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Counseling Private Practice Business Plan

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How to Write A Counseling Private Practice Business Plan?

Writing a counseling private practice business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your Business:

Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.

Market Opportunity:

Counseling services:.

Highlight the counseling practice services you offer your clients. The USPs and differentiators you offer are always a plus.

Marketing & Sales Strategies:

Financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your company. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business Description:

Describe your business in this section by providing all the basic information:

Describe what kind of counseling practice you run and the name of it. You may specialize in one of the following counseling practice businesses:

• Individual counseling
• Couples counseling
• Family Counseling
• Group counseling
• Career counseling
• Mental health counseling
• Trauma counseling
• Describe the legal structure of your counseling practice business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.
• Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place.

Mission Statement:

Business history:.

If you’re an established counseling practice service provider, briefly describe your business history, like—when it was founded, how it evolved over time, etc.

Future Goals:

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market:

Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.

For instance, adults seeking therapy or families & parenting would be an ideal target audience for a private practice business.

Market size and growth potential

Competitive analysis:, market trends:.

• For instance, the integration of technology or digital tools has a booming market; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.

Regulatory Environment:

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your counseling practice business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Describe your cuisines:

Mention the counseling private practice services your business will offer. This list may include services like,

• Assessment and evaluation
• Individual therapy
• Couples therapy
• Family therapy
• Group therapy
• Psychoeducation
• Crisis intervention
• Consultation and workshops

Additional services:

Customized approach, expertise or specialization:.

In short, this section of your counseling practice plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

Define your business’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Identifying USPs will help you plan your marketing strategies.

For example, a client-centered approach, holistic approach, or personalized treatment plans, could be some of the great USPs for a counseling private practice business.

Pricing Strategy

Marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, this section of your counseling private practice business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your counseling practice business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & Training:

Operational process:, equipment & software:.

Include the list of equipment and software required for counseling private practice, such as furniture, therapeutic tools, teletherapy tools, etc.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your counseling private practice business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founders/CEO:

Key managers:.

Introduce your management and key members of your team, and explain their roles and responsibilities.

Organizational structure:

Compensation plan:, advisors/consultants:.

Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.

This section should describe the key personnel for your counseling private practice services, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:.

Determine and mention your business’s break-even point—the point at which your business costs and revenue will be equal.

Financing Needs:

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your counseling private practice business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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This sample counseling private practice business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful counseling private practice plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our counseling private practice business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a counseling private practice business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful counseling private practice business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your counseling private practice business.

How to get funding for your counseling private practice business?

There are several ways to get funding for your counseling private practice business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are

Small Business Administration (SBA) loan

Crowdfunding, angel investors.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your counseling private practice business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your counseling private practice business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your counseling private practice business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any counseling private practice business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their mental health private practice companies. 

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a mental health private practice business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your mental health private practice business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan

If you’re looking to start a mental health private practice business or grow your existing mental health private practice company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your mental health private practice business to improve your chances of success. Your mental health private practice business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Mental Health Private Practice Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a mental health private practice business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan (hand it to them in person or email to them as a PDF file) and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for mental health private practice companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a mental health private practice business.

If you want to start a mental health private practice business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide and sample below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your mental health private practice business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of mental health private practice business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a mental health private practice business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of mental health private practice businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. 

• Give a brief overv iew of the mental health private practice industry. 
• Discuss the type of mental health private practice business you are operating. 
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. 
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team. 
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of mental health private practice business you are operating.

For example, you m ight specialize in one of the following types of mental health private practice businesses:

• Cognitive Therapy : Focusing on psychotherapy that challenges negative patterns of thought about oneself and the world, cognitive therapy brings the patient to a better understanding of personal value in the world. 
• Behavioral Therapy: This therapy is one that focuses on retraining one’s reactions to stimuli, thus removing neurotic symptoms.   
• Holistic Therapy: A mental health private practice that centers therapy on a holistic platform is one that treats each individual as a multi-faceted being with all needs seen as equally important and in need of therapeutic healing. 
• Interpersonal Therapy: Treatment of mood disorders and difficult inter-relational issues is the main focus of interpersonal therapy.

In addition to explaining the type of mental health private practice business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of patients served, the number of cases with positive outcomes, reaching X number of clients served, etc.
• What is your legal business structure? Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the mental health private practice industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the mental health private practice industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your mental health private practice business plan:

• How big is the mental health private practice industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your mental health private practice business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your mental health private practice business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, couples or families.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of mental health private practice business you operate. Individuals would respond to different marketing promotions versus families, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers. Ideally you can speak with a sample of your target customers before writing your plan to better understand their needs.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are othe r mental health private practice businesses. 

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes psychiatrists, other healthcare providers, or members of the clergy. You need to mention direct competition, as well.

For each direct competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of mental health private practice business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide options for the uninsured?
• Will you offer services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a mental health private practice business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type o f mental health private practice company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide on-call emergency therapy sessions, client referral incentives, or group behavioral therapy retreats?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of yo ur plan, yo u are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your mental health private practice company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your mental health private practice business located in a quiet neighborhood office, a business district, or a standalone office? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your mental health private practice marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites 
• Speak in community forums or blog as an expert
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your mental health private practice business, including answering calls, planning and providing therapy sessions, billing insurance and/or patients, etc. 

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth session, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your mental health private practice business to a new city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your mental health private practice business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing mental health private practice businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a mental health private practice business or successfully running a small therapy clinic.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance s heet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you see 5 patients per day, and/or offer group therapy sessions ? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your mental health private practice business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. 

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a mental health private practice business:

• Cost of equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your 5-year office location lease or a list of insurance plans you accept.

Writing a business plan for your mental health private practice business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the mental health private practice industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful mental health private practice business.

Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my mental health private practice business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your mental health private practice business plan.

How Do You Start a Mental Health Private Practice Business?

Starting a mental health private practice business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Mental Health Private Practice Business
• Create Your Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Mental Health Private Practice Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Mental Health Private Practice Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Mental Health Private Practice Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Mental Health Private Practice Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Mobile Mechanic Business Equipment
• Develop Your Mental Health Private Practice Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Mental Health Private Practice Business
• Open for Business

Where Can I Download a Free Business Plan Template PDF?

Click here to download the pdf version of our basic business plan template.

Our free business plan template pdf allows you to see the key sections to complete in your plan and the key questions that each must answer. The business plan pdf will definitely get you started in the right direction.

We do offer a premium version of our business plan template. Click here to learn more about it. The premium version includes numerous features allowing you to quickly and easily create a professional business plan. Its most touted feature is its financial projections template which allows you to simply enter your estimated sales and growth rates, and it automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Here’s the link to our Ultimate Business Plan Template.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Mental Health Private Practice business plan?

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Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.  

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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Counseling Private Practice Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » B2C Sector

Are you about starting a counseling private practice? If YES, here is a complete sample psychological counseling private practice business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a counseling private practice. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample counseling private practice marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for counseling private practice companies. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

Are you a Psychologist, Social Worker or a Marriage Counselor? Do you know that you can make money from a thriving industry by going into private practice as any of the above practitioner?

Yes indeed, the Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry is one pretty large and profitable industry in the united states that is open for aspiring entrepreneurs who are qualified and competent to come in as a private practitioner and rake in huge revenue.

This is true because, reliable statistics has it that the Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry in the United States of America generates roughly $15 billion annually. If you are qualified and well positioned, you can get your own fair share of the available market in the industry and smile to the bank on a regular basis.

If you want to partake in this thriving industry, you would need to obtain all the necessary licenses and certifications and then launch your own counseling private practice business. The truth is that, the market is still pretty much open for new practitioners to come in.

Although there are competitions at various levels in the industry, but if you are able to come up with a good business strategy, you are sure of getting your own fair share of the available market in the industry.

So, if you have decided to start a counseling private practice business in the United States, then you should make sure that you carry out thorough feasibility studies and also market survey. Below is a sample counseling private practice business plan template that will help you successfully write yours without much stress;

A Sample Counseling Private Practice Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry of which professionals who are into counseling (private practice belongs to) is composed of mental health practitioners who diagnose and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders brought about by mental illness, substance abuse or physical and emotional trauma.

