Managing the stress of raising rates
Staying connected with community
The unexpected solution!
Playing the market
Around eight years ago, I started at $125 per session. At this point that price was considered high for a Registered Counseling Therapist, let alone a candidate, which I was at the time. Over the years, I got up to $300 for intake and $275 for subsequent sessions, and I had remained at this price for the past two years.
The reason why I wanted to play the market was because I was curious to see what my worth was financially. I had gotten burned out a few years ago, and was encouraged to raise my rates so that I could see fewer clients but still pay the bills.
Managing the stress of raising rates
I noticed that I felt a significant amount of stress each time I decided to raise my rates but was not sure why.
What I noticed in the beginning was that I would slowly adjust and feel more comfortable with the new price, and then the stress would reduce. But as my rates got higher and higher, I was unable to destress from the price increase.
Staying connected with community
I realized I started to feel disconnected from my community because, as you raise your rates, fewer and fewer people can afford your services
There are other ways to help community, such as hiring other therapists who can see clients at a lower rate or referring to other awesome therapists. But I love being a therapist and doing the work with clients. I wanted to help my community in a way that worked for me as well as for them.
The unexpected solution!
In the spring, I realized that I wanted to lower my rates. I was scared to do it though, because I was nervous that I would reduce my income too much and I wouldnât be able to afford the bills. However, the solution to my problem arrived unexpectedly!
I received news that Registered Counselling Therapists and Registered Psychotherapists in Canada no longer have to charge tax! This meant that I could adjust and lower my rates more easily and become more accessible to my community.
My associate and I wanted to find a price range that would be more affordable for clients, enable us to cover our expenses, and allow us to maintain a balanced work schedule without needing to work five days a week. Within one day of the tax being taken off, we decided our range and posted it on our Instagram and website, and emailed our clients to let them know, and jumped right in!
It's a great feeling to know that you could charge more but you choose not to because you want to live and work in alignment with your values.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 134: Encore episode
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
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Join Julia for an encore presentation of her 2022 conversation with Heidi Sturgeon. It's a thought-provoking episode that has an unexpected twist at the end! You can find the show notes here.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 133: Canadaâs new tax exemption on regulated therapy services | EP 133
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Today we are celebrating that Registered Counselling Therapists and Registered Psychotherapists no longer have to charge tax!
There are decades of work behind the scenes to bring this to fruition, so it is a big deal! Thank you to the CCPA for making this happen!
In this podcast episode, Iâll give you all the information about what this means and what you should do next so that youâre in the loop and on the right track.
In this Episode:
Who doesnât have to charge tax anymore?
What does this mean?
Addressing the change with clients
Who doesnât have to charge tax anymore?
Last month in June 2024, Bill C59 received royal ascend and that means that GST and HST can successfully be removed from counselling and psychotherapy services in provinces that regulate the profession.
What does this mean?
What this means for therapists across Canada is that if you are in a province that regulates psychotherapy or counselling therapy, which includes;
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
You no longer have to charge tax on therapy services! However, if you are certified in an unregulated province, it can be a little tricky. You may or may not be able to take tax off of your services, because it depends on if you have the relevant qualifications with a regulated province, what your provinces rules are specifically, and other factors.
âSo before taking off tax in an unregulated province, you will want to speak to your MPs [and] to the board where you are certified just to make sure that you can legally do that.â - Julia Smith
The CCPA is still advocating for those unregulated provinces so that Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC) may become included in not having to charge tax anymore, because this is currently not the case.
No matter what, you should still contact the CRA to discuss your individual situation on whether or not to deregister your HST or GST number. Click here to find the CRA link!
Addressing the change with clients
Are you going to take the tax off of your therapy fee? Or are you going to keep the therapy fee the same and give yourself a little bit of a raise? Thereâs no judgment if you do decide to go with the latter, since inflation has been tough these last few years.
First and foremost, you may want to put yourself in your clientâs shoes because by not taking the tax off your fee and keeping it the same - depending on how you word it - your clients may not appreciate that, especially since for them it has also been difficult with inflation and rising costs.
âIf you do decide to give yourself a raise, you want to explain to your clients why you are doing this, so that they understand and can respect it!â - Julia Smith
Some therapists may not tell the clients that they are doing this because the final fee includes the tax in the price, so the tax could be removed without the clients noticing. But by not informing your clients of the change, it may bring up big issues in the therapeutic alliance if a client finds it out and feels cheated or lied to, so being transparent is usually the best route!
In my private practice, weâve decided to pass the benefits to our clients.
With Jane App, it is super simple to do to change this feature!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 132: Destin Jones: Creating Canadian Therapist Communities | EP 132
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Canada Revenue Agency
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Do you have a community of clients, peers, or professionals that you work alongside? How can communities open up new opportunities? Have you considered starting a community that isnât focused solely on sales?
Community is a bit of a buzzword in marketing and private practice these days, but itâs still truly valuable and a worthwhile investment to make.
In this podcast episode, I chat with Destin, the Director of Community at Jane App, about everything to do with community and what every Canadian therapist needs to know to start, find, and support one!
