By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC

You graduate and are now out in the world as a new therapist, determined to help others.  Maybe you go through the grunt work at an agency where you see 35+ clients a week with low pay to get licensed and now you want something different. You want flexibility with your schedule – to get to choose the clients you work with, and you want to be paid well. 
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You went to graduate school to become a therapist so that you can help those struggling with their mental health and those who have experienced trauma, not to learn about business and marketing. So either you’re nervous to start your private practice because you are worried you won’t be able to get clients or maybe you jump into private practice and have the constant worry that you will never have a sustainable caseload.

 What if I told you that you could have a never ending stream of new client inquiries AND help those who do not always have access to the mental health care they need? 

By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC
​Private Practice Consultation
Private Practice Workshops & Seminars

It can be scary starting out on your own.  Will I be able to fill my schedule?  Will I be able to pay my bills?  How will potential clients find me?

When you are trying to start a private practice, there are several ways to increase your visibility and referral sources in your area.  You can join different groups on social media outlets, post ads through Facebook or LinkedIn, or use tools like Google Ad Words.  You can make sure that your website has strong SEO (search engine optimization).  The most important method for me is meeting other therapists face-to-face and building those relationships. 

What people often do not share is how you can turn people off when trying to increase your visibility to increase your caseload. 

Here are the top 5 reasons why I may not send clients your way.