Tips for Social Workers to Step into Private Practice
According to the National Associaton of Social Workers (n.d.):
Social Work is one of the fastest-growing careers in the United States
In 2020, there were more than 715,000 Social Work jobs
There are more clinically trained social workers—over 200,000—than psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses combined
The profession is expected to grow by 12% by 2030
(National Association of Social Workers, n.d.)
Despite the number of qualified Social Workers we have, The Council on Social Work Education (2020) reports that only 4.5% of Social Workers are in private practice, (CSWE.org, 2020). While this information may be surprising, global events are causing major shifts in the field.
The pandemic altered the trajectory of many businesses and industries, and has paved the way for a new business model to be born. Where many Social Workers were commonly based in government institutions, education systems, or healthcare facilities, the pandemic shifted many of these industries to function online.
The work-from-home model soon became a new normal for many Social Workers, and has helped to encourage many to pave their own business model.
More and more Social Workers are making the step into private practice, as it offers them the freedom and flexibility to do what they do best.
If you are considering stepping into private practice, here are a few tips to keep in mind before you make the leap (but don’t worry, Therapy Homeroom will always catch you!).
Estblish Your Business Plan
The first step in establishing your private practice is to develop a comprehensive business plan that thoroughly outlines:
Your business goals
Strategies
Financial requirements
Policies and procedures
Logistics
Within this plan, you can also include your business name and any other crucial information such as where your office will be located (remote or online), rent or property tax requirements, and business licenses.
This is also the time to consider things like whether you’d like to accept insurance and what insurance companies you may want to get paneled with. Getting paneled with insurance can take months, so please be sure to keep this in mind to get started early in your process. While your applications with insurance are pending, you can work towards building other parts of your business.
Your business plan will act as the stepping stone to helping you hit the ground running. It will outline what you need to achieve to be successful, along with the requirements that come with having your own private practice. It also helps to make the process of starting and running a private practice from overwhelming into more manageable, goal-directed steps.
From there, you can work on your business plan at any speed you would like. When it comes to obtaining your business license, for example, this process may take a few weeks to become approved. When it comes to finding an office, this may take a few weeks for the paperwork to become approved and for you to start moving in.
Understanding the requirements and timelines of each aspect of your business plan will help you to narrow down when you can begin to operate your private practice.
Your business plan is the stepping stone to help you hit the ground running.
It will outline what you need to achieve to be successful, along with the requirements that come with having your own private practice.
Outline Your Area of Speciality
Based on your previous work experience, you may have already discovered your specialty. However, if you have yet to discover what you will specialize in, this is a great time to do so.
One of the best aspects of having your own private practice is that it can be tailored to you
Consider who you enjoy working with. Adults? Children? Teens? From there, you can branch out and narrow down the types of services you would like to provide your chosen demographic.
By narrowing down which demographic and services you would like to provide your clients, you will be able to define your niche. Make sure to have your business plan on standby, as this is a great asset to add to it!
Market Your Practice
Once you have your ducks in a row and you are ready to start seeing clients, begin to market your practice. Getting your name out there is critical, particularly when starting a private practice. The extra exposure you can offer your private practice goes a long way, especially if you are finding you are hitting dead ends with word of mouth.
Whether by establishing a website with good Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid advertising, or a strong social media presence, establishing your practice in the digital world early on is crucial.
Network with Other Professionals
Leaning on fellow Social Workers who have opened their own private practice can help you to reevaluate where you need to focus, along with which areas you are succeeding in. While establishing your private practice is certainly no easy feat, it is easier to navigate the journey with a team of other professionals who were once in your shoes.
Other Social Workers who have their own private practice can help provide you with a shoulder to lean on when it comes to navigating the toughest moments of your journey. They will essentially become your professional support system, and will possibly be able to refer other clients to you once you have become established.
Whether in support groups, online Facebook groups, professional organizations, or listservs, take a look around at the resources available at your disposal. You will never know what you might find (and who you might meet!). We can’t do this work alone, so don’t be afraid to reach out for guidance or a person to help hype you up!.
Start Your Private Practice Confidently with Therapy Homeroom
At Therapy Homeroom, we are therapists helping therapists (it’s what we do!).
Whether by creating a community of other Social Workers and mental health professionals you can join or by resources that can help you to streamline your practice’s operations and services, we offer it all.
ReferencesCouncil on Social Work Education. (2020). Findings from three years of surveys of new Social Workers. Retrieved from: https://www.cswe.org/CSWE/media/Workforce-Study/The-Social-Work-Profession-Findings-from-Three-Years-of-Surveys-of-New-Social-Workers-Dec-2020.pdf National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.) Facts. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Facts 