These practitioners consist of psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors. It is important to state that the industry mental health professionals who have a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree or a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree are not included in this industry.

A close study of the Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry shows that in the last half a decade, the industry has grown consistently. Private counseling services are needed regardless of economic conditions, which insulate the industry from economic fluctuations.

Going forward, as people continue to be employed and regain a steady income, private health insurance will become more affordable, prompting consumers to seek private counseling services when needed.

A recent report published by IBISWORLD shows that the Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry has a low level of concentration, with the majority of firms employing less than five people and no industry firm accounting for more than 1.0 percent of total industry revenue.

The practices and theories of psychology are highly fragmented. For instance, cognitive and behavioral psychologies have developed in isolation from each other. This makes it difficult to create large practices that dominate any particular area.

The report further stated that, the benefits to achieving scale in the industry are minimal because fixed costs are low. Group practices are increasing in number, but these are not large operations either. One major benefit of group practices is the ability to spread administrative costs across several practitioners

The Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry is a thriving sector of the economy of the United States of America and they generate a whopping sum of well over $15 billion annually from more than 141,495 registered and licensed Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors scattered all around the United States of America.

The industry is responsible for the employment of well over 231,393people. Experts project the industry to grow at a 3.4 percent annual rate within 2011 and 2016. It is important to state that there is no single organization that has a lion share of the available market in the Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors industry.

It can’t be over emphasized that the demand for the services offered by the private counselors grows when public confidence declines and people’s ability to handle the issues on their own wanes. When the housing bubble burst and the US economy fell into a recession, consumer confidence plummeted.

This decline, coupled with high unemployment, falling incomes and bleak outlooks, caused Americans to seek out the assistance of professional psychologists and counselors, benefiting the industry.

However, as the economy slowly continues to recover and consumer confidence returns, demand for their services is expected to diminish. Going forward, clients and potential clients alike will likely require less guidance, high-income households will serve as the primary vehicle of growth for the industry

Lastly, as a private counselor, the key attributes needed to be able to make good success from the trade is patience, enthusiasm, passion about the specific area to be handled, and constant positivity. You are also expected to be highly proactive; you would need to be good at planning, preparation, and certain other organizational skills.

It is one thing to have a skill and it is another thing to know how to counsel people into becoming successful; which is why you must constantly get feedbacks from your clients to be able to measure their progress and your performance.

2. Executive Summary

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is a professional and licensed counseling (private practice) firm that is specialized in helping her clients overcome their challenges and achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity.

The scope of our business offerings cover areas such as clinical psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, all other psychology, mental health social work, marriage and family therapy, child, family and school social workers, online counseling Services and retailing of self – help books and materials et al.

Our business will be located in – between a well – populated residential estate and a business district in Smethport – Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is a client-focused and result driven private counseling organization that provides broad-based counseling, learning approaches and experience at an affordable fee that won’t in any way put a hole in the pocket of our clients.

We will ensure that we work hard to meet and surpass all our clients’ expectations as it relates to their career and personal goals whenever they hire our services. At Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP, our clients’ overall best interest would always come first, and everything we do is guided by our values and professional ethics.

We will ensure that we hire professional and certified psychologists, social workers and counselors with various skills set who are well experienced and passionate in helping our clients achieve their personal goals within record time.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP will at all times demonstrates her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a private counseling organization, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our clients’ needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Our overall business goal is to position our private counseling organization to become the leading private counseling brand in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania, United States of America, and also to be amongst the top 10 private counseling business in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operations.

This might look too tall a dream but we are optimistic that this will surely come to pass because we have done our research and feasibility studies and we are enthusiastic and confident that Smethport is the right place to launch our private counseling business.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is founded by Dr. Boston Smith and he will run the business with his business partner for many years Dr. Becky Allison. Dr. Boston Smith is a certified and renowned psychologist and marriage counselor.

He has well over 20 years of experience working with top government officials, corporate executives, celebrities and sports people both in the United States of America and Canada.

3. Our Products and Services

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is going to offer varieties of psychology and counseling services within the scope of the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry in the United States of America.

Our intention of starting our private counseling business is to help our clients overcome their challenges, achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity and of course to also make profits from the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and business goal.

Our service offerings are listed below;

• Clinical psychology
• Industrial-organizational psychology
• All other psychology
• Mental health social work
• Marriage and family therapy
• Child, family and school social workers
• Online counseling services
• Retailing of self – help books and materials

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to build a highly competitive and effective private counseling business that will become the number one choice for both individuals and corporate organizations in Smethport – Pennsylvania and the whole of the United States of America.
• Our mission is to provide affordable, professional and highly effective private counseling services to a wide range of clients that cuts across different divides. We want to position Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP to become one of the leading private counseling brands in the industry in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania, and also to be amongst the top 10 private counseling firms in the United States of America within the first 5 years of operations.

Our Business Structure

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP, is a private counseling firm that intend starting small in Smethport – Pennsylvania, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading firms in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operations.

At Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, passionate, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders ( the owners, workforce, and customers ).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff / partners and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company.

In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Principal Partner / Chief Executive Officer
• Psychologists, Social Workers and Marriage Counselors

Office Administrator

• Marketing Executives

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Principal Partner / Chief Executive Officer:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

Psychologist, Social Worker and Marriage Counselor

• In charge of clinical psychology services
• Responsible for handling industrial-organizational psychology services
• Handles all other psychology services
• Handles mental health social work
• Provides marriage and family therapy
• Handles child, family and school social works
• In charge of online private counseling services
• Retails of self – help books and materials
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the Principal Partner / CEO.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP
• Designs job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of the organizations’ Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities of Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP.

Marketing Executive

• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new students, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP
• Serves as internal auditor for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP.
• Welcomes clients and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the principal partners in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
• Receives parcels / documents for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP

6. SWOT Analysis

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured private counseling business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry in the United States and the world at large.

Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a SWOT analysis for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team that are considered experts in the industry, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in private counseling practice.

Aside from the synergy that exist in our carefully selected team members and our strong online presence, Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is well positioned in a community with the right demography and we know we will attract loads of corporate and individual clients from the first day we open our doors for business.

As a new private counseling organization in Smethport – Pennsylvania, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

• Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors  industry is massive considering the number of individuals and corporate organizations who would want to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals and to perform excellently well in their jobs and personal life. As a standard private counseling organization, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes our way.

Every business faces a threat or challenge at any part of the life cycle of the business. These threats can be external or internal. This shows the importance of a business plan, because most threats or challenges are to be anticipated and plans put in place to cushion what effect they might bring to the business.

Some of the threats that we are likely going to face as a private counseling organization operating in the United States of America are unfavorable government policies that might affect business such as ours, the arrival of a competitor within our location of operations and global economic downturn which usually affects spending / purchasing power.

There is hardly anything we can do as regards these threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for our good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The trend in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry shows that in the last half a decade, the industry has grown consistently. Private counseling services are needed regardless of economic conditions, which insulate the industry from economic fluctuations.

One thing is certain, the trend in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry is such that if you want to be ahead of your competitors, you should be able to acquire as much certifications as possible and you should be able to have loads of testimonies from your clients.

The truth is that, if your clients experienced huge difference in their life as a result of hiring the services of your organization, then they will be compelled to help promote your organization.

Another notable trend in this industry is the influence of technology; the advent of technology is responsible for the increase in income generated by private counselors all over the world. With technology, it is no easier for private counselors to counsel their clients that are thousands of kilometers away from them.

Tools like video calling / Skype, YouTube, live chat and Webcast et al are being used by private counselors to counsel clients in different parts of the world.

8. Our Target Market

The target market for private counseling firms is all encompassing. Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is a professional and licensed private counseling firm that is specialized in helping her clients over life challenges, achieve their personal goals and improving their competence, capacity and productivity.

As a standard private counseling organization, Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP offers a wide range of services hence we are well trained and equipped to services a wide range of clients (public figures, celebrities and non – celebrities alike).

