How to start a psychology practice
How To Start Your Psychology Private Practice: A Checklist
Starting a private practice is like embarking on a new adventure; you aren’t sure exactly where this adventure will take you, but you know you’ll encounter new challenges, find new resources, and have brand new experiences.
Whether you are a travel junkie, a homebody, or something in between, you probably know that there is a key aspect to smooth adventuring: preparation and planning. It’s true for establishing a new business, and for branching out into private practice. You don’t need plan all the details out for a successful venture, but having a few of the big things figured out ahead of time will make the journey a lot smoother.
Before you get started, we recommend trialing our professional private practice software for 30 days at just $1.
Quenza’s user-friendly digital therapy tools will help you share unique, effective e-mental health solutions with those you help, and enhance the positive impacts of your therapy for even better client results.
What Qualifications & Licenses Do You Need?
This is a very basic first step, but it’s vital! You can’t start a private practice without the necessary qualifications to provide psychological services to your clients.
It may vary depending on where you live, but in general, you will need at least a master’s degree in psychology or a related field in order to work with clients or patients. There are several majors or areas of concentration to choose from, including social work, school psychology, clinical psychology, and many more.
If you are interested in starting a psychology practice, in particular, you’ll probably want to go the psychology major route. Once you have your bachelor’s in psychology, you can move on to getting a master’s or a Ph.D. in psychology. Once you have the necessary degrees under your belt, you’ll need to complete an internship and, finally, apply for licensure in your state, territory, or country.[1]
Moving from the world of employment to independent practice can be scary and confusing, but also very rewarding.
You’ll need to do a lot of research, tons of planning, and prepare yourself for even more paperwork.
Starting Your Psychology Private Practice
If you’re already familiar with the licensure and qualifications necessary to practice as a psychologist, but you’re wondering how to go about starting your own private practice, you can jump in here.
Moving from the world of employment to independent practice can be scary and confusing, but also very rewarding. You’ll need to do a lot of research, tons of planning, and prepare yourself for even more paperwork.
Let’s start with a simple checklist.
How To Start Your Mental Health Practice: A Checklist
Once you have the very basics figured out (e.g., education, license, any other necessary qualifications), you’re ready to begin planning out your practice.
Here’s a handy checklist to help you get started:
- Have a business plan in place
- Designate your workspace
- Outline your practice’s policies
- Check out insurance provider panels
- Choose your private practice software/platform tool(s)
- Build your paperwork library
- Market your practice
Making A Business Plan: 2 Examples
You might not think you need a business plan as a helping professional, but it’s highly recommended that you create one.
It can’t hurt to have one in place, and it will act as a helpful guide as you establish your business and get it up and running.
When drafting your business plan, make it as detailed as possible. It needs to cover the basics: what your business does, how it does it, and why it does it.
Recommended: Business Coaching: What It Is, Who Needs It, & How It Works
Nothing in your business plan is set in stone—after all, you can always update your plan to suit the reality of your practice—but it should be a detailed, in-depth resource on how you intend to run your practice.
Private Practice Business Plan Template
Your plan should include:
- How much money you need to make each year to keep practicing.
- How much you need to bring in each year to live the life you want.
- Financial goals (e.g., earning enough to rent a better office space or hire a second therapist).
- Your marketing plan.
- Goals for the first months, first year, and first 5 years.
This enables you to track your progress and assess whether your plans are realistic as you hit various benchmarks. - Funding options (e.g., your own personal savings, potential investors, loans).
- A loan repayment plan (if you need a loan).[2]
Example Business Plan: Psychology Private Practice
The Business Plan Shop offers a great example of a practical outline for a straightforward but comprehensive business plan.
Not all sections may apply to you, but it offers a good template:
- Executive Summary (e.g., business overview, market overview, financial highlights)
- Company (e.g., structure, history, location)
- Products and Services
- Market Analysis (e.g., demographics, market need, regulation)
- Strategy (e.g., pricing, marketing plan, milestones)
- Operations (e.g., personnel plan, key assets, and IP)
- Financial Plan (e.g., start-up funding, assumptions, forecast)
- Appendix[3]
If the idea of a one-page business plan sounds good to you, Power Diary also offers some examples to help you craft your short and sweet, actionable business plan.
[4]
9 Best Practice Management Software Systems to Use
When you have a business plan in place, a designated space for your practice, and some policies and procedures lined up, you have one important step to go before you can start marketing and taking on clients: you need to choose a practice management software.
Good practice management software will make your life in private practice much easier.
It should be able to help you with some of the most important but cumbersome parts of running your practice: creating and administering treatment plans, bringing new clients on board, invoicing and billing, documentation, scheduling, and more.
Fortunately, you have tons of options to choose from. There are a wide variety of software solutions that can help you manage your practice, and they offer an even wider variety of features.
Nine of the best solutions currently available are outlined below, but there are many more options a quick web search away.