MEET DESTIN
Destin is the Director of Community at Jane.app, an online platform for health and wellness practitioners that makes it simple to book, chart, schedule, bill, and get paid. Destin has been working in tech and community for over 15 years and is a passionate advocate for community-led growth and how community can help businesses big and small connect with their customers in a real, human way to build authentic relationships while also achieving their goals.
Learn more about Destin on her LinkedIn Profile.
In this episode:
How Destin joined Jane App
The benefits of multidisciplinary communities
How therapists in Canada can build community online
Which communities you can create
Destinâs advice to listeners
How Destin joined Jane App
For Destinâs philosophy, being part of the Jane App team inherently means to value community, and bring in community principles into the work that the Jane App team does with their customers.
Destin started working in marketing and communications and various agencies, which all showed Destin that she really liked to work with people, and in positions where client relationships are at the forefront of the business.
After a few years, social media began taking off for business as a marketing tool, around 2008 and 2009, and this is where Destinâs epiphany and understanding of the value of community in business became apparent, to unite and grow a bigger customer base.
The benefits of multidisciplinary communities
Something unique about Jane App is that it offers a community space for you to tap into where all the business owners can share and learn from each other about how to personalize the app for their practices.
You can work with the Jane App team, and learn from other people who are using it too, because the platform in itself is inherently creative and customizable.
How therapists in Canada can build community online
It can be tricky to navigate building an online community if youâre a therapist since there are different rules and regulations across colleges and provinces.
The landscape for building community is big since you can include so many different platforms, so just pick one and start small to build up that momentum.
Additionally, Destin recommends starting a professional profile instead of merging your personal social media with a new professional branch to it.
And remember to add a disclaimer that your professional social media community isnât a substitute for formal, in-session therapy.
Which communities you can create
Apart from the more obvious communities that you can create with your audience and client base, Destin wants you to consider building up a community thatâs based on your fellow practitioners, peers, and professional network.
Destinâs advice to listeners
If youâre not ready yet or you donât have the time, donât force it, but do consider it in the long-run since communities are keys to greater success, networks, income, and friendships along the way too.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 131: Paige Abbott: Taking Private Practice at Your Own Pace| EP 131
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Destin on her LinkedIn Profile
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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It can be easy to get caught up in looking at everyone elseâs journey when instead itâs important to focus on your own. When you take private practice at your own pace, and when you incorporate your talents and passions and allow yourself to be guided from one spot to the next, you can more easily find your way in private practice instead of trying to do what everyone else has done with theirs.
In this podcast episode, Paige and I discuss her journey into private practice, how she overcame impostor syndrome, and how sheâs bringing in her personal passions into her Canadian practice.
MEET PAIGE
Paige Abbott is a Registered Psychologist and founder of Sana Psychological in Alberta. Paige has been a Psychologist since 2009 and running her private practice since 2019. Paige expanded from solo to group practice in 2023.
Learn more about Paige on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles.
In this episode:
Paigeâs interest in and pursuit for psychology
Heading towards private practice
Overcoming impostor syndrome
Marketing authentically and successfully
Paigeâs goals for the future
Advice for listeners
Paigeâs interest in and pursuit for psychology
For Paige, becoming a psychologist was a collection of different circumstances that stretched over a few years. Initially, she wanted to be a writer, and was passionate about the written word and she knew that it was something she wanted to take forward into a future career.
In her undergrad, Paige took psychology and really enjoyed it, and it came to feel like âa match made in Heavenâ. Afterward, Paige got her Masters in Psychology and began her career as a psychologist in Alberta.
After the assistance program, Paige worked as an outpatient psychologist for almost a decade and after that she began to dip her toes into private practice in 2020, where she is now, with her own fully established private practice!
Heading towards private practice
Even though Paige always wanted to work for herself, she got caught up working in agencies for many years before finally listening to the inner call to open up her own practice.
Once she committed to being her own boss and working on her private practice, she found that she enjoyed the daily tasks and inner workings of managing and taking care of a business.
Paige also uses Jane App, and it allows her to streamline her practice with more efficiency as well as allowing her that sense of creativity and ownership to set things up as she likes!
Overcoming impostor syndrome
Paige initially held back from expanding her solo practice into a group practice because she felt unsure.
Often with impostor syndrome, it helps to remind yourself of all the times you have succeeded in the past.
Marketing authentically and successfully
Paige prioritizes digital marketing since for her itâs the thing that works. Itâs more than having the profile on Psychology Today, itâs about showcasing your business truly in an effort to find the best-fit clients.
Paigeâs goals for the future
In the upcoming months, Paige is looking to scale down on the amount of hours she spends in session so that she can find a more holistic work/ life balance.
Paige wants to move from more direct client work to more mentorship, as both a change in her hourly work and as a progress that she wants to experiment with in her career.
Advice for listeners
Do it! Get into private practice. Thereâs never going to be a perfect moment, so if you hear the call, honor it and get started.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 130: How to Create a Summer Schedule that Works for You! | EP 130
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Paige on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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As many therapists may have experienced with their practices, thereâs usually a summer slump. Everybody is either away on vacation or taking time off work, and as such their schedules have changed, albeit temporarily, and this can make it challenging for therapists to maintain their usual steady stream of clients.
