Episódios
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My guest today, Deanna, has followed her passions to a place where she now runs a Canadian private practice, working with horses and their riders while still being a nurse. She has combined her expertise and personal experience so that she can work and make a difference in the lives that she is most drawn to.
In today’s episode, Deanna and I discuss her entry into psychotherapy, how she manages to be a nurse while running her practice, and how she has integrated her love for horses and the life of being a rider, including its challenges, into her practice as her professional niche.
MEET DEANNA
Deanna is both a Registered Nurse and Psychotherapist! At Evolution Counselling, her mission is clear: to assist individuals in overcoming day-to-day concerns and to empower athletes, especially equestrians, to better understand and manage their mental health. Whether they are striving to excel in their sport or simply seeking support in navigating life’s challenges, she is there to provide a safe space and compassionate guidance every step of the way.
Learn more about Deanna on her website, Psychology Today, and Facebook profiles.
In this episode:
Deanna’s career in therapy
The desire to open a practice
An equestrian therapist
Deanna’s advice to listeners
Deanna’s career in therapy
Deanna completed her nursing degree right after completing high school. She had her sights set on being an ICU nurse. Once she graduated, Deanna had a mental health position as a nurse when she worked with cancer patients in Hamilton.
While Deanna was completing her Masters in Counselling Psychology, she switched between working full-time and part-time as a nurse to support what she needed to do to complete her degree.
She hopes to transition to full-time therapy one day soon, and to grow her Canadian practice into a group private practice.
The desire to open a practice
Deanna wanted to open her own private practice rather than work as a therapist in a hospital setting because she wanted to be her own boss.
The flexibility of running her personal and working schedule, and the ability to be in charge of her day, was something that she wanted to align her professional career with.
An equestrian therapist
Deanna has the skills and understanding to be a great equestrian therapist.
She had personal experience as a competitive horse rider, and so knew first-hand what the challenges were that many riders faced, both inside and outside of competitions. The stress, the fatigue, and putting themselves last, were all aspects that she had experienced and wanted to help other riders with.
Deanna wanted to encourage riders to also take time and care for themselves, and not to give absolutely all of their attention to their horses so that they can continue to compete and be well overall.
‘I think one of my biggest successes [has been] the long-term clients that I have, and just [to see] the progress that they’ve made … Just knowing that I am that person who they can reach out to [is amazing].’ - Deanna DeSantis
Deanna’s advice to listeners
Make connections! Talk with people, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to reach out to someone that you look up to. There is a lot of insight available to you when you place yourself in the right circles with the right people.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 145: Lauren Mallon: Why Niching is a Practice-Boosting Superpower | EP 145
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 Lauren on her website, 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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When you establish your private practice in an underserved specialty, you increase your chance of being placed under the spotlight.
A great niche could offer you an immediate step-up in getting noticed, help to connect with clients, and with potential referral sources. You may also feel that you enjoy your work much more and are more fulfilled when you position the focus of your practice amongst the niche that you are most passionate about working with.
In this podcast episode, my guest Lauren and I discuss her entry into psychotherapy and her Canadian private practice which offers her clients sports-related therapy and mental health services.
MEET LAUREN
Lauren Mallon is a Registered Psychotherapist offering in-person and virtual therapy sessions in Burlington and Hamilton, Ontario. She provides a safe and compassionate space for individuals and families facing a range of challenges, specializing in anxiety, sports performance, and self-esteem. Lauren utilizes a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, empowering clients to take an active role in their journey toward positive change.
Learn more about Lauren on her website, Instagram, and Psychology Today profiles.
In this episode:
Why Lauren became a therapist
From being a contractor to opening a practice
Niching in psychotherapy
Can you be successful without a website?
Lauren’s advice to listeners
Why Lauren became a therapist
Lauren completed her undergraduate degree in psychology in Ireland, where she’s from, and then moved to Canada for employment.
While in Canada Lauren decided to pursue her dream of becoming a therapist and learned that she had to complete a Masters degree to be able to counselling or psychotherapy. She ended up completing her MA in Canada and set out to become a counsellor.
From being a contractor to opening a practice
Working as a contractor first in another private practice gave Lauren a sense of the type of work and environment that a therapist usually works in, which made her more sure that she wanted to open a private practice of her own.
Lauren asked herself; “What’s the point in waiting?” Once she knew that this was something she wanted to try out. Financially, Lauren wanted to increase her salary since she had personal commitments to take care of.
