Succeeding as a Therapist How to Create a Thriving Practice in a Changing World

by Adames, Hector Y.; Chavez-Dueñas, Nayeli Y.; Vasquez, Melba J. T.; Pope, Kenneth S.

• ISBN13: 9781433840036
• ISBN10: 1433840030
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-09-27
• Publisher: American Psychological Association

Summary

This user-friendly, practical guide summarizes everything therapists need to know about setting up, growing, and protecting their independent therapy practice.

In this book, a team of experienced psychologists with diverse experiences and perspectives guides readers through the common and not-so-common challenges inherent in managing an independent practice. Given that the COVID pandemic has changed therapy from a service typically delivered in person to one often conducted via teleconference, therapists need to ensure that their practice meets the changing needs of their clients as well as themselves. The chapters flow from initial preparation for successful independent practice and creating a business plan, to closing or selling a practice, and everything in between, including:

• Helping clients find you
• Preparing for emergencies
• Self and community care
• Legal, insurance, and financial issues

The authors also provide key resources including professional guidelines relevant to therapists, recommendations for responding to subpoenas and submitting records testimony, providing information to professional will executors, and semi-structured interviews and assessments with different types of clients.

Author Biography

Hector Y. Adames, PsyD, received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wright State University in Ohio and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Boston University School of Medicine's Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology (CMTP). Currently, he is a licensed psychologist and a Professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago Campus and the Co-Director of the IC-RACE Lab (Immigration Critical Race and Cultural Equity Lab). He has earned several awards including the 2018 Distinguished Emerging Professional Research Award from The Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race, a Division of the American Psychological Association.

Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, PhD, received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She is a Professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) where she serves as the faculty coordinator for the concentration in Latinx Mental Health in the Counseling Psychology Department. She is the Co-Director of the IC-RACE Lab (Immigration Critical Race and Cultural Equity Lab). Her research focuses on colorism, skin-color differences, parenting styles, immigration, unaccompanied minors, multiculturalism, and race relations. She has earned a number of awards including the 2018 American Psychological Association (APA) Distinguished Citizen Psychologist Award.

Melba J.T. Vasquez, PhD, ABPP, is in independent practice in Austin, Texas. She served as President of the American Psychological Association in 2011 and is the first Latina and Woman of Color of 120 presidencies of APA to serve in that role. Dr. Vasquez also served a term on the APA Board of Directors. She obtained her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. She is a coauthor of a monograph, Multicultural Therapy: A Practice Imperative and is coauthor of six editions of Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide. Dr. Vasquez has also published about 100 book chapters and journal articles in the areas of professional ethics, ethnic minority psychology, psychology of women, counseling and psychotherapy, and leadership. She has served on numerous editorial boards. 

Kenneth S. Pope, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist. A Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), he served as chair of the Ethics Committees of the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Psychological Association (APA). He received the APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Public Service, the APA Division 12 Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Clinical Psychology, the Canadian Psychological Association's John C. Service Member of the Year Award, and the Ontario Psychological Association's Barbara Wand Award for significant contribution to excellence in professional ethics and standards.

Table of Contents

Dedications
The Authors
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I: Initial Preparation

1. Creating a Practice That Matches You, Your Values, and Your Vision
2. Creating a Realistic Business Plan
3. Finding the Right Attorney
4. Finding the Right Professional Liability Insurance
5. Finding the Right Office
6. Finding the Right Accountant
7. Finding the Right Software and System for Scheduling, Billing, Forms, Client Communication, and Documentation

Part II: Finding Clients and Helping Clients Find You

8. Creating a Website, Business Cards, and Stationary
9. Advertising Ethically, Efficiently, Effectively, and Economically
10. Getting onto Insurance Panels- But Do You Want to Do That?
11. Building and Maintaining a Presence on Social Media

Part III: Records

12. Creating a Thoughtful and Useful Client Record
13. Privacy, Confidentiality, and Privilege
14. Responding to a Subpoena and Law Enforcement

Part IV: Preparing for Urgent and Emergency Situations

15. Office Safety Measures and Precautions
16. Suicide Risk
17. Clients Who Pose a Risk of Danger to a Third Party
18. Assessing and Responding to Interpersonal Violence
19. Reporting Child Abuse and Reasonable Suspicions of Child Abuse
20. Assessing and Responding to Possible Abuse of Elderly, Vulnerable, Disabled, or Dependent Adults
21. When the Therapist is Stalked, Targeted, or Threatened by a Client or Someone in the Client's Life

Part V: Taking Care of Yourself & Your Practice

22. Nine Keys to Thinking Clearly and Making Good Decisions About Your Practice
23. Eight Common Missteps That Can Lead to Disaster
24. Navigating Boundaries
25. Addressing the Hazards of Loneliness
26. Addressing the Hazards of Vicarious Trauma
27. Navigating and Nourishing Personal Relationships
28. Asking for Help When We Need It
29. Creating a Practice Grounded in Human Rights
30. Creating, Embracing, and Serving Communities
31. Applying for American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Certification

Part VI: Managing the (Sometimes) Unexpected

32. When the Therapist Becomes Pregnant
33. When the Therapist Becomes Ill
34. What to Do When You've Made a Mistake
35. What to Do (and NOT Do) When Facing an Ethics, Licensing, or Malpractice Complaint

Part VII: Endings- Planned and Unplanned

36. Successful, Unsuccessful, and Incomplete Terminations
37. Closing or Selling a Practice
38. Creating a Useful Professional Will

Part VIII: Resources

A. Professional Guidelines Relevant to Practitioners
B. The Clinical Interview with Immigrants (CIWI)
C. Coping with Subpoenas or Compelled Testimony for Records, Test Data, or Test Materials
D. Sample Professional Will
E. Sample Form of Information for Professional Executor

References
About the Authors
Author Index
Subject Index