HELPING THERAPISTS PRACTICE WITH CONFIDENCE!

I've been there...Chronic overachieving to maximize your positive impact.

After graduate school, while I was working toward licensure as a Marriage & Family Therapist, I worked in a child and adolescent inpatient facility. The more I saw the unique legal needs of children that came through our facility, the more I wanted to better understand those legal issues and have enough knowledge to help. So I enrolled in law school. I mean, that's what most people would do in that situation, right?!

I hustled. And I did it all! Inpatient crisis unit for adult? Done. Inpatient treatment for children and adolescents? Yep. Therapeutic foster care? Check. Adoption home studies? Did it. 

During law school, I started a group practice. (That's right...During law school. Because I'm just a little crazy!) Not only was I passionate about working with the children and families I served in my private practice, but I was passionate about mentoring the therapists that worked alongside me in my practice. 

From therapist to family law attorney.

After completing law school, I continued to practice as an LMFT and also practiced law as a family law attorney for a few years. I represented parents in custody and divorce proceedings. I saw children caught in the middle while each of parent was more concerned about 'winning' than they were about their child's wellbeing.

I represented children and parents in the deprived system. I saw firsthand the faults and frustrations of the system. I saw children--and sometimes parents--who were only further victimized by the system that was supposed to help them. 

It. Was. Awful.

From attorney to forensic therapist.

What I learned was...First and foremost, I am a therapist at heart. When I stopped practicing as a family law attorney, forensic practice became my primary practice area and I became intimately familiar with the family court system from a therapist's perspective. I have served in various forensic roles including Parenting Coordinator, Guardian ad Litem, Custody Evaluator, and Reunification Therapist. To me, this was worthwhile and meaningful work.

But at what cost?

I was exhausted. Sometimes I felt work was getting the best of me and my family was getting what was leftover. This was not the lifestyle I envisioned when I worked so hard to create and build my practice. 

Over the years, as a therapist who was intimately familiar with the court system, I was often asked to consult with other therapists regarding legal issues in their practice. These issues included subpoenas, records releases, court orders, consent for treatment for minors, and many other issues. THIS was the work I loved! As I heard more and more therapists tell me that our work together allowed them to run their practices more efficiently, more profitably, and  more confidently, I discovered this is my passion!

Education and consultation to help you practice with confidence!

Bottom line...I've been there. I know the hard work, overwhelm, and exhaustion. But I also know there is still the drive, passion, and desire to be the best you can be for your clients, yourself, and your family.

The therapists I work with want to practice with confidence. They are trying to do everything right. They want to be the best therapist they can be and do right by their clients while still providing a sustainable lifestyle for themselves and their families. 

Are you practicing with confidence?

Confidence in your documentation. When you get that subpoena or records request, will the panic set in? Is everything in order? Do you have all the required documentation?

Confidence in your fees and profitability. Do you feel the need to accept every client who contacts you? Are you accepting a large number of clients at low fees either because you are afraid of having fewer clients or because you fear going off of insurance panels?

Confidence in your efficiency and practice systems. Are you overwhelmed? Do you feel like you are spending more time on the paperwork and administrative aspects of your business than actually helping your clients?