KATHLEEN SKINNER: BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE FROM LIFELONG PASSION | EP 208
Kathleen has always loved music. It brought her close to her grandmother, who was struggling with dementia, when she was a child. For Kathleen, music had a profound ability to connect people and help them understand themselves.
Now, fast forward a few decades later, Kathleen is running a successful Canadian group private practice that incorporates music and psychotherapy, offering a rare niche that directly connects with her deepest passion and interest.
In this episode, we discuss her journey into private practice, as well as how she markets it, hires her best-fit team, and other great tips for practice owners getting started. Join us for an insightful conversation!
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MEET KATHLEEN
Kathleen Skinner is a Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Music Therapist. She is the founder and clinical director of KS Therapy Services, a group practice located in Guelph, Ontario. KSTS offers psychotherapy, music therapy, and art therapy, focusing on providing accessible, creative, and person-centred care. Kathleen’s own clinical work focuses on supporting individuals with anxiety and relational trauma.
Learn more about Kathleen on her website, LinkedIn, and Instagram profiles.
In This Episode
- What motivated Kathleen to become a therapist
- Starting in private practice
- Growing the practice
- Marketing a growing practice
- Advice to listeners
What motivated Kathleen to become a therapist
Kathleen’s path to becoming a psychotherapist was influenced by her training as a music therapist first.
‘Music has always been a really big part of my life. It’s been integral in a lot of ways. I started to volunteer at different places, sing in different choirs, and around mid-teen years, my grandmother’s dementia had progressed, so I started playing for her. And in some of those meaningful moments, I was caught off guard at how powerful music could be.’ – Kathleen Skinner
As Kathleen explains, she began to really understand the intense power of music in connecting with people and helping them through mental health issues when she was playing music for her grandmother, who was sick with dementia.
Music showed itself to Kathleen as another way for people to connect and help them access parts of themselves that they found difficult to do.
‘I wanted to pursue a career in wellness and music, but I didn’t know what that meant at the time, and then I found music therapy. Fast forward about five or six years, I ended up having some mental health placements, and it just felt very right. It felt like where I was supposed to be.’ – Kathleen Skinner
This all led to where Kathleen is today: running a private practice where she offers psychotherapy and music therapy in an integrated approach.
Starting in private practice
In 2020, Kathleen worked at a hospital and had started her private practice on the side, but by 2022, she was ready to move on and fully commit to her practice.
Kathleen found she was more ready to commit to being full-time in private practice because she had built up her caseload.
‘In private practice, as many other therapists know, it’s usually a slow start. You’re learning a lot: you’re not just learning how to do therapy … you’re learning how to be a business owner and run a business.’ – Kathleen Skinner
Additionally, Kathleen noticed how this niche had the opportunity to grow and scale, which inspired her to slowly hire fellow therapists to work in the practice. She also didn’t want to continue working alone.
‘I also really wanted to not be working alone anymore. I had the team at the hospital, and no longer had the team, so I wanted to build more connections with more therapists.’ – Kathleen Skinner
Growing the practice
In 2023 and 2024, Kathleen noticed that she had begun to really enjoy the business side of running a private practice.
Being a practice owner means that your to-do list can be varied, and that variation is precisely what Kathleen appreciated as the years went by.
Now, Kathleen’s practice has 14 fully-licensed therapists and four interns, and the balance works, which, Kathleen explains, is likely due to hiring the best-fit people for the practice.
‘I’m usually doing about 10 to 15 hours of clinical work, and that’ll be split between therapy work and supervision work, and then the rest of the week will be spent doing business management … But every week looks a little different though, because no week is the same when you run a business.’ – Kathleen Skinner
Marketing a growing practice
Kathleen has invested in working with an auxiliary marketing firm to help bring people through the door.
Lately, they’ve been working on organic search optimization and ranking, which has increased their leads substantially.
‘It’s pretty stiff competition, but doing a lot better than we used to. That was probably one of the biggest early challenges, keeping therapists full, so I knew I really wanted to hone in on how we’re going to have a better stream of referrals for [our] therapists.’ – Kathleen Skinner
Additionally, Kathleen continually spends time and energy networking. Building relationships in the community is another important key to unlocking client referral systems.
Advice to listeners
You can be a therapist first before a private practice owner, or contractor or employee in another practice. You don’t have to become one or the other, but you can choose.
What feels natural to you? What would you genuinely like to do? Regardless of the difficulty or the learning curve, follow that personal interest.
Secondly, be prepared to take risks, in whichever direction you go!
And lastly, running a private practice isn’t a one-way ticket to financial success. Each decision has ups and downs, so rather than chasing financial success only, let your personal goals and values guide you.
Connect With Me
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Nancy Galway: Is Your Job Serving Your Own Mental Health? | EP 207
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
Jane App (use code FEARLESS2MO for two months free)
Get started with Hushmail here and get one month for free!
Learn more about Kathleen on her website, LinkedIn, and Instagram profiles
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About Jules Smith
Jules Smith, MEd, RCT, CCC is a registered Counselling Therapist who owns a group private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are also the owner of Fearless Practice Consulting and hosts the Fearless Practice podcast. Through the Fearless Practice podcast, they provide invaluable insights and practical advice on starting and growing a successful Canadian private practice.
Jules also has written articles for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy association. You can learn more at www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/.
