A couple of days ago, I suggested that you might use the Therapy Practice Business Assessment as the basis for making some changes to your therapy or counselling practice in 2016. You can read the blog posts in which I made suggestions for Knowing Your Practice and Growing Your Practice by clicking on the links now.

The third pillar of a successful therapy or counselling practice is Valuing Your Practice. This is an area that many practitioners find hard to make changes in, perhaps because of worthiness issues, or a disproportionate focus on clients needs.

What steps could you take in 2016 to put a greater value on your contribution, and what you’d like in your own practice? Here are some ideas…

Valuing Your Part in The Client’s Growth

Really examine the way you see the contribution you bring to your work, by looking in detail at the changes that you have helped clients to make in their lives. Try this exercise. Take a client who recently finished working with you, or who is nearing the end of their work with you. On a piece of paper describe the client as they were when they came to see you first, their demeanour, their presenting issue, their behaviour, how they related to you and to others in their lives. Now describe how they are now, or how they were when they finished. Record all the changes, no matter how small or nuanced, it’s only for your own use! For example, a client I worked with was only able to name two feelings when we first met, by the time they were leaving, they could identify four feelings. Get used to looking for these small changes, even when the work seems to be going nowhere, something is always happening.

Allow Yourself To Fantasise About How You’d Like It To Be In Your Practice

Think for a while about how you’d like it to be if it weren’t for all the obstacles that get in the way (recession, competition etc). Really allow yourself to suspend reality for a moment and dream about the type of practice you’d like to have. What sort of clients would you choose to work with, if there were no limitations? Where would you choose to be based, and in what sort of circumstances? What sort of income would you like to earn?

Then ask yourself if there were one step you could take to bring you closer to the type of practice you’d like, what would it be?

For example, one practitioner who wanted to earn more in her practice, but struggled to ask for a higher fee, decided to place an absolute bottom line on the level of fee she would accept. If the potential client were unable to pay that she decided, she’d refer them to a free service (where they might have to wait to be seen.) Surprisingly she found that having made this decision, asking for a higher fee became easier, and she began to attract clients who were willing to pay it.

Another practitioner decided not to work with clients who had a tendency to self-harm or suicidal ideation. He had been fearful of having to turn away clients in distress, but found that having made this decision, that very few such clients found their way to him.

Have a Look at Your Work-Life Balance

Does your work allow you to live the type of life you want to live? Do you know what type of life you want to live? Some years ago I realised that many of my decisions were driven by a desire to move away from things I didn’t want, rather than taking me towards things I do want, a subtly that had escaped me till then. I still find it hard at times to articulate what I do want, although I’m getting better at it. Does this sound familiar for you? Our lives can be driven by shoulds and musts, and the “I don’t want that”s.

As we start this new year, take a moment to think about what you would like for you, if all the duties, obligations and fears were taken away.

Try completing the following sentences to get you started:

• An activity I really enjoy but haven’t done for ages is…
• If I had more money I’d…
• Something I’d love to try but have never got around to is…
• If I didn’t have (insert the appropriate obligation, responsibility, limitation or commitment here) in my life, I’d …

It might be as simple as taking up a new hobby, reading a new author, someone you’d like to spend more time with, or somewhere you’d like to visit. Now choose one, and commit to giving it to yourself in the next week.

If you’d like to change the way you think about your practice, I’d be glad to help. Contact me here to make an appointment or to avail of your free 20 minute consultation.