Our Philosophy for Working in Community
As an organization we first tried to outline the matrix of values that guide decision making in a document. We created it in 2007. We named it CCC’s Philosophy of […]
Mandatory owner’s skills: How to know if you have what it takes
The owner’s skills will determine if a solo practice grows. Sometimes this is hard to face, but the organization will take on the character of the founder. There really is […]
How to think about the basics of managing leaders
I remember the moment when I realized that I needed to learn how to manage leaders. We had grown to a second location in a different community fifty minutes away […]
Matching one’s leadership style to the environment
One’s leadership style many seem relatively unchangeable. It should not be. David Maister wrote a short but insightful chapter on “Partnership Governance.” He sets up the discussion about one’s leadership […]
How many referrals do you need for a full caseload?
One of the early concerns when starting to build a practice is how to have enough referrals for a full caseload. I suggest that 1000 sessions per year is a good […]
How to accelerate the building of a full-time caseload
How long does it usually take to build a full-time caseload? In my experience, when one is starting from scratch in a new community and one takes the typical approaches […]
Why join insurance panels
Should I become a provider on all the insurance panels in my area? One can find many practice management consultants promoting the “cash only” model of outpatient psychotherapy. There are […]
Daily business demand #1: Scheduling
For the client who is scheduling an appointment, the process of therapy begins with a phone call. The client begins to learn about the therapy process from how the first […]
Daily business demand #2: Providing therapy
When we meet with a client, i.e., when we are providing therapy, we are offering a service. And clients are purchasing that service. There is a commercial transaction that is […]
Learning to manage myself: Solving my self-imposed roller coaster
One of my larger challenges was learning how to manage myself. Before I could find sustainable growth, I had to get out of my own way. As you will see, […]
Daily business demand #3: Billing
When I was a solo practitioner, there were times when my insurance billing got months behind. Doing therapy was my focus. I ignored my paperwork until I was in a […]
Weekly business demand #4: Collecting
Collecting our fees comes before we can pay our bills. Practices of all sizes require efficient and consistent methods for collecting the money owed to the practice. With few exceptions, […]
Weekly business demand #5: Planning marketing
Marketing does not need to be done every day. . . but therein lies the trouble. We cannot ignore daily chores like scheduling, doing therapy, billing, and collecting. We know […]
Walking our staff through a crisis
A case example We moved into crisis management mode really fast. In 2011 Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBS) cut the fees they paid us. It was significant. For doctoral-level […]
How to estimate your private practice income
Estimating your private practice income can help define where to focus attention. The basic financial formulas are pretty simple. And even those with a math phobia can grasp the concepts […]
Authenticity: The real me vs the office me
Authenticity requires that I bring my real self to the therapy office. And yet, we can be tempted by those clients who think you are just the most wonderful person […]
Mistaken ideas that I needed to overcome
Our attitudes about what we are doing in therapy can set us up. Mistaken ideas can lead to self-criticism and doubt, or they can guide our thinking toward more achievable […]
Creating demand by marketing
Practices succeed when they market services to the community they reside in a consistent, congruent, and appealing way. But creating demand by marketing does not come natural to many of […]
A different language: What tracking numbers can tell us
When I began my private practice, it was not difficult to keep track of the financial picture. Tracking numbers was kind of a game. The business had one checking account. […]
Rainmaker Lessons: Staying optimistic when marketing
In Ford Harding’s book about those who are super salespersons, he talks about “enthusiasm” as a key characteristic possessed by these rainmakers. (Ford Harding (2006), Creating rainmakers: The manager’s guide […]
Finding the right psychotherapy markets
We have three major psychotherapy markets in the mental health field: potential clients, potential clients’ trusted advisors, and insurance companies. We need to connect with each of these in order to […]
Branding: A name, some services, and how the dream becomes real
There are many misconceptions about what branding is. Usually, the first thing that comes to mind is a name, a sign, a logo, or a design used in marketing materials. […]
Overcoming false beliefs about money, business, & selling
One of the biggest challenges I faced in building a business was overcoming false beliefs. I had many attitudes and beliefs that held me back from business success. These trace back […]
How to become a community of clinicians
Becoming a community of clinicians does not happen by chance. It takes a plan. Let’s explore this topic by first thinking about what it means to be a community. com·mu·ni·ty […]
Business success: What does it take?
In my view, business success is partly based on the owner’s willingness to do what the business requires in all circumstances. And it is partly based on the personality of […]