Our target market as a private counseling firm cuts across people of different class and people from all walks of life. We are coming into the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry with a business concept and company’s profile that will enable us work with the clients from different background and different status. Below is a list of the clients that we have specifically design our private counseling services for;

• About to wed couples
• Married couples
• Religious organizations
• Working class adults / corporate executives
• Politicians
• Business people / entrepreneurs
• Government officials
• Celebrities
• Public figures
• Applicants / school Leavers
• Sports men and women
• College students
• People with undergoing depression
• People with mental challenges

Our competitive advantage

No doubt, the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry is indeed a very prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only hire your services if they know that you can successfully help them overcome their challenges, and achieve their personal goals.

It is the practice for private counselors to acquire as much certifications as it relates to their area of specialization; it is part of what will make them stay competitive in the industry

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry means that you should be able to deliver consistent quality service, your clients should be able to experience remarkable difference and improvement and you should be able to meet the expectations of your clients at all times.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP might be a new private counseling firm in Smethport – Pennsylvania, but the management team and the owner of the business are considered gurus in the industry.

They are people who are core professionals, licensed and highly qualified psychologists and marriage counselors that can successfully help her clients overcome their challenges and achieve their personal goal within a short period of time. These are part of what will count as a competitive advantage for us.

Aside from our robust experience and expertise of our psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors, we have a very strong online presence that will enable us counsel clients in different parts of the world from our online portals.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups private counseling businesses in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract clients on a regular basis. Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP will generate income by offering the following private counseling services;

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organization and individual who would need the services of psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors in other for them to overcome their challenges and achieve their personal goals and also to enable them become peak performer in the career and in their family life.

This is the major reason why the services of private counseling firms will always be needed. We are well positioned to take on the available market in Smethport – Pennsylvania and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow our private counseling business and our clientele base.

We have been able to critically examine the private counseling market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Smethport – Pennsylvania.

Below are the sales projections for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP, it is based on the location of our personal training and coaching company and of course the wide range of trainings that we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year-: $150,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $350,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same additional services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there are stiffer competitions amongst private counseling firms in the United States of America; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP.

We will also ensure that our clients’ overcome their challenges in record time; we want to build a standard and first – class private counseling business that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients (both individuals and corporate organizations).

Our goal is to grow Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP to become one of the top 10 private counseling organization in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Smethport – Pennsylvania but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our private counseling firm by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to corporate organizations, religious organizations, households and key stake holders in Smethport – Pennsylvania.
• Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
• Use friends and family to spread word about our private counseling firm
• Post information about our private counseling firm on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops.
• Placing a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our private counseling firm
• Advertise our private counseling firm in relevant educational magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• Attend relevant educational expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.

We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and private clients in the whole of Smethport – Pennsylvania which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our business. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP;

• Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
• Install our BillBoards on strategic locations all around Smethport – Pennsylvania.
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations by calling them up and informing them of Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP and the services we offer
• List our private counseling firm in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our life private counseling firm in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our schools’ logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Generally counseling and consulting services are billed on per hour billing rate and flat fees on a weekly or monthly basis as it applies. As a result of this, Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP will charge our clients flat fees except for few occasions where there will be need for us to charge special clients on hourly basis.

At Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP we will keep our fees below the average market rate for all of our clients by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our clients at regular intervals.

We are aware that there are some clients that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such clients’ needs.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment via Point of Sales Machines (POS Machines)
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for private counseling services without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials to clients who may want to deposit cash or make online transfer for our services.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In setting up a personal training and life coaching business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a higher amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The start – up capital for a home based private counseling business without any overhead might fall between $500 and $2,000, while that of a medium and large scale would definitely be higher.

The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked. As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a standard private counseling firm with a handful of employees; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money.

However, this is what it would cost us to start our own standard and world class private counseling firm in the United States of America;

• Business incorporation fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Acquiring an office space that will accommodate the number of employees we intend employing for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $35,000.
• Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, pens and pencils, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
• The cost for accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
• Phone and Utilities (gas, sewer, water and electric) deposits – ( $3,500 ).
• Launching an official website will cost – $500
• Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
• Miscellaneous – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about one hundred and fifty thousand ( 150,000 ) U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a medium scale but standard private counseling firm in the United States of America. Please note that the salary for the payment of staff members for the first 3 months is included.

Generating Funds / Startup Capital for Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is a partnership business that will be owned by Dr. Boston Smith and he will run the business with his business partner for many years Dr. Becky Allison. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $50,000 ( Personal savings $35,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our private counseling services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Safe Refuge Private Counselors®, LLP will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing a standard office facility in a good location plus reconstruction: In progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founders: Completed
• writing of business plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the school: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
• Creating awareness for the business in Smethport – Pennsylvania: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

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Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Mental Health Private Practice business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their practices.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Mental Health Private Practice business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Harmony Mental Health Center is a new mental health private practice located in Portland, Oregon. The practice is focused on helping community members cope with their mental health concerns, such as dealing with life challenges or living with severe mental health disorders. The practice will have a full staff of counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists in order to offer as many services as possible to help our clients cope and improve their mental well-being.

Harmony Mental Health Center is led by Sasha Pascal, who has been a trained and licensed psychiatrist for 20 years. She has seen many people stop care or not get care at all due to the expensive costs of the mental health industry. She has made it her mission to create a practice that offers a sliding scale so that more members of the Portland community can get the help they need.

Product Offering

Harmony Mental Health Center will provide several mental health services to its clientele to help them with their life challenges and mental health concerns. Some of these services include:

• Mental health disorder diagnosis and management
• Individual counseling
• Group therapy
• Couples counseling
• Medication prescription and management
• Complementary mental health services (such as yoga or meditation)

Customer Focus

Harmony Mental Health Center will serve the residents of the Portland, Oregon area who are struggling with difficult life challenges or serious mental health concerns. We will primarily target residents earning less than the local median income by offering a sliding scale fee system.

Management Team

Harmony Mental Health Center is led by Sasha Pascal, who has been a trained and licensed psychiatrist for 20 years. Throughout her career, Sasha has helped hundreds of clients improve their mental health by providing counseling and medication management services. However, she has seen many people stop care or not get care at all due to the expensive costs of the mental health industry. She has made it her mission to create a practice that offers a sliding scale so that more members of the Portland community can get the help they need.

Success Factors

Harmony Mental Health Center will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of mental health professionals that will provide effective treatment plans depending on the clients mental health history and needs.
• Comprehensive list of mental health services that allows the counseling staff to find the best treatment options for each client.
• An affordable sliding scale that makes our mental health services far more affordable than the competition.

Financial Highlights

Harmony Mental Health Center is currently seeking $650,000 to launch. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the office space and purchasing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Office interior build out and design: $100,000
• Office equipment, supplies, and materials: $100,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $300,000
• Marketing costs: $50,000
• Working capital: $100,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Harmony Mental Health Center.

Company Overview

Who is harmony mental health center.

Harmony Mental Health Center is a new mental health private practice located in Portland, Oregon. The practice is focused on helping community members cope with their mental health concerns, particularly those who are living with severe conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The practice will have a full staff of counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists in order to offer as many services as possible to help our clients cope and improve their mental well-being.

  In addition to providing these services, we offer sliding scale rates for members who earn below the local median salary. Mental health services are typically very expensive, which prevents many people with mental health disorders from getting the help they need. We hope that by providing this sliding scale, more people will be able to afford our care and get help.

Harmony Mental Health Center’s History

Once Sasha came up with her idea to offer affordable mental health services, she immediately began to do the groundwork to make it a reality. She conducted a market analysis to see who would benefit the most from these services and recruited other mental health professionals who were interested in joining the practice.

After finishing her analysis, she set out to find a potential office location. She has found an ideal location and is currently due diligence on the property. Once the lease is signed, all operations will move there.

Since incorporation, Harmony Mental Health Center has achieved the following milestones:

• Found a potential commercial space and signed a Letter of Intent to lease it
• Developed the company’s name, logo, social media accounts, and website
• Determined space design and required equipment
• Hired an administrative assistant to help with bookings and schedules
• Hired several mental health professionals to the team

Harmony Mental Health Center’s Services

Harmony Mental Health Center will provide a wide variety of services to help our clients cope with their challenges and mental health concerns. Each client’s path of treatment will vary depending on their condition or particular challenges and needs.

