Running a private practice requires managing finances and billing, keeping your clients’ privacy protected, marketing your services, and investing in your ongoing professional growth. Owl Practice supports Canadian therapists, psychotherapists, counsellors, and psychologists across all these areas, so you can spend more time delivering quality care to your clients.
Some people spend years training to become therapists, dreaming of opening their own practice. However, all of their training doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll have what they need to run a successful small business. And that’s exactly what a private mental health practice actually is! You may be an expert in supporting your clients’ mental health, but know nothing about business taxes, staffing, billing, and all the other aspects that come with small business ownership.
Owl Practice supports Canadian mental health professionals with both the clinical side of their practice, including our Circle of Care feature, clinical notes, and video telehealth, and the everyday business tasks that keep things running.
Learn what you need to know about running your practice in this small business therapy guide.
Managing Finances and Billing
The financial side of a private practice covers invoicing clients after sessions, processing payments, tracking your income, and having organized financial records ready at tax time.
For therapists, psychotherapists, counsellors, and psychologists going into private practice, the financial aspect of opening a small business can be incredibly stressful.
There are a lot of moving parts, from billing to staying organized for tax time. Without a reliable system in place, it’s easy for things to pile up.
Owl Practice simplifies the financial side of your mental health practice by offering a billing system. When a client arrives for their session, the system automatically creates an invoice for them. They can pay for their session through Owl Practice using Stripe and store their information for future payments. Best of all, Owl Practice securely stores these financial records, and you and your clients can access them at any time.
Owl Practice also makes it easy to track your income over time and generate the documentation you need at tax time. You’ll have a clear picture of your practice’s financial health with no need for separate accounting software. Whether you are just starting or managing a growing group practice, having your invoicing and records all in one place saves you time and stress.
Using Bank-Level Encryption
A Canadian private practice needs PHIPA and college compliance, bank-level encryption, and data stored on dedicated Canadian servers.
As a mental health practitioner, you know the importance of your clients’ privacy and security. But as a small business owner, your digital security needs to go even further.
Owl Practice gives you the security your clients deserve and the peace of mind you need. Bank-level encryption (SSL) protects your clinical notes, financial documents, and schedules, all stored on our dedicated Canadian servers. Our practice management system is PHIPA and college-compliant, so your data stays right where it belongs: in Canada. And because your devices store none of the information, you can access your practice from anywhere, worry-free.
We also back up all of your data regularly on our two Canadian servers, one in Toronto, one in Montreal. If one were ever to fail, all of your information would still be safe on the other.
Handling Schedules and Reminders
If you don’t have dedicated admin staff behind you as a small business, then it’s up to you to schedule and reschedule appointments, send out reminders, and book the working hours of your team. These administrative tasks are necessary, but you likely want to spend most of your time with your clients rather than sitting at a desk. That means you need a way to automate these essential tasks.
Owl Practice’s scheduling features let you manage your calendar with ease. You can access and update your schedule anywhere on any device through your web browser, no app download needed. Your clients can even book, reschedule, or cancel their own sessions online, freeing up a ton of your time.
Even better, you can automate appointment reminders to send out to your clients on a schedule you set. Missed appointments mean less time doing the work you love, and Owl Practice users report no-show rates under 4% when using automated reminders.
Automated reminders also help your clients show up consistently for their care. Showing up is one of the most important parts of the process, and every reminder you send is an investment in your clients’ well-being as much as in your practice. For anyone managing a private practice without admin support, this kind of help makes a real difference.
Marketing Your Practice
Building a client base requires being listed where prospective clients are searching and making an impression that is professional enough to earn referrals.
As a small business owner, marketing is part of the job. An effective way to reach prospective clients is to be where they’re already searching. TherapyOwl, Owl Practice’s free therapist directory, makes that easy. You don’t need to be an Owl Practice user to create a listing, and it’s free for therapists and for people searching for care alike.
You don’t even need to be an Owl Practice user to sign up for a profile! On your listing page, you can add various details, including:
- Your photo
- Your location
- Your qualifications and specialties
- Whether you’re currently accepting new clients
When someone searches for a mental health professional in your area, you’ll pop up! It’s an incredible marketing opportunity for small business owners.
Word-of-mouth is also an effective way to grow a private practice. Delivering an exceptional client experience, like easy online booking, shows clients your practice is organized and worth recommending. Owl Practice helps you make that impression every time.
Investing in Professional Growth
For therapists in private practice, professional development can involve formal continuing education, peer consultation groups, clinical supervision, conference attendance, or independent reading and research.
Professional development requirements vary by province, but growing as a clinician is an ongoing commitment. For example, in Ontario, the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) requires registrants to complete 40 hours of professional development every two years as part of its quality assurance program.
Having less on your plate makes a real difference. When Owl Practice handles your scheduling, billing, and day-to-day client communications, you reclaim hours that can go toward learning and showing up fully for the people in your care.
Whether you are navigating your first year in private practice or deepening your expertise as a seasoned clinician, committing to your own professional development is one of the most valuable investments you can make, in your clients and in yourself.
Run Your Private Practice With Owl Practice’s Therapy Business Essentials
Running a private practice calls for billing systems, scheduling tools, airtight security, and the confidence that someone has it all covered so you can be fully present for your clients.
Built in Canada, Owl Practice provides PHIPA-compliant data storage, billing, scheduling, and integrated payments in one platform. Whether you’re just starting or growing a group practice, you’ll have everything you need to run your practice with professionalism and peace of mind. And when you have questions, our support team is ready to help you every step of the way.
Start your free trial today to learn more about how we can help you manage the business side of your practice.
