1. Ten Effective Strategies for Improving Your Psychotherapy Practice
Mental Health Professionals In Private Practice
Centennial, Colorado
April 19, 2013
Presenter: Howard Baumgarten LPC
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

2. Strategy 1: Take Notes During Session
Promotes concern for client
Information is readily accessible
Saves time
Saves money
Precautions –
Don’t let the process become a distraction
Don’t use this strategy with certain patients
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

3. Strategy 2: In-Session Consultation
Clinical rationale
Complete with care and concern
Time and money saver
Some insurance companies now pay for consultation
Counter indications:
Don’t do when there are other pressing issues
Don’t do when you need to keep conversations among professionals private
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

4. Strategy 3: Create Structure & Flow in Session
Stay within your patient’s allotted time
Though you may like the client to create the session agenda, your job is to manage time and facilitate the session
Creating session structure and flow leads to more success, proper efficiency, better client and business management
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

5. Strategy 4: Termination of Issues
Terminate the issues, not the patient!
Once a client ALWAYS a client!
Discuss termination philosophy on front end of counseling
How to discuss termination of issues
Tapering process
Increases client retention
Less marketing!
Caution – Be responsible & ethical in suggesting appointments! ALWAYS!
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

6. Strategy 5: Maintenance & Prevention Sessions
Schedule routine maintenance & prevention to keep clients connected with you
You become an ongoing resource for them
Keeps you and your services on radar & may increase likelihood client will reach out before crises.
Increases revenue without hard marketing
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

7. Strategy 6: 3 Month Follow-up
Send to clients who have not contacted you in more than three months
Get permission to do so in first session on paperwork
Create a very simple open ended brief questionnaire regarding their treatment, its effectiveness, and whether they would like to schedule follow up at a future time?
This helps with organization of client status and filing
Do not send a bill with this type of mailing!
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

8. Strategy 7:Passion & Care
Passion and care go a long way to creating therapeutic trust, and increasing the likelihood that your client will connect, stay connected, and do the work, return for more services, and refer others to you.
Passion and care alone won’t cut it either!
Watch out for manipulation (know when enough is ENOUGH!)
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

9. Strategy 8: Live a healthy balance
Self Care Plan – Are you following through?
Healthy work/life balance and good self-care are all modeling
What is your self-care plan?
What are three things you’d like to change to make your work/life balance improve?
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

10. Strategy 9: Offer Other Services
Get paid for other related services
Court appearances
Outside meetings
EAP work
Out of session consultations
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

11. Strategy 10: Be a Generalist with Specialties
The key is diversification among areas & populations you are comfortable treating
Makes you more marketable and diverse
Have a few specialties or areas of interests (often your specialties will grow as you grow)
The Key is Diversification!
Caution: don’t take on everything, and don’t undersell your self either! Practice within your scope.
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC

12. Bonus Strategy: Web Presence
Showcase your clinical background and professional interests
Excellent and Inexpensive Marketing Tools!
Pathways on the web:
Website
Social Media
Profiles on search sites: The Therapist Directory
Check out TherapySites.com – A website hosting company for therapists. Use promo code: PromoHB – and get a month free
© 2013 HB Enterprises LLC