“Fat . . . Borderline . . . Retard . . . .”

It is always shocking to me how easy it is for medical and mental health professionals to reduce their clients to less-than-desirable and less-than-accurate one dimensional labels behind closed doors.  I’ve heard excuses that range from minimizing (“oh-he-knows-I-don’t-mean-it”) to intellectualizing (“it’s just a short-hand way to refer efficiently to a particular group of symptoms).

Whatever the reason . . . ignorance, mean-spiritedness, or just plain old laziness . . . if you’ve been tempted to mock a client or speak derisively about a client behind closed doors, you might want to check out Tara Parker-Pope’s post on professionals mocking their clients. It’s one of those things that wasn’t discussed in my ethics classes  but probably should have been.  After all, if we are reducing our clients and all of their complexities to a simple one word label, it’s likely we don’t have our client’s best interest at heart.

Tags: Boundaries, Ethics, Judgment

Tim Berry, President of Palo Alto Software, wrote this blog post,  3 Marketing Truths I Wish I’d Known Sooner.  It got me to thinking about some of the marketing truths that I wish I had known sooner . . .  like these . . . .

• Don’t slack off on your marketing efforts when your client load is full.  In fact, that’s exactly when you should amp it up!
• It’s easier to market when your practice is full and you are feeling good about yourself than when you are sitting in the office with time to spare.
• Meeting a colleague’s need (or, for that matter, any other potential referral source’s need) is the best type of marketing.
• Successful marketing is determined by the quality of your relationships rather than number of your relationships.

I’m sure you’ve got your own stories and truths to tell about marketing.  Care to share them with me here?

Tags: Relationships

Writing and publishing can help you establish credibility, build your professional reputation, and position you as one who makes lasting contributions to your profession.  All of these can, in turn, contribute to your success  in private practice.

Whether you are still in graduate school or you are already hard at work out in the professional world, if you are in need of online tools to help you format your works in APA style, here are some resources for you:

• APA Style
• Purdue Online Writing Lab
• Ohio State University APA Citation Guide
• University of Minnesota Library’s Quick Study on Citing Resources Using APA Style

If you have other online resources related to APA formatting, I hope you will share them below!

Tags: APA Format, Documentation, Website

The First Year

This month marks the one year anniversary for this blog at Private Practice from the Inside Out and I owe you a bucket full of gratitude for helping me finish it up on such a positive note!  Thanks so much for dropping in, offering suggestions, asking questions, and supporting each other.  You have made it an awesome first year!   Here are some stats to help you see how our community has grown and how far we’ve come together in twelve short months!

• We’ve had 1144 individuals drop in to visit.
• Our online community here includes visits from 46 different countries / territories.
• Of those who have chosen to subscribe i.e. get updates by email to this blog, over 56%  of you have subscribed within your first 10 minutes of landing here.

Goals for Next Year

As for next year, I have several goals:

• I’m hoping that we’ll have well over 2000 visits to this site by then.
• I’m hoping that  folks who drop in here will find the information and community so supportive that at least 75% of those who choose to subscribe by email will do so in less than the first 10 minutes they arrive here.
• And, I’m hoping that I’ll have visits from at least 50 different countries!

In order to meet these goals, I need your help.  You can strengthen and grow our community by introducing your classmates, colleagues, instructors, and online peers to this blog.

Roll Call

And, finally, so many of you have written in asking . . . “Is there anyone here from . . .?”  This seems like the perfect time  for our first Roll Call!  I hope you’ll take a few minutes to drop in below and let us know who you are, what you do, where you do it, and anything else that you might care to share. (And, feel free to give your private practice a plug, too!)

That way we’ll all know who’s hanging out here in our online community!

I look forward to meeting you!

Tags: Anniversary, Goals, Roll Call

SIGN UP NOW – ONLY 24 HOURS LEFT!

July 2nd is the last day you can register
for the 6th Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out.

Are you are tired of waiting for the telephone to ring . . . ?
Are you are ready to learn what to do to help clients find you . . . ?
Are you are ready to make your practice stand out from the crowd . . . ?