Niching in psychotherapy
Lauren specialized in sports psychology. She was a dancer herself for 15 years and has always gravitated towards learning more about and working with athletes and their mental health. So, she looked into this niche and found that there weren’t many other therapists serving it.
On Psychology Today, Lauren was able to specifically identify that sports is one of her specialties. She also pursued additional courses on her own time to further develop her understanding and ability to treat and work with people in this niche.
Can you be successful without a website?
For Lauren, networking with your community and local doctor’s offices and therapists has been a big referral source too. Because she has such a specialized niche, she’s able to attract a lot of attention and word-of-mouth marketing without having to put an extensive amount of effort into standard marketing strategies.
She has therefore put off creating an official website because she is currently doing well getting referrals and clients through her referral network system and social media.
Lauren’s advice to listeners
Ask for help! Talk to people, network, and be proactive in establishing supportive professional relationships. Learn from others while focusing on your practice so that you can learn vicariously while building a practice that will fit you and your clients like a glove.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 144: Changing My Mindset in Private Practice : Year 8 | EP 144
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 Lauren on her website, Instagram, and Psychology Today profiles.
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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This year has been characterized by personal changes in mindset and approach to my practice, and professional development within my Canadian private practice and podcast.
Today’s episode will be a deep dive into my personal story, in celebration and reflection of year eight in private practice!
In this Episode:
November 2023
The beginning of 2024
Spring and summer of 2024
Towards the end of this year
The struggles of year eight
Cultivating a “maintain mindset” over a capitalist-growth mindset
The future of the Fearless Practice podcast
November 2023
Eight years ago, I started my Canadian private practice in November. Now, every November, I reflect on how far I've come.
A lot of my time and energy at the beginning of this year was focused on finalizing that website. Unfortunately around this time, along with the struggle of the website situation, I had to hire a new admin staff, which added a lot more work to my plate.
The beginning of 2024
I sunk deeper and deeper into a work hibernation for the first few months of this new year. I just focused on the basics which allowed my creativity and urge to work harder to slowly appear again in the Spring, instead of forcing myself to keep pushing when I was feeling burned out.
Spring and summer of 2024
One of the biggest changes was that therapy for registered counselling therapists and psychotherapists became tax-free in the spring of 2024!
Going into the summer of 2024, I began to feel the burnout creeping up on me again, so I decided to switch things up and pursue a solo project, which was to get involved in the SEO of the backend of my website.
Towards the end of this year
As you may know from episode 141, I took up the project of adding direct billing in the private practice, which so far has been going really well!
And to end it off, a wonderful twist this year was that my first admin - who had been with me since the beginning - came back!
It’s been great to have the three of us back together again, working in private practice as a close-knit and content team.
The struggles of year eight
Even though this year has been lovely on many levels, there have been some tough moments. One of them is that Jane, my associate, and I have yet to complete a second season of our private practice’s podcast.
Managing stress has also been another hurdle. Specifically, financial stress has been a concern.
Running a podcast is expensive! And it got even tougher when the usual financial pattern of the year was different.
Cultivating a “maintain mindset” over a capitalist-growth mindset
Due to money stress, I focused on ways to grow my practice and income but that mindset ended up not being helpful. What this experience has taught me is that adopting a perpetual-money-growth mindset can cause you even more anxiety.
Now, I’m approaching my work as maintenance of my professional and personal dream life that is based on satisfaction and peace.
The future of the Fearless Practice podcast
We're thrilled that Jane App is sponsoring the podcast for another year!
This means there will be a whole other year of the Fearless Practice podcast! Thank you to my podcast editing team along with Joel, Niam, Brittany, Claire, and you, our audience! We look forward to another year of sharing stories and knowledge about Canadian private practice.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
EP 143: Jillian Bagan: Growing a Queer-Informed Practice | EP 143
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)
Listen to my private practice story and journey here!
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Sometimes, the most successful path that someone can take is the one that comes organically.
By following your passions, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and taking your personal and professional preferences into account, you can make it easier for yourself to develop a balanced lifestyle that fulfills you both inside and outside the counselling room.
For my guest today, Jillian did (and is doing) just that. Jillian works closely with their values, knows how to structure the workday to align with their personal and professional goals, and structures private practice around their needs as well as the needs of their clients, to work and enjoy a balanced lifestyle.
