Starting Your Counseling Practice: Five Critical Factors

After passing the licensing exam, the next commitment is either a counseling agency job or building your own private practice. While working for an agency is great experience, a private practice can be much more rewarding personally and financially. This article will discuss five crucial elements that a counselor must successfully navigate to successfully build a private practice.

The Business Plan

Although the idea of a business plan sounds more like sitting through graduate school than serving your future clientele, it is a prerequisite toward channeling your best creative efforts toward helping those clients. The business plan will assist you in maintaining an operational and financial balance. This plan is in writing and sets out your goals and how you plan to meet them. It should be understandable and articulate how the finances will assist you in meeting both you, and your client’s objectives. Consider it a much more creative version of your academic plan except that you are in charge and can make adjustments as needed.

The Marketing Plan

A marketing plan operates on the same principles as your business plan except that the focus is strictly on selling your services. Unfortunately simply hanging out a shingle is not going to be enough to build your practice. The American Counseling Association has many resources for its members that provide successful professional and ethical approaches. Many of these strategies revolve around offering free seminars and classes as a way to introduce your business to those in need.

Researching Licensing Requirements

You also need to find out what the licensing needs are for your business in the city and county where you intend to practice, and file the appropriate paperwork. Purchasing liability insurance is another business matter that must be taken care of. Consult your insurance agent and the American Counseling Association to assess your needs.

Selecting Your Online Space

A professional online presence is fast becoming one of the more crucial aspects that spell success or failure for a private practice. This section was titled in a way that highlighted the importance of your website as compared with your office space. After all, your client will most likely enter your online space before they decide to enter your physical space. This expense will be a vital part of your business and marketing plans. You may need professional assistance to develop a website that both draws newcomers, as well as positively reinforces those you may have met at a seminar or through a referral.

Renting Office Space

Like all of your decisions, the office space is based on your clientele and your finances. You can go high-end or low-end, or you can do something creative. Ask around about office parks in your area that cater to one person businesses. Find out if there is a counselor in town who leases spaces to other counselors and shares facilities. Another option is to lease an office space from a doctor or another health care provider within their facility. This strategy may also build your business by providing an immediate identity within a medical environment.
Starting a private practice is like starting a business. The crucial issues above provide a guideline but only you can do the additional research and make it happen. Private practice income can be significantly more than an agency job but the upfront investments in time and money must be made to ensure success.

Angela Hartley is a freelance consultant and writes on behalf of Alpha Tree Marketing. A firm dedicated to helping your small business plant, grow and profit from your online presence.

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