Growing the Private Practice Pie

The modern ethos is the “abundance mindset”; that there is much more in life than we’re willing to embrace. There truly is enough to go around (and then some).

Yet, in a capitalist society, fear and scarcity drive the economy. If the pie only has eight slices, I need to do whatever it takes to get as many pieces of the pie as possible, right?  

When it comes to mental health practice, it feels like starting your own private practice is the Wild West; that there’s not enough work to be done or that your patients/clients might get stolen by other practices. That fear stems from the false claim that there is a limited amount of care to be given, or therapy to offer, etc. But that is wrong. 

Think back on the last two years (or four years, or 10 years… literally any segment of time is full of woes). Life is hard, people are complicated, and everyone needs therapy. So, if every person could use therapy, but every therapist is not the best fit for every individual seeking care… See where this is going?

Side note: We don’t believe in “crazy” for an individual’s situation. There is no “crazy,” only challenging circumstances. When we say that everyone could use therapy, we don’t mean that everyone is broken and in need of major mental care. We believe that every single person is unique, gifted, complex, and so full of emotions and thoughts and experiences from a full, hard, good life. All people benefit from specialized care to work through mental and emotional distress, no matter the severity. We all need help sometimes. 

There is no shortage of mental healthcare work to be done. More trained therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and every type of mental healthcare worker is so needed! It really all comes down to the type of work, and how well you fit within your section of the pie. You don’t need more pieces of the pie, but instead just one piece in a whole larger pie. Don’t focus on fighting for more of the mental health practice pie, but instead fight to grow it. 

Our sector is rife with opportunity. If truly everyone could benefit from therapy, then finding ways to reach every person and provide quality individualized care is limitless in possibilities. What portion of the pie are you operating in? Own it and grow it! 

No one is good at everything. You cannot treat every patient/client well because you cannot be an expert in every single need of every single person on the planet. If your niche is flourishing, then more people will be aware of it, and more patients/clients needing your services will seek care, which will increase your work, which will lead to greater profits, and on and on and on. 

Starting your own private practice does not have to mean putting on boxing gloves to fight over patients/clients, specialized focuses, or geographic areas. As you help your niche grow, others will benefit and invest more in helping it grow as well. That is how we grow the pie: together. Learn more on our blog at www.simplypsych.com.