MEET JILLIAN
Jillian Bagan (they/she) is a strong advocate for mental health and wellness, infusing their expertise in the field with a queer-identified perspective. As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Registered Canadian Art Therapist, and Certified Canadian Counsellor with a Masters in Art Therapy from Concordia University, they bring over 7 years of experience to their private practice in Vancouver. Jillian's expertise extends to direct support for the LGBT2SQ+ community, addressing trauma and other mental health challenges across diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds.
Learn more about Jillian on their Instagram and Psychology Today pages, and their website.
In this episode:
What motivated Jillian to become an art therapist
Opening a private practice
Incorporating values into private practice
Advertising the practice
Jillian’s goals for the future
What motivated Jillian to become an art therapist?
Jillian developed their understanding of art therapy by first applying its principles and practicing alone before she felt capable enough and ready to begin working with clients.
They graduated in 2019 and started working in a private clinic to work with children in the welfare system. When the pandemic hit in 2020, they had to go online, which allowed Jillian to learn how to use tools of art therapy online.
Opening a private practice
Jillian moved to Vancouver because it had a bigger queer population, which allowed Jillian to work more directly with her niche, which is art therapy with a queer-centered focus.
While Jillian was working in their private practice, she was still taking up some contract work here and there, some virtual and some in-person. So in April of 2023, Jillian became her own boss!
These days, Jillian works with clients in their private practice both in-person and virtually.
Incorporating values into private practice
Creativity is a core value for Jillian, and it is utilized throughout the private practice. Jillian puts effort into the visual aspects of the private practice creatively, and then also practices creative problem-solving when coming to grips with the nuances of running a business.
Advertising the practice
Jillian was approached by a local charity to do an interview.
It was a great experience that happened organically and allowed them to get the word out about their practice.
At the moment, Jillian is using Instagram ads and Psychology Today. They’re also thinking about applying for Canada’s Grow Your Business Online grant - which you can also research and see if you’re eligible to apply for as well!
Jillian’s goals for the future
At the moment, Jillian wants to maintain the private practice as it is. She’s just enjoying the work and allowing it to grow organically.
As for their professional expertise, Jillian has a goal of becoming a supervisor in the next few years to support other therapists in their area.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 142: Flora Gerlai: Hiring the Right Fit for Your Practice | EP 142
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 Jillian on their Instagram and Psychology Today pages, and their website
Listen to the episode on the Canada Grow Your Business Online Grant!
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Many therapists may struggle with finding and hiring the best-fit staff for their private practice, and that may include hiring interns and students who want to complete their practicums. So, how do you go about finding them?
My guest Flora in today’s episode interviewed more than 30 different candidates for a position at her practice! There’s some trial and error, but once you know more about what you are looking for and what the vision is that you have for your practice, it can help to make things easier.
MEET FLORA
Flora Gerlai is an RP and founder of Flora Psychotherapy. She provides a safe space for clients to navigate life's challenges using an active, empathetic, and detailed approach. Flora believes all behaviors reflect underlying needs and tailors her integrative techniques to each client, drawing on various therapeutic models like CBT, Narrative Therapy, and Mindfulness. She's also a Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist, passionate about the connection between food, mood, and mental well-being.
Learn more about Flora on her website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles.
In this episode:
How Flora became a psychotherapist
Launching a private practice
Adding staff and clients to the practice
Finding a good practicum fit for your practice
Flora’s advice for listeners
How Flora became a psychotherapist
Flora noticed that in the mental health services field, especially when it came to psychotherapy, there can be long wait lists and a large number of clients looking for a way to access care.
This realization and observation sparked Flora’s transition into psychotherapy specifically. Once she finished her Masters degree, Flora remained working in the foster care system for a while before transferring to a group private practice.
After working there for a while and trying out this new work experience, Flora opened her own virtual private practice.
Launching a private practice
Currently, Flora is in her second year of running her own virtual Canadian private practice, while she continues working part-time at another in-person clinic.
For Flora, opening up her own Canadian private practice was a large learning curve. There were many aspects of running a business that she had to learn from scratch, especially as the boss.
Adding staff and clients to the practice
Finding clients ebbs and flows, but most of the time Flora finds new clients through either word-of-mouth, through existing clients, or her Facebook and Instagram ads. Once she felt steady enough running her private practice, she hired another therapist from outside Toronto to also see clients online.