More than that, you also want a holiday! Itâs important for everyone, including therapists, to enjoy the nice weather and to take time off, wherever applicable and useful.
In this podcast episode, I share with you some of the tips and approaches I use to make sure that I can also relax and take a breather, without
In this Episode:
Some ideas to deal with a summer slump
What Iâm trying this year!
Managing my time
Slowing down
Some ideas to deal with a summer slump
While everyone is outside and enjoying the warmer weather after winter, businesses and practices can suffer a little financially.
Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help keep your business afloat and top of mind, such as:
Increased marketing your business leading up to the summer
Adding a niche with a summertime focus
Saving money throughout the year to help you manage the slower summer months
Adding an additional stream of income
Hiring new therapists to your practice
What Iâm trying this year
From the suggestions Iâve given above, there are a couple of things that I am trying this year for summer 2024.
What Iâm doing;
1 - Reminding myself that this is a phase. I know that there are trends of busyness that come and go throughout the year, and to keep calm and make adjusted actions is the best way to go.
2 - Be proactive and productive. I use the client summer slump to work on my business in other ways, making tweaks and adjustments where it may be needed that I might not have the time to do during the rest of the year.
3 - You can network too. Networking is an ongoing investment that you are making in your business, and these ring true and could bring you some valuable clients before, during, and after the summer months.
Managing my time
So, the way that I manage my time over these summer months with my other work priorities is to simply slot them into my usual clinical working hours, where I wouldâve been clients. This way I maintain my usual schedule, keep my own routine, and still work within the hours that I am used to.
Blocking out that time in my own schedule means that I keep working, and I donât see an empty client slot as âfreeâ time.
Slowing down
Another thing that I am doing this summer is slowing down, and taking time off as well! One of the most annoying things of the summer is having one client booked on a clinical day, and no one else.
When that happens, I book the rest of the hours off to focus on that one summer work priority, and also to relax! Where possible, Iâll bunch those client hours onto a day or two so that I work in batches, and can then manage my time so that Iâll have a solid block of working time, and then rest.
If you want to hear more about how I portion out my time so that I can enjoy both my clinical work and enjoying my personal life, listen to this episode for some tips and advice!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 129: Rhea Bridge: Niching in a New Practice to Reduce Burnout | EP 129
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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In the beginning of starting a new practice, being a generalist seems like a good idea, especially when you want to welcome clients through the door and the idea of turning away new potential clients seems counterintuitive.
However, niching down is not only helpful regarding your marketing or your skill set: niching down is also important for you! It helps you to enjoy your everyday work instead of feeling unnecessarily drained.
In this podcast episode, I chat with Rhea, who started her virtual Canadian private practice after graduating, and who has built her success around focusing on her ideal clients and in the future hopes to build connections with her community, of both clients and therapists.
MEET RHEA
Rhea is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario, mom of 2 and business owner. Her practice is focused on mood and anxiety disorders, life transitions, BIPOC and cultural issues, as well as the perinatal period.
Learn more about Rhea on her website, Instagram, and Psychology Today profiles.
In this episode:
How Rhea developed her career in therapy
Starting a solo practice
Marketing the practice
Overcoming issues
Thinking on the future
How Rhea developed her career in therapy
In Rheaâs previous work life she was working with clients with autism. She ended up leaving the field, and wasnât sure what to do.
When she was working with patients with autism, she did feel like she wanted to do more for them but felt constrained by the role that she was employed under.
So, after Rhea left that job, she took some time to think about what she wanted to do and considered the things that she enjoyed doing to shift these passions into a career. She ended up finding a masters program that enabled her to unite her interests with counselling in a way that she was excited about.
Starting her solo practice
Even though Rhea was uncomfortable and a little scared about the unknown, she started exploring what she needed to do to set up a new practice. She started looking for only a few clients in the beginning to get a feel of what it would be like.
Rhea worked part-time and had some financial support from her husband while she was launching her practice, both of which helped her to navigate the uncertainties in the beginning before her practice was more fully established.
Marketing the practice
Rhea launched a Psychology Today profile for herself and her practice to advertise herself and her business.
She also opened up accounts on a few other free platforms where clients often may search for therapists, as well as launching a small Instagram account.
Within her community, Rheaâs practice is starting to gain some traction by word-of-mouth as well.
Overcoming issues
For Rhea, a common problem that she is working on resolving is the issue of scheduling, and of finding a time that works well for her and for clients to have a session.
Additionally, niching was something that Rhea had to work on and to find the right fit. Once she niched down, things became easier.
A powerful bonus of working within your niche and within your skill set and with the clients that you want to work with also reduces your risk of burnout.
Thinking on the future
Rhea is focused on making more connections in her community within the next six months to a year. Having one or two specific goals can help you to figure out your direction..
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 128: Christina Page: Transitioning from Agency to Private Practice | EP 128
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Rhea on her website, Instagram, and Psychology Today profiles
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With private practice, Christina, our guest today, went through a challenging experience and found it difficult herself to find the therapy that she needed.
