Fearless Practice (Julia Smith)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Fearless Practice
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Jun 2024 | Celissa Vipond & Melissa Lindstrom: From Friendship to Successful Practice | Ep 126 | 00:26:31 | |
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 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 client’s 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. Celissa’s 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. Jane’s 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 Celissa’s 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: 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 | |||
| 01 Feb 2023 | Why You Can’t Use Testimonials in Canadian Private Practice | Ep 58 | 00:13:16 | |
We all know that testimonials are the gold standard for marketing. People trust and value the opinions of others, and so they will often look for endorsements or referrals when they are deciding on who to work with or which services or products to buy. However in private practice, it is highly unethical to ask clients for testimonials. So, how can you connect with your ideal clients and market your Canadian private practice in an ethical yet effective way? In this podcast episode, I discuss how you can go about finding ethical endorsements for your practice without crossing any boundaries with your regulator or other standards of practice. Do great work in an ethical way, and here are some tips on how to get started! In This Episode:
What is a testimonial? A testimonial is a statement that has been given by a person who has used one of your products or services, and explains how wonderful it was! Although, sometimes testimonials can also be negative. Testimonials are statements from real people that show others that the product or service they used is worthwhile and trustworthy. If they tried your services and had a good experience, they are more likely to pass on your name, making them a great marketing tool! There is a new Jane App feature, the EMR and practice management software system that I use, that allows businesses to automatically ask clients for ratings and reviews after a session. Ethics of testimonials in therapy It must be stated that counsellors, mental health practitioners, social workers, and psychotherapists are not allowed to use this feature because it is highly unethical and not allowed by provincial regulators. To read more about the CCPA code of ethics, click here. If you go to the CCPA’s “Standards of Practice” on page 7, it states: “A6. Professionalism in Advertising: Counsellors/therapists do not use testimonials by clients, former clients, or by relatives or friends of clients. Testimonials may be acceptable from an organization or business that receives the counsellors/therapists’ services.” There is an inherent power imbalance between you and your clients. So clients could feel obligated to give a testimonial or fear the repercussions if they say no. It is not in the best interest of the client – or you are the therapist – to get testimonials. Client testimonials are a problem in Canada, and in many other countries, where therapists might not be aware that they are not allowed and are highly unethical. So if you see fellow therapists using them, inform them about this policy. How to get ethical endorsements You can ask other therapists that you like, know, and trust to endorse you. On Psychology Today, there’s a new feature called “Endorsements” where you can write a statement about the therapist that you know, recommending them, and that is sent to the therapist who can choose to publish it on their Psychology Today profile or not. They will also be prompted to give you a testimonial as well! Also, if you have been listening to the Fearless Practice Podcast, getting great information and tips, you can share the support with me too! You can now support me in the work that I do by writing a quick review on my website if you have bought the Workbook or the Paperwork Packet. Thank you! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 57: Heather Peters: Accounting in Canada for Private Practice Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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) Email me at info@fearlesspractice.ca for a free 6-month trial period of Psychology Today! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 04 Sep 2024 | Raising and Lowering Rates | Ep 135 | 00:21:46 | |
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 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: Resources mentioned and useful links: 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) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 21 Sep 2022 | Nicole McCance: The Benefits of Automizing Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 39 | 00:41:47 | |
Are you craving more freedom in your work and free time in your everyday life? Are you working at full capacity and hitting an income glass ceiling? What if you could build a totally automated group practice? Is that possible? Whether you crave some more mobility in your daily life, you feel like you’re on the verge of burnout, or you are in the process of growing your Canadian private practice, you need systems. Automated systems take a huge chunk of work out of your day, allowing you to focus on what is important to you. In this podcast episode, I talk about the benefits of systems and how to implement them with Nicole McCance, a master optimiser! MEET NICOLE McCANCE Nicole is a Psychologist turned Business Coach. She grew her private practice to 55 therapists in 3 years during a pandemic with toddler twins at home. She now teaches therapists how to build 7 figure group practices that are automated. Learn more about Nicole on her website. In this episode:
Why you should consider systems Nicole, like many other psychologists and counsellors, felt the push to do something more beyond her solo private practice. With a bigger family on the way, and feeling the personal and financial pressure to make a change, she realized that she needed to do something different. If you are on the verge of burnout, consistently hitting a glass ceiling in your income, know that adding more work to your plate isn’t an option, and feel that you are not able to live the lifestyle that you want to, then you need to install some systems into your Canadian private practice and start a group private practice. Contractors or employees? If you are deciding between hiring contractors or employees, think about what you can afford and how much work there is to offer. Hiring contractors can be great because you only pay them for the time that they are with clients. Once you’ve decided, be clear when hiring about your expectations. Create documents Make a live Google Doc and write out how you do tasks in your Canadian private practice. When you hire new admins or employees, send them this document to learn from so that you do not have to individually train each person with the same information. Consider writing an operations manual for your admin staff that includes:
Use an online booking system If you want to optimize your business and save time and energy, then you really need to consider installing an online booking system. I use Jane and love that it is a Canadian EMR with a professional online booking system! Bypass the front desk entirely and have your admin staff focus on growth-related tasks rather than answering the phone. Track your numbers Be on top of your metrics because they show you how well your private practice is doing, where it may need additional support, and what could change for the better. Numbers do not have to be daunting! Once you understand them better, you unlock a whole other scope of supporting and growing your Canadian private practice by preparing, planning, and changing for what is needed in your business and within your community as life changes. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 38: Why You Should Start an Online Canadian Private Practice | EP 38 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) Create educational videos with Loom Learn more about Nicole on her counselling website, course website, Psychology Today profile, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 17 Apr 2024 | What I Learned From Going to the CCPA Conference | Ep 119 | 00:11:01 | |
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 I’m looking for now, and how to find other great therapists. If you’re interested in finding out how, listen in! In this Episode:
What is the CCPA? ‘If you don’t 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.’ - 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 wasn’t 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! ‘With the CCPA conferences, you’re expected to network. It is encouraged to talk to other counsellors. You don’t 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!’ - 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 didn’t know and to strike up a conversation, since this is encouraged by the CCPA conference guidelines. Everyone’s 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 I’ll 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. ‘So for you, as you’re considering your budget for this year, I’d highly recommend budgeting some money for going to a conference, and honestly I’d really just start with the CCPA conference! The workshops are so diverse, everybody is a Canadian counsellor, and you get CECs for going!’ - Julia Smith Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 118: Brittany Wells-Pantaleo: Growing a Group Practice Virtually and Ethically | EP 118 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 | |||
| 02 Nov 2022 | Dealing With Setbacks in Canadian Private Practice | Ep 45 | 00:22:49 | |
Are you daydreaming about a life that you want for yourself, personally and professionally? What’s been on your mind to try out? Is there something still nagging you that is asking for your attention? If you are putting off exploring your dreams – why? The sooner you can explore the outlines of the possibilities for your dreams, the sooner you can get started on creating them. In this podcast, I share my recent experiences, and a cautionary tale. Learn from me, take away what resonates, and I hope that it inspires you to take action. In This Episode:
Testing out my idea I had been mulling over the idea of taking my private practice out on the road and becoming a digital nomad counsellor for a couple of years. And so, I finally decided to try it out! ‘The first thing that I knew I needed to do was to travel a little bit and see if I could work in different places besides my mom’s place in Ontario! … it was going to be a lovely trip of visiting friends and family in BC while working at the same time to see if I could do that.’ – Julia Smith I loved it! Mixing vacation time with work time made those weeks special, and helped to ground me in the days that I was working. I managed to find a rhythm, and I stuck to it, which allowed me to work during the week and relax on weekends. What I Realized One important thing that I realized was that I missed my personal space. I sometimes struggled to sleep well or didn’t have a lot of privacy, which could impact my work. ‘It was still a little nerve-wracking and I was like, “Hmm, it would be nice to have my own space and be able to travel, too” … so, coming away from that trip, it was confirmed to me that I really love to travel and work … and that I also ideally would like my own space when I am travelling.’ – Julia Smith The dream! However, I soon discovered that this dream would not be as possible as I had first imagined because of the financial aspect. I knew I wanted to hire a professional to construct the van – as after building a fully operational virtual counselling and consulting business, I’ve done my building dues! – so I had a meeting with a van building company, and unfortunately, the prices were beyond my scope. Learn from my experience Time will pass either way, so the sooner you can take action to figure out what is truly possible with your time, money, and energy, the sooner you can get to working on your dreams and bringing them to fruition without too much redirection down the line. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 44: Alison Pidgeon: Turn Your Passion into Another Business 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 episode with Jara Dekker about Being a Digital Nomad Therapist | EP 21 Listen to my episode with Tara Scullion about Canadian Private Practice Insurance | EP 30 Check out StarLink Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 17 Aug 2022 | Michelle Noftall Returns: The Benefits of Trying Something New in Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 34 | 00:33:21 | |
Does progress in your online Canadian private practice feel slow? Do you want to increase the reach to your ideal clients, but don’t know where to start? I know some strategies that can help you. In this podcast episode, Michelle returns to talk about how our live consultation in the Spring helped her private practice become successful. We revisit her Canadian private practice journey and how she was able to become five times busier by using a few new simple approaches to marketing and business. Join us and see how they can help you too! MEET MICHELLE NOFTALL Michelle Noftall is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who opened her own online practice, OPAL Counselling NL, this past Fall. Her areas of interest are grief, loss, and life transitions. She is also a musician and educator who has almost finished a training program to integrate music into her counselling practice. She strives to provide a valuable service to her clients as well as build on her own strengths and passions as she does so. Learn more about Michelle on her website. In this episode:
Early struggles that Michelle faced in her practice Before my first consultation with Michelle, she had struggled with a period of slow growth within her Canadian online practice. After our conversation, she tried some new techniques and approaches to marketing that I recommended, and things turned around for the better! Helpful Instagram changes Michelle was inspired after our first consultation and committed herself to making some of the changes that we had discussed to help her reach and surpass her goals. Some of these changes included:
In creating her Instagram reels, Michelle got more comfortable and as she did so, she became more popular online. She often created reels out-of-office to be less formal, makes some reels outside, and used music in the background. Taking professional photos Michelle reached out to a friend of hers whom she had previously worked on music projects with to take some high-quality, professional photos. Together, they took some new headshots and did some indoor and outdoor photoshoots. These top-quality photos can instantly boost your credibility and approachability, so consider investing in working with a professional photographer to take a few. Investing in a professional website Creating an authentic, smooth, and professional online representation of yourself and your business is an integral aspect of building sustainable success for your Canadian online private practice. Consider working with companies like Brighter Vision to build you an impactful and easy-to-use website that connects you more easily to your ideal clients. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 33: Neena and Meg from Articulate Design Co: How to Design a Gorgeous Counselling Space 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 Listen to Michelle’s first episode on the Fearless Practice Podcast Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram, Facebook, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 12 Oct 2022 | Alison McCleary: Navigating the Journey From Studying to Practicing Therapy| Ep 42 | 00:46:28 | |
Are you working with your passions? How can you find a bridge between what you like to do and what you need to do? Could you develop a small avenue of passive income in your Canadian private practice? The road from being a student to a therapist is long with many twists, turns, and brave steps! Imagining your future Canadian private practice may feel very far away while you are in grad school or finishing your dissertation, but you can take small steps now to make that transition easier for yourself – and more successful for your future business! From finishing your studies to taking the first, small steps to building your new, sustainable Canadian private practice, I discuss this journey with Alison McCleary and the lessons that she has learned. MEET ALISON McCLEARY Alison is co-host of the Edge of the Couch podcast, has a passion for working in rural communities in Canada, and absolutely loves talking about therapy! She has run her private practice for 7 years and has learned a lot of important lessons along the way. Alison is currently completing her doctorate in clinical psychology and is excited about stepping into a brand new role soon. Learn more about Alison on her private practice website. In this episode:
Work with your passions Therapy is a diverse world, and you go through a lot of learning and doing from when you start studying to working with clients. You may have to find a bridge between all the different components within the diverse world of therapy by connecting your passions with what has to be done. For Alison, that meant doing a Psy.D (Doctor of Psychology) so that she could help even more in her community of Terrace, BC. Offering group sessions Group therapy – like any other modality – has pros and cons, but it does yield unique and healing results. Often the therapist is mostly a facilitator and holds the space while the individuals bring things to the surface and explore them together. Group sessions are often more attractive to clients in a broader, more densely populated town or city in comparison to smaller, more rural towns. Creating passive income Do you enjoy creating and launching workshops? In the future, you could publish recordings of your workshops onto your website as short courses or packages that intrigued clients can purchase for a small fee, earning you some small passive income. Build your Canadian private practice sustainably from the beginning One of Alison’s biggest lessons on her private practice journey is about the importance of creating and growing the business sustainably from the get-go. ‘It’s so much easier to start small and say, “I’m only going to do four [clients] a day”, and see how it feels. Maybe you become a person [that] can do six [clients] a day, but if you start at six and you realise you can only do four … and that’s much harder to do.’ – Alison McCleary Julia recommends to go slow and steady instead of jumping straight in. You can slowly add new clients, delegate tasks, raise your rates, and expand your marketing efforts for the best efforts. So, start small and build and have check-ins with yourself often. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 41: Gabbi and Helen: Bring Your Principles Into Your Canadian Private Practice | EP 41 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 Alison’s the Edge of the Couch podcast, follow their Instagram account, and learn more about her private practice via the website and Instagram. Explore Contrapoints on YouTube to learn more! Create an OpenPath account for your therapy today Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 24 Jul 2024 | Canada’s New Tax Exemption on Regulated Therapy Services | Ep 133 | 00:11:42 | |
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? 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;
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: 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) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 04 May 2022 | How to Set Up Your Canadian Private Practice for Financial Success | EP 19 | 00:20:52 | |
I love to look at numbers and create a flexible yet profitable budget, but it’s entirely another story to follow a budget. Learning how to effectively manage money is an important skill to master as a Canadian private practice owner. If in the past you have found it challenging to create and stick to a budget or you don’t yet know where to begin in developing one, I discuss helpful tips and advice in this episode to help you get started. In This Episode:
Have an emergency fund I recommend to anybody who is starting in private practice to either have another job to help you pay the bills while your private practice is being set up or to start an emergency fund. Have savings that could sustain you and your Canadian practice to the value of, at minimum, three to six months of expenses. This lends you some peace of mind, gives you the resolve to focus on your business goals and values, and helps you to place your focus on building your practice without being too worried about finances. Make sure you have personal health insurance Invest in yourself. Find a good health insurance plan to save yourself extra – and potentially sudden – expenses. The sooner you purchase private health insurance, the better! Live below your means I love the term hedonic treadmill. It describes the treadmill that you get stuck on when you upgrade your lifestyle as your income increases and then you find yourself constantly working to afford your daily expenses. To curb the hedonic treadmill, I recommend you up the percentage of how much you put into your income tax account as your level of income increases. Some general expenses when starting a private practice Expenses can fluctuate in a Canadian private practice, but below is a list of some general payments that private practice owners make when they start their business. Monthly payments:
Annual fees:
Then, you’ll need to calculate how much you need in your business savings per month. Calculate your monthly and annual fees and divide them by 12, and add a little more money on top. Your monthly savings should be around $650, following this basic outline. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 18: Sue Cook: How to Build a Successful Canadian Private Practice Jane App: Use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period Look at Manulife for health insurance policies Consider marketing your private practice on Psychology Today. Want *6 FREE* months of Psychology Today that’ll give me a free month too? Email me at info@fearlesspractice.ca your name and we’ll hook you up. Pursue your education through Mental Health Academy Use Grasshopper for your virtual phone system. Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 15 Jun 2022 | Kelley Stevens: Tips for Relocating Your Canadian Private Practice With Ease | EP 25 | 00:42:48 | |
Do you have to move your Canadian private practice? Are you nervous about losing clients? Though daunting, moving your Canadian private practice to a new city or province can potentially provide you with the opportunity for business growth, financial gain, and personal development! If you are moving or have been thinking about relocating, in this podcast episode, I speak with Kelley Stevens about her experience of moving (three times!) and all her knowledge, tips, and advice to aspiring Canadian therapists who are seeking to try something new for themselves and their practice. MEET KELLEY STEVENS Kelley Stevens is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a private practice consultant for therapists. Kelley teaches online courses and hosts workshops for therapists looking to build successful and sustainable cash-pay private practices. Learn more about Kelley on her website. In this episode:
Do you want to move to a new province? If you are considering a big move and heading across the country, the first point of call would be to check your current licensing and whether or not it is correct for the new province that you will be working in. Sublet a business address in your new city While you are planning your arrival in the new city or province, make it a priority to set up a physical address for your business. This is great to boost your search engine optimization (SEO) in your new city because it makes it much easier for people who are searching in your area to now find you. The easiest way to do this would be to contact a therapist in the city you are moving to and see if you can sublet their address, or even an office in their building for an afternoon or two a week, as your business physical address. Letting go of your previous referral list For any Canadian therapist who moves to a new location, having to let go of an old referral source is a professional heartbreak. However, you can leverage your existing network to help you land new connections in your new city before you have even settled in. As long as it is legal and you're licensed correctly, you can provide telehealth in your new Canadian private practice so that you can stay connected with your previous clients! Which marketing efforts to focus on first after moving To prepare to move and for once you arrive, Kelley recommends:
Kelley’s advice for relocating therapists Connect with other therapists to support one another in your personal business growth and development. Consider joining a Facebook community of therapists that is centered around your current city and the new city that you are thinking about moving to. Go to the in-person networking events in the city that you live in. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 24: Hire a Canadian Virtual Assistant: How and Why You Should Do it Today 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 Learn more about Kelley on her website, Facebook, and Instagram profiles Connect with other telehealth therapists through the Telehealth Therapist Network and Frame | |||
| 15 Jan 2025 | Alexia Wensing: Turning a ‘Vibe’ Into a Private Practice Brand | Ep 149 | 00:32:44 | |
Alexia is Canadian, but spent time living and working in Norway, where she has learned about some of the Scandinavian ways of life, including “Hygge”, the feeling of being cozy and content and slowing down to make space for the enjoyment of life. This principle has inspired Alexia in her private practice, and she incorporated these values into her daily sessions with clients, encouraging them to actively use gratitude where applicable in therapy. MEET ALEXIA Alexia Wensing is a registered psychotherapist who values the mind-body connection, emphasizing the importance of slowing down and optimizing mental health through physical wellness and fostering a healthy relationship with the body. She works with athletes, families of athletes, and individuals facing challenges such as anxiety, life transitions, and stress, utilizing a rooted, evidence-based approach to support clients. Learn more about Alexia on her practice website and Psychology Today profile. In this episode:
Why Alexia decided to become a therapist After completing undergrad, Alexia was interested in pursuing law and even studied for the LSAT exams for a brief period. She then pivoted into a more HR and cultural role in creating a healthy workplace environment for a few years, but again, she felt like something was still missing. Therefore, Alexia returned to university again to pursue her master’s degree in Counselling Psychology. All of this experience had happened in Ontario, but in October 2020, Alexia decided to move to Norway. Working in a hospital setting Alexia worked as a psychotherapy intern. Even though Alexia appreciated her hospital work experience, it also taught her the tough lesson of having clients come and go, since that was the nature of working in a hospital. Starting a private practice After Alexia’s practicum, she got a position at a multidisciplinary practice. Even though she loved working there and being a leader running the telehealth team, she had to have a tough conversation with her bosses about her going in the direction of opening up her own private practice. Incorporating a Scandinavian lifestyle into private practice The cultural way of living in Norway gave Alexia firsthand experience and a new perspective on approaching wellness, mindfulness, and a healthy type of comfort when facing life’s challenges. She wanted to share the Hygge ‘vibe with other people, whether they were athletes or an individual struggling with a personal issue in life. Marketing the private practice Even though marketing can be tricky, it is necessary, because it is the way that you are putting the word of your practice out there into the community. You don’t have to be “salesy”. You can be authentic, and genuine, and just want to let people know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Alexia uses Instagram, social media, and her website for marketing. To niche down her practice while simultaneously combining her experience, she brings in the ‘Hygge vibe’ as branding for her private practice. Going forward Alexia is in Alberta now, considering expanding her practice, where she can continue to apply the Norwegian principles that she loves! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 148: Mark Pioro: Ontario Psychotherapy Rules and Regulations | EP 148 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) Get some help and freebies on your website with WordPress! Learn more about Alexia on her practice website and Psychology Today profile Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 09 Nov 2022 | How to Set Your Private Practice Schedule | Ep 46 | 00:18:39 | |
Sometimes your private practice schedule needs to change to meet your needs because your needs have changed, or you started a side hustle and you need to re-prioritize your time, or you moved to a new location, or hired an assistant! Whatever your situation is, as life shifts, you shift as well. One of the ways to stay on top of the ever-evolving and moving life is to create systems and schedules that are flexible and can be adjusted to suit you and your Canadian private practice. In This Episode:
Building your schedule When I first started counselling, I worked on Saturdays because it was the cheapest day to rent the room for counselling sessions. For a couple of years, I worked on those Saturdays, and I appreciated the lessons from that time. ‘I’m grateful for that time because it made me realize what it would be like to work on the weekends and if it was worth it for me.’ – Julia Smith Saturdays were quieter, it suited my clients, and I could save some money at the same time! But, after a while, those Saturdays got busy consistently, and I needed to make a change. My needs and desires also changed, and because I wanted to shift my time around, it meant that I also had to shift my work schedule. ‘It was great that I was saving money on Fridays by not going out but then I wasn’t going out on Friday nights with friends either because I wanted to be completely awake and with it [for] my clients on the Saturday, but that meant I was missing out on a lot of things … after a couple of years, it just wasn’t working anymore.’ – Julia Smith Give yourself more control
‘I like that my clients are not spread out throughout the day and that it’s condensed into four hours and then I’m done, and I’ve seen the [number] of clients that I know I want to see in a day.’ – Julia Smith Make it work for you You and your lifestyle will often change, so make your schedule work for you. ‘My mindset is now, “What is going to work for me right now?” And that wisdom of knowing that it’s probably not going to work for the rest of my life, and being open to trying out different types of schedules, switching it around when I need to, and being more flexible with my schedule.’ – Julia Smith Look at your Canadian private practice schedule. Is there something new that you can try? Explore, try another way, and do differently? Have fun with it! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 45: How to Deal with Setbacks in 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 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 18 Oct 2023 | Shelly Qualtieri: Using Lifelong Experience in a New Private Practice | Ep 95 | 00:45:31 | |
Do you have a wide and varied range of experience from your years in the helping profession? How can you bring these skills and life experiences together into a Canadian private practice that you can run as your own boss? Are you worried about walking the right path? You can always learn how to incorporate your mental health field experience! Your years working as a student, abroad, or part-time can all lead you to the path that you want to be on. With intention and passion, you will create a life that feels right for you when you take the action to create it. In this podcast episode, Shelly and I discuss how she came to start her own private practice after 30+ years of working in and around the helping profession. She trusted the path and followed her heart, and it brought her to a place where she enjoys doing her daily work. MEET SHELLY Shelly is the owner of Shelly Qualtieri & Associates Counselling & Coaching. Her goal is to create a safe and supportive space for teens and adults to feel a little lighter after each session, empowered and more in control of their life - with understanding the root cause of the challenges while providing practical tools and strategies to implement in their lives. Learn more about Shelly on her website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
How Shelly became a social worker In university, Shelly started out working on a sociology degree and by her third year, she was working full-time nights and volunteering for seven years. Shelly then worked and studied for some time in Australia before moving back to Canada, working with people that struggled with severe mental illness in relation to addiction. After working for universities, Shelly then spent five years working with domestic violence victims and survivors. And finally, Shelly has now opened her own practice! Taking the leap to start a private practice Shelly had struggled with a challenging manager, and she got to a point where she knew that she needed a change. Once she decided to quit and do something different, Shelly reconnected with a friend that had been working in private practice as a side hustle for years before recently going full-time, and she felt ready to do the same. Within 14 months, Shelly had a full-time schedule and was working out of an office. Building up the business Shelly has been able to learn the entrepreneurial skills that it takes to start, run, and maintain a successful Canadian private practice. Shelly’s assistant was the first person that was a part of her team, and it was a huge help for her. Additionally, this is where she also learned about the importance of having great systems. Julia’s tips for filling up your associates’ schedules If you can, avoid naming your practice after yourself. Consider finding a name that is not identifiable completely to you. Once you separate your name from your practice name, referrals that come through would most likely be more open to seeing your associates, since your name is not the business name. Shelly’s advice to private practitioners Ask lots and lots and lots of questions! Especially those that you look up to and know have had experience in the field that you are entering into. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 94: Get Free Consultations for Your Private Practice! | EP 94 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 Shelly on her website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 08 May 2024 | Embracing the Dynamic Nature of Niching | Ep 122 | 00:13:59 | |
As the saying goes; “the only constant thing is change”, and it’s 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 you’ve 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. It’s something that I have experienced as well, so listen in on this episode if you’re searching for some guidance! In this Episode:
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:
How to niche Some of the factors that you can keep in mind when you are figuring out your niche may include:
My experience with niching
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 hadn’t 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.
