Licensed Professional Counselor, Shaun Fischler in Denver, Colorado posed an interesting question on one of the discussion lists that I frequent.  Shaun gave me permission here to post his comments here and get some feedback from you . . . .

. . .  Should graduate level counseling programs teach students about the realities and issues with creating and operating a private practice? So many of us eventually get into private practice, but my experience and sense from others is that we are not educated about this side of things, particularly the business end of running a successful practice.

I recognize that CACREP and counselor ed programs are designed for educating students on clinical issues, but it seems to me that many of us would benefit from practical knowledge regarding private practice. Most of us just have to figure it out as we go along, go to workshops, make many mistakes along the way, and ask colleagues for advice. I am unsure if counseling programs should teach this aspect of our work, but I know I would have appreciated even a 1 day seminar on the topic.”

And, here’s what I’m thinking . . . . The clinical skills are critical to any counselor surviving and thriving in private practice so I completely understand why schools emphasize this area.  However, with so many student counselors identifying private practice as an end goal even as they begin their graduate training, it seems almost unconscionable that those same programs often fail to address these business-related needs in any identifiable way.

CACREP-approved programs do an excellent job of building a strong clinical foundation for new counselors to build on.  And, university budgets and funding are unable to keep up with the rising needs of students and faculty.  However, there are many other ways for counselor education programs to support students’ needs for business and marketing-related information.  Here’s a few that I’ve thought of . . . .

• Offer a course, like the Annual Series of Private Practice from the Inside Out, as an elective during graduate school.
• Seek grant money specifically targeting this educational need.
• Encourage Chi Sigma Iota or other campus clubs to join together to bring in a consultant like me to provide 1:1 training or workshops for larger groups.
• Create a resource list that includes business-related websites like this one to assist new professionals in growing their marketing skills.
• Invite local therapists (who have successfully built their practices) into classrooms to speak about the practical issues related to private practice.
• Encourage professors to speak candidly about their own experiences in opening / growing a private practice.
• Use counseling conferences as opportunities to solicit presentations that address these issues as well as the clinical ones. (The Colorado Counseling Association is talking with me about presenting at their 2012 Annual Conference!)
• Host pre-conference institutes (and charge separately) for business-related topics of interest to mental health professionals.
• Support the development of a new (mental health) professionals’ networking group that meets monthly to help each other learn marketing and networking skills.

I’m sure there’s many more ways to meet the business and marketing needs of new mental health professionals.  Do you have ideas or suggestions to share?  If so, please leave them here!

And, if you are a counselor in training, please take a copy of this post (or better yet, the URL) back to your instructors.  It’s a discussion worth having.