Below is a list of some of the services that Harmony Mental Health Center will offer to its clients:

Industry Analysis

The mental health services industry is expected to grow substantially over the next few years.

Now that the world understands the importance of mental health, many people are seeking out care for their mental health concerns. This is creating incredible demand for mental health private practices and the expertise and care of mental health professionals. This demand will ensure the industry continues to expand and remains profitable.

One challenge to private practices is the popularity of app-based therapy companies such as BetterHelp and Talkspace. These apps have thousands of customers due to their convenience and affordable rates. Private practices that offer remote sessions and inexpensive fees will be able to compete with these apps.

Another challenge is the skyrocketing costs of mental health care. Due to demand and inflation, counseling fees and medication costs are quickly rising. This makes it much harder for people in middle or lower economic brackets to receive the care they need. Practices that offer sliding scale fees or partner with numerous insurance plans are more likely to keep a steady clientbase.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The demographic for the Portland, Oregon area are as follows:

Customer Segmentation

Harmony Mental Health Center will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Residents with mental health conditions
• Residents earning less than the median income
• Young adults

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Harmony Mental Health Center will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Mount Hood Therapy Center

Mount Hood Therapy Center is a large and popular therapy clinic that provides a wide range of counseling and mental health services. It staffs dozens of mental health professionals who all have various backgrounds, training, and education. This allows them to serve as many clients as possible and provide them with the exact mental health treatment they need. These services include traditional counseling, medication management, and complementary therapies, such as yoga.

While we expect Mount Hood Therapy Center to continue to thrive based on its popularity and variety of services offered, the clinic is very expensive and primarily caters to residents who earn a high income or have great insurance. Residents earning under the median income are not likely to afford these services and will come to Harmony Mental Health Center to receive care.

Stumptown Wellness

Stumptown Wellness is a counseling clinic that will be located in the same business center as Harmony Mental Health Center. It is a fairly affordable clinic that provides individual, group, and couples counseling services. It is one of the more popular counseling clinics in the area and has had a great reputation since its opening in 2005.

Though Stumptown Wellness is thriving, the practice does not offer psychiatry services or medication management options. Many people with mental health conditions utilize these services to manage their symptoms and need a practice that provides them. Therefore, people with these conditions will be more inclined to seek the help of Harmony Mental Health Center.

Mental Health Matters

Mental Health Matters is a community service of affordable therapy offered by a local university. It is run by students who are training to become licensed therapists but do not have a license yet. They are supervised by their professors, who are trained, experienced, and licensed therapists. Because licensed professionals do not conduct the services, they are offered at an affordable rate and only to clients who earn less than the median income in the area.

Though Mental Health Matters offers a great service to the community, many clients prefer working with a licensed professional. We will be able to provide a similar sliding scale but also provide mental health services that are administered by trained and licensed professionals. Mental Health Matters also does not provide psychiatric services which our practice will have.

Competitive Advantage

Harmony Mental Health Center will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly and qualified staff : Harmony Mental Health Center will hire a team of friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified mental health professionals that will provide effective treatment plans to our clients.
• Quality mental health services : Harmony Mental Health Center will have a comprehensive list of mental health services that allows the counseling staff to find the best treatment options for each client.
• Sliding scale : Harmony Mental Health Center will offer a sliding scale fee system that makes our mental health services far more affordable than the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Harmony Mental Health Center will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Convenient location
• Qualified and highly trained team of counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists
• Comfortable, relaxing atmosphere
• Sliding scale for residents earning less than the median income

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Harmony Mental Health Center is as follows:

Website/SEO

Harmony Mental Health Center will design an efficient and appealing website to attract clients. The website will be well organized, informative, and list the services that we provide. The website will also list information about our sliding scale.

We will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Portland mental health center ” or “mental health center near me”, Harmony Mental Health Center will be listed at the top of the search results.

Social Media

Sasha Pascal will create accounts on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. She will ensure Harmony Mental Health Center maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and promotional content to incentivize customers to utilize our services.

Doctor’s Offices

Sasha will visit multiple doctors and primary care offices to ask them to refer our company to any patients needing affordable mental health services. We will ask them to keep a handful of our brochures on hand and hand them out to whoever requests a mental health clinic.

Ongoing Customer Communications

Harmony Mental Health Center will publish a monthly email newsletter to provide education information about mental health as well as self-care tips.

Harmony Mental Health Center’s pricing will be moderate so clients feel they receive great value when utilizing our mental health services. We will bill our clients’ insurance companies first and then charge our clients directly for whatever their plans don’t cover.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Harmony Mental Health Center. Operation Functions:

• Sasha Pascal will be the President of Harmony Mental Health Center and oversee the general operations of the practice. She will also provide counseling and psychiatry services to her initial clientbase.
• Sasha recently hired an Administrative Assistant named Janie White. She will help with scheduling appointments, basic marketing tasks, and other general administrative duties.
• To meet the mental health needs of the community, Sasha will hire a solid team of counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists who can provide a wide variety of mental health services for the company.

Milestones:

Harmony Mental Health Center will have the following milestones completed in the next six months.

• 07/202X – Finalize lease agreement
• 08/202X – Design and build out Harmony Mental Health Center
• 09/202X – Hire and train initial staff
• 10/202X – Kickoff of promotional campaign
• 11/202X – Launch Harmony Mental Health Center
• 12/202X – Reach break-even

Sasha Pascal has a Ph.D in Psychology from the University of Oregon. In addition to helping clients with their mental health concerns, she has been running her own private practice for nearly ten years. Therefore, she has the necessary experience to run a larger mental health private practice and will lead our company to success.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The key revenues for Harmony Mental Health Center will come from the fees charged for providing mental health services. The fees will either be charged directly to the client or their insurance carrier, depending on whether or not they have insurance coverage for mental health care.

The major cost drivers for the company will include the cost of supplies, salaries, overhead costs, and marketing expenses.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of clients per year:
• Year 3: 125
• Year 4: 165
• Year 5: 200
• Annual rent: $100,000
• Average counseling session cost: $100

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, mental health private practice business plan faqs, what is a mental health private practice business plan.

A mental health private practice business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your mental health private practice business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Mental Health Private Practice business plan using our Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Mental Health Private Practice Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of mental health private practice businesses , some examples include: Cognitive Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Holistic Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan?

Mental Health Private Practice businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Mental Health Private Practice Business?

Starting a mental health private practice business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Mental Health Private Practice Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed mental health private practice business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your mental health private practice business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your mental health private practice business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Mental Health Private Practice Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your mental health private practice business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your mental health private practice business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Mental Health Private Practice Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your mental health private practice business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your mental health private practice business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

How To Write a Mental Health Counseling Business Plan: Checklist

By alex ryzhkov, resources on mental health counseling practice.

• Financial Model
• Business Plan
• Value Proposition
• One-Page Business Plan
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Model
• Marketing Plan

Welcome to our blog post on how to write a business plan for a mental health counseling practice! As the demand for mental health services continues to rise, it's crucial to have a comprehensive plan in place to ensure the success of your practice. According to the latest statistics, the mental health counseling industry has experienced an annual growth rate of 3.2% , indicating a growing need for accessible and personalized therapy services.

The first step in creating your business plan is to conduct market research . This will help you understand the current landscape, identify gaps in the market, and determine the specific needs of your target audience. By defining your target audience and researching their preferences and demographics, you can tailor your services to meet their unique needs.

Next, it's important to identify your competitors and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. This will give you insights into the market competition and help you differentiate your practice from others. Additionally, assessing the demand for mental health counseling services in your area will give you a better understanding of the potential client base and the viability of your practice.

Once you have gathered all the necessary information, you can start determining the specific services you will offer. Consider the various therapeutic approaches and specializations that align with your practice's mission and the needs of your target audience.

Financial planning is a crucial aspect of any business, and setting financial goals and creating a budget will help you understand the financial feasibility of your practice. Develop a comprehensive budget that includes both startup costs and ongoing expenses to ensure you have a clear financial roadmap.

Developing a pricing strategy is also important to ensure that your services are competitively priced while still covering your costs and generating profits. Consider your target audience's financial capabilities and industry standards when determining your pricing structure.