With my consulting: over five years ago I started my private practice consultation because I couldn’t 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! ‘But as I continued to create these things, my consulting became irrelevant, because it’s all in the workbook! As well as with the podcast … There have been so many episodes where I have interviewed other Canadian counsellors … There’s just so much information that I have now on my website for Canadian counsellors, where you don’t have to pay extra to have a one-on-one with me.’ - 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: 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 | |||
| 11 May 2022 | How Do I Optimize My New Canadian Private Practice? Live Consulting With Cayle Fiala | EP 20 | 00:36:35 | |
Is your Canadian private practice brand new? Are you unfamiliar with the business side of running a Canadian private practice? When you are starting out, it can be daunting to make sense of sales tax protocols and how to write a great Psychology Today profile. In this episode, I do a live consultation with Cayle and discuss various tips and tricks to help her establish the foundations of her new Canadian private practice. MEET CAYLE FIALA Cayle is an educator and therapist with a passion for art, inspiring creativity, and building meaningful connections. She is currently in the process of building her own private practice in rural Saskatchewan. Cayle's professional title is The Rural Therapist. Learn more about Cayle on her Instagram. In this episode:
Give your practice its own name It can be tempting to use your name for your Canadian private practice, as you may have already made a name for yourself. However, give your business its own name. This will make it easier to market or sell one day while establishing it in its own right. ‘If at some point down the road you want to sell your business, it will be a lot harder to sell your business if it’s your name.’ – Julia Smith Therefore, consider your long-term goals and how your Canadian private practice may develop when you are choosing its name. Julia got an HST number as soon as she started her Canadian private practice to minimize business worry, but if you know you are not going to be earning more than 30K, you do not need to get an HST number. When you do get an HST number – and if you start with one – it can be very beneficial to include the tax within the price to separate it. ‘That HST number is for your sales tax, the 15% … with Jane App you can easily include in your price the 15% sales tax so that when clients get their invoice it’s already included in it, so that when you give everything to your accountant it will show your sales tax as well as the money that you charged for therapy, and it’s really easily divided.’ – Julia Smith How to word your Psychology Today profile The first two sentences on your Psychology Today profile matter the most. In the first paragraph, discuss:
In the second paragraph, discuss:
In the third paragraph, discuss:
Offer group therapy at a lower rate If you would like to have reduced hourly rates, offer the reduced rate for group therapy. You can then help many people and keep therapy accessible while still earning sustainable income for your Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 19: How to Set Up Your Canadian Private Practice for Financial Success www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Check out more of Cayle Fiala’s work on Instagram. Learn more about the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Ali Taylor: Why You Need a Canadian EMR for Your Private Practice| EP 11 How to Set Your Psychology Today Profile Up for Success | EP 12 Sign onto Psychology Today | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | Get Free Consultations for Your Private Practice! | Ep 94 | 00:08:44 | |
Do you ever feel a call to reorganize, restructure, and get things back in order when a new season begins? Is your mind feeling refreshed and full of ideas after your summer break to relax? It’s officially fall, and these beginnings can sometimes provide you with a great opportunity to begin afresh, anew, or something different, and get to working on these ideas that you’ve been developing. But I know that money can sometimes be a little sparse after the summer holidays - I’ve been there myself! That’s why I want to offer my audience the opportunity to have a free consultation with me, as well as a chance to win a grant that can change the trajectory of your private practice, because I want to help you create a strong, profitable practice that fits with your values and serves your community. Listen to the episode to find out how! In this Episode:
How to do more with less Even though you may be feeling inspired and refreshed after some holiday time over the summer, and you’re entering into fall season with a renewed sense of purpose and passion for your private practice, finances can be tight - especially after the vacation season. This can make it tough to put your new ideas, aspirations, or dreams into action for your private practice. How can you make things work if you have fewer resources available to you? I know this feeling because I’ve been there before. That’s why I’m offering my audience a way to get free consultations with me, where we work one-on-one to really launch your private practice into action! Apply for the Canada’s Digital Adoption program If you haven’t heard of this yet, I highly recommend that you listen to my podcast episode on the microgrant to get a better picture of what this is, if you are eligible, and how to apply. Essentially, it’s a microgrant of $2,400 for eligible Canadian private practices and other businesses that make over 30k a year, or have hired employees. If you are approved, you can use this grant to grow your Canadian business online. Some of the ways that you can use this grant include:
And, you can use this money to hire a consultant! ‘If you are approved to receive this grant money, you can use up to $1000 of it to speak to a consultant, like me! Doing consultation with me can really help you to clarify how you want to spend that grant money, what areas of your practice you want to focus on and optimize.’ - Julia Smith To get started on your application for the grant, click this link to find out more. What to do if you don’t qualify? However, not all Canadian private practice owners would qualify for this grant. If you are one of these few, you can still get a chance to have a free consultation with me! With my podcast as a resource, I offer free consultations. Once you know that you want to apply to be on the Fearless Practice Podcast with me, you can apply through this link to start the conversation! ‘I would love to meet with you and help you start or grow your Canadian private practice!’ - Julia Smith. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 93: Alanna Beitner: Create the Life You Want Through Private Practice | EP 93 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 | |||
| 03 Apr 2024 | Courtney Vezina: Incorporating Community Values Into Private Practice | Ep 117 | 00:35:12 | |
There are many different ways in which you can instill and live out the values that you have founded your Canadian private practice on. For Courtney, the value of community is a driving factor that positively impacts the work that she and her colleagues do. So much so, that her private practice offers a scholarship for students doing their bachelors in social work or psychology! In this podcast episode, Courtney and I discuss her entry into private practice, why she decided to do her doctorate, and how she has found ways to bring the sense of community into her private practice. MEET COURTNEY Courtney is a Registered Psychotherapist who owns a group clinic; Courtney James Counselling and Psychotherapy, with locations in Kemptville and Brockville, Ontario. Courtney is currently completing her Doctorate of Counselling and Psychotherapy and is excited to engage in the further development of this amazing field of work. In her clinical work, Courtney uses a humanistic, trauma-informed lens and specializes in relational difficulties and developmental trauma. Courtney’s clinical work and Doctoral studies are focused on her work within the foster care and adoption community. Learn more about Courtney on the practice website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles. In this episode:
Why Courtney decided to become a psychotherapist Right after high school, Courtney started her psychology studies and then went into the field to gain frontline experience after graduating. Afterward, she shifted into the mental health field with a position in a school board. It was during one of her maternity leaves that she started her masters program in Counselling Psychology in 2017. Starting a doctorate Most counsellors can open a Canadian private practice with only a masters degree, but Courtney went further and is working towards completing her doctorate. For Courtney, the doctoral program that she’s in is not specifically research-based, and it encourages a different style of approaching this field that’s specific to psychotherapy. Courtney’s private practice While Courtney was completing her masters program, it was her intention to start a private practice. Even though Courtney began as a solo practitioner, she quickly hired colleagues into her private practice. Growing the private practice Courtney was mindful of where the needs were in her community, and so she therefore decided to open a second and third location in areas of her city where she knew that the population didn’t have as much access to mental health care. The point is to take calculated risks for your business. You don’t have to know if something is going to work before you try it - sometimes you have to try first to gain insight, and to then take informed action moving forward. Offering group sessions Courtney’s practice is creating emotional regulation groups that she brainstormed with a few of her colleagues. Even though there is an interest in offering group therapy, Courntey and her team are working on the fine print and structural components of it before they fully provide this additional service to their clients. The mental health scholarship For students that are accepted into undergraduate programs in psychology or social work, Courntey’s practice is offering a scholarship! This will be the fourth year that the scholarship is being offered, and her intention behind offering it comes from the same community piece that is vital to her and is one of the foundational pillars of the practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 116: Samantha Sarty: Setting Business Boundaries to Grow Private Practice | EP 116 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 Courtney on the practice website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 12 Jul 2023 | 3 Steps to Starting Your Private Practice While Still in Grad School | Ep 81 | 00:16:21 | |
Are you going into your master’s degree knowing that you want to start a private practice as soon as you have graduated? Be assured – and inspired – that this is totally possible! With your master’s degree and clinical supervision, you can be well on your way toward your Canadian private practice. There are a couple of things you can do for your private practice while you are in grad school to build a good foundation and to make it easier for you to launch and dive in once you have graduated. In this podcast episode, I go over the three simple steps that you can take to get yourself ready for your private practice – and to get your private practice ready for you! – if you know that this path is one of your goals to walk. In this Episode:
Figure out your business name The first step to starting a Canadian private practice is to think of a great name! Get creative and combine it with your potential specialty if you’d like. However, my top tip would be to avoid using your personal name. ‘When you’re considering a business name, I highly recommend that you do not use your own name. Although that can be more affordable when you register your [business] name with your government, it can lead to issues in the future.’ – Julia Smith Maybe you would like to hire some associates, or down the line another clinician or two, and then you would have to redo all of your marketing materials and rebrand the business. Give yourself – and your new practice – some freedom and autonomy by naming it something separate from you. Once you have your name, register it as a domain. Try out this service to help you register your domain for the new private practice! ‘[Using this service] can really help you to figure out what your name is going to be and what it’s not going to be because if you can’t purchase that domain name, then you’re probably not going to want to use that as your business name because your website name ideally should be the same name as your business, or very similar.’ – Julia Smith Build your website My advice to you is to use a WordPress website because it is open source and you have creative freedom, with unlimited options! Check out my tools and deals page to get started with your WordPress website on the right foot. Even though proprietary website-building companies can be more affordable or offer other services, if you ever decide to leave, you will lose everything that you created with them since they own the platform that the website was built upon. If you want to learn more, check out this article. Furthermore, I recommend the WordPress website company Beam Local, which allows you to keep your website if you ever decide to leave! Blog on the new website Now that you have a website, start investing in it! Your SEO (search engine optimization) can take some time to build up and rank you higher, so the sooner you start using your website and putting content out there, the better. Make sure to make it clear that you are not yet practicing as a therapist, but use that to your advantage. Post “Launching in 2024!” or something to that extent on your website so that your clients know you are still learning and can get excited to work with you. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 80: How Branding Can Attract Clients| EP 80 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 | |||
| 31 Jan 2024 | Michael Sorsdahl: Ccpa’s New Ethics Case Book and Why You Must Read It | Ep 108 | 00:39:17 | |
How knowledgeable are you on current counselling ethics? How regularly do you follow up on changes and fluctuations in ethics and the recommended practices as times go on? Where should you start? As we know how society and the general public changes over the years, it makes sense that the recommended counselling practices and ethics would too. What you might have learned five years ago, even two years ago, may have changed recently. Part of being a clear, conscientious, and responsible therapist is taking the time to keep up to date with current ethics. In this podcast episode, I talk with Michael who’s recently just finished co-authoring and editing the new CCPA revised ethics case book. MEET MICHAEL Michael Sorsdahl is a practicing psychologist in BC and Alberta, and is currently the ethics chair for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association Ethics Complaints Division. Learn more about Michael on his practice website, LinkedIn and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
Why the new ethics case book is important for counsellors This book is a complement to the standard ethics of practice that the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) created. This ethics case book that Michael and his team have developed is focused on bringing to life our code of ethics and standards of practice that are new. Although there are best practices and recommendations that are more in alignment in the codes based on historical precedence, there is more no “this is the only way” to do something, and that’s what this book is teaching. The four sections of the book 1 - Foundational aspect
2 - Sections of the codes
3 - Complex cases studies without solutions
4 - The solutions to the case studies
Ethics have to be current Ethics will naturally evolve with time because it is the study and practice of handling people and situations correctly, and people are constantly changing too. As a responsible and compassionate counsellor, it is part of your job to know how the lines shift, change, or blur and how to navigate those changes effectively. Read more about the new CCPA ethics book at this link. Multiple relationships The ethics of multiple relationships between counsellors and clients can often be brought into discussion, especially when offering therapy in small towns or rural areas. For example, someone may be the therapist of their pharmacist! Which is of course a nuanced situation to navigate. If you are in a situation where you have multiple relationships, you need to take notes. Have clear boundaries and capture records of your choices. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 107: Ester Chu and Richard Tatomir: Working As a Team to help Canadian Therapists | EP 107 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 Michael on his practice website, LinkedIn and Psychology Today profiles Learn more about the CCPA ethics discussed in this podcast here Watch this video to learn more about the CCPA’s Ethics CaseBook Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 10 May 2023 | How to Start Your Canadian Private Practice Today! | Ep 72 | 00:10:13 | |
Are you ready to start your Canadian private practice but don’t know how to build it? Are you looking for long-term successful solutions that can work on a tight budget? Are you searching for something else besides joining a group or a subscription plan to help you start private practice? If any of these questions resonate with you, give this episode a listen. I know what it’s like to want to build your Canadian private practice by hand, your way, and I know that doing anything on a budget is tough. With the lessons I’ve learned along my way into launching my Canadian private practice, I want to help you with yours. If you’re on the fence about whether you want to start a Canadian private practice right now, you can do it! In this episode, I share with you the 3-in-1 Canadian Private Practice Startup Package that you can use to launch your practice. All answers provided, no questions needed. In this Episode:
The three-in-one package My three-in-one package is a collection of three resources that every Canadian counsellor needs to start a private practice:
Why is it important? ‘When I started my private practice almost seven years ago, there weren’t any resources for Canadian counsellors. All of the resources were in the states, and a lot of what consultants in the states talk about doesn’t apply to Canadian counsellors.’ – Julia Smith Additionally, purchasing resources from the United States is also more expensive due to the loonie being worth less in the US. As a new and upcoming private practice owner, you need to save money so that you can launch your practice as affordably as possible. I wanted to create resources that would benefit new and existing Canadian counsellors because I know what the struggle feels like to have to figure things out on your own and how expensive it can be to start. If I can help someone else avoid some of that unnecessary stress or hassle, then it’s a worthy cause to pursue! ‘I really wanted to create resources that were Canadian-focused as well as affordable. I also wanted to tailor resources to therapists like myself, that didn’t need a lot of help in doing things once I knew what I needed to do. I just needed the direction … and then I would just go out and do those things!’ – Julia Smith So, if you like to get things done on your own and you want to save money doing it, this package is for you. I’ve been there, and I collected what I learned from my experience, and I’ve put it together so that you can start your Canadian private practice quickly and affordably! The benefits When you purchase the 3-in-1 Canadian Private Practice Startup Package, you will get everything for 50% off! With the trilogy, you can get all three; the workbook, the paperwork packet, and the phone and email scripts, for $249 in your usual province – a total 50% discount of their usual price! ‘You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on courses or subscriptions. All you need are these three items to start your private practice.’ – Julia Smith Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 71: Kristi Garrido: Building a Group Play Therapy Practice 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 23 Oct 2024 | Flora Gerlai: Hiring the Right Fit for Your Practice | Ep 142 | 00:30:00 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 13 Mar 2024 | Imogen McIntyre: Using Your Niche to Build a Private Practice | Ep 114 | 00:39:41 | |
How can you market your practice successfully in a big city? Do you have a specific niche that you want to figure out how to use well to connect with your best-fit client? Are you on the verge of considering to open two practices? Everyone talks about niching down, but it’s always helpful to speak to someone that did it and made it work well! In this podcast episode, Imogen and I discuss the entry into becoming a clinical social worker, launching and running two Canadian practices, and really knuckling down into a niche to allow the business to flourish. MEET IMOGEN Imogen Mcintyre is a Registered Clinical Social Worker who has founded two private practices, one focused on LGBTQ and neurodivergent issues, the other focused on couples therapy for sticky topics: the ones that can be hard to talk about with friends or family (think infidelity recovery, mismatched libidos or sexual preferences, shifts in gender or sexual identity, mental illness and relationships, and many more). Imogen practices from IFS, Gottman, and EFT informed approaches and strives to provide couples therapy without shame or blame. Learn more about Imogen on their Psychology Today profile, and private practice website. In this episode:
Why Imogen decided to become a clinical social worker In 2015, Imogen got their Bachelors of Social Work. At the time, Imogen was a single mom and decided to go into social work. Imogen started in Vancouver before practicing in other places, and also worked for the government at the start of their career. They worked in youth work for a year, and even though it was an enjoyable experience, it wasn’t financially sustainable, so Imogen went back to school to complete a masters degree. After completing their masters, Imogen was hired by a health authority and greatly enjoyed working with the team, but then went on maternity leave. Building up your own Canadian private practice One of the drivers for Imogen to open and pursue their own business was to have more freedom and autonomy with time. Now, Imogen has more autonomy in terms of time, and is working in an environment where they can meet their needs as well as the needs of their family. A clinical social worker as opposed to a social worker The clinical social worker designation is new in Canada, so it’s not widely known yet, sometimes even in professional circles. With the RCSW, Imogen can diagnose things like ADHD and anything within the DSM, although there are some things that Imogen won’t diagnose for due to not personally feeling fully qualified yet. Imogen’s unique service offering Imogen noticed with their existing clients that people were asking for letters for different purposes, and Imogen wanted to figure out a way to offer clients this service while still being billed for the time and effort it takes to write them. Doing it through the Jane App platform means that the time during the sessions is dedicated specifically to the clients needs, and not for writing the letter itself. Marketing in a big city Imogen was able to build up their clientele in Vancouver relatively quickly, which is a challenge! Therefore, having a very in depth niche is what greatly helped Imogen to build their practice up relatively quickly and successfully. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 113: Veronica Loffreda: Why Diversifying Brings You Success in Private Practice | EP 113 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) Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 19 Feb 2025 | Pacific Pines: Working as a Team to Fulfil a Private Practice Dream | Ep 154 | 00:26:52 | |
Natasha and Cherise met on an internship, became friends, and decided to work together to open up a Canadian private practice that is based on their shared values; accessibility, equity, and transparency. Working with a business partner in private practice is a great way to divide up the stress and double up the ideas. Together, they each handle specific roles, discuss new options, and help each other where they can. MEET NATASHA AND CHERISE Pacific Pines Wellness was founded with the mission to create a safe and nurturing space, Natasha and Cherise offer tailored counselling services to help individuals, couples, and families navigate life’s challenges. Committed to removing barriers to care, they provide solutions for equitable access, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to receive the support they deserve. They combine evidence-based approaches with a holistic perspective, empowering clients to achieve balance, resilience, and well-being. Learn more about Natasha and Cherise on their practice website. In this episode:
What made Natasha and Cherise become therapists For Cherise, she started in applied behavioral analysis at the beginning of her studies. Later on, she became drawn to a more personal and collaborative approach to working with clients. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology, and while unsure of what to do after she graduated, she worked for a crisis line for a while. That is where she discovered her passion for making therapy more accessible to people who need it. For Natasha, she actually wanted to become a police officer and completed her undergraduate degree in forensic science! However, during the program, Natasha was often more interested in what happened to the person. Funding an equitable cost of therapy Natasha and Cherise try to find the sweet spot between being able to afford their own bills while making their services affordable to a broader population. A percentage of their caseload is reserved for low-cost counselling to service the populations who cannot afford most counselling services. Both of them have conversations with their clients to figure out what they can each afford at that moment in a collaborative approach to find a comfortable price for everyone. Building an accessible and equitable group practice Natasha and Cherise are interested in building out the practice in a group setting. They would like to one day hire more mental health professionals into the practice. The flat fee that they would offer is to allow the therapist to receive a higher income, instead of asking them to pay a percentage of their income. Transparency, accessibility, and barrier-free care are the guiding principles and foundations on which Cherise and Natasha lay their practice. Working as a team Natasha explains that initially she wasn’t sure how to approach a private practice, but in meeting Cherise, they discovered a great team in one another and felt excited to approach the opportunity. Cherise appreciated Natasha suggesting working together and it has been a great experience for them both! Advice to listeners It’s not going to be easy but it will be worth it! There will be doubt and you won’t always get a “yes”, but with a great business partner or support network, you can keep pursuing your goals. Be kind to yourself in the process! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 153: An Update on Direct Billing | EP 153 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) Get some help and freebies on your website with WordPress! Learn more about Natasha and Cherise on their practice website, and individual Psychology Today (Natasha) Psychology Today (Cherise) profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 26 Feb 2025 | Amy Eriksson: Establishing a Successful Group Private Practice in Canada | Ep 155 | 00:30:03 | |