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Power Diary includes features like:
| |
| Name | Power Diary |
| Price | $5 – $60/week |
| Good For | Coaching Management, Practice Management, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Business Coaches, Counselors, Teletherapists, E-counselors, Online Coaches |
| More info | Power Diary |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Simple Practice includes features like:
| |
| Name | Simple Practice |
| Price | $39 – $59/month |
| Good For | Coaching Management, Practice Management, Digital Health, Telehealth, Telepsychology, E-Mental Health |
| More info | Simple Practice |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Quenza includes features like:
| |
| Name | Quenza |
| Price | $1/month and up |
| Good For | Treatment Planning, Care Management Software, E-Psychology, E-Therapy, Online Coaching, Therapists, Psychiatrists, Counselors, Telepsychiatry, Teletherapy |
| More info | Quenza |
g., quotes, videos, PDFs)| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Therapy Notes ncludes features like:
| |
| Name | Therapy Notes |
| Price | $49 – $59/month |
| Good For | Coaching Management, Practice Management, Digital Health, Telehealth, Telepsychology, E-Mental Health, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Business Coaches, Counselors, Teletherapists, E-counselors, Online Coaches |
| More info | TherapyNotes |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Kareo includes features like:
| |
| Name | Kareo |
| Price | $80/month and up |
| Good For | E-Therapy, Telehealth, Private Practice Software, Customer Relationship Management, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Business Coaches, Counselors |
| More info | Kareo |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Solution includes features like:
| |
| Name | Coaching Loft |
| Price | Free – $95/month |
| Good For | Coaching Management, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Business Coaches, Counselors, Practice Management, Teletherapists, E-counselors, Online Coaches |
| More info | Coaching Loft |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Solution includes features like:
| |
| Name | BestNotes |
| Price | $50/month and up |
| Good For | Therapy Notes, General Healthcare, Telepsychiatry, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Business Coaches, Counselors |
| More info | BestNotes |
)| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
TheraNest includes features like:
| |
| Name | TheraNest |
| Price | $39/month and up |
| Good For | Practice Management, Physical Therapists, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Counselors, Teletherapists, E-counselors, Online Coaches |
| More info | TheraNest |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
Solution includes features like:
| |
| Name | Therabill |
| Price | $149/month and up |
| Good For | Practice Management, Physical Therapists, Mental Health Coaches, Wellness Coaches, Counselors, Teletherapists, E-counselors, Online Coaches |
| More info | Therabill |
A Note on Opening A Group Practice
So you’re thinking about starting a group practice?
There are additional pros and cons to starting a group practice, aside from the pros and cons of starting an independent private practice.
You get to share the burdens of running a business, but you also have increased risk and complexity as you add business partners.
Therapist Amanda Ruiz notes that you should be asking yourself six questions before opening a group practice:
- Should I start a group practice? (aka, why do I want to start a group practice, what do I hope to gain from it)
- Do I have a system in place?
- Should I write a business plan?
- Should the group specialize?
- Do I want to accept insurance?
- Should I hire IC vs. W-2?[5]
You should be able to provide firm answers to each of these questions before starting your group venture.
Make sure you give some thought as to why you want to add more providers to your practice, whether you have a solid system in place that can handle additional providers, and where you plan to go with your group practice.
6 Helpful Books About Starting a Private Practice
If you want a more in-depth guide to starting your psychology private practice, there are several books that may help.
Here are the top 6:
- Getting Started in Private Practice: The Complete Guide to Building Your Mental Health Practice by Chris E. Stout and Laurie Cope Grand
- How to Thrive in Counseling Private Practice: The Insider’s Guide to Starting and Growing a Therapy Business by Anthony Centore
- Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port
- Private Practice Essentials: Business Tools for Mental Health Professionals by Howard Baumgarten
- Be a Wealthy Therapist by Casey Truffo
- Starting Your Private Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Mental Health Counselors by Maryanne L. Duan
Final Thoughts
It can be nerve-wracking to start your own psychology private practice, but with a little forethought and some planning, you’ll be ready to open your (physical or virtual) doors and start changing lives, one client at a time.
Refer to the checklist in this piece to get started, and don’t forget to check out the many resources peppered throughout.
Ruiz, A. (2019). 6 questions to consider before starting a group practice. Retrieved from https://www.simplepractice.com/blog/6-questions-to-consider-before-starting-a-group-practice/
How to Start a Private Practice in Counseling
1. CONSIDER WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN YOUR OWN PRACTICE
Opening a practice requires business acumen and adds a laundry list of new responsibilities related to your career and life. You must be aware of the challenges, and create a game plan for how to work through opening your practice.
Speaking with those that have opened their own practices is a great way to get an understanding of the pros and cons. Examining the pros and cons will help you determine if it’s the correct next step in your career. Take some time to think through your own extensive list of pros and cons. Examining them will help you determine if it’s the correct next step in your career.
A few pros include:
- Flexible schedule
- Choice of clients
- Complete autonomy – you get to run your business, your way!
A few cons Include:
- Marketing and business acumen required; may require additional training
- Start-up costs (including real estate fees, additional staffing, insurance and taxes)
- Less security
Dr.
Yotam Heineberg, Psy.D. and clinical faculty member at Palo Alto University’s Gronowski Center, had to consider these pros and cons when he started his own private practice. Given that he launched his practice with a strong network, 6 years after earning his license, he was “surprised the first few months were not full with clients.”
In fact, “it took a little while to fill up…I now know that part of filling up a private practice has to do with investing in online marketing. But the biggest pro is touching people’s hearts, helping as a life mission, and growing while helping others grow.”
Meet Dr. Yotam Heineberg, Psy.D.
2. CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN
Just like any other business, a private practice requires a solid business plan for success. A well-thought-out business plan will serve as a guide during the creation and expansion of your practice, and help you make critical decisions in line with business goals.
- Write a mission statement that describes your reasons for running a practice, how you plan to help clients, and who you hope to serve.
- Make sure to include any values that are fundamental to your mission.
- Keep the mission statement brief and easily digestible.
When it comes to financing your business, there are many aspects to consider as you craft your business plan. Below are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Will you fund out of pocket or seek a loan to start your business?
- How much money do you need to make each year to keep the business going?
- How much money do you need to expand the business? Consider marketing costs required to expand awareness.
- Do you have a financial buffer?
- What are your financial goals for the first month, first year, and first 5 years?
- Will you need to hire someone to manage your finances?
- How much money do you need to make in order to pay off the loan in the established timeframe?
