We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Teplin, LCSW. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Jennifer , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

The best advice, and advice I give often, is to be clear on your beliefs ahead of crowd sourcing for opinions. I find so often that we look to those we trust for opinions and advice before we ask ourselves what we believe is right. Most people are unaware they’re doing it AND can’t figure out when they stopped trusting their own perspective. When we crowd source before self reflection we often feel like everyone’s telling us what to do and we can’t figure out why. Its very human to look at others behaviors without reflecting on our own and the permission we’re giving for certain behaviors but when we look inward and start doing the ‘real work’ unbelievable change happens.

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.

I am the founder and clinical director of Manhattan Wellness, a boutique psychotherapy practice located in Manhattan. We work both in person and virtually and support clients in New York, New Jersey & Florida. Throughout my training at Columbia University I was looking for gaps in the market – I had an entrepreneurial spirit and believe there is ALWAYS a new way to do something. At the time I was in my 20’s and realized that there was no therapy practice that was truly specializing in this population. I’m a firm believer in a specialist – you wouldn’t go to a general practitioner for brain surgery so why are we doing that with our mental health? Once I realized the missing links I started curating my training and clinical experiences to do just that – become a specialist in supporting young professionals in the 20’s and early 30’s. After many years of working at a general private practice I felt ready to go off on my own and create Manhattan Wellness – the premier therapy practice for the 20 something looking to feel better, change their current way of thinking and live a life they love.

When a client comes to Manhattan Wellness they are joining a family – we truly have their back. Our providers and practice is different. We understand life happens outside of the 45 minute therapy session, we understand the process of insurance can be confusing and we know that relatability and a non-judgmental space are required for client success. Our providers ‘just get it’ and our clients notice this difference right away.

When a potential new client reaches out to our practice our client care specialist takes the time to understand the clients and experience and what they’re hoping for. From there she curates a list of providers who she believes will be the right fit and the potential client is encouraged to have a free consultation call to confirm fit. we are ALL ABOUT making the process as seamless as possible.

Our practice offers individual, couples and group therapy. Whats amazing about being apart of our practice is that you can seamless access services as you need them for comprehensive care.

I am most proud of the community we’ve been able to create through our patient care and social media (instagram @Manhattan.wellness) – we able to support over 500 clients weekly through our practice and over 14k individuals daily with our mental health content.

The main things I want a potential client to walk away from is knowing that there is no ‘right’ time to start therapy and that our practice makes it simple to get started to living a better life.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the idea that if something doesn’t exist there’s a reason why. I read the Danny Meyer book setting the table and he introduces this idea of ‘who made the rule that…..’. When I started applying that to my ideas of opening a specialist private practice I realized there was absolutely NO reason why a practice for 20 somethings didn’t exist in a city filled with them! It was scary to go against the grain and do something different but it paid off better than I could have ever imagined.

It’s so scary to take a risk and be different but I find the best ideas come from turning left when everyone else is going right.

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

We have found that the most effective strategy for growing our clientele is going above and beyond for our current clients. We always say that the best compliment to our practice is a referral of a loved one. When someone who’s being supported at our practice thinks someone they care about could benefit from our support there is just nothing better!

We spend a lot of time reflecting on where our ideal client is spending their time and adjusting our strategies so that we’re aligned with those priorities. I think the biggest thing to remember is that the landscape is always changing and if you’re too rigid to make adjustments you’re going to fall behind. This concept intimidated me at first but now I find enjoyment in the game of slowly figuring it all out.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.manhattanwellness.org
• Instagram: @Manhattan.wellness

Image Credits
all mine