When she registered as a social worker and later as a perinatal therapist, she knew that she wanted to fill the niche in the market by serving the families in her community.
Today, we discuss her journey into social work, her time working at a hospital, and how she started her thriving, mostly virtual Canadian group practice, and how she incorporated her own values and passions into building a successful practice that meets her clientâs needs!
MEET CHRISTINA
Christina Page is a Registered Social Worker, Certified Perinatal Therapist and the owner of Whole Family Psychotherapy, a primarily virtual Ontario based group practice specializing in perinatal mental health. Christina and her team of RSWâs are also parents themselves, and believe supporting parents in all stages of their journey allows for family systems to thrive.
Learn more about Christina on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles.
In this episode:
How Christina became a social worker
Opening up a private practice
Developing the solo practice into a group practice
A client login for Jane App
How Christina became a social worker
Initially in school, Christina really wanted to be an actor!
Upon coming to this life changing realization, Christina dropped out of acting school and spent a couple of years getting to know herself while working different jobs here and there. She went to therapy herself, and discovered that it was something that she felt a natural calling to do too.
Opening up a private practice
Christina spent a while working in the hospital system as a social worker, however she knew that there was something else that she wanted to try. While Christina was still on maternity leave, she decided that she wanted to move out of working in the hospital system and to open up her own practice.
Christina wanted to gain more expertise, and found some Canadian perinatal mental health trainings in Toronto that she loved, and where she completed a bunch of certificates with course work and supervision which helped her to feel competent and ready to market herself in her new practice.
Developing the solo practice into a group practice
In 2022, once Christinaâs children were in school and daycare, she really committed to networking in her area and meeting every midwife and doctor that she felt fit with her niche and approach.
Once 2023 came around, Christina felt the need to expand her solo practice into a group practice.
Even though Christina didnât initially want to be a boss, she found herself warming up to the idea. Now, itâs been a year since Christina has been running her group practice.
Christina was motivated to lay a strong foundation for her practice that wasnât only solid on operation, skill sets, expertise, and student services for affordable therapy, but also on ethics. She hired an attorney to make sure that everything was done by the book.
A client login for Jane App
Having a client login option for your practice website so that your existing clients can have access to their receipts or other documentation is a great way to keep the client journey piece in mind within your business operations.
It shows your clients that you are considering their needs too, and that you are incorporating their experience into how you structure your services to serve their needs.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 127: Being Intentional when Starting a Group Private Practice | EP 127
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Christina on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles.
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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For many Canadian therapists, the trajectory seems to be that once you start getting full with clients that you should open a group private practice.
However, if you blindly consider opening a group private practice without evaluating whether or not it is truly something that you want, then you may end up in a very stressful situation, feeling burned out and confused as to how this happened!
Therefore, when you think that it is time to consider this next phase of your career and you are drawn to the idea of growing your solo a Canadian private practice into a group private practice, really give it some intentional thought, so that you can make a decision that is good for YOU!
So, if you are trying to weigh up your options, listen to this podcast episode where I ask you a couple of important questions to use when deciding which path to take.
In this Episode:
Is it your passion?
Do you like managing people?
Will it impact your work-life balance?
Are you following the crowd?
Is it your passion?
There are so many reasons why people decide to open a group private practice, so make sure that if you are considering this path it is something that you are prepared to do because YOU have the desire to do it!
A lot of people will encourage private practice owners to open a group private practice as a ânatural next stepâ, when this isnât necessarily a formulaic process, because it has to be intentional.
Remember that passion and an active drive to pursue something are powerful ingredients for success. So donât follow the crowd just because everyone else is, and take your genuine interests and passions into account when figuring out your next steps.
Do you like managing people?
Do you want to add more therapists to your private practice so that more people in your community can receive help? Do you want to make passive income? Even more so, do you want to be a boss and a manager?
Being a manager is a skill that has to be developed, and something that you can learn from consultants or courses.
Will it impact your work-life balance?
If you are considering changing your solo practice into a group practice, imagine your current life and what it could be changed into if you do make this switch.
In the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse who noted the top five regrets that people had as they were passing away, and they are;
I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
I wish I hadnât worked so hard
I wish I had the courage to express my feelings
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
I wish I had let myself be happier
Are you following the crowd?
Do you want to open a Canadian group private practice only because that is what consultants and supervisors say is the next step?
Sure, it can be difficult to untangle what you want alone instead of what you think you want from looking at what worked for others. Figure out what works for you, and develop that!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 126: Celissa Vipond & Melissa Lindstrom: From Friendship to Successful Practice | EP 126
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Books mentioned in this episode: The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Celissa and Melissa noticed the clear need for mental health services in Ontario over the pandemic, and decided to team up to put their expertise and skills to use to serve the community.
As a team, Celissa and Melissa were able to balance starting a practice between the two of them while continuing their social work positions that they love. Their Canadian private practice has now grown into a successful group private practice where they have the benefits of running their own practice while still working jobs that they cherish.
In this podcast episode, I chat with the two of them about their progress, their ups and downs, and what they recommend to you for your Canadian private practice career!
