3 things to set up your private practice the right way
Let’s break down some of the steps of setting up your private practice in further detail.
Remember (and we pinky promise), this is not meant to be intimidating or unachievable. You possess everything you need in order to start the private practice of your dreams! To build a private practice in counseling, you just have to trust that it’s doable.
3 things needed to start your own private practice
01. Be properly licensed
Now, this is slightly tricky to write for the general United States (and internationally 👋) because things vary from state to state. If you are newly out of graduate school, or currently in graduate school and want to start a private practice, we suggest reaching out to your professors first.
A good graduate school should offer some business coaching support as you transition into the field contact us if you want to set something up!). Your professors, peers, and other professionals in the field should be able to guide you towards your state licensing board.
Be wary of the myth that you have to work in community mental health AND “do your time” before starting out in private practice.
Queue Rant: Why is it that we have bought into the belief that we need to spend 2+ years of our life overworking, providing inadequate care to the people that need it most, and not enjoying our lives in order to eventually live the life of our dreams? It doesn’t add up. We teach our clients to live in the present and should be doing the same as therapists. If you want to have balance, sleep well at night, and be an amazing therapist to your clients, you can! Especially right out of graduate school.
You are entering the field with the most up-to-date therapeutic information. You are receiving more clinical supervision than the majority of other therapists in the field. You are qualified. You are deserving. Don’t let the structures that disvalue mental health and underpay us for our expertise bring you down.
Okay, moving on.
If you are still pre-licensed, no problem. Just check your state’s regulations and find appropriate supervision.
If you are licensed, great. Keep doing what you are doing and maintain a simple record-keeping system for your CEs. We recommend setting up a Google folder to track your time and save your certificates there.
Upload PDF copies of your certificates
Create a google sheet (or use this one that we created for you!) with your CE, date, hours, and topics covered
02. Have the right paperwork filled out.
What paperwork is needed for private practice?
There are a few easy ways to get all the paperwork you need in order to set up your private practice. If you are using an EHR like Simple Practice, most of the necessary paperwork is actually included in your monthly service fees. You’ll have to personalize it for your state and location, but in reality, it’s pretty straightforward.
What forms do you need in private practice?
Here are the forms you need in private practice:
Written Practice Policies
Superbill
Release Of Information (ROI)
Privacy Policy
Financial Agreement
Informed Consent
If you are looking for lawyer-approved paperwork, check out the Private Practice Startup. They offer customizable paperwork to get you started. Eventually, and for peace of mind, we recommend you have a lawyer review ALL your paperwork. If you find a lawyer that specializes in mental health, this is actually pretty affordable, and again is 100% worth it for peace of mind.
03. Find a mental health lawyer for private practice
This can be slightly tricky, as mental health lawyers for private practice are often found based on word of mouth. If you haven’t already, join local therapist groups in your area. If you are a millennial and deleted your Facebook and refuse to use it ever again, get over that asap. Facebook is a goldmine for networking and referrals. If you have to, just create a new one (you can come up with a different name, photo, and have zero friends) to network with other therapists.
We suggest posting on a few groups based in your state to find a referral for a good lawyer. Make sure they are familiar with the regulatory board and private practice for your state.
Ask them to review your paperwork, practice policies, and anything else you might need support with. For your long-term well-being, it’s great to have them available when you are needing to consult on specific cases or additional paperwork. Think of this as setting yourself up for success now, rather than doing it when a fire has already started.
04. Create a Facebook Account
You’ll thank us later.
In Summary
Review your state licensing boards and see if you can have a private practice as a pre-licensed clinician. If you are already fully licensed, you are good to go!
Have all necessary paperwork in place. Using something like Simple Practice is a great place to start.
Establish a relationship with a mental health lawyer.
Next Steps
If you have all of this in place and are looking for a website for your private practice, our Squarespace templates launch in October 2022. Getting started in private practice is totally doable, we can’t wait to see what you do!
JULIE GOLDBERG is the founder of Third Nature Therapy, a virtual therapy group offering holistic mental health care for people seeking a different perspective on wellbeing. She offers straightforward and easy to implement methods for running a successful private practice.