There are many types of niches in private practice, and it takes time and effort to develop your niche.I have done that several times in my business beginning with one niche and then adding another one or phasing one that was no longer financially rewarding,One of the specialties that I developed is an outpatient substance abuse program.It took me a long time to figure out how to attract clients and who to approach about, i.e., am sharing it with you so you might be able to implement some of my ideas, How to attract clients to your substance abuse program?Consider Medicaid approvalBegin talking to your local state licensing agency and see if you can get approved for a Medicaid license specifically for providing substance abuse services. Even though it is a lot of bureaucracy but it is sometimes a foot in the door because the state might pay for the services that your clients need and you can offer the program to a wide variety of clients.The Medicaid program can also be a part of specific insurance companies, and you need to approach each insurance company separately and just ask if you can contract with them for Medicaid reimbursement. Each state might have different regulations, but it is worth exploring the possibilities. Contract with insurance companiesInsurance companies also offer possibilities of contracts for specialized services such as intensive outpatient treatment. They need to approve your company, and then your program will be offered to clients who contact the specific insurance company.Remember that you have to approach each insurance company separately and seek contracting. Some insurance companies look for practitioners who only see clients for assessments and send a big volume of clients your way, but their reimbursement rate is usually very low. They sometimes require contractual agreement but not with every insurance company.You can also see your clients in groups in your regular private practice without specialized substance abuse programs but your rates will probably be lower, and the clients who contact the appropriate insurance will never know about your existence. Your effort of advertising would be entirely on you. Offer special population programs.Insurance companies as well as state agencies that offer Medicaid both like programs catering to teens, women, LGBT, bilingual or dual diagnosis clients.Even if the Medicaid program is scarce in your state, they are often willing to work with someone proposing much-needed services. Contract with courtsAnother much-overlooked way of getting clients is through the court system.Many counties offer their own contracts for specialized services including substance abuse programs. For example, a local probation department might offer a contract for providers who are willing to accept probationers with substance abuse issues, and the state will provide a full reimbursement for this service.Contractual agreements whether with courts, state agencies or insurance companies provide a steady stream of clients and allow you to run your business more predictably.Not all contractual agreements from courts or state agencies provide full reimbursement. Some might only offer a partial retirement, but regardless of this, they are a valuable referral source for clients who might pay out of the packet for their services. Contract with community agenciesSome community agencies get grants to provide services to their clients, and they contract with other agencies to produce substance abuse services.These contracts could be long-term, or they could be created for each client separately. The second option might be specifically beneficial to the provider because the reimbursement is usually determined by the provider and the rates are generally higher due to the specificity of the contract.This could be a service provided to a bilingual client involved in a legal matter, and he or she would have difficulty finding such services. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/how-to-attract-clients-to-your-substance-abuse-program/
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DAY 1 What is a brand? Brand is not just a logo or advertising even though most people think it is. It is meaning behind what you do or want to do. What do people think about you? What do they say? What do they feel? What do they say about you as a counselor? Do you get a lot of repeat business by word of mouth? Are people recommending you to others? Do they understand what you do? Do many people in the community know what you do? Try to answer these questions as honest as you can because it will help you decide what to do next. Day 2 What is the purpose of your brand? You know that a brand is simply put a sum of all things that create a meaning but what is the purpose of your brand? Why is it important to your business or your life? Is your purpose driven by ambition, talent, money etc.? Are you passionate about what you do? Does it seem like work to you? Is the brand the extension of your personality and who you are? The best brands are those that express emotion and are an extension of our lives. They are not some made up things without any connection to who you are. People know your story and your brand reflects it. Imagine that you are a single mom who loses her son to drugs and decides to become an addiction counselor to help educate other moms about dangers of drugs. This is your story and your brand is a reflection of your story. Your brand is the sum of meanings that are behind what you do. It shows feelings and engages the public to know more, be loyal and spread the news. Think about your story. What are you passionate about? Day 3 How do you actually go from knowing your passion and purpose to designing your brand? You still have a lot to do with developing your brand, but you are on the right track. Remember you do not have to do everything yourself. Use the talents you have and network with others to help you. Day 4 Know your competition! How do you design your brand in order to outsmart your competition? You think that you are just one of many private practitioners and what you have to offer is not much different from what your competition offers. Remember you don’t have to reinvent the wheel but present your brand in a more distinctive and emotionally engaging way. You also need to use your imagination. Don’t be boring and predictable. Be original and be different. Make your brand stand out! Ask yourself these questions: In what ways can I present my brand experience that’s better than my competition? Are they all about the price, flexible schedule, accurate responding, nicer location, expertise? What do you stand for? When I opened my substance abuse program 17 years ago I was told I would never be able to succeed because of competition who was experienced and knowledgeable about the system. I knew that I was presenting something better to my clients that is of great value. I was giving them the individual attention that they craved for and nobody else was delivering. Day 5 Know your audience! Your brand is not for everyone and it cannot appeal to the masses simply because it is unique and has to attract specific clients. It has to be large enough so you have no problems finding clients but also it has to be defined clearly so you know exactly who to attract to your brand. Let’s say you want to specialize in providing workshops to parents of highly functioning autistic children in private schools only. Perhaps you are a former teacher and you would love to provide education to school personnel and other community agencies about highly functioning autistic