I get so many requests from students for interviews that I thought: Why not summarize them on my blog for anyone to see? Hopefully this will be informative to you, perhaps you could even use it as part of your assignment to interview a counselor!
Question:What is one thing you wish you would have known when first starting out as a counselor?
Answer: Clinically, I wish that I would have understood what responsibilities belong to the client. For example, about 40% of change happens outside of the counseling room, and when clients don’t do their homework or are unwilling to read books it can, and will, hamper progress. This hampering has nothing to do with my lack of clinical skill or expertise- some clients just want to come in and do all of their work in front of me. Why, I don’t know; since that can be more expensive. So now I know that I offer them the option and it’s really up to them. I can encourage them to do it, explain why it might be beneficial, but I am not responsible for getting them to do it.
Business-wise, I wish I had more confidence in my value as far as my rates were concerned. I think I was too willing to work with people who “couldn’t afford” my rates (yet got into a brand-new BMW for their ride home), and I wasn’t strict enough with enforcing my no-show/late cancel policy, even though I was more strict than most practitioners. Again this gets back to what is my responsibility (show up on time, rested, ready to work) and what is the client’s (show up on time, pay for their session, and be ready to work).
Question: What are some of the pros of being in private practice as opposed to an agency?
Answer: I think the biggest pro is freedom and flexibility. I am in control not only of the hours that I work, but the amount of people that I see. If I need time off, I simply don’t schedule people. I also don’t have to ask for things that I need that might make me more efficient, such as my Full Slate scheduling software, I can simply go out and buy them. I love being my own boss!
The biggest con to being in private practice is that it can be isolating. Over the years I have established a supportive network of fellow therapists, but this took time. One thing that really helps mitigate the isolation is the peer supervision group that I attend once a month where we discuss our cases and we can get alternative opinions and ideas. That has been really helpful.
Stay tuned next week for more interview Q and A!
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barbara LoFrisco