MEET CELISSSA AND MELISSA
Celissa and Melissa are the owners of Virtual CBT, a private psychotherapy practice specializing in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for clients in Ontario that are struggling with symptoms of depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD, and trauma.
Learn more about Celissa and Melissa on their practice website and Instagram profile.
In this episode:
How Celissa and Melissa found their niche
Working as a team
Using Jane App
The future of Virtual CBT
Melissa and Celissaâs advice to listeners
How Celissa and Melissa found their niche
Both Celissa and Melissa are social workers. Between the two of them, they had dabbled in different sectors trying to find what suited them both best before specializing further.
Melissa thoroughly enjoyed working within CBT and she found it effective and helpful for both her services as a therapist and for her clientâs needs.
For Celissa, the path was a little different in that she only knew that she wanted to become a social worker after she graduated.
Celissaâs expertise has become more narrow as the years have passed, from CBT and DBT to specialized CBT and others.
Working as a team
Over the pandemic, both Celissa and Melissa were working for a not-for-profit organization when the public mental health system was being flooded with referrals.
Also, over the pandemic they went from working completely in person to completely virtual almost overnight.
One day, a doctor connected with Celissa asking if she had a private practice, and she ended up texting Melissa to see what she thought about it. They decided to work together to launch their own private practice since they could see that the need was there.
Using Jane App
Melissa recommends to all practice owners that Jane App is a great investment to commit to early on in your private practice journey since it streamlines so many processes in a way that they complement one another, helping you to stay organized and helping your clients to easily book appointments.
Janeâs intuitive and automatic systems that you can customize to your needs allows it to help you with what you want help with.
The future of Virtual CBT
Since September 2023 their practice has grown so much, which is why they have decided to take a step back and rest a bit before continuing to expand their practice together.
Diversifying your practice is also a good idea to consider because it can take away some of the stress and allows for the owners and staff to engage with clients and modalities in new and innovative ways.
Melissa and Celissaâs advice to listeners
Be willing to invest in your business, whether it is finances or time and effort, if you want to have a strong foundation and a successful practice. Be patient with the process as well!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 125: Kelly Hoskin: Trusting the Process for Success in Canadian Private Practice | EP 125
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Celissa and Melissa on their practice website and Instagram profile
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Sometimes people can feel nervous to start their careers since they donât know where it will end up. We may feel like we need to know exactly how the journey will look before we head towards a new destination.
In this podcast episode, Kelly and I discuss how she had no intention of working in psychotherapy initially after grad school, but found her way there. She discovered more of what she loved along the way!
MEET KELLY
Kelly Hoskin (BSW, RSW) is a registered social worker and psychotherapist passionate about supporting teenagers and adults, Indigenous peoples, and those grieving the loss of a pet. Kelly lives in Angus, Ontario and provides sessions virtually and in-person, including walk and talk therapy. She feels strongly in meeting clients where theyâre at and staying flexible to their needs. The client is the expert in their own life, and Kelly helps them to navigate their healing journey.
Learn more about Kelly on her Instagram and Psychology Today profiles.
In this episode:
Kellyâs entrance to social work
From social work into private practice
Working in NIHB
Kellyâs advice for listeners
Kellyâs entrance to social work
Kelly got her bachelorâs degree after high school, and then she worked for a few years at an employee assistance program. Eventually, she decided to complete her bachelors of social work.
After she graduated from her bachelors of social work, it took her another few years to figure out what to do with her degree.
From social work into private practice
Kelly worked as the coordinator in a collective of therapists, and she was well-known there. She did potential clientâs risk assessments and recommended them to a therapist in the collective.
Kelly was then motivated to start a private practice, with just a Bachelors of Social Work. She wanted to make sure that there wasnât a specific rule stating that she wasnât allowed, and within her province, it is allowed - but maybe not always recommended! Since further studying is often encouraged or required. Always check with your college!
Kelly approached the team as joining a psychotherapist, and was met with a warm welcome. They were supportive of her trying it out, and it just took time, her confidence, and support from other psychotherapists - with peer supervision - but Kelly did get there!
Working in NIHB
People who have status, either Inuit or indigenous, can access this service and they can receive up to 22 counselling sessions per calendar year. The therapist is paid directly from the government, so the client doesnât have to pay at all.
In order to be a part of this program you can fill out an application as to why you would be competent to be part of this program.
You can learn more about this service on their official website. Kelly markets to her clients via her social media platforms, as well as receiving clients through her referral network.
Additionally, Kelly hosts a networking event each month for both fellow practitioners as well as clients, which allows more people to find out about her work, as well as allowing her to provide a platform for more therapists and clients to meet.
Kellyâs advice for listeners
You are not the only one who doesnât know what they are doing with the business side of private practice!
Connect with your community of fellow therapists and practitioners, so that you have people to learn from and lean on, this is not a journey that you have to walk alone.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 124: Seeking Out and Mastering Work/ Life Balance | EP 124
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Kelly on her Instagram and Psychology Today profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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We always hear about âoptimizationâ, and to the extent that many folks may be influenced to outsource everything possible so that they have more free time.