Amy worked as a social worker for 20 years in crisis management in tandem with police and emergency services. She saw how intense and difficult the work could be, and wanted to create a place where her clients could receive their therapy that was softer, more welcoming, and curated to their requirements. Now, Amy runs a large private practice in Canada with therapists and staff working together all under the same shared values and goals. In this episode, we discuss building a practice from the ground up, how much therapy changes lives, and how we can create a practice that is tied in with our personal dreams while serving our client’s needs. MEET AMY Amy is a genuine, empathetic, and caring therapist capable of cultivating meaningful connections with people in an open, honest, and non-judgmental manner. She is a qualified and respected social worker with 20+ years of frontline community, hospital and clinical experience. Among the population that Amy has served include, youth, adults and seniors who struggle with mental health and addiction issues, relational, stress or crisis, trauma, physical health, diagnosis, and palliation. Learn more about Amy on her practice website, Psychology Today, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. In this episode:
Being a social worker for 20 years In March 2021, Amy decided to open up her own private practice after having been in the field for 20 years working for other mental health organisations in Port Hope, Ontario. Before she opened her private practice, Amy was working full-time for a community hospital in crisis where she worked directly with a police service and attended the 911 mental health calls. Transitioning from full-time work into private practice Amy opened her private practice in 2021 but only committed to working in it fully in 2023 once she had built up her client caseload. Amy knew that she had reached every goal she had wanted to as a crisis worker, and felt like she wanted to open up her professional career and reach by committing more fully to her private practice. Hiring staff and building the practice based on values Amy hired people that she had previously worked with into her new practice when she wanted to develop it further. She made sure to hire practitioners who shared the same or similar values that she had founded the practice. Amy wanted a practice that felt like a well-loved home. Growing her practice Since her passion for her work has grown and she has started hiring more staff, Amy was able to level up her practice from solo to group. She credits part of this success with making the foundation of her practice rest upon the values and principles that she shares with her staff. Now it’s been four years since Amy started her private practice as a solo therapist, and how she is currently hiring for therapist number 18! She feels grateful for the success that started with her and that has now grown and been encouraged by her team. The practice has grown larger than her and is now supported and furthered by her staff, therapists, and the community around their practice. Amy’s advice to listeners Start your private practice with a solid business plan, consult with an accountant and lawyer, and go slow! Practice self-gratitude and celebrate your small wins. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 154: Pacific Pines: Working as a Team to Fulfil a Private Practice Dream | EP 154 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) Get some help and freebies on your website with WordPress! Learn more about Amy on her practice website, Psychology Today, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 20 Jul 2022 | Tara Scullion: What You Need to Know About Canadian Private Practice Insurance | Ep 30 | 00:35:12 | |
What is your sleep-at-night factor when it comes to insurance? Do you lie awake at night fretting over what could go wrong, or have you taken the necessary steps to protect yourself and your practice? Whether your Canadian private practice provides teletherapy, in-person counselling, or both, you need to make sure that you cover your bases. In this podcast episode, Tara and I discuss the ins and outs of liability insurance and which essentials you need to have in your insurance package to maintain professional protection and integrity. MEET TARA SCULLION Tara is a Registered Insurance Broker and Associate Director at BMS, a specialist broker that provides insurance coverage and risk management services to over 500,000 healthcare and regulated professionals across Canada and globally. Tara and the BMS teamwork to deliver evidence-based industry data and professional liability to counsellor and psychotherapist members across the country. Learn more about Tara on her LinkedIn profile and business website. In this episode:
Liability insurance Liability insurance can also be called errors and omissions insurance or malpractice insurance. You could potentially be found liable for damages if some advice or treatment you gave goes awry, and that’s where you can offset some risk onto yourself by taking out liability insurance. What you should make sure to include in your liability insurance policy:
Some of Tara’s insurance package recommendations for therapists For Canadian therapists in private practice, Tara recommends taking out packages that include:
Liability insurance for online therapy Now that many Canadian therapists are providing telehealth due to the pandemic, the business world has had to develop new strategies to protect both practices and clients online. You have to look at:
To further protect yourself and your practice, be sure to remain within your scope of practice both where you are located and where your client is located. This means that you keep to the regulations of your client’s province, even if it differs slightly from yours. Read up on GetCyberSafe about how you can further protect yourself and your Canadian private practice online while providing teletherapy and if you practice in different countries. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: How to Create a Video that Takes Your Marketing to the Next Level | EP 29 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 Learn more about Tara on her LinkedIn profile and business website Jane App – use the promo code FEARLESS for one month grace period Listen to my podcast episode about Starting a Canadian Group Private Practice | EP 26 Protect yourself online and read up on resources on GetCyberSafe | |||
| 11 Jan 2023 | Allison Puryear: Marketing Skills for Canadian Private Practices | Ep 55 | 00:40:22 | |
How can you become a great boss for your employees? What does it take to truly connect through copy? What is needed to launch multiple successful private practices, even in different provinces? You can be intentional with your Canadian private practice, and create it to suit you, your temperament, and your skills. Simultaneously, you don’t have to keep growing and growing until you reach the moon! Your business is a way for you to serve the needs of your community while supporting yourself and your family. In this episode, Allison and I discuss Canadian private practice from all angles, so whether you are fresh to private practice or you are a seasoned therapist who's been at the helm for a while, there’s something in this episode for you to appreciate! MEET ALLISON PURYEAR Allison Puryear is an LCSW, CEDS with a nearly diagnosable obsession with business development. She has started practices in three different states and wants you to know that building a private practice is shockingly doable when you have a plan and support. She teaches everything you need to know about building a private practice in the Abundance Party, where you can get practice-building help for the cost of a co-pay. Learn more about Allison on her website and LinkedIn profile. In this episode:
The Benefit of Niching Down for Marketing One of the benefits of working within your niche and specifying which clients you work with is that marketing can become a lot easier. You do not have to “sell” your practice. Instead, you can speak honestly about how much you enjoy working with your clients, they with you, and the transformations you help them to realize in their lives. Additionally, connect with other therapists that work either in or around your niche! It’s a great way to develop a beneficial work relationship between you and other therapists in your area where you can refer to one another, helping each other grow and serve your communities. How to Successfully Start a Private Practice Anywhere! If you’re introverted, don’t feel like you need to meet 90 people over 90 days – start with one new person a week. Make it suit your style because it doesn’t have to be stressful. Allison’s top tools for starting a successful Canadian private practice:
Hone in On the Connection Your copy needs to create connections between you and your ideal clients. Whenever they read over your website, find you online, or interact with your social media, your copy is the voice that you will use to speak with them. Be a Great Boss Being a therapist doesn’t always translate to being a good manager. If you run a Canadian private practice, or you are considering launching one, it’s worth your while to look into some information on how to be a great boss. Your employees will look to you to set the boundaries, lay the expectations, and be there for them as a guide in how to work well and succeed in the practice you run. Therefore, you have to step up into the role of being a great boss by taking the initiative to learn how to do it. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: 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 Allison on her website, LinkedIn, and Instagram profiles. Check out Allison’s links page to find downloadable content, and how to connect! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 05 Apr 2023 | Jenniel Taylor: How to Navigate Your First Steps in Private Practice | Ep 67 | 00:29:56 | |
Have you recently entered private practice? Are you looking for effective marketing strategies to boost your new Canadian private practice? How closely are you working with your values? Starting anything takes courage, especially when it comes to putting your name out there as a counsellor in your community! Whether you are recently licensed or you have freshly completed your master's degree, it’s always helpful to learn from someone who has just finished walking the path that you’re about to step onto. In this podcast episode, I discuss the journey into private practice and how to lay its foundations well for sustainable success with Jenniel Taylor. MEET JENNIEL TAYLOR Jenniel is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Trauma-informed, Brainspotting Practitioner, providing psychotherapy to clients in Ontario and Alberta. Jenniel helps adult clients address the effects of childhood trauma, abandonment, abuse, and neglect that keep them feeling emotionally stuck, fearful, anxious, and unable to fully enjoy their life, careers, and relationships. As a lifelong learner and travel lover, Jenniel seeks opportunities to learn from the world and everything in it. She loves watching movies, British TV, and being in nature. Jenniel also embraces playfulness, joy, and laughter in life, and invites her clients to do the same. Learn more about Jenniel on her LinkedIn profile and practice website. In this episode:
Jenniel’s journey to becoming a Canadian counsellor A pattern that Jenniel noticed in her years of working as a coach was that many of her clients felt stuck in the past, and struggled to make changes because it signified – and required – them to move forward. This observation made Jenniel curious about looking at the entirety of a person’s life, from their past to their present and then onto their future. This meant that she needed to level up her skillset, leading her to becoming both a coach and then a counsellor as well. Launching a private practice One great way to succeed in private practice – and to build a resilient business – is to base its foundations on your values. Cultivate your mission and vision and strive to incorporate these aspects into your daily personal and professional decisions. To experience a community setting, Jenniel joined a group practice in Ontario and works there part-time while she’s building her practice, also part-time. Effective marketing strategies There are many ways that you can use your website to market your new private practice effectively. One of them is using your social media presence, including your website, to speak to the pain points that your ideal clients are experiencing. Jenniel shows her ideal clients that she understands where they are coming from by putting the issues that they are currently experiencing on her website and in her copy. Be open about your ideal clients Especially as a new Canadian private practice owner, you need to be upfront with your clients – and yourself – about whether a new client is a good fit or not. Both you and the client need to feel comfortable with one another, and your skillset needs to match their needs for meaningful work and change to take place. Jenniel’s advice to other new private practitioners Have big dreams with realistic expectations – from the beginning! Start strong with manageable steps so that you can slowly and accurately build a good foundation. Work with your values and let them guide you in connecting with your ideal clients authentically and sustainably. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 66: How to Get Continuing Education Credits: CECs 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 Jenniel on her LinkedIn profile, Psychology Today profile, and practice website. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify | |||
| 30 Aug 2023 | Canada’s Grow Your Business Online Grant: How to Apply | Ep 88 | 00:07:49 | |
Are you searching for ways to save money in your private practice? Have you considered looking into the grants that you could qualify for? Have you heard of the micro-grant “Canada’s Digital Adoption Program” (CDAP) that’s specifically for small businesses? I decided to find out some more information about the CDAP grant after it came up in conversation a couple of times in podcast episode 85 and episode 87. I tried it out and now I can share my experience and insight with you! This grant is definitely worth applying for. Check below if you meet the criteria, and get to it! It’s a great way for you to help yourself succeed! In this Episode:
What it is The CDAP is a micro-grant that the Canadian government is offering the owners of small Canadian businesses to help them reach the next level of their success. ‘It’s a grow-your-own-business-online grant that the Canadian government is giving out … to businesses to help them move online and learn about digital services so that you can apply these digital services to your business.’ - Julia Smith This micro-grant consists of $2400 to help you with building your business online. If you are approved, you will also get access to advisors and people that can help you to grow your business online! How to apply The requirements include:
‘This means that for private practices in Canada, we are eligible for this grant!’ - Julia Smith To be eligible for this grant, you also need to commit to maintaining a digital adoption strategy for six months and you have to consent in being part of any follow up surveys and having your name published. Click this link to check your eligibility and apply! It took me about 15 minutes to complete and submit my application and I received an email the following day about starting the process, so it went quite quick! Once you are approved, you will be able to:
What you get This grant helps you to implement, improve, and pay for digital e-commerce aspects, such as:
As I mentioned above, you also get access to advisors and experts that can help to support you in growing your online business and Canadian private practice. ‘There are a lot of options that could benefit your private practice and it is so easy and quick to apply for this grant!’ - Julia Smith Take advantage of this micro-grant and apply today! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 87: Ursula Kerr: Take a Risk, Start a Private Practice, and Be Your Own Boss | EP 87 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
| |||
| 07 Sep 2022 | How to Build a Caseload in Your Canadian Private Practice With Online Booking | Ep 37 | 00:18:05 | |
Are you still emailing your clients back and forth to set up sessions? Do you need to free up some time in your schedule and automate the admin? Did you know that setting up an online booking system is really easy? Setting up an online booking system has saved me so much time! And switching to an automated booking structure allows my admin staff to work on other important tasks, and get more done, which helps my Canadian private practice to grow steadily and smoothly. Online booking is a great tool for counsellors in private practice, and in this episode, I show you how to do it! In This Episode:
Why you should choose online booking Online booking is not only helpful and time-saving for counsellors, but it is also helpful and less stressful for clients as well. If you are nervous about not feeling in control of your schedule, you needn’t worry. There are different structures on the backend that you can make use of to block off your time and control your online booking schedule. With Jane App, you can select a setting that only allows clients to book one session in advance so that a client won't fill up your schedule for weeks on end. How to set up your online booking system
Once you have completed these steps, you can get your booking link to put onto your website. If you work with Brighter Vision, send them your booking link and ask them to turn it into a “book now” button on your main page, and wherever you have your call-to-action. My tips for you Put your Jane App booking link on your Psychology Today profile. Another tip is to put “secret sessions” on your online booking profile because it saves you some reserved slots that you can open up if you need to have an emergency session with a client. And, if these reserved spots are not needed, then you can easily open them up and make them available for booking. Create email and phone call systems Systems like online booking can help you to scale your Canadian private practice and get more work done without becoming burnt out. Help yourself out, and invest in these sustainable practices to help you and your business thrive. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 36: How to Keep Digital Information Secure in Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 36 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) Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice | EP 06 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 24 Apr 2024 | 5 Ways to Tackle Isolation With an Online Private Practice | Ep 120 | 00:08:57 | |
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 can’t talk about the details of your work with friends or family. If you work from home like me, then I’m 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 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, don’t 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 what’s 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 don’t pass one another by like ships in the night. Make time for a weekly activity 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: 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 | |||
| 26 Jul 2023 | Amber Sperling: The Journey From a New Practice to Success and Beyond | Ep 83 | 00:45:58 | |
For anyone who is building their Canadian private practice, or is thinking about starting, one of the most helpful things that you can do is listen to other therapist’s stories who have gone on this exact journey before you. Learning from others is a great way to give you ideas, help you think things through, and see what might – and might not – work for you. In this podcast episode, Amber and I discuss her journey into launching her own Canadian private practice. MEET AMBER Amber Sperling is a Social Worker and psychotherapist who’s passionate about the health and well-being of moms in the transition into parenthood. She started her career in hospital mental health then transitioned to over a decade in primary care, learning the intersections between physical and mental health, interdisciplinary care, and the power of the mind/body connection. Amber values ongoing learning, developing client-specific strategies and recognizes the impact of greater society/systemic barriers on individuals. She currently operates a private practice based in Barrie Ontario with associates all trained in enhanced psychotherapy for perinatal mental health and trauma treatment while engaging in regional committees on perinatal mental health, birthing families, and holds a seat on the local hospital foundation cabinet. Learn more about Amber on her website and LinkedIn profile. In this episode:
Amber’s first steps into private practice After the pandemic, Amber was working mostly from home. For many months, she got settled into working from home and providing therapy for the practice she was working for. She was seeing 20 to 25 clients a week and noticed a huge need. Amber knew that she could be doing this work for herself and on her own terms, and she knew that she could get clients that would want to work with her if she opened her own Canadian private practice. In March of 2022, Amber was able to make the official switch and set out on her own. Building up a network In the very beginning, Amber created a simple to-the-point form on Google and sent it out to her colleagues that she knew, valued, and already trusted to meet and start networking to represent herself. She also found organizations that she felt aligned with to contact and network with. For anyone going into Canadian private practice, Amber recommends stepping past that initial fear and getting into contact with your colleagues! Hiring associates There are other great therapists out there that can help you and would want to work with you. Depending on how you want to hire for your practice, you could either hire therapists that work outside of your niche and see the clients you might refer out, or hire a therapist that also works within your niche so that you don’t have to put them on a waiting list or refer them out if your personal schedule is already full. Going forward It is important for Amber to grow her business in a way that aligns with her values, and this means centering connection as one of the foundational blocks. In the future, Amber plans to develop her practice and hire more associates, developing the services that the practice offers, all while focusing on organic community and fostering powerful relationships that heal and collaborate together. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 82: Live Consultation with Julie Burnett: Starting an Online Private Practice | EP 82 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) Listen to my podcast episodes on building a long-lasting website and how to hire a virtual assistant! Learn more about Amber on her website, Psychology Today, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | Rebecca Steele: How Raising Your Rates Can Improve the Quality of Your Work | Ep 78 | 00:40:24 | |
What are the long-term benefits of raising your rates? Why does raising your rates ultimately help your clients as well as your work-life balance? Many therapists are nervous about raising their rates and so continue to work for the same pay for years. Ultimately, raising your rates can make you a better therapist, and your clients will come to see that. If you know that you want to raise your rates to create time freedom within your work schedule, then this episode is for you. MEET REBECCA For 9 years Rebecca has worked towards helping adults dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma to find their healing path and experience relief, wholeness, and fulfillment. She loves using a depth-therapy approach to support clients' healing process. She has two masters-level clinical counselling degrees: a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy. She is a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist, and a Canadian Certified Counsellor. She is also a HeartHealing® Practitioner and a Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapist (C.Hyp™) Learn more about Rebecca on her website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles. In this episode:
Rebecca’s Canadian private practice experience Rebecca has been running her private practice for the past seven years. Once she got her Masters of Social Work (MSW), she noticed fewer issues with people leaving therapy because more insurance companies cover social workers. To grow her Canadian private practice, Rebecca invested in good quality services for herself to help her run the business and to provide high-quality service with a professional feel for her clients. Overcoming the initial fear of raising rates A burned-out therapist may struggle to provide the standard of therapy that they aspire to for their clients, let alone their work; long hours for little money can take a huge toll on a therapist’s mental and physical health since the work they do is already intensive. Raising your rates is therefore not only beneficial to the work that you do in terms of giving yourself the chance to take off extra hours which a raised rate allows you to do, but it also helps your clients. The benefits of time freedom For most therapists like Rebecca, starting and running a Canadian private practice opens a doorway to experiencing more time freedom because you become your own boss and choose your hours and your work experience. You get to structure your days and weeks how you need to so that you can suit your professional life with your personal one. How raising rates supports your work Of course, not all clients were pleased with the increase in the beginning, but the long-term benefits for both the clients and the therapist outweigh that initial discomfort and change. It is important for you – as a therapist and as a human being – to have a life outside of work that fulfills you so that you can then do what you like to do without dreading each new week. Of course, you can offer a sliding scale, refer out, or talk about accessibility options to clients of yours that you know need the extra support, so that there is a continuation of care. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 77: Trying a 50/50 Work Week | EP 77 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) www.beamlocal.com/fearless get some discounts for your new website! Listen to my podcast episode on how to ethically and sustainably raise your rates to help yourself, your business, and your clients! Learn more about Rebecca on her website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles – and check out her free dream journal prompt! | |||
| 14 Sep 2022 | Why You Should Start an Online Canadian Private Practice | Ep 38 | 00:25:35 | |
Do you feel hesitant in deciding if an online practice is a right fit for you or your clients? Have you been thinking about making a change in your approach to work-life balance? What would that look like for you? I recognise that making the switch to online private practice is a risk, but often things are both risks and opportunities! If you want to make significant changes in your lifestyle, become more remote, or have more control over your schedule, providing online therapy is a great way to achieve your personal and professional goals. In this podcast episode, I share my positive (and some negative) experiences of launching my Canadian online private practice. In This Episode:
The benefits of online counselling Like many other therapists, I transitioned to an online private practice because of the pandemic. Even though I was scared in the beginning, I am so glad that I chose this path. I understood that online therapy is not discount therapy, and even though that myth was more real before the pandemic, it still can hold some therapists back from making the switch. My clients were also able to see me more often, and more easily! They didn’t have to drive or travel anywhere to get to my office. Some more pros that I experienced starting an online Canadian private practice include:
Some cons to be aware of (and tips to help!) Some of these include:
Get in touch with a clinical supervisor whom you can reach out to and work with when you feel that you need and want some extra support. Additionally, network! Start professional relationships with other therapists who work remotely in your area, and form a community together.
Working from home can be difficult because you do almost everything there, from personal to professional life. To curb this cabin fever, I recommend getting out every single day. Go for a walk, join a gym, or try a new hobby in someplace new to help mitigate the sameness.
Even though it is good to be humbled, your ego can sometimes take a hit from working alone where no one is there to see and celebrate your accomplishments alongside you. So, make an effort to check up on yourself, celebrate your good days, and share them with friends!
You may never meet your associates, virtual assistants, or clients in person . You talk to a screen a lot, but on the other hand, this creates a helpful boundary between your personal and professional activities.
