Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mallorie Rodgers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Mallorie, 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?
Freedom, more control over business decisions, flexible schedule, living out our own professional values– These are some of the things we dream of having as therapists entering solo private practice.
Prior to attending graduate school for my Masters in Counseling, I dreamt of running my own private practice for many of the reasons above. I have entrepreneurial relatives and had a decent idea of how much work it is to start a business from the ground up, so I imagined entering that part of my career after settling into life as a professional counselor 10+ years down the road.
That 10 year timeline was quickly shortened to 3 as I watched so many therapists in the field, myself included, struggle to find a practice that could provide the right work environment for therapists to thrive. I pushed through until I no longer could, and needed to choose between sticking it out in group practice or taking a risk and going out on my own.
The time came in the group practice setting where I had to make a quick decision to transition, and therefore had to do things on a much faster timeline than I would’ve preferred. Changing my job situation needed to happen, but I also needed minimal gaps in income as my family’s primary provider, so I buckled in and got it done. I thought it would be helpful to share with others that come after me what I did so they can learn from both my failures and successes.
I scoured the internet for resources on starting a private practice and came across many that told you how to market, network, decide on a niche, save for taxes, etc. but not much that told you where to go for those very first steps of starting the business officially. At the end of this article, I have outlined a checklist of first steps in each category of launching a private practice for therapists.
Before we get to what I did that worked, let’s talk about what I wish I would have done, or done differently.
– Having more time to sort through options and interview other professionals that can assist you (lawyers, CPAs) is really helpful. This team of professionals can support you from the beginning formation of your practice all the way through operating your business through the years, so ideally you can find people you trust. Paying a lawyer or CPA is a large financial investment as well, so you want that investment to ideally be with someone who really understands the needs of your business.
– You must have a business address to put on filing documents, website, invoices, etc. This address is publicly accessible so you want to make sure it’s something you’re comfortable with putting on the internet and giving to clients. I work fully remotely from home, so I chose to use a registered agent. A registered agent is paid to receive important mail, and be available in an office space during normal business hours. Unfortunately, due to lack of time to search around, I went with a registered agent whose office is 4 hours away from where I live. This is mostly a non-issue, but is confusing to clients and networking partners who are trying to find a local therapist, and find my location on my website or Google. It also has occasionally caused problems when something is mailed to this address instead of the one I typically use for mailing purposes.
– More time to prepare for launching a private practice also means more time to design your website and think through business names and branding. I didn’t have the capacity for this and wish I would have because it always sounded like a fun part of the process to me!
Now for some of the things I think I did well:
– Hit the ground running with networking partners, especially when I had time on my hands while building a caseload.
– Joined an online community of other people building private practices and took courses on marketing, networking and business management.
– Got my own therapy and intentionally spent more time with friends. Solo private practice can be lonely!
– Took some time, once things were a bit more settled, to begin thinking through what my days could look like, instead of what they “should” look like. We have preconceived notions of what it means to be a working professional, and sometimes those aren’t actually working for us.
– My partner and I had been saving up 3-6 months worth of living expenses in the event that something like this ever happened to us. That really paid off while my caseload was building and we managed the expenses of starting a business.
Before I wrap up, here is the list of initial tasks I promised you:
I am licensed and working in Texas, and here were my first steps in creating a business:
– Decide on a business name
– Check for availability of business name on Secretary of State website and website domain availability
– Apply for PLLC business formation (ideally a lawyer helps with this. I didn’t have the time. You can do it on your own or pay someone twice the amount it costs.)
– Decide on business address. I chose to work fully remotely to save money on rent and have more flexibility, so I went with a registered agent address so my home address wouldn’t be publicly accessible.
– Apply for EIN (free)
– Apply for NPI (free)
– Apply for business bank account
– Apply for business credit card (points!)
– Setup HIPAA compliant emailing system and get BAA agreement in place, if needed
On the clinical side of things, here was my initial checklist, relatively in this order:
– Decide on EHR system. Sign up.
– Create client intake documents
– Decide on fees, insurance, etc. If choosing insurance, need to apply for paneling if you haven’t before. (I’m private pay)
– Have crisis resources on hand
These next steps are, in my opinion, necessary but weren’t absolutely crucial for the first step of opening a business:
– Design and create website branding and copy
– Business cards
– Begin networking. Decide on official “launch” strategy if you have the capacity
– Begin utilizing social media if that’s your thing
– Choose your niche and consider how to best reach and talk to your ideal client
Mallorie, 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 Mallorie Rodgers, a Licensed Professional Counselor running a private practice for neurodivergent people who are navigating anxiety, relationship issues, and feeling insufficient no matter how hard they try. I see individuals ages 12+, and offer parent coaching as well as individual therapy. I work fully remotely and can work with anyone located in the state of Texas.
My clinical approach is inclusive, affirming and holistic. All of a person’s identity is welcome in our sessions, and I aim to cultivate a therapy space that works for each individual, not make them fit some proverbial cookie cutter expectation. I work with my client’s brain, not against it.
The term “neurodivergent” can encompass many things, but my primary work is with Autism, ADHD, and OCD. Most of my clients are working through anxiety, issues stemming from difficult family dynamics, and self-worth. In my parent coaching work, I focus on supporting neurodiverse families that are struggling to meet every family member’s needs.
I began my work with neurodivergent folks on accident while working with the high achieving and perfectionist population. I found that many of these clients were neurodivergent themselves, and fell in love with the work of unpacking long-held beliefs that were creating anxiety, lowering their self-worth and complicating their relationships.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Networking with other professionals, both for consultation and referrals, is key whether you’re on your own in private practice or working in a group setting. Our field is constantly changing and growing, and therefore our knowledge bases and referral options need to adapt as well. Personally I have also found these professional connections to be solace on the hard days when you need to talk to someone who understands the challenges of being a therapist and a human.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Honing my niche of working with neurodivergent people from an affirming lens has been the number one support to building my reputation. Really getting to know the challenges my ideal client population faces, and the strategies most effective in supporting them through such challenges, allowed me to make genuine connections with other professionals. People can tell when you’re speaking the right lingo, and have the right vibe, and they will trust you much faster too. Additionally, passion in your work makes a huge difference. If you can talk the talk but don’t have the genuine interest in the subject, people can pick up on that quickly as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mallorierodgers.com
- Instagram: @mallorierodgers
