We recently connected with Alayna Baillod and have shared our conversation below.

Alayna, appreciate you joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

It was always a dream of mine to live in Colorado. After going to undergrad there and seeing the mountains every day I knew it was where I wanted to settle down long term. With a background in yoga, wilderness therapy and a love of the outdoors, it just made sense. But the cost of living was demanding and required more of me than just teaching a few yoga classes here and there while practicing independently. It was clear I needed to grow and build a business and establishing a group therapy practice was an exciting but daunting endeavor. I am so grateful for the journey and all of the challenges and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Colorado, known for its breathtaking natural landscapes and a growing awareness of mental health, provided an excellent setting for my budding therapy practice and my own mental health.

In the early days of my journey towards establishing my own practice, the decision was fueled by a passion for helping others, exhaustion from working in the public sector of child welfare, and a desire for professional autonomy. Having completed my education and the necessary licensing, I was eager to venture into the world of group private practice.

My first step was to ensure I had the appropriate educational background and licensing to practice therapy in Colorado. This process was very influential in how Self Care Impact Counseling works today. We aren’t just a private practice but we seek to serve other therapists who are still going through the continuing education process for licensing.

Understanding the local market was crucial. I researched the demand for mental health services in Colorado, identified my target clientele, and evaluated the competitive landscape. This informed the creation of a comprehensive business plan outlining my mission, services, pricing strategies, and marketing tactics. My first employee was actually my dad, an IT professional, who helped me with all of the business setup, website and execution of everything I had already outlined.

Finding a physical office tends to be top of mind for most but we actually grew out of the virtual therapy space into a brick-and-mortar location…by accident. I signed the lease for the brick-and-mortar practice in January of 2020 and shortly thereafter the COVID-19 outbreak started to become a worldwide phenomenon. Suddenly I was locked out of my building, still had to pay for the lease, and yet clients were breaking down my door for therapy and help coping with this changing landscape. People everywhere were also beginning to realize the value of therapy and mental health in navigating these unprecedented times. It was in that space my business truly launched through virtual services that allowed the funding for our now two brick-and-mortar office locations in Longmont and Lakewood, CO. Selecting an appropriate location was a nerve-wracking decision. It was vital to find a great location for the practices, considering factors such as accessibility, visibility, and overall ambiance that would make clients feel comfortable and safe. Especially while COVID was still an issue.

Our first location officially opened up in Lakewood in January of 2020 but didn’t really get moving until the mid-summer after lockdowns ended. The state of Colorado was opening back up and mental health had become a real crisis for so many after being out of work, out of school, and out of public life for basically the entire spring. Creating a conducive and welcoming but also sterile therapy space was crucial for client comfort. It also provided its own challenges. I invested in quality furniture, calming decor, and essential therapeutic tools. Additionally, I set up a streamlined administrative system to handle appointments, billing, and client records efficiently. A lot of which had to be developed from scratch to allow for our expansion model both cultivating referrals for new partners at the practice and interns.

As an extensively trained therapist myself, there were lots of elements of managing a business that didn’t come naturally to me. Having my dad and even some friends help me in the beginning with structure, financial management, and marketing was key to our success today. The practice wouldn’t be where it is today without the incredible support system I’ve tapped into for insight and assistance. It required careful budgeting and monitoring of expenses to ensure sustainability.

Attracting clients was one of my initial fears and that came more easily than anticipated. It took time to build a solid client base and establish a reputation within the community. Amazing partner therapists and the strategic online marketing support of my dad’s IT skills definitely helped. I had to learn to network and collaborate. Building a network of fellow professionals and collaborating with them led to client referrals and valuable insights. Community involvement and prior work experience also provided great opportunities to connect with potential clients and colleagues.

We are still learning and growing at Self-Care Impact Counseling. I am still transforming and fine-tuning the way in which we do business in order to keep up with continuing education and the most modern methods. Staying updated with the latest research, therapies, and practices in the field of mental health is really important to me while also remaining grounded in the time-tested and proven strategies that help our clients to recover from trauma.

Starting my own practice was a journey that required dedication, patience, and perseverance. Looking back, I would emphasize the importance of financial planning and marketing strategies in the early stages. I would have also sought more mentorship and guidance from experienced professionals to navigate the challenges more effectively. Overall, the journey to establishing my own therapy practice has been incredibly rewarding, allowing me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those I serve.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

At Self-Care Impact Counseling we seek to provide professional and meaningful support with challenges including but not limited to: mental health, relationship distress, parenting, trauma, substance abuse, gender identity/expression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, & processing life adjustments. We provide premarital counseling, couples counseling, marriage and divorce counseling, depression treatment, EMDR trauma therapy, parent coaching, and counseling for teens. We specialize in anxiety disorders and those struggling to overcome trauma.

