Private Practice Toolbox » Julie Hanks, LCSW

Therapist Blog Challenge #7: Invite a Guest Blogger

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:26:20 +0000

Inviting a colleague to write an article for your blog is a great way to post fresh content, share interesting resources, and help both of you build your online presence.

Blog posts on your private practice blog don’t have to be written by you. For therapist blog challenge #7 I want you to invite a colleague to contribute a blog article to your blog. The guest blogger doesn’t have to be a therapist. It can be any other professional that you respect, that you would like to help promote, or that you would like to be associated with.

The content from your invited guest blogger doesn’t have to be written from scratch. They can choose to repost an article from their blog that is slightly modified for your blog audience. You could even do a blog article swap – I’ll post yours if you post mine.

Be sure to include a little blurb about your guest blogger and a link to their website at the beginning or end of the guest post.

Ready, set, blog!

Here are some examples of guest posts on Private Practice Toolbox.

Additional reminders about the 2013 blog challenge

Write and post your blog article in the next 2 weeks. If you miss the deadline or you read this article months later, that’s OK too.
Post a link for this blog challenge in the comment section of this blog post.
Read, comment, and share other therapist’s articles.
Tweet your post using hashtag #therapistblog and tag @julie_hanks so I can retweet it.
Pin it on the challenge Pinterest Board. I’ve invited everyone who posted a comment on the initial blog challenge post as collaborators so you can pin onto the group board.
Spread the word and invite mental health colleagues to join the challenge. Articles can be added anytime throughout the year.
Write no more than 600 words, make it easy to read, use a conversational tone, and gear your articles toward your ideal client (not other professionals).
The goal of a professional blog is to provide value to your website visitors, help them get to know your professional perspective, increase traffic to your private practice website, and build your practice.

Therapist Blog Challenge #6: Embed a Favorite YouTube Video

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:18:29 +0000

Commenting on expert YouTube videos can make for a quick and meaningful blog post that lets potential clients know more about you and provides them with helpful information.

While your blog posts may be a way of sharing your unique perspective, you can use existing content as a springboard for meaningful content. Blog posts don’t have to be entirely original material. One way to do that is to share your favorite YouTube video with your blog readers and potential clients.

Many experts, researchers, and psychology gurus have YouTube videos or channels. Find one that speaks to you and is relevant to your ideal client. Summarize why the video speaks to you and how the information will be helpful to your ideal client. Then embed their video on your own blog post. Easy, right?

How to embed a YouTube video into your blog post

Underneath the YouTube video there are several links.
Click on the “share” link.
Then click on “embed” option.
A box will open that has the code needed to embed the video on your site. Copy this code and paste it into your blog post.
If you’re totally lost here then contact your webmaster for help.

Here are a few of my favorite videos. Feel free to use these or find your own.

Additional reminders about the 2013 blog challenge

Write and post your blog article in the next 2 weeks. If you miss the deadline or you read this article months later, that’s OK too.
Post a link for this blog challenge in the comment section of this blog post.
Read, comment, and share other therapist’s articles.
Tweet your post using hashtag #therapistblog and tag @julie_hanks so I can retweet it.
Pin it on the challenge Pinterest Board. I’ve invited everyone who posted a comment on the initial blog challenge post as collaborators so you can pin onto the group board.
Spread the word and invite mental health colleagues to join the challenge. Articles can be added anytime throughout the year.
Write no more than 600 words, make it easy to read, use a conversational tone, and gear your articles toward your ideal client (not other professionals).
The goal of a professional blog is to provide value to your website visitors, help them get to know your professional perspective, increase traffic to your private practice website, and build your practice.

Would Your Practice Survive An Employment Tax Audit? (1099 vs. W-2 part 2)

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:49:00 +0000

Does the state tax commission really take the time to audit small private practices? I didn’t think so, until my practice was selected for an audit.

A few years ago my clinic was selected for an employment tax audit. Lucky me, right? When the auditor walked into my office suite and saw many offices with different names on the doors, he looked at me pleadingly and said, “Please, please don’t tell me that these therapists are all classified as 1099 contractors.”

I replied, “I won’t. We’re all W-2′s.”

There was a look of relief on his face.He then proceeded to tell me that health and mental health private practitioners are notorious for incorrectly classifying 1099 employees. In his experience many groups are set up as contract workers when they are acting like employees (I’ll go over into detail about the the IRS criteria for how to classify an employee as a 1099 vs. W2 employees in a forthcoming post).

The auditor requested access to all of my financial documents including bank accounts, accounting, payroll information and tax documents. He asked us questions about any large checks written directly to employees to make sure we were paying our employment taxes. After a brief review of my payroll and tax documents the auditor thanked me for making his job easier and left with a smile. I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Had I hired the therapists working with me as 1099 I may have been penalized with a hefty fine and required to pay back employment taxes on all of the therapists’ income. I was not in a position to shell out thousands and thousands of dollars. Had I been incorrectly classifying employees it may have put my practice in jeopardy.

Do you know the IRS criteria for classifying 1099 contract workers vs. W-2 employees? It isn’t based on whether or not you want to pay your therapist’s taxes or want to have them pay self-employment taxes. It isn’t based on whether they are full-time or part-time workers. It isn’t based on whether or not you provide benefits.

There are many misconceptions about classifying employees in private practice. I’ll address theses criteria for how to distinguish between hiring 1099 vs. W-2 therapists in upcoming posts.

Watch for the next Therapist Blog Challenge coming next week, too!

Dave Dugdale & learningdslrvideo.com via Compfight

Therapist Blog Challenge #5: Top 10 Books List

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:38:03 +0000

Listing your most recommended books makes a quick and easy blog post and is a fantastic resource for website visitors

You know those books that you recommend to clients over and over again? Write down a list of them, add a couple of sentences about why you like that book, and provide a link to purchase the book. That’s it. Easy, right? Just to make it even easier, here’s my top 10 list. As always, feel free to use some or all of the following on your own list.

Here’s my list of top 10 most recommended books

Marriage

1) Hold Me Tight: 7 Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson

2) And Baby Makes Three: The Six-Step Plan for Preserving Marital Intimacy and Rekindling Romance After Baby Arrives by John Gottman Ph.D. and Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD

Parenting

3) Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child: The Heart of Parenting by John Gottman, PhD & Joan Declaire

4) Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson & Ahsley Merryman

5) The Whold-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Seigel, MD

Relationships

6) Stop Walking on Eggshells: Taking Your Life Back When Someone You Care About Has Borderline Personality Disorder by Paul Mason MS, Randi Kreger

7) Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation by Daniel J. Seigel, MD & Tina Payne Bryson, PhD

Self-Worth

8) The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown, PhD

9) Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthough Program to End Negative Behavior…and Feel Great Again by Jeffrey E. Young, PhD & Janet S. Klosko

10) Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind by Kristin Neff, PhD

Additional reminders about the 2013 blog challenge

Write and post your blog article in the next 2 weeks. If you miss the deadline or you read this article months later, that’s OK too.
Post a link for this blog challenge in the comment section of this blog post.
Read, comment, and share other therapist’s articles.
Tweet your post using hashtag #therapistblog and tag @julie_hanks so I can retweet it.
Pin it on the challenge Pinterest Board. I’ve invited everyone who posted a comment on the initial blog challenge post as collaborators so you can pin onto the group board.
Spread the word and invite mental health colleagues to join the challenge. Articles can be added anytime throughout the year.
Write no more than 600 words, make it easy to read, use a conversational tone, and gear your articles toward your ideal client (not other professionals).
The goal of a professional blog is to provide value to your website visitors, help them get to know your professional perspective, increase traffic to your private practice website, and build your practice.

The Difference Between Hiring Therapists As 1099 vs. W-2 (part 1)

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:27:02 +0000

Should you hire additional therapists for your practice as 1099 or W-2 employees? I’ll walk you through the decision process in this blog series so you can make an informed decision.

If your private practice is thriving and you are considering hiring additional therapists, one of the major questions is how to structure the employment relationship. Should you hire additional therapists as a 1099 contractor or W-2 employee?

In my private practice consulting experience and based on recent discussions in my Private Practice Toolbox Group it seems that most private practice therapists favor hiring therapists as 1099 contractors. When I ask why I often hear something like, “I hire 1099′s because then I’m not responsible to pay the therapists employment taxes and it provides some cushion against legal responsibility for the acts of therapists providing contract services.” While these statements are true, there is a lot more to consider when structuring the employment relationship and misclassification can be a costly mistake.

So what what’s the difference between hiring a 1099 and W-2?

An 1099 independent contractor is a tax-related and legal term referring to an individual who contracts his or her services out to other businesses. An independent contractor is considered self-employed and is not considered an “employee” of the practice. The 1099 workers pays all of their own income tax in addition to self-employment taxes.

“Independent contractors do the work where, when and how they choose. Nobody tells them what order to do the job in, what hours to work, or when they can take off, ” says Employment Attorney, Donna Ballman, author of How To Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired.

A W-2 employee is an official employee of a company, or a private practice, whose taxes are withheld from and whose earnings are reported to the IRS at the year-end via a W-4. The practice owner participates in paying the employees state and Federal taxes and has the ability to control how, where, and when the work is performed by the employee.

Michigan attorney Donald A DeLong says that control is the key issue. “If you control when the therapist works, where he/she works, how and when he/she gets paid, you require that he/she use your equipment, etc., then that worker is a (W-2) employee.”

As I’ve researched this topic it is clear that there are no easy answers and a lot of grey areas. I hope to share some helpful information and resources over the next several posts to help you make the best choice when it comes to hiring.

The costs of inaccurately classifying employees

Inaccurately classifying workers can be very costly to an employer warns Vincent Porter, CPA of Porter & Company CPAs in Arlington Tx. Porter shares these words of caution with employers.

The IRS can conduct an audit of a business that is paying employees on a 1099 and hit them with back payroll taxes that can be very costly to a business not in compliance. This is a big issue we face almost daily with clients. They should understand that if they were to be audited by their State Unemployment agency or IRS they could face severe penalties for improperly classifying employees as contractors. Not only could they face unpaid employment taxes they could face heavy penalties.

In my next post in this series I’ll tell you about my employment tax audit experience a few years ago!

Zach Klein via Compfight

Counselor Self-Care Practices

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:50:50 +0000

Guest Post: Hollie L. Hancock, M.S., CMHC

Reflect on how well you take care of your own needs. Help me learn more by filling out a counselor self-care practices questionnaire.

While attending an ethics conference last week, I took the opportunity to solicit participation from my fellow counselors and psychotherapists for my dissertation research. As I described the study, and as the words “counselor self-care” crossed my lips, a loud and obvious laugh erupted from various corners of the large ballroom where the conference was being held. From the front of the room I saw people looking at one another, laughing, and rolling their eyes; I even read the lips of one man in the front row as he said to the woman next to him, “Yeah, right!”

Honestly, I was not surprised. In fact, I almost expected this type of response. The laughter, snickers, and side-ways comments are exactly the reason I am researching counselor and psychotherapist self-care practices.

As therapists, we use our education, training, and skills to help patients live more rewarding and healthy lifestyles, independently. Ironically, many therapists seem reluctant to offer themselves the same kind of understanding and care. Yet, in reality, it is this self-care, both personal and professional, that ultimately is the most important, not just for patients, but also for we as therapists as well. It is quite possible that mental health professionals are one of the few professions that does not purchase or utilize their own product.

Lack or absence of self-care practices among mental health professionals appears to be almost synonymous with compassion fatigue and burnout. The literature seemingly suggests that by mentioning self-care – counseling professionals are burned out or experiencing compassion fatigue to some degree. Do a small research study of your own: Conduct a Google search using the words “counselor self-care”. You are likely to find half of the top results include the word “burnout”.

Participate in my dissertation research on counselor self-care practices

In an effort to understand the possible phenomenon of the lack of self-care practices among counselors and psychotherapists, I am asking colleagues across the nation and even around the world, to provide responses to a brief questionnaire created for my dissertation research. Therefore, you are cordially invited to participate in a study that will ask questions about your experiences with self-care practices as a counselor or psychotherapist. This inventory is called The DEFT Questionnaire. “DEFT” represents what counselors and psychotherapists “do” for self-care, how they “experience burnout”, how they “feel” about their self-care practices, and finally what counselors and psychotherapists “think” about self-care. The purpose of this study is to explore whether or not there is a correlation between self-care practices and burnout among counseling professionals. Completing the questionnaire will take about 15 minutes of your time.

To be better clinicians in our roles as counselors and psychotherapists, we owe it to our patients, and more importantly ourselves, to be aware of our self-care needs, and adjust our behaviors accordingly if necessary to avoid impairment, burnout, compassion fatigue, and even post traumatic stress disorder.

I have provided the link to the questionnaire below. I respectfully ask that you take 15 minutes of your time to complete the questionnaire. Then, please share the link with your peers and colleagues. I thank you in advance for contributing to the body of literature available regarding counselor self-care practices!

Fill out the counselor self-care survey here:

https://acsurvey.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cvWrM4l8iqBWU1D

The questionnaire will be available until March 31, 2013

Hollie L. Hancock, M.S., CMHC is in private practice at Iron Mountain Counseling is a Doctoral Candidate in Counseling Psychology, Argosy University, Salt Lake City, UT

Adventures In Private Practice: Child Therapist April Forella, LMHC

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:10:50 +0000

Tell me about your practice…

I am a solo practitioner with an office in beautiful Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. I opened my private practice a year ago. As an experienced child, adolescent and family therapist, I understand how difficult it can be to find resources and help for children and adolescents who are suffering from emotional and behavioral issues. In my private practice I specialize in working with children 6+ and adolescents who are experiencing difficulty in their functioning and ability to navigate life’s challenges and relationships. I enjoy seeing children and families learn how to respectfully express their emotions and improve communication. Children and adolescent’s unique situations are addressed with a deep understanding of today’s youth and their specific challenges.

I am an Accredited Standard Triple P Provider (Level 4 & 5). Triple P is an evidence-based multi-level family intervention and parenting support strategy which is designed to reduce the prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems in children and adolescents.

Why did you decide to open a private practice?

I entered graduate school in mid-life with the goal of opening a private practice. My twenty years of experience working in business (advertising & marketing) prior to entering the field have assisted me in knowing how to reach my target audience. I also wanted the freedom to set my own hours and to foster hope and build relationships with my clients. I knew that having my own practice would allow me to achieve all of these goals.

Clients that therapists find to be the most “difficult” are sometimes the ones who can teach them the most. What have you learned from your toughest clients?

Young children and adolescents with challenging behavior problems try the patience of parents and caregivers and can be challenging for therapists. I have learned from the most “difficult” clients the importance of meeting them where they are, along with being patient and finding ways to connect and build rapport. By being with a child and engaging them in art, play or games I gain an understanding of what the child’s interests and needs are. Once a child is heard and understood we can begin implementing strategies to meet the child’s needs and overcome challenging behaviors. Understanding the child from the child’s perspective is the key to the process.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about private practice?

The fluctuating streams of income. There are cycles when I’m busy and when I’m not. I continue to learn and expand my knowledge of marketing utilizing social media and networking to grow my practice. I supplement my income with offering trainings to schools, other professionals, and coaching.

How did you discover or develop your practice “niche”?

My passion in working with children and adolescents has been important to me before enrolling in graduate school. I took course work related to counseling children, completed an internship at an agency specializing in working with at-risk children. Once I was licensed and opened my practice I already had a solid skill base as a child, adolescent and family therapist. I also had the skills necessary to work collaboratively with parents. It was a natural fit.

What resource (book, website, person) helped you the most when setting up your private practice?

I attended a training by Lyn Kelley, Ph.D., LMFT, CPC “Promote Your Practice Exclusively to a Well-Pay, Fee-for-Service Clientele”, consulted with other professionals and utilize the internet to find other successful private practice clinicians, including Julie Hanks, LCSW’s “Private Practice Toolbox”, Tamara G. Suttle, M.Ed., LPC “Private Practice from the Inside Out—All Things Private Practice”. The book The Paper Office by Edward L. Zuckerman, Ph.D has been helpful in getting organized and developing good professional habits. The book provides forms, guidelines, and resources to make your practice work ethically, legally and profitably.

What has surprised you most about being in private practice?

I have found my life’s purpose in helping others. I am truly passionate about coming along side my clients and find it rewarding in so many ways. The hard work in building my practice is all worth it when I see clients grow.

Has your private practice helped you grow professionally?

I have gained self-confidence not only in my ability to provide quality therapeutic services but in my ability to manage the business side of my practice. I continue to set goals to challenge myself personally and professionally. I plan to present at conferences and seminars to develop public speaking skills, and begin blogging and continuing to utilize social media to develop my practice.

Has it helped you grow personally, too?

On a personal level it has made me aware of the importance of pursuing my passion and the fulfillment that it brings me. It’s a privilege to come along side the amazing people that I work with and the things they teach me about life.

Being a therapist can be emotionally exhausting. What do you do to care for your own emotions and psychological health?

I make it a priority to have time alone to relax, pray, read the Bible and recharge myself. My support system is an amazing loving family and lots of great friends. I enjoy spending time at the beach, listening to music, regular massage to release stress and tension in the body, and going on walks.

How do you cope with the inevitable stressors involved with being your own boss?

I handle all of the day to day details of my practice myself. I am an organized person and rely on to-do lists. It can be overwhelming at times! However, the rewards of having flexibility and freedom to make my own schedule out way the stressors.

What personal strengths have helped you succeed in private practice?

My social skills are strong and connecting with people is natural for me. I like to network and build relationships. My business experience has helped me to understand marketing. I also understand that growing and maintaining a private practice is a process that takes a lot of work, perseverance and the need to reach out to my peers for support and encouragement.

To learn more about April Forella’s private practice visit www.aprilforella.com.

Therapist Blog Challenge #4: Answer An FAQ

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:07:08 +0000

One quick and easy way to generate content for a blog post is to answer a frequently asked question

What questions do you get asked over and over again about your practice? The questions can be about your therapy approach, about therapy in general, or specific a question about your practice. Make a list of common questions, choose one question and write your answer…and voila! You have a new blog post.

Here are a some sample questions to choose from or feel free to come up with on of your own:

How do I know if a therapist is the “right fit” for me?

Do you work with my insurance?

How do I know if I need therapy?

Is therapy confidential?

I think my partner is depressed. How do I get my partner to go and see a therapist?

My daughter is losing weight quickly. Could she have an eating disorder?

What’s the difference between a therapist and a coach?

How does talking to a therapist differ from talking with a friend?

How long does therapy take?

How will I know when I’m done with therapy?

Ok, colleagues. This challenge is so easy. Let’s get blogging! I’m excited to read what you come up with.

Additional reminders about the 2013 blog challenge

Write and post your blog article in the next 2 weeks. If you miss the deadline or you read this article months later, that’s OK too.
Post a link for this blog challenge in the comment section of this blog post.
Read, comment, and share other therapist’s articles.
Tweet your post using hashtag #therapistblog and tag @julie_hanks so I can retweet it.
Pin it on the challenge Pinterest Board. I’ve invited everyone who posted a comment on the initial blog challenge post as collaborators so you can pin onto the group board.
Spread the word and invite mental health colleagues to join the challenge. Articles can be added anytime throughout the year.
Write no more than 600 words, make it easy to read, use a conversational tone, and gear your articles toward your ideal client (not other professionals).
The goal of a professional blog is to provide value your website visitors, help them get to know your professional perspective, increase traffic to your private practice website, and build your practice.

10 Ways To Become A Go-To Media Expert In Your Field

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:55:00 +0000

Want to tell thousands of people about your practice? Tips to landing regular media interviews.

What do you think of when you think of professional networking? Private practice therapists who I’ve worked with in business consultations usually consider networking to be meeting with other like-minded professionals for lunch or handing out business cards to physicians offices. While those are important ways to make connections that build your therapy practice, there are other ways to get the word to thousands and thousands of people in one shot, instead of just a few folks at a time. Rarely do therapists think of networking with producers, reporters and journalists.

Over the last few years I’ve focused on developing relationships with producers, journalists, and reporters in various media platforms. There are a few who now contact me for quotes when they need expert quotes or interviews. I’ve landed regular local TV, radio, and news interviews as well as interviews with top-tier publications and shows: Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Parenting, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, and others. Here are some things I’ve learned about what works when building relationships with reporters, journalists and producers.

1) Seek out opportunities

Keep an eye out for opportunities to interview with local and national reporters. Sign up for services that notify you of reporters looking for interviews, like Reporter Connection, ProfNet Connection, Expert Engine. Contact local radio, television, and newspaper companies and offer your expertise on newsworthy topics.

2) Know what’s ‘newsworthy’

When pitching stories or interview topics to local journalists and reporters it’s crucial to know what they’re looking for. Sorry, but the fact that you’re going into private practice specializing in family therapy is not newsworthy; however, news and other TV programs might be interested in getting your thoughts on a new study showing how cultivating self-compassion helps individuals manage divorce. I suggest getting into some “media-minded” habits:

Watch national news headlines. Pitch a local spin on those stories to local TV producers.
Suggest seasonal topics. Pitch interviews around managing holiday stress, or Halloween safety tips for children in October.
New research is “news.” Keep an eye out for interesting research that’s relevant to your practice and offer to interview.

While what counts as newsworthy must be modified to your particular practice and community, MediaCollege.com generally defines a story as newsworthy if it has the following characteristics:

Timing – News is all about stories that are current and new
Significance – Something that affects large numbers of people
Proximity – An event happening close to home
Prominence – Involves someone famous or well-known
Human Interest – Appeals to emotion, novel, off-beat, interesting

3) Know how to write a press release

When pitching to media you need to speak their language, which means learning how to write a press release.

A press release needs to be in a specific press release format. Here’s an excellent example: EReleases.com.
Read other releases. Here’s a release I helped one of my therapists at Wasatch Family Therapy, LLC write one recently based on her dissertation research: Mean Girls Get Married: Teens Don’t Always Grow Out of Mean Girl Behavior and End Up Using Emotional Manipulation On Spouse.
Don’t send attachments. When you email a press release (or a pitch/proposal) to local news and TV producers, cut and paste it in the body of the email, do not send as an attachment (it’s one more thing that makes their job more difficult).

4) Respond to requests ASAP

I’ve come to realize that journalistic deadlines are incredibly tight, and the sooner I respond, the better. I’ve interviewed one afternoon for an E! Online article and it posted that same evening. When I get an email request for an interview I will respond right then on my smart phone with comments off the top of my head. I’ve been known to pull over on the side of the road while driving carpool to respond to an interview request. If a reporter or producer contacts you, respond immediately or the opportunity will pass you by. Decide ahead that you’ll say “yes” (and think about how you can make it a positive and confident “yes”).

5) Speak in layman’s terms

Talking with the popular media is different than talking with colleagues. When speaking with therapists we can talk in short hand with acronyms like DBT, CBT and EFT; we know what transference and countertransference are, but most people don’t know and don’t care. In pitches and in correspondence always use layman’s terms that can be easily understood even if someone’s never taken Psychology 101.

6) Let your passion show

I think part of why I’ve been successful in getting quoted in national publications is because I show my passion for the work and for the topic of the story or article. Even in email correspondence, don’t be afraid to show your personality and to be approachable. I also openly share my gratitude for the interview opportunity and how much I enjoy media interviews.

7) Make your contact info easy to find

In all correspondence make sure that your name and credentials (the way you’d like them to appear if you’re quoted), your email address, and your cell phone number are easy to find in any correspondence or voicemail. Reporters don’t have time to hunt you down.

8) Know how to make their job easier

Reporters, producers, and journalists are extremely busy and always on multiple deadlines. They don’t have time to calm your anxiety or to walk you through the interview process.

Send only relevant information. Highlight the most important information you’d like to talk about and a brief line or two about you and your practice or your “basic professional practice message” (see my elevator speech post). Through a brief stint as a producer and host of a local lifestyle TV show I learned what makes a good and a difficult interviewee. One of the hardest parts of screening potential guests was skimming through too much information hunting for the relevant points. You can always add more information as needed.
Limit your correspondence. Respect the reporter’s, journalist’s or producer’s time. Though getting an interview might be a big deal for us as the therapist, it’s just one of many details they are trying to juggle.
Know their demographics. Understand the demographic for a given newscast TV show, newspaper, or magazine so you can pitch relevant and helpful topics (have some “audience awareness”; if you don’t know the primary audience, ask).

9) Ask them to contact you again

At the end of each interview or correspondence, whether you interview or not, be sure to ask them to keep you in mind as a resource in the future and to keep your contact information should they need your expertise in the future. If you’re an easy expert to work with and you are eager to interview, my experience is that many journalists will take you up on your offer to interview again.

10) Be a resource

I’ve learned that offering myself as a resource is a great way to build bridges with the media. I often tell reporters, producers, and journalists contact me whenever they need someone to interview on a mental health or family relationship topic, and that if I can’t do it, or don’t feel qualified, I will find them someone who would do an excellent job.

Adventures In Private Practice: Psychotherapist and Art Therapist Amy Tatsumi, LPC

Julie Hanks, LCSW — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:11:52 +0000

Tell me a little about your practice…

I am a board certified art therapist, licensed professional counselor and psychotherapist in Washington, DC. I see clients across the lifespan and specialize in working with Women Who Do Too Much. I also see therapists in training and provide post graduate and post license supervision. Through the creative process and talking, clients learn to connect their hearts and minds to live more wholeheartedly.

Why did you decide to open a private practice?

I had a small private practice for a number of years while also working a full time job in public mental health. After having my daughter and living in Japan for some time last year, I new that I needed a better work life balance. In the summer of 2012, I decided to take the leap and step into the arena. My mantra continues to be that things are happening in the right time and right way for my business.

