Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alicia Fike. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alicia, 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.

“You’ll probably only make about $12 an hour your first year as a counselor” my professor told us during one of our last classes in our graduate program. My jaw hit the floor. I never got into this business to become wealthy, but I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to serve my clients if I was struggling to feed myself or put a roof over my head.

This is unfortunately the truth for many therapists. They work 40+ hour weeks, see clients with mental health concerns that they don’t specialize in, and live paycheck to paycheck. I knew I could never be empowered living this way, and I also knew that if I didn’t feel empowered I wouldn’t be able to help my clients rediscover their power, so I knew this route wasn’t going to work for me.

Instead of going to work for a group counseling practice where the owner of the practice would take half of my wages, I decided to take a risk on myself and open my own practice. I believe in the power of manifestation so I spent months manifesting my dream healing space, my ideal clients, and what I wanted my life to look like as a therapist. I’m happy to say that my first year as a counselor I made well over six figures, I only worked with my ideal clients, and I created a schedule that supported my freedom.

Other therapists often ask me how I manifested my dream practice with a waitlist of clients in a fraction of the time it takes other therapists to do the same and my answer is always that the only things standing in the way of you creating a practice that feels like a calling instead of a job is your belief in yourself and an understanding of the law of attraction.

Alicia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a counselor and private practice owner in Uptown Dallas and it is my belief that therapy is for everyone.

While traditional therapy is cool, I believe that by integrating physical movement, neuroscience, psychedelics and spiritual practices into your healing journey you can more quickly come home to the truest, most powerful version of yourself. This is why I offer therapeutic yoga, psychedelic integration, and E.M.D.R. as well as traditional conversation-based sessions.

​With my bachelors degree being in Neuroscience I have a serious passion for interlacing science into my clients healing journeys. I am also incredibly passionate about the healing benefits of yoga, how our food choices effect our emotions, and believe that meditation is one of the best medicines.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

While I honestly believe that owe so much of my growth to my belief in manifestation and the law of attraction there are also some tangible actions that I took that helped me grow my practice.

The first thing I did was define my ideal client. I know so many therapists that have a mindset of scarcity, try to market to the masses and fill up their schedules with people who they know aren’t their ideal clients. When we’re marketing to everyone we’re really marketing to no one, and when we’re filling up our schedules with people who have mental health concerns we don’t specialize in we’re not doing our best work and we end up burnt out.

The second thing I did was create a website that targeted my ideal clients. I know this seems so obvious but you’d be shocked at the number of therapists that don’t have a website and wonder why their books are empty.

I also think it’s so important to show up as a vulnerable and authentic human on your social media channels and website. Beginning therapy is an incredibly vulnerable process and clients want to have an idea of who they’re beginning their therapeutic relationship with before they show up at our offices.

Get to know people who are also working with your ideal clients. You don’t have to only network with other mental health professionals. Talk to your hair dresser, the owners of your favorite shops, the barista who makes your latte every morning and let them know what you do.

Lastly, the space you work out of is incredibly important. A clinical vibe with hard chairs, mismatched office furniture and overhead fluorescent lights doesn’t really create a warm atmosphere. Therapy is sacred work, and my experience is that most clients want to feel that they are in a sacred and safe place when opening up about the most painful parts of theirs life’s.

I understand that my approach is not for everyone but if you’re struggling to find clients and you’re comfortable with showing up authentically I think it’s worth giving these things a shot.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Hands down, word of mouth.

Therapy is an incredibly personal business, possibly the most personal, so it is so important for therapists to make genuine connections in and out of our industry. People that work with us want to know that we’re good people and that we do good work and really the only way someone will know those things is by having a relationship with us.

Additionally I am very aware that often times talk therapy isn’t enough for us to get to where we want to get on our healing journey, so I am a little outside the box with my practices. I have been on my own healing journey for a very long time so I enjoy infusing the things that have helped me heal, like neuroscience, movement, astrology, and psychedelics, into my work with clients. I think allowing yourself to be different is one of the best things you can do to grow your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aliciafike.com , www.thekintsugihouse.com
• Instagram: @kintsugi_counseling
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciafike

Image Credits
Marquel Patton