Having your own online private practice means that you are in control of everything because no one is going to knock on your door to get you to work. This can be a benefit if you like to control your own schedule but could also be a drawback if managing your own schedule is difficult for you. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 37 How to Build a Caseload in Your Canadian Private Practice with Online Booking 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 Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice | EP 06 How to Set Up Your Canadian Private Practice for Financial Success | EP 19 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | Overcoming Sudden Obstacles in My Private Practice: Year Seven | Ep 97 | 00:18:27 | |
We all have intentions for the new year when it begins, and ideas of what we’d like to do differently or in a new way. And it’s often the case that things don’t go as planned! However, it can be part of the overall process, and in the end new lessons are learned and new skills are acquired. At the beginning of my seventh year in Canadian private practice, I had a vision for the year and how I wanted it to go. Of course, it wasn’t what I expected, but now I have better systems, a strong team, and new strategies for handling stress and the unexpected. In this podcast episode, I recount my year, what I went through, and how I ended up feeling more confident and ready for what will come my way. In this Episode:
The aim to slow down Almost every week, month, and year I remind myself why I started my Canadian private practice, which is to have more freedom and autonomy over my time, counsel clients with therapeutic approaches that I value, and to not get burnt out. It’s easy for life to get busy and for the schedule to get full before you know it, and so one of my commitments for this past year was to be more intentional with my time. Expanding my team During this past year, I launched a podcast series for my private practice with my associate, and even though it was a great experience, it took a huge amount of effort to manage, structure, and launch. I also ended up hiring a social media manager to help me handle social media for both my private practice and consulting business, and it turned out to be a great choice to have made! Completing the trilogy In the new year (at the beginning of 2023) I was feeling refreshed and excited to work on a project that I had been looking forward to, which was to complete the third installment of my trilogy for the private practice start-up package. This last piece was communication scripts. For me, it was a big learning curve to figure out what to say to clients when they enquired about certain aspects of my services and what I offered or didn’t. I wanted to share my knowledge with my audience, because I knew that my scripts could help them too. A sudden website change Just as I thought that I could slow down after finishing these few projects, I had to scramble for a new plan because the website hosting company I used was changing. If you want the full details, you can listen to this podcast episode. I wanted to update my website, but I wouldn’t have been able to since Brighter Vision would have moved my website to their proprietary platform and out of WordPress, and I didn't want to do that because I wanted to own my website even if I chose to no longer work with Brighter Vision. Another year of Sponsorship! Despite the challenges of the year, it has turned out to be great. I’ve learned, grown, and changed in ways that I’m grateful for. And better yet, I’m so glad that Jane App and I will be working together for another year as my official podcast sponsor! If you are looking for a great EMR, I highly recommend Jane App. Click this link and use the promo code FEARLESS to receive a grace period! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 96: Shannon Smith: Starting a Second Career as a Therapist | Ep 96 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 | |||
| 26 Apr 2023 | Julie Lounsbury: How a Leap of Faith Led to Success in Private Practice | Ep 70 | 00:39:01 | |
What has been holding you back from launching your Canadian private practice? Which challenges have you been nervous about facing that you know others before you have accomplished? What can it take to help you to accomplish them too? There are pros and cons of working in a steady job for another company or organization, and pros and cons of running your own Canadian practice. Neither option is good nor bad in general, but where it matters is what matters to you. Do you want to be in charge of your time, your money, and your work? In this podcast, Julie and I discuss the fear – and success – of taking a leap of faith to launch a private practice. If you are becoming more invested in shedding the “golden handcuffs” of working a government job and striving to launch and run your own Canadian private practice, then give this episode a listen. MEET JULIE LOUNSBURY Julie is a perinatal/maternal mental health therapist based in London, Ontario. She specializes in working with parents on all stages of their parenting journey. Julie is a registered social worker and has been providing services to families for over 10 years. Learn more about Julie on her website, Instagram, and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
Community within private practice Starting and running your own Canadian private practice can become a lonely job after a while. In the beginning, it can feel great to be your own boss and to get things done your own way. Although, after some time, you might find yourself starting to look for a professional community. Not only does that community sustain you socially in an isolated job, but it can also be a good sounding board for when you want some advice, and even support. Choosing to commit to your practice Julie got to a place in her professional (and also personal) career where she wanted to invest in herself. She wanted to at least give it one shot to put effort into her practice, and knew that if things didn’t go as planned that she could go back to child welfare. The shot was worth it! The biggest hurdle that Julie had to get over when starting her private practice was the financial piece. Find people to learn from and observe Private practice is not fully “safe” in the way that a government job claims to be. In a way, there is no completely “safe” job. To ease your worries or concerns about running your private practice, connect with other practice owners and discuss the process. Working well within your niche Not only is your niche important for marketing, connecting with your ideal client, and doing your best work, but it will also guide you in which services you can offer your clients. Depending on who your client is, what their lives look like, and what their needs are, you can structure your services around them to make yourself even more valuable and needed in the community while providing great services. Julie’s advice to new practitioners Mostly, you have to feel good about the work you are doing, and that goes back to you representing yourself well and being well supported by colleagues and supervisors. When deciding on a niche make sure you have the skillset and if you don’t, take additional courses to become competent before offering that service. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 69: Eileen Bona: Incorporating Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counselling 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 Julie on her website, Instagram profile, Psychology Today profile, and Facebook account. | |||
| 19 Oct 2022 | Claire Blakey: Creating a Sustainable Canadian Private Practice | Ep 43 | 00:43:55 | |
Do you have a team that supports you in your private practice? Are there other passions in your life that you want to pursue alongside being a therapist? What does it take to create a sustainably successful Canadian private practice? Passive income and diversifying your income streams is not only a good financial decision for your business, but it also supports you because it provides an outlet for you to explore and develop your hobbies outside of therapy, which can make you a happier and a more successful therapist. Claire Blakey and I discuss the pros (and some cons) to passive income, and how you can approach this new avenue to make the most of it. MEET CLAIRE BLAKEY Claire Blakey, MA, LMFT, PMH-C is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice in Santa Barbara, CA. She is the founder of The Flourishing Therapreneur and is passionate about empowering therapists in business and entrepreneurship. Learn more about Claire on her website and Instagram profile and podcast and practice website. In this episode:
Consider a team approach to business As the therapist, there are many things that only you can do. But, as the business owner, there are many aspects to business which can be outsourced to better support you. By outsourcing some jobs, hiring a team, and surrounding yourself with competent people that can learn and practice the skills outside of the therapy realm you operate in, you can grow your Canadian private practice while also being a therapist. Create a sustainable Canadian private practice One of the first steps to creating your Canadian private practice in a sustainable way is to address and unlearn the old behaviours and patterns about what therapy and practices “should” look like. Are the belief systems that you operate your business from sustaining you in your pursuit of your goals and dreams? If not, then consider doing a deep dive to remove them, and replace them with ones that do. Your Canadian private practice may be at risk if you:
Claire’s marketing advice Niche in on yourself the same way that you niche in on your ideal clients. Get clear on who you are, who you serve, and how you help them. Speak directly to your ideal client and focus on three topics or issues that they are currently going through. If you notice a trend in your client sessions where many of your clients are struggling with similar issues, use that as a link to further connect with more ideal clients. Diversify your income Creating passive income and diversifying your income streams is another pillar to creating a sustainable Canadian private practice. Even though you are a therapist, you are also a human being, and human beings are multi-passionate. There may be things that you love to do, or can do, that could generate income that supports you while allowing you to develop different aspects of yourself by exploring new hobbies outside of providing therapy. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 42: Alison McCleary: Navigating the Journey from Studying to Practicing Therapy | EP 42 Listen to my podcast episode with Helen and Gabbi about working with your principles in your 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 Claire Blakey on her website, Podcast, Facebook, and Instagram profile Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 16 Nov 2022 | How to Create Your Canadian Practice Paperwork Packet | Ep 47 | 00:17:41 | |
Are you concerned that you may have missed important details on your consent forms? Have you been spending hours figuring out which questions you should ask in your paperwork packets to comply with ethical laws? Does admin work in general make you anxious? I’ve been there! In fact, I spent almost a year drafting up a Canadian practice paperwork packet that is suitable, editable, and concise. You can change, edit, and modify it to suit your private practice like a glove, and it’s available to you right now! In This Episode:
What goes into paperwork packets? ‘Paperwork packets are probably the most important thing that you do before starting your private practice.’ – Julia Smith Paperwork can seem endless, but there are some critical pieces that you need when you’re collecting intake information from your clients for your Canadian private practice. Some of these pieces include:
To save yourself hours and hours of time and energy, consider purchasing a packet instead of making one yourself! ‘What I highly recommend is that you purchase a paperwork packet that has already been created.’ – Julia Smith And, I have tailored a paperwork packet specifically for Canadian counsellors! You can find yours through this link (use code FEARLESSPP to purchase the packet for only $99 CAD plus tax). My journey of creating the paperwork packets The designer and I discussed which format it should be made available in. At first, we tried a PDF format on Adobe, however, this route produced a couple of issues that were too impractical to consider. ‘Finally, we decided to make it a word document. That means that when you purchase it, you can just open it up as a word doc and edit it as you see fit!’ – Julia Smith Make it your own There are some minor legal differences between provinces, so check with your college to see what is applicable and necessary for you to do. ‘You do want to make sure that your paperwork packet isn’t too long [or] too exhausting that clients are going to get burnt out filling out all the questions, or [for] it to take an entire session to fill out all the information.’ – Julia Smith You only want to include what is necessary for your intake forms, so focus on asking the important questions and things that you need to know. I also included important sections about the value of confidentiality and consent that are important for your clients to understand. Create an online intake form I use Jane App, and with it, I edited my intake session with all the wording from my paperwork packet so that there is consistency throughout, and clients will find the same forms no matter in which way they come to find me online. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 46: How to Set Your Private Practice Schedule 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 Download your own paperwork packet through this link and use the code FEARLESSPP to receive your paperwork packet for $99! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 06 Apr 2022 | Amelia Hutchison: How to Ethically Build Your Social Media Audience | EP 15 | 00:32:59 | |
Are you a therapist working to build your social media presence? How do you remain ethical while entertaining your audience? In this podcast episode, I speak with Amelia about how to build a Canadian social media presence that is professional, ethical, and true to who you are, while still connecting to your audience and helping you get clients. MEET AMELIA HUTCHISON Learn more about Amelia Hutchison on her website. In this episode:
Building your social media presence TikTok is currently the new place to be. Many people spend their time on it socially as well as to find people to work with. It is also a great resource to showcase your talents and Canadian private practice in a fun way that revitalizes the standard marketing methods. Due to its algorithms, if you post a successful video on TikTok, you can easily gather thousands of followers. TikTok is fast-paced and made up of small, short videos. If you post something that people like, it has a good chance of catching on and attracting followers. Amelia’s tips for increasing your social media following 1 – Remember to work on maintenance. Even though you are focused on growth and increasing your number of followers, remember to maintain those that you already have. 2 – Create content that feels good to you. Avoid getting caught in the trends and trying to make videos that feel unnatural to you and your social media aims. You do not need to make dancing TikTok videos to have a full caseload. 3 – Answer your audience’s frequently asked questions. Make a series of 30-second to one-minute videos that answer your audience’s basic questions about you, what you do, how your therapy practice works, who you are a good fit for, and so forth. Show your personality in your content A lot of social media can feel like constant strategies or marketing, so use your normal speaking voice in your content to truly connect with your audience. What would it be like for your audience to have a conversation with you? This also allows your audience to get to know you, and for them to see what it would be like to work with you in person. Set Boundaries Have a disclaimer on your social media pages that explain how you show up in this space, how regularly you respond to DMs, and the type of content that you usually put up. These social media boundaries will let your audience know what to expect from you, and provide you with social media boundaries that help you to remain focused on your content without feeling overwhelmed to do or say everything. Connect with me: Resources and useful links: www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period support@jane.app for access to their demo clinic to test Jane’s features first-hand Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Amelia Hutchison’s Instagram. | |||
| 02 Feb 2022 | Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice - Year Five | EP 06 | 00:18:51 | |
As I started to get busier in my Canadian private practice, I had to make a decision of how many clients I wanted to see each week. I needed to find my sweet spot. I figured that if I got to see 8 to 9 clients a week, that would be my capacity to do amazing work with those clients. If I started to see more than that, I would start to feel drained and not do my best work. I now knew that I was getting to a point where I needed to grow my solo private practice, to a group private practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
Aiming for work-life balance When I made the decision to not add more clinic hours to my Canadian private practice, I had to remind myself of why I started my private practice in the first place, and that was to find a work-life balance. There were so many things that I just would not have time for if I continued seeing a lot of clients each week. Because of the burnout that I had been going through, I also wanted to take more time off. This however was difficult because every week that I was taking off, I was saying no to money. Experimenting with taking time off Because of the fact that I had kept my budget so low, business was picking up and I was raising my rates, I could afford to take time off. I was starting to create some limits about how many clinic hours and how many weeks a year I was going to work, and because of this, I needed to hire another Canadian counsellor. Hiring an associate for my private practice Earlier in my private practice journey, I had found a Narrative Therapist to supervise me, and by the time I had finished the supervision that I needed to get my Registered Counselling Therapist licence, I had spent 2.5 to 3 years with my supervisor who I look up to and admire. In the fall I was talking to her about needing to find an associate and luckily, she volunteered! Finding a new clinical supervisor Because of the fact that our relationship now changed, I now had to find a new clinical supervisor. Having an online private practice meant that I couldn’t just go down the hallway and go knock on somebody’s door and talk to another counsellor about my clients. It had always been a dream of mine to be able to take a Narrative Therapy course by Gene Combs and Jill Freeman, but because of COVID, this wasn’t possible. I decided that I was going to reach out to them to let them know that I was looking for a clinical supervisor. Onboarding my associate I replicated everything I did in year 1 during this onboarding process:
In my associate’s first year, she started with a couple of sessions every week and throughout the months she started to get really busy with filling her caseload. After the stress of year four, it was really great to finally get to this place in my journey. Connect with me: Books mentioned in this episode Gene Combs and Jill Freeman | Narrative Therapy: The Social Construction of Preferred Realities Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 05: Transitioning My Canadian Private Practice from In-Person to Online Counselling – Year Four Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 07 Jun 2023 | The Ethics of Offering Price Bundles in Private Practice | Ep 76 | 00:10:28 | |
Do you want to make sessions available to the clients that you know need them the most? Have you often wondered how you can contribute to making therapy more accessible, but have the ethics left you feeling uncertain of how to do that? The business world is loud with different ideas, tips, and tricks on how to “grow” your business and reach your audience, like the famous price-bundling marketing strategy. Of course, Canadian private practices do often run like businesses, but because they are part of the therapy world, they have to go about things differently. In this podcast episode, I discuss clear ways that you can offer your clients accessible and affordable therapy while being ethical, especially through the help of Open Path Collective! In this Episode:
What is price bundling? This can be a great marketing strategy because it adds more value to the price if it’s a bundle/package than for someone to buy each service separately, which is great for the customer! It’s also great for the business because it can lead to more product sales. After all, the customer will be more inclined to spend a little more to receive a couple of extra products. Can it be used in private practice? At first glance, it might seem like a good idea to offer packages for therapy sessions in Canadian private practices, since it would benefit the client as well as guarantee income for the private practice. However, business in private practice is completely different from other types of businesses because private practices have to fully consider ethics and work within a therapeutic framework, which has different ethical considerations than other businesses. Why it is unethical My registrar explained that technically there is no ethical prohibition for offering services with price bundling in your Canadian private practice. However, price bundling is highly discouraged, because it is not in the best interests of your clients. If a client buys and commits to 10 sessions up front, and later during the first couple of sessions the client realizes that you are not a good fit, they may feel inclined to continue to see you because they have committed to the future sessions. This is classist because many clients cannot afford to buy 10 sessions altogether and get a deal because only those that are wealthy can afford to put out a lot of money at once. How to offer well-priced services ethically ‘Marketing strategies with pricing should not be a part of your marketing plan in your private practice. Typically, if you have a client that requires help but has trouble paying, you could [offer] a one-off for a discounted price, [or] offer a sliding scale.’ – Julia Smith There are ethical ways for you to offer your services as a therapist to the people who really need it but might be struggling to afford your full price, without bundling counselling packages. If you are interested, you can follow my code and open a profile on the Open Path Collective to make your services more affordable and accessible! So, on the surface level, price bundling is not ethical in private practice. Rather base the integrity of your marketing on the quality of your website, network, and content, than resorting to having to use price bundles to bring in clients. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 75: Dr. Marlene Taube-Schiff: Owning a Successful Online Group Private Practice 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 11 Sep 2024 | Maureen Codispodi: Building an Accessible Virtual Private Practice With Reduced Fees | Ep 136 | 00:34:09 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 26 Nov 2021 | Trailer | 00:00:25 | |
Welcome to The Fearless Practice Podcast! | |||
| 26 Jan 2022 | Transitioning My Canadian Private Practice From In-Person To Online Counselling – Year Four | EP 05 | 00:30:28 | |
I was getting really busy in my private practice, this was exciting, but I was starting to burn out. I had some tough decisions to make so that I could free up some time and energy. However, nothing could have prepared me for a global pandemic and having to transition my Canadian private practice from in-person to online counselling. IN THIS EPISODE:
Making the decision to focus on my private practice Going into the fall of 2019 I knew I couldn’t sustain the amount of work I was doing and I needed to cut down on the number of clients I was seeing each week. In mid-November/December I made the difficult decision to leave my job at Dalhousie at the end of January 2020. I had after all moved to Halifax to start my private practice and that is what I needed to focus on and continue building that. In addition to this, I also needed to get to a point where I wasn’t feeling so burned out all the time. The change that COVID-19 brought on By the 3rd week of March, there was a notice that businesses would be closing down because of COVID. My last day of seeing clients in person, I needed to figure out how I was going to continue to counsel people. In a very short space of time, I had to make some crucial decisions and take some action steps:
Jane App (use code: FEARLESS for one month free) is the long-term plan I settled on for my video platform, and it was at no extra cost! This was a huge weight off my shoulders because then my caseload started to decline. People didn’t want online counselling, they only wanted in-person counselling and others just decided that they were going to wait it out and continue sessions once everything was back to normal. This was stressful, but luckily, I had that emergency fund. It also helped that for the last few years I had lived on a very frugal budget. I could scrape by with paying my living expenses but I couldn’t afford the rent at the clinic anymore. Taking more risks The clients I was seeing at the clinic, stayed with me. I was surprised, even though I shouldn’t have been. For the past few years, I always had admin help from someone from the clinic where I rented space, and the last thing that I wanted to do now was to take on that role and take calls for intakes and answer emails. So, I hired a virtual assistant and began the process of training her. Having her do these tasks really legitimized my Canadian business, it felt more like a company than just me as a solo therapist. In September 2020 it started to get really busy again! The burnout was still lingering and I decided to cut out Saturdays and I changed the time I saw my clients. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 04: How I Grew My Canadian my Private Practice – Year Three Jane App - Book, chart, schedule, invoice, process payments, and run your whole practice online (use code: FEARLESS for one month free) Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 22 Jun 2022 | Starting a Canadian Group Private Practice | Ep 26 | 00:21:45 | |
At the beginning of my private practice journey, I knew that I wanted to run a group practice. I didn’t know how or when! But I knew that it was something I wanted to do because I liked the idea of passive income and not being burnt out by seeing a lot of clients. Though a lot of work at the beginning, I’m so glad I committed to the journey! In This Episode:
Why hire another therapist? By hiring therapists to start your Canadian group private practice, you can help more clients while making passive income. You’re also helping other Canadian therapists to reach their full potential by giving them an opportunity to have more clinical freedom and work/life balance. You can also enjoy working in a great environment and within a like-minded community of because you have hired them! When and why I hired my first therapist I decided that I wanted to hire an associate because:
How to hire your first therapist
Do research to see which type will best suit how you want to run your growing group practice. I chose an independent contractor agreement as I don’t have to pay my associate if they don’t have clients but also my associate gets a larger amount of pay if they have clients.
It is totally worth it to hire a Canadian lawyer to write the contract because – when done correctly from the beginning – it can save you a lot of time, money, and energy in the future by making sure that you have everything correctly in order with your new therapist from the get-go. You can even reach out to law firms in your province and see if they have associates or students that might want to write the contract for a reduced rate and remember that you will make this money back.
Hire someone that you know, respect, and have a good relationship with. However, steer clear from hiring your best friend as this may change the dynamics of your relationship!
Take some time to go through the contract with your prospective therapist, negotiate fees and terms, and bring them on board! Will I hire more therapists?
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 25: Kelly Stevens: Tips for Relocating Your Canadian Private Practice with Ease | EP 25 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 Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice | EP 06 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 17 Jul 2024 | Destin Jones: Creating Canadian Therapist Communities | Ep 132 | 00:40:04 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 07 Dec 2022 | Ashleah Wilson: The Power of Storytelling in Marketing | Ep 50 | 00:44:45 | |
What is the story that you want to tell about your Canadian private practice? What do you stand for in life and private practice? Why are you a therapist, and how do you reflect this reason to your clients? Marketing might seem like another item on the admin to-do list for your Canadian private practice, but it is so much more. Your marketing is the practice of telling the story of you, your therapy, and how your private practice serves your community. In this podcast episode, I discuss the power of utilizing the concept of storytelling to create genuine and connective marketing with Ashleah Wilson, a master storyteller. MEET ASHLEAH WILSON Ashleah Wilson is the vice president of marketing for Jane.App, an online platform for mental health practitioners that makes it simple to book, chart, schedule, bill, and get paid. Ashleah is an advocate for customer-led growth and showcasing how we can all strike a balance between growing practices and taking care of ourselves. He's based in Vancouver. Learn more about Ashleah on his LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. In this episode:
Marketing as storytelling If you want to create content that builds a connection with your ideal client, and you want to create a sustainably successful Canadian private practice, then you need to focus on and be intentional with your marketing because that is how you share the story of your practice. To meet the community that you want to serve, you need to practice being honest and vulnerable in your messaging, because not only do people value and respond to authenticity but they can sense inauthenticity. Encourage interpersonal connection Incorporating storytelling into your marketing brings a powerful human aspect to your Canadian private practice’s business side. If you want to strengthen this, use video. Creating video content links you and your business directly to the hearts of your ideal clients because it shows the human beings behind the service, not just the service being offered. If you need a refresher or a quick run-down of how to do this, listen to my podcast episode on creating video content for authentic marketing. Performance and brand marketing There are two pillars to performance marketing:
How can you stay true to your brand spirit while applying a marketing lens? Remember, you need to meet your customer where they are, and that’s an individual journey! You do not want to convince people to buy the service or product, but you want to rather introduce the service to your client and see if you can tailor the marketing fit based on where they’re at. Ashleah’s advice on sharing your story Ask yourself:
Find how you stand out, and bring that into your marketing. Understand what makes you unique, what welcomes people into this space, and then own that space! Pick one platform and focus on it to build your success. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or just your website with blog posts, roll with it! And let it be known that you are an expert in this field on that platform. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 49: Growing Pain I Experienced in My Canadian Private Practice – Year 6 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 podcast episode on using video to create authentic marketing Learn more about Ashleah on his LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter profiles Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 03 Jul 2024 | How to Create a Summer Schedule That Works for You! | Ep 130 | 00:13:14 | |
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 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:
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: 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 | |||
| 27 Jul 2022 | Heidi Sturgeon: How I Launched and Grew My Canadian Private Practice | EP 31 | 00:51:47 | |
What does success look like to you in your Canadian private practice? Where do you want to place your focus and time within your practice? Do you even have to hire more therapists? In this episode, Heidi and I speak about our respective Canadian private practice journeys – how surprisingly similar they are! – and what lies in store for us now. From networking to overcoming hurdles to reclaiming our approach to a work-life balance, we talk about it all. MEET HEIDI STURGEON Heidi is a clinical social worker that has a group online private practice in Halifax. Her vision to offer another option for clients seeking therapy led to her developing an Online Mental Health Private Practice in 2016, www.heidisturgeon.com, that provides secure and confidential therapy to clients in the comfort of their home, office, or location of their choice. In 2019 her practice expanded to become the first Online Mental Health Group Practice in Atlantic Canada. When not working with clients or working on her Private Practice Heidi can be found on or near the water, reading or appreciating a good cup of coffee. Learn more about Heidi on her website. In this episode:
Launching an online practice Heidi launched her private practice into the digital space after she resigned from her government job in 2015. Way ahead of the curve, Heidi decided to have this feature in her Canadian private practice to make it more client-focused and accessible. There are often barriers to clients accessing therapy due to transportation issues or finding affordable child-care services to take care of their families while they seek professional counselling. More than that, Heidi wanted to work from a home office space and have more control over her schedule, and building a Canadian online private practice helped her to achieve those goals. Allow flexibility and change For any Canadian therapist on their private practice journey, Heidi's advice is to have a plan in mind and to work towards your goals but to also allow some flexibility. There will be changes and shifts that happen in your business and life and practicing being flexible and open-minded will help you to more easily overcome those challenges. Heidi’s tips for finding clients Get going on building your network. Referrals can find you through any stream whether through past or current clients, or fellow therapists who need to refer other clients out. Networking efforts can look different and range from:
Do you want to hire therapists? There is the hustle-capitalist culture in our society that urges people to constantly push to the next level, to never stop, and to always be chasing a goal. If you want to grow a successful and large Canadian private practice, hiring more therapists is key. However, is that what you want? Are you defining your work fulfillment based on the quick succession of successes, or on the quality of the work that you do with clients and colleagues? Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 30: Tara Scullion: What You Need to Know About Canadian Private Practice Insurance 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 Learn more about Heidi on her website, Psychology Today profile, Instagram page, and Facebook page. Listen to my podcast episode What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | EP 27 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 12 Jun 2024 | Being Intentional When Starting a Group Private Practice | Ep 127 | 00:17:20 | |
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? 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;
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: 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 | |||
| 03 May 2023 | Kristi Garrido: Building a Group Play Therapy Practice | Ep 71 | 00:42:18 | |
Does your specialty include working with kids and families? Have you been interested in learning more about the play therapy modality? Can you build a successful private practice from the play therapy niche? Put together a team of skilled and like-minded clinicians, hire a proactive and dedicated admin assistant, put up a website, and let the process develop. In some ways, the process is that simple. Of course, there are some necessary fine print steps that you need to add, but you can do it too! In this podcast episode, I chat with Kristi who started the foundations of her group private practice in the last six weeks of maternity leave! And who is now thriving as a Canadian group private practice owner. MEET KRISTI GARRIDO Kristi is the owner of Headstart Child and Family Therapy, a practice that specializes in meeting the mental health needs of children ages 3-18 and their families. Kristi is a certified play therapist with a focus on building healthy attachments between children and their caregivers. Learn more about Kristi on her website, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
Handling the increased need for mental health support Kristi considered her needs as well as the needs of her clients and thought about the trajectory of her career. Six weeks before she was due to go back to work after maternity leave, Kristi began considering stepping into the private practice world and building a team. So, for those last six weeks of her maternity leave, Kristi started building the foundation of her Canadian private practice. A private practice can be a community Being a therapist can be incredibly tough, and often lonely, since most days it is just you and your clients, and you are the one that is holding space. Finding a group of like-minded therapists is not only a great benefit to your network and referral system, but also – and more importantly – to your mental health and well-being. Having a community of therapists that you can talk to, spend time with, and encourage while being encouraged will boost your performance and overall sense of peace. Be mindful of contracts The standard pay for therapists is impossibly low. Often the pay is not even enough to cover basic business expenses, which is why therapists must advocate for themselves. You can work with EAPs and Community Service contracts in your Canadian private practice. The logic behind raising your rates If you have a waiting list, raising your rates and/or hiring other counsellors can be logical decisions for your Canadian private practice. Raise your hourly rate, and those that can afford it will work with you, so your schedule relaxes, and others that prefer a different rate can work with your contractors. Then your contractors are full, your clients are being seen and are not waiting on a list, and then you improve your income while freeing up your schedule! Things that Kristi had to overcome
Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 70: Julie Lounsbury: How a Leap of Faith Led to Success in Private Practice 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 Kristi on her private practice website, LinkedIn, and Facebook profiles. | |||
| 27 Mar 2024 | Samantha Sarty: Setting Business Boundaries to Grow Private Practice | Ep 116 | 00:39:42 | |
