Getting Started in Private Practice

All the tips and tools you need to build a successful mental health practice from the ground up

Many mental health professionals currently working for group practices, hospitals, and private or government agencies have both the skills and the drive to become solo practitioners. But how and where do you begin?

Getting Started in Private Practice is a reliable reference that offers the comprehensive information and armchair motivation you need to establish and build your own practice from the ground up. User-friendly and full of helpful tips, this handy book provides you with tools and techniques for starting and maintaining a thriving private practice, including information on:
* Discovering your ideal practice
* Creating a business plan
* Financing your start-up
* Setting fees
* Setting up shop and measuring results
* Minimizing risk
* Managing managed care
* Marketing your practice
* Generating referrals
* Utilizing additional print, Web, and organizational resources


From major concerns such as ethics and liability to day-to-day matters like selecting stationery and business cards, Getting Started in Private Practice puts the best solutions at your fingertips. Whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned pro, this invaluable resource will help you minimize the uncertainty of establishing a solo practice while maximizing the rewards.

Series Preface ix

Introduction 1

1. Discover Your Ideal Practice 5

2. Finance Your Start-Up Practice 23

3. Create a Business Plan 43

4. Set Your Fees 51

5. Set Up Shop and Measure Results 69

6. Minimize Risk 107

7. Manage Managed Care 123

8. Market Your Practice 141

9. Discover and Market Your Niche 163

10. Generate Referrals 181

11. Attract Media Attention 195

12. Advertise Your Practice 217

13. Presentations, Speeches, and Workshops 243

14. Customer Service Skills for Therapists 259

15. Self-Care for Therapists 269

Appendix. Sample Forms 283

Glossary 323

References 325

Index 335

Chris E. Stout, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves as Illinois’s first Chief of Psychological Services for the Department of Human Services/Office of Mental Health. He has published or presented over 300 papers and twenty-nine books and manuals on various topics in psychology.

Laurie Cope Grand, MS, MFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of numerous books on practice management, including The Therapist’s Advertising and Marketing Kit and The Therapist’s Newsletter Kit, both from Wiley.

All the tips and tools you need to build a successful mental health practice from the ground up

Many mental health professionals currently working for group practices, hospitals, and private or government agencies have both the skills and the drive to become solo practitioners. But how and where do you begin?

Getting Started in Private Practice is a reliable reference that offers the comprehensive information and armchair motivation you need to establish and build your own practice from the ground up. User-friendly and full of helpful tips, this handy book provides you with tools and techniques for starting and maintaining a thriving private practice, including information on:

• Discovering your ideal practice
• Creating a business plan
• Financing your start-up
• Setting fees
• Setting up shop and measuring results
• Minimizing risk
• Managing managed care
• Marketing your practice
• Generating referrals
• Utilizing additional print, Web, and organizational resources

From major concerns such as ethics and liability to day-to-day matters like selecting stationery and business cards, Getting Started in Private Practice puts the best solutions at your fingertips. Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned pro, this invaluable resource will help you min­imize the uncertainty of establishing a solo practice while maximizing the rewards.