Flora reminds herself that the busyness comes and goes. For many therapists this year, September has been uncharacteristically quiet, and this was the case for Flora as well. She reminds herself to stay in the present and keep going, even when it’s tough.
Finding a good practicum fit for your practice
Flora knew that she wanted to work with students. When it came to hiring, it has been a trial and error process that has taught her what to look out for; the good, the bad, and the potential. She tries to have a blend of questions that are both clinically significant and others more open and low-key, while in a professional setting.
Flora’s advice for listeners
Hone in on what your core values and beliefs are for your practice because they will help to inform your niche.
Take your time in figuring out your niche, and be okay with the nature of the field, and how much it can change and fluctuate.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 141: Adding Direct Billing to Your Canadian Private Practice | EP 141
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 Flora on her website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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If you have been a long-time listener, you’ll know that ever since I started my Canadian private practice, I have never offered direct billing to clients.
There were many reasons for this, such as when I started eight years ago, there weren’t many insurance companies covering registered counselling therapists. Plus, each insurance plan seemed to have a different rule or agreement on whether a registered counselling therapist could be covered, and if so, by what percentage.
Until now! In 2024, there’s been a big change where TELUS Health is now allowing registered counselling therapists and psychotherapists to be part of their platform, and the TELUS platform offers many different types of insurance companies. Listen in to find out more!
In this Episode:
TELUS Health and Jane App
Discovering the offered insurance companies
How to integrate direct billing with your Jane App
TELUS Health and Jane App
‘TELUS Health is now allowing registered counselling therapists and psychotherapists to be a part of their platform, and on their platform [are] many different types of insurance companies … Which makes it so much easier to direct bill.’ - Julia Smith
I really started to think about offering direct billing once I heard that TELUS Health integrates with Jane App.
I knew that if I could offer direct billing through my EMR, Jane App, and it would only take a couple of minutes that it would be worth looking into, and adding into my practice structure.
‘The last thing I want to do is add another 15-30 minutes to each session having to deal with billing, but if it’s only going to take five minutes to do direct billing, I know my clients would really appreciate that, and therapy would become more accessible for people that are looking for direct billing and therapy services!’ - Julia Smith
Discovering the offered insurance companies
From talking with clients, I know that the three main insurance companies that people use are;
Sun Life
Manulife
Blue Cross
Unfortunately, TELUS Health only has Manulife, but then a tonne of other insurance companies. I started to talk with other therapists about Blue Cross to see if it’s worth it to apply for direct billing with them, even though they’re not part of the TELUS Health system.
Then, I started the process of adding direct billing to my private practice through TELUS Health and Blue Cross.
‘Luckily in Canada as therapists we don’t have to apply for an insurance panel, like therapists do in the states, as long as you have the degrees needed you can just apply to TELUS Health, to Blue Cross, and then any insurance program that offers therapy and accepts registered counselling therapists or psychotherapists, you’ll be covered!’ - Julia Smith
How to integrate direct billing with your Jane App
‘Luckily, Jane App did not disappoint!’ - Julia Smith
There were two videos that answered all of the pressing questions that you may have about linking insurance with your Jane App EMR - you can watch these videos here, and here, and learn how to integrate insurance with your Jane App as well! If you’re ready to give Jane App a go, use my code FEARLESS to receive one month free!
‘With your schedule, Jane App also shows a little insurance badge with the clients who are using insurance, so that can make it a lot easier to know which client’s are going through insurance and which clients aren’t.’ - Julia Smith
With Jane App, you can reduce the amount of admin that you will have to do with each client!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
EP 140: Blackcy Placidass: Developing a Value-Based Practice | EP 140
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, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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One of the great benefits of building a value-based practice is that it makes it easier for you to return to work each day, remembering why you do the work that you do. It also allows your clients to know exactly what you stand for, and how they can best connect with you and your mission.
Join us for today’s podcast episode, where Blackcy and I discuss why we both came into the helper’s profession, how to curb burnout when managing workloads, and why incorporating our values into our practices is a good idea for anyone to consider!
MEET BLACKCY
Blackcy Placidass is a registered social worker and psychotherapist with 14 years of experience. She has served a multitude of populations across the GTA in Ontario. Currently, Blackcy is a care coordinator with Ontario Health atHome and has been running a part-time private practice for the past seven years. Her specialties include addictions, trauma, and grief and loss.