It’s helpful to enlist the help of a professional when considering financial aspects, as this is a vital part of your business plan to thoroughly think through.
Marketing Strategy
- Think about what kind of client base you hope to serve, and how you can connect to referral sources. What are the qualities about your practice that stand out that you can leverage in a digital setting? How much money and time are you willing to invest in a digital presence?
- Once you have an idea of who your client base is, where your key differentiators exist, and how you hope to leverage your digital presence.
- Create a website, a Psychology Today profile, and social media presence to help drive traffic and raise awareness of your private counseling practice.
- Make your practice purpose clear, ensure resources and info about the practice are easy to find and create a clear path for clients to engage with you via readily available contact information.
- Once you have an idea of who your client base is, know where your key differentiators exist, and how you hope to leverage your digital presence. Create a website and social media presence to drive traffic and raise awareness about your private counseling practice.
- Referrals: Clients will come and go, so it’s important to have a strategy to continuously fill up empty appointment slots. Ensure you have a strong referral pipeline to tap into when a client moves on. Make sure you don’t take the eye off the ball when y our practice is full, as that can easily change at any time.
- Website: Your website should be intuitively designed to reflect the digital presence of your practice. Investing effort and time to get a well-functioning and nicely designed website will pay off for years, attracting new clients and partners alike. There are many things to consider when creating a website, so it’s best to consult more information on how to create a website before driving in. Consider using a tool like WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix to build your site.
- Psychology Today Profile: Potential clients will use this site to search for therapists, so it is a great way to let people know about your practice.
With this in mind, be sure to craft your profile for a particular type of client, describing how you can help them. Remember to demonstrate understanding, relatability, and be sure to avoid including a laundry list of qualifications or using too much jargon. Lastly, include a call to action that lets them know what to do next–should they call you? Email you? Be specific. - Social Media Presence: Social media should meet your customer where they are. Consider the tone you will display on Instagram, Facebook, and other popular platforms. Update often, and provide helpful information that you believe relevant to your client base. And just like your website, it’s best to do some research into a successful social media strategy before diving in.
Business Goals
- Create a list of goals for 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years out that you can revisit and use as a reference guide for growing and maintaining your practice.
- Make sure those goals are specific and attainable.
- Include a mixture of short-term and long-term goals that align with where you want the business to grow.
- Once you’ve created a business plan, make sure you consider a way to track and monitor your finances and goals against the plan to ensure healthy business movement.
3. ESTABLISH WHERE YOU WILL PRACTICE
In today’s continually changing world, you have a wide array of options when it comes to where to practice. For Dr. Yotam Heineberg, virtual therapy offers a lot of valuable flexibility, but “the magic of in-person presence cannot be matched.”
When deciding between a physical location and a remote option, consider the following:
- Where is it easiest to meet your client base?
- Are there specific needs of your client base that require a physical location vs. an online option?
- Do you plan on offering a hybrid office setting, both online and in a physical location?
If you choose to go with a physical location, the environment is everything.
Creating a safe and comfortable environment is vital, but there’s no need to overspend in this area. A home office can work just as well as a nice rented space in an office building, as long as the space provides a calming environment for clients. Calming elements include:
- A secure, confidential space
- Cozy and inviting furniture
- Calming colors
- Elements of nature (plants, images of nature, etc.)
- No loud noises or phones
- Ease of parking might also be a factor to consider, if in a larger city setting
If considering online options, there are many online portals that can be leveraged by physicians. Healthline provides a great roundup of online psychiatry services for reference. There are also courses available to help prepare you for a virtual environment, including:
- Foundations in Digital Therapy
- Technology and Mental Health for Children & Adolescents
- Evidence-based Internet Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities
4.
CONSIDER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS A private practice is a business and is therefore regulated by local and state laws. It is vital to ensure the practice is compliant with regulations, so it’s a worthwhile idea to enlist the help of both an attorney and an accountant. They can walk through requirements, and help you decide what type of business structure fits your business needs, and provides the correct type of liability protection.
Below we outline the most common business structures for private practice:
- Limited Liability Corporation (LLC): An LLC is the most popular business structure for a private practice in counseling. LLC’s do not require business owners to pay corporate taxes and provides reduced liability risk compared to other business structures. In an LLC, the assets and liabilities are considered separate from the practitioner.
- S Corp: An S corp is an elected tax status, rather than a business entity.
It operates as an LLC in that the liability risks remain separate from the practitioner. However, an S-corp is less structurally flexible than an LLC.
Insurance
There are many different types of insurance policies from which a private practitioner can choose. The right type of insurance coverage depends on each individual business, as insurance needs vary. However, basic insurance should cover the practice, business, and the practicing therapists.
Popular types of coverage include:
- Personal Income Protection: Protects from unforeseen circumstances like an injury or illness that prevents business operations.
- Business Protection: Protects the business owner from accidents on property and issues involving the business property.
- Professional Protection: Protects the practice from malpractice suits, etc.
Taxes
The complexity of a small business and tax considerations often warrants the consultation of an accountant.
However, the basics of what a business owner should take into consideration from a tax perspective include:
- Separation of personal assets from business assets
- Having a proper accounting software program (like QuickBooks) to keep track of assets and liabilities
- Organized method for keeping receipts and other financial paperwork
- Quarterly self-employment taxes
As you walk through the setup and considerations listed above, it will become clear if starting a private practice is the correct next step in your career. This list is not exhaustive but can help to paint a picture of practicality.
Practitioner's advice: how to start working as a psychologist
Our Listeners often ask how to start working after getting an education. Today, Tatyana Sergeevna Tvorogova, a teacher at the Institute and a practicing psychologist, a forensic psychologist, answers questions and shares her experience.