Building a practice is a tricky task because we know that it is going to be difficult sometimes. The question is, when have we gone too far and are perhaps risking burnout? It can feel difficult to maintain your personal and professional boundaries when you are the boss and things depend on you, but in essence, your business does depend on you, so it’s important to take care of yourself. Whether you are a part-time Canadian private practice owner, or you work full-time, there’s always something that you can learn from another counsellor’s story. On today’s episode, I chat with Samantha and we discuss growing your business without compromising on your boundaries, marketing with social media, and giving back to the therapeutic community. MEET SAMANTHA Sam Sarty is a Registered Social Worker and Registered Nurse practicing in Dartmouth, NS, Canada - the land of the Mi'kmaq people. She specializes in working with trauma particularly in the first responder and veteran population. She is currently working in solo private practice (Following Seas Psychotherapy) after working in the public mental health system for the last decade as well as part-time work for a group practice. Learn more about Samantha on her Psychology Today and LinkedIn profile, and private practice website. In this episode:
How Samantha became a social worker After completing university, Samantha pursued nursing but didn’t want to go through the traditional route, and instead completed a mental health course, and then found her passion with that type of nursing work. Once Samantha completed nursing school, she went onto working at the local children’s hospital before coming back to adult mental health in 2016. Using Jane App for managing a business Samantha uses the Jane App in her private practice, and for her it’s incredibly useful and helpful. Without any associates or admin assistants, Samantha does all the work in her private practice currently, from taking the calls, replying to emails, and billing. Expanding the business with boundaries Samantha wants to grow the business while being mindful of her own personal boundaries at the same time. Since the business depends on her effort, she knows that it’s important to scale the business while doing it intentionally with her needs so that she doesn’t have to exchange the success of the business on a loss of her health or wealth. Using social media in private practice For Samantha, it was important to use social media as a tool to spread knowledge and information instead of disinformation. Not to give her clients or audience therapy through social media, but actionable tools, awareness, and information. In this way, social media can become a way to not only market your Canadian private practice, but it also becomes a way to serve the community. Even though Psychology Today is currently one of her strongest referral sources that brings her the most clients, Samantha has found that word-of-mouth referrals as well as referrals from doctors have been the most successful. How Samantha offers sliding scale Samantha does clinical supervision, and offers sliding scales for other therapists because she wants to help invest in the profession itself. Looking to the future With regards to what’s up ahead, Samantha is considering the possibility of offering intensives to future clients. She’s found that they can be incredibly helpful to clients looking to process traumatic events, so Samantha is wanting to incorporate this into the future of her Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 115: Jasmine Bird: Defining Your Success to Live Authentically | EP 115 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 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 03 Jan 2024 | Angela Bishop: Build Your Career in Canadian Private Practice | Ep 104 | 00:37:50 | |
What works for you one day, one year, or one decade may not stay the same. As you change and develop as a person, so will your needs, and what you need from your environment to feel supported and to offer your best work. In this podcast episode, I talk with Angela who used to have zero interest in running a Canadian private practice but who is now on track to hit her second year of being a solo practitioner! We discuss how she got into therapy, the challenges she faced, and how she is overcoming them. MEET ANGELA Angela is a Registered Social Worker and perinatal mental health provider, specializing in maternal mental health and all things parenthood. She has a wealth of experience in helping individuals move through transitions, worries, low mood and general day to day struggles. She opened up her own private therapy practice "Bloom & Thrive Therapy" in 2022 where she has a strong focus on Perinatal Mental Health. Learn more about Angela on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles. In this episode:
Recognizing and honouring the desire to change Angela got her Masters of Social Work in 2008. She worked for a counselling agency for a short period of time before getting a long term job at a hospital where she worked for 14 years. Then, when Angela had her second child in 2021 and went on maternity leave, she felt that she was ready for something new in her professional life. Becoming a therapist Angela extended her maternity leave and began dipping her toes into private practice by working as an associate. In January 2022, Angela started learning more about private practice. By March she was working as an associate, and then registered her own practice in May 2022. Creating a job that you like doing Angela describes the things that she misses from working in the hospital, such as:
All these aspects can be implemented into a private practice over time. There are ways to create the job that you enjoy working and want to do because, even though there are benefits to contract work, there are downsides too. Starting up a private practice gave Angela the opportunity to create a work environment where she could have a professional career that wasn’t intruded on my politics or issues from a contract or agency job. Offering in-person and virtual therapy Nowadays, people are used to virtual therapy and are okay with it. It can be expensive to have an in-person space and to rent an office to use for therapy, however, Angela knew that she wanted to invest in one. Offering in-person therapy has become a great way for new clients to first meet Angela and get to know her before moving to virtual therapy. Networking with fellow therapists Angela shares an office space with another therapist who she used to work with back at the hospital. They see different client groups and can refer to one another. Having this type of small camaraderie is incredibly useful and supportive for therapists, to help one another out and to share the load, since it can feel lonely from time to time. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 103: Why Taking Breaks is Important in Private Practice | EP 103 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 Angela 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 | |||
| 24 Aug 2022 | How Do I Prepare for Private Practice While Still in Grad School?: Live Consultation With Barb Barker | Ep 35 | 00:47:06 | |
Are you almost finished grad school and want to start Canadian private practice? What are the essentials that you need to have ready before you see clients? It can be daunting to step into the counselling world after completing your studies, but getting yourself prepared while in grad school is the best step you can take to rocket yourself quickly and comfortably into Canadian private practice. In this podcast episode, I do a live consultation with Barb, who is excited to begin her journey as a therapist, and we discuss the essentials to help her – and you – launch your Canadian private practice. MEET BARB BAKER Barb is a parent, wife, and intern counsellor. She hopes to open a private practice right after graduation. Currently, the focus of her practice will be parenting and neurodiversity (specifically autism). Learn more about Barb on her Psychology Today profile. In this episode:
It’s easier to get your CECs through CCPA If you can, become a CCC – Canadian certified counsellor – as well as an RCT – registered counselling therapist (or Psychotherapists in Ontario) because it provides you with easier access to completing your education credits. Your college could provide some CECs but CCPA offers many more options for getting continuing education credits. If you are still in grad school, consider getting a student membership at the CCPA. Then, once you have completed grad school, it can be a smooth transition to become a CCC. Also, join the counselling college in your province (if it has one)so that insurance companies will cover your services and so that you adhere to the best code of ethics and standards of practice for counselling. Get your liability insurance Once you become a CCC, you can apply to get your liability insurance through the CCPA. Getting liability insurance through CCPA is affordable and easy to do. Check out my podcast with Tara Scullion from BMS insurance to learn more! Start blogging If your student budget allows it, launch your website through Brighter Vision and start blogging to lay the foundations of your SEO. If you know your niche and your ideal clientele then start writing basic blog posts. Consider putting a banner on your website: “Opening Sessions 2023” and then in January, you can update the banner depending on when you receive your certification and/or licensing. Write blog posts that include keywords about your ideal clients and the locations where they are so that when they search for counsellors within their area, you pop up. Repurpose your content Even if social media isn’t your thing, you can easily repurpose content – like from your blog posts! – into Instagram reels, which are currently what the algorithm favours. Instagram is not only a great tool to connect with your ideal audience but it can also connect you with other professionals in your field and area. It is a networking opportunity between you and your clients and you and your peers. Focus on networking and building your online presence while you wait to get your full certification and/or licensure. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: 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 Learn more about Barb on her Psychology Today profile. Learn more about liability insurance and licensing through the CCPA website. Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Listen to my podcast episodes on networking, blogging, and building a social media presence. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 13 Jul 2022 | How to Create a Video That Takes Your Marketing to the Next Level | Ep 29 | 00:21:25 | |
Are most of your social media postings and marketing efforts static pictures? Do you want to elevate your practice in the eyes of prospective clients? Or would you simply like to boost your Canadian private practice’s online presence? Whatever your goals are, making a video to advertise your Canadian private practice is the next best thing to connecting with your ideal client face-to-face! In this episode, I share my experience and share with you some of my secret tips to help you to create your first video, and how to make it great! In This Episode:
Why you should use videos in your marketing It is crucial for anyone who is starting and growing a Canadian private practice to make use of videos in their marketing and online advertising. In your videos, you can talk about:
Standard networking is still important but if you want to take your marketing to the next level, you should consider a video! Invest in your private practice by making a professional video You could shoot a short video with a friend and edit it yourself, but that is a risky choice, as it may cause more harm than good because it may look less professional, hereby undermining the true quality of your practice and the therapy you provide. Even though it is expensive, consider it an investment for your Canadian private practice because it will move your business to the next level. Tips for your video
Top tip: Before you work with your videographer, ask to see their resume and any past projects they have worked on to see whether you like their style or not. Get to editing. Once your videographer sends you edits, you can go back and forth with them to get the best final edit. You can give them your preferences and they can recommend their professional opinions. Now, put your professional and amazing video on the front page of your website so that any clients that are on your page can watch it! Consider putting a short 15-second cut of the video on your Psychology Today profile for an extra boost. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 28: How to Manage Burnout in Canadian Private Practice: Live Consulting with Holly Sher 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 Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 31 Jul 2024 | Heidi Sturgeon: How I Launched and Grew My Canadian Private Practice | Ep 134 | 00:52:46 | |
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: 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 | |||
| 26 Oct 2022 | Alison Pidgeon: Turn Your Passion Into Another Business | Ep 44 | 00:45:48 | |
Do you have ideas that you want to explore within the mental health field that lies outside of the therapy room? Or do you have one great idea that you want to try out? Or do you have a passion that you want to try to monetize while growing your private practice? Whatever is on your mind, or wherever you are in your Canadian private practice and professional business journey, in this podcast episode I chat with Alison about her extensive experience with building multiple businesses. From starting her group practice to creatings side hustles, we discuss contractors versus employees, your passions, and finding your “why”. MEET ALISON PIDGEON Alison Pidgeon, LPC is the founder and CEO of Move Forward Counseling LLC, a large group practice in Lancaster, PA. Alison is a serial entrepreneur, having started several different businesses all related to mental health. In her free time, she drives her three kids to soccer practice in her minivan. Learn more about Alison on her LinkedIn profile, Thera-Suite, and virtual assistant websites. In this episode:
Develop and expand your reach If you have passions outside of therapy but within the mental health sphere, and you want to expand your income, then you should consider creating different small businesses. Not only do they help you to develop your professional and personal repertoire, but they can also provide extra income. The secret to starting additional businesses? Become a great delegator. Find your why Apart from being a fantastic delegator, make sure that this new small business is still something that you can see yourself enjoying for a long period. ‘Every business is going to go through its ups and downs and if you don’t have the passion for it, you know, the downs are going to be even worse and you’re not going to make it very long.’ – Alison Pidgeon Genuinely liking what you do is an important aspect of a successful business. This is where it becomes necessary to “find your why” because it will help to direct your efforts and sustain your passion even when it becomes challenging. ‘[Find] your why. Why you’re doing it and making sure that it’s pretty solid and that there’s definitely some heart in it [because it] will help get you through those tough times.’ – Julia Smith Sit with your ideas If you have lots of ideas and don’t know where to start – or you just have a plan and want to make it work, then clear some time to really sit with this idea and be curious about its every aspect. Is your idea scalable? Is it sellable? Is it sustainable? Consider these aspects before you start to invest your time, energy, and money into bringing it to fruition. Alison’s advice to Canadian private practitioners Be mindful of technological experimentation. There are a lot of rewards to be found between technology and mental health, but make sure to do it ethically and within your scope of expertise. The mental healthcare industry is on the precipice of a revolution, and if this interests you, then think creatively and consider how you can combine the efficiency of technology with the benefits of therapy. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 43: Claire Blakey: Creating a Sustainable Canadian Private Practice | EP 43 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) Get your SEO optimized with Simplified SEO Consulting Read more about Joe Sanok’s book Thursday is the New Friday Read more about Gino Wickman’s book Traction Listen to my episode with Nicole McCance about The Benefits of Automizing Your Canadian private practice Learn more about Alison Pidgeon through Move Forward Virtual Assistant, Thera-Suite, LinkedIn, and her counselling practice website. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 01 Jun 2022 | What Should I Include in My Canadian Marketing Plan?: Live Consultation With Michelle Noftall | EP 23 | 00:47:21 | |
Are you fully utilizing the power of keywords in your blog posts? What works and what doesn’t work in your current marketing plan? From Instagram reels to networking relationships, your marketing plan is important and should be fine-tuned and optimized. In this episode, I do a live consultation with Michelle and discuss how to strategically diversify her marketing plan to advertise her Canadian private practice to her ideal clients. MEET MICHELLE NOFTALL Michelle Noftall is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who opened her own online practice, OPAL Counselling NL, this past Fall. Her areas of interest are in grief, loss, and life transitions. She is also a musician and educator who is beginning a training program to integrate music into her counselling practice. She strives to provide a valuable service to her clients as well as build on her own strengths and passions as she does so. Learn more about Michelle on her website. In this episode:
Utilize your blog posts Keywords in blog posts have dual purposes. You can use blog posts to help your ideal clients connect with you while they look at your websites, but you can also strategically use keywords in blog posts to help your Canadian private practice rank higher on online searches. When reviewing your marketing plan, consider looking at the blog posts you are writing and the keywords you are using. Tactically (and tactfully) combine keywords with the common pain points of your ideal clients as well as the geographical locations of your prospective clients. Instagram reels Instagram’s algorithm currently favours videos more than photographs, so you can greatly boost your presence on Instagram by posting more reels instead of infographics. In your Instagram reels, be sure to use:
Your marketing plan should not only include the platforms you use but also your look within the content. Remember to be genuine in your appearance so that when your audience sees your videos, they see what you would look like in a therapy session. You want to look approachable and kind. Network Invest in creating info and/or business cards to give to people and companies in your community that you plan to network with. Networking is an important part of marketing yourself and building reliable, mutually beneficial relationships within your community. By creating some small, aesthetic, and professional cards, you can easily strike up a conversation and make a business connection. Contact businesses, doctors, and organizations that work with clients in your niche to foster referral sources and create business connections. Building business relationships Networking is the first step to creating long-term, mutual business relationships. The next step is to offer your new business connections a small giveaway or offering to give to their clients, thereby linking the client to you and your services. Consider recording a free webinar or video series to offer your new networking referral to give to their clients. Stay consistent With any marketing plan strategy, it can take a handful of times for a prospective client to interact with your content online before they reach out to work with you. Therefore, you must stay consistent with your marketing efforts. Diversify how you interact with your audience to boost your marketing efforts. Use Instagram reels, infographics, free webinars, and network with the local community to foster trust and encourage interaction. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 22: Linzy Bonham: Build the Financial Foundation For Your Canadian Private Practice 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 Learn more about Michelle on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles Check to see if you are eligible for EI benefits on this website Need a new website? Consider working with Brighter Vision! Create info and business cards through Moo | |||
| 28 Dec 2022 | How to Give Bonuses and Wage Increases to Your Staff | Ep 53 | 00:15:00 | |
As the end of the year comes around and it’s time for celebrations, seeing loved ones, and appreciating those around us, you may be considering giving bonuses to your staff! Are you considering giving gifts or a financial bonus? Which is better? How can you factor inflation into your decision-making process? Managing a Canadian private practice is a difficult process, but one way to make everything run smoother is to take care of your employees and show your appreciation for all the hard work they do. In this podcast episode, I discuss my approach to embodying my values and gifting my employees the amount that sits comfortably with myself, my ethics, and my bank account. In This Episode:
Live by your values For your Canadian private practice to be successful with clients and to have a great reach and positive impact within your community, you need to care for your staff, and one of the ways that you can do that as the boss is to pay them appropriately. Your values, from how you help your clients to the goals that you have for your Canadian private practice, should extend to include how you also want your staff to feel coming to work each day. They are a vital part of your company, and taking care of them should be a priority alongside counselling clients. ‘I’ve experienced in the past, working in other jobs where I had to do a lot of work [and] overtime with no payment for that overtime. [I] had too much on my plate in the role that I was doing, getting burned out, and I just knew that if I was ever to become an owner [and] a boss, I would never do that to the people that I hire.’ – Julia Smith How to give the right bonus ‘I really love the idea of a year-end bonus. It’s the holiday season, people are buying presents for others and going traveling, and it’s so nice as an employee just to get a little something from your employer at the end of the year. And, [it gives a chance] for me to show my appreciation for all the hard work that they have done throughout the year.’ – Julia Smith If you have virtual assistants within your Canadian private practice, you’re probably considering getting them something small to thank them for the work that they have done for you. The question you may be asking, is what is the best way to show your appreciation? With a financial bonus, or perhaps a gift? I think that employees would prefer the financial boost because then they have a choice of how to spend that money! Adjusting for inflation Each year with inflation, the same amount as a bonus or wage is worth a little less. My solution to the inflation problem, once the bonus cap has been reached, is to increase the value of the bonus to whatever inflation is that year. Therefore, my staff will always technically get the same amount of money. Let’s treat our staff right and at least factor in inflation when we’re deciding on how much to pay them! Let’s make that the norm, and help each other live comfortably in our shared world. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 52: Bank Audits and Retirement: Wrapping up the 2022 Financial Year Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Listen to my episode with Ashleah Wilson about the power of storytelling in marketing Listen to my episode about hiring a virtual assistant for your Canadian private practice Check out one of my favourite YouTube Channels, Second Thought! Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 05 Mar 2025 | Katie Lutes: School Therapist With a Weekend Private Practice | Ep 156 | 00:23:16 | |
Katie has been working full-time in two different schools with students as a counsellor, family and play therapist as well as has a part-time private practice on Saturdays. When she is not doing virtual sessions with her clients, she sees them outside in nature with her dog. Since she has been working full-time in schools for the last 10 years, Katie is now starting to truly give her private practice the attention and energy it needs for her to develop it more fully. One day she hopes to work solely in her practice full-time, hire a team to work alongside her, and specialize in play therapy. Join us for our conversation today, where we talk about her journey, struggles, and wins throughout this time! MEET KATIE Katie Lutes is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with experience in education since 2003 and counselling since 2011. She specializes in working with children and adolescents aged 5-19, utilizing modalities like Solution Focused Therapy, CBT, Animal-Assisted Therapy, and Play Therapy. Katie’s part-time private practice offers individual, group, and family counselling sessions, both in nature and online. She is passionate about incorporating animals into the healing process Her practice is based in Victoria, British Columbia. Learn more about Katie on her website, Instagram account, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profile. In this episode:
Katie’s experience with building a private practice Katie started her private practice in 2015, but only seriously started giving it the attention it needs to grow from 2022 onwards. Katie has been working in the school system for 10 years now, which is why she has decided to move from working in the school system to working more intentionally with her own clients in her practice. She explains that she wants to stay with clients for longer - to see them through their healing journeys for a longer time than she can with students in schools. Seeing clients While still working with students in one school full-time, Katie is seeing clients in her practice too. She usually takes one to two clients at a time. Due to still working full-time, she sees her clients either on Saturdays or sometimes during weekday evenings when her schedule can fit them in. At the moment, Katie is working on building up her virtual client base. Promoting nature therapy Katie shares a lot about her nature and animal therapy modalities through her Instagram profile. She’s used Facebook and Instagram paid ads through Meta. Additionally, she has begun networking and connecting with doctors, pediatricians, and children-centered spaces to connect with kids and their families for therapy. Overcoming private practice struggles One of Katie’s main issues has been broadening her financial bandwidth so that she can put more money into building up her private practice. She built her website herself and set up her Psychology Today profile from listening to this podcast but finding the motivation and the financial success to add the rest of the pieces is taking more time than Katie realized. Katie’s hope for the future Katie wants to be a full-time play therapist! And that is what she is working toward each year. She wants to work half-time, hire some other therapists into her practice with different modalities, and have everyone functioning under a holistic approach to working with their clients. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 155: Amy Eriksson: Establishing a Successful Group Private Practice in Canada | EP 155 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) Get some help and freebies on your website with WordPress! Learn more about Katie on her website, Instagram account, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profile Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 23 Aug 2023 | Ursula Kerr: Take a Risk, Start a Private Practice, and Be Your Own Boss | Ep 87 | 00:44:40 | |
Ursula Kerr took many risks and leaps of faith, and through those moments of struggle and uncertainty, she has now created a thriving private practice that she enjoys working in each day. Life is not about working, but creating a job that you love doing is a great way to add value (and income) to your life! By hiring a consultant, getting professional help or advice, and working in your passion and niche, you can create a workplace that you are excited to work in each day. In this podcast episode, Ursula and I discuss her Canadian private practice journey from breaking out of the golden handcuffs of an agency job into building her dream practice. We talk about common struggles, tips, and ways for you to become inspired to take the next step. MEET URSULA Ursula is a social worker and therapist in British Columbia with over ten years of experience. She specializes in helping people address feelings of anxiety, with a focus on social anxiety, and trauma. She has a background in child welfare and has done extensive research on human trafficking in Canada. Learn more about Ursula on her website and Psychology Today profile. In this episode:
Getting into private practice At first, the counselling on the side was a source of extra income that Ursula wanted to create. After some time, even though Ursula was working in a good agency job, she started to notice that she looked more forward to going to her counseling job than the government one. Ursula had a busy caseload and a waitlist, so there was no lack of work there. She was working in a small town so people knew her well, she had built strong connections within the community, and had been telling people that she was going into counseling full-time. Everything was ready for her to take a risk. Navigating online and in-person counseling Before the pandemic, Ursula - like most counsellors - primarily worked with her clients in an in-person, one-on-one setting. During and after the pandemic, Ursula also had to quickly learn how to adapt and change her systems to accommodate for the lockdown to offer virtual therapy to her clients. However, now that the world is shifting and in-person is becoming more desired again, Ursula is interested in reverting back to working with her clients in reality and not solely online. Be willing to take a risk For Ursula, advocacy is a life value. She incorporates this value and the intentionality that it comes with into her private practice. This type of work and value can seem like a risk, but she made it work, and it brought a whole new aspect of her practice to life. Apart from incorporating your values, with Canadian private practice, you can choose your hours, your fee,your preferred niche, and much more! Work does not have to be a struggle and cause burn out. The value of a consultant Taking a risk is also where working with a consultant can be a huge help. These people have first-hand experience in going through what you are about to, and they can give you valuable insight and encouragement. Working with a consultant also helps you to build a practice that is both successful but also ethical. They know what’s required, which documents are necessary, who you should speak to professionally, and which legal papers to get to protect you, your clients, and your business. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 86: Allyson Gassner: From Practicum to Private Practice | EP 86 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 Ursula on her website and Psychology Today profile | |||
| 19 Jun 2024 | Christina Page: Transitioning From Agency to Private Practice | Ep 128 | 00:39:30 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 20 Mar 2024 | Jasmine Bird: Defining Your Success to Live Authentically | Ep 115 | 00:29:50 | |
Jasmine is a great example of; working to live, not living to work. You do not have to grow your business exponentially just because you can. If you are doing well in your Canadian private practice, but the idea of owning a huge business is daunting to you - you don’t have to take it that far! One of the ways of building a truly successful business that serves your clients - and you - is to structure it around your needs, as well as theirs. Be mindful of your values and intentionally incorporate them into your choices, both personally and professionally, so that you can wake up each day looking forward to your schedule instead of dreading it. In this podcast episode, Jasmine and I discuss her entry into private practice, what she did that worked well and how she’s managing her success into the future. MEET JASMINE Jasmine Bird is the Founder of SOAR Counselling - Group Practice - located in South Surrey, British Columbia. She is a passionate and dedicated Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), who specializes in working with children, youth, caregivers, and families impacted by mental health challenges. Jasmine has over a decade of experience working across various mental health settings, such as Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry with BC Children’s Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital and Community Child and Youth Mental Health Outpatient Programs with Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and Fraser Health Authority. Learn more about Jasmine on her website, Psychology Today profile, and Instagram account. In this episode:
Why Jasmine became a therapist Ever since Jasmine was young, she was intrigued by people. She was curious about how they thought about life, the way that they approached it, and their stories and experiences. Jasmine completed her counselling education in B.C. and worked in organizations before starting her own private practice. She knew that she loved helping youth and their families and wanted to make a difference. Starting and growing a private practice Jasmine built her Canadian private practice in South Surrey. She felt lucky in the fact that her practice has been successful from when it opened its doors, so she was able to continue developing it over the years, with some minor financial dips here and there. Jasmine was also able to get some advice and help from her husband, who has completed a masters degree in business. In terms of building a successful business, Jasmine noticed a desperate need in an area of her community and decided to set up her practice there. Now Jasmine has five associates, and everyone is fully booked, including her! What’s on the horizon? After Jasmine’s business quickly scaled, she noticed that something wasn’t feeling quite right. Now that her business has grown and is on the path to continue doing so, Jasmine wants to be intentional about structuring her business so that it doesn’t get overwhelmingly busy and run away with her. Therefore, Jasmine’s now decided to actually scale back a bit and to not continue growing the business, without intention. Her Canadian private practice is successful now, and she’s focusing on maintaining that success at this level so that she can remain a successful niche business without getting swept away. Jasmine’s advice for listeners Remember the power of vulnerability and the importance of being authentic, especially as a leader. And bet on yourself! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 114: Imogen McIntyre: Using Your Niche to Build a Private Practice | EP 114 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 Jasmine on her website, Psychology Today profile, and Instagram account Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 25 May 2022 | Linzy Bonham: Build the Financial Foundation for Your Canadian Private Practice| EP 22 | 00:50:07 | |
Do you worry about money in your Canadian private practice? Have you separated your personal bank account from your business account?? How do you plan for retirement? In this podcast episode, I speak with Canadian money coach Linzy Bonham who covers the basics of how to build a strong financial foundation whereupon you can build your Canadian private practice. MEET LINZY BONHAM Linzy Bonham is a therapist turned money coach who teaches Canadian therapists and health practitioners the money skills to feel empowered and in control of their private practice finances, so they can have rich and fulfilling lives. Linzy has helped hundreds of therapists and health practitioners in her signature course, Money Skills For Therapists, and thousands more through her free resources (including her podcast by the same name). Learn more about Linzy Bonham on her website and Instagram. In this episode:
The importance of separating your bank accounts Many therapists may find it difficult to handle the business aspect of owning a Canadian private, but remember that managing your money and running a business is a skill that can be learned. Linzy has seen that many therapists new to private practice often struggle with supervising their bank accounts and separating their cash flow. Create separate bank accounts to lessen confusion and the potentiality of losing track of where your money is going. Find the balance between saving and spending your private practice income There is a balance that you can find between spending too much and being too strict with yourself. Running a successful Canadian private practice is an important job that requires money management skills and business tools. Allow yourself to find the balance between saving money and enjoying the benefits of your hard work by using the profit first model. Practice the “Profit First” philosophy Profit First is a budgeting system developed by Mike Michalowicz, the business writer, where small business owners are encouraged to divide up their expenses and pay a different percentage of their income into the following labeled bank accounts:
Is there ever a time when you can spend money from your sales tax account? Yes, but it depends on your return of investment on the decision that you make. There could be situations where you borrow money from your tax fund to purchase a course or skill that can immediately help you to boost your Canadian private practice. You need to be honest with yourself and trust yourself that whatever money you spend from your sales tax account that you are saving to pay your taxes at fiscal year-end, you will put it back in. How to plan and save for retirement Speak to a financial advisor to figure out what makes sense for your situation and goals. It does not have to be perfect, so start small for now, and develop it as you grow. Lay the foundations as soon as you can to help yourself in the future. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 21: Jara Dekker: Are You Curious About Being a Digital Nomad Therapist? Sign up for my free e-course about How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Listen to Linzy Bonhams’ Money Skills for Therapists Podcast Follow Linzy Bonham on her website, LinkedIn account, and Instagram profile Learn more about Profit First through Mike Michalowicz’s book Check out this website to calculate your projected tax expenses Listen to Julia Smith’s podcast episode about budgeting for your Canadian Private Practice Look at different bank accounts like Tangerine Check out Linzy Bonham’s Money Skills for Therapists course | |||
| 20 Apr 2022 | Blogging: Why It Is Important for Your Canadian Private Practice and How to Do It | EP 17 | 00:16:17 | |
As soon as I started my private practice, I started blogging. Over time, it has helped me grow an audience, rank high on Google, and maintain a consistent connection with my clients. If you find blogging daunting, or you have been meaning to start but just don’t know how to get going, in this episode, I discuss helpful tips from my personal blogging experience to help you get started. In This Episode:
What is blogging? A blog is a place where you can write about your personal experiences or share information. As a counsellor, blogging is a really useful tool that you can use to create great content for your website that also allows you to share helpful information with your clients. Why is blogging important?