We proudly offer a wide variety of pricing among our diverse and skilled Self Care Impact Therapist team, to meet the needs of our clients and striving to maintain accessibility of cost. We strive to provide a tailored, thoughtfully recommended specific therapist for each of our new clients. This process entails a two-step consultation process, completely free of charge. Please contact us to learn more at our website: www.selfcareimpact.com or contact us directly by phone at: 720-551-4553. We also reserve a few spaces for clients needing a reduced rate. If this is a need of yours, please contact us directly to inquire about availability.
We do not bill insurance directly. Upon request, we are happy to provide documentation (sometimes called a superbill) that you may submit for reimbursement. Please consult your insurance or HSA/FSA providers regarding your benefits.

We offer in-person/in-office appointments but we also offer flexible Therapy Sessions from any location using a secure internet-based telehealth platform. This allows you to connect with us on your own time via an easy-to-use app that provides the ultimate convenience. The system is 100% HIPAA compliant and offers options for video, audio and/or texting.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Truly 2020 was a year when I think we all learned to pivot! I signed the lease for the brick-and-mortar practice in January of 2020 and shortly thereafter the COVID-19 outbreak started to become a worldwide phenomenon. Suddenly I was locked out of my building, still had to pay for the lease, and yet clients were breaking down my door for therapy and help coping with this changing landscape. People everywhere were also beginning to realize the value of therapy and mental health in navigating these unprecedented times. It was in that space my business truly launched through virtual services that allowed the funding for our now two brick-and-mortar office locations in Longmont and Lakewood, CO. The business grew and was successful in the virtual space. It grew to a point when I began to question if the Brick and Mortar even made sense. However, after so much social separation I felt it was critical to help clients get back into social spaces after such an elongated season of isolation for all of us. People were excited to come into the office. That pivot was almost the more challenging undertaking. Selecting an appropriate location was a nerve-wracking decision. It was vital to find a great location for the practices, considering factors such as accessibility, visibility, and overall ambiance that would make clients feel comfortable and safe. Especially while COVID was still a very present concern. Navigating mental health and safety while also engaging in physical health and safety was truly difficult at times. Some clients needed real-life face-to-face time in a season when wearing masks was mandated across the state. We walked a careful and strategic line in serving our clients well while also valuing the lives and workplace safety of everyone involved.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

We certainly received a big boost in growth as a result of the pandemic and the overall trend of mental health awareness that came with the 2020-2022 years. But that growth could have faded if it weren’t for the people who make up our practice. We hire carefully and make sure the therapists working with our clients are team players and effective communicators. We also ensure we are staffed up when it comes to the ‘dark seasons’ when people are most in need throughout the fall and winter months. In a world of SEO and social media marketing (all of which we engage), word of mouth from current clients referring new clients is a key factor in our growth and success. If clients find help, relief from trauma, and healing then they refer others. If we do our job well, then we grow! Providing accountability to a large team of remote and in-person practitioners can be a challenge. The biggest factor of this is monitoring data throughout the practice. We have to know if cancellations or reschedules are happening. We need to know if a therapist regularly runs overtime with clients. This data informs all of our operations and can serve to make them more humane, loving, and caring for our clients and our practitioners. We put a major emphasis on therapists reporting referral follow-up, scheduling, billing, and sessions because we can track our cumulative customer service this way. When new clients call in need of therapy they are often in time-sensitive crises. If we don’t respond to their leads immediately it can have life-threatening consequences for them. Especially in cases of self-harm. We always refer people to hotlines and resources for immediate assistance because we don’t provide emergency services. But many people call for help long before they face an emergency and if their calls or emails are left unanswered by the practice they reached out to things can escalate quickly.
We take this seriously in our practice. We don’t want people hitting rock bottom before they reach out for help. Especially when hitting rock bottom isn’t necessary if they could employ effective coping mechanisms as a result of regular therapy. Growth comes from consistency, excellent practitioners, and a very rapid response time to those asking for help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://selfcareimpact.com/
• Instagram: self.care.impact.counseling
• Facebook: facebook.com/SelfCareImpact
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/self-care-impact-counseling/about/

Image Credits
Yannic Laderach Bill Griepenstroh James Lee Riley Pope Alayna Baillod