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

Cynthia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

I’m not sure I can pinpoint the exact date I wanted to start my practice – it was more like an itch that needed to be scratched. I’ve always been a hard worker and had an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age; I knew I would eventually open my own practice, but that concept seemed so far away. Then, I was part of a successful group practice for a couple of years, and at some point, that itch started to creep in. I was no longer feeling satisfied at my place of work and was of the mindset that I could create something truly different.

At this point, I was honing my niche, crystallizing my expertise, and feeling secure in how I worked with clients and who I am as a professional clinician. I began to formulate my vision that was guided by my values and what I saw as unique ways of working in the field of psychology. Having been scrutinized for utilizing humanistic practices and conceptualizing through philosophy and existentialism, I wanted to create a practice where holistic clinicians could practice without systemic constraints and in ways that were relational and helpful to the clients we were attracting.

I was equally motivated to create a work environment where clinicians didn’t have to stress about financial restraints. Having invested much energy and years of work towards seeking advanced degrees, not many are aware of the hefty price that comes with it. Unfortunately, our medical and insurance systems still have flaws where mental health is not at the forefront of importance. This leaves many providers struggling to find careers that can make up for the large investment made towards their education and in their pursuit to help others.

So, I had this dual motivation: I wanted to create a practice where holistically skilled professionals could support individuals struggling with the difficulties that come with being human (grief, illness, aging, loneliness, and insecurity), while being financially valued for their expertise and significant efforts to provide care to other humans.

This brings me to one of the challenges I had in starting my business: the decision to be an out-of-network provider. The world of insurance is like learning another language, but in a nutshell, a person who has insurance typically has both in and out-of-network benefits. As out-of-network clinicians, we’d take into account your out-of-network benefits (should someone decide they even want to utilize their benefits. Some don’t for extra privacy-related reasons).

The biggest difference between an in-network provider and an out-of-network provider is that an in-network provider receives reimbursement from an insurance company directly, whereas an out-of-network provider receives payment from their clients and the client may receive reimbursement from their insurance company.

Why was this such a challenge? Well, one, not many are informed about their insurance benefits, so they don’t know that sometimes seeing a provider out-of-network is comparable to seeing an in-network provider. Two, most people search for in-network providers, as it is simpler to navigate your insurance provider portal or website where clinicians paneled with your insurance company are listed in black and white. A third challenge is that the decision to take or not take insurance is a large controversy amongst therapists, so navigating networking can spark interesting conversations – It’s like going on a date and one person wanting children and the other person not wanting children (talk about awkward).

Ultimately, I believe that we are much better clinicians when we can invest our energy into the work we are doing with our clients, and not the countless hours spent on the phone with insurance companies trying to receive payment for sessions already had; I think if insurance companies reimbursed therapists at comfortable wages, more therapists would get paneled.

So, as an out-of-network therapist, where your time isn’t spent arguing with insurance companies, it’s spent fine-tuning your skills, broadening your continuing education, having immersive conversations with your clients, taking care of yourself and your family, and in marketing efforts and learning more about how to run a business (a much better use of time in my opinion).

Another challenge I had early on was operating the business. Do I open an LLC, an S-Corp, or a PLLC, and what do all of those entities even mean? Not having any background in business, you’re sort of tossed into the lion’s den unsure of your next move. For those interested in pursuing their own business, I strongly suggest connecting with consultants, legal representation, and a business coach (if you can swing the funding).

Once you establish your business entity, it’s a bit of a surreal moment: holy f*ck your business is real and the IRS is watching you like a hawk (just kidding…kind of). The next step after this is creating a business plan, mapping out your steps, and your goals, and creating the back-end systems to help run the business operations so that you can do what you do best. It’s easier said than done and will take a lot of time and trial and error.

If there is one piece of advice I’d give to a young professional who is considering starting their practice, I’d say you have to really want it. The reason you want it is totally your own, but it will be what you return to when you’re hitting some rough patches. If you know you want to do it, well, there’s no time like the present.

I think that the one thing I might have done differently was just to start even sooner than I already did. Even if it were small efforts like drafting a business plan, thinking about a name, starting to market myself more independently, etc. Another piece of advice would be to practice patience. While it’s great to just start, starting doesn’t mean you’ll have a six or seven-figure business in the next year (although if you do, tell us your secrets :P).

Thirdly, enjoy the process. This is a super exciting venture: you get to be your own boss. There is so much responsibility that comes with that title, take pride in your strength, practice humility, and continue returning to your why and your mission.

Cynthia, 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?

My journey into the field of psychology began before I even knew what psychology was. I always had a knack for creating genuine relationships and was often a listening ear and confidant for others. As a young girl, I was very observant and quite mature for my age, and as a nostalgic and reflective person, psychology just made sense to me. It was in high school when I took my first psychology course and finally had a name for what it was I already felt so drawn to. It all sort of clicked for me at that moment. Heading into college, I knew I wanted to major in psychology, and as life happened, as it often does, I was faced with my own pain, grief, and difficulties. I think these experiences, and the professional connections I began to make around this time in my life, led me towards studying phenomenology, philosophy, and existentialism.