children ages 5 to 12. You know this subject well, you have a passion for it and there is a great need for it. You can create your brand around this specific audience. Your audience craves the expertise and seeks narrow specialty such as yours since it’s hard to find. They don’t want to take another workshop presenting basic information. They want to know more and are willing to pay for it! Who is your perfect client? Think about it! Day 6 Shaping your brand essence. You want to create a great brand but you are so involved in it that you might lose a big picture. Ask yourself these questions! Can I achieve what my brand implies? Do my clients care about my brand? Is my brand message helpful in business transactions? Is my brand making me stand out? It is important to answer these questions honestly since we want to build a business that attracts clients and it also sounds appealing to them. Being different is also important because they don’t want to go to just another therapist offering the same service in exactly the same way. Even if the type of service you provide is exactly the same they want to know how you stand out from others. Imagine that you are a former veteran who wants to specialize in working with military personnel. How would you tell your story to appeal to other veterans and create your brand? What would you use as your brand message? Some possible examples could be: I’ve been there…, In your shoes… What’s your brand message? Think about your possible brand phrases! Day 7 What’s your brand story? Even if everyone else provides a similar service you can present your brand differently and still be more visible. Your personal story creates an unforgettable memory in clients’ hearts and gives your specialty that magnetic pull that you need. If you are a customer you have several choices to make your emotional purchase. You usually pick the product that has a memorable story behind. Do you buy Starbucks coffee because you support sustainable practices of coffee growers around the world? Even if you pay more for a product or service that resonates with your values you can always justify it. The product is more than its monetary value. It’s a feeling that you are a part of a greater purpose if even in a minuscule way. Now you can see that you can charge for a product or service more simply because you are giving more than just a product. That’s what fee for service private practice is all about. Giving a client something he feels is more valuable, something he can’t get any other way or from anyone else. What’s your story? What is compelling enough to make people believe you can help them? Day 8 How to build your brand name? There is no perfect name for your brand. Many names can be just right as long as they differentiate your business from others and awake emotional response in your potential clients. If you are not sure how to name it please go back to my previous blogs and re-examine the purpose of your brand. Remember that brand name is only a part of your business presentation and the real thing is what you do as a brand. If what your brand does is boring and does not evoke any feelings then it really doesn’t matter what the name of your brand is. Imagine you are an expert in treatment of anxiety disorders and you call your brand exactly that “treatment of anxiety disorders”. It sounds really common and uninteresting even though it’s true. This name does not show your real passion and is not engaging your clients at the emotional level. Do you want them to know that you help them free themselves of anxiety? How do you do it differently than others? Think about possible names for your brand! How will it resonate with your potential clients? Day 9 What is your brand purpose statement and its slogan? The brand statement is a formal way of explaining what your brand is all about. It tells its employees, media and potential customers what it stands for. Remember to keep it short and to the point and don’t use complicated words. For a nonprofit organization who runs a treatment center for indigent population the brand statement could be something like this: To provide the best treatment experience and hope for our clients and end homelessness. Every brand needs a brand purpose statement, but not every brand has to have a brand slogan. A brand slogan is directly aiming at the customers. For example, Salvation Army slogan is “doing the most good.” It is a great idea to have a slogan for your brand only because it is often something that clients remember most which in turn helps you differentiate yourself from others. The addition of a slogan helps you explain your brand purpose and carries an emotional tone. If you are a therapist specializing in eating disorders, it could be something like “You create your beauty”, “You are more than this”. What are your ideas? Day 10 Putting it all together! I hope you were able to understand the steps one needs to take in order to create a brand for any business. Please understand that it takes time and effort, but it’s not that difficult. You need to begin with a purpose and a vision of your organization and decide what is the most important aspect of your business that you want people to know about. The image of your company that you create will follow you everywhere, and it will help others spread it. Your expertise in the field needs to be presented to others everywhere you can so people will get to know your brand. Don’t miss opportunities that you might not think are worth pursuing. You never know who might help you spread the news about your brand. You do not have to be perfect at what you do but consistent in doing it. Sometimes you will be disappointed in yourself, and that is normal. Even the most successful business owners experience failure and doubt their brand purpose. Always remember this simple truth that money making should not be your only goal. If you pursue your passion, the money will often follow but make sure that your brand is something that people care enough to pay for. And now go ahead and create your brand! via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/do-it-yourself-brand-building-in-10-days/ Many therapists dream of having a fee for service private practice but are hesitant to venture into it. Some rely too heavily on insurance reimbursement and do not believe that they can generate enough income by charging clients directly. Others do not think that they possess specific skills that are needed to attract the type of clients who are willing to pay out of pocket. I assure you that there is a smooth transition into fee for service private practice and it doesn’t have to be all or none. In the beginning, it could be just a simple addition to your currently existing practice, and with time and experience, you can ultimately transition into it when you evaluate the finances, the time and the effort you are investing into insurance billing. There are two ways we can start thinking about generating income where clients can begin paying us out of a packet. The first one is to evaluate your existing practice and the clients and ask yourself a question. Who are most of my clients? Can they afford to pay out of a packet? What type of specialty do you already have? Are you seen as an expert in this specific area? Do you like working with some specialty more than others? Do they value your expertise enough to stay with you if you transition to fee for service private practice? These are only some of the questions, but they are crucial because they will give direction to your transition process. You might not realize, but your