Tvorogova Tatyana Sergeevna — member of the All-Russian Professional Therapeutic League
— Tatyana Sergeevna, our Institute receives applications from people of different ages. But many doubt whether it is too late for them to start learning. In your opinion, at what age can you get a new profession and start working as a psychologist?
— Professional self-determination can last a lifetime, it is never too late to learn.
Students who enter a university after high school often do not understand the value and meaning of their chosen profession. As the experience of colleagues shows, people make the most conscious choice after 25-30 years.
— Now there are many offers on the market for those who want to become a psychologist. Tell us, what is the difference between professional retraining courses and the second higher education for a psychologist?
- Professional retraining makes it possible to master a new specialty in a short time.
The program of such courses consists only of specialized subjects, that is, you will not have to take general education, for example, philosophy.
In fact, professional retraining is a faster way to a complete change of activity.
We compared the second higher education and professional retraining courses for psychologists. Read what is the difference and what documents you will receive →
- At the same time, no one has canceled regular advanced training. How often is a psychologist recommended to receive additional education?
Like teachers, psychologists must improve their qualifications at least once every three years.
— Tatyana Sergeevna, tell us how often you improve your qualifications and on what basis do you choose courses?
— I am constantly learning something.
When choosing a course, first of all, I am interested in the legal side of the issue: is there an educational license, what document will I receive as a result.
Of course, an important argument is the relevance of the course in my work. I draw attention to the names of coaches and teachers, their authority in the world of psychology.
When a psychologist needs to improve his qualifications and how to choose a program →
— Our Listeners ask how to correctly choose a psychological direction and specialization. Tell me?
— Do you need to decide what you would like to do: educational activities (blogging, webinars, lectures), consulting, teaching? What age groups do you want to work with - children or adults? Depending on this, choose the direction.
I'll tell you by my own example. I'm a lowyer. She worked as an investigator in the Investigation Department of the Tula region - she continued the family dynasty. When I realized that this direction was not interesting to me, I began to look for myself and as a result I received the profession of "psychologist", "teacher of psychology". Now my new profession brings joy, meaning and income.
I became interested in crisis psychology after studying at a retraining course in the direction of "forensic psychologist". Conducting forensic psychological examinations, I often talked with people who were victims of violence. Then clients began to come in whose anamnesis also had psychological trauma. It became clear that additional training in the direction of crisis psychology was needed.
Are you looking for a direction in psychology?
Download the algorithm for choosing a direction from an expert with 16 years of experience
— Is it possible to remain a generalist without going to a specific psychological school?
— In practice, this is almost impossible. In the process of work, preferences appear in terms of methods, areas of client requests. Having worked, you will be able to choose 2-3 directions that are most interesting to you.
— So, the young specialist has been trained, and now the first client has signed up for him! What is important to pay attention to at the very beginning?
— Psychological counseling is a process of interaction between two people: a client and a therapist (psychologist).
The goal-setting factor is the desire of the client to change something in his life.
The first thing a beginner psychologist needs is to have a mentor-supervisor (preferably one of the teachers) who can be contacted for help and guidance.
Remember that the success of a consultation is determined not by the number of methods and techniques you know, but by the ability to communicate and understand others.
It is important to hear the client, to understand why he came, what his pain is and what he needs. You need to get acquainted with the history of a person’s life, collect an anamnesis. Often at the first consultation it is important to establish initial contact with the client, gain his trust and involve him in the therapeutic process.
— Is it possible for a psychology student who has not yet graduated and who does not have the skills you are talking about to start an internship?
— According to the law, psychological assistance can only be provided if you have an education.
The title document in this case is a diploma of psychological education.
Tatyana Sergeevna works in the direction of "Crisis psychology", helps with overcoming psychological trauma, fears, phobias, panic attacks, increased anxiety
— Where should a psychologist who has just completed his studies start if he plans to open a private practice? Is it worth it to work in organizations before this (at a school, a private psychological center, a clinic)?
— It is not only possible, but necessary, to gain experience in organizations. Going into private practice from scratch is fraught, especially for the psychologist himself. It is better to start it under the guidance of a supervisor.
For comparison, a doctor who graduated from a medical school is in the status of an intern for several more years, that is, he works under the supervision of a mentor. Only the doctor deals with the body, and we deal with the psyche.
Without the experience of such mentoring and communication in the professional field on practical issues, the psychologist will have difficulties in his work.
Knowing the theory is not enough. It will have to be like additional highly specialized courses.
Starting a practice from scratch, ignoring all these nuances, is absolutely unprofessional, arrogant and even dangerous: both for yourself and for clients.
Work in a psychological center will help you deal with many issues. In addition, you can always find support in the team of colleagues and ask for an intervision.
Before starting a private practice, you need to understand who your clients are? What is their gender and age? What customer problems are you willing to work with?
— And how did the first clients come to you?
— The first clients were acquaintances of acquaintances, graduates of the university where I worked.
Now people find me on their own, including through word of mouth. In my opinion, this is the most effective advertising.
– Tatyana Sergeevna, thank you for the interview. In conclusion, give advice to our readers, novice psychologists, how to find the first clients for private practice?
- You can use online resources for announcements and self-presentation, write interesting articles on the B17 website, actively participate in free events with a wide audience to start with, speak at parent meetings (if you are a school psychologist).
Read our article about how to open a private practice from scratch, how much it costs and where to look for clients →
Mastering the profession of a psychologist and have questions? Write to us at [email protected].
How to become a psychologist and how much it costs
After graduating from the Faculty of Psychology, I dreamed of sitting in an office, helping people and getting paid for it.
Vladimir Tsurankov
practicing psychologist
Author profile
I wanted to become a private psychologist since the 9th grade. He loved to read about methods that help to cope with fears, communicate and be happier. And friends said that I was responsive and able to listen. And so the puzzle came together.
