Mindset

So, I hate New Year’s Resolutions. They feel forced. If you want to change something, you should start now instead of waiting for some magical date. (Ok, do you hear that? That’s the hustler in me. I’m fighting her like crazy.) Let’s restart... One of the things I recognized about myself in 2015 is that I have a hustling problem. Too much of my identity is rooted in achievement. It always has been. All the podcasts and books and business instagram accounts and everything talk about “living like …

If there’s one thing I know about practice-building, it’s that it has really hard moments. Usually it’s not the clinical aspects of the job or even the business side of things. Typically it’s our “stuff” that hops up in our faces as we trudge forward. It’s the worry when the phone doesn’t ring (help here). It’s the money stuff we’ve carried for years that makes us stick our heads in the sand and hope the financial side of our business is okay instead of knowing exactly what to expect month to mo…

If I were to tell you that all you had to do to become a therapist was to read some blog posts and  books and then you’d be prepared to manage clinical relationships, crisis intervention, relapse prevention, someone with delusions threatening you, sit with someone in their deepest moments of despair, what would you think? Some people with a voracious appetite for learning, friends who were therapists that they could go to, and a natural ability to navigate boundaries could turn out some great se…

Today's Guest Post is from Bina Bird, of Haslet, TX. Bina's an active member of the Abundance Practice-Building Facebook Group (feel free to hop in for some great community and support) and it has been awesome to watch her transition from a total newbie to private practice, to getting enough clients that it's TOUGH to work full time. I love this blog post because she lays it out simply in nuts and bolts fashion as she's going through it (vs. my version that involves hindsight). Check out her awe…

I’m often asked where new private practitioners should scrimp vs where they should splurge. I have some fairly strong opinions on this after 10+ years of practice and want to share them with you. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but my hope is that the explanations will help you assess the  various options that come up for you. Let’s talk about Return on Investment (ROI, this ROI isn’t Release of Information). When you get into your own business, ROI is a very important aspect of how and why you s…

This month’s guest post is from Seida Hood, MSW. She has been an active member of the Abundance Practice Builders Facebook Group (c'mon in, you're welcome to join) from it’s early stages and has given and gotten lots of great support there. As a pre-licensed therapist, she is in the trenches with the rest of you on the path to get the magical letters after your name after years of work. I love this post because it so beautifully encapsulates the soaring highs and demoralizing lows of early priva…

Here’s the optimistic picture most people create about networking: You’re at a “networking event” in your new favorite outfit, feeling confident, looking great. Your most polished self is ready to dazzle them with your obvious charm, intelligence and sparkling white teeth. People hang on your every word and greedily collect your cards. They have a caseload full of people to send you on Monday. They’re so glad they met you. Here’s the pessimistic picture: You’re at a “networking event.” It feels …