For many mental health professionals, their dream is to open a private practice. Many go to school to one day create a private practice so they can help others. For many, however, the reality of having a private practice often remains a dream. From Internship and beyond, most mental health professionals are stuck in low-paying, stressful jobs with little room for advancement. As a result, the idea of creating a private practice becomes more and more daunting as time goes by. 

However, creating a private practice is possible, regardless of how long you have been in the profession. You need a starting point, a guidepost that can provide concrete steps toward creating a private practice. This workshop is that guidepost. To that end, introductions are in order. I have been a therapist for almost twelve years and have exclusively worked for my private practice for the past six years. I started building the foundations of my private practice while I was an Intern. I have had successes failures and have spent much of my time learning how to market my private practice. I have spoken at over 80 locations and have written two books. This workshop aims to take what I have learned and teach you what to do and what to avoid.

In this workshop, you will learn how to pick a location for your practice, how to choose the right specialties to treat, the ethics behind creating a private practice, software programs your business will need, and how to market your private practice. In addition, you will earn 3 hours of CEUs if you are an LPC or Psychologist within Texas.

This workshop is a three-hour course on building a private practice from the ground up. Below is a sample of what you will learn while attending the course:

For many mental health professionals, their dream is to open a private practice. Many go to school to one day create a private practice so they can help others. For many, however, the reality of having a private practice often remains a dream. From Internship and beyond, most mental health professionals are stuck in low-paying, stressful jobs with little room for advancement. As a result, the idea of creating a private practice becomes more and more daunting as time goes by. 

However, creating a private practice is possible, regardless of how long you have been in the profession. You need a starting point, a guidepost that can provide concrete steps toward creating a private practice. This workshop is that guidepost. To that end, introductions are in order. I have been a therapist for almost twelve years and have exclusively worked for my private practice for the past six years. I started building the foundations of my private practice while I was an Intern. I have had successes failures and have spent much of my time learning how to market my private practice. I have spoken at over 80 locations and have written two books. This workshop aims to take what I have learned and teach you what to do and what to avoid.

In this workshop, you will learn how to pick a location for your practice, how to choose the right specialties to treat, the ethics behind creating a private practice, software programs your business will need, and how to market your private practice. In addition, you will earn 3 hours of CEUs if you are an LPC or Psychologist within Texas.

This workshop is a three-hour course on building a private practice from the ground up. Below is a sample of what you will learn while attending the course:

What you choose to specialize in within your private practice will determine how successful you are. Picking specialties that are common or easily treatable will yield few results. Within this workshop, you will learn more about choosing the correct specialty for you. While you can choose to treat a wide range of conditions, your specialties will help create your brand and how others remember you and your work.

Creating a Private Practice has numerous ethical considerations. How to protect client confidentially, how to communicate with Clients, and how to store their information are common issues therapists face. Most therapists do not realize if they have taken any insurance of any kind in the past; they are bound by HIPAA and must have similar procedures as a hospital. This workshop will give you a rundown of what you need to consider while building a practice, so you and your Clients are protected. 

Building a Private Practice requires numerous tools. Where do I treat Clients? Can I treat via teletherapy? What software programs do I need? How do I write Client notes? These are some of the questions you will have if building a private practice. We will cover software programs needed to protect your Client data and ensure ease of access.

One of the main questions therapists have will be how they find Clients. Unfortunately, our education did not include marketing. Marketing your practice will become your main job until you have a steady caseload. This workshop will discuss how to can create a website, business cards, and how to use social media to market your practice. Marketing is difficult and time-consuming, but it is required for success. 

For most therapists in private practice, spending time in your office treating Clients will not be enough. You will need to think outside the box to gain Clients. Once you have chosen a specialty, you need to research and become an expert in your field. Writing books and speaking engagements are essential for the success of your practice. This workshop will discuss how to begin these activities to become a true expert in your field. 

Creating a Private Practice has numerous ethical considerations. How to protect client confidentially, how to communicate with Clients, and how to store their information are common issues therapists face. Most therapists do not realize if they have taken any insurance of any kind in the past; they are bound by HIPAA and must have similar procedures as a hospital. This workshop will give you a rundown of what you need to consider while building a practice, so you and your Clients are protected. 

One of the main questions therapists have will be how they find Clients. Unfortunately, our education did not include marketing. Marketing your practice will become your main job until you have a steady caseload. This workshop will discuss how to can create a website, business cards, and how to use social media to market your practice. Marketing is difficult and time-consuming, but it is required for success. 

Nathan Driskell is a writer, public speaker, and therapist specializing in treating Internet Addiction and High Functioning Autism. 

Nathan is a former Internet Addict who spent six years of his life trapped within an online game. After choosing to escape his online world, he decided to become a therapist to help others with this addiction. Unfortunately, with the advent of Smartphones and Social Media, Digital Addiction is quickly becoming a mental health crisis the world is not prepared to combat. Nathan has created workshops to help professionals learn how to treat both Autism and Internet Addiction. 

Nathan has a private practice in the Houston / Cypress area where he sees children, adolescents, and adults addicted to the Internet or have High Functioning Autism. Nathan has been in practice for over eleven years and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in good standing within Texas. If you wish to learn more about Nathan, visit his website: https://nathandriskell.com.