The holidays are approaching, and maybe you’re thinking of gifts to get yourself or your small business.
While I found I didn’t need much to get my practice up and running, these are some things that I have found invaluable for keeping my business running smoothly and efficiently :
Line2 – When I was setting up my practice, I was going to buy a completely separate phone, and didn’t want the a huge expense. When asked a few other clinicians how they handled their business line, a trusted mentor told me about the Line2 app. It costs 9.99 a month (10.81 with tax), and completely interfaces with my iPhone. It has the calling and texting features I need, and when it rings it comes through the app so I know it’s a work-related call. The only drawback is that sometimes it “acts up” and there is a delay in texts. Other than that, it’s easy to use and I love love love it. So I have one phone but it functions as two.
Bluehost – My website is hosted there. They are reasonable for hosting fees ($12.00 per month) and customer support is available 24/7 if there are problems.
Gmail – It’s just the best email system out there. Nothing else to say here.
Google Calendar – I keep all appointments in a Google calendar. It took a little time for me to get used to using it, but now I – and my business – couldn’t survive without it. I also sublease my office for a few hours a week, and my calendar is shared so my officemate and I can book appointments around each other’s schedule.
Quickbooks – My CPA will be so happy with me at tax time! I love the ease of Quickbooks for tracking all of my income and expenses. They have a cool mileage feature as well as an easy way to upload any business-related receipts.
Square – I use this for my credit card )processing. There are admittedly a lot of features I don’t use (like appointment reminders but the reports are awesome and it’s really user-friendly. I did have to order another chip reader this year (mine conked out , of course, just after the 1-year warranty) and since I’m cash-pay, most of my transactions are done through credit card.
Vsee – This is a HIPPA-compliant platform that I use for distance counseling. It can be used for both calls or for video conferencing. I currently am utilizing this more frequently with clients that don’t live in San Antonio. It’s a great option for people that have transportation issues, or feel more comfortable in their own home. Best of all….it’s free!!!
I’m always seeking ways to improve and be more efficient at work. What are your Favorite Business things? I’d love to hear.
Dear Addiction Client,
I am writing to tell you a few things that were on my mind after our last session – actually, things that have been on my mind since the first time you walked through my door.
I can always tell when you are lying to me. Believe me, I’ve heard it all. You’ve been lying to yourself for so long that I know at this point, even you may believe the stories you tell. But I don’t. And the people around you that know you even better than I do better don’t believe you either. Beginning with the truth is a first and crucial step on your journey to recovery.
Show up for your appointments. You are wasting money if you don’t show up. And show up consistently, and on time. The only way you are going to get better is with consistent and continual therapy. Showing up for appointments holds you accountable, and forces you to be responsible.
Oh, and besides the importance of showing up for appointments……don’t show up high. Truly. Just don’t. It’s not funny, or cute or anything else. It is disrespectful to me and my time. And it is disrespectful to you and your time. You’ll never get anything done in that session – anything that you remember. Plus, I’m not going to let you drive home so besides the money you waste on the hour of therapy….you’ll also have to have an Uber to drive you home, or someone come pick you up.
If you were voluntold to come to therapy, that’s ok. Don’t be angry about that. Someone in your life loves you and is desperately trying to get you the help you need. Be glad there is someone that still cares enough about you at this point to try and get you some help. Because trust me: soon, if you don’t get serious about your recovery, they will get to the point where you will lose them forever. And they’ll be gone. Think about that while you complain about them to me. Picture your life without them for a
No one is going to do the work for your recovery. That comes from you. Not me, not your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, daughter, son, girlfriend, boyfriend, cousin, neighbor, Pastor, Rabbi, partner, friend or spouse. You will most likely have the support of one or more of those people I just named, but you and only you are responsible to do the actual work. Period.
Do I sound like I’m being hard on you? I am. I want to help you, and I want you to get better. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I don’t call you out from time to time. I know you are hurting. I know addiction is a beast to overcome. But you can fight it. I’ve seen people fight tooth and nail for their recovery. It’s possible. Anything, anything you want….it’s possible if you want it bad enough.