If your answer is “yes! Yes! YES!” then this is the place to commit to growing your private practice!

This is not your standard day-long workshop on building a private practice . . . . It’s not the one that talks about all the things you’ve already tried.

Instead, this is 18 hours (spread over 9 months) of personalized coaching in a small group setting.  It’s jammed packed with hundreds of ideas to help you find what is going to work best for you.

In addition to 18 hours of small group time, participants will also receive throughout the series ongoing support and mentoring by me via email and telephone.

If this sounds like something that you might benefit from, I am inviting you to attend the first session at no cost.  Should you decide to continue after that, your commitment will be to the entire series and you will be responsible for the full fee for the remaining sessions.

If you would like additional information or want to join the Series, you may email me here or call me at 303-660-4989.  Either way, I look forward to working with you!

Tags: PPIO Annual Series

If you are considering attending the 6th Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out, here’s a link to my references and bragging rights!

Tags: Private Practice from the Inside Out Annual Series, Work with Tamara

If you’ve missed my posts concerning the risks of mental health professionals’ use of social media here and here, you may want to go back and take a look. 

More privacy concerns related to Facebook are addressed in Jenna Wortham’s article this week in the New York Times. That’s why I was happy to also stumble across Will Baum’s interview with Keely Kolmes, Psy.D. about her thoughts on mental health professionals’ use of social media.  (Don’t forget to check out Keely’s Social Media Policy here.)

If you have your own policy on social media (or any aspect of it), I hope you’ll email a copy of it to me so that I, in turn,  can share it with others here at Private Practice from the Inside Out.

Tags: Ethics, Social Media

Mental health attorney, Denis Lane, was kind enough to answer my call for a mental health attorney that could respond to The Washington Post article that addressed social networking here.  Denis has responded by addressing problems associated with therapists’ personal information being posted on the internet.

The Washington Post article was very thought provoking.  Some of the potential problems referenced in the article were obvious.  Psychiatrists and psychologists related having their clients mention to them that they have visited a Facebook page and had obtained personal information concerning the treatment provider or their family members.  These treatment providers clearly felt that their privacy had been invaded.

From an ethical perspective, what is the problem that results when clients can access personal information concerning a treatment provider online?  The Code of Ethics for the National Association for Addiction Professionals, NAADAC, provides in Principle 1 that a counselor should not bring their personal information into the professional relationship.

When therapists discuss experiences, feelings, and history in an extremely personal way while blogging or posting their information on the internet where clients can gain access to the information, it can lead to problems in treatment and in the professional relationship. ‘Familiarity breeds contempt,’ and for clients to gain access to too much personal information concerning a therapist can undermine the professional relationship and reduce a counselor’s effectiveness in providing treatment.

A professional relationship is a powerful force.  Counselors need to maintain that power, and not diminish it by posting personal information online which clients can access.”

[You may reach Denis K. Lane, Jr., Attorney at Law at 1912 West Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado  80904, Tele: 719-636-1017  Fax: 719-635-4571]

The Importance of Hospitality

I read this terrific post on the importance of hospitality in business and it reminded me to talk with you today about a recent visit to my doctor’s office.  After several years of my phone calls not being returned, I decided to leave my (now former) primary care physician and go in search of another.

Trying Again . . . .

In February, I went see to Dr. Kari Barton for my first annual physical exam with her.  She was excellent . . . .  She was engaged, took her time, and listened carefully before offering her judgment and suggestions for my health care.  She didn’t avoid the difficult conversations.  She took a proactive and preventative approach.  In short, she was everything that I had hoped for and I am looking forward to a long term relationship with this smart and savvy young doctor.

Uh-oh . . . .

However, her front office staff was less than ideal.   They were not warm.  They were not friendly.  They did nothing to welcome a new patient or put her at ease.  They grumbled to each other about having “too many things to do” (and that was within earshot of three patients waiting to see their respective doctors).  They were not ranking high on the hospitality index.