When starting a mental health counseling practice, it is vital to consider legal and regulatory requirements specific to your area. This includes obtaining the necessary licenses and certifications and complying with privacy and confidentiality laws.

Finally, creating a marketing plan is essential to attract and retain clients. Identify the most effective marketing channels for reaching your target audience and develop a strategic plan that includes online and offline marketing tactics.

By following these nine steps, you will be well on your way to creating a successful business plan for your mental health counseling practice. Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we will dive deeper into each step to help you navigate the process with confidence.

Conduct Market Research

When starting a mental health counseling practice, it is essential to conduct thorough market research to gain a clear understanding of the industry landscape, potential clients, and the competitive environment. This step will provide valuable insights that will inform your business plan and guide your decision-making process.

Market research involves gathering and analyzing data about your target market, including demographic information, psychographics, and geographical factors. This information will help you identify the needs and preferences of your potential clients and tailor your services accordingly.

Here are some important aspects to consider when conducting market research:

• Identify the size and characteristics of your target market
• Analyze the demand for mental health counseling services in your area
• Identify any gaps or unmet needs in the market
• Assess the competitive landscape and identify your potential competitors
• Understand the current trends and best practices in the mental health counseling industry

Tips for conducting effective market research:

• Utilize online research tools, such as industry reports, market surveys, and government databases
• Conduct interviews or focus groups with potential clients to gain deeper insights into their needs and preferences
• Stay updated with the latest research and advancements in mental health counseling to remain competitive
• Consider collaborating with local universities or research institutions for access to specialized knowledge and resources

By conducting comprehensive market research, you will be equipped with the necessary information to develop a targeted business plan for your mental health counseling practice. This step will help you identify opportunities, understand challenges, and ultimately establish a solid foundation for your business.

Define Your Target Audience

Defining your target audience is a crucial step in creating a successful mental health counseling practice. By understanding who your ideal clients are, you can tailor your services and marketing efforts to meet their specific needs. Here are some key considerations when defining your target audience:

• Demographics: Start by identifying the demographic characteristics of your target audience, such as age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This will help you determine the most effective communication channels and approaches to reach them.
• Psychographics: Dig deeper into the psychographic factors of your target audience, including their values, beliefs, interests, and lifestyles. This information will give you insights into their motivations and help you develop messaging and services that resonate with them.
• Specific Needs: Consider the unique mental health needs of your target audience. Are you primarily targeting individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship issues? Understanding their specific challenges will help you tailor your counseling services and therapists' expertise.
• Geographic Location: Take into account the geographical area you plan to serve. Assess the prevalence of mental health issues and the availability of counseling services in that area. This information will help you identify any gaps in the market and position your practice strategically.

Tips for Defining Your Target Audience:

• Conduct surveys or interviews with potential clients to gather insights into their needs and preferences.
• Research existing market data and reports on mental health trends and demographics.
• Consider collaborating with local organizations or healthcare providers to gain a deeper understanding of the community's mental health landscape.
• Seek feedback from your therapists or colleagues who have experience working with similar client populations.

Identify Your Competitors

Identifying your competitors is a crucial step in the process of writing a business plan for your mental health counseling practice. Understanding who your competitors are and what they offer will help you position your practice effectively in the market and create a strategy to differentiate yourself.

Start by conducting thorough research to identify other mental health counseling practices in your area. This can be done by searching online directories, healthcare provider lists, and professional associations. Look for practices that offer similar services, target a similar audience, or operate in the same geographical location.

Once you have identified your competitors, evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling points. This will help you determine how you can differentiate your practice and offer services that set you apart. Consider their years of experience, reputation, specialization areas, and the range of services they provide.

Here are some important factors to consider when assessing your competitors:

• Their pricing structure: Investigate how your competitors price their services and compare it to your own pricing strategy.
• Their marketing efforts: Analyze their website, social media presence, and promotional materials to understand how they market their practice.
• Their target audience: Determine who their primary clientele is and assess whether it aligns with your own target audience.
• Their strengths and weaknesses: Identify areas where your competitors excel and areas where they may have gaps or limitations. This will help you understand how you can position yourself in the market.

Tips for identifying your competitors:

• Use online search engines and directories to find mental health counseling practices in your area.
• Utilize professional associations and healthcare provider lists to identify potential competitors.
• Visit their websites and social media profiles to gather information about their services and marketing strategies.
• Consider reaching out to individuals in your network who may have knowledge of the local mental health counseling landscape.

Assess The Demand For Mental Health Counseling Services In Your Area

Before starting your mental health counseling practice, it is crucial to assess the demand for your services in your specific area. A thorough understanding of the local market will help you tailor your services to meet the needs of your target audience and ensure the success of your practice.

Here are some important steps to assess the demand for mental health counseling services in your area:

• Research the demographics: Begin by researching the demographics of your local area, including age groups, income levels, and cultural diversity. This information will provide insights into the potential demand for mental health counseling services among different segments of the population.
• Explore existing mental health resources: Identify the mental health resources already available in your area, such as private practices, community clinics, and hospitals. This will give you an idea of the level of competition and help determine any gaps or underserved areas.
• Conduct surveys and interviews: Reach out to potential clients, healthcare providers, and community organizations to gather feedback on the need for mental health counseling services. Surveys and interviews can provide valuable insights into the specific challenges and preferences of your target audience.

Tips for assessing the demand for mental health counseling services:

• Collaborate with local healthcare providers to understand their referral patterns and demand for mental health services.
• Attend local community events and forums to network and gather insights from community members.
• Consider partnering with local schools, universities, or employers to provide counseling services, as these institutions often play a key role in connecting individuals with mental health support.
• Stay updated on mental health trends and public discussions to anticipate any emerging needs or opportunities in your area.

By thoroughly assessing the demand for mental health counseling services in your area, you will be well-equipped to tailor your practice to meet the specific needs of your target audience and establish a strong foundation for success.

Determine The Services You Will Offer

When starting a mental health counseling practice, it is crucial to determine the services you will offer to meet the needs of your target audience. This step involves considering the specific types of therapy and counseling approaches you will provide to address a wide range of mental health issues.

First and foremost, assess the demand and prevalent mental health issues in your area . This will help you understand the specific services that are in high demand and tailor your offerings accordingly. For instance, if anxiety and depression are prevalent in your community, you may want to focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based approaches.

Next, consider the expertise and specialties of your team of licensed therapists . Do they have specific training or experience in treating certain mental health conditions? Identifying these areas of expertise will allow you to offer a diverse range of services and attract clients who are seeking specialized care.

Additionally, think about the different therapy modalities you want to incorporate . Will you offer individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, or group sessions? Each modality has its benefits, so it is essential to determine what best aligns with your practice's goals and the needs of your target audience.

Tips for determining the services you will offer:

• Research evidence-based therapy approaches: Stay informed about the latest research and therapeutic techniques to offer effective and up-to-date services.
• Consider complementary services: Explore the possibility of integrating complementary therapies such as art therapy or mindfulness-based practices into your repertoire.
• Offer workshops and educational programs: Consider hosting workshops or educational programs on specific mental health topics to provide additional support and promote awareness.
• Provide teletherapy options: In today's digital age, offering teletherapy services can increase accessibility and reach a wider client base.

To stand out in the competitive mental health counseling industry, it is essential to carefully determine the services you will offer. By conducting thorough market research and considering the expertise of your team, you can develop a diverse range of services that address the unique needs of your target audience and promote their overall well-being.

Set Financial Goals And Create A Budget

Setting financial goals and creating a budget is a crucial step in establishing a successful mental health counseling practice. It helps you determine your revenue targets, expenses, and allocate resources effectively. By having a clear financial plan, you can monitor your progress, make informed decisions, and ensure the sustainability of your practice.