I started blogging as soon as I opened up my private practice and I would recommend it to anyone who is opening up a private practice - even if it hasn’t opened yet - start blogging now, so that you can build up that SEO! Things to keep in mind when blogging Write for your audience Write in an accessible, clear, and simple language that will draw in your audience while keeping the information understandable. Plan your blog post ideas Set aside some time to create a rough schedule of blog post ideas for the next 6-12 months, and then all you will have to do is fill in the information when you write the blog. Find a rhythm that works for you, but keep it consistent. Write about your niche Cover topics that relate to your niche to build a solid foundation of expertise that your audience can read through. Keep a simple layout Make sure that your blog has:
4 tips on how to blog
Keep your blogs date-free so that even if you stop blogging, your audience won’t know.
This makes the blog more visually appealing and will encourage people to stay on that page a little bit longer and engage with the content. Always make sure to use royalty-free images from a site like Unsplash and reference the photographer.
Longer blogs are often left unread or skimmed through.
This helps your content to remain relevant for both your audience’s interest and for Google’s SEO rankings. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 16: 3 Things to Do Differently in Your Canadian Private Practice Jane App: Use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period Get a website as unique as your practice with Brighter Vision Ep 08: How to build a Canadian Website that Ranks High on Google with Austin Kirkland Article: How to Set Up a Canadian Private Practice Website Create your blogs using the free tool Canva Find great royalty-free images at Unsplash Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | New Psychology Today Feature: Updated Endorsements! | Ep 63 | 00:10:51 | |
Are you looking for ethical and effective ways to market yourself? Is there a fellow counsellor in your field that you want to recommend? Have you heard about the new Psychology Today feature? Even though the endorsement feature on Psychology Today has been around for some time, they recently revamped it, allowing you to clearly showcase your endorsements and recommendations on your profile to potential clients. It’s a great, free marketing tool that benefits all therapists! In this podcast episode, I explain the process of writing endorsements for other clinicians, as well as general communication guidelines for when it comes to sending and receiving recommendations from other therapists. In this Episode:
Why endorsements are important With the new updated Psychology Today feature, your endorsements will now show up right next to your profile as a little heart, which allows potential clients to see how many other therapists have recommended you. It might not seem like much, but those little recommendations can make a big difference when it comes to whether a client chooses to work with you or with someone else. So, whether you are receiving endorsements or writing them for other Counselling Therapists, it will benefit you and other fellow therapists! ‘[Endorsements] build your credibility and they help to gain public trust in the services that you provide. So the more endorsements you get, the better for your profile on Psychology Today, and the more legit you become as a therapist!’ – Julia Smith How to write an endorsement for another therapist
Here are some suggestions of what you could write about or mention in your endorsement for another therapist:
General communication guidelines The general guideline is if someone writes you an endorsement, and you know who they are and you are familiar with their work, then it’s considered good practice to return the gesture and to write one for them too. Aim to write back that endorsement within a week. Also, if you write a therapist that you know an endorsement and they do not write you one back within a week, I recommend writing them a short, polite email to follow up. Keep in mind that endorsements have to be accepted for them to appear on a profile. So, if the therapist has not written you a recommendation back, it could be because they have not seen or accepted the endorsement that you initially wrote. In this case, you can also follow up with a polite email! Remember, it’s unethical to ask clients to write testimonials for you and your Canadian private practice. Listen to this podcast episode for a recap on the ethical marketing techniques that you use when it comes to endorsements. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 62: Marketing Your Private Practice on Podcasts Want 6 FREE months of Psychology Today Canada that’ll give me a free month too? Email me your name at info@fearlesspractice.ca and I’ll hook you up ☺ 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 25 Sep 2024 | Build a Canadian Values Based Practice | Ep 138 | 00:08:01 | |
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? ‘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;
‘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: 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/ | |||
| 31 Aug 2022 | How to Keep Digital Information Secure in Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 36 | 00:20:59 | |
How do you keep your online data private? Are you willing to spend a couple of extra dollars a month to secure your – and your clients! – information safely? Do you know which Canadian platforms you can use to get started? In our increasingly digital world where we store our data online and risk hackers and data leaks, digital security cannot be undervalued or overlooked. Our clients trust us with not only their healing but also their information, so be proactive in becoming digitally safe! In this podcast episode, I discuss the essentials of digital protection and a bunch of great, Canadian services that you can use today. In This Episode:
PIPEDA PIPEDA sets the ground rules for how private-sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information of for-profit and commercial activities across Canada. Luckily for Canadian therapists, most of the big electronic medical record systems used in the mental wellness industry have incorporated PIPEDA into their platforms. ‘I highly recommend looking into Jane App because it is a Canadian-based EMR, so you know they’re doing everything right in regards to Canadian privacy laws.’ – Julia Smith Learn more about PIPDEA by clicking on this link. PHIA For example, in Nova Scotia, your data needs to be stored only on Canadian servers. To make sure all your bases are covered, get a Canadian EMR to be safe (even if your province doesn’t require it now they may in the future!). ENCRYPTION Encryption prevents unauthorized users on the network from intercepting and capturing your login credentials, and any email messages you send or receive, as they leave your email provider's server and travel from server to server around the Internet. ‘I always recommend with emails [to not send] too much confidential information. Rather, talk on the phone with somebody about it than send all that information. Or, courier that information instead of sending it through email.’ – Julia Smith To learn more about email encryption, click on this link. Try Hushmail! Follow this link to receive a discounted price to use Hushmail and keep all your email data completely safe, secure, and legally stored on Canadian servers. VPN A “virtual private network” creates an encrypted tunnel for your data, protects your online identity by hiding your IP address, and allows you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots safely. Nord VPN is what I use to keep my work activity private online, I love how affordable and easy it is! Follow this link to get a great deal on their services through my offerings. Some quick tips:
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: 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 podcast episode with Ali Taylor to learn more about privacy laws Listen to my podcast episode about hiring a Canadian virtual assistant and safe virtual communication Learn more about Hushmail on their website Follow this link to get discounts on Hushmail and Nord VPN Rate and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. | |||
| 06 Mar 2024 | Veronica Loffreda: Why Diversifying Brings You Success in Private Practice | Ep 113 | 00:52:42 | |
When we want to do something really well, we may pick one path and stick to it, but hyperfocusing can cause us to develop blind spots to where we could improve. Sometimes there is success and new possibilities available to you when you try new things, diversify your approach, and look at things differently - without a fear of failure! There are multiple ways of helping your community, creating strong referral networks, and finding clients. When you diversify your private practice, success and new opportunities may more easily find their way to you. By being brave in your actions and trying lots of new things, you can develop your skills as a counsellor and a practice owner! In this podcast episode, I chat with Veronica about her amazing experiences - and how being diverse helped her to succeed! MEET VERONICA Veronica is a licensed psychologist and certified counsellor with 20 + years experience. She owns a private practice in Quebec and specializes in complex trauma, multicultural groups, and immigrant populations. Learn more about Veronica on her LinkedIn profile and her website In this episode:
Veronica’s journey into counselling Veronica completed her bachelor's degree in psychology, and it encouraged her to finish her masters degree in psychology, which is where she got her certification. Afterward, Veronica got her licensing as a psychologist and went to a university in Montreal to finish her doctorate degree. Veronica wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t accidentally close herself off from opportunities. Therefore, to have more opportunities for clinical work, Veronica made sure to get the correct licensing and certifications. Starting a private practice In the beginning of Veronica’s career after her bachelor years, Veronica worked in a community centre. Even though she was so excited and resolved on opening her own Canadian private practice, Veronica felt strongly that she first had to gain more experience in the field. After many years, Veronica was working with a boss that she fundamentally disagreed with when it came to providing the right care for clients. So, Veronica decided to put her efforts elsewhere. Diversifying your clientele in private practice In the beginning of her private practice, Veronica had an “open door” policy. Veronica built up her referral network, and she was fully booked. She worked from 09:00 to 21:00 in her first year, and even though she had $0 profit, all her debts were paid off. When Veronica is working with government groups, she learnt to work with multiple groups at once since their payments don’t always come in at the same time. So, you need to be working with different entities so that you can often have an income stream. Veronica’s advice is that you need to fulfil your client base with different areas, because this is what will keep your Canadian practice afloat. Learning a new language to work with new clients Apart from developing herself with professional skills, Veronica went the extra mile and learned an additional language to be able to work with clients who were seeking counselling that could not speak English or French. As a fluent polyglot, Veronica understands the power of a mother tongue, and the emotional language that a bi- or multilingual person has. To understand a person also means to speak to them in their language, and that’s what Veronica did. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 112: Great Platforms You Can Use in Your Private Practice | EP 112 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 Veronica on her LinkedIn profile and her website Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 28 Jun 2023 | How to Hire a Social Media Manager | Ep 79 | 00:16:21 | |
Social media is here to stay, but it doesn’t have to be difficult for you to do. There are enough people out there with all sorts of skills that you don’t have to bootstrap it and do everything – frankly, it’s better if you hire out and let someone do what they’re good at so that you can focus on providing great therapy! So, do you want to expand your Canadian private practice by connecting with more of your ideal clients in a way that feels authentic to you and your brand, but you don’t know what the first step is? Consider hiring a social media manager. In this Episode:
Why I hired a social media manager In the current marketing environment, social media can be a very useful tool to connect with your ideal clients and spread the word about your Canadian private practice. However, social media is an investment of both time and energy. If you are running a Canadian private practice, seeing clients, organizing the billing, and all the rest of it, adding being a social media manager on top of your standard duties can be a lot of extra work. At first, I was worried that it would cost too much to pay someone to manage my socials each month, but I knew that I needed to spend my time where it mattered the most, so I decided to hire someone. How I hired my first social media manager I used Indeed to help connect me with potential social media managers. It has different features that can make it easier for you to post, advertise, filter, and find people that you think would best suit your practice and the role that you are looking to fill. It was important for me that my top candidate had the skills I was looking for and was someone that I felt I would enjoy working with. Luckily, she accepted! For the social media manager position, I decided to start her off with a training wage for three months and then bump her up to a living wage which gave me time to figure out what her role would be, how it would work, and to train her for the scope of the role. Training my top candidate To lay out some foundational steps for myself and for her, I decided that we would first only meet once a month, unlike with my VA whom I meet with once a week. The main problem that we had to overcome initially was figuring out how long it would take to write, create, and edit the social media posts, especially when my associate and I also had to edit and confirm some information. Therefore, the new system of editing posts was just to go through me, and I would confirm it, and it would be posted. What I’ve learned from this experience You have to be clear about how many hours you are willing to give each month. Additionally, you need to streamline the processes so that there aren’t too many cooks in the kitchen when it comes to deciding on a post and how to edit it. This is one thing that you can easily outsource. So, if you are interested in hiring a social media manager, you can always reach out to us! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 78: Rebecca Steele: How Raising Your Rates Can Improve the Quality of Your Work | EP 78 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, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 15 Mar 2023 | How to Enjoy Private Practice in the Winter | Ep 64 | 00:15:36 | |
Does the change of seasons also create a change in your energy levels? Do you sometimes find it difficult to maintain a faster working pace in the colder months? Is there a way to work slowly and still effectively? In these colder months when your energy levels can shift, it could be best for you and for your work to also adjust your pace, allowing you to continue doing great work without burning yourself out. In this Episode:
Why private practice can feel more difficult in the winter In winter, it’s common that your energy could drop a bit. You want to be inside, cozy, and warmer, and it can take an extra scoop of discipline to get up, get ready, and go out to the office or get behind your desk and start working. But there can also be loads of other fun activities to do in winter that feel the most fun to do when it’s cold! Such as skiing or spending time outside in the snow with loved ones, snuggling on the couch and watching a movie, or reading a good book. My past tactics compared to what I do now In the past, I had to make it work. I was stretching myself thin by working numerous jobs while simultaneously trying to get my Canadian private practice launched. Through the good weather and the bad, I was trying to get to everything, and I ended up putting my own needs last. Now that I have a successful Canadian private practice, I’ve shifted my tactics. I raised my rates and see fewer clients which allows me to find a better work-life balance by opening up my days to exercise as well as making time to rest. Slow and steady! Efficient is not synonymous with fast. You can do great and meaningful work with your clients and within your private practice without giving in to the hustle culture. The main trick to working well at a slower pace is to not get wrapped up in the hustle culture. Most people continue working at a fast pace all year round, but it may not be healthy for you. Taking time to rest or even changing the pace at which you complete your work to suit your needs is not by any means a failure, quite the opposite! Of course, it will look different depending on your lifestyle or whether you have dependents. How to slow down
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 63: New Psychology Today Feature: Updated Endorsements! 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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) | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | Why Taking Breaks Is Important in Private Practice | Ep 103 | 00:13:22 | |
Do you often let fear stop you from taking a break and resting when you know you need it? Are you often pushing yourself beyond your limits but haven’t stopped to wonder why? Have you been feeling resentful towards work that you used to enjoy in the past? Taking the time to properly rest is something that can help you to feel more present with your clients during sessions, and to enjoy what you do. Resting allows you to tap into your creative energy and appreciate your daily tasks, as well as your needs, instead of only chasing deadlines. In this podcast episode, I share my history with overcoming the fear when I know I need to settle down for some time. In this Episode:
Why I started private practice One of the reasons why I started my own Canadian private practice was because I was getting burned out and I knew that for me to be successful I would need to have more breaks. However, even when I got to that place, I found myself struggling to give myself the chance to rest and take breaks because I felt I:
So, during this first year of trying to take more breaks, I had to focus on listening to myself and what my body and mind were telling me when I knew that I needed to take breaks, even if I had fear. Signs I need a break I’ve come to notice personal signs of when I need to have a break, because I don’t want to wake up dreading work. I enjoy what I do, but if I don’t give myself time to rest, then that joy could turn into resentment or frustration, and I don’t want it to. I know that I need to step back when I:
This approach to my work has drastically helped me to reduce that “ugh” feeling toward my work, and keep the burnout at bay. If you are interested in trying out a 50/ 50 workweek split, you can listen to my podcast episode about it here. Being Fearless After seven years of private practice and getting to know myself in this setting, I can no longer imagine working like how I used to! Now, I have a deeper understanding of what it means to be a “fearless” practitioner! It can mean saying “yes” to things that can feel scary and knowing when to push yourself, but at the same time also knowing when to say “no” and focus on self-care. Going forward In saying this, I’m going on a two-week hiatus for December! I’m going to unwind, enjoy the holiday season, and I’ll return back in January for another awesome year of the Fearless Practice Podcast! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 102: Nicole Lobo: Turning Lemons into Lemonade in Private Practice | EP 102 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 | |||
| 05 Oct 2022 | Gabbi and Helen: Bring Your Principles Into Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 41 | 00:52:14 | |
The work that you do and the services that you provide to your clients are often magnified when you work within your expertise and when you incorporate your principles. Your past experience and values will shine through in your Canadian private practice and marketing efforts, and when you openly center your practice around what matters to you, you can automatically attract your ideal clients! In this podcast episode, I speak with Gabbi and Helen about how they were able to quickly launch and grow their Canadian private practice, and how betting on their principles helped them to do so. MEET GABBI AND HELEN Gabbi and Helen are registered social workers who specialize in providing therapeutic interventions to individuals, couples, and families going through separation and divorce. For over 20 years they worked with complex family units that experience trauma and separation. Now in private practice, the focus of intervention is designed to be client focused with the fundamental scope of service being to ensure parents maintain a healthy relationship with their children. Learn more about Gabbi and Helen on their practice’s Facebook profile and LinkedIn. In this episode:
Bet on your principles Whether the pandemic forced you to go virtual or you decided to move your business online due to a desire for change or efficiency, there may be some growing pains in becoming accustomed to providing services and running your business online. Wherever you are in your Canadian private practice evolution, bet on your principles. Make informed decisions regarding your private practice that are based on your skill set, your values, and the need that you want to serve in your community that’s within your niche. Work in your area of expertise You can do the best work when you provide mental health services and therapy from your Canadian private practice when you work within your area of expertise – and the niche that you enjoy working with! If you have not specialized in treating and working with clients that struggle with eating disorders, then refer them out, and stick to your niche. Work with your strengths, because then you are better able to help people while enjoying the work that you do. Bring your values into your marketing Gabbi and Helen provide therapy and services for their clients from a place of compassion, but also from a place of experience. They use this approach – this genuine empathy – to show potential clients in their marketing efforts that they truly can help them and provide the necessary support. You can have an idea of what your niche is, but through the process of creating your business and marketing efforts, your values and focus will help showcase what it is that you do, and how you can offer help to your clients. Develop your network Start with who you know and go from there. Within your niche, from fellow Canadian private practice owners to other businesses that work with your ideal clients, make connections with other people and see what is needed. Are there needs that need to be filled? Can you fulfill them, and how? While you work on your relationships, continue to work on your marketing because they go hand-in-hand. Consider creating:
Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 40: Victoria Rodriguez: The Surprising Benefits of Offering In-Home Therapy 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 Helen and Gabbi’s practice on Facebook, LinkedIn, and their website. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 17 Jan 2024 | Dr. Chandra Ashton: Working In a Canadian Not-For-Profit and Enjoying It! | Ep 106 | 00:51:47 | |
Have you worked in a not-for-profit organization before? Do you tend to steer clear from not-for-profit counselling positions due to common bad stories from what it could be like? So many therapists go into therapy because they feel a need and a desire to support and serve their communities. However, it can become tough, expensive, and challenging - but this is not the case across the board! If you’re lucky, you can find Canadian not-for-profit practices that are aligned with your values, and you can see clients and do work that feels fulfilling to you. In this podcast episode, I chat with Dr. Ashton about her experience running her own solo private practice while working full-time for a not-for-profit practice. MEET CHANDRA Dr. Ashton has worked as a therapist and parent coach in private practice and not-for-profit settings, and through contracted service for various agencies. She values creating a culturally safe and self-empowering practice. She has found her greatest joy when adapting mainstream interventions in creative ways to best walk alongside marginalized and underserved populations. Learn more about Dr. Ashton and connect with her on her website or via her email address In this episode:
Be intentional about working as a therapist For Dr. Ashton, her journey into Canadian private practice has been deeply informed by her desire to be aware of her position, ancestry, the land that she occupies, and how she wants to serve and assist her community. Working in a not-for-profit practice Dr. Ashton had gone through an 11-year journey in working through agencies and other private practices before being hired as a full-time therapist at Terra Centre in Edmonton. When Dr. Ashton first started working through an agency in private practice, she started in a not-for-profit. However, once she started doing her P.h.D and had children, she knew that she needed to start looking out for her family by finding work that was more reliable. Handling work without burning out Working as a therapist can be incredibly taxing as it is rewarding, and you need to have strong boundaries in place with yourself and others so that you don’t lose yourself in the lives of others, or bring work home with you. However, if you like what you do and you enjoy the work - besides the few very tough days here and there - it is easier not to burn out. Pros and cons of being a not-for-profit therapist For Dr. Ashton, working in her private practice means building a working relationship with her clients where she knows that they are receiving what they need and she is able to structure her job in the way that she wants to do it. Sometimes when you work for another practice, you may have to:
Having that autonomy over your work is invaluable. Even though Dr. Ashton has a small pay cut for her work in the not-for-profit practice, she feels that she gains so much because the work that she is doing feels important, sustainable, and appreciated by her clients and community. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 105: Ashley Schofield-McEachern: Transitioning from Nursing into Therapy | EP 105 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 Dr. Ashton and connect with her on her website or via her email address Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 21 Dec 2022 | Bank Audits and Retirement: Wrapping up the 2022 Financial Year | Ep 52 | 00:24:53 | |
2022 is almost over, and 2023 is right around the corner! As the year draws to a close, how do you consolidate your finances? What are the goals that you have set for yourself? Have you been thinking about planning for retirement? Whether you are reassessing where your money has gone in your Canadian private practice, to where you want to spend less or more, or redirect a new stream of income, now is the time to look at the books. In This Episode:
How to save money on transactions With my business plan, I get 25 transactions for $20 every month. Sometimes I am under that amount, but a lot of times I do make more than 25 transactions, which means that I have to pay extra fees over and above the $20 I already pay. My business bank advisor and I discovered why I had so many transactions and a simple way to resolve the issue. Simply and quickly, I was able to change my payment system with Jane App to deposit money into my account every Tuesday, saving me lots of extra monthly fees! Pick the right credit cards Depending on your lifestyle and work habits, you can pick a different type of credit card that will best suit your spending needs while earning you some great rewards. For myself, I prefer cash-back credit cards because I don’t travel that much, so points are not necessary for me. My money tips for new Canadian private practice owners
Have you thought about retirement? Even though I started my Canadian private practice when I was 28, before that, I had completed an undergraduate degree, worked for a few years, and then went back to complete my master's degree. All of that took time, effort, and money. I prioritised setting up my private practice and getting it launched well and off the ground, thinking that I would save later. Don’t get me wrong, I have been putting a little money away each month, but nothing significant yet. However, throughout the years, I have figured out a plan on how I would save for my retirement. How I plan to save for retirement is to fill up my tax-free savings account (TFSA) account, and then save money in my registered-retirement savings plan (RRSP). Always talk to your back advisor to help you find a retirement plan that is best for your situation! I am committed to putting more money into my BMO SmartFolio retirement fund so that I can retire with peace of mind. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 51: Lisa Simone Richards: PR Essentials for Canadian Private Practices 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 episode about building the financial foundation of your Canadian private practice with Linzy Bonham It’s easier than ever to invest online. Save time and money by giving BMO SmartFolio a try! Use my code or link below and you’ll get $50 cashback, plus up to $1,000 cash-back. It takes as little as 15 minutes to open an account!
