Starting a Private Practice in Counseling Checklist

How to Start a Counseling Practice Step by Step

Are you considering or ready to start a counseling practice and looking for a checklist to help you go step-by-step through the process?

Check out the checklist for you below AND a FREE training you can access on-demand to go in-depth in understanding not just what to do but HOW to get started in practice.

We need more therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists out there helping people. The need is greater than the availability. But that doesn’t mean most people can simply start a practice and have it magically become full. It also doesn’t mean a full private practice will lead to a sustainable salary.

Therapist Checklist: How to Get Started in Private Practice

We believe you can get started with a rock-solid foundation. Follow this checklist to create your dream counseling practice that’s sustainable AND that leads to real change for your future clients:

#1: Create Your Private Practice Business Vision

The first item on starting a private practice checklist is establishing your vision. In fact, it would be on every checklist for every phase of private practice because it is essential to guide you in building the private practice that is right for you.

Guess what: Not all private practices look the same. You’re creating a business that needs to fit in with your life, skills, and values. You have completely different circumstances than any other therapist on the block. Your vision takes into consideration a business that works for you and your circumstances.

Every single person has a different life. If you are a caretaker, someone with chronic illness, a neurodivergent, a sole provider in your family, or an immigrant - your life needs different things from your business. Your vision is to create a business that does that, and supports a good life for you.

No one does therapy like you either. Your vision informs how you will serve your community, with your gifts and talents in a sustainable way. The most profitable and impactful businesses will be aligned with who you are and what you want.

Join our FREE Private Practice Library, and once you’re a member, check out our Private Practice Planning training to help you get clear on your private practice vision! This training will walk you through our process for establishing a clear vision and taking steps to start a counseling practice that works for your life and needs.

#2: Design Your Private Practice Business Plan

Do you have a business plan for your private practice? Do we HAVE to talk about money when starting a private practice? In order to keep the lights on and the doors open, you need your counseling practice to be a source of income for you. If your business doesn’t make money after all the expenses and taxes, you won’t be able to keep the doors open.

The BIGGEST step for you to take is getting clear on what your average hourly rate needs to be in order to have a sustainable business. This is one of the top overlooked items when starting a counseling practice. Too often fees and planning are done by comparing to what you think others are doing. Remember what we said in #1, your business is going to be completely unique because your needs and your life are uniquely yours to take care of through your business plan. Picking the fee isn’t what you think people will pay, or what you think you are worth. Your work is priceless and we need to establish a fee so that work can make a HUGE impact in your community.

Your private practice rate is completely different than your hourly rate as an employee. Check out this free, CE-eligible training on how to set your average fee. You’ll get a clear equation, learn about going private-pay, insurance panels, and sliding scales.

Feel free to also check out our Costs for Starting a Counseling Practice overview to know what expenses to budget for when starting out. You can use this overview as a way to start doing your own research into the expenses that you will be starting with. Trust us, the expenses don’t have to be a whole lot, but the more you plan for, the better when you start your counseling practice.

#3: Choose your Private Practice Niche

When you’re starting a private practice, you want to reach out to anyone and everyone and be as broad as possible… right? We TOTALLY get the impulse, but that actually leads to less clients, more stress, AND reduced clinical outcomes! Really? Really!

Don’t worry — choosing a niche doesn’t have to be hard. You can choose more than one AND you can change your mind! The key is to be able to reach people who you can help and to speak to them in such a way, they know you can help them. You can’t talk to everyone at the same time. You have to know your ideal client in order to connect with them and compel them to reach out for help. We’ve got a free training on how to choose your niche, and we’ll give you the deets about how it can improve clinical outcomes.

Remember: When starting a counseling practice, choosing your niche is just the first niche you want to start with. You’re never too locked in that you can’t pivot.

#4: Build Your Private Practice Website

Starting a private practice can be fun. You have your vision, and a plan, know your fee, and know what niche you want to start with. Now, we need to create your home on the internet. You may think your first step is finding an office or decorating it, but it isn’t! The first thing your potential clients will see is your website.

A website for your counseling practice can actually be a fun way to connect with that ideal client of yours. But that doesn’t mean you should spend thousands of dollars on setting up your website, especially when you’re still trying on for size what you want long-term.

Before you spend a DIME on anything website-related, please check out our free guide below. It’ll save you money, heartache, and time! You’ll also see examples of great therapy websites that generate clients and waitlists!

Websites for Therapists: Your Checklist to DIY or Outsource a Client-Generating Website

Your website for when you start your counseling practice will grow and evolve over time, just as you grow and evolve as a clinician. The key is to get started and to make it simple.

#5: Create Your Private Practice Marketing Plan

Now that your home on the internet is set up, you need a plan to get your message and services out into the world. Contrary to popular opinion, simply putting a website up won’t immediately get you in front of ideal clients. You’ll be taking steps on a weekly basis to create referral sources and get your website to page 1 of Google.

Check out our free counseling practice marketing training: Marketing Your Private Practice

Need help creating a marketing plan that attracts the right clients to your practice?

Complete the Marketing Masterclass (eligible for 3 CEs with the APA & NBCC)!

Marketing is about connecting to the hearts of others and helping them access the support they need. As a clinician you will do this with empathy and care which will lead to better outcomes for people. Your marketing can change the world, tackling mental health stigma and compelling people to get the help they need. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else either. It’s you, showing up uniquely as yourself and sharing how you help those clients that you love working with.

Keep it simple, honest and true to you.

What to Do After You’ve Finished Your Counseling Practice Checklist

It’s a simple yet powerful starting a counseling practice checklist. You might find yourself inspired, a little (or a lot) overwhelmed, excited — all are normal feelings — you aren’t just starting a private practice; you’re launching a startup business! There are a lot of skills you’re going to need to develop, processes to put in place, and decisions to be made.

If you want support in navigating starting a counseling practice (solo or group), we’ve got the resources you need. You can do this easily and effectively AND avoid the burnout and low wages that harm so many colleagues.

Want to dig into nitty-gritty details with personalized support along the way? Check out our Business School for Therapists here. It includes personalized coaching, a free website template, checklists, and direction for every decision you’ll need to make in creating your dream practice.