But imagine this; if you had all this extra free time, after the time to rest, exercise, and spend time with loved ones, what would you be doing? If you had more free time and the mental capacity for tasks that you enjoy, what would they be?
You donât have to outsource all the parts of your private practice, maybe only the parts that you either need help with, or that you really donât like doing. If youâre a great therapist, but you also love marketing or SEO (like me!) then thereâs nothing wrong with structuring your tasks so that you still get to do these tasks that you enjoy doing in your practice.
Work-life balance is just that, a balance that you have to test out to discover where it lies for you. This is what Iâve done, listen in to learn more!
In this Episode:
Some background on my experience so far
The reality of my choices
Do things because you love doing them
Some background on my experience so far
Sometimes therapists can only stay in the profession for a while because they can get severely burnt out, and I didnât want that to happen to me.
When I started my Canadian private practice part-time, I was still working at university as a therapist. Even though I loved both jobs, I could tell that I was getting burnt out.
So, once I fully transitioned into private practice, things started to slowly get better! And I started to finally achieve some more work-life balance. I share more about this on this podcast episode; a 50/50 work week. Additionally, I share how having more free time helped me to overcome some obstacles that cropped up during this time.
The reality of my choices
At a time, this 50/50 work week split was great because it provided me with the chance to get to everything I needed to in my practice while allowing myself to rest on the off days.
However, with this additional extra time, I was getting a little bored.
I started to ask myself what fills my soul, beyond doing the therapy work that I love. I could sense that there was something more that I wanted to do and contribute to with my time and energy; I just had to figure out what that was.
What I came to understand was that by outsourcing everything that I possibly could, there were types of work that I was no longer doing that I did enjoy doing.
Do things because you love doing them
So, even though a business owner could technically outsource every single thing in their business to someone else - besides only what they can do - thatâs not something that you have to do!
You can still find the balance between hiring outside assistants and help, and still doing the tasks that you enjoy doing!
Remember that you donât have to follow everyone elseâs example. Take advice and learn from other peopleâs experience, but at the end of the day, you are the one who can build a system that is best-suited for your needs and desires.
Some questions for you to think about could include:
What do you enjoy doing?
How do you make time for it?
What can you outsource so that you have the time to do these things?
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 123: Michelle Ham: Joining a Collective to Build a Successful Practice | EP 123
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Many therapists may feel daunted by the idea of returning to school to get their masters or a PhD, especially after they have settled into their adult lives. However, it truly is never too late!
If you have a desire to take your Canadian private practice to the next level, or you feel frustrated working on someone elseâs schedule, and you desire more professional autonomy, taking a step forward with additional training may be very helpful to you.
In this podcast episode, I chat with Michelle who did just that.
MEET MICHELLE
Michelle Ham, C.C.C., is a compassionate and dedicated psychotherapist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With a Bachelor's Degree in Family Social Sciences and a Master's in Counselling Psychology, Michelle brings over a decade of experience in social work to her practice. She is committed to creating a safe and inclusive space. Michelle's therapeutic approach is rooted in a holistic, integrative, and person-centered framework, allowing her clients to collaboratively navigate their pathway to change. Through evidence-based modalities such as Internal Family Systems, somatic-based work, narrative therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness, Michelle provides personalized therapy sessions that empower her clients to find healing, understanding, and growth.
Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram account, and Psychology Today profile
In this episode:
Michelleâs journey into psychotherapy
Michelleâs steps into private practice
The lessons learned thus far
Marketing a private practice
Michelleâs advice for new therapists or practice owners
Michelleâs journey into psychotherapy
Michelle graduated with an undergraduate degree in family social sciences in 2008. She then started working in the social work world, holding various different positions.
Following this desire to have more autonomy over her time, Michelle returned to school in 2021. She took her masters in counselling psychology online so that she could manage her course work, while continuing with her job, and being a mom.
Michelleâs steps into private practice
Once Michelle graduated, she opened up a sole-proprietorship for her own private practice, and she rents office space in a local collective. The office space is shared with other therapists, and Michelle is able to reap the benefits of an extensive referral network through her collectiveâs director, as well as enjoying the professional company of others while scheduling and working her own hours.
The lessons learned thus far
Even though there has been so much change and trial and error moments, as Michelle explains, she also says that she enjoys having the chance to set her own hours, set her own schedule, and to see the clients that she wants to.
Marketing a private practice
Even though Michelleâs only been in private practice for a few years, her caseload is already filling up. She credits this partially to the well-connectedness of the collective, which networks with the local community.
Additionally, when Michelle was still a student, she was intentional about working on her social media platform to slowly and organically begin growing an online presence.
Michelleâs advice for new therapists or practice owners
Michelle encourages listeners to explore what is most suitable for them in terms of whether they want to do a sole-proprietorship or to take another approach. You can tailor the way your business works to your preferences - thatâs important to do!
Whether you want to open an in-person Canadian private practice or offer therapy services online, make sure that it is what you want to do, feel qualified in doing, and that you have a strong support network around you.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 122: Embracing the Dynamic Nature of Niching | EP 122
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram account, and Psychology Today profile
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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As the saying goes; âthe only constant thing is changeâ, and itâs true for Canadian private practices too. Sometimes you will set up a system that works well, but after months or years the practice has changed, and so the systems need to be updated.