existing practice in the specific community is already providing you some guidance on your cash generating possibilities. Just imagine you see clients from a variety of backgrounds, but they come to you predominantly for depression and anxiety issues. Let’s assume a majority of them are women with young children. You see them bimonthly making $ 80 a session through insurance reimbursement, but you have high absenteeism due to their kids getting sick. You can ask these clients if they are willing to participate in a support group for women on a weekly basis. You can always choose to bill insurance in which case you will receive about $20 per person per session, or you can ask clients for cash payments. If you have ten clients, it is $200 per session. If some clients do not want to pay out of a packet, you can bill their insurance. You can create a group consisting of both types of clients. Those paying out of a packet and those who are paying with insurance. Also, you are eliminating the problem of not getting paid at all due to high absenteeism. With a group of even a few clients, you might get some who will come in for their group sessions and continue as your individual clients. Additionally, community service agencies often lack resources for individual counseling and will be happy to refer clients for group counseling to you especially if the fees are below $20 per session. In many situations, they will even pay for the client’s counseling sessions.I have found this to be true with many of my clients, and I work with predominantly lower socioeconomic status clients. The idea of group counseling in one area of your expertise might often lead into other areas unexpectedly. Just imagine that while running your depression/anxiety group you find out that some women struggle with parenting issues. You might then offer a parenting group. There are many possibilities, and they are only determined by your willingness to work hard in marketing yourself. What I have described is just one of the ideas that might work for you or might not. It depends on your particular community and the needs of the clients.The second idea about generating income with a fee for service is to create an area of practice that does not get paid by insurance. These could be any of the following: forensic psychology, seminars on any topic, infertility, adoption, court mediation, couples therapy, coaching, motivational speaking, giftedness, chronic diseases, divorce, career, life transitions, etc. You can become more creative and more purposeful in choosing a niche that is open to your interpretation and possibilities. You need to do some research in the specific area of your interest and decide which clinical specialty you enjoy working with and which one makes the most sense in your particular community. I have always known that I would have fee for service private practice specializing in forensics since I observed other people being successful in it. I was very purposeful in my endeavors after researching the educational and bureaucratic requirements, and I dove right in. It took me a few months to get certified in a few areas such as addictions, domestic violence, etc. and I got myself a job performing assessments and counseling for the courts. At that time, I was still in graduate school, but I already knew what I wanted to practice. Take your time and do your research. Find out what drives you and how you want to help your clients. You might even create a practice out of something very unusual but still beneficial to your clients.Only you know your passions and talents, and with the right planning, you can see yourself prosper.via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/how-to-begin-fee-for-service-private-practice/ What is a SAP?The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulation defines the Substance Abuse Professional as a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow up testing and aftercare. In order to be a SAP, you need to have certain credentials, possess specific knowledge, receive training and achieve a passing score on an examination. If you are unfamiliar with the SAP process, please refer to DOT SAP Guidelines in 49 CFR part 40, procedure 4 Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Whether you are a new SAP, seasoned one or you want to begin your SAP Services this article is for you. Overview of the DOT Alcohol and Drug /Alcohol Testing ProgramThe Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act requires DOT agencies to implement drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive employees to maintain safety of the public. What is a DOT drug/alcohol test?It’s a drug or alcohol test regulated by the Department of Transportation. The DOT’s drug/alcohol screening rules and procedures are listed within Title 49 of the Code of a Federal Regulations Part 40. Who is required to get DOT drug tests?
When are safety-sensitive employees required to get DOT drug/alcohol tests?DOT drug tests are required in the following situations:
What happens when I fail my DOT drug/alcohol test?If you fail your DOT regulated drug test, DOT regulations require your employer to immediately remove you from performing any DOT safety-sensitive job. There may be other consequences, too, like losing your certification or license. This depends on your company’s policy or employment agreement. During the process of testing a physician- Medical Review Officer (MRO) is reviewing the drug/alcohol test results for accuracy. Then the results are sent to the designated employer’s representative (DER), and he notifies the employee about the need of SAP evaluation. Payment for the SAP services is usually decided by the employer. Sometimes it is covered by the employee and sometimes by the employer. Some health insurance companies also have special provisions for the coverage of SAP process. How do you market your SAP service?1. Referrals from designated employee representatives (DER).Once you start receiving the referrals the job of the SAP would be to forward the initial evaluation letter to the DER. Many times, the client will not have the required information about the drug test and you will have to contact the DER to obtain this information. Many DERs will contact you directly asking questions pertaining to SAP process, especially the length of the SAP process and required treatment/education. It is important to not only fax or e-mail the evaluations but also mail them and also include your business card. Communicate with the DER asking him questions pertaining to his company’s substance abuse policy and other needs he might have such as education of employees and supervisors. Remember that small trucking companies go out of business quite often and employ many owner’s operators who change companies all the time. When you communicate with DERs as well as employees they will remember your services and tell other business owners as well as employees about you. You have two ways two different research companies and their DERs. You can do an internet search for a trucking or other type of DOT regulated companies and prepare a list that you can send information to about your SAP services. You can also purchase a list of DOT regulated companies from an online database that specializes in market searches. I can offer you samples of my own postcard design that I have successfully mailed to many DOT regulated companies. Make sure you address your letter to a DER since many companies have a designated person responsible for safety. Smaller companies might have a DER who is also responsible for other things. I have been receiving most of my clients from DER referrals. Make sure you help DERs understand the SAP process. Many of them are unfamiliar with the regulatory requirements, and they want you to be their educator. Having personal relationships with DERs will make you a person to go to when they have any safety questions regarding drug and alcohol policy. Remember that DERs of companies talk to each other, and they will refer you to other companies. If you receive a direct referral from a DOT regulated company or from a client the fee for your services could be anywhere from $400 to $600 depending on your prior work and agreements with the company. 