Here are some important considerations when setting financial goals and creating a budget:

• Define your revenue targets: Determine how much income you need to generate to cover your expenses and make a profit. This includes calculating the number of sessions and the average fee you plan to charge.
• Estimate your expenses: Identify all the costs associated with running your counseling practice, such as rent, utilities, insurance, office supplies, marketing, and staff salaries.
• Forecast patient volume: Analyze the demand for mental health counseling services in your area and estimate the number of clients you expect to see each week or month. This will help you determine the number of sessions available and set appropriate fees to achieve your revenue targets.
• Create a realistic budget: Based on your revenue targets and estimated expenses, develop a comprehensive budget that outlines your expected income and outlines your projected costs. Be sure to allow for unforeseen expenses and leave room for growth.
• Monitor and review: Regularly track your actual income and expenses against your budget. This will help you identify any discrepancies and make adjustments as needed. Consider using accounting software or hiring a professional to facilitate this process.
• Consider offering different counseling packages or membership plans to cater to clients with varying needs and budgets.
• Research and negotiate competitive rates with service providers or suppliers to keep your expenses in check.
• Explore potential funding sources, grants, or loans available for mental health counseling practices to support your financial goals.
• Regularly review and revise your financial goals and budget to align with changes in the market, client demand, and your practice's growth.

Develop A Pricing Strategy

When establishing a mental health counseling practice, it is crucial to develop a pricing strategy that not only meets your financial goals but also reflects the value of your services. Consider the following steps to create an effective pricing strategy:

• Identify your costs: Begin by evaluating the costs associated with running your counseling practice. This includes expenses such as rent, utilities, insurance, salaries, and any administrative or marketing costs.
• Evaluate the market: Research the prices charged by other mental health counseling practices in your area. While you should not solely base your prices on competitors, understanding the market rates will help you make informed decisions.
• Consider your target audience: Take into account the affordability and access to mental health services for your target audience. Depending on your clientele, you may need to adjust your prices to ensure your services are accessible while covering your costs.
• Determine the value of your services: Assess the unique value and benefits your counseling practice offers. Consider factors such as the expertise and experience of your therapists, the effectiveness of your therapeutic approaches, and any additional services or amenities you provide.
• Establish pricing tiers: Consider offering different pricing tiers based on the level of services or sessions provided. This allows clients to choose a plan that aligns with their needs and budget.

Tips for developing an effective pricing strategy:

• Regularly review and adjust your prices to stay competitive in the market.
• Consider offering package deals or discounted rates for clients who commit to multiple sessions.
• Offer flexible payment options, such as monthly installments or sliding scales for clients with limited financial means.
• Provide transparency in your pricing by clearly outlining the costs of your services and any additional charges.
• Track the profitability of your different pricing tiers to ensure they align with your financial goals.

Developing a pricing strategy for your mental health counseling practice requires careful consideration of various factors, including costs, market rates, and the value you provide to your clients. By implementing a well-thought-out pricing strategy, you can ensure the sustainability of your practice while delivering quality services to individuals seeking mental health support.

Consider Legal And Regulatory Requirements

When starting a mental health counseling practice, it is essential to consider the legal and regulatory requirements that govern the field. By ensuring compliance with these requirements, you can provide a safe and ethical environment for your clients while protecting your business from any legal issues. Here are some important aspects to consider:

• Licensing: Research the licensing requirements for mental health professionals in your area. Determine the type of licenses required for your practice and ensure that all therapists on your team possess the necessary credentials.
• Insurance: Investigate whether malpractice or liability insurance is mandatory for practicing mental health counseling in your region. Obtaining appropriate insurance coverage will protect both your practitioners and your clients in the event of any unforeseen incidents.
• Confidentiality: Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations related to client confidentiality and privacy. Understand your obligations to maintain confidentiality and develop policies and procedures to safeguard sensitive client information.
• Business Structure: Decide on the legal structure for your practice, such as sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC). Consult with an attorney or accountant to determine the most suitable structure for your specific needs.
• Professional Associations: Explore membership options with professional counseling associations or organizations in your jurisdiction. Membership can provide access to valuable resources, continuing education opportunities, and professional networking.
• Advertising and Marketing: Familiarize yourself with the ethical guidelines and regulations regarding advertising and marketing within the mental health counseling field. Ensure that your promotional efforts comply with these standards to maintain trust and integrity.

Tips for Addressing Legal and Regulatory Requirements:

• Stay updated: Keep track of any changes or updates in the legal and regulatory landscape within mental health counseling to ensure continued compliance.
• Seek professional advice: Consult with an attorney who specializes in healthcare law to ensure you understand all legal obligations and avoid any potential pitfalls.
• Document policies and procedures: Develop clear and comprehensive policies and procedures to adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, including client consent forms, privacy policies, and record-keeping practices.

Create A Marketing Plan

Once you have identified your target audience, determined your services, and set your financial goals, it's time to create a marketing plan to promote your mental health counseling practice. This plan will serve as a roadmap to attract and retain clients, build a strong reputation, and differentiate yourself from competitors.

1. Define your unique selling proposition: Determine what sets your counseling practice apart from others and articulate it clearly. Highlight your diverse team of licensed therapists, modern therapeutic approaches, and partnerships with healthcare providers that provide a seamless integration into the healthcare industry.

• Showcase the expertise, specialization, and experience of your therapists.
• Emphasize the benefits of your modern therapeutic approaches in addressing mental health issues.
• Highlight the convenience and accessibility of your practice through partnerships with healthcare providers.

2. Craft your brand identity: Develop a strong and compelling brand identity that resonates with your target audience. This includes creating a logo, choosing appropriate colors and fonts, and creating a consistent visual identity across your website, social media platforms, and marketing materials.

• Choose colors and fonts that reflect your practice's values and evoke emotions related to mental health and well-being.
• Create a logo that represents the essence of your practice and can be easily recognized and remembered.
• Ensure consistency in your brand identity across all platforms to build brand recognition and trust.

3. Utilize online platforms: Establish a strong online presence by creating a professional website and utilizing social media platforms. Your website should provide detailed information about your practice, services offered, therapist profiles, and a way for potential clients to contact you. Use social media platforms to share relevant and engaging content, interact with your audience, and promote your practice.

• Optimize your website for search engines to improve your online visibility.
• Regularly update your website and social media platforms with informative and engaging content to attract and educate your audience.
• Respond promptly to inquiries and comments on social media to build trust and credibility.

4. Network and build relationships: Connect with healthcare professionals, community organizations, and other businesses to establish referral partnerships. Attend industry conferences, workshops, and events to network with potential clients and professionals in the mental healthcare field.

• Offer to provide educational workshops or talks to community organizations, schools, or healthcare providers to showcase your expertise.
• Consider joining local professional organizations or mental health associations to expand your network and access potential referral sources.
• Build relationships with other mental health practitioners for potential collaboration in providing comprehensive care to clients.

5. Measure and optimize: Regularly review your marketing efforts to evaluate their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. Monitor website analytics, social media engagement metrics, and client feedback to assess the success of your marketing strategies.

• Use analytics tools to track website traffic, conversion rates, and user behavior to identify areas for improvement.
• Engage with clients and request feedback to gain insights into the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
• Regularly reassess your marketing plan and make adjustments based on data and feedback to ensure its relevance and alignment with your goals.

To successfully promote your mental health counseling practice, a comprehensive marketing plan is essential. By defining your unique selling proposition, crafting a strong brand identity, utilizing online platforms, networking and building relationships, and continuously measuring and optimizing your efforts, you can effectively reach your target audience, establish a strong reputation, and attract and retain clients.

In conclusion, creating a business plan for a mental health counseling practice is crucial for ensuring its success and sustainability in today's competitive market. By following the nine steps outlined in this checklist, you can effectively analyze your target audience, understand your competition, and develop a comprehensive strategy to address the demand for mental health services in your area.

By identifying your unique value proposition and setting clear financial goals, you can establish a solid foundation for your practice. Additionally, considering legal and regulatory requirements will help you navigate potential challenges in the industry.

A well-developed marketing plan will further promote your practice and attract clients, while a thoughtful pricing strategy will ensure your services are accessible to individuals of all backgrounds.

In summary, a business plan for your mental health counseling practice will serve as a roadmap for success, enabling you to effectively deliver personalized and accessible therapy services to promote overall well-being and destigmatize mental health issues in your community.

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Developing A Business Plan for Your Mental Health Private Practice

Business plans act as the foundation for any type of business and are important for setting benchmarks to measure success. But how do you write a business plan for a mental health private practice? Valant takes a look at the components of a business plan and translates it into an easy-to-use framework for both mental health professionals looking to start their own private practice and those looking to expand their current practice. Check out our guide to creating an effective private mental health practice business plan below.

