Hi, I’m Jennifer and I’m a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California.
Perhaps just like you, I started out my therapist journey working in agency jobs. My first agency job I started while I was still in graduate school in 2015.
And I stuck with agency work in order to have a reliable, steady paycheck until early 2019.
Did I learn a lot while working in agency jobs? Oh yes.
Was I overworked? Yes.
Was I underpaid? Significantly.
Did I burn out? Definitely.
In 2018, I started feeling like something was missing. I remembered what I had dreamed being a therapist would be like prior to starting graduate school. And, in 2018, I was most definitely not where I wanted to be.
Private practice had always, always been my dream.
I wanted the freedom and flexibility to create my own schedule.
I wanted the ability to choose who I wanted to work with.
I wanted to use the approaches and modalities that resonated with me the most rather than use certain modalities because that’s what this employer wants me to do.
I didn’t want to take insurance. I only wanted to do private pay/out-of-network so I could have the freedom to work in the way I wanted.
And, most of all, I wanted to create a practice that felt nourishing to me Because it is my belief — and always has been my belief — that when I feel supported, fulfilled, and nourished in my work, I am better able to help guide clients get to the same place in their lives.
So in Fall of 2018, I started doing private practice part-time while I still worked at agency full-time. By Spring 2019, when I felt like I was at the brink of burnout if I were to continue at a job that felt extremely unsatisfying, I decided to take the leap and jump into private practice full time.
Was it easy? Most definitely not.
Did I get “full” right away? Not until about Late 2019/Winter 2020. You know, right before the pandemic hit. 😉 (Go figure…)
Do I regret any of it? Not one bit.
And the reason I don’t regret any of it is because, during that time, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I needed so I could create a sustainable private practice that I feel supported and fulfilled by.
I have to admit, it’s a constant work in progress. Because as I change and evolve, so does my practice.
I never stay the same, so neither does my practice. My practice evolves and changes with me — and that’s the beauty of being self-employed: You have the freedom to make changes in your business as you change.
You Can Have a Supportive and Sustainable Practice that Feels Nourishing To You Too
As I’ve started my own private practice, I’ve been asked a lot about how I have done it.
And now, I’m finally offering Business Consultation for Therapists. So I can help you:
- Figure out the logistics on how to start your own private practice
- Establish systems and structures in your practice to help reduce stress and overwhelm
- Evaluate your schedule and how you are managing your time so you can feel nourished by your practice rather than overwhelmed by it
- Identify who your ideal clients are
- Identify how you most like to work
- Brainstorm various strategies to market your practice
- Get realistic about what you charge
Are you ready?