3 How To Starting Private Practice In Psychology

(doylc.com) How to Start a Private Practice in Psychology - Many clinicians are drawn to the idea of ​​starting their own private psychology practice, but are discouraged by the steps involved in starting a business. This can be especially the case for those who have no commercial or marketing training. But with some hard work and dedication, you can successfully open your own practice.

• Earn your credentials

1. Decide what type of psychology degree you want to earn. Depending on the type of psychology you wish to practice, you will need to obtain the necessary schooling, degrees, and certifications.

If you are interested in becoming a social worker or counselor, you must earn your master's degree in one of these fields.

If you are interested in becoming a psychologist and practicing psychotherapy or other modalities, you will need a Ph.D. Degree (Doctor of Philosophy) or PhD in Psy.D. (Diploma Doctor of Psychology). The Psy.D is similar to the Ph.D. except that it is tailored to train psychologists to become clinicians in a wide range of clinical settings, rather than focusing on research.

If you are most interested in becoming a psychiatrist and prescribing psychiatric drug therapy, you will need a medical degree (MD) and a three-year or longer training program.

2. Consider adding some business courses. If your degree offers it, take a few business courses to get a handle on some of the basics. These tools are invaluable when dealing with your practice's payroll, appointment booking, and other office tasks.

3. Consider working with another practice before starting your own. It may be beneficial to work with another established practice before starting your own business. Not only does this give you a guaranteed paycheck, but also the opportunity to network with patients, gain hands-on experience, and see how to run a business.

4. Apply for a work permit. After you have completed your schooling and degree, you will likely need to obtain a license before entering private practice.

Check your local state regulations to see what type of license you need for your type of practice.

Typically, social workers require two years of supervised clinical experience before they can apply for a license or enter private practice.

Psychologists are usually required to complete an internship and have a few years of professional experience before they can be admitted into private practice.

Psychiatrists are typically required to graduate from an accredited medical school, complete residency training, and then pass a licensing exam before opening their own private practice.

5. Apply for a business license. In addition to the business license, you also need a business license before you can hang your shingle.

Depending on where you live and your local regulations, there are specific procedures for registering your business. You can get more information from the responsible public order office in your municipality or your municipal council.

In addition to following your local procedures, you may also consider registering your business as an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or PLLC (Limited Liability Company). While individual states have different laws regarding this type of business, registering your new practice as an LLC or PLLC can help protect you and your personal assets from liability and lawsuits against your professional practice. However, this does not replace other types of insurance and does not fully protect you from possible patient lawsuits.

6. Get insurance. It's important that you meet with an attorney or insurance agent to discuss what type of liability insurance you need. It's also a good idea to discuss income tax issues.

• Planning and preparation

1. Decide on the specialty of your practice. The next important step is figuring out what type of practice you want to have.

Narrow down what type of patients you want to see and what types of conditions you want to treat based on your specialty, degree type, and/or certification. This will also help you narrow down things like location and office functions: for example, if you plan to treat children, meet other office setups!

See what other psychologists are offering in your area and find an area to focus on that doesn't have much competition. This can help you carve out your own unique niche in the market.

2. Decide on your location and building type. Depending on the type of client you want to treat, you can get an idea of ​​where your office is best located and what type of space best suits their needs.

Ideally, your office is close to a major freeway or bus route and is easily accessible.

If you're considering a primary care practice or work with children, consider suburban rather than downtown locations.

Look for an office space that has a reception area, a large treatment room, and a smaller room for your office.

If you are planning to meet families, be sure to look for an office space with meeting rooms large enough to accommodate multiple people at once.

Consider sharing the space with other professionals in a business suite or subletting the space from another professional. This is a great option for keeping other overheads (like utilities, office equipment, or furniture) down.

If you live in a large house that has a separate entrance, you can always consider converting a room into a treatment room.

3. Find a mentor. It can be helpful to seek guidance from a fellow practitioner, especially one who has started private practice. If you have old professors, consultants, or classmates from your college work who have started their own practice, email them and ask if they would be willing to offer you advice, recommendations, and mentors as you start your business.

4. Familiarize yourself with insurance accounting. If you decide to take out insurance in your practice, you will make arrangements with several reputable insurance companies to protect their customers. It is best to contact these companies directly to set up a billing protocol with them.

5. Hire staff. If you don't plan to handle all the administrative tasks like scheduling appointments, keeping medical records, billing, and payroll, you might want to consider hiring some administrative assistants to help you out.

• Growth of your business

1. Build a professional looking website. A strong web presence will help you catch the attention of new customers who are looking for help.

Your website should include a mission statement and a detailed description of your areas of expertise.

Also include some information about yourself and your background so clients can get to know you and see if you would be a good match for them.

You should also provide some details about what a typical therapy session looks like for you, what insurance you cover, and what your typical session prices are. Don't be afraid to list your prices, and remember that your hourly rate should also include business costs and overheads.

2. Advertise. You need to sell your practice and services to potential new clients to grow your business, and there are several ways to get your name out there.

If you are a member of a professional organization such as the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, you may list your practice in their online directory.

You can also place ads in your local yellow pages or newspapers.

3. Build your customer base. Rather than waiting for new clients to find you, continue to grow your client base and practice by actively seeking them out.

Giving free talks at places like schools or community centers; Introduce yourself and your practice to those who might benefit from your specialized services.

Imagine other businesses or professionals like doctors, educators, or religious leaders who can refer clients to you. Ask them if you can leave some business cards to give to anyone interested.

Network with other psychologists who are practicing successfully but in a field different from your own. Build a relationship with them and ask if they would refer clients to your practice for specialized treatment.

4. Keep training and developing new skills. Even after you have started your business, you and your practice will benefit from continuing your education, developing new skills and broadening your horizons.

Look for advanced programs that offer specialty certifications in specific areas. This not only allows you to constantly acquire new skills, but also to network.


Keep an eye on career trends. Be aware of how the profession and public opinion and needs are changing. For example, if a form of therapy seems to be falling out of favor, you should consider switching your practice from that form of treatment to what appears to be a new, in-demand, and desirable form of treatment.

Diversify your practice by adding new specialists and joining another psychologist, or by offering other types of services such as: B.: B. Conduct workshops for companies or serve as their advisors.

5. Polish up your professional image. A growing trend in business practice, including private psychological practices, is to create an effective, easily identifiable "brand image" for yourself and your services.

Think about your practice's logo; Ideally, it's visually appealing, says something about you and your accomplishments, and is easy to remember.

Get opinions from friends and professional contacts on your printed materials (business cards and letterhead) and website. You want to be sure that your business documents make a good impression and show your success.

Spend some time refining your office decor. Your office should feel comfortable and reflect some of your personal style. Consider making small updates every few years to stay fresh and current.

Keep your website up to date and consider including recent patient testimonials (with identity concealed, of course).

Consider increasing your online presence and youthful, hip appearance by incorporating elements of social media. Proceed carefully though, you don't want to look too youthful and unprofessional by tweeting " all the time ".