Recovery can happen. It can. I know you don’t think that now, and it feels like everyone is against you and the world is a hopeless place…..but stick with me. I believe in you. I know you can do it, you just gotta dig down deep and do the work. I have seen nothing short of many miracles in the time I have been working with people in addiction. I’ve seen people hit rock bottom and come back stronger and better and totally opposite of how they were before.
I can’t wait for you to re-read this letter once you’re in recovery. Do me a favor, and let’s read it together. It will be the biggest gift to me as a therapist, to see how far you’ve come.
Thanks for listening. You mean a lot to me, and I know you mean so much to the people in your life. We all want the best for you. Nothing more, nothing less. Just the best.
I’ll see you next session.
When I officially opened the doors to my private practice on August 1, 2016 I didn’t have one paying client.
Yes, you read that right. Not. One. Paying. Client.
You might be reading this and saying “Is she out of her naive mind, she opened a practice without one client on board?” Believe me, I agree with you! But here is what I did have: a shared office space in a central location (so I was only responsible for 1/2 the rent), a website and presence on four social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn), a marketing plan, great experience and a whole lot of hope, fear and determination. My eyes were completely focused on the prize, and for me, that prize was having a successful practice. I was going to make it happen.
I set a goal right away to have at least one meeting a week (it was usually more) with people in my industry because, as a former marketing executive, I know the power of network marketing. And let’s face it, I obviously had way more time on my hands than I did clients!
So began my meetings. I met with fellow students from grad school at their private practices. I toured substance use and abuse facilities and hospital behavioral health departments. I attended local (free) CEUs at agency venues and handed out my cards. I called former colleagues that I worked with at various agencies to meet up for coffee, and invited them to see my office space. I joined a network marketing group of local business women. I met with doctors, physical therapists and other health-care providers. I partnered up with other people and developed some education and training courses. I volunteered to run groups at a treatment facility. I cold-called and emailed other counselors that I knew in the area, and met with them over pizza, salads and sandwiches to pick their brains about their private or group practices, and to let them know I was ready for referrals.
My very first client came from one of those meetings. And then my next. And then my next. And while I do rely on paid advertising to market my business, some of my best and long-term clients have come, and continue to come, from these word-of-mouth referrals.
I have also received other gigs from these meetings to diversify my practice, including writing and training opportunities, contracting positions (I currently have three outside contracts) and have been offered a position to sit on the board of a large local agency.
As my client base and practice grows, I still make time for at least one meeting a week. Again, it’s usually more, but as my clinic hours fill (and that’s how I pay myself), I stick to my rule of at least one. These weekly meetings have benefitted me in many ways, and not only business-wise. It gets me out in the community and keeps me on top of new resources for my clients, as well as gets me in touch with other people in the business – something that is crucial for this sole practitioner. In fact, I’m writing this after reaching out and meeting a counselor for coffee that I sat next to at a networking event this past summer. Next week I’m touring a substance-use treatment center in the Texas Hill Country and being hosted as a guest for a paid CEU course. The week after that I’m speaking at a middle school on the South Side of San Antonio for their Career Day. My meetings will continue into 2018 and beyond.
When and where is your next meeting?
So you’re thinking about therapy. For most people, that’s a really huge step forward….and a great one, in my opinion. (‘Cause obviously any therapist would be totally stupid to say anything else otherwise.) No, but all jokes aside. I think therapy is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself and your mental well-being.
But here’s the thing. Therapy isn’t the answer to all your problems. It’s part of the solution to your problems, but it’s not the be-all-end-all answer to everything.
I can’t tell you how many people walk into my office for their first appointment and expect to have life’s answers figured out and solved in a 60-minute timeframe. When they realize this is simply not the case, I can tell by the look on their face that they are not coming back. And they don’t. And that’s really too bad, because mostly these are the people that need therapy and would benefit greatly from it.
Or, I’ve had clients tell me they were in therapy previously but nothing was changing so they stopped going. One client recently told me this and I asked him how long he had seen the therapist. His answer? Two appointments.
Sorry people. Therapy is not a magic-bullet, quick-fix solution. It just doesn’t work like that. I wish it didn’t, but it doesn’t. Therapy is a process. Sometimes, issues can be resolved in a few appointments. Other times, longer-term, regular and consistent therapy is needed for a few months. It all depends on one thing: how much work a person is willing to put in. And how dedicated they are to making changes.