Learn more about Blackcy on her Psychology Today and Instagram pages, or her website.
In this episode:
Why Blackcy decided to become a social worker
Opening a private practice
Avoiding burnout
Developing a value’s based practice
Blackcy’s advice to listeners
Why Blackcy decided to become a social worker
For Blackcy, she always had volunteering and helping people as something at the back of her mind when she started thinking about going to university.
When she completed her undergraduate degree for Psychology, she discovered how competitive it is to be accepted into a Master’s degree and further studies for Clinical Psychology. Therefore, she decided to try a different route, and in 2010 she started studying addiction and completed her certificates.
She decided to complete her Master’s in Social Work to see where it would take her.
She made the transition to become a care-coordinator, and in this field she saw that this type of work had a lot more to do with the social worker skills that she felt she innately had, and could bring to the table.
Opening a private practice
In 2017, Blackcy opened up her Canadian private practice. She learned early on about the importance of networking, and so has become proficient in it.
Blackcy made sure to connect with other therapists who were running private practices and asked them about their experience, and for any advice or tips.
By working with universities, other therapists, and even medical practices, Blackcy is able to welcome in many new clients and keep her Canadian private practice full and well.
Avoiding burnout
Blackcy is working full-time while building up her private practice on the side, and managing both work loads can be challenging, as most private practitioners will know.
For her, Blackcy has been in communication with her husband to plan their homelife better a week in advance when she knows that the upcoming week is going to be full of clients.
Developing a value’s based practice
Much of Blackcy’s private practice is built up from the metaphor of an oak tree, and the values that you can learn from it, such as remaining strong with deep roots, how the wind may blow you at different times, how there are seasons to life, and so forth.
Using this imagery allows you to express values in a way that connects you with your clients, and makes the work that you do more easily understood.
Blackcy’s advice to listeners
If you are considering starting your own Canadian private practice, take the leap!
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 139: Darbey Carlson: Why Authenticity is a Secret Sauce to Marketing and More | EP 139
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 Blackcy on her Psychology Today and Instagram pages, or her website
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Everyone knows about authenticity, but if you stop and think about it, why would clients trust a private practice that doesn’t act with integrity, or that comes across as insincere in their marketing?
People who are looking for therapy are more likely just looking for professionals who have the skills and expertise that they need, someone they feel they trust and can help them.
So, when you bring your authenticity into your marketing, work, and in your relationships with your clients and staff, that genuine care comes across in bounds, often leading to growth as a side effect!
In this podcast episode, Darbey and I discuss her entry into private practice, and how being authentic for her has been the one thing which has boosted her private practice successfully.
MEET DARBEY
Darbey is a Registered Psychotherapist with a focus on trauma, attachment and ADHD. She is EMDR Certified and has a passion for creating a treatment space that connects the mind and body and avoids band-aid interventions. Darbey is also owner of FIKA mental health, an online Canadian pp where values building confidence in other clinicians and being a lifelong learner.
Learn more about Darbey on her practice website, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles.
In this episode:
Why Darbey pursued therapy
Starting a private practice
Leading a group practice
Looking to the future
Authenticity for marketing an online private practice
Darbey’s advice to listeners
Why Darbey pursued therapy
For Darbey, she always felt drawn to therapy as a way of understanding human behavior and it held a strong point of interest for her.
Additionally, she went through a difficult period as a teenager and went to therapy herself, which showed her how impactful psychology and supportive therapy can be.
Starting a private practice
Darbey had the feeling that she would like and be good at being her own boss, and so naturally being a therapist, opening up a private practice was a great way to do that.
She loved the idea of flexibility, the challenge of problem-solving and building a business.
Leading a group practice
At first, she was happy to work on her own but she started to consider having a team of clinicians around her, since she had begun to also feel lonely which is a common struggle for solo practitioners.
Now, Darbey is managing eight clinicians in her virtual Canadian private practice!
Looking to the future
Growth at the moment is not a big goal for Darbey, since she’s focused more on building up a strong foundation of her practice.
On a more personal note as the boss, Darbey is also motivated to be a continual learner and is also taking on additional courses herself to develop her expertise, such as doing a yoga teacher training course to bring in an additional layer of somatic treatment into her practice’s services.
