HOW DO I MANAGE BURNOUT IN MY CANADIAN PRIVATE PRACTICE? LIVE CONSULTING WITH HOLLY SHER | EP 28
Are you stuck in the loop of taking on more clients at a discounted rate to make ends meet, leading you to become more and more burned out from the extra therapy hours? Where can you save some time and make passive income to help you increase your income and get more work/life balance?
It is possible to create systems that make it easier for your Canadian private practice to grow (and your clinic hours to shrink). All it takes is some planning, some consulting, and a bit of bravery. In this episode, I talk with Holly about how she can do just that.
As you know I’m all about seeing you succeed in your Canadian private practice, so in the spirit of keeping things real, check out my Tools and Deals page where you can get free access to my online private practice checklist, as well as discount codes and subscriptions specials on EMRs, website builders, and online practice essentials. Visit fearlesspractice.ca/deals to claim your discount codes and to get more info!
MEET HOLLY SHER
Holly loves being a therapist for a living and finds it super rewarding being on another’s journey with them. She loves animals (even bats), her partner, cooking, gardening, and a good thunderstorm.
Learn more about Holly on her Psychology Today profile.
In this episode:
-
- Feeling underpaid and overworked
- Letting go of EAP work
- Reducing administrative work
- Pick one system
Feeling underpaid and overworked
Many Canadian therapists in private practice offer sliding scales to potential clients who need financial assistance. Over time, this can lead to burnout, as the therapist may take on more and more clients simply to make ends meet.
‘A little bit of resentment can show up … it’s like, “You’re not valuing this”, but it’s also me not valuing my time. I know that it’s me not valuing my time the way that I should.’ – Holly Sher
For Holly, I recommend:
- Getting off EAP work
- Reducing the amount of time she spends completing admin
- Setting up a structured, non-negotiable sliding scale system for qualifying clients
Letting go of EAP work
Making the leap can be scary, but once you get there, you will have more time and energy to attract the clients that you want – and that can pay you what you need and deserve.
1 – Crunch the numbers: how much income do you need?
2 – Stick to the number that you need. Provide a set amount of sessions, and once those are up, invite them to sign up for additional services of yours until they can afford your full fee.
3 – Offer a membership community: create a course or membership community that your EAP clients can sign up for at an affordable monthly price to receive additional videos and webinars that you post.
Reducing Administrative Work
When writing up notes after a session, don’t spend hours on this task. Learn how to write clear and concise notes by speaking to your clinical supervisor and colleagues.
Also, hire a virtual assistant to answer phone calls and emails so that you can focus your energy on counselling clients and having more time off! It may take a lot of time at the beginning to hire and train a virtual assistant but once the onboarding is complete, you will have more freedom to do the things that you enjoy.
Pick one system
Instead of splitting your time, energy, and money between various platforms and software, pick one. I recommend Jane App as it is fully suited and designed for therapists.
‘As you’re in this phase of about to … break into your own private practice without EAP, it seems like this would be the ideal time, if you were going to switch, to switch.’ – Julia Smith
Some of the benefits include:
- A variety of tools that can help you with your Canadian practice
- Telehealth included in the price
- Streamlined online bookings
‘You need to make sure that you have everything that you need within one [EMR] to save you time.’ – Julia Smith
Connect With Me
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Resources mentioned and useful links:
What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | EP 27
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Learn more about Holly on her Psychology Today profile
Jane App – use the promo code FEARLESS for one month grace period
Listen to my podcast episode about Hiring a Canadian Virtual Assistant: How and Why You Would Do It Today | EP 24
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn.
About Julia
Julia Smith, MEd, RCT, CCC is a registered Counselling Therapist who owns a group private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is also the owner of Fearless Practice Consulting and hosts the Fearless Practice podcast. Through the Fearless Practice podcast, she provides invaluable insights and practical advice on starting and growing a successful Canadian private practice. Julia’s wealth of knowledge also extends beyond the podcast, as she provides personalized one-on-one consulting to therapists who are feeling burnt out and overwhelmed with their solo or group private practices. With Julia’s expertise, therapists can confidently navigate the complexities of owning a private practice and find work life – balance.
Julia also has written articles for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy association. You can learn more at www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/.
