We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Reba Byrd a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Reba, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
My spouse probably asked me weekly, “When do you think you will be ready?”. I would always answer with an excuse. Either I did not have the funds, the time, or maybe I was just plain old scared. He would answer quickly with, “Well, if you are waiting to be ready, you will never be ready”, in other words, I just needed to get it started. I did a lot of thinking and planning of course. I had worked in many settings up until this point; internships, inpatient treatment settings, outpatient clinics, and private practices. I had an idea of what I wanted everything to look like. So, I started with creating the PLLC, worked with my accountant and asked quite literally a million questions. It’s a wonder that he still maintains the patience for me. I went ahead and built a website as well. This was a challenge for sure. I felt that I did not have the skill to build a decent website so I reached out to website developers all to discover they wanted tons of money. So, I went back to the drawing board and did it myself. I then started in with some advertising materials. This was also a tedious process for sure. Getting solid referral sources was challenging but has definitely paid off over time. “Word of mouth” is not just something that people say, it is absolutely true when trying to build up a business. Websites and materials are great but those are not the be all the end all. Actually going around the physicians’ office in the area and explaining my business and offerings was tedious but certainly worth it. I took a phone call one afternoon from a nurse who was looking to refer a client to me, a few minutes into the conversation she stated that she would not be referring to my clinic as my brochures and business cards were not professional enough in her opinion. This hurt for a moment, however I would say that this was a turning point. Instead of being offended I decided to pour into what she said and started to work more on what I was putting out into the community as far as advertisement goes. In that moment, I changed my view of criticism. It is okay to let it hurt as long as you chose to do something with the information. Now I needed a space. A realtor friend of mine helped me locate a great space in Springdale. I was terrified of the cost commitment every month, but as my father told me all to often; it takes money to make money. So I committed to the lease and haven’t regretted it a moment since. Now, that is not to say that there hasn’t been an enormous amount of stress and pressure when it comes to finances and budgeting. I would say for the fist six months to a year money was the issue that kept me awake at night, just lying there in the fetal position. That aspect has certainly become easier over time, however there are still moments where the unexpected happens. Figuring out the claims/billing/insurance process was a complete and total nightmare. Nothing but trial and error in that department for sure. All I can say there is I am thankful to have a village of people that have been able to help me through the struggles and answer all of my late night, lying awake, questions. All of this said, my biggest battle was myself. The, “You can’t do this” and “You know this will just fail, and you will let everyone down” were the ugliest thoughts that I had to combat on a moment to moment basis. Those thoughts still pop up from time to time. That is where the support system comes in. Having people around that can encourage you and tell you that you can absolutely do this. That is what made the difference for me. The internal battles with my self were dark but it can be done. My advice to someone looking to start their own practice? Don’t wait until you are ready because you will never be ready enough and make sure you have a someone who supports you. It doesn’t have to be a village of people, just someone.
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 opened Cadence Counseling Services, PLLC in 2018. After graduating from the University of Arkansas in 2015 with my Masters Degree in social work, I began working at Vantage Point NWA. From there I went to several other mental health facilities and practices. We have several mental health therapists here at Cadence. Everyone has their own specialties and disciplines. So we really offer an inclusive but diverse team who can help with a wide range of patient challenges. We offer individual and family therapy services both on line and virtually. Some of our specialties include TF-CBT, anger management, play therapy, and EMDR. We work with PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Behavior Modification, Trauma, Eating Disorders and many others. We aim to create individualized plans for our clients to help them reach their therapeutic goals. We offer a professional and relaxed atmosphere at Cadence to ensure that our clients feel safe and comfortable.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
If I could go back, I would absolutely chose the same profession. Being in the mental health field is something I have wanted to do since I was in elementary school. This is such a challenging and rewarding field of work. The wins are small at times, but so worth it for the clients.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I have always heard the word of mouth is the best way to build a business. I think this is definitely the case for my practice. Yes, the website, the business cards, advertising materials, etc, are all very important but word of mouth is the frontline. Building connections and networking with other providers and medical professionals. I have really strived to be communicative with potential and established clients. That is not always perfect of course. However, I cant count how many times I have heard, “You were the only practice that has called me back” or “Wow, I didnt expect someone to actually call me back so quickly”. These comments, while ego-boosting, also were cause for concern for me. When people pick up the phone to a therapist’s office, private practice or community based, they are in need. They need to be heard and responded to quickly. We work hard to provide that to our clients.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Reba Byrd