Authenticity for marketing an online private practice
Darbey’s “secret sauce” to marketing her Canadian online private practice well is simple; authenticity. It’s something that you clients can pick up on, when you are being genuine, and it carries over in your marketing efforts.
On a more personal level, this authenticity can often bring in more business, since people are drawn more to sincerity.
Darbey’s advice to listeners
Know your boundaries! Recognize what you feel comfortable with when it comes to your time management or schedule, and what you aren’t comfortable with, and then hire people to fill those roles, instead of forcing yourself to do everything even when help is available.
Connect with me:
Instagram
Website
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 138: Build a Canadian Values-Based Practice | EP 138
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 Darbey on her practice website, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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Do you want to build a values based private practice? And are you thinking; “What does that actually mean?”
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. I’m here to tell you that you don’t 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?
‘It focuses more on integrating personal and ethical values into your private practice, rather than focusing on profit-driven motives [only].’ - 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.
‘Does this mean that I have to spend more for an admin assistant? Of course! But my decision isn’t based on that profit-driven motive of, “How cheaply can I hire someone for this position?” because it doesn’t align with my values.’ - 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.
‘It is also now how we are basing our rates, of, “What is the lowest rate that we can charge without resenting this work?” as well as making sure that we can pay our bills and have a happy, healthy life, and not be burned out!’ - Julia Smith
Now, I base my decisions on “How low can I go without resenting the work?” instead of, “How high can I go?”
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
‘We are therapists, we’re 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 that’s my personal opinion!’ - 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:
Instagram
Website
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)
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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 today’s 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:
Stacey’s career
Pursuing a private practice while researching and teaching
Balancing work commitments
Offering therapy from your home
Marketing tips
Dr. Hatch’s private practice advice
Stacey’s career
Stacey’s successful therapy career that she’s thriving in now started many years ago as a job in television!
Dr. Hatch’s 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 that’s 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 Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology. Afterward, Dr. Hatch spent time working in a primary care clinic, and it’s 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 Hatch’s 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. Hatch’s 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. Hatch’s 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:
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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
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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
What’s working and what’s 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.
‘Whenever I’ve had breaks in work … I’ve 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.’ - Maureen Codispodi
Starting a private practice
Apart from Maureen’s 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.
What’s working and what’s 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 we’re going to get a little more personal! I’m 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, I’m 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 wouldn’t 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: Canada’s 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, I’ll give you all the information about what this means and what you should do next so that you’re in the loop and on the right track.
In this Episode:
Who doesn’t have to charge tax anymore?
What does this mean?
Addressing the change with clients
Who doesn’t 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.
‘So 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.’ - 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? There’s 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 client’s 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.
‘If 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!’ - 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, we’ve 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
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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 isn’t focused solely on sales?
Community is a bit of a buzzword in marketing and private practice these days, but it’s 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
Destin’s advice to listeners
How Destin joined Jane App
For Destin’s 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 Destin’s 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 you’re 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 isn’t 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 that’s based on your fellow practitioners, peers, and professional network.
Destin’s advice to listeners
If you’re not ready yet or you don’t have the time, don’t 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
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It can be easy to get caught up in looking at everyone else’s journey when instead it’s 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 she’s 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:
Paige’s interest in and pursuit for psychology
Heading towards private practice
Overcoming impostor syndrome
Marketing authentically and successfully
Paige’s goals for the future
Advice for listeners
Paige’s 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 “a match made in Heaven”. 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 it’s the thing that works. It’s more than having the profile on Psychology Today, it’s about showcasing your business truly in an effort to find the best-fit clients.
Paige’s 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. There’s 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, there’s 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! It’s 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 I’m 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 I’m trying this year
From the suggestions I’ve given above, there are a couple of things that I am trying this year for summer 2024.
What I’m 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 would’ve 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 don’t see an empty client slot as “free” 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, I’ll bunch those client hours onto a day or two so that I work in batches, and can then manage my time so that I’ll 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 Rhea’s previous work life she was working with clients with autism. She ended up leaving the field, and wasn’t 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, Rhea’s 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
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
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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 client’s 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 RSW’s 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 Christina’s 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 didn’t initially want to be a boss, she found herself warming up to the idea. Now, it’s been a year since Christina has been running her group practice.
Christina was motivated to lay a strong foundation for her practice that wasn’t 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 ‘natural next step’, when this isn’t 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 don’t 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 hadn’t 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:
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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
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