Forms for the Therapist

undertaken.

Part I

Starting and Managing Your Clinical Practice

One of the exciting benefits of years of professional training, personal and professional development, work experience, and additional clinical experience, is the starting of a clinical practice. For some, it is joining an affiliation of therapists but having responsibility for their own practice. For others, it is a solo, independent practice venture. And for others, it is the establishment of some type of corporate entity.

Starting a practice is starting a small business. It is the time when the therapist feels ready to plant roots deep within the soil of the community and serve those in the community. While there is no rule of thumb as to when a person is ready to start their own practice, it is generally considered wisdom to hold off on such a decision until the therapist has had a few years of experience in some type of structured employment situation.

Starting a practice is an entrepreneurial effort and enterprise. Long office hours, community networking, building professional relationships, on-call availability, and establishing name recognition are all required, often without billable time opportunity.

Starting a practice is a journey. It is a journey with potholes that need to be avoided. Also, the journey has the opportunity for the joy of success, but success needs to be created and honed. Being well-prepared and having the tools necessary to create the success will make the journey a satisfying experience.

The forms, checklists, guidelines, information sheets, and templates in Part I will aid the therapist in starting the practice and growing it in a timely and orderly manner. The forms included in this Part will also help manage the practice successfully. It is vital that all patients and clients of the practice be well served to their satisfaction and that their personal growth is experienced fully.

Forms for Setting Up and Defining Your Practice

Chapter Contents

Example Professional Resume (Web Version) 4

Professional Practice Profile 6

Vision Implementation Planner 7

Strategic Planning Worksheet 8

Professional Will and Instructions 9

Codicil to Personal or Professional Will 12

Professional Profile Documents Needed 13

Business Development and Professional Relationships 14

Making a Business Plan 15

Intentional Strategic Planning 17

Mission Statement 18

Office Set Up and Marketing Needs 19

Letter of Introduction to the Community 20

The 14 Ps of Marketing a Practice, Program or Service 21

Marketing by Mail (1) 22

Marketing by Mail (2) 23

Marketing Your Practice: A Trial Exercise 24

Free Use of the Media 25

Sample Letter for a Proposed Community Workshop 26

Going Green in the Office 27

Program Development 28

Models and Procedures for Program Planning 29

A SWOT Analysis of the Practice 30

Establishing a viable and successful practice needs to be properly planned and systematically developed. No longer can one begin a practice with shoestring financing or a shoebox accounting system. It takes a well-planned and carefully implemented sequence of steps to begin a small business of counseling. Likewise a small business usually grows and expands into a substantial business or practice of counseling. Over time, the practice becomes rooted in the community and is defined by the therapist's personality, lifestyle, and the office practice patterns. Eventually, a reputation is established and the practice follows suit.

This chapter provides the office forms, guidelines, exercises, and procedures for establishing a practice and growing it over time. While the process of starting a small business is complex, the forms in this chapter provide the guidelines for the therapist to utilize and follow.

EXAMPLE PROFESSIONAL RESUME (WEB VERSION)

Lectures and Workshops

___________ is available to offer lectures and workshops to professional and general audiences. Most of the following workshops can be presented to accommodate time slots varying from 1 hour to 2 days. Her usual fee for a workshop is ________ plus travel expenses. Feel free to contact her to discuss the needs and interests of your organization.

Topics on which Dr _________________ is currently available to offer workshops include:

Cultural competence in trauma treatment

Assessment and treatment of trauma

Trauma and memory

Forensic issues for psychotherapists

Integrating diversity into psychotherapy and assessment

Developing multicultural competence

Feminist therapy theory and practice

Psychological assessment and diagnosis

DSM-IV and beyond

Self-care for therapists and vicarious traumatization

Reality TV

A complete list of Dr _________________'s workshop presentations can be found in her CV. Dr _________________ is always interested in working with your group to develop new presentation topics within her broad general areas of expertise that are tailored to your group's specific needs.

Consulting Services

Dr _________________ is available to consult with therapists about:

Trauma treatment: Countertransference issues with trauma survivors, including vicarious traumatization; treatment planning; developing containment and self-soothing skills in severely dissociative trauma survivors; risk management with trauma clients

Psychological testing: Dr _________________ offers objective personality assessment for your clients with the MMPI-2, Personality Assessment Inventory, Trauma Symptom Inventory, and other similar tests. She is also available to consult with you on testing administered by other psychologists

Diagnostic dilemmas: Assistance with differential diagnosis of complex cases, including questions of malingering

Forensic issues: Preparing therapists and/or their clients for dealing with the legal system; consulting with attorneys on mental health aspects of civil and criminal cases related to trauma, dissociation, abuse, victimization, discrimination, and harassment

Consultation is available either on a one-time or on-going basis, by appointment. Current fees for consultation are $________ /hour.

Forensic Expert Testimony

Dr _________________ is available to attorneys to serve as an expert witness and consultant in legal matters involving questions of trauma, dissociation, abuse, victimization, discrimination, and harassment. Expert witness services include:

Psychological assessment of plaintiffs in civil matters or defendants in criminal matters

Review of records

Deposition planning

Research

Report writing

Expert testimony

If you are an attorney, please contact Dr _________________ directly to discuss your case and her fees. Download forensic contract

Parties to civil or criminal cases, please arrange for your attorney to contact Dr _________________, as she cannot deal directly with any party to a case.

Dr _________________'s expert testimony has been referred to by the US 9th Circuit Court in the cases of:

__________ v. US (sexual misconduct by therapists and nature of transference)

__________ v. __________ (cross-gender body searches of women prison inmate by male correction officers)

__________ v. __________ (service in the military by a lesbian)

Psychotherapy Practice

Dr_________________'s psychotherapy practice is closed to new clients at this time. However, openings may occur unpredictably, so please contact her. Her current fee for psychotherapy is $______ /session.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE PROFILE

MY CORE VALUES:

The core values of this practice shall be …

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MY PROFESSIONAL MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of this practice shall be