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What if You Hate Private Practice?

The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide with Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy

Curt and Katie chat about the realities of private practice and why it isn’t the idyllic career path it’s often made out to be. We dig into reasons therapists may dislike private practice, like financial instability, isolation, lack of accountability, and ethical concerns. We also share ways therapists can navigate these hurdles and find fulfillment in their work.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode we talk through what makes owning a private practice hard

We have seen both overly effusive (“living my best life”) and hopeless (“I will never be successful in private practice”) feedback about being in private practice. But what is it really like? AND if you don’t like private practice is that okay? We decided to dig into what makes being a private practitioner challenging.

Doesn’t everyone LOVE private practice?

· There are a lot of reasons people choose private practice as their job

· Private practice is hard

· Private practice isn’t for everyone

Financial Instability is unavoidable in private practice

· Private practice income can be unpredictable, often lacking benefits and paid time off

· Therapists may need outside financial support to mitigate these challenges

· Starting a private practice easily can rely on financial or able-bodied privilege

· Charging high fees and navigating ethical dilemmas can challenge therapists’ sense of fulfillment and values.

Owning a Private Practice comes with Business Challenges

· With limited business training in grad school, therapists often struggle with marketing, setting up systems, and attracting clients.

· Therapists can overthink how they set up their practice, causing delays and inefficiency

Many Private Practice Clinicians experience isolation

· Private practice can feel lonely

· Networking, consultation groups, and in-person connections are essential for combating isolation.

Private practice can be boring or monotonous

· If you are tightly niched or work only with the worried well, you may encounter little clinical challenge

· If you are only doing one to one work, you may desire more diversity of tasks to stay interested (like teaching, podcasting, etc.)

If you own your own business, figure out how to deal with accountability issues

· Without structured oversight, therapists may face difficulties staying organized or motivated, which can lead to burnout

· Depending on who you talk with, you might convince yourself that no one is caught up on notes or paying their taxes on time – which isn’t accurate.

What can therapists do to make private practice better?

· Network and nurture social and professional support

· Get systems set up (and make them as simple as possible) to streamline your work

· Think about diversifying what you do, to keep yourself engaged with the work

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/

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