Mission Statement / Vision Statement:

As behavioral health providers, you all are in the business of saving lives. But what makes your services unique? What value are you bringing? Make sure when you are drafting your mission statement you answer these four questions:

• What does my practice do?
• How do we do it?
• Whom do we do it for?
• What value does your practice bring?

Description of your Practice and Service:

What is your service delivery model? What kinds of patients do you want to see, including age range and presenting problems? How many hours per week do you wish to work and on what days? What types of services will you provide (e.g. therapy versus medication management)?

Legal Framework:

The three basic choices for your psychiatric business entity are: sole proprietorship, LLC, and S corporation . The choice is based mainly on relative costs, tax implications, and general business liability (rather than professional liability). If you do plan to expand to a group practice, you should probably consider an LLC or S corporation so you have the option of continuing under the same tax ID number, but we recommend consulting with a local accountant and lawyer with experience working for other health care providers before deciding.

Mental Health Practice – Operations Model:

Operating processes can be broken up into four categories: facilities, front office, back office, and insurance.

Facilities refers to your plan for location, furniture, phone, internet, hardware, and any other tangible item or service that enables you to provide your clinical services.

Front-office refers to your plan for handling non-clinical patient facing interactions such as your intake process, administrative phone calls, reception and scheduling, eligibility and verification checking, handling of patient payments, no show and cancellation policies, and prescription management policies and procedures.

Back-office functions are dominated by medical billing but could also include transcription services and handling of documents.

Insurance refers to the package of insurance that you’ll need, including general liability, professional liability, or any other insurance you might want for you or your staff (medical, dental, and long and short term disability).

An electronic health record has the potential to influence and streamline all operation models, so it is important to have the right EHR in place.

Watch our product videos to see how Valant’s EHR and practice management system streamlines operations for mental health private practice

Team refers to internal staff and outside consultants such as a lawyer, accountant, bookkeeper and medical biller. We recommend developing a strategic employee incentive system that addresses benefits, compensation, appreciation, and recognition. One of the most costly expenses your practice can endure is staff turnover. Want to learn more including recruiting tips? Watch our webinar “How to Recruit and Retain Top Talent in your Mental Healthcare Practice”

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Starting Your New Practice

Chart a Path to Start a Successful Practice

Developing A Business Plan for Your Mental Health Private Practice continued…

Marketing Strategy / Generating Patient Flow:

Especially for new practices, it’s important to dedicate a certain number of hours each week to marketing your private practice , generating patient flow, and supporting your practice’s capacity goals. Many practitioners find that word-of-mouth marketing and/or referrals are their most effective sources of new patients; in today’s saturated therapeutic market, however, establishing a digital presence may also be necessary.

Building A Website

With that in mind, building a website (or hiring a professional to build one for you) is the natural first step in promoting your practice online. Your website will act as the home base for all of your digital marketing efforts — meaning, every other digital marketing initiative you try should direct traffic back to your website. As the foundational piece of your marketing strategy, your website should be intuitive, attractive, and optimized for search engine visibility.

It will also be important to support your website with new, high-quality content once it is built out and launched. Starting an informative, active blog can be a fantastic way to highlight your expertise, reach engaged audiences, and support your positioning in search engine results.

Referrals & Directories

In most cases, the two most common means for finding new patients are to 1) utilize and nurture a referral network and 2) be on insurance contracts. This makes sense in practice; people trust other people to give honest referrals of a practitioner and their practice. They also want to ensure the provider is on their insurance network before moving forward.

With that in mind, you will need to develop referral sources to generate patient flow and to build the kind of practice that you want. Your referral sources will know your strengths and weaknesses and will refer accordingly.

In the online space, users often look to directories, insurance networks, and review sites to determine whether a provider is a right fit for them. Having active, complete profiles or listings on as many directories as applicable ensures you’re considered in the most relevant patient-provider searches possible. Additionally, directories and review sites act as an opportunity for current patients to leave reviews, providing invaluable feedback to support your practice’s long-term success.

A few examples of relevant, high-traffic directories you could sign up for include Google My Business , Psychology Today , GoodTherapy , or most social media platforms. Depending on the supply and demand characteristics in your area, however, being on insurance contracts and having profiles on insurance networks is sometimes all that is needed. 

Generating Patient Flow:

The two most common means for finding new patients are to utilize and nurture a referral network and to be on insurance contracts. Depending on the supply and demand characteristics in your area, being on insurance contracts is sometimes all that is needed. But, in most cases, you will need to develop referral sources to generate patient flow and to build the kind of practice that you want. Your referral sources will know your strengths and weaknesses and will refer accordingly.

Financial Model:

It is not necessary to have fancy financial projections to start and successfully operate a small psychiatric private practice, but it’s important to have an idea of what your net income will be and to understand the variables. Let’s break down the equation: net income = revenue – expenses.

Revenue Revenue = Average fee per face to face hour x hours worked It’s easy to overestimate this number by overestimating collections rates, fees paid by insurance for a unit of service, show rate, and patient flow. We recommend budgeting for 20% less than whatever you come up with in your plan, at least until you get validation from real revenue.

Expenses Expenses = Facilities + Front Office + Back Office + Insurance

A basic rule of thumb for expenses is that they represent anywhere from 15-30% of total revenue for a solo practice. If you employ staff or outside services for front office and back-office work, they tend to be divided pretty equally between the three. If you do not employ staff, then these expenses are more heavily loaded on facilities. Make no mistake, you are paying for those front office and back-office functions with your time. This is where the concept of opportunity cost applies. The cost of your time is dependent upon either the value you place on your time or the revenue you could generate by seeing patients during that time. However, opportunity cost does not explicitly appear in your financial statements.

If you would like to learn more about these financial metrics, we recommend reading our blog Financial Metrics 101

Behavioral Health Performance Indicators

20 Important KPIs for Private Practices

Private Practice Business Plan Template

Private therapy practice tips:.

• Don’t sweat excessively about location. You will probably move within 2 years. At that point, you’ll better understand your needs. You’ll also better understand the nature of your local market and the level of competitor saturation ; especially in areas where therapy is popular, it’s important to identify your niche and find an area where you can assert yourself as the local expert, rather than offer the same expertise as competitors in your neighborhood. Modern telehealth technology also makes the location of your practice less important. By offering virtual sessions in addition to in-person visits, you can reach a larger network of patients, regardless of their proximity to your practice. Learn more about Valant’s telehealth software .
• Networking always pays off in terms of building the type of practice you want. Start early since that is when you will have the most time.
• Most small business owners overestimate revenue, especially during transitions. Make sure that you have other sources of cash during your ramp up including other part-time work, savings, or a line of credit.
• Understand the opportunity cost. There are many things in life that you love and do well. If you don’t love medical billing, don’t do it. That time could be better spent elsewhere.
• Start with a behavioral health care focused Electronic Health Record. By using an EHR focused on your specialty, you’re eliminating spend on features and functionality that is not going to be pertinent to your practice, plus gaining efficiencies in having technology workflows that are intuitive for your discipline. It’s easier to build it into the fabric of your practice from the beginning rather than switching later.

At Valant, we’re focused on providing great technology — as well as the business knowledge you need — to help your practice run smoothly and profitably. Want to learn more about Valant’s EHR and practice management suite for behavioral health?

Visit us on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn

Related Resources

Services offered include education, training, and counseling to empower and implement a change in a person's behavior and thinking.

JCC will also provide the following services to individuals, families, couples, and youth:

• Violence/Conflict Resolutions
• Positive growth
• Bereavement
• Families in Crisis
• Grandparents Parenting
• Teen Parenting
• Relationship Problems
• Out-of-Control children and teen youths
• Health Services Utilization
• Alcohol/Substance Abuse
• Employment Difficulties
• Home Visits Available

JCC will be focusing on providing education and counseling services to teen mothers, out-of-control children/youth, individuals with mental health disorders, and senior citizens with mental and health issues.

