Private Practice Checklist Handout

In my seminars and consulting I am always asked if I had a checklist mental health professionals could use to know what they need to consider in starting a start a successful private practice, so here it is!

Private Practice

✓  Changing Paradigms

  • CEO
  • Entrepreneur
  • Consultant
  • Marketer
  • Diversification: Multiple income streams
  • Vision: Begin with the end in mind

✓  Anticipated Income Streams

  • Traditional Therapy
  • ???????
  • ???????

✓  Find Office Space

  • Sublet office from established professional
  • Rent your own space
  • Home
  • Itinerant Counseling
  • Virtual Office
  • Teletherapy Counseling

✓  Phone

  • Cell phone
  • Google voice
  • Hellofax.com 

✓  Business Entity: Consult an Attorney and a CPA!

  • Sole Proprietor
  • LLC
  • Sub-chapter “S”

✓  Numbers and Letters

  • Tax ID: IRS.gov
  • NPI: https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do
  • Proview/CAQH https://proview.caqh.org/
  • ACA/AMHCA/NASW/APA Malpractice insurance
  • BC/BS

✓  Financials

  • Accounting
  • Quicken.com
  • Quickbooks.com
  • Credit Cards
    • Square.com
    • Paypal.com
    • talktoivy.com
  • Payment Apps
    • Venmo
    • Zelle pay

Billing

  • OfficeAlly.com
  • Availity.com
  • Private Billing Company

 ✓  Record Keeping

  • Paper and templates
    • Counseling-privatepractice.com

Electronic Medical Record: All in One (Charting, Billing: Clients and Insurance Credit    Cards, Client Portal, Scheduling, Teletherapy platform.

  • Theranest.com
    • Therapynotes.com
    • Simplepractice.com

 ✓  Marketing Plan: Two Prong Approach

  1. Directly to Potential Clients
  2. Those Individuals and Services (potential referral sources) that Come in Contact with Potential Clients.
  • Print Material: vistaprint.com checkpointgraphics.com
    • Business Cards
    • Brochure
    • Letterhead
    • Web Site/Internet
    • Print Material should drive clients and referral sources to your website
    • Webit365.com
    • Therapysites.com

 Social Media

  • Webinars
  • Facebook.com
  • Youtube.com
  • Instagram.com
  • LinkedIn.com
  • Twitter.com
  • Blogs
  • E-mailing i.e.., Constantcontact.com mailchimp.com

 Referral Sites

  • Psychologytoday.com
  • Findatherapist.com
  • GoodTherapy.com
  • TherapyTribe.com
  • Networktherapy.com
  • Therapists.com
  • Findcounseling.com
  • Professional Organizations

 Review sites

  • Yelp.com
    • Google alerts and yourself monthly!!!

Taken from, “The Complete Guide to Private Practice for Licensed Mental Health Professionals”
5th Edition 2020 Crysand Press Norman C. Dasenbrook MS, LCPC
www.counseling-privatepractice.com