Prospering in Private Practice Amidst a Pandemic with Megan

Megan provides couples therapy in Lancaster, PA — especially premarital counseling for the spiritual but not religious millennial and Gen X couples seeking new models for relationships, couples in remarriages/blended families, and individuals or couples in ministry.

She shared with us her journey from Ministry to private practice while still being of service to racial and social justice. Megan’s business is thriving despite being pre-licensed and working through a global pandemic, and she is learning to thwart her burnout, too!

We spoke about how Bootcamp has provided Megan with a strong foundation for her business and has taught her the importance of setting boundaries, knowing her self-worth, and finding innovative solutions.

How are you pivoting or supporting your community during COVID-19?  I pivoted to a fully virtual practice by the end of the third week of March.  My office is in a shared office space, so one of my ways of supporting the community was offering a daily Facebook LIVE called Grounding, Grieving, Gratitude, and Grace.  I taught grounding skills and then explored different topics to support both my clients as well as the wider community's mental, emotional, and spiritual health.  I also lead a weekly free meditation group on Zoom.  We are practicing loving-kindness meditation in an effort to spread healing energy.  Since I am both a therapist and an ordained pastor, I have also been working with the judicatory of my denomination to assist pastors in this time.  Finally, I've been very concerned about the mental health of our healthcare workers, chaplains, and social workers, so I wrote an Op-Ed. to try de-stigmatize seeking mental health support.

How are you feeling about your momentum and your business right now? Momentum started to increase a few weeks ago.  It slowed when I first pivoted, increased slightly, and stayed steady for April.  It appears that as the stay-at-home orders continue to go on in my region, people are now willing to try telehealth and online counseling.

What have been the most effective marketing strategies for you in the last 60 days? My Facebook LIVES have been most effective.

Overall, has your income stayed the same, gone down, or gone up? Initially, it dipped, but April and May will be my best months for the year.  It looks like June will be good as well.

How are you preparing for the next 30 days? I am attending local webinars about how to safely operate and comply with CDC guidelines.  I'm also creating a consent form and a list of procedures that I will follow.  I'm working with a realtor to explore different office space available that allows me to see clients safely.  I have also been consulting with clients about their wishes for the future.  I'm continuing to work on marketing by updating my website.  Finally, I joined a therapist mastermind group to support me in learning about how to best provide grief and trauma therapy to individuals and couples through telehealth.

Your experience with Bootcamp in one sentence: It was two parts love and one part kick in the ass.

How were you feeling before you signed up for Bootcamp? : I felt unsure, confused, overwhelmed, and afraid.

What did your private practice look like before Bootcamp started?: I had a couple of premarital clients for the year. I had really scaled back due to the non-compete with the community-based mental health agency where I worked.

How do you feel after Business School Bootcamp for Therapists?: I feel empowered, hopeful, creative, and inspired.

How has your private practice and life changed after Bootcamp (processes, clinically, work-life balance, financially): Let me count the ways—I left my community-based mental health job to focus on private practice and grow my practice. During the bridge time, I signed four more premarital clients and started consulting with a church. I have two private pay clients that signed with me literally the last day of my working in community-based mental health. Personally, I feel so much more aligned. My husband has already noticed how much more "myself" I seem. Having a schedule and a battle buddy has helped me to honor my boundaries and even turn a client away because it was not the right fit!

What would you say to someone else who is on the fence about joining Business School Bootcamp for Therapists?: I would say it's like swimming in the ocean—you just have to run right in. It might be a little cold at first, but once you're wet, you will realize that floating and swimming is much better than standing in the breakers waiting for the right moment.

What do you wish you had known about private practice before you started?: This might sound ridiculous—but I forgot to purchase a small trash can for my office. As I've been called "the crying whisperer" by some, I knew to have tissues. But I totally forgot a place to put them. I also wish I had known how awesome it feels to be pursuing my dreams and working for myself.