• According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 1996 Michigan Report, a total of 29,840 15 to 19-year-olds gave birth.
• About 20 percent of U.S. children and adolescents (15 million), ages 9 to 17, have diagnosable psychiatric disorders (MECA, 1996, the Surgeon General, 1999)
• Chronic disease, memory impairment, and depressive symptoms affect large numbers of older people, and the risk of such problems often increases with age. In 1995, almost 60 percent of people age 70 and older report having arthritis, up slightly from the proportion reporting arthritis in 1984. The prevalence of arthritis and other chronic diseases, such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke are also reported, and vary by race and ethnicity. Increases in memory impairment and depressive symptoms occur with advancing age: one third or more of men and women age 85 and older have moderate or severe memory impairment and 23 percent of this group experience severe depressive symptoms.

Target Market Segment Strategy

The U.S Census Bureau County Population report of 1998 states that there are approximately 436,084 people living in Washtenaw County. Any of these individuals is a possible client for JCC.

JCC knows we cannot survive just waiting for the customer to come to us. Instead, we must get better at focusing on the specific market segments whose needs match our offering. Focusing on targeted segments is the key to our future. Therefore, we will focus our marketing message and our service offerings. We will develop our message, communicate it to our referral partners, and make good on it.

Teen Mothers

Nearly one million teen girls get pregnant each year. More than four out of 10 young women get pregnant at least once before they turn 20. Each year the federal government alone spends about $40 billion to help families that began with a teenage birth.

In Michigan, 11,350 15 to 17-year-olds gave birth, and 18,490 18 to 19-year-olds gave birth. Michigan ranks 24 (Rank of 1=largest decrease) for teen pregnancy rate with 87 pregnancies per 1,000 girls. Teen pregnancies were down in all age groups ranging from girls aged 14 and younger to girls aged 15 to 19-year-olds. Twenty-two percent of births in Michigan are to teens who have already had a birth.

Hispanic/Latina girls were the highest in birth rates among different racial/ethnic groups with African Americans being the second highest and White (non-Hispanic) being the third highest. From 1991-1998 African American girls has had the highest decrease in births with a 35% decrease. White (non-Hispanic) came in second with a 22% decrease and Hispanic/Latina with a 3% decrease in births. Asian/Pacific Islanders had an increase of 7% in teen births. JCC will continue this fight against teen pregnancy through our educational and counseling programs for teens.

Troubled Children/Youth

On January 17, 2001 David Satcher, M.D., Surgeon General of the United States of America unveiled a compelling report on youth violence to the frontline caregivers of our nation. The report was commissioned after the now infamous 1999 Columbine event that focused America's attention on children's behavior and their sometimes inability to cope with stress. In the report, Dr. Satcher invites families, school personnel, and public health communities to take a proactive role in the prevention of youth violence. "This is no time to let down our guard on youth violence," said Dr. Satcher.

Dr. Satcher's public health perspective identifies behavioral, environmental, and biological factors associated with youth violence. The report goes on to encourage our nation to take steps in educating individuals, communities, and primary care physicians to protect themselves from these risks. Dr. Satcher's public health approach offers a practical, goal-oriented, and community-based strategy for promoting and maintaining health. "The most urgent need now is a national resolve to confront the problem of youth violence systematically using researchbased approaches and to correct damaging myths and stereotypes that interfere with the risk at hand," said Satcher.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) the needs and voice of child and adolescent psychiatry have been buried under the sweeping forces of federal mandates and national medical organizations' consensus on the oversupply of specialists. They have failed to recognize the continuing critical shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists. There is a danger of becoming marginalized when the profession cannot provide needed services and contribute to society. The serious undersupply of practitioners has resulted in children receiving inadequate care from mental health professionals who lack the necessary training.

Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health: A National Action Agenda released the following information on January 3, 2001. From this information a report was developed and is the culmination of nearly a year of significant activities that were launched with the March 22, 2000, White House Meeting on Children's Mental Health. The report emphasizes the magnitude of the problem facing us in the United States. One in 10 children and adolescents suffers from a mental illness severe enough to cause some level of impairment. The report also emphasizes that it is estimated that fewer than 1 in 5 of these children receive needed treatment in any given year.

As stated in the foreword to the report, "The burden of suffering experienced by children with mental health needs and their families has created a health crisis in this country. Growing numbers of children are suffering needlessly because their emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs are not being met…… It is time that we as a Nation took seriously the taskof preventing mental health problems and treating mental illnesses in youth."

Prevalence and Magnitude of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Problems

• The Center for Mental Health Services (1998) estimated that 9 to 13 percent of U.S. children and adolescents, ages 9 to 17, meet the definition of "serious emotional disturbance" and 5 to 9 percent of U.S. children and adolescents, "extreme functional impairment."
• Only about 20 percent of emotionally disturbed children and adolescents receive some kind of mental health services (the Surgeon General, 1999), and only a small fraction of them receive evaluation and treatment by child and adolescent psychiatrists.
• The demand for the services of child and adolescent psychiatry is projected to increase by 100 percent by 2020. (U.S. Bureau of Health Professions, DHHS, 2000).
• The population of children and adolescents under age 18 is projected to grow by more than 40 percent in the next 50 years from the current 70 million to more than 100 million by 2050 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1999).

Senior Citizens Health Status

Older Americans are living longer and living better than ever before. But many of those age 65 and older face disability, chronic health conditions, or economic stress according to a new federal indicators report that describes the status of the nation's older population.

Population:

The number and proportion of older people in the U.S. population has grown and generally will continue to grow at a very rapid pace. Aging in the twenty-first century will be characterized by a steep rise in the population age 85 and older and increased racial and ethnic diversity.

• The number of older people in the U.S. has increased tenfold since 1900. Today, an estimated 35 million people, 13 percent of the population, are age 65 and older. By 2030, 20 percent of Americans, about 70 million, will have passed their sixty-fifth birthday. The population age 85 and above is currently the fastest-growing segment of the older population; its growth is particularly important for anticipating health care and assistance needs, because these individuals tend to be in poorer health and require more services than people below age 85.
• The racial and ethnic makeup of the U.S. is changing, and the older population is no exception. In 2000, an estimated 84 percent of the population age 65 and older is non-Hispanic white, 8 percent non-Hispanic black, 6 percent Hispanic, 2 percent non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander, and less than 1 percent non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native. By 2050, those proportions are projected to be substantially different: 64 percent of the older population is expected to be non-Hispanic white, 16 percent Hispanic, 12 percent non-Hispanic black, and 7 percent non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander, with the non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native populations remaining at less than 1 percent.
• Today's older Americans are better educated than their counterparts 50 years ago, a factor that can positively influence socioeconomic status and health. In 1998, a high school diploma was held by some 67 percent of older Americans, compared with just 18 percent in 1950. About 15 percent of older Americans had earned at least a bachelor's degree in 1998, increasing from 4 percent in 1950.

Health Status:

Older Americans are living longer and feeling better. An overwhelming majority rate their health as good or excellent. Men and women report comparable levels of well-being. Disability rates are declining as well. But large numbers of older people find their health threatened by memory impairments, depression, chronic conditions, and disability, especially at very advanced ages, which can substantially diminish quality of life.

• Americans born at the beginning of the twenty-first century are expected to live almost 30 years longer than those born at the turn of the twentieth century. In 1997, a newborn baby girl could expect to live 79 years and a boy 74 years, compared to 51 years for a girl and 48 years for a boy born in 1900. Life expectancy varies by race, however. The average life expectancy for a white baby born in 1997 was 6 years higher than for a black baby born in the same year.
• Despite the prevalence of illness or chronic conditions, the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older with a chronic disability was 21 percent in 1994, down from 24 percent in 1982. During this time period, the older population grew significantly, and the number of older people estimated to have functional limitations increased by 600,000. This was considerably fewer, however, than the 1.5 million increase projected had disability rates not declined.

Industry Analysis and Trends

Overall teen pregnancies have decreased but they are still too high. The overall U.S. teenage pregnancy rate declined 17 percent between 1990 and 1996 (the most recent year available), from 117 pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15-19 to 97 per 1,000. The national teen birth rate declined 3 percent between 1998 and 1999, reaching a rate of 49.6 births per 1,000 women ages 15-19—the lowest rate ever recorded. Since 1991, the teen birth rate has declined 20 percent. Nearