If You Build It They Will Come

Private mental health practice is a vibrant, thriving, and financially rewarding profession. And yet many who consider pursuing this path are misled by falsehoods, or myths, about private practice that can result in costly mistakes - or avoidance of this fulfilling and worthwhile career path. There is no need to market my practice, clients will find me. I learned everything I need to know about private practice in graduate school. I don't need an attorney or a CPA. Self-care is for students. But there is, you didn't, you do, and no, it most certainly is not. In If You Build It They Will Come, Jeffrey Barnett and Jeffrey Zimmerman dismantle many common misconceptions (myths) relating to the preparation, management, and ethics of entering and running a successful private practice in the mental health professions. Grouped into thematic sections, misconceptions are addressed briefly and succinctly. In addition to sharing accurate information to refute each myth, the book provides vital information on how to be successful in private practice. The authors identify common pitfalls and challenges, offering specific and practical strategies to address and move beyond the myth. Each chapter concludes with recommended resources and readings. Blending decades of clinical experience with practical no-nonsense advice about running a practice, If You Build It They Will Come helps fill the gaps in practice development training. Trainees and recent graduates of programs in clinical psychology, social work, and counseling will benefit from this book's personal, candid, and optimistic approach.

Auteur

Jeffrey E. Barnett, PsyD, ABPP is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience in private practice and in educating and training private practitioners in the mental health field. He is the author of numerous books on success in private mental health practice and he regularly provides training to future and current mental health professionals on how to start and run a successful mental health practice. Jeffrey Zimmerman, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist with over 35 years of experience in both solo and group private practice. He is the co-author or co-editor of three books related to private practice. He regularly provides training to mental health professionals on building niche practices, helps mental health professionals form group practices, and provides ongoing practice development and management consultation. He is a founder of The Practice Institute.

Contenu

Section I: Preparing for Private Practice Chapter 1: In Graduate School, I Learned What I Need to Know About Running a Successful Practice Chapter 2: Becoming Licensed Means That I am Now Competent Chapter 3: If I "Sell Out" to the Business of Practice, I Give Up my Core Value of Altruism." Chapter 4: Being Known as a Generalist Will Position my Practice Well in the Community Chapter 5: Managed Care is Evil and Should be Avoided like the Plague; Experienced and Competent Clinicians Don't Participate in Managed Care Chapter 6: Insurance Companies Just Care About Profits and I Care About My Patients, So It is Okay to Bend the Rules to Get Paid Chapter 8: If You Build It, They Will Never Come Chapter 9: A Fee for Service Practice Cannot Survive Chapter 10: Keeping Clients in Treatment as Long as Possible is an Effective Practice Building Strategy Chapter 11: Video Conferencing and Tele-Mental Health Technologies are Easy Ways to Build My Practice Section III: Managing Your Practice There Is No Need to Waste My Hard-Earned Money on Consultants, Attorneys, and CPAs Chapter 13: At this Stage of My Career Paying for Supervision or Consultation is Just Ridiculous There is No Need to Have a Budget or Business Plan Chapter 15: If I Treat My Staff Well, They Will Take Care of Me and Look Out for My Best Interests Chapter 16: I'm the Boss. Who Needs Policies and Procedures? Chapter 17: It is Best to Have a Policy About Cancelled and Missed Appointments, and to Enforce It Consistently Chapter 18: Continuing Education Requirements are Unnecessary and are not Relevant to My Professional Competence Chapter 19: All You Need to Do to Close Your Practice is to Stop Seeing Clients and Lock the Door Chapter 20: There is No Need to Save for Retirement - I Can Sell My Practice When I am Ready to Retire Section IV: Documentation and Record Keeping Chapter 21: Documentation and Record Keeping are Burdens to be Done with as Quickly as Possible: The Less Said, the Better Chapter 22: It is Best to Provide Minimal Information When a Referral Source Requests Information about a Client Chapter 23: If I Receive a Subpoena I Should Turn Over the Client's Records Immediately, or be Prepared for Serious Legal Consequences Chapter 24: Client Records Should be Destroyed Once the Client Leaves Treatment or Dies Section V: Toward Ethical Practice Chapter 25: Private Practice is a Solitary Pursuit - There is no Need to Work with Others Chapter 26: As a Professional, I Don't Need to Worry About Self-Care. This is Just Some Meaningless New Age Concept That is Being Hyped by the Media Chapter 27: When I Need Clinical or Risk Management Advice I Should Ask for it on a Listserv Chapter 28: Being a Good Caring Person is all I Need in Order to Practice Ethically and Reduce my Risk of a Malpractice Claim Chapter 29: You are Ethically Obligated to Take Insurance, Offer a Sliding Scale Fee, or See Some People Free of Charge