VERONICA LOFFREDA: WHY DIVERSIFYING BRINGS YOU SUCCESS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE | EP 113
When we want to do something really well, we may pick one path and stick to it, but hyperfocusing can cause us to develop blind spots to where we could improve. Sometimes there is success and new possibilities available to you when you try new things, diversify your approach, and look at things differently – without a fear of failure!
There are multiple ways of helping your community, creating strong referral networks, and finding clients. When you diversify your private practice, success and new opportunities may more easily find their way to you.
By being brave in your actions and trying lots of new things, you can develop your skills as a counsellor and a practice owner! In this podcast episode, I chat with Veronica about her amazing experiences – and how being diverse helped her to succeed!
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MEET VERONICA
Veronica is a licensed psychologist and certified counsellor with 20 + years experience. She owns a private practice in Quebec and specializes in complex trauma, multicultural groups, and immigrant populations.
Learn more about Veronica on her LinkedIn profile and her website
In This Episode
- Veronica’s journey into counselling
- Starting a private practice
- Diversifying your clientele in private practice
- Learning a new language to work with clients
Veronica’s journey into counselling
‘I’ve always been passionate about helping people. I think this is part of my fibre, part of my vocation in life, and I’ve always been geared towards the helping profession. [Although] that wasn’t always obvious throughout my process, there were different steps that led me [to today].’ – Veronica Loffreda
Veronica completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology, and it encouraged her to finish her masters degree in psychology, which is where she got her certification.
Afterward, Veronica got her licensing as a psychologist and went to a university in Montreal to finish her doctorate degree.
‘For me, the masters degree in counselling and psychology was definitely a very important choice because I wanted to be a clinician, and I wanted to make sure that I would choose a program that would give me a solid backbone as a clinician, and that’s where that came from.’ – Veronica Loffreda
With regards to getting the correct licensing, Veronica wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t accidentally close herself off from opportunities. Therefore, to have more opportunities for clinical work, Veronica made sure to get the correct licensing and certifications.
Starting a private practice
In the beginning of Veronica’s career after her bachelor years, Veronica worked in a community centre.
‘From that day forward I always dreamt … And this is a dream I had! I always said, “One day I’ll open up a multi-disciplinary clinic or approach” … but it stood on the backburner because I told myself that I would never go into private practice without getting as much as experience as I could on the ground.’ – Veronica Loffreda
Even though she was so excited and resolved on opening her own Canadian private practice, Veronica felt strongly that she first had to gain more experience in the field and “on the ground” so that she felt confident and ready to open doors to her own practice.
So then, Veronica spent years working. She worked in schools, family systems, attachment disorders, mental health, and more.
After many years, Veronica was working with a boss that she fundamentally disagreed with when it came to providing the right care for clients. So, Veronica decided to put her efforts elsewhere.
‘Many times they wanted me back, but meanwhile, [but] what I did was … It just fell into my lap: we were looking for a home and instead of finding a home, I found a semi-commercial property … And my husband said, “Do it.” He [encouraged] this dream in me.’ – Veronica Loffreda
Diversifying your clientele in private practice
In the beginning of her private practice, Veronica had an “open door” policy.
‘I was in a locality where I knew I would get people with complex trauma, I knew I would get people from multicultural groups, and I knew that I was properly located for that.’ – Veronica Loffreda
Veronica built up her referral network, and she was fully booked. She worked from 09:00 to 21:00 in her first year, and even though she had $0 profit, all her debts were paid off.
‘That’s where it all started. Year two I had doubled my income, and year three I had tripled my income!’ – Veronica Loffreda
When Veronica is working with government groups, she learnt to work with multiple groups at once since their payments don’t always come in at the same time. So, you need to be working with different entities so that you can often have an income stream. Veronica’s advice is that you need to fulfil your client base with different areas, because this is what will keep your Canadian practice afloat.
Learning a new language to work with new clients
Apart from developing herself with professional skills, Veronica went the extra mile and learned an additional language to be able to work with clients who were seeking counselling that could not speak English or French.
As a fluent polyglot, Veronica understands the power of a mother tongue, and the emotional language that a bi- or multilingual person has. To understand a person also means to speak to them in their language, and that’s what Veronica did.
‘It’s not just about learning the language, it’s also about learning the reality of what it means [to be that person].’ – Veronica Loffreda
Connect With Me
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Ep 112: Great Platforms You Can Use in Your Private Practice | EP 112
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 FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Veronica on her LinkedIn profile and her website
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, 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/.