Or, the offering that you used to love doing with your clients is no longer something that used to light your spark - because youâve most likely changed as a person and a therapist along the way - so you decide to change it up.
The point is that niching can be a great way to build your business, but it can also be necessary to change your niche over time. Itâs something that I have experienced as well, so listen in on this episode if youâre searching for some guidance!
In this Episode:
Why niching is important
How to niche
My experience with niching
Why niching is important
If you want a further, more in-depth episode into niching in Canadian private practice, I recommend that you listen to my previous episode on this topic! However, for a short recap, niching is important because it:
Helps you to stand out from the crowd
Helps you to focus on the issues that you are passionate about serving
How to niche
Some of the factors that you can keep in mind when you are figuring out your niche may include:
The size of the population of this niche
What you like working with clients through
What you are qualified to do
My experience with niching
Private Practice
With my website: I actually had a little mis-step with niching in my own private practice this past year! When I was redoing my website, I hired a website developer to give it a full make-over, as well as a copy editor. Overall, I realized that I had become way too excited about all the possibilities with the new website and adding services. I hadnât niched down enough, which made it overwhelming for a potential client to browse through.
In the end, I reduced the specialty pages on the menu so that they only relate to our main private practice focuses.
Fearless Practice
With my consulting: over five years ago I started my private practice consultation because I couldnât find any in Canada.
So, I started Fearless Practice to help other Canadian counsellors get the help that they needed with their private practices. Over the years, I created the workbook about how to start an online Canadian private practice, as well as scripts to send clients, private practice paperwork, an e-course, and more!
âBut as I continued to create these things, my consulting became irrelevant, because itâs all in the workbook! As well as with the podcast ⊠There have been so many episodes where I have interviewed other Canadian counsellors ⊠Thereâs just so much information that I have now on my website for Canadian counsellors, where you donât have to pay extra to have a one-on-one with me.â - Julia Smith
Additionally, I nowadays direct people to take courses from LinkedIn and Google since they offer insightful and helpful courses for therapists to take. So, my consulting days have changed, and I niched down - again! I now focus specifically on helping Canadian private practice owners recover from burnout by helping them to restructure their practice so that it suits their needs and desires.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 121: Mila Arsenijevic: Balancing Growth in a Canadian Private Practice | EP 121
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Listen to my previous episode on niching, why it is important, and how to do it!
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Do you feel pressured to always be scaling and growing your Canadian private practice? In modern business, the idea is usually to push growth - but thatâs not always the case! Sometimes not growing can also help private practice.
Every now and then you need to intentionally stop growing and instead focus on the foundations of your private practice, so that any future growth down the line actually holds and sticks because growth for growthâs sake is not necessarily everyoneâs preference.
In this podcast episode, Mila and I discuss how she launched her practice and how sometimes not aiming for growth is the best way to success!
MEET MILA
Meet Mila, the driving force behind Toronto Therapy Practice. With over a decade of experience specializing in perinatal mental health at esteemed institutions such as Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Mila is a compassionate and dedicated therapist committed to fostering trust and connection with her clients. Her journey in the mental health field began as a social worker, evolving into her role as the founder of Toronto Therapy Practice.
Learn more about Mila on her Psychology Today profile and her Canadian practice website.
In this episode:
How Mila became a social worker
Getting into private practice
Milaâs advice on scaling via hiring
Dreams and aspirations for a growing practice
How Mila became a social worker
Since Mila had experience traveling internationally, she decided to study International Relations in Canada. She didnât enjoy it as much as she thought she would, but Mila did take psychology as a minor and ended up loving it enough to focus on social work in her masters.
In her second year of placement in the masters program, Mila was at Sunnybrook hospital providing counselling. The job that she worked there went well enough that once she completed her studies, she decided to get a more permanent position and started her work experience.
However, she was offered a position in England which she ended up taking, and went to London to live and work. Mila was in England for some time before returning to Canada.
Getting into private practice
While Mila was working at the hospital, she was doing outpatient counselling.
She experienced some limitations in terms of how she was able to provide therapy within the hospital system. Mila noticed long wait lists, loads of people seeking access and care, and within the specific hospital rules, she thought that she could offer these necessary services in another way.
Milaâs advice on scaling via hiring
One associate hired was a friend of Milaâs, one was through word of mouth, and the other two were through Indeed.
With a flexible schedule system that all her associates have, Mila is able to connect clients and clinicians on schedules that suit both of their needs. Additionally, Milaâs practice and her associates have a hybrid model of offering in-person and online therapy.
Dreams and aspirations for a growing practice
Even though Mila has a lot of dreams for her private practice, she wants to make sure that she firmly establishes it now.
With appropriate scheduling, processes, and systems in place, Mila wants to give her private practice the best shot at success as she can, and that means taking the time and making the effort to lay strong yet flexible foundations for it - and her - to depend on.
There are also so many ways to get to the same place, so explore to find out what works well for you!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 120: 5 Ways to Tackle Isolation with an Online Private Practice | EP 120
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Mila on her Psychology Today profile and her Canadian practice website
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Do you sometimes feel lonely working as a therapist? Do you have an online practice, and sometimes wish you could chat with a colleague between sessions to let off some steam or to get an ethical second opinion? How do you deal with isolation as an online therapist?
Working as a therapist can be an isolating experience in and of itself, since you canât talk about the details of your work with friends or family. If you work from home like me, then Iâm sure that you know that the isolation can be two-fold!
In this episode, I share with you some tips that I have figured out to help myself - and you - enjoy your work as a therapist while still making time for life beyond it. If you are stuck trying to choose between how to handle the challenge, I invite you to listen in!
In this Episode:
Be intentional
Get out of your apartment
Create peer-to-peer consultations
Meet with your assistants
Make time for a weekly activity
Be intentional
Between your work days and work weeks, it can be so tempting to just unwind alone at home, without having to exert yourself further by going outdoors and trying something new after a potentially challenging or long day.
However, donât isolate yourself further just because you may be nervous about going outdoors. Find hobbies that you enjoy that get you outside of your home - and that are separate from therapy - so that you can unwind and relax in the company of like-minded people while doing something that you enjoy.
Get out of your apartment
Sure, you can enjoy hosting friends at your home. However, if you also work from home and then you socialize at home, there is very little variation in your routine, and you may begin to feel a bit suffocated!
This is even more important if you live alone at home, because staying connected with your friends and with your personal life beyond just working from home is important.
Create peer-to-peer consultations
If you have associates in your Canadian private practice, make sure to schedule a monthly peer-to-peer meeting so that you can consult together to stay connected and on the same page about the practice, and as well as about whatâs happening in your lives.
Connect with your team to talk about client cases or maybe have some fun! Having and maintaining relationships with other therapists can help to ease that isolation since they know what it feels like to work in the profession.
Meet with your assistants
If you have a virtual assistant, schedule a 30-minute meeting weekly with them.
This is not only important to discuss business issues, but also to stay connected to your staff so that you donât pass one another by like ships in the night.
Make time for a weekly activity
Something that I do which I love is going to the gym in the afternoon. Itâs a lovely way to get out of the apartment, exercise, and to be around other people!No matter which one you choose, there will be challenges, so you just need to figure out which challenge is the one that you feel most comfortable to work with so that you can make the most of your obligations while enjoying yourself.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 119: What I Learned from Going to the CCPA Conference | FP 119
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Have you ever been to a counselling conference? Are you considering going to one this year for the first time, or are you a regular attendee?
Whether you are more introverted or an extrovert, conferences offer spaces for both! Not just quiet workshops or long tables filled with fascinating people, but also where you can learn and develop your skills as a professional while enjoying time spent with other interesting therapists.
I got out of my comfort zone a bit and went to a CCPA conference last year, and it was great! Going forward, I know what Iâm looking for now, and how to find other great therapists. If youâre interested in finding out how, listen in!
In this Episode:
What is the CCPA?
Conferences can be a lot of fun!
Choosing conferences going forward
What is the CCPA?
âIf you donât know, CCPA stands for Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and usually the conference that they have each year is in the springtime, but last year in 2023 they had it in October in Toronto.â - Julia Smith
Usually, going to a conference for me is nerve wracking on a couple of levels! I was going alone to this conference, and I wasnât sure if I was going to enjoy it or not. However, I was able to select the speakers that I was interested in, but it can be a hit-and-miss!
However, going to conferences also contributes to your CEC credits that all members of the CCPA need to get each year. So, keeping all this in mind, I pushed myself to go!
Conferences can be a lot of fun!
âWith the CCPA conferences, youâre expected to network. It is encouraged to talk to other counsellors. You donât look silly going up to people and starting conversations ⊠Once I got into the swing of things, it was really fun to have conversations with counsellors from all over Canada!â - Julia Smith
If you felt like you were getting a little over socialized, you could go see some of the workshops and talks that were happening around at any given time.
I really liked that there were options to be silent and listen, or to put yourself out there and socialize! Even during lunches, it felt comfortable to sit down at a table with people that I didnât know and to strike up a conversation, since this is encouraged by the CCPA conference guidelines. Everyoneâs in the same boat!
Choosing conferences going forward
Despite the great time I had, I know that I want to be intentional about choosing the future conferences Iâll go to. Specifically, I want to be mindful about going to conferences which will give certain information that I want to learn about.
The CCPA conference is great for learning about many different things in the counselling world, from research to different types of therapy techniques to private practice information. Although, I know what I love! And so I would love to go to a conference on narrative therapy for therapists, because that is what I want to learn more about.
âSo for you, as youâre considering your budget for this year, Iâd highly recommend budgeting some money for going to a conference, and honestly Iâd really just start with the CCPA conference! The workshops are so diverse, everybody is a Canadian counsellor, and you get CECs for going!â - Julia Smith
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Ep 118: Brittany Wells-Pantaleo: Growing a Group Practice Virtually and Ethically | EP 118
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