Finding your “why” for private practice

Deciding to start a private practice can be exciting as well as overwhelming and confusing. Many clinicians get stuck contemplating the idea of a private practice and become paralyzed on where to begin. As a clinician, you know all too well the ambivalence that can happen when thinking about making a change in one’s life. The allure to stay safe in the known can be strong, and yet the idea of starting self-employment, a place where you can design exactly what you want, can also be attractive. If you have found yourself in this stage of ambivalence then it may be helpful to get clear on your “whys.” Identifying the reasons why you want to start a private practice can help you stay focused and build your motivation to move forward.

There is no one answer for why you might want to start a business, in fact, you may have many reasons. Some common “whys” might include: to have greater freedom, to work with the clients with whom you truly want to work, to have control over your schedule, to make more money, to work with different populations, or to diversify your skills. This list is certainly not conclusive, as your initial list does not need to be exhaustive. Getting clear on your initial “why” will act as a focal point around which you start to develop your business. Staying clear and focused on your “why” will help you navigate whatever learning curve you need to embark upon in order to confidently set up and manage your private practice. Your “why” will be something you will need to come back to, and remind yourself of, as you continue to take steps to move forward.

You may find that your “whys” continue to unfold over time. As your “whys” continue to develop, the freedom that you possess in self-employment will allow you to shift your business accordingly. My initial motivation to start a private practice was to have greater freedom in how I worked and with whom I worked. As my practice continued to develop, I found working privately has supported me in finding greater value and pleasure in my work. Because I was able to choose which clients I wanted to work with, the compatibility and connection with my clients has been far greater than what I had experienced in my employment positions. This naturally led to increased satisfaction in my work and amplified my motivation to keep building my practice.

Additionally, I found the exchange for my time, energy, and efforts more gratifying than when I was employed by an agency. When I received payment in direct exchange for my work, my sense of pride and my ambition grew. As my clinical areas of interest have changed over the years, being self-employed has allowed me to effortlessly reorient my practice focus to align with my new topics of interest. While my original “why” helped me to start a practice, it has been through the experience of self-employment that I have discovered even more reasons why I want to continue to develop my business.

As you make a list of your “whys,” consider what is most important to your growth and development as a clinician. Where are you feeling confined in your current role or employment? Is there a population you have always been curious about working with but have yet had the chance to explore? How might a private practice allow you to find greater balance in your personal and professional lives? It is important to keep in mind that your private practice can be anything you want it to be, from working with just one client a week to having a full-time case load. The beauty in owning your own business is that you have full control over what you create – and that may be one of your greatest “whys.”