I entered the Faculty of Psychology for free. After graduation, I wanted to immediately start my own practice, but I quickly realized that university knowledge was not enough for this. Then I could only get a job as a psychologist at the Ministry of Emergency Situations with a salary of 10,000 R per month.
To fulfill the dream of private practice, I had to study additionally at my own expense. I went through trainings, chose a specialization, visited another psychologist as a client, made and promoted the site myself. And only 4 years after the university, in 2017, he began to conduct his practice.
Psychologist appointments are quite expensive. And many people think that with seemingly dust-free work, we bathe in money. But psychologists constantly need to improve their skills: study, go to supervision and personal therapy, attend supervision groups and participate in professional conferences. It takes a significant portion of the income. I wrote this article to tell you how much time, effort and money you have to spend to run a private practice.
How I applied to become a psychologist
Higher education in psychology is a prerequisite for becoming a practicing psychologist.
I entered the Faculty of Psychology right after school - in 2008. To get into Voronezh State University on a budget, I went to tutors in biology, mathematics and Russian.
I was lucky: then the competition was smaller, and the passing score was lower than a year earlier or later. As a result, I entered the state budget and did not pay for education.
In 2008-2013, studying at my university would cost me 30,000 R per year, or 150,000 R for 5 years. Now, in 2020, just one year at my university already costs 102,800 R. In other cities, education is even more expensive: at Novosibirsk State University - 165,000 R per year, at MSUPU - 220,000 R, and at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow — 430,000 R.
It pisses me off that people don’t understand why spend money on psychotherapy
And at St. Petersburg State University the price depends on the specialization of a psychologist: the cheapest way is to study as a conflictologist, the most expensive is to become a clinical psychologist. The cost of studying at the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University depends on the form. The most expensive are the second higher education and full-time education.
The cheapest is a master's program on a part-time basis What psychology students are taught
The first two courses were boring. Mathematics, history, economics had nothing to do with psychology. There were also specialized subjects: zoopsychology, psychogenetics and psychophysiology. But according to them there was one theory, and I wanted practice. I mechanically wrote notes and went to seminars. As one associate professor joked: “Why do you need a course in general psychology? To give it up and forget it."
In the third year, I had to choose a direction - personality psychology or social psychology. The first was suitable for future work in schools and hospitals. And the second one is for working in large companies. A full-time psychologist there tests candidates at interviews, helps new employees adapt and conducts trainings.
I thought that if I did not become a private psychologist, then it would be more profitable to work in companies. And I chose social psychology.
Items have become more useful since the third year. Now I am helped by the knowledge that remained in my head from the course of the basics of psychological counseling. And in private psychodiagnostics, I learned how to analyze psychological tests. Now I do it for a fee: the client fills out the test, and I write the conclusion.
The rest of the courses were just interesting to listen to: we were told about mental disorders, the psychology of family relationships, the psychology of a group.
Every summer I had an internship: I worked in two schools, a military unit and a pre-trial detention center. And I realized that this is not what I dreamed of doing. There I did not communicate with people and did not conduct consultations, but simply endlessly gave and processed psychological tests.
Class schedule for the first year of the Faculty of Psychology of Novosibirsk State University. It was about the same for me. At the university, I learned how to analyze psychological tests.
Now I offer clients to go through them, analyze the results and send conclusions. I take 1000 R or 1500 R for this, and spend 2-3 hours. I do not advertise such testing, therefore for 2019only 8 people passed it for a year What gave me higher education
In 2013 I received a diploma in psychology. I knew how the psyche works, I could write scientific papers and analyze tests. But I was not taught to advise people. Recently, my classmate wrote on her Instagram that, in fact, the name of the specialty in psychology diplomas should sound like “Psychologist’s preparation. Requires improvements for further practice.” In a way, I agree with her.
Formally, I had the right to conduct consultations. But I understood that my knowledge was not enough to work with people. At the same time, I do not think that I wasted my time. Now I often read fundamental works on psychology, which seemed useless at the university. I just wanted more practice back then.
My diploma of higher educationHow I got a job as a psychologist in the Ministry of Emergency Situations
I thought that I would get practical knowledge if I worked by profession in some organization.
And that this will then allow me to start a private practice.
A month before I received my diploma, a vacancy for a psychologist appeared at the local fire department. My university cooperated with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and one teacher wrote me a recommendation. There were good prospects there: a military rank, a preferential mortgage, a salary of 30,000 R and an early pension.
But the employment was delayed for a year. I passed the military medical commission, a polygraph and 4 interviews. And for several months he worked part-time for free in order to "get acquainted with the profession."
And when I was officially hired in 2014, it turned out that I would not receive shoulder straps and bonuses for the military. And my salary will not be 30,000 R, but 13,000 R. But I needed practice, there was no other job, and I agreed anyway.
13,000 R
I received in the Ministry of Emergency Situations
Three months later, my position was reduced altogether.
I was transferred to another department for an even lower salary - 10,000 R, but I stayed to work. Now it's funny to remember it, but then my parents still supported me, and income was not so important.
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What I did at the Ministry of Emergency Situations
Contrary to expectations, I did not consult anyone - I only conducted tests. I gave them to candidates at interviews, and to firefighters when they were promoted to higher positions. I checked the emotional state of firefighters and the psychological climate in the unit. The work was routine: I could just sit all day and write conclusions on tests.
The worst thing was that no one took the psychologist seriously at the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Sometimes I literally begged employees to complete their tests. Only the exercises were interesting: it was an imitation of a fire, and we went to the place for training.
My job was to talk to the victims of the emergency. Once we came to a real explosion of domestic gas. But there were no casualties, and my presence was a formality.
And once I accompanied Donbas refugees from Novocherkassk to Kaluga. In Voronezh, there were temporary accommodation centers for them. In one of them, a woman approached me. She was worried that she had become hot-tempered and this was reflected in her children. I thought there was something wrong with her. But then I couldn’t conduct a full-fledged consultation, because I didn’t have experience. He simply explained that this is normal behavior in a situation of such stress. He advised me to be more attentive to myself: try to notice tension immediately when it appears, so it is easier to prevent an outburst of anger.
I worked at the Ministry of Emergency Situations for a year. In 2015, I felt that I was emotionally burnt out, realized that I was not getting the necessary experience, and quit. But I made sure that I want to do only consulting and that for this I need additional education.
6 useful services for finding a psychotherapist
In order to have something to live on, until 2017 I worked not in my specialty. First, he was a call center operator in a bank, then he was responsible for personnel certification in a trading company. And at the same time I went to study.
Additional education
After graduation, I thought that additional education was not necessary and that everything could be learned on the job. And after working in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, I realized that I was wrong.
In 2015, I began to study Gestalt therapy - this is one of the methods of psychotherapy. To put it very simply, Gestalt therapy studies how a person manages his needs: notices them or ignores them, satisfies or does nothing.
Sometimes a person is not aware of them at all and therefore prevents himself from satisfying them. And from unsatisfied needs, experiences and problems arise. Gestalt therapy helps to avoid them: to realize the needs and understand how to satisfy them.
Basically, this is taught not by universities, but by professional communities. There is a society of practicing psychologists "Gestalt Approach". On the basis of it, the Moscow Gestalt Institute operates - this is a training program for Gestalt therapists. There was a branch of the society in Voronezh, it was possible to study without trips to Moscow.
How counseling differs from psychotherapy
Psychological counseling is based on some kind of psychotherapy, such as the Gestalt approach, which I studied. But it is believed that counseling is short-term and solves only superficial psychological problems. And psychotherapy is a long process, during which a person’s personality is deeply affected, and this is work for several years.
The processes of psychotherapy and counseling are very similar. That is, a psychologist who has mastered the Gestalt approach could call his work psychotherapy. But according to the law in Russia, only a person with a medical, not a psychological education can be a psychotherapist.
st. 1.1 Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 438 dated September 16, 2003 "On Psychotherapeutic Assistance"
The program that I chose consisted of two stages: the course "Fundamentals of the Gestalt Approach" lasted 1.5 years, the course "Theory and Practice" lasted 2.5 years ". I studied from 2015 to 2019, during this time he paid 567,000 rubles.
Unlike university education, this education included trainings, personal therapy, supervision and intensives. In parallel, I completed two specializations - work with symptoms and the body and neurotic disorders. Each lasted for a year. I paid for everything separately and in stages, so a salary of 20,000-30,000 R per month was enough for me. I took a loan only once: I went to Koktebel for the intensive "The Art of Staying in the Flow" and I urgently needed 50,000 rubles.
567 000 Р
I spent on education from 2015 to 2019
Next I will tell you in more detail how all this training went.
Trainings
Trainings were held every 1.5-2 months and took place on Friday evening, all Saturday and Sunday. They were also called three-days. Each training was devoted to a certain topic: working with groups, crisis and trauma, the relationship between the therapist and the client.
Classes were held in a group. During the study, the group seemed to have lived a whole life. We cursed, reconciled, fought for power and leadership, thanked, supported, became closer. This happened naturally, because any group develops according to certain laws. That is, we learned from our own experience.
Every day began with sharing — the participants talked about their mood, shared their experiences, desires and plans for the day. Then there was a lecture on Gestalt therapy and an exercise. It helped to check for oneself what they heard at the lecture.
I remember the lecture and the exercise on the relationship between body and mind. The exercise was as follows: we divided into pairs - one told a story, and the second listened and noted his reactions.
Then they changed. The stories were the most ordinary: how we spent time on the weekend, what we talked about in the morning with relatives. At the end, we discussed our reactions in this format: “When you spoke, my cheeks turned red and I drew in my shoulders. I felt embarrassed and wanted to hide so that you wouldn't see me." This is how we learned to notice the connection between the physical and the mental and understand ourselves better.
Many things were so surprising that I talked about them for weeks afterwards. I learned that if you draw an incomprehensible daub, you will learn interesting things about yourself. That even a silent client tells the psychologist a lot about himself. And that if you try on the role of a person who infuriates you, it may become easier.
125,000 R
I spent on trainings
The cost of trainings depends on the trainer and the region where they take place. One three-day training in Moscow costs an average of 10,000 R, and in Voronezh I paid 5,000 R.
In 4 years, I completed 25 trainings and spent 125,000 R on them.
Personal therapy
Personal therapy is when a psychologist goes to consult another psychologist. This is necessary to find out about your own problems. Without personal psychotherapy, a psychologist can harm his clients.
Let's say the psychologist is angry with the parents, but keeps this anger inside. And a client comes to him with the same problem. The psychologist may unconsciously push him to do what he wants, for example, to quarrel with his parents. And if the psychologist has problems with the expression of aggression, he will broadcast the same type of behavior to the client.
/psychotherapy/
How psychotherapy works
Psychologists for therapy were recommended to us by teachers. I later met one of them at a conference. I liked his master class, we got to know each other, and I managed to take a closer look at him.
Then I signed up for a consultation.
I started personal therapy a year after starting my studies, in 2016. Must have been at least 60 hours. But I understood: the better I know myself, the more effective my work will be. Therefore, from 2016 to 2019I went through 120 hours of personal therapy.
The cost of one meeting varies greatly among specialists. In Voronezh, this is an average of 1,000 R per hour, and in Moscow the price can reach 8,000 R. I went 3-4 times a month and paid first 1,000 R, and then 1,500 R. Over 3 years, I spent 156,000 R.
In personal therapy, I tried on the role of a client and understood how a person feels during a consultation. The therapy helped me become more confident in myself and have less conflict with others. I learned to take risks and became more relaxed about uncertainty.
156,000 R
I spent on personal therapy
For example, without personal therapy, I would never have given up a stable job outside my specialty.
I would not have coped with anxiety, I was afraid to let my loved ones down and did not declare myself as a psychologist. I remember how I was at the first consultation and how I changed later. And I'm afraid to imagine my life without therapy.
Individual supervision
Supervision is when a psychologist discusses his work with a specially trained colleague, or supervisor. With him, you can discuss difficult cases from practice, share guesses about clients, ask about something from the theory of psychology. The supervisor gives advice on how to further develop your practice, helps you deal with uncertainty and fears, and tells you how to interact with colleagues in the psychological community.
I started supervision in 2017 when I had my first clients. I already knew what supervisors there were in Voronezh and quickly found the right one. But these were rare visits, because I had few clients then. Regularly, that is, twice a month, I began to go for supervision in the second half of 2018.
First, I asked my supervisor how to start therapy, get a contract with a client, meet the time frame, and how much to charge for the consultation. Now I am discussing confusing situations from practice and my professional development.
78,000 R
I spent on supervision
During the training, you need to complete at least 60 hours of individual supervision. Like personal therapy, it costs 1000-8000 R per hour depending on the city. I paid 1300 R per hour and from 2017 to 2019 I spent 78 000 R for supervision. That is, to study in depth some direction in psychology: crises, traumas, psychosomatics, sexual disorders, addictions, work with teenagers or families.
I completed two specializations - symptom and body work in 2016-2017 and neurotic disorders in 2017-2018. Each consisted of 9 seminars. I paid 4,500 R for them. In total, I spent 81,000 R in 2 years.
Specializations at the Moscow Gestalt Institute
Specializations were like trainings: they included lectures, exercises and group work.
There was also an internship in a psychiatric clinic: there I learned to work with depression, anxiety and panic attacks. In practice, I understood which clients I can work with myself, and which ones I need to refer to a psychiatrist. Then people with severe mental disorders came to me twice. I immediately redirected them to the right specialist, and they thanked me for saving them time.
Intensives
An intensive is like a long training session. It lasts 12 days and includes lectures, supervision, individual and group psychotherapy.
Intensives are held in hotels and tourist bases - you can combine training and relaxation. When and where the intensives will be held, I found out on the website of the Moscow Gestalt Institute. I went to Koktebel for the first intensive course, and to the Kursk region for the second one.
I traveled to the intensives in my car and stayed in the hotels where they took place. It was possible to pay extra for three meals a day, but I refused it: I wanted to visit different cafes in the area.
Intensives lasted 12 days, every 3 days there was a day off. Classes started at 9-10 am and went until 6-7 pm. In the mornings there was a lecture, then everyone dispersed into process groups. The purpose of such groups is to share experiences with others. Process groups met at the beginning and at the end of the day. Every day we also had 3 hours of group therapy with a lunch break.
127,000 R
I spent on intensives
The rest of the time we talked, in Koktebel we went to the sea, and in the evening we had fun. On weekends we went on excursions.
Intensives cost me R127,000
| In Koktebel — 85 000 R | In the Kursk region — 42,000 R | |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 36 000 R | 14 000 R |
| Power supply | 21 000 R | 15 000 R |
| Registration fee | 18 000 R | 10 000 R |
| Road | 10 000 R | 3000 R |
| Total | 85 000 R | 42 000 R |
Accommodation
in Koktebel
36 000 0005
Registration fee
In Koktebel
18,000 R
In Kursk region
10 000 R
Road
in Koktebel
10 000 000 0005
I was looking for my first clients
While I was studying, I became more confident in myself as a psychologist.
And in the fall of 2016, while still working in a bank, I decided to start looking for clients for consulting. At this time, I had been receiving additional education for a year and a half, specializing in working with symptoms and the body for half a year, and went to an intensive course in Koktebel.
Teachers said that you need to tell about yourself to your closest circle, then the first client will be found. But all my friends already knew that I was a psychologist, but for some reason there were no clients. Then I created a group on Vkontakte, invited everyone to it and began to repost articles that I liked.
Then I sent out a mailing list to Voronezh people who were not among my friends. He wrote: "Hello. I am a professional psychologist. If you or your loved ones need psychological help, I am ready to help.” The mailing was impudent, but 4-5 people contacted me.
At this time, my classmate Yulia suggested that we gather people and hold meetings on the topic of emotional burnout.
We liked to cooperate, and we came up with a joint project - "Psychological Studio Pastel". We made another group on Vkontakte and offered to sign up for consultations with us. True, only a few people contacted us during the year.
How I made the website
In 2018, Yulia and I made a website. For several months we thought: to call ourselves a center or a studio, to make a one-page site or not, what to write at the beginning and what at the end, what font and logo to make. It was like making a website once and for a lifetime. Then in two weeks they assembled it in the Tilda constructor, and a week later everything was changed there. Now we have probably already the 25th version on our website. Now it's funny to remember our abstract texts and flowers on the first logo.
We made the site ourselves and did not spend money on creation. But the payment for "Tilda" costs 9000 R per year. We pay for two people, so for 1.5 years I spent 6750 R.
29 250 R
I spent on the website and advertising on the Internet
We launched website advertising in Yandex Direct and Google Yard ".
We also pay in half and at least 30,000 R per year. That is, in 1.5 years I spent 22,500 rubles on advertising.
