In the course of managing Owl Practice, I come in contact with hundreds of therapists and practices across Canada. I often start these conversations by asking, “How do you manage your practice today?“
A typical answer (after “sigh…”) is a patchwork quilt that includes elements like handwritten invoices (some with carbon copies!), the Excel-Word duo, filing cabinets, and progress notes on USB drives.
Often, these therapists are reaching out to us at Owl because they know there’s got to be a better way to get things done in practice life.
Tips For Practice Success in 2015
In the spirit of new beginnings, I thought I’d share some of the best practices I encounter as I speak to therapists across the country about how they manage being in private practice. Here is a selection.
Successful therapists in private practice:
- Focus on what they’re good at. Most therapists are tremendous empaths and are at their best in client-facing sessions helping someone overcome a life challenge. Good therapists are focused on finding ways to do this more each day.
- Delegate what they’re not good at. From bookkeepers to practice management software, they know when to bring someone on to the team, or begin using a new tool, to streamline practice operations. This creates focus on the highest-value activities for their practice (like seeing more clients).
- Have a growth plan. Whether it’s moving from part-time to full-time private practice or adding associates to their team, they have a plan for what their practice will look like in the future and a timeline to get there.
- Wear the two hats of therapist and practice owner. No matter how much help they have with their practice, successful private practitioners know when to be the therapist, and when to pull back and be the business-minded owner.
- Work hard to improve the lives of their clients. I’m struck in each conversation how dedicated each therapist is to improving the lives of their clients. One person at a time, they’re helping to make the world a better place.
There’s a lot more I’ve learned in my conversations, so I’ll be sure to pass along more insights in future newsletters. Up next month, Managing Your Annual Fee Change.
Finally, I hope you get off to a great start with practice life in 2015!
Practice wisely!