By the end of college, I was very certain I wanted to get my doctorate. I wanted to absorb as much information as I could so I could be with people through their most difficult moments. As therapists, we play critical roles in being with someone in their most vulnerable moments. While pursuing a doctorate is time-consuming, emotionally taxing, and financially burdensome, I don’t regret the experience and feel those added years have set me apart from many mental health professionals. I feel immensely grateful for my education and so spiritually connected to my profession and the work that I do daily.

Now, I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Grief Professional, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and group practice owner of Authentically Living Psychological Services, PLLC. I am an existential therapist and PsyPact clinician, meaning I can work with clients in 39 different states; I am also independently licensed in New York. As an existential clinician, I specialize in grief (including disenfranchised loss, such as illness), low self-esteem, difficulty formulating meaningful connections, and large life transitions and milestones. I work well with individuals who are feeling ungrounded and anxious, those who have lost their lust for life, and those who may be experiencing an existential crisis where a person may feel unsure of themselves, unsure of their values, and what they want out of life.

I enjoy supporting adults (as well as older adolescents) curious to better understand themselves and the type of person they want to be. My work is relational, process-oriented, genuine, and human. Topics of conversation often include exploring unknowns and the anxieties associated with not knowing, loss and illness and the inevitability of mortality, and loneliness and the difficulties associated with formulating sincere and vulnerable relationships. Sessions consist of increasing self-understanding, sitting with the humility of being human, and being with pains and harsh realities of being human.

It’s not all doom and gloom: therapy with me also focuses immensely on self-empowerment, developing assertiveness and the ability to take up space, practicing responsibility, and owning the ability to choose and live amongst life’s difficulties; therapeutic work is focused on personal wellness and ways to create meaning and fulfillment. And of course, a bit of humor goes a long way in the work that we do, given the heaviness of some of these conversations and difficult life experiences. I love watching my clients learn about themselves, begin to feel more secure in who they are, and live their lives in ways that are aligned with who they want to be.

One of the most important pieces of effective therapy is creating a space that fosters openness where a person can feel free to share their most personal shame and quirks. I think this is the golden piece to creating strong therapeutic relationships that at the core are rooted in vulnerability and safety. In addition to the one-on-one work that I do, I also offer group therapy services for those grieving and am working on a chronic illness support group. The grief process group is process-based and focuses on creative arts interventions, leaning into the idea that sometimes an experience can be so overwhelming that words are either too difficult to formulate or do not do the experience justly enough. The group is open to any resident of a PsyPact state or resident of NY.

For those interested in learning more about existential therapy or who need additional professional support and development, I have an existential therapy course and provide supervision and consultation. My largest efforts at the moment are continuing to expand my practice and hire New York, New Jersey, and Illinois licensed clinicians who are person-centered in their approaches and who understand the importance of the therapeutic relationship before any utilization of interventions, skills, and tools. And just for fun, I also have some existential snarky merchandise you can find on my shop located on my website. When I look back on the long journey thus far, I am proud of myself and the person I am. I hope to be a small part of both my clients’ development, as well as other professionals’ journey looking to start something of their own.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Maybe this sounds cliché, but I believe the most effective “strategy” (if you can even call it that) for growing my clientele is by being myself. I think people are drawn to clinicians, business owners, or any other professional who is genuine and sincere. People are intelligent and better at reading others than you might imagine, so they can often see through insincerity quite easily. If you’re being sales-y, bending the truth, and not representing yourself authentically, I think it’s a major turn-off.

I obviously can’t speak for every person out there, but a fundamental aspect of human connection is trust. You want people to trust you, trust your brand, and trust your craft. The only way to foster trust is by presenting yourself honestly. While growing your business takes immense effort and by no means is passive, I do believe that expansion has a domino effect. If one person has a great experience with you and your product, that information will be passed along. In other words, good news travels fast.

A second strategy to focus on in efforts to grow clientele is to individuate yourself and narrow your craft. What makes you unique? Why would I choose your services over any other? This is where expertise, education, narrowing your niche, and marketing your brand come in handy.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Outside of training and expertise, I believe self-confidence plays a crucial role in helping people succeed in the field of therapy/psychology. There are a lot of mental health providers, and not all of them will necessarily agree with your practice, your modalities, your efforts, and your goals. Being secure in your own skill set, views, and professional and business decisions will help you progress towards your goals.

Self-security is a combination of knowing your expertise, practicing humility, being open to feedback and growth, and artfully expressing and marketing your knowledge.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.authenticallylivingpsych.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_existential_psychologist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088530461090
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-shaw-psy-d-a217b76a/