We recently connected with Diana Beck, LMFT, LPCC, C-DBT and have shared our conversation below.

Diana , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

Opening a private psychotherapy practice was so much more than simply hanging out my shingle. Just like I had to learn how to be a therapist, I had to educate myself on becoming a business woman. The biggest hurdle was that I had to develop and build an entirely new skill set outside of my formal education.

Becoming a business woman required me to create an additional identity. Business ownership is more than offering a product. It’s knowing how to market, manage finances, and create strong community connections.

The biggest challenge I faced was realizing I had to take a comprehensive approach to my business. Not only is it important to have a good foundation in business processes and taxes, but it is also necessary to have an understanding of sales and marketing. I had to unify my intellectual knowledge of psychotherapy with a business minded approach in order to be successful. It took a lot of investigation, research, and reaching out to mentors and experts when I had questions. The best thing I did was seek guidance from people who could help answer my questions or point me in the right direction.

My advice for anyone starting a business would be to take a comprehensive approach. Find mentors and contacts in a variety of applicable industries. Find people outside of your career circle. Branch out, meet people from different disciplines and areas of expertise. My professional circle includes CPAs, financial advisors, and lawyers. I realized it takes village. I would heartily recommend creating a village for yourself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a licensed psychotherapist with a certification in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. I specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of complex mental health issues. The main populations I treat include individuals with personality disorders, chronic suicidality, trauma, and dissociation.

Therapy is inherently a relational endeavor. I approach each individual that comes into my office with humanity and respect. I recognize the importance of establishing a safe environment based on trust, mutuality, and authenticity. The relationship created between therapist and client is absolutely essential in the therapeutic process.

One thing that sets me apart is my therapeutic style and approach to treatment. My clients can expect a gentle yet firm approach. I offer compassion, accountability, and containment. I reinforce the strengths of the person sitting across from me and focus my interventions from an attachment-based perspective. I empower each client by acknowledging moments of growth and working collaboratively to foster greater life satisfaction.

I’m proud to have established myself as a psychotherapist. My private practice is called Beck Family Therapy. I have an office in Santa Monica and also offer remote telehealth appointments. I’m grateful to be a provider of mental health care and look forward to each client session.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

Without a doubt. Lifelong learning is important to me. I’m fortunate to have found my meaning and purpose. The path I’ve taken allows me to honor my passions. I could not imagine doing anything else.

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

Education, experience, and relationships with colleagues. My professional network has grown through collaboration and consultation. My client caseload is mostly comprised of referrals from colleagues and other related health specialists.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/diana-beck-santa-monica-ca/414244
• Other: https://www.zocdoc.com/professional/diana-beck-lmft-326086

Image Credits
Annie Tenwick