This workshop provided so much insight into life as a successful counselor in private practice. Michelle is very knowledgeable about what it takes to do well in this setting and offers authentic and candid advice. I learned a lot and hope to continue learning from Michelle.
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Private Practice 101 is the best introduction to starting a private counseling business I have seen in my grad school experience. Often we learn how to help but do not learn how to provide for ourselves. Michelle detailed important issues such as professional presence, promotion of one's practice, and the cost of doing business. She provided a detailed listing showing the typical operational expenses which must be paid. She showed how to create a positive web presence. And how to market oneself. Overall, it was an outstanding upbeat introduction into the business of private practice.
I thought the class was a great way to get a solid broad understanding of the things we need to know before going into private practice. I also thought that it did a great job addressing some specifics about opening your own practice (i.e. the pay scale spreadsheet, things needed in your office, what to consider when posting your picture/profile on a marketing website, etc.). I enjoyed hearing a positive spin put on this for a change. Many professors and other professionals make it sound so daunting and overwhelming and that is discouraging to many newbie therapists so I really enjoyed leaving there with a sense that I can do this and it's not overwhelmingly difficult. I felt more empowered and more in control when I left the class. I do think there are still many small details yet to learn but I feel like this class gave me a great base of knowledge and clues as to what to do next. And also for the areas that weren't covered in detail (i.e. web material, tax information, etc.) you gave us great resources that we can use to gain the knowledge and information that we need in those areas. Overall it was a great experience and I would highly recommend it for anyone that is considering going into private practice!
I highly recommend Private Practice 101 for students. After taking this course, so many of the mysteries and fears about starting a private practice have been lifted. I can feel a genuine shift in movement towards a highly successful career as a result of Michelle's informative, thoughtful and inspirational guidance. And how lucky I am to have this edge before my career has begun! Do yourself a favor and don't wait to take this workshop –Do it now.
Michelle's Private Practice 101 is a necessity for any therapist, whether a recent graduate or a seasoned practitioner, interested in starting a private practice or wanting to develop an existing practice. After taking this class, I have the confidence and resources needed to transform my professional dreams into reality.
Michelle taught us good practices for developing reliable and sustainable self-employment, and helped us to recognize how every aspect of our lives could be shaped and channeled to make us better business managers and healthier and more effective practitioners. Most importantly, I found through the course of the class a brand new vision for who I am as a counselor, and how my own fear of failure clouded my self-perception and blocked a clear path towards professional satisfaction and success. Michelle is a gifted therapist, and a fantastic educator. If your are a mental health practitioner, I highly recommend that you take this class, if only to benefit from Michelle's insight!
I had long had dreams of having a Private Practice, but was very unsure how to develop and sustain such an operation. Michelle's class helped me immensely. She helped me to realize that my own interests and passions as a therapist were what made me a unique practitioner, and through the course of a handful of hours, she helped me to recognize how my unique traits could be marketed to take advantage of a specific niche within the crowded Central Texas counseling field. Michelle guided the class through an exploration of contemporary forms of marketing, from internet searches and social networking to simple word of mouth. She taught us how to maximize the marketing potential of each form of media in an aggressive yet graceful and highly ethical manner that seemed to mesh perfectly with my own instincts as a psychotherapist and healer.
Michelle is vibrant and knowledgeable in her field. She has solid business know how and a genuine desire to help others succeed. I would recommend her Private Practice 101 class to all mental health professionals looking to begin a private practice.
Jane (Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Austin TX (2014)
March 11, 2015Thank you for the wonderful workshop last Sunday. Even more of it has been sinking in with me this week, and your advice to cultivate "the best version of myself" has repeated every day in my head! I'm now more committed than ever to plunge ahead into full-time private practice. You've inspired me to keep doing what I really love, well into an ancient old age.
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