For the first six months, the site worked well and brought us 1-2 clients a week. But then the number of applications dropped. We redid the design, changed the concept, but it didn't help. I realized that advertising does not work well and I need to actively promote myself on social networks.
We made this site ourselves in Tilda in 2 weeks. I posted all my certificates on the site, but this did not attract customersPromotion in social networks
We already had a group on Vkontakte. In 2019, I created two more — on Facebook and Instagram. I no longer reposted other people's articles, but wrote posts about burnout, stress and panic attacks myself.
At first, one post took a long time. I was afraid that readers would not understand me or my colleagues would condemn me. Then I started reading Maxim Ilyakhov's newsletter about editing - it became easier.
Now writing texts is a common thing for me, and I consistently post one post a week.
I didn't know anything about social media promotion, but I didn't want to pay for it either. I studied the information on the Internet and began to do everything myself.
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Pros and cons: is it worth spending money on a psychotherapist? They gave a general idea of the progress.
Then I organized a free master class in Voronezh to attract clients. I spent 20,000 R on its advertising in social networks. But people came to the master class, but they didn’t become clients, and there weren’t more subscribers.
I distributed my posts on various psychological portals: Liwli, Self-knowledge-ru, Gestalt Club. Some promoted for a fee through Instagram. I spent 1,000 R per month on this and paid 18,000 R in 1.5 years.
In the spring of 2019, I spent 20,000 R to advertise three free webinars. I promoted them through Facebook and Yandex Direct.
After that, 6 clients came to me. This is a good result, because clients do not come for a one-time consultation, but stay.
I promoted another webinar through a well-known blogger doctor on Instagram. For 8 stories I paid him 14,000 R. The webinar was free, and I sell the video from it on the site for 499 R. So far, 7 people have bought it.
377,000 R
I made money from consulting from 2017 to 2020
These efforts paid off. After 1.5 years, in 2020, there were more applications for consultations, and I was able to increase their cost. In 2017, I conducted 3 consultations per month for 800 R each. Now, in 2020, there are 30 of them: I charge 1200 R from old clients, and 1500 R from new ones.
Once every 1-2 weeks I write posts about psychology for my Instagram. For 20191400 people subscribed to my channel for a year| After these stories on the Instagram of a famous blogger, 1800 people subscribed to my account | And 150 people registered for the webinar. But how many people visited it in the end is hard to say |
Office rental
Until the end of 2018, Yulia and I rented an office with an hourly rate. They gave 200 R per hour. This is beneficial when there are few customers. For example, in 2017 I conducted 3 consultations per month and spent only 600 RUR on office rent.
And in January 2019, we rented our own office near the center of Voronezh. It is located in a new office building with a good renovation. There is also free parking, and there are always a lot of free places on it.
We bought an armchair, a sofa, a table, a hanger and a couple of pillows for the office. They gave 20,000 R for everything, they paid in half.
Rent with utilities costs 8500 R per month for two. We spend about 1000 R on little things: tea, coffee, sugar, sweets, water and paper handkerchiefs for clients. For 2019a year I spent 67,000 rubles on the office.
This is our office. We also wanted to put up a rack and a floor lamp, hang a picture and our diplomas on the wall, and blinds on the windows.
But then they started working and forgot about it Expenses in the near future
To have customers, you need to constantly learn and promote.
In the next 2 years, I want to retrain in clinical psychology. And a few more programs: acceptance and responsibility therapy, person-centered psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral and schema therapy. The training will cost me 200,000 R. But this is my personal choice of such expensive programs.
My mandatory expenses are at least 241,280 R per year
| Promotion | 80 000 R |
| Office rental | 51 000 R |
| Personal therapy | 36 000 R — 2 consultations per month for 1500 R |
| Supervision | 36 000 R — 2 consultations per month for 1500 R |
| Taxes | 17 280 R — at the rate of 30 consultations per month |
| Supervision in a group of colleagues | 15 000 R — 10 groups of 1500 R |
| Participation in professional conferences | From 4000 R |
| Intervision group - meeting with colleagues without a supervisor | From 2000 R |
Promotion
80,000 R
Office rental
51,000 R
Personal therapy — 2 consultations per month for 1500 R 9000 60005
0005Supervision - 2 consultations per month 1500 r
36 000 R
Taxes - at the rate of 30 consultations per month
17 280 R
Supervision in the group of colleagues - 10 groups of 1500 r
15 000 R
Participation in professional conferences
From 4000 R
Intervision group - meeting with colleagues without a supervisor
From 2000 R
To become a practicing psychologist, from 2015 to 2019 I spent 740 250 R
| Personal therapy | 156 000 Р |
| Intensives | 127 000 Р |
| Training | 125 000 R |
| Specialization | 81 000 Р |
| Individual supervision | 78 000 R |
| Office rental | 67 000 Р |
| Contextual advertising | 22 500 R |
| Advertising free webinars in social networks, Yandex Direct and Google Adwords | 20 000 R |
| Setting up Facebook ads | 20 000 R |
| Promotion of posts in social networks | 18 000 R |
| Advertising on Instagram of a famous blogger | 14 000 R |
| Tilda payment | 6750 R |
| Facebook and Instagram advertising courses | 5000 R |
Personal therapy
156,000 R
intensivities
127 000 0005
Training
125 000 0005
Specialization
81 000 R
Individual supervision
78 000 R
Cabinet 9000 67 000 000 R 9000 R
Advertising free webinars in social networks, Yandex Direct and Google Adwords
20,000 R
Setting up advertising on Facebook
20,000 R
Promotion of posts in social networks0005
18 000 R
Advertising on the Instagram of the famous blogger
14 000 R
Payment Tildes
6750 R
Courses on Facebook and Instagram
5000 R
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