Enlightened Hospitality

Just because they serve you, doesn’t mean they like you.   ~ Clerks, 1994 In Dave Morgan’s post, What’s Your Hospitality Index?, he writes about the “legendary restauranteur,” Danny Meyer and his “secret sauce” for opening 20 restaurants in 20 years without one closing. Meyer’s secret? “Enlightened hospitality.” Meyer points out that most businesses assess the quality of  the location, the product (clinical competence?), and the price but fail to give consideration to their “hospitality index.” Meyer’s management has been described as “maniacal about hiring people who express a spirit for caring for others, that have the emotional capacity to deliver extraordinary hospitality.”

Your Hospitality Index

Now I know what you’re thinking . . . that this should be a no-brainer for those of us in the health care professions, right?  After all, surely we care about our clients . . . don’t we?   But, the truth is that it’s not a no-brainer . . . and sometimes we don’t care . . . or at least it can seem like that to our clients . . . . In any case, I think it’s worth your time to consider (and, yes, even measure) your hospitality index . . . not your intentions but whether or not your clients actually feel taken care of.

What is it that you are doing that actually lets your clients feel that you are taking care of them above and beyond the professional standard of care?  Let’s give them something to talk about!

Tags: Hospitality, Professional Image, Take Care of Your Client

Every therapist in private practice needs to make contingency plans for consultation.  In fact, every therapist needs to engage in regular consultation. It is quickly becoming a standard of care in the mental health professions.

Here is an excellent post in American Medical News addressing the many risks to be considered before consulting with your colleagues online.

I’m interested in learning how you go about meeting your own consultation needs in private practice. What options (other than social media) do you have for consultation?  Or, are you still engaging in online consultations?  Let’s chat!

Tags: Social Media, Standard of Care

Every Therapist Has One

In the mental health profession, having a favorite client is like having a favorite child.  Every therapist (and every parent) has one but we think we aren’t suppose to tell.  In fact . . . , has anyone ever talked to you before about their favorite clients?

And Here’s Why You Should Tell

I have favorite clients. And, if you tell the truth, you have favorite clients, too. Right?  Here’s the beauty of telling that truth . . . . When referral sources know who you like to work with, that’s exactly who they will refer to you.  And, when clients know who you like to work with, your favorite’s are the ones who will seek you out.

Are You My Favorite Client?

My favorite clients are. . .

• Resilient and open to new ideas;

• Courageous and willing to face their fears;
• Willing to experiment with life and able to adapt the things we talk about to fit their lives;
• Interested in helping other people and are involved in efforts to do just that;
• Recognize that their relationships with me are valuable;
• Naturally collaborative and focus on possibilities;
• Naturally optimistic;
• Really get the 90 / 10 law i.e. 90% of my value to you will be outside of the time we spend together; and,
• Enthusiastically tell others about our work together.

If you aren’t telling your clients and referral sources who your favorite clients are, you are preventing the right clients from getting to you.  If you don’t know who they are, then take some time to figure it out . . . or, if would like to be one of my favorite clients, then drop me an email or give me a call.  I’ll be glad to help you figure out who you love, love, LOVE to work with, how to let them know, and how to help them find you!

New fabulous and favorite clients are always welcome!

(And, here’s how I let them know on my counseling website.)

Tags: Favorite Clients, Words for Your Private Practice, Work with Tamara

2010 Open Enrollment for the 6th Annual Series

Let me, Tamara Suttle, show you how to get all the clients you want in this 18 hour series in Parker, Colorado.  This small group coaching series is spread over 12 sessions from July 9, 2010 through March 22, 2011.  Here’s what you’ll get:

• Innovative and customized information to help you build referral sources to get and keep clients
• Allows you to set aside time only to focus on your private practice growth and future goals
• Creates opportunities for you to develop practice allies with your colleagues
• Access ongoing mentoring by Tamara throughout the entire series
• Receive personal email feedback from Tamara.

Download all the details here.

