Private Practice Made Simple
Everything You Need to Know to Set Up and Maintain a Successful Mental Health Practice
Published 2011
Training for mental health clinicians - psychologists and others - includes a great deal of information and skill-building. One thing is conspicuously missing, however: how to operate a business.
Indeed, many clinicians got into the field precisely so they could AVOID thinking about business issues. But at some point they decide to go into private practice, and all those gaps become painfully apparent.
Private Practice Made Simple is designed to be your guide. It offers tips on everything from getting client referrals to creating a positive and comfortable office atmosphere to handling finances to building a thriving practice that can serve both you and your clients. You’ll learn how to build your client base and manage your practice as it grows.
If reading this book prevents you from making a single small mistake or results in a single additional referral, it will more than pay for itself. My goal is for every reader to find tips that will save them thousands of dollars in lost time, effort, and expense.
You can also access a set of online forms that accompany the book. These are not restricted to purchasers, however, and can be accessed below.
Interested in a more personal approach? I also offer one-to-one consultations in person or via zoom at the equivalent of my standard clinical rate (plus GST/HST). Contact me for details.
You can also take my online course based on the book. This course is designed with the Canadian mental health practitioner in mind, but is helpful for practitioners in other jurisdictions as well. See the preview below or go directly to psychologysalon.teachable.com where you will find the course Private Practice in Canada.
“This is an extremely helpful checklist of all the multiple tasks that go into starting up and maintaining a private practice. It is clearly written, easy to read and the author has collated all the information from the workshops he has conducted on this topic over the years. Full of tips, cautions and links to handy printouts, I would recommend this to fledgling and experienced private practice therapists alike.”
—Amazon Reviewer
“I really appreciate how this book was written. It is very straight forward, helpful and the sense of humor incorporated in it makes for an enjoyable read!”
—Amazon Reviewer
“I started my private practice 14 months ago and I wish I had known to buy this book first. Lots of information. An easy read. Buy the book”
—Amazon Reviewer
Private Practice in Canada
Based on the material in Private Practice Made Simple, this online on-demand course provides guidance on everything you need to build a successful private practice. The emphasis is on the Canadian situation (including material on taxation and the Canadian public health system) but will prove helpful to practitioners in other jurisdictions as well. Once you purchase the course, your access to it does not expire. Click on the video to see the trailer.
Downloadable Materials
Private Practice Made Simple is designed to help mental health practitioners establish or enhance their businesses. The book makes reference to a series of exercises and forms that can help. These additional resources can be downloaded FREE, whether or not you purchase the book or course (though you may find them more useful if you have the book as a backup).
These individual forms have been formatted with larger left-hand margins so that you can keep them in a three ring binder.
Why Private Practice? (pdf). From Chapter 1, a form to help you identify your reasons for pursuing private work.
Why Not Private Practice? (pdf). From Chapter 1, a complementary form inviting you to identify your reservations about this career option.
Naming Your Practice (pdf). From Chapter 2, an exercise sheet to help you come up with a practice name.
Practice Populations (pdf). From Chapter 2, a form to help you define the groups of clients you want to see.
Office Space Viewing Sheet (pdf). From Chapter 2, a form to take with you when you inspect potential office suites for your practice.
Office Preparation Sheet (pdf). From Chapter 3, a checklist to help you prepare a new office suite for mental health practice.
Potential Referral Sources (pdf). From Chapter 4, a brainstorming sheet to help you identify prospective referral sources for your practice.
Sample Practice Announcement (pdf). From Chapter 4, a sample letter to help you generate your own practice announcement.
Sample Referral Form (pdf). From Chapter 4, a sample referral form.
Naming the Website (pdf). From Chapter 5, a brainstorming sheet to help you come up with a website name.
Web Content Survey (pdf). From Chapter 5, an exercise sheet to use when surveying the content on other practitioner’s sites.
Your Website Design (pdf). From Chapter 5, a series of design pages to assist you in laying out the content for your website.
Abbreviations for Client Notes (pdf). From Chapter 6. Many clinicians use abbreviations in their client notes, but regulatory bodies require that these be understandable by others. A sample definition sheet.
Client Demographic Form (pdf). From Chapter 6, a sample intake form for clients to complete before their first session.
Private Practice Income Calculation (pdf). From Chapter 7, a form to help you calculate your required and projected revenues, and an approximate monthly paycheque for yourself.
Clinic Assistant Hours Calculation Form (pdf). From Chapter 8, a form to help you decide whether or not to hire an assistant.
Home to Work Transition Form (pdf). From Chapter 10, a sheet to help you generate an effective transition ritual when you go from home to work.
Work to Home Transition Form (pdf). From Chapter 10, a sheet to help you generate a transition ritual when you leave work to head home.
Private Practice Task Balancing Form (pdf). From Chapter 11, a form intended to be completed when you first start your practice and annually thereafter as a means of preventing burnout. Every now and then you should look at the various types of work you do to see if you need to rework the balance.
Your Burnout Warning Signs (pdf). From Chapter 12, a self-exploration exercise to help you identify your own signs of impending burnout so that you can start using these as cues to take better care of yourself.