Clients that therapists find to be the most “difficult” are sometimes the ones who can teach them the most. What have you learned from your toughest clients?

Some of the most challenging clients that I worked with were very angry and rightly so. Underneath the anger was deep shame and fear. This story from Pema Chodron is one of the most special gifts those clients taught me:
How To Defeat Fear:
Once there was a young warrior. Her teacher told her that she had to do battle with fear. She didn’t want to do that. It seemed too aggressive; it was scary; it seemed unfriendly. But the teacher said she had to do it and gave instructions for the battle.
The day arrived. The student warrior stood on one side, and fear stood on the other. The warrior was feeling very small, and fear was looking big and wrathful. The young warrior roused herself and went toward fear, prostrated three times, and asked, “May I have permission to go into battle with you?”
Fear said, “Thank you for showing me so much respect that you ask permission.”
Then the young warrior said, “How can I defeat you?”
Fear replied, “My weapons are that I talk fast, and I get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved, and you do whatever I say. If you don’t do what I tell you, I have no power. You can listen to me, and you can have respect for me. You can even be convinced by me. But if you don’t do what I say, I have no power.”

What’s your biggest pet peeve about private practice?

As with any new business, I would say mine is the growing pains. I work in a heavily saturated mental health provider community. I believe that there are enough clients for every provider. Focusing on building relationships in the community has been helpful to counterbalance the growing pains.

How did you discover or develop your practice “niche”?

I know that many women are caught in many double binds and in the never enough culture. Whether you a 20 something, single woman, a divorced working mother, a stay at home mother, a widow, or another woman in transition, I know that many women use people pleasing, perfectionism, numbing, and performing as a means of connecting, navigating relationships and settings, and as a guidepost for self worth. In my practice, women learn to use their own heart~body~mind wisdom to meet and respond to destructive covert messages and to life\’s patterns and challenges, as well as value themselves and their thoughts, feelings and opinions.

In 2012, I started Dr. Brene Brown’s Connections Certification process and provide a variety of related offerings. The offering are especially supportive for adults and teenagers who feel stuck, unworthy, and never good enough and those who struggle with perfectionism.

What resource (book, website, person) helped you the most when setting up your private practice?

Relationships with individuals and communities have really been the foundation for this start up phase of my private practice. In Washington, DC, Jennifer Kogan started a network “DC Therapists Moms” for parents and people who would like to have children who are in the mental health profession. It is truly a supportive and thoughtful community with over 400 members. On Facebook, Julie Hanks’s group, “Private Practice Toolbox” has be helpful for national and international brainstorming and information sharing. Lynn Grodzki’s book, 12 Months to Your Ideal Private Practice: A Workbook is a book that I cannot recommend enough. It has practical and creative strategies to strengthen your practice from all perspectives. Derek Halpern’s blog : Social Triggers is direct and effective too.

What has surprised you most about being in private practice?

In the public mental health community, I had strong relationships, but my area of expertise for almost 10 years was in trauma and attachment. In private practice, I have had start the relationship building process again, especially with securing referral sources. I have been filled with gratitude for my initial referral and cross referral sources.

Has your private practice helped you grow professionally?

Being a small business owner has reconnected me with parts of myself that I never knew. At each point of developing my practice, I am having to acquire new skills from social media marketing to the business side of the practice to going through Dr. Brene Brown’s Connections Certification process.

Has it helped you grow personally, too?

Finding the work life balance has been really been wonderful. I am more present in my relationships and have more time for myself. It takes work, but it is well worth it.

Being a therapist can be emotionally exhausting. What do you do to care for your own emotional and psychological health?

Finding time to just be is really restorative for me. Being an art therapist, I do try to make art regularly. The creative process is centering for me. Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation that I use. I also love to be in nature, cook, practice yoga, and enjoy time with my family and friends.

How do you cope with the inevitable stressors involved with being your own boss?

I remember that failure is a necessary part of the creative and learning processes. I see the failures as bumps in the road and try not to get stuck there. People rarely get it right on the first try. To find the best solution, one must keep trying with new approaches and strategies.

What personal strengths have helped you succeed in private practice?

I believe in this work from a very core place. I have witnessed so many lives changed, perspectives shift and relationships repaired and healed. Staying grounded in the why I do this work keeps me in focused.

For more information on Amy’s practice visit tatsumiandjones.com
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