How are your beliefs hindering the growth of your private practice?

Take a few moments to consider what you believe about yourself and your business.

What is an hour with you worth?

What is therapy worth?

Why are your services important? What would people do without them?
Do you believe you can be successful?
Do you believe in the product you’re selling?

I find that in consulting with therapists who want to grow their practice, so much of what holds them up is some sort of hindering belief about themselves, their worth, the value of therapy, and what’s possible in private practice. Some of the most common beliefs that I hear are:

“I’m not experienced enough to charge out of pocket”

“I’m not good enough to charge over $100”

“I feel bad ‘taking’ other people’s money”
“I feel bad raising my fees”
“I’m not good at marketing”
“What if the referrals stop coming?”

What if you could simply start by telling yourself, even if it doesn’t feel true yet:

“An hour of my time is worth more than $100”

“I’m good enough to charge out of pocket”

“People are making an investment in themselves when they pay for therapy”
“I have to raise my fees if I want to be successful”
“I’m learning how to do marketing”
“If referrals slow down, I’ll use that time to do some more networking”

We have so many implicit beliefs about money that are rooted much deeper than our time as therapists in private practice. We’ve formed our beliefs about money from our earliest examples and experiences. Growing up in your family, what did you learn about money? Does money always come back to you? Is it ok to take risks with money? Or should you always play things safe? Could you run out of money entirely? Is it ok to take on some debt?

We’ve also got to stop taking responsibility for how our clients choose to spend their money

—especially regarding clients who don’t experience the cost of therapy as burdensome or beyond their means. Where did this idea of “taking” money from clients come from? Whose voice is that? Do hairdressers, lawyers, CPAs, and artists think the same way? Or do they value their services and remember that what we’re offering is, after all, a product that we’re selling. It just so happens that the product is yourself, and I know that’s weird. But you HAVE to believe in yourself before you start selling yourself. There isn’t a less cliché way to say it. When you believe in what you’re selling, clients will pick up on that even by reading the home page of your website and seeing your photo. And when they call, they’re just calling to confirm that you’re “the one.” Their expectations are already high, and when you meet those expectations through doing great therapy work, your clients get better faster and they stay better, all while knowing they’ve made a sound investment in themselves.

What’s stopping you from quitting insurance panels, raising your fees, putting money back into your business, and achieving your personal idea of success?

I love helping therapists break through the mental barriers that are holding them back from success in private practice, and I’d be thrilled to talk to you about working together!
John Clarke, MA, EdS, NCC, LPC is a licensed psychotherapist and a private practice expert. He has built thriving practices from the ground up in San Francisco, CA and Charlotte, NC. In building his current practice, he had 6 private-pay clients booked for the first day that his doors were open.
Get in touch today for a free initial consultation to learn how private practice consulting can help you take your business to the next level.