And here’s another thing. As a client, it’s your job to apply the techniques and work on the goals mutually agreed upon in session; the work is not all on the therapist. Oftentimes I assign clients “homework” of sorts. The ones who do it seem to have the most success and make progress. Others stay stagnant and frustrated. I tell them it’s because they have to be willing to put in the work outside of session. Behaviors don’t change because we want them to change. We have to constantly work to change them.
The other day a woman called me around 10 in the morning. She asked if I had an appointment at noon…that same day….on her work lunch break. I’m always leery of people that need an appointment RIGHT AWAY. Why? Because I know they expect it to solve something and have an instantaneous result. Of course, I assessed for crisis and suicide risk due to her sense of immediacy and quickly got to the root of the problem: her boyfriend had told her she needed to see a therapist or he would leave her. I knew if that was her motivation for coming in, she most likely would think that one therapy session would change everything.
Changes aren’t going to happen in one therapy appointment. Changes and progress can be made with steady, consistent attendance of therapy…and applying the techniques and suggestions that are worked on in session – out of session. I tell all of my clients this: therapy is the foundation. But it’s also work. The real work is done in between appointments. I’ve seen people make positive changes, get out of ruts, recommit to failing relationships, stop using substances and get out of jobs they hated – all due to self-discovery and changes they were willing to make in their lives. It wasn’t the therapy alone: it was the combination of them willing to show up, do the work and make the changes they wanted to make.
Therapy is a commitment and one that is worth it. It’s just not a quick and easy answer. It’s one piece of a puzzle that you have to work – with your therapist – to solve.
Many families are now adjusting to having a child away at college. Parents are worried about class schedules, whether Junior is getting enough nutrition and if their laundry is sorted correctly (or even done at all).
But kids are often using this situation to experiment with drugs and alcohol – in an environment where they are unaccountable for the first time (to anyone but themselves) and testing their newfound freedom.
This freedom can be okay for some, and work in the opposite direction for others. I know this because in my own clinic, I see many college students that got into some serious trouble with drugs and alcohol while away their first semester at college. Here are some warning signs that parents need to think about for their college-age children – and ones that can indicate that trouble is lurking around the corner:
- They have excessive cash withdrawals – I can’t emphasize enough that cash withdrawals must be limited. In fact, I wrote an entire blog on this topic. Make sure your child is using a debit or credit card for purchases – and not using the good ole “I paid for the check, and everyone paid me back, Mom” excuse. Why limit the cash withdrawals? Because drug dealers – and people that supply beer – only take only cash. And cash is unaccountable.
- They are out all the time – Of course, college is a time for exploring new relationships and establishing a social life. But if your child is out 4 or more nights a week (and not at the library), then they might be heading in a dangerous direction. Partying to excess is not “cute.” It’s dangerous.
- They are evasive about their friends and where they go – College is a different environment, and parents are not going to be totally in the know about all of their friends and whereabouts like they were in high school. But if they are not telling you who they hang with or where they are going, then it’s time to ask who, what, where, why and when.
- They are skipping class – If your student is repeatedly skipping class, there are probably other issues going on, such as staying out too late, being hungover, or not having motivation or feeling overwhelmed.
- They are sleeping all the time – It is natural for college students to keep more unconventional hours and nap in between class or to catch up for a big night out. Excessive sleeping can be a warning sign of depression or other issues, and that warrants immediate attention.
So what can you do as a parent, especially when your student is far away? Make time to engage. Arrange FaceTime dates, use Snapchat to send them pictures of the dog, and send occasional cards and care packages of their favorite things.
Above all, talk to them. Ask them not just if they are doing well in class or if they are dating anyone but ask them if they are worried or stressed about anything. Ask them how they are dealing with the pressure. Ask them if they are feeling alone, or isolated – or if they picked the right environment. Ask them directly about their drug or alcohol use. Don’t judge them at first if they tell you something, just listen. You might be surprised at their answers.
Don’t wait. If you suspect your child is in trouble, take action – and now. Insist they seek help with a local therapist that specializes in Chemical Dependency, or seek counseling at their college counseling center.
Above all, support them. Love them. And get them help – before it’s too late.
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