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In 2013 the American Psychological Association (APA) reported that31.5%of members who were employed full-time were owners of independent private practices. What the report failed to mention is that not a single APA accredited program included courses onhowto open a private practice. By way of analogy, they dress you up for the party, but they don’t tell you how to get there.
Successful and seasoned counselors in private practice all have one thing in common; they each had to learn how to be entrepreneurs. No doubt they would agree on one thing: if they had begun to develop the skills needed to be a savvy business personwhile still in college, they would have been much better prepared for the real world.
A Private Practice is a Business
Most students studying to become counselors have chosen this field because they want to help people; they are the givers in the world. The mind-set that accompanies the altruistic personality is typically not concerned with nor prepared for what lies ahead in the fiercely competitive world of business. Therefore, with that in mind, it is necessary to begin to acquire knowledge today and develop skills which will prepare you for what will ultimately become one of the most glaring realities of your career.
Mona Cummings Ph.D., attended college in Minnesota and returned to her home in Ohio to open her private practice. After 23 years she still remembers the hurdles:
“One of the greatest shocks in my life came when I was establishing my private practice. No one told me the business challenges and obstacles I would have to overcome in order to be successful. I didn’t even know how to read a simple spreadsheet.”
The Good News
In order to develop the skills which your business will require, there are subject areas which are essential to master to some extent. And if you start now, you will have the benefit of being in college and having the chance to enroll in certain helpful classes which your institution may offer and your schedule may accommodate. Introductory college courses are great for learning the basics in the areas in which you will need to be familiarized.
Ronald D. Jackson MC, discovered that in Washington, a counselor needed a website to earn credibility. He was not able to pay for someone to design his website; he found himself very much in need of advice and instruction:
“I ended up taking an online course in basic web-design. Before that I had no clue what I was doing! I am a counselor! It was a real wake-up call to confront the fact that I needed to understand business.”
The Most Important Thing…
Believe it or not, you have already done the most important thing; you have become aware of the facts. You are now able to turn the tide in your direction and conquer some of the challenges ahead of schedule. The only thing more powerful than your awareness is doing something about it.
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