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 10 Jul 2024 | Paige Abbott: Taking Private Practice at Your Own Pace | Ep 131 | 00:37:03 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 27 Apr 2022 | Sue Cook: How to Build a Successful Canadian Group Private Practice | EP 18 | 00:48:37 | |
Many Canadian therapists feel overwhelmed by the business side of running a group private practice. It takes a practice owner with initiative and a collaborative nature to support their counsellors in providing the best therapy that they can as well as focusing on growing the group practice. In this episode, I speak with Sue Cook about how she created a supportive framework that helps clinicians in her Ontario group private practice provide their best therapy. MEET SUE COOK Sue Cook is the owner and operator of Family TLC. She started working in this profession in the early 1980’s and has had the opportunity and privilege of assisting thousands of people reach their mental health and wellness goals. In 2000 her passion for making lives better came to fruition as she began running her own practice and in 2012, this expanded as she began to invite others to join her business. Sue’s business goals, and big vision have guided her as she has built some leading edge components to Family TLC, making it into the multi-location growing therapy business it is today. Learn more about Sue Cook on her practice’s website. In this episode:
The drive to build a Canadian group private practice Many clinicians have to learn how to run their businesses alongside providing therapy for their clients. This can be difficult without a business consultant. For Sue, her drive to build a group private practice in Ontario comes from:
Sue recognized therapists’ need for business support. So, she created helpful scaffolding and business services that save her counsellors time, and money, and supports them while they focus on providing therapy for their clients. Providing training to new therapists When Sue hires new counsellors, she trains them in the Family TLC way. This methodology helps the new therapists to follow the guidelines of the practice while also using any therapeutic method with their clients. Sue’s staff are taught a 12-week checklist. The training includes:
Hiring Canadian counsellors that best fit the practice Sue’s approach to hiring therapists is collaborative and honest. Her hiring process involves:
Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 17: Blogging: Why It Is Important For Your Canadian Private Practice and How To Do It www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Sue Cooks’ LinkedIn profile Family TLC’s website Family TLC’s Instagram Family TLC’s Facebook Check out Family TLC’s podcast | |||
| 05 Feb 2025 | Mastering Stress in Today’s Canadian Private Practice | Ep 152 | 00:19:59 | |
I think we can agree that stress is something we’d all like to reduce in private practice! For me, in 2024, I realized that my working life was too stressful. It was something I really wanted to change so that I could relax more and enjoy my work and life! I’ve now come up with three strategies for 2025 that I’ll be implementing to see if I can decrease stress and increase a sense of contentment when I log on and off from my Canadian private practice. In this episode:
A quick recap If you haven’t listened to previous episodes, in 2024 I realized how stressed out I was feeling. If you want to learn more about how I got out of those stressful situations, you can listen to my podcast episodes 135 and episode 144. We know, as therapists, that chronic stress is not good for a person’s mental or physical health and wellbeing. The goal for my life is to reduce stress as much as possible. I know that I got lost in the stress of private practice and forgot how great it feels to NOT be stressed often! Addressing the financial stress Over the holiday break, I took 2 weeks off to think about how I could better manage things that were often stressful in my private practice, allowing me to change my work routine for the better. When I started my practice, a monthly budget worked well, since my clientele was still growing and sometimes unsteady. Some months I would have more personal bills and other months more practice expenses, so money was constantly being moved around, which was stressful to manage! However, now that my practice has grown a bit more, this method was no longer working. I worked out how much I generally spend, save, and pay for the year, divided it up to find a monthly figure, and now know how much I have to work with instead of leaving everything to the end of the month to figure out. Basically, I gave myself a salary! And this has been so helpful in managing stress. Managing email checking I would check my emails pretty constantly and that led to burn out and also big dopamine hits when emails would come through. It made it harder to stay relaxed. What started as an effort to be efficient spiraled a bit into an unnecessary stressful situation. So now, I’ve taken my email and slack accounts and hidden their bookmarks from my main view on my internet browser. I now only check them three times a day! So far, this is helping to feel less wired and anxious after a long day of working. Changing my social media habits We all struggle with balancing social media. It has become a part of our marketing and still remains, for many people, a standard form of communicating. However, I knew that I wanted to change my approach with it because I didn’t want it to be taking up so much of my energy. I’ve even started reading a digital newspaper on my breaks (instead of getting my news from google or the internet), and it has been great! Sure, there’s stress with what’s happening in the world, but by managing information overload, it is becoming easier to manage digesting the news and stress. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 151: Chanel Wainscott: Riding the Waves of Private Practice | EP 151 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) Get some help and freebies on your website with WordPress! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 08 Jun 2022 | Hire a Canadian Virtual Assistant: How and Why You Should Do It Today | EP 24 | 00:21:34 | |
When I started my Canadian private practice I did all the admin, from answering the phone to responding to emails. It took up a lot of hours that could have been focused on seeing more clients or building my practice. But finally I hired a virtual assistant and now my practice is growing and I haven’t looked back! Are you still doing all the admin within your private practice while providing therapy to your clients? Do you find yourself stretched thin between all the deadlines and to-do lists? Maybe it’s time for you to hire your first virtual assistant (VA)! In this podcast episode, I tell you my story and explain exactly how you can get started. In This Episode:
Why is hiring a VA important? As a counsellor, you don’t want to waste your valuable time doing admin work like answering phone calls or responding to emails. These admin tasks can easily be done by someone else, freeing up your time and energy to focus on what you do best: being a therapist and helping people! Some reasons why hiring a VA is important for your business:
How I hired my first VA I decided I wanted to hire my own VA because I wanted the freedom to train them from the ground up for my specific Canadian private practice and I wanted them to do specific tasks that were not included in packages at virtual assistant companies. After realizing that these companies were not the right fit for me, the next option was to write up an ad and post it online. In this ad I wrote about:
How to train your VA After you have found your VA, and hired them, this is what I recommend to train them to become a well-suited employee for your Canadian private practice: 1. Meet with your VA once a week for 30-minutes 2. Create a Google Doc instruction manual and have your VA as an editor so that you can both edit it as you are talking in real-time. 3. Use Slack for communication with your VA about scheduling or any work-related queries. Remember that Slack is not PIPEDA compliant, so be careful not to share any identifying information through it. 4. For password privacy, use Dashlane to share passwords securely with your VA and monitor how your VA is checking up on the accounts they need to. 5. Set up a virtual phone to contact your virtual assistant! Use Grasshopper to communicate with your VA easily and professionally. When should you hire your first VA? As soon as you can! It is one of the best investments that you can make in your Canadian private practice. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 23: What should I Include in my Canadian Marketing Plan?: Live Consultation with Michelle Noftall 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 How I Set Up My Canadian Private Practice | EP 02 How I Grew My Canadian Private Practice | EP 04 Consider using Slack for online communications with your VA Consider using Dashlane for security and privacy with your VA Consider using Grasshopper as a virtual phone system Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 14 Jun 2023 | Trying a 50/50 Work Week | Ep 77 | 00:24:39 | |
Do you feel satisfied with your current work-life balance? Does your current work routine work for you, or does it feel a little misaligned with your rhythm? Are you wanting to shake up your work routine? I’ve been experimenting with changing my professional hours because everyone deserves to do the work they enjoy without having to sacrifice their mental, physical, or emotional well-being. If this resonates with you, then give this episode a listen! In this Episode:
A year with an unexpected start! Even though I had planned for 2023 to be a somewhat quieter year in terms of starting new projects, this year did begin with some unexpected turns. For example, I had to quickly jump ship and resolve some website issues, while running my Canadian private practice and continuing to see clients. I was still training my social media manager, and wrapping up projects from 2022. Encountering schedule challenges At this point, I worked four days a week in my schedule, from Monday to Thursday. On average I worked from around 9:30 am to 9:30 pm, with an afternoon break, with Friday to Sunday being my days off. ‘For the past year and a half, two years that I had been doing that, it seemed to have been working, so this [potential burnout] shocked me a little bit. I thought, “I have three days off … why am I still feeling drained?” I kind of felt like I was failing with how I was running my schedule as well as a little bit of guilt or shame because I get more time off than most people do.’ – Julia Smith
I had to do some mental recalibrating because I felt uncomfortable taking more time off - something we can experience when we begin to address how capitalism has impacted our mindset about life. Despite the initial uncomfortable feeling, it was worth trying to make a change. Having three days off initially was helpful, but I started to realize – especially mid-winter – that I really needed a weeknight off. This was for my energy levels, but also because I was missing seeing my friends and loved ones, and I wanted to change up some things in my personal life! The feeling of being held back by my schedule and not being able to enjoy my life was not something I was comfortable with, so I knew that I had to make a new adjustment. Finding my work-life balance I looked back on the reason why I started my Canadian private practice, and it was a combination of my desire to be a therapist and to have more say in how I schedule my time. I decided to see what it would be like to take one evening off during the work week, and I chose Thursday night, which developed into only working a half day on Thursday. It took some time to adjust in the beginning, but now that I’ve settled into it, it works so well, and I feel ready to do my work and I get to truly rest and enjoy my personal life. Because it’s so personal, one person’s work-life balance will look different from that of someone else. So pick and choose and experiment, and then bring it all together in a way that is tailored to your hours, schedule, desires, and wishes. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 76: The Ethics of Offering Price Bundles in Private Practice 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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) | |||
| 22 Nov 2023 | What I’ve Learned About Podcasting | Ep 100 | 00:15:52 | |
100 episodes! What a milestone. In the beginning, I really wasn’t sure what would happen. I knew that I wanted to try podcasting but I had no idea what to expect. However, once I knew that it would be something I would enjoy and that it would be a great way to connect with you, I committed, and here we are two years later! In this episode, I talk about the whole experience from the start to the present moment. I share my learning curves, my process, and any tips for you - if you are thinking about doing this too. Thanks for joining me on this journey, and here’s to another year of the Fearless Practice podcast! In this Episode:
Why I started this podcast There were many reasons why I was considering doing this podcast:
Creating the podcast Once I experimented a little, I knew that I was ready to give it a try! So I:
In many ways, running this podcast is like a second job. In order for me to publish the podcast episodes that you listen to each Wednesday, the process looks a little like this:
The pros and cons When I started this podcast I thought it would take maybe an hour or two a week, but as you can see, it’s a much longer process! Despite the long hours and financial investment, I’m so glad that I also get the chance to meet so many great Canadian therapists! And I’m grateful to those who have invested in my work and purchased from my store. Lessons I have learned Some of the things I now know about podcasting are that:
On the note of community, I want to know how I can help you so that I can keep creating content that serves your needs. Reach out to us with your suggestions! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 99: Christine Olsen: How to Settle into Your Niche with Confidence | EP 99 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) From the very first episode, I've trusted East Coast Studio to help ensure my podcast sounds great. They'll help you streamline the podcasting process so you can focus on running your practice. Schedule a no-pressure conversation with East Coast Studio today and save $50 off their Podcast Pro Trial by using code FEARLESS at checkout! | |||
| 09 Feb 2022 | How I Developed a Marketing Strategy for My Private Practice – Networking | EP 07 | 00:21:24 | |
Networking was an important factor in my marketing. Even though direct referral sources from other clinicians and doctors were helpful, networking itself could get expensive. Some aspects of it worked well, while others were a waste of time and money. I needed to branch out my Canadian marketing and network strategies to suit me and my practice. IN THIS EPISODE:
My first networking strategy First of all, I wanted to figure out which client base I was reaching out to. I knew I wanted to connect with other Halifax counsellors, so I created a spreadsheet with all the names and contact numbers of practices in my area and whether or not I had already contacted them. It was important to expand my contact list, so I also contacted doctors, yoga teachers, chiropractors, places of worship, and health practitioners. I would reach out to them and if they got back to me, we would schedule a meeting. If they did not get back to me, I would send a follow-up email, and if I received no response, I would let it go. Using a personal touch If I had a meeting with anyone, I knew it was important to follow up the meeting with a personal “thank-you” card, or some token of appreciation for their time and energy. I knew that meeting with people, creating connections, and getting out there was important for the growth of my Canadian private practice. What I learned from different types of marketing Through this process, I learned that some types of networking worked better for me than others. What didn’t work so well:
What was working:
In hindsight, all my best networking relationships came from practitioners with whom I had a genuine connection, through a good conversation and meet-up experience. Focusing on relationships In networking, it is more effective to focus on building a relationship with your new connection than to try to convince them to work with you. They will decide whether or not they want to work with you based on the quality of the connection that you seek to establish with them. Figure out what works for you, what makes you shine, and then focus your time and energy on that, instead of slogging through the things that are not working. The more authentic the relationship is, the higher the chance that connection will refer out to you. Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 06: Building A Canadian Online Group Private Practice – Year Five Ep 03: Dealing With Unexpected Changes in My Canadian Private Practice – Year Two Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 30 Nov 2022 | Growing Pains I Experienced in My Canadian Private Practice - Year 6 | Ep 49 | 00:26:04 | |
What has your year of private practice looked like? Which lessons have you learned, or are currently learning? Starting and running a Canadian private practice is a journey of continual growth and education. As you develop, so does your practice! And what impacts you in your personal life may also influence the unfolding of your business. In this annual episode, I take a little dive into what my year has been like, what I’ve learned, and what my focus will be for the next one! What I did this year Launching the podcast! From last November in 2021, there were a lot of things going on behind the scenes. One of those was launching this podcast! I knew I wanted to do it, but I needed sponsorships to make it happen as podcasts are an investment. While I was recording my first 10 episodes, I was looking to hire a designer, a sound engineer, and a show note writer, so that everything would run smoothly. Through the tough workload and the uncertainty in the beginning, I realized that I love hosting the podcast. I’ve been able to meet great fellow counsellors, people in the industry, and have gotten to interact with listeners and see how much the podcast has helped them with their own Canadian private practice. The work paid off! Experimenting with traveling and working In September 2022 I did my first travel-work stint to visit family and friends in BC whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. I tested out the digital nomad lifestyle a little bit, and I loved it as well! Although at this time something switched in my private practice! For a while my associate wasn’t that full, in fact, clients were dwindling, and it added a lot of stress. Hiring a social media and marketing manager After the stress of launching a marketing campaign on my own while still being a full-time counsellor, podcaster, and practice owner, I decided it was time to hire a Social Media and Marketing manager. Creating the Canadian Paperwork Packet Additionally, throughout the year, I had been working on setting up and launching my Canadian Paperwork Packet for my audience! I was consulting with a designer and a lawyer to make sure the fine print was all in order, and legal, and that it came together nicely. Securing sponsorships With all the new projects, my budget had to be reassessed, and this meant that I had to negotiate and secure sponsorships because the podcast production is expensive. What I learned Things take time, and that’s just fine! Instead of burning yourself from all ends doing a million things, pick one project to focus on, and then start the next thing as you finish up the previous one. And, never underestimate the power of outsourcing tasks! New focus In addition, Jane App is sponsoring half of the episodes this year for the Fearless Practice Podcast, which means another year of talking with you about Canadian private practice! Use code FEARLESS when you sign up to get one month free! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 48: Lindsey Thomson: The Need for Tax-Free Therapy in Canada 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 episode about my new Canadian Paperwork Packet Get your customizable paperwork packet through this link and use the code FEARLESSPP to receive your paperwork packet for $99! Listen to my episode about how to schedule in your Canadian private practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 27 Sep 2023 | Masami Hirata: Use Marketing to Bridge the Gap Between Like, Know, and Trust | Ep 92 | 00:46:12 | |
Have you heard of the marketing rule of seven? How can you build your “marketing house” from the ground up? What is the best sequence that you need to organize your marketing strategy into for authentic success? Marketing is a necessary strategy and tool that’s relevant across the board, for all businesses, including therapy. You need to focus on your message first before you put it out into channels to connect with your audience, and to successfully “lift the veil”. In this podcast episode, I chat about everything to do with marketing with one of the most experienced professionals who works on the topic, Masami Hirata, the chief marketing officer for Jane App. MEET MASAMI Masami is Chief Marketing Officer at Jane (jane.app), a customer-adored practice management software company. She is passionate about building collaborative, customer focused marketing teams that drive high growth for mission-driven companies. Learn more about Masami on her LinkedIn profile. In this episode:
Marketing as a creative outlet Masami’s a natural creative, and being the Chief Marketing Officer of Jane App is precisely the best place for someone that loves to be innovative and explorative in their ideas and approaches on connecting with the ideal customers of the company. The best sequence for successful marketing It’s great if you have the intention and the drive, and your efforts will be even more successful if you place them in the best order. Before you pick a channel, start with your message. What do you want to say? Who are you saying it to? What is the outcome that you are expecting? What is the solution that you can offer? Getting your strategy in order first before you pick a channel and create content will help that content to be much more effective once you publish it. Finding your blueprint
Consider marketing as a way to “lift the veil of the unknown” as Masami explains. Your marketing efforts make your clients feel more drawn to you because they feel like they know you. Some of the current top marketing strategies The marketing rule of seven is a classic strategy that’s been effective for almost one hundred years! Essentially, a client needs to see and interact with seven touchpoints about your product or service before they generally feel comfortable enough to buy it. Network! It’s no secret that networking is one of the cornerstones to a successful business. It’s you going out into the world and telling people that you are there! Share your business with the other practitioners and organizations that you know it will connect well with. Consider joining the Jane App Facebook Group to meet with other practitioners and share the wisdom! Additionally if you want to learn more about the best practices for marketing, telehealth, and more, join the Jane App Front Desk! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 91: Luc Grey: Following Your Entrepreneurial Calling as a Therapist | EP 91 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 Masami on her LinkedIn profile. Jane Facebook Community Group: A great place to network with fellow practitioners and ask any question. You don't need to be a Jane user to join, and anyone can request membership at https://www.facebook.com/groups/janerunsclinics/ Jane's Front Desk magazine: The first ever Clinic facing magazine that is full of great articles to help you grow your practice. You can subscribe to a free printed copy here: https://jane.app/frontdesk | |||
| 06 Nov 2024 | Changing My Mindset in Private Practice : Year 8 | Ep 144 | 00:22:37 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 09 Oct 2024 | Blackcy Placidass: Developing a Value-Based Practice | Ep 140 | 00:33:05 | |
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 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: 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 | |||
| 02 Mar 2022 | Live Consulting With David Mitchell: How to Attract Clients With My Canadian Website? | EP 10 | 00:54:42 | |
David took part in my webinar about starting a private practice. Now, he is building his own online Canadian private practice in Prince Edward Island! In this episode, he and I discuss ways for him to grow his success, the importance of raising his rates, and other vital aspects of creating a thriving Canadian private practice. MEET DAVID MITCHELL Learn more about David on his counselling website. IN THIS EPISODE:
The importance of raising your rates As your Canadian practice grows and starts filling up, raising your rates is part of the process of growing it further. It may feel difficult to do, but it is crucial to both your mental health, to curb burnout, and to help ensure the financial success of the practice. Raising your rates may reduce your intakes, however, it helps you to still be earning good money while not running the risk of burning yourself out. Raising your rates can also help you to find that sweet spot between having the right amount of clients for your schedule and earning the amount that you want. Make sure to have an intake fee Every Canadian therapist experiences a client that comes once but never again. Intake sessions require a lot more energy because you are meeting the client for the first time, assessing the client, and starting to build a therapeutic alliance. Even if your intake session is the same amount of time as your regular sessions, consider charging at least $20 more for the extra energy it takes in that first session. Optimize your website for bookings
Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 9: Joe Sanok: Raising your private practice rates to get to the 4-day work week Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free) Learn more about David Mitchell on his counselling website. Purchase the ‘How To Start An Online Canadian Private Practice (Digital Workbook)’ Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||
| 29 Mar 2023 | How to Get Continuing Education Credits: CECs | Ep 66 | 00:14:18 | |
Are you up to date with your CECs? Do you need some extra help? Do you want to know a great, quick, and professional way to get them while meeting other exceptional Canadian therapists? CECs are important for all Canadian therapists to have, whether you work for someone else or if you run your own Canadian private practice. They help you to stay up to date with new research, develop yourself as a skilled therapist, and can even be assets when it comes to marketing your practice. Whether you’ve accidentally left things too late and you need some help, or you’d like to learn more about CECs and how to structure them to avoid last-minute stress, I’ve got all the information and tips for you in this podcast episode! In this Episode:
Why are CECs important? CECs are important for Canadian counsellors because they help you to maintain your counselling skills and remain up to date with best practices and to learn new skills as therapists. New studies and reports are often coming out, and therefore it is important to stay up to date with the science and research so that you can provide the best counselling to your clients. CECs in Canadian private practice For your Canadian private practice, you can show on your website the different certifications and training that you have done – as well as the therapists in your group practice (if you have one) – to interested clients that want to learn more about what your practice has to offer. Additionally, building your skills as a therapist can help you to maintain and keep clients as you develop your expertise and find new ways to assist, support, and guide them. Benefits of working within the CCPA With CCPA, you need 36 CECs every three years, which is the same as the college in Nova Scotia. The scary thing about this new rule is that you might forget to maintain your CECs for a couple of months – or even years! – and then close to the deadline you’ll have to suddenly jump to get everything ready. To make this process easier for yourself, set up little reminders on your preferred platform to keep you updated as to when you should start working on your CECs, so that you can avoid an unpleasant surprise a few months down the line. Where you can get your CECs In the past, I have gotten my CECs through the CCPA itself. If you are a member there, they have loads of affordable options you can choose from:
You can also attend the annual CCPA conference, which is great! I went a few years ago and got to meet loads of incredible therapists from all over Canada and partake in in-person workshops, and more! Check this link if you are interested in attending, getting your CECs completed, as well as connecting with other great therapists. Try out the Mental Health Academy Invest in your knowledge and skills by spending some time on the Mental Health Academy platform. These courses are already approved by CCPA so it’s very easy to submit them! Follow this link for more information as to what there is for you to choose from, and how you can get started! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 65: The Do’s and Don’t’s of Canadian Private Practice 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 Listen to my Canadian private practice journey up until now! 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, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 28 Feb 2024 | Great Platforms You Can Use in Your Private Practice | Ep 112 | 00:12:51 | |
Do you know some of the sweet spots to streamline your business processes? Is your Canadian private practice set up to support you, while you support your clients? Are you looking for some tips and tools that you can use to simplify your practice needs? There are so many different platforms and apps out there that it can seem overwhelming. If you are looking for some guidance and advice from lived experience, listen and read on! In this podcast episode, I share the different services and platforms that I personally use and recommend in my practice with you. In this Episode:
Slack You probably already receive loads of emails each day, and it can be frustrating when admin emails get lost in between client emails, and all the rest. With Slack, you can keep any and all business-related topics, queries, requests, and ideas in one place. Some of the great features of Slack include:
