What I Learned (about paperwork) from the Road to Success Summit

I had such a great time putting on the Road to Success Summit in June and I learned soooo much from all the experts I interviewed. It was pretty cool to do the interviewing because that means I aaaalllll the content!

I knew the Summit would be helpful for therapists in private practice and my goal was to cover as many different areas as possible. But there was one thing quite obviously missing... a lesson on paperwork!

So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to highlight how your documentation relates to everything in your private practice. And if you're interested in an opportunity join the LIVE version of the Summit, click here to find out more.

Below are the lessons I learned from all the experts who participated, and how it relates to your paperwork:

Casey Truffo and being the CEO of your private practice

-Casey dropped some major knowledge bombs about business in general and has such an easy way of explaining things. The big thing I got related to paperwork was to outline everything you do. Take the time to write out your process so you can later improve, refine and duplicate when needed.

Kelly Higdon and integrating coaching into your practice

-Kelly talked about the differences between coaching and therapy. One of the big differences was the intention behind the service you plan to provide. You might actually be working on the same area (stress at work, for example) but choosing a different way to focus together. And that means, your paperwork will look different! Kelly pointed out that with her coaching clients she actually takes notes during the session and sends them the notes. I do this with my individual consultations as well. We cover a lot so this way the client can stay focused!

Keri Nola and using your intuition in your private practice

-Keri and I talked a lot about the finer nuances of using your intuition in every part of your practice. I think this applies to your paperwork, as well. Don't just include things because you feel you have to, think about how you'd like to write. Never seen something in someone's intake packet but feel led to include it? Then do so! Listen to your heart as well as your ethical guidelines.

Jo Muirhead and creating a successful money mindset

-Money was the topic of Jo's interview and we discussed a lot of the ways we misperceive things and sabotage ourselves by often avoiding the topic. I see a lot of therapists uncomfortable with money and that impacts client care. Because if you're not able to create a clear plan and decide how much you need to charge to sustain your practice, you'll end up reducing your rates out of fear (and often telling yourself it's really out of client need). However, if you have a clear plan that's represented in your policies then that frees you up to provide pro bono or discounted services to those who need it without feeling resentful. 

Camille McDaniel and adding clinicians to your practice

-Camille brought up some excellent points about hiring and planning ahead. One of things this highlights is being really clear about the conditions of employment ahead of time and also very clearly outlining any conditions of subletting your space. One example she brought up was making sure her subletter's clientele was similar to her own so there weren't potentially awkward situations in the waiting room. 

Rajani Venkatraman Levis and building your practice through community, not competition

-Rajani is one of my favorite people on the planet. That has nothing to do with paperwork but I just want you know how awesome she is. Anyway, Rajani talked about the power of reaching out to others for support, without worrying about whether or not they might be your "competition." It's so crucial to have regular access to some clinicians whose opinions you value so that you can receive feedback when needed. Changing your forms or not sure how to write something up? Call someone you trust so you can talk it through!

Roy Huggins and using technology to serve your clients

-If you know Roy, then you were not surprised that this interview was packed full of extremely useful info! He talked about how the internet actually works and why that means it's our job as a counselor/therapist to review with our clients any risks with technology. Make sure you have a statement in your informed consent about those risks and then document reviewing them with your clients.

Melvin Varghese and starting a podcast 

-Melvin shared some very practical steps for how to start a podcast, as well as the tools he uses for his own successful podcast. He also talked about monetizing his podcast recently and how valuable it has been for creating authority and networking with other professionals. How does this relate to paperwork? Well, do you have a place for clients to write down where they found you? This will help you to gear your marketing efforts toward what is working best. And maybe, that's a podcast!

Ernesto Segismundo and using video to promote your practice

-Okay, I'll be honest, it's difficult to tie this interview into a documentation lesson. But you know what? I think Ernesto really highlighted why video is such a powerful tool. What if you had a video on your website explaining your intake process, rather than just telling people to download forms? The more interactive and personalized you can make things, the more your clients will appreciate that effort. And boy, will it make you stand out as going the extra mile!

Kat Love and creating a beautiful website

-Kat shared insight into how to create a website that is appealing your clients. This is huge because you're competing with all sorts of distractions online. Since my focus is on making your documentation meaningful to both you and your clients, this really begins with your website copy and presence. Make sure everything flows together smoothly. Use a lot of casual language and pretty colors on your website but then have very stoic sounding forms that are all black and white? That's a mismatch! So continue your branding from website to forms to service.

Clay Cockrell and providing counseling online

-Clay provides counseling online and also runs a directory for other therapists who provide online services. Since this whole online counseling thing is so easy for him, he shared sooooo many resources and tips! One big tip? Create a plan for what you'll do when technology fails, because it will at some point. If you're providing counseling online, include this in your informed consent form or create a separate document that explains what you'll both do (for example, will you call the client or should they call you?). This can decrease any stress that may occur, for both you and your clients.

Barbara Griswold and responding to insurance inquiries

-In Barbara's interview we talked about dealing with insurance companies and she shared a lot of the mistakes she sees therapists make. One of the big things is thinking they don't need to worry about insurance ever seeing their paperwork. Although it's not super common for insurance companies to audit your files, it does happen. And the way in which you document can impact whether or not your client's services will be rejected. So, even if you're just providing a super bill, make sure you're well informed about what's needed.

Samara Stone and building a practice based on insurance

-Samara talked about why it's important for her to have a large practice that bills insurance and also shared some of the mistakes she made early on when using insurance. One of the biggest mistakes was being unfamiliar with the billing process. Once she decided to suck it up and learn what was needed she was able to make sure billing was going smoothly. And, that allowed her to know the right person to hire when she needed to outsource that task because of the time it was taking. 

Nicol Stolar-Peterson and creating a court policy

-In Nicol's interview I tried to start off with "what do we do when we get a subpoena?" and Nicol let me know we had to back up first! Why? Because responding to legal requests and whether or not you get paid to do so is all about what you have in your court policy. So make sure you've outlined that ahead of time and don't get caught losing money while waiting around in the courthouse just to assert privilege. 

Agnes Wainman and identifying your ideal client

-Agnes talked about why it's important to identify an ideal client and then actually walked me through some exercises to do that. But marketing isn't where this stops. Make your intake paperwork speak to your clients, as well. Continue that relationship from whatever made them call you to them completing their forms and walking in your door to the two of you working together. If your forms are personalized to their needs, they'll immediately feel a sense of relief for taking the step and reaching out to you. 

Allison Puryear and networking your way to success

-Allison and I talked about how you can choose networking strategies that are specific to your personality and work with your strengths. Wondering what to talk about when you meet with other therapists for networking? Ask them what type of notes template they use! Trust me, most counselors are actually interested to talk about it because they're dying to hear what you do, too!!

Stephanie Adams and creating systems that sustain your practice

-And we're back to where we started... with systems! Stephanie focused on the ways in which creating systems for her practice has saved her time and stress. One of the first systems I recommend you automate and really spell out is your intake system. How do you give clients info in the beginning, how do they sign and read forms, how do they pay you, will you remind them of their first appointment and when, etc. Writing this all out will save you a lot of stress in the long run.

If you didn't get a chance to watch all the interviews, then check out the interviewees who sound the most useful to you. They ALL have great resources to be used at different points in your practice.

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