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

Rachel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

Hi, My name is Rachel Dittmar. I founded The Therapy Cove 2 years ago which is a small private therapy practice. I have 1 associate and continuing to try to grow my practice. I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset. I initially got my undergraduate degree in Accounting and worked as a CPA for 10 years. I then went back to school to get my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I always knew I wanted to have something of my own one day. After years of working in agency settings and other private practices, I decided it was time to open up my own practice. Establishing a private practice from ground zero has been a work in progress and still continues to be after 2 years. As a mom of 2 young children with limited time, it has been a challenge, but worth it! I have” climbed a lot of hills and learned a lot of “what not to dos”. The first step I took was establishing a “brand”, a name, logo and a theme. I loved the idea of using “Cove” in my name since Ventura is situated on the water and literally means a “small sheltered place”. So I selected a coastal theme and named it The Therapy Cove. Next, I created a website and marketing materials including business cards, flyers, and a Psychology Today profile. Initially, I had a lot of clients that I had been seeing who wanted to “stay with me” so I didn’t have an issue getting clients initially. This is where it gets challenging- deciding on insurance or private pay and getting credentialed with insurance panels. I selected an EHR system and started applying to insurance panels. This is the number 1 mistake right off the bat. Getting credentialed takes a long time and getting paid takes even longer! I always thought it was important to offer insurance (this is where many therapists differ). Eventually, after a year-long headache, I found a company that credentials you and pays you directly (and they deal with the insurance on the back-end). If I had to start all over again, I would have used this company on Day 1. Running your own practice is a constant work in progress. I am constantly trying to adapt and change and improve. My advice for anyone getting started is patience, planning, and talking to a lot of others who have done it before. Lots of therapists out there offer consulting and coaching which I have learned a lot from over the past 2 years.

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?

Hi, I am a psychotherapist in Ventura, CA. I offer both in-person and telehealth services across California. I specialize in treating symptoms of depression, anxiety, OCD, stress management, trauma, relationship issues and navigating life transitions. I also have a certification in perinatal mental health. I also provide ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. I own a small private practice downtown which I have had for 2 years now. Prior to that, I have worked in a variety of mental health settings including agencies, group private practices, schools and hospitals.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I started my career in Accounting and worked as a CPA for 10+ years. I tried everything from public accounting at a big firm, to Internal Audit, to property accounting, corporate accounting and even did accounting for a small start-up. I couldn’t seem to find my fit. There came a point where I had to ask myself, “what else can I do?” I was doing therapy of my own and reflecting on what I always wanted to do when I was younger. While I thought I had always wanted to be a teacher, I decided that didn’t sound so appealing to me anymore, but I could still work with kids or adults and help in another way. I had a great experience in my own therapy and decided that I would go back to school to focus on therapy for kids. I loved it. Since, I have worked with kids and families, and adults in a variety of settings.

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

Being successful in this field requires a lot of continuous training and knowledge, but it requires much more than that! It’s a combination of an art and a science and the ability to balance creativity, compassion, and understanding others with a scientific approach. It requires the ability to recognize patterns, be organized and the ability to connect with a variety of different people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://therapycovecounseling.com
• Instagram: the_therapy_cove