From School Counselor to Successful Therapist: Building a Private Pay Practice in Rural Montana
Starting a private practice can feel daunting, especially in a small, rural town. Bridgette, a counselor and Therapist in Great Falls Montana, shares her inspiring journey of building a booming private pay practice in rural Montana in under a year. She opens up about the initial challenges, including the fear of limited clientele and the perceived difficulty of establishing a private pay model in a traditionally insurance-driven environment.
She was just like so many of you:
Wondering if private pay could actually work—especially in a small town
Starting (or rebuilding) something from scratch
Hearing from a lot of people, it couldn’t be done, and unsure who to believe
And yes, she had a LOT of doubts. Here’s what she told us:
“I had huge fears going into that because being in my town in Montana, there was only one other person practice that was doing private pay. And so I knew that not only would this be kind of a new concept, but then there was a lot of imposter syndrome just given the fact that I'm new to therapy, I'm new to my license, I'm starting a private practice… there were a bunch of those kind of barriers I had in my head that I really had to just keep pushing through.” (~14:30)
Bridgette's story shows how perseverance and strategic planning go a long way. After working as a school counselor for twelve years, she felt a pull to have more control over her therapeutic approach. This led her to pursue licensure and simultaneously begin building her private practice. She candidly discusses the "crunchy period" of studying, seeing clients, and managing family life, emphasizing the crucial support she received from her husband.
“I can't say enough how grateful I am because I really have found that it doesn't matter if you are in a small town or if you are the first or the second or the third work in that private pay space. I think people have been very receptive. My clients have been very receptive. And I really do feel like I'm being able to offer a very unique therapy experience in part because I'm not tied to an insurance company and I just get to do what I know how to do.” (~15:45)
One of Bridgette's biggest concerns was the viability of a private pay practice in her area. However, she discovered that clients were receptive to this model, valuing the personalized care and freedom from insurance constraints. She highlights the importance of creating a welcoming and comfortable client experience, from the office space to her website and personalized tools like client journals.
Bridgette credits several key factors for her success. Her website, designed with SEO in mind and reflecting her personality, proved invaluable, attracting clients through organic search. She also experimented with social media ads to increase visibility and joined the local Chamber of Commerce to network within her community. Through her efforts, she went from ranking low in search results to being on the first page of Google within four months.
Bridgette's story underscores the importance of community and support. She found a valuable resource in Business School For Therapists connecting with like-minded therapists and accessing resources to navigate the challenges of private practice. Her advice to aspiring private practitioners? Give yourself grace, recognize that the first year is often the most challenging, and embrace the sovereignty of being your own boss. Bridgette's journey is a powerful reminder that with dedication, resourcefulness, and the right support, building a thriving private practice, even in a small town, is entirely possible.