2. Referrals from drug/alcohol testing companies and collection sites.There are only few drug/alcohol companies that are approved for testing. Therefore, clients who need drug and alcohol testing go to local collection sites. These places are all over the United States, and they are also familiar with the SAP process. Drug/alcohol testing employees often refer their clients to SAPs. You can contact these companies either by mail or email and introduce your services explaining exactly what you do and how you can help drug/alcohol testing companies when they have clients who test positive. You have to understand that these companies also need clients. If they send referrals to you, they expect you to send the clients to them also. You can do it easily by sending your clients to them back for follow up testing, especially if these clients are unemployed and do not have a designated drug testing company. Collection sites especially have more time to be with the client and get to know them better. The process of testing is pretty long, and they see the same clients over and over again. Once the client tests positive for a specific drug, they will be visiting the collection site quite a lot because they will be doing follow up testing on top of their random drug testing. 3.Referrals from consortia and third-party administrators.Consortia / third-party administrator manage many administrative functions for the company including their DOT alcohol and drug testing. They often provide random selection and other types of testing for the given company and monitor the employees with their alcohol/drug testing procedures. Some consortia / third-party administrators have their own SAPs to whom they refer their employees. Once the participant has taken the selected test the sample is sent to the lab and MRO and the information is transmitted back to consortia / third-party administrator. From that point on the information is transmitted to the DER. Consortia / third-party administrators monitor the drug/alcohol testing at all points including the aftercare and follow-up testing. Therefore, they have connections not only with SAPs but also with treatment providers. Many consortia / third-party administrators welcome SAPs who can provide services for them and like to have few SAPs to whom they can refer. Remember that these companies specialize in providing administrative help to many DOT regulated entities and they look for SAPs who can finish assessments in a timely manner. Communicate with these companies whenever you have a client referred by them because they can be a stable referral source for you. 4. Referrals from Medical Review Officers (MRO).A medical review officer is a person who is responsible for reviewing laboratory results from the employee’s drug testing program and confirming the drug tests results. MRO often talks to the employees, DERs, collection sites employees in order to confirm the test results. Many of my clients have actually been referred to me by MROs. Smaller trucking companies, especially those who deal with foreign speaking employees might not be familiar with the referral procedures. Their DERs contact MROs for clarifications and referrals. 5. Referrals from treatment centers or other SAPs.Whenever you refer a client for education/treatment, these companies can also refer back to you. Many treatment centers also have SAPs who provide drug and alcohol assessments and need to refer their clients out. If you are interested in providing both assessments and treatment for DOT regulated employees, you can do so if you can obtain linkage agreements with other SAPs and treatment centers. Remember that you can’t provide both services to the same client. I work with several SAPs that refer clients for education and/or treatment to me. They know me personally, and they know what they can expect from my services. They want my help in completing everything in a timely manner. 6. Referrals from SAP services solely dedicated to DOT Drug and Alcohol Compliance.Since EAPs cannot always serve as providers of substance abuse assessment and treatment, free-standing companies were created to act as a referral service of SAP providers. These services refer potential clients to SAPs. You need to register with them as a SAP, and they will send you clients depending on the location of the SAP evaluation needed. These services pay a lot less to the SAP since they are a middleman and charge very high fees. These services are usually paid for by the employee, and then the SAP services pay the SAP provider after the assessment has been completed. Depending on the location where you practice and availability of other SAPs you might get a different amount of referrals. I have been getting a steady flow of referrals from these companies, and they usually pay around $200 to the SAP. It makes sense to be on their referral list since you might build good connections with the clients and their DERs. Employers do change their SAP providers so you should be on the lookout for the new opportunities. 7. Referrals to provide safety education to employees and supervisors.SAPs can provide other services that are important to DOT-regulated companies. The most popular is a supervisory training that is actually required by DOT. This supervisory training can be done in person, via webinars or via instructional materials. Many large companies hire SAPs to provide ongoing training to their supervisors and other employees. Preparing good materials for teaching drug and alcohol safety is very helpful to employers and might also be a good marketing way of presenting your service. Keep in mind that SAP services are perceived by employers as a true extension of EAP services, not regular substance abuse assessment and treatment. There is a lot of conflict between the actual needs of the client and productivity of the company he works for. Make sure you are the gatekeeper of the safety of the public. Do what’s best for the wellbeing of the client and the public. Be ethical in the way you provide your services and make sure you do not have any financial benefit from referring your clients to treatment providers or vice versa. It is important that you have good connections with treatment providers in order to help the client and expedite the process in a timely manner, but you cannot receive any financial benefits from these connections. These are only some of the ways you can market yourself as a SAP. There are many more, and I have extensive experience in providing marketing to other SAPs.via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/how-to-market-your-substance-abuse-professional-services-sap/ Credentials requirementsAnyone can open a substance abuse treatment program provided they have appropriate credentials that are required by your particular state, and they can prove to the appropriate licensing agency they are capable of running such operation. If you want to know what the credentials are, please visit your state website. In general states usually, require at a minimum alcohol and drug addiction certificate with some experience in the field of substance abuse. These requirements might vary somewhat for each state and are more complex for others. As a general rule though they usually differ depending on the type of intervention, you want to be able to offer to the clients. Rules for IllinoisTypes of programsSome programs only offer assessments and/or education and others offer a full range of treatment programs from an outpatient to the residential. Depending on the type of a program you are planning to offer your application will differ and your documentation for the clients will also differ. If you are in the state of Illinois, you can either obtain an intervention license that allows you to provide DUI evaluation, DUI Risk Education, and a recovery home or a treatment license that allows you to provide a full range of treatment services from outpatient to residential. The recovery home license has an additional requirement regarding the facility since the clients will reside there for an extended period of time. This is not a treatment facility. Therefore, a treatment license is not required. General Application requirements for all licenses in IllinoisDepending on the legal entity your business is you need to provide proper documentation explaining its legal functioning. It could be anything from a sole proprietorship to a corporation. If you are incorporated, you need to present articles of incorporation and a certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State office. Additionally, each facility has to comply with a specific building code and has to be approved by the architect who signs off on its required specifications. If your facility does not meet specific state requirements, it might be denied. Make sure you hire an architect who is familiar with commercial buildings and Life Safety Inspection procedures. For treatment licenses, you are also required to hire a medical director who will review clients’ files and sign off on their diagnoses, treatment planning, and continuing stay review. The clinical director will also help design the medical screening for the clients including the infectious disease control procedures for your agency. The next part of the application is the description of your proposed services fulfilling the need for the community in which you are going to practice. This includes the types of clients you are going to see and the projection of the business growth. In the state of Illinois, the Department of Human Services expects you to write an entire policy and procedure manual incorporating the state administrative rules (part 2060, subpart C). After the application is completed, the department will schedule an interview with an applicant that may be in person or by phone to discuss the policy and procedure manual and its practical application within the organization. Additionally, the applicant has to provide a letter of agreement with the courts ensuring referrals of offenders to the new program. So now you have accomplished your task of opening a substance abuse program and now what? How do you get clients? How do you advertise? via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/how-to-open-a-dui-program/ Many counselors dream of opening a private practice, even when they are still at school. Unfortunately, they don’t find much understanding and support anywhere. Their teachers don’t encourage them to pursue their goals and quite often discourage them from seeking their life dream. This lack of encouragement from the academia might come from realizing that being in private practice takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes it takes working seven days a week to achieve your dream. Additionally, many professors at graduate programs are not in private practice themselves and usually teach full time or work for other companies. This gives them limited knowledge about private practice, and therefore they do not share their valuable knowledge with students who might want to open their practice. Young students look for mentors and experiences that give them empowerment to venture outside their comfort and into areas that are exciting but unknown. They have a lot of fears and nobody that they can discuss them with. MYTH #1 IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU HAVE TO GO INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE FULL-TIME RIGHT AWAY. It is possible to go into private practice full time if you have prior experience in certain areas and you either have a source of clients or you have established good connections with either insurance or EAP companies. You do not have to depend on insurance or EAP companies, but you have to have life experiences that give you some knowledge in certain areas. You could, for example, work in a school setting with underprivileged kids and you might have an idea about opening an after-school program that will involve tutoring and counseling services, and you can present this idea to your school principal or anyone else in the community who is interested in helping the children. Trust your instinct and your thoughts, and if you are passionate about this you can make it happen! Even if you do not work in any educational setting, it could be an idea that y ou have while working in a business environment. Your manager knows that you are in a counseling program and that you would like to improve the effectiveness of your team that you are a part of. You know best what hinders the effectiveness of your team. It could be that the members are not getting along with each other or that some employees have problems with finding appropriate child care for their children. Believe in yourself and talk with the management or human resource and present your ideas to them. Have a plan and a program that you would like to implement even if it’s a brown bag lunch seminar that you can present in your office cafeteria. You develop your private practice while still working for someone else and a lot of your ideas might not even sound like private practice to you. By the time you decide to venture into working for yourself, you might not only be ready, but you will have a particular niche, a plan, and the most important potential clients too. You can always begin part time a few nights a week, and this will allow you to test your ideas and see if there’s a possibility to make money. MYTH #2 YOU HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED OR LICENSED BEFORE YOU OPEN PRIVATE PRACTICE. People who open private practice are not successful just because they are certified or licensed. They are successful because they have a plan and a driven personality that guides them. There’s a lot of things you can do with your undergraduate or graduate degree to test the waters and see if you have even potential for being your boss. Coaching is very popular and does not require any certification or licenses. Certainly, that people can obtain additional training in coaching but if you don’t have a personality for working with people none of it will help you. Rely on your instincts, your knowledge, and your interests. You’re the best in what you do if you follow your dreams. If you have a particular area that can make a difference in peoples’ lives you should follow that. Don’t copy other peoples’ ideas only because they are successful in something. Make sure that the area that you choose is your passion and don’t let anyone deter you from following it. MYTH #3 YOU HAVE TO BE SMARTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR FIELD. From the seventeen years of experience in private practice, I can tell you that the people who do open private practice are not smarter than others in their field. They might possess certain qualities that tell them apart from other counselors, but smartness is not one of them. They believe that what they have to offer is important, they persevere and will not change their minds after a few failures. They do not accept NO for an answer and look for solutions to every problem even if it seems impossible forothers to unravel it. These are just a few myths that we encounter while wanting to open a private practice. My advice to those of you who want to do it as follows: – Please trust your instincts – Run your ideas by your friends who are not in a counseling field – Listen to their feedback – Ask your friends and family members what do they see as your biggest strengths. Do they see you as an entrepreneur with bold ideas? Do you think you have the strength to go on when you have no support coming from anyone? Every person in private practice feels lonely at times. We question our decisions and sometimes there’s nobody to help us make them. You can open a private practice, and you do not have to wait your whole life to do it.via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/common-myths-about-opening-private-practice/ Success in private practice is not only defined by financial gains but also by our fulfillment. Many counselors do not consider counseling practice as a business and believe that it is mainly their passion. It is important that they love what they do, but they also should learn business essentials. This can be done through a variety of free marketing classes that are offered online or books that are published on different business-related topics. If we do not explore new ideas, we cannot thrive in any business. Including counseling business. May therapists are excellent as individual therapists but do not specialize in anything, therefore, cannot claim that they are experts in any particular area of counseling. Having a niche that is also your expertise helps you become known in the community as a go-to person when other practitioners want to refer clients. Counselors fear that having a specialty makes their practice too narrow and they will not be able to attract enough people to make a living. This might be true only if we are concentrating on one area and not accepting any clients who might have other needs. This is not possible to do at the beginning of private practice, but once we become experts in a particular area, we can make the narrow niche our full-time practice. Niche is not only for other professionals to be able to refer to us, but it is also a selling point to our clients. Educated consumers are looking for someone who has more than a college degree in counseling. They want a counselor not only with experience in a particular area but also with additional training and expertise. Both clients and counselors believe that specialty in a certain area allows us to provide better service and also consult on our specialty to other counselors. Finding the right niche does not have to be difficult. Concentrate on what you already like and feel comfortable working with. It could be anything from children to adults and from educational setting to business setting. Use your current interests and ideas, do some research, and even ask your friends and coworkers to see if there is a need in the community for your specific service. Some of the most popular niches that I have encountered within my counseling community are providing anger management classes or crisis intervention to business companies, offering wellness classes for people with different illnesses, medication management, assessment for ADHD or substance abuse, etc. One of the growing trends within the counseling field is providing substance use evaluations for different purposes. Some of them are performed for legal reasons, others for work-related situations. The majority of companies require random drug and alcohol testing, and as a consequence of positive testing, clients are required to undergo drug and alcohol evaluations. This kind of practice could be completely independent of insurance companies or can include contracts with insurance for the purposes of doing frequent drug and alcohol evaluations that are extremely short and do not require much follow-up. You as a practitioner have to make a decision if you feel comfortable with this type of practices and if you want to engage in such short assessment procedures. Another niche has to do with providing short-term therapy and risk education for a variety of clients who have drug and alcohol problems. Many schools, business companies, police stations refer clients for these services and are looking for brief therapy and/or education that could be completed quickly. These establishments are in need of quick service and often expect you to help the client quickly and efficiently. You as a practitioner need to decide if you feel comfortable working under pressure with clients who are sometimes angry and do not believe they should even be in your office. Another interesting niche is working with school children with ADHD. You can receive a lot of referrals from neighboring schools to perform short assessments for school children who are hyperactive. Schools are underfunded, and they usually refer the parents to the local therapists for assessments. Teachers and administrators like all additional help they can get and often appreciate short presentations that could be done within a school, on topics pertaining to children mental health that can make their job easier. These are only some of the niches that are pretty lucrative and do not rely on insurance reimbursement. Just the opposite. Many clients do not want to use their insurance when it comes to substance abuse problems. They do not want to be labeled, and they do not want the insurance company to carry the stigma of their addiction. Many parents do not want their kids to be diagnosed with mental illness, and they are fearful of insurance paperwork. They want to make sure that the practitioner is keeping all information confidential and does not inform anyone about any unnecessary issues. Parents have the right to make a decision about the diagnosis and how they want to proceed. No matter what niche you choose, make sure that you also enjoy the work that it entails. Some of the niches might look financially rewarding, but they carry some legal burdens or other difficulties that you might not be ready to engage in. Know your personality and your limitations. The best niche is a simple extension of your passion that does not feel like work. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/the-importance-of-niche-in-private-practice/
Yes, that’s what I wanted, and I planned everything even before my internship. Becoming an apprenticeIf you have already completed your school internship, you can also find another site to do volunteering or get a part-time job. Expanding your horizonsGetting a part-time job teaching in a community college or working in a mental health agency helps you get more community contacts and transition into private practice. Yes, you can open your private practice sooner than you think!If you have any questions or comments, please post them below. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/from-an-intern-to-a-private-practice-practitioner/ Being convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) can have life-changing consequences for you and your family. Even if you have not consumed much alcohol, if a police officer has probable cause, they can pull you over. Having a DUI conviction can have a huge impact on your life. How a DUI Conviction Affects YouA DUI conviction can carry a number of consequences. Many of those are short-term in nature, such as having to pay fines and other fees, driver’s license suspension, auto insurance premiums increasing, court-ordered DUI classes and community service and jail time, in some cases. However, there are even more ramifications you can face if you have a DUI conviction. For one thing, the conviction can follow you wherever you go in a variety of areas of your life. It’s important to know what these entail so that you can take positive steps to go on with your life after a DUI conviction. The long-term consequences include the following: Driver’s license revocationDepending on the circumstances, your driver’s license may be revoked for a short time, but it can be revoked for up to two years in the worst case scenario. This can make it difficult to travel to and from work or school an even run every day errands. Background checksA DUI conviction can adversely affect your ability to get a job. Prospective employers often conduct background checks on individuals seeking employment, which means they may think twice about hiring you if you have a DUI conviction on your record, even if it’s a misdemeanor and not a felony. The same can occur if you are seeking housing or financial aid. EmploymentWith a DUI conviction, your current job can be at risk. If you are required to attend court dates, perform community service or serve jail time, you cannot appear at work like normal, which can threaten your employment. If you have a job that requires you to drive, you may not be able to work at all. Increased insurance ratesYour auto insurance premium rates can skyrocket after a DUI conviction. You are deemed high-risk by the insurer, which results in an increase that is twice or even three times higher. In some cases, the insurance company may even end your coverage. Felony or Misdemeanor?Usually, a DUI is charged as a misdemeanor if it is a first-time offense and no one was hurt. In Washington, the laws are fairly lax, but there are steps the state is taking to reduce drunk driving accidents. For example, in 2017, a bill was approved to make fourth DUI offenses charged as felonies. In other words, if a person drives drunk over three times in less than a decade and they are arrested, they are charged with a felony. Bouncing Back After a ConvictionIt may seem impossible to bounce back after a DUI conviction, but it’s possible. Taking things one step at a time makes it easier to recover. First, it’s important to avoid drinking. Staying sober is the key to recovering. You may want to join a group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or at least one-on-one counseling. However, if you have a serious alcohol addiction problem, extensive detoxification and rehabilitation are more beneficial. Attend all your court-ordered DUI classes. They can help to open your eyes to the dangers of driving while drunk. Don’t skip any classes. Just like a drug addict, it’s important to learn to identify triggers that can lead to you drinking. This is something you can learn while attending addiction therapy sessions. If a trigger does strike, you can take a positive step against giving in to temptation by contacting a close friend who is part of your support system. You may question your life’s choices after a DUI conviction, especially if you lose your job. However, as long as you are honest and are dedicated to your treatment, you can get a new job. Although the conviction will appear in background checks, you will survive if you lead an honest life and work to better yourself in the present and future. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/here-is-how-you-can-bounce-back-after-a-dui-conviction/ Most graduate students are not really sure what type of internship they would like to choose. They do usually know what type of internship they would not want to engage in. Unfortunately, what they like or don’t like is not often grounded in reality simply because they do not have enough experience in the field and often make decisions based on emotions, not facts. So how can they avoid disappointment and choose wisely? Ask questions! 1. Can the placement give you clinical experience and not just a lot of hours that won’t help you become a good clinician. Are you able to learn how to run groups, do individual sessions, do intakes and assessments? All of this is possible in a good internship, and you do not have to waste hours sitting and waiting for clients. One year of clinical experience that teaches you these skills can land you a good job even before the completion of your school. 2. Will the supervision also include trainings that will teach you something new or improve your current skills? Supervision is a vital part of the internship, but it should also involve learning new skills that are not taught in school but are an important part of being a counselor. Trainings in case management, ASAM criteria, motivational interviewing, diagnostic impressions, mental health assessments, etc. Are just a few ones that you might learn? Not all these trainings are pertinent to your particular site so find out what trainings will be offered in your internship. Some sites also offer certificate programs in specific skills like trauma, CBT or forensic assessment. Others might prepare you for obtaining CADC certification in substance abuse that is state recognized. 3. Is the site assisting interns with job placements? Some internships help students find jobs by partnering with other mental health organizations who are looking for employees straight from graduate schools. They look for specific skills, therefore, they like to choose interns from internship programs that teach these skills and therefore prepare interns for the entry-level positions. These interns are not only better prepared for their first future jobs, but they can actually show off the skills they have acquired in the year of their clinical training. 4. Do you make a decision about choosing the internship based on emotional factors? You decide to choose the internship because it sounds good and there was a lot of promises, but you are not sure if you will get enough direct hours. This happens quite often in small private practice agencies that rely on limited referrals from state agencies or from the local community. There is nothing wrong with choosing this type of placement but be prepared for having to look for additional placements if the first one does not meet the school’s criteria. 5. Is the placement teaching you skills that are transferable in the field of counseling? You might like to do counseling on the street with the homeless population or do outreach to human trafficking victims. This is all great, but due to the nature of these internships, it will be hard for you to learn the regular skills that are assumed in most counseling jobs that require licensure. I have talked to some interns placed at churches or shelters without the possibility of learning the clinical skills due to the unpredictability of the flow of clients or lack of space for therapy or lack of adequate supervision. These are just some areas that are important for the future interns to consider when looking for placements. Keep in mind that you can always reach out to agencies that do not currently work with your school and find out if they offer internships. Your school will have to make a decision about approval of the new site. Regardless of where you choose your internship, the quality of clinical experience should be the most important factor in your search because this will prepare you for your future job and give you a foot in the door. Check how does the internship look with us!via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/five-important-points-to-look-for-in-finding-the-right-internship/ By CCI Team Most people see the holiday season as a festive time in which there are multiple gatherings with friends and family. On the flip side, for some others, the same holiday season can be stress, anxiety and even depression provoking. Per a recent article from the Beauregard Daily News, during the holiday […] The post Holidays and Social Anxiety appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/holidays-social-anxiety/ By CCI Team The process of treating addiction is not easy, and while psychotherapy is an important part of the process in order to explore the roots of the issue, medication is also often involved. Science Daily recently posted a release regarding the Washington State University study on the effects of marijuana use on […] The post Treating Addiction with Medication appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/treating-addiction-medication/ By CCI Team, According to Merriam-Webster.com, religion is defined as: a) the service and worship of God of the supernatural, b) commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and practices archaic: scrupulous conformity: conscientiousness a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to […] The post Is Psychiatry a Religion? appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/is-psychiatry-a-religion/ By Anna Jankowska MA LCPC Many therapists dream of having a fee for service private practice but are hesitant to venture into it. Some rely too heavily on insurance reimbursement and do not believe that they can generate enough income by charging clients directly. Others do not think that they possess […] The post How to Begin Fee for Service Private Practice appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/begin-expand-fee-service-private-practice/ By Anna Jankowska MA LCPC There are different ways to begin private practice. For some counselors, private practice might be a natural progression of their growing expertise in the field or need of the community for others it is more intentional planning approach. Your beginning steps towards private practice can begin during your graduate school […] The post From an Intern to a Private Practice Practitioner appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/intern-private-practice-practitioner/ By CCI Team Even without going into the science of addiction, I’ve found that many still have a hard time grasping the concept of a drug, alcohol, or substance related addiction, let alone society’s addiction to media. In conversation, many have responded to my face, “Why can’t someone just choose to stop drinking so […] The post A Different Perspective on Addiction appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/different-perspective-addiction/ By CCI Team We have previously discussed Dr. Lawrence Klemenson, MD’s Mad in America article Psychiatry’s 12-Step Program for Producing Heroin Addicts in which he attempted to drew parallels between Psychiatry’s “brain disease” to the 12 step program. In a recent follow up article Klemenson has gone a step further, now warning parents that […] The post Is Psychiatry Killing Your Children? appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/psychiatry-killing-children/ By CCI Team It is important to represent yourself accurately as anyone who attempts to practice, or holds himself or herself out to practice as a clinical professional counselor or professional counselor without being licensed or exempt will pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for each […] The post LCPC Supervision and Experience appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/lcpc-supervision-experience/ By CCI Team As a developing counselor, I’ve considered the implications of de-prescribing a patient, especially when I am coming from a “less experienced” background. More-so, this critical thinking has enabled me to study and prepare for encounters as such. If I am going to serve as licensed professional counselor, and/or Psychologist, it’s important […] The post Difficulties in De-prescribing appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/difficulties-de-prescribing/ By CCI Team We recently discussed the prominence of depression as well as some of the risks involved in the use of antidepressants. Depression and anxiety can be debilitating mental disorders, and it’s no wonder that one would go to a multitude of means to try to alleviate the suffering. We know that exercise […] The post Do Antidepressants Work? Or is it All in Your Head? appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/antidepressants-work-head/ Like science, society continues to grow, expand our thinking, and come up with new ways to improve life around us all. However, like science, sometimes we are unsure if the new ideas, growth and “improvements” are always best for everyone. An article done by Bernalyn Rulz called, Patients with Schizophrenia Show Better Work Functioning Off […] The post Negative Evidence to the Longitudinal Usage of Antipsychotics appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/negative-evidence-longitudinal-usage-antipsychotics/ By CCI Team A human’s relationship with another human is a fascinating component of life. The act to which we form a bond with another individual is a beautiful thing. Whether people require daily contact or are content with once a week, people need each other and the proper nurturing of those persons is […] The post The Salvation of Psychiatry appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/the-salvation-of-psychiatry/ By CCI Team Did you know that the U.S. is the third largest consumer of fish and shellfish behind China and Japan? This amounts to a total of 4.8 billion pounds of seafood, or approximately 15.8 pounds of fish and shellfish consumed per person (both wild-caught and farmed), according to the latest data collected […] The post What Are You Feeding the Fishes? appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/what-are-you-feeding-the-fishes/ By CCI Team Exercise is one of those aspects of life where we as humans choose to put ourselves through physical pain in order to make ourselves bigger, faster, stronger, or at least that’s the idea. Moreover, exercise is popularly used to shape one’s self to what our culture appeals to. Whether you’re an […] The post Exercise and Depression appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/exercise-and-depression/ By CCI Team Science and technology continues to be a progressive movement where the improvement of people, places, and things is inevitable. This includes the science behind mental health and the biological studies done on medication in hope to find the means of a cure for everything. Now, while medication and medical drugs have […] The post Are Antidepressants the Real Killer? appeared first on Counseling Center of Illinois. via Counseling Center of Illinois https://www.duiillinois.com/antidepressants-real-killer/ |
Counseling Center of Illinois provides DUI evaluations for license reinstatement and DUI classes, along with other counseling services and classes in Chicago, IL, and the surrounding Illinois suburbs. |