Tags: Work with Tamara

I have a colleague in the world of media by the name of Melanie Mulhall.  Actually, I’ve never met her except by way of emails and through my on line networking / support group, Boulder Media Women.  How I met her isn’t really relevant to this post . . . except to remind you again that networking on line can prove valuable to you as you build your private practice.

What is relevant to you is that Melanie is a businesswoman – an author, a blogger, a copywriter, and an editor – and she also offers a very special marketing perk to her clients . . . . In November 2008, Melanie extended an invitation to each of her clients as a one-time “thank-you” gift.  She sent the invitations, prepared a meal, and facilitated a meet-and-greet type evening.  The event turned out to be such a huge success that her clients asked her to continue hosting similar events! Melanie says that since 2008, every other month, she has continued to host this free marketing meeting to discuss “what is and is not working for them in marketing their books and speaking engagements.”

What do you have in common with a bunch of wanna-be-published authors?

• You / they typically work alone.
• You / they tend to work with lots of ideas.
• You / they want to meet key players in your respective profession.
• You / they want to market services and grow your business.

So how can you make this idea work for you and your private practice? No, you can’t extend an invitation to 10 of your favorite counseling clients to join you for dinner.  But, think about it . . . . What can you offer them? Do you work with divorce?  How about a free 6-week seminar on Co-Parenting with Your Ex?  Do you work with educators?  How about a free summer group focusing on Self-Care for Educators?  Working with children?  How about a free monthly Art Group for the kids?

Whatever your niche is, there’s an attractive offer that you can make to provide a perk – that little something extra - to your clients.  Are you already offering an add-on to your clients?  Got a great idea for something you or another professional could be offering in addition to their standard service?  If so, drop us a note below and share you thoughts with us as we continue to build our online community!

Tags: Add-Ons / Perks

In the midst of your strategizing for your 2010 marketing plan, you need to gather what I call supporting  data. This is a file that contains information that might help a potential referral source or client choose to work with me.  One type of data that goes into my file are articles and research related to the niche, domaine, and services that I offer.

Here is an article by Raymond A. Levy and J. Stuart Ablon in the Scientific American that cites research concluding that clients feel better, function better, and are more flexible in managing life challenges as long as three years post-termination of psychodynamic  psychotherapy.

This is an article that is going into my Supporting Data file.  Perhaps it should also go into yours.

Do you have other articles / items that might be useful to the rest of us?  If so, share them with us right here.

Tags: Marketing Plan, Supporting Data File

Earlier this month, I was asked to speak to a group of new professionals interning at Aurora Mental Health Center.  The topic was on why it’s important to join your state and national professional associations.  Just in case you are hesitating, here are 23 reasons that I believe you should join your professional associations today.

1. This is your number one career development tool.
2. This is how mental health professionals get things done.
3. Often there are special resources available to you.
4. This is where you go to learn how to be a professional.
5. This is how you stay informed about your profession’s standards of practice.
6. This is where you learn about professional trends and mandated changes in practice.
7. This is where you can build relationships and expand your network.
8. This is where you get continuing education at affordable prices via conferences, workshops, and forums.
9. Often those continuing education opportunities include a free breakfast, lunch or dinner.
10. This is how you protect and promote your own profession.
11. This is where you increase others awareness of your practice or your employer’s visibility in the community.
12. Student memberships are often reduced or no fee.
13. There are always opportunities here to give back to / build up your profession by your volunteer efforts within the organization.
14. There are often opportunities for community service.
15. This is where you go to stretch your own thinking and stay creative in your work.
16. This is where you learn what others in your profession are doing.
17. This is where you can easily establish yourself as a leader.
18. This organization may choose to sponsor your work, research, or workshop.
19. Many organizations offer members free listings and links on their websites.
20. This is who negotiates for the best and most affordable liability insurance.
21. This is where you get free advice on ethics issues.
22. Many organizations offer job placement services.
23. This will allow you to know other professionals to consult with and refer to (and vice versa) as your needs dictate.

I’m sure there are more benefits / reasons to join.  Can you tell me why you’ve joined your professional associations?

Tags: Ethics, Relationships, Workshop