If you decide to get the paid plan, you then get access to the video calls feature, as well as control of when you want communication to be deleted. Since Slack messages are not encrypted, using this option for added security can be useful. Hushmail If you are emailing sensitive information then you should definitely consider using Hushmail! With their opt-in or -out encryption feature, you can either select that someone receives an email with a link to open it, or not. It’s great for sending sensitive information because it’s hack-proof! ‘As a therapist, I believe that you really need to have that option of having emails encrypted. Sometimes we have to send things to insurance, sometimes we have to send things to an employer, or sometimes we have to send things to clients, and if you don’t have any options for encrypting emails, that can be unethical and dangerous.’ - Julia Smith Hushmail offers affordable pricing, for only 11.99 USD a month. If you want to check it out, learn more and sign up here! Google Drive I’ve used Google Drive to write manuals for all of my assistants. It’s a great tool because they are essentially “living” documents that can be edited by the owner as well as whoever you decide to share it with, meaning that the information can always be updated and shared. ‘One tip is every year I would copy that doc and save it on your computer … So that you have a document that isn’t online in case something were to happen with Google Drive, that you have that document on your computer so it’s not only living on the internet.’ - Julia Smith Jane App ‘This is the number one thing and the first thing that you should invest in. It is private practice in a box!’ - Julia Smith Jane App can do your:
Their in-platform video service is included in their monthly subscription price, which is 79 CAD (plus tax). Their features are also customizable, like their online-booking platform, so you can change things to complement your Canadian practice! If you are ready to try it, use my code FEARLESS to that you can receive your first month for free when you sign up! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 111: Marlee Rubel: Building an Online Private Practice in Toronto 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 | |||
| 04 Jan 2023 | When Should I Hire a VA for My Canadian Private Practice? Live Consultation With Danik Bernier | Ep 54 | 00:42:00 | |
Are you at a crossroads in your Canadian private practice? What does your practice need to help it grow? What do you need help with to do your best work? Regardless of the level that you are at within your private practice, or however seasoned you are as a therapist, things like impostor syndrome can trip anyone up. However, it doesn’t have to stay this way. Whether it’s about raising your rates or hiring a virtual assistant, these limiting beliefs can keep you stuck until you rise to meet and overcome them. In this podcast episode, I do a live consultation with Danik, who’s at a place in her career where she needs to hire a virtual assistant so that she can take the next step to leveling up her private practice. MEET DANIK BERNIER Danik Bernier is a bilingual Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist. She specializes in perinatal mental health and trauma in her private practice. Her psychotherapy services are available to Ontario residents online and in person. Learn more about Danik on her website and LinkedIn profile In this episode:
Levelling Up Your Mindset Danik found resources from Fearless Practice and other online resources that motivated her to start her own Canadian private practice. You do not have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to figuring out your Canadian private practice. There is a lot of information and there are resources available to you that can help you to launch your private practice! Empower yourself with knowledge and the understanding that you are not alone in starting your private practice, and that you can bring this dream to fruition. Overcoming Impostor Syndrome When you start your Canadian private practice, there will be some new challenges for you to face, both as a new business owner and also as a new person in business! Impostor syndrome can also come from limiting beliefs that you may have about yourself, the world, and what “should” be done. Take some time to sit with yourself and ask yourself some questions, and reflect on the obstacles before you that seem unsurpassable – are they really? Could they be offering you a chance to resolve and heal an old belief that is keeping you stuck? Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Employees versus Contractors Choosing whether to hire full-time or part-time employees, or independent contractors, is up to you, what you can afford, and what you need help doing in your private practice. Talk to your accountant to see what they recommend for you business. If you are in a financial position where you can afford to hire extra help within your practice, do it! Get help for yourself so you can focus on your clients! Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 53: How to Give Bonuses and Wage Increases to Your Staff 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 Danik on her website, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Psychology Today profiles Listen to my podcast episode on how to hire a virtual assistant for your Canadian private practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | Michelle Kent: Offering Ecotherapy in Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 90 | 00:33:25 | |
Do you love being in nature for your mental health? Have your clients expressed interest in nature walks to clear the mind and process their difficult emotions? Could you combine these two aspects into a service in your private practice? Ecotherapy is a great modality for therapy, and some practices are warming up to it! Of course, with it being outdoors and in an environment that is not easily controlled, it does call for sensitivity around the admin and ethics. In this podcast episode, Michelle and I discuss her approach to ecotherapy and how she offers it to her clients as well as her experience as a new private practice owner. MEET MICHELLE Michelle is a registered social worker and psychotherapist running her own private practice in Toronto, Ontario. She loves supporting caregivers, millennials and first responders as they develop self-compassion and grow into their most authentic selves. Michelle tends to use a person-centred, trauma-focused and feminist lens. Learn more about Michelle on her practice website, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles. In this episode:
Michelle’s entry into private practice Michelle began her journey as a counsellor working in agencies in Toronto. Even though she enjoyed the work, the amount of work that is required when working in an agency was becoming overwhelming. From the encouragement of her loved ones to the good results and transformation that she was seeing in her clients, Michelle decided to take the leap to launch her private practice and become her own boss. Handling the finances Michelle had some money set aside. Even though there are savings, Michelle is getting married this year as well! So launching a business as well as planning a wedding would make any launch year an expensive one. It can take a while to get the numbers balanced in a private practice, especially in the beginning, since you might still be building up a reliable client caseload and paying off the initial expenses. Julia’s tips for getting started These three keys are helpful for any Canadian private practice owner as they launch their business: 1 - Networking 2 - Blogging 3 - Building dynamic content If you are starting a Canadian private practice, listen to my podcast episode on Canada’s Digital Adoption Program grant and how you can apply! Offering ecotherapy Michelle’s private practice offers walk-and-talk therapy otherwise known as ecotherapy. She herself enjoys being outside and appreciates how it helps her mental health, and wanted to extend the same in conjunction with therapy sessions to clients. Because Michelle’s home is located close to Ontario’s beaches and walkways, she became certified in offering ecotherapy and decided to add it as a service to her practice. There is extra admin, but it is doable. You need to make sure that you are on the right side of the law with your insurance, college, and clients for this to work well for you and everyone involved. Michelle’s advice to listeners Working with a coach in the beginning can be a great confidence booster! Investing in a business coach that gets you and your business is an investment in the success of your new private practice. When you feel ready to ask for help with your Canadian private practice, I offer one-on-one coaching to help you lay the strongest foundation possible for your future! Click here to learn more about what I offer and how it can benefit you. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 89: Now is the Time to Start Your Canadian Private Practice | EP 89 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 practice website, LinkedIn, and Psychology Today profiles. Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn | |||
| 05 Jul 2023 | How Branding Can Attract New Clients | Ep 80 | 00:11:17 | |
Does your branding need a little refresher? When last did you make sure that your branding is consistent across all the branches of your business? Branding is more than just the colors you pick or the layout of your website. It’s the feeling that you want your clients to have when they interact with you or your business materials. To create cohesion and maintain professionalism while attracting your ideal clients, it is important to be intentional with your branding decisions, In this podcast episode, I share my top recommendations for simple, affordable and high-quality tools that you can use to brush up the branding for your business! In this Episode:
A quick recap of what branding is Branding is essential to your Canadian private practice because it helps to set your business apart from the rest, makes it look professional, and can put your clients at ease and make them feel excited to work with you. At its core, branding is the experience that you want your clients to associate with working with you. Branding includes your colour scheme and logo, as well as your office aesthetics and business cards, but it ties all these things together into the ‘atmosphere’ that you want your business to have. Why consistency is important Consistency creates trust and also allows your clients to recognize you and your work. Something small but effective that I also like to do is to wear black when I see clients – like a uniform, and it helps me to feel prepared for work and allows the clients to also see me in a consistent way. The basics of branding
‘My favorite thing is Fiverr – it’s an online platform where freelance artists, designers, and copywriters … [are] on that platform, and you can scroll and find so many cool designers and a lot of them are really affordable!’ – Julia Smith Check out my tools and deals page where you can find a link to Fiverr to create your logo!
‘Depending on how many [business cards] you need, you might want to go with a business like MOO which I love! Their cards are professional, high-quality, and beautiful, and again you can find them on my tools and deals page … they are just the best types of cards and I highly recommend this company!’ – Julia Smith
I love my Canadian online private practice because it is much more affordable to market and brand. However, if you do have a physical office space, be sure that your office and its interior design principles match those of your branding too. Use the same or similar colours to help with consistency and cohesion. Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 79: How to Hire a Social Media Manager | EP 79 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 | |||
| 07 Feb 2024 | How to Build a Private Practice Website | Ep 109 | 00:12:33 | |
As a Canadian therapist, one of the things that you know needs to get done is to build a website. It’s part of the deal of being a business owner, and having a great website is the cornerstone of being seen by your local community and getting your Canadian private practice noticed. I think everyone has one or two horror stories about trying to get everything up and running when you are launching your Canadian private practice, or your latest marketing campaign - I’ve had some as well! But a great website is necessary, and it’s not as impossible (or expensive) as you may have thought! I’ve partnered with an incredible company that offers you easy, affordable, and professional website packages. Depending on your needs, budget, and desires, there will be an option that fits your budget and business like a glove. Keep listening to be introduced! In this Episode:
Re-building my website Last year I decided to completely redo my website, perhaps you have an idea of how much work that can be! If you have ever been in this situation - or you are in this situation now, read on! WordPress websites are open-source, they offer design flexibility, and excellent SEO capabilities. On the other hand, website builders that create using their own proprietary platform (like Wix, Squarespace, Clinic Sites, and now Brighter Vision) make creating a website easy BUT there are limits to the design of your website and limits to SEO, because the websites are built on their private platform. Choosing your website journey I decided to switch from my previous website host to one that suited my preferences and needs, and I found an amazing Canadian company that ticked all the boxes! So, you may be thinking that instead you could build your own website. You might imagine that it would be cheaper, and that you could do it your own way. You could do that, but I would recommend you try something else! Because I tried to build my own website, it took almost 10 months, and it felt like a second job. Meet Your New Website! So if you don’t want to spend months working with a team to build your own website, doing edits, and paying thousands of dollars - I have found a solution for you! Before any confusion sets in; WordPress.org is where you can purchase your own hosting and develop your website. However, now there is a WordPress website that provides you with turn-key solutions; WordPress.com! So if you want to build it yourself in an easy way, they offer that function. However, if you don’t want to build it yourself, they do offer website design services - all you have to do is choose one of their monthly plans, choose a template that you love, and submit your content. And, if you want to transfer later and stop working with the company, you can switch your website to another WordPress hosting site! You can start with this company for 0 Canadian dollars! Or, I’d recommend starting with their Creator Plan, which is only $33 CAD a month, plus tax, which includes:
To start building your private practice, click here and by next week you could have your website built! Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 108 Michael Sorsdahl: CCPA’s New Ethics Case bOok and Why You Must Read It | EP 108 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 | |||
| 29 May 2024 | Kelly Hoskin: Trusting the Process for Success in Canadian Private Practice | Ep 125 | 00:27:38 | |
Sometimes people can feel nervous to start their careers since they don’t 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 they’re 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:
Kelly’s entrance to social work Kelly got her bachelor’s 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 client’s 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 wasn’t a specific rule stating that she wasn’t 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 doesn’t 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. Kelly’s advice for listeners You are not the only one who doesn’t 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: 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 | |||
| 10 Apr 2024 | Brittany Wells-Pantaleo: Growing a Group Practice Virtually and Ethically | Ep 118 | 00:42:28 | |
Many counsellors may enter into private practice without expecting to open it into a group practice, since it can be a journey that develops as you explore your niche, assess the needs of your community, and as you develop as a person. However, if you find yourself on the entrepreneurial path, don’t doubt that it can work! Even though many counsellors are not taught business skills in school, they can be learned, and you can work as an expert in your niche while being profitable and building your dream virtual group practice! In this podcast episode, I chat with Brittany about her experience of launching, managing, and working in her group practice that’s virtual across Canada. She shares her advice and experience from starting without knowing to confidently planning for her future. MEET BRITTANY Brittany Wells-Pantaleo, MSW, RSW, is the Founder and Clinical Director of Moncton Counselling and Wellness. With a Master's degree in Social Work and as a Registered Social Worker, she has dedicated my career to supporting individuals in their mental health journeys. In 2021, she established Moncton Counselling and Wellness with the goal of providing compassionate and effective counselling support. Her organization has since grown, serving individuals and couples across Canada. Learn more about Brittany on her LinkedIn profile, practice website, and Instagram page. In this episode:
Why Brittany became a social worker Brittany’s social work journey began in Ontario in 2016. While she was completing her undergrad, she began working in social worker positions. Brittany worked in the shelter system with a women’s shelter and a youth shelter. Brittany applied and luckily got in the first round for her masters, and started in-person, but with the COVID-19 pandemic she had to move online for the last six months of her two and a half year program. Even though it was an intense experience, Brittany explains that it provided her with invaluable experience and skills which she brought with her on her journey to today. Starting a private practice In 2021, Brittany moved to Moncton, New Brunswick and began working for another private practice before venturing out on her own. By connecting with a fellow therapist, Brittany began receiving some referrals and building up her referral network and learning from this more experienced practitioner. However, Brittany’s father was diagnosed with cancer, and she decided to take a risk and go out on her own so that she could stay closer to family during this time. Developing a group private practice Once Brittany understood what the mental health landscape looked like in Moncton, she came to find that there were lots of people seeking therapy and that there were a lot of waitlists. Since no other therapists were taking clients and Brittany’s waitlist also began to grow, she considered opening up a virtual wing of her private practice. Using Jane App for a virtual practice Brittany highly recommends Jane App for managing her virtual group practice. Technology is all-encompassing these days, and so choosing a software managing system is important because it becomes an integral part of what your Canadian private practice develops around. Navigating virtual counselling ethically Since starting her private practice, Brittany has learned that it is slightly different for social workers. It is always good practice to work with your attorney or legal advisor, and get in touch with the relevant associations or colleges before you start working in a province, in-person or virtually. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 117: Courtney Vezina: Incorporating Community Values into Private Practice | EP 117 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 Brittany on her LinkedIn profile, practice website, and Instagram page | |||
| 02 Aug 2023 | Denise Marie: Why Passion Is Good for Business | Ep 84 | 00:39:32 | |
Do you enjoy the work that you do? Are you working in a field or with a group of clients that are the best-fit group for you? Is it possible to combine your passions with your work in a way that supports them both without burning you out in the process? You don’t need to use all your hobbies and passions as work ideas. However, it can help you – and your business – to work in an area that you are passionate about. Having that genuine interest and fulfillment can help you get through tough times, meet with great clients, and do work that makes you feel good – as well as helping you to pay the bills. In this podcast episode, Denise and I chat about how she created her Canadian private practice from one of her passions, and how that decision helped her to create a steady business that she enjoys going to work in each day. MEET DENISE Denise Marie is a Licensed Therapist and Coach. She works exclusively with empathetic women who have spent a lifetime doing everything they are "supposed to do" and are now wondering why they haven't achieved happiness. Through the Journey to Worthiness, Denise supports her clients as they ditch societal expectations, understand their emotional needs, reconnect with their intuition and find peace in living a more authentic life. Learn more about Denise on her Instagram profile, LinkTree account, and website! In this episode:
Using your passion in your business When you know who you want to help and why, and when you know why you want to solve a certain problem for someone or within the world and you know how you’re going to do it, you get fuelled up to challenge and overcome the obstacles that may be in your way of starting and launching a private practice. Transitioning from one job to another Many new Canadian private practice owners have had to dig deep into their energy reserves to work two jobs while they launch their new practice. Sometimes gradually leaving the previous steady job before launching your new business is the slow and steady but often safer route. If you can work two jobs, then stick it out and do it, because even though those few months might be more tiring and stressful, that extra income acts as a little safety net to help you get things ready for your private practice to receive clients before you fully jump aboard. Align your work with your purpose Sure, you can keep some hobbies and passions as something that you enjoy on the side. However, you can also align the work that you do with what brings you joy and joy to others – your purpose – to create a fulfilling work experience as well. For example, Denise experiences immense joy and fulfillment from working with empathetic women to level up their lives. She is able to help them while enjoying the work that she does with them. Being in alignment with your purpose and what makes you feel fulfilled in the work that you do day to day can help you pull back a little from comparing yourself to others. How do you define success? How do you define fulfillment and feeling at peace in life? Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 83: Amber Sperling: The Journey from a New Practice to Success and Beyond | EP 83 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) Listen to my podcast episodes on building a long-lasting website and how to hire a virtual assistant! Learn more about Denise on her Instagram profile, LinkTree account, and website! Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. | |||
| 22 May 2024 | Redefining Work-Life Balance in a Canadian Private Practice | Ep 124 | 00:13:32 | |
We always hear about “optimization”, 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 don’t have to outsource all the parts of your private practice, maybe only the parts that you either need help with, or that you really don’t like doing. If you’re a great therapist, but you also love marketing or SEO (like me!) then there’s 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 I’ve done, listen in to learn more! In this Episode:
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 didn’t 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 - that’s 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 don’t have to follow everyone else’s example. Take advice and learn from other people’s 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:
Connect with me: 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 | |||
| 16 Oct 2024 | Adding Direct Billing to Your Canadian Private Practice | Ep 141 | 00:13:33 | |
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 ‘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;
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: 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 | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | Live Consultation With Julie Burnett: Starting an Online Private Practice | Ep 82 | 00:38:13 | |
What is your goal with your work? If you could set it up in the way that would best suit you and your long-term future ambitions, what would it look like? How can you create a work-life balance that is personalized to your life, needs, and desires? One great way to learn is to listen to other people’s journeys and stories. You may be in a similar place with your Canadian online private practice; new, curious, and weighing up the pros and cons. In this live consultation, I chat with Julie about her new online private practice. We talk through the basics, how she can bring a new website up to speed, and what she can do to flourish afterward. Join us to learn more! MEET JULIE Julie Burnett is a Registered Social Worker who is starting her private practice in Ontario. She specializes in domestic violence and feminist/anti-oppressive approaches to therapy. Learn more about Julie on her Psychology Today profile and Instagram account. In this episode:
Julie’s desire for professional independence Starting a Canadian online private practice can be a daunting first step because it means that you are moving away from someone else’s structure in another business to building your own structure, and making it work. However, even though it can be scary, it is also well worth the attempt. Becoming your own boss can be scary but also a freeing and exhilarating experience. So rather than trying to avoid fear, focus on heading in the direction of where you want to go. Additionally, owning your business allows you the space and opportunity to explore new creative projects. Work with what you love Your niche doesn’t just relate to who your clients are. What is your passion? What is something that you really enjoy doing in sessions and with clients, and can you use it to build the foundation of your new Canadian online private practice? Julie loves groups, and this can be a great Segway into her new successful online practice. So, understand your clinical passions and use this in marketing yourself to future clients and to network with other therapists! Setting up a great website ‘If [you live] in a large city, then you want to niche down as much as possible because there are so many other therapists out there … the bigger the city, the more [necessary it is] to niche down.’ – Julia Smith Your website is your virtual window storefront, and I recommend Beam Local to build your website. Set it up well so that a curious client who’s looking over your information can see exactly what you offer, why you are a good fit, and how they can ‘enter’ your business to find out more information and contact you. Niching down is one of your biggest assets. You can develop this by adding pages to your website that offer more information about your niche, should your clients want it. These extra pages also make Google like you more and rank you higher, which is a bonus! But in the beginning, focus on one niche, and build it out on your website. Once your website is building traction for you, consider hiring a virtual assistant to organize your emails and admin so that you can remain focused on offering high-quality therapy to your clients. Connect with me: Resources mentioned and useful links: Ep 81: 3 Steps to Starting Your Private Practice While Still in Grad School | EP 81 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) Listen to my podcast episodes on building a long-lasting website and how to hire a virtual assistant! Learn more about Julie on her Psychology Today profile and Instagram account Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn
| |||
| 23 Mar 2022 | The Importance of Having a Niche and How to Find One | EP 13 | 00:15:58 | |
Why should you have a niche? Are you still figuring out what your niche is? Being able to say who I can help and how I can help them has allowed me to expand my practice, make myself known while getting to work with my ideal clients. In this episode, I help you to figure out how to find your niche, why they are important, and small mistakes to avoid. In this episode:
Meet Brent McCombs Brent McCombs is an Ontario born, Los Angeles trained recovering fashion photographer who settled in Halifax and (pre covid) was shooting portraits, commercial headshots, and weddings. Learn more about Brent McCombs on his photography website. Why should you have a niche? Initially, it may seem more pleasing to have therapists who specialize a little bit in everything but clients want to know what it is that you can actually help them with. So having someone in your group practice – or yourself – who specializes will help to draw clients to you instead of pushing them away because you make it clear why and how you can help them. You will still have a variety with a niche Having a niche will not mean that your entire client population is one with the same pain point. Often about half of your client base will share the same niche while the other half will vary. Have a niche because it helps you to build a more solid client base because you are more recognizable as an expert in that pain point, and other clients will still come to you for other reasons because you are recognized. Figuring out what your niche is In bigger cities, it is easier to stand out more when you specialize in a specific niche. However, in smaller cities where the therapist population is not as competitive, you can have a few niches. For example, you may say in smaller cities:
And in bigger cities:
So, a niche can be very general or quite specific. You can set it up whichever way is best for you, your client base, and where your practice is located. Avoid setting your niche as your therapeutic approach and rather advertise it as how you can help clients overcome their problems and support them in achieving their desired outcome for their life. Questions to ask yourself
Connect with me: Resources and useful links: www.jane.app/mentalhealth use the promo code FEARLESS for one month’s grace period Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn. | |||