Fearless Practice

Today, Julia takes another trip down memory lane, revisiting a gem from the Fearless Practice archives. In this encore episode, Julia talks to Alison Puryear, a US therapist and consultant, about how to market a new private practice. You can find the show notes to the original episode here . Connect with me: Instagram Website   Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Ep 146: Deanna Desantis: Being a...

My guest today, Deanna, has followed her passions to a place where she now runs a Canadian private practice, working with horses and their riders while still being a nurse. She has combined her expertise and personal experience so that she can work and make a difference in the lives that she is most drawn to.  In today's episode, Deanna and I discuss her entry into psychotherapy, how she manages t...

When you establish your private practice in an underserved specialty, you increase your chance of being placed under the spotlight.  A great niche could offer you an immediate step-up in getting noticed, help to connect with clients, and with potential referral sources. You may also feel that you enjoy your work much more and are more fulfilled when you position the focus of your practice amongst...

This year has been characterized by personal changes in mindset and approach to my practice, and professional development within my Canadian private practice and podcast.  Today's episode will be a deep dive into my personal story, in celebration and reflection of year eight in private practice!  In this Episode: November 2023  The beginning of 2024  Spring and summer of 2024  Towards the end of t...

Sometimes, the most successful path that someone can take is the one that comes organically.  By following your passions, seeing what works and what doesn't, and taking your personal and professional preferences into account, you can make it easier for yourself to develop a balanced lifestyle that fulfills you both inside and outside the counselling room.  For my guest today, Jillian did (and is d...

Many therapists may struggle with finding and hiring the best-fit staff for their private practice, and that may include hiring interns and students who want to complete their practicums. So, how do you go about finding them?  My guest Flora in today's episode interviewed more than 30 different candidates for a position at her practice! There's some trial and error, but once you know more about wh...

If you have been a long-time listener, you'll know that ever since I started my Canadian private practice, I have never offered direct billing to clients.  There were many reasons for this, such as when I started eight years ago, there weren't many insurance companies covering registered counselling therapists. Plus, each insurance plan seemed to have a different rule or agreement on whether a reg...

One of the great benefits of building a value-based practice is that it makes it easier for you to return to work each day, remembering why you do the work that you do. It also allows your clients to know exactly what you stand for, and how they can best connect with you and your mission.  Join us for today's podcast episode, where Blackcy and I discuss why we both came into the helper's professio...

Everyone knows about authenticity, but if you stop and think about it, why would clients trust a private practice that doesn't act with integrity, or that comes across as insincere in their marketing?  People who are looking for therapy are more likely just looking for professionals who have the skills and expertise that they need, someone they feel they trust and can help them.  So, when you brin...

Do you want to build a values based private practice? And are you thinking; "What does that actually mean?"  Many people may shy away from the business-aspect of running a practice because they feel awkward following the standard, capitalistic model of working with employees and clients, and where the goal is solely to maximize profits. I'm here to tell you that you don't need to do it this way! Y...

Life can take us in many different directions, and what helps is how we can make use of the knowledge that we acquire when exploring these routes. For today's guest, Dr. Stacey Hatch followed her passion for psychology and working with people all the way from her near two-decade work experience in television to now running her own successful Canadian private practice!  In this podcast episode, we...

Are you interested in offering affordable and accessible therapy in your private practice? We all know that one of the main barriers to care is cost, and it is an issue that many Canadians face. However, there are ways to incorporate low cost fees in your private practice! In this podcast episode, I talk with Maureen, who owns Help Clinic Canada. She noticed a strong need across her community, and...

Today we're going to get a little more personal! I'm going to share more about my Canadian private practice and how I run it, especially when it comes to raising and lowering my rates.  In the spirit of integrity and authenticity, I want to share these things with you! In this episode, I'm going to be talking about how I raised my rates and then lowered them, and the reasons why I chose to do this...

Join Julia for an encore presentation of her 2022 conversation with Heidi Sturgeon. It's a thought-provoking episode that has an unexpected twist at the end! You can find the show notes here .  Connect with me: Instagram Website   Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:  Ep 133: Canada's new tax exemption on regulated therapy services | EP 133  Learn more about the  tools and deals that I love and u...

Today we are celebrating that Registered Counselling Therapists and Registered Psychotherapists no longer have to charge tax! There are decades of work behind the scenes to bring this to fruition, so it is a big deal! Thank you to the CCPA for making this happen! In this podcast episode, I'll give you all the information about what this means and what you should do next so that you're in the loop...

Do you have a community of clients, peers, or professionals that you work alongside? How can communities open up new opportunities? Have you considered starting a community that isn't focused solely on sales?  Community is a bit of a buzzword in marketing and private practice these days, but it's still truly valuable and a worthwhile investment to make.  In this podcast episode, I chat with Destin...

It can be easy to get caught up in looking at everyone else's journey when instead it's important to focus on your own. When you take private practice at your own pace, and when you incorporate your talents and passions and allow yourself to be guided from one spot to the next, you can more easily find your way in private practice instead of trying to do what everyone else has done with theirs.  I...

As many therapists may have experienced with their practices, there's usually a summer slump. Everybody is either away on vacation or taking time off work, and as such their schedules have changed, albeit temporarily, and this can make it challenging for therapists to maintain their usual steady stream of clients.  More than that, you also want a holiday! It's important for everyone, including the...

In the beginning of starting a new practice, being a generalist seems like a good idea, especially when you want to welcome clients through the door and the idea of turning away new potential clients seems counterintuitive. However, niching down is not only helpful regarding your marketing or your skill set: niching down is also important for you! It helps you to enjoy your everyday work instead o...

With private practice, Christina, our guest today, went through a challenging experience and found it difficult herself to find the therapy that she needed. When she registered as a social worker and later as a perinatal therapist, she knew that she wanted to fill the niche in the market by serving the families in her community.  Today, we discuss her journey into social work, her time working at...

For many Canadian therapists, the trajectory seems to be that once you start getting full with clients that you should open a group private practice.  However, if you blindly consider opening a group private practice without evaluating whether or not it is truly something that you want, then you may end up in a very stressful situation, feeling burned out and confused as to how this happened!  The...

Celissa and Melissa noticed the clear need for mental health services in Ontario over the pandemic, and decided to team up to put their expertise and skills to use to serve the community.  As a team, Celissa and Melissa were able to balance starting a practice between the two of them while continuing their social work positions that they love. Their Canadian private practice has now grown into a s...

Sometimes people can feel nervous to start their careers since they don't know where it will end up. We may feel like we need to know exactly how the journey will look before we head towards a new destination.  In this podcast episode, Kelly and I discuss how she had no intention of working in psychotherapy initially after grad school, but found her way there. She discovered more of what she loved...

We always hear about "optimization", and to the extent that many folks may be influenced to outsource everything possible so that they have more free time.  But imagine this; if you had all this extra free time, after the time to rest, exercise, and spend time with loved ones, what would you be doing? If you had more free time and the mental capacity for tasks that you enjoy, what would they be? ...

Many therapists may feel daunted by the idea of returning to school to get their masters or a PhD, especially after they have settled into their adult lives. However, it truly is never too late!  If you have a desire to take your Canadian private practice to the next level, or you feel frustrated working on someone else's schedule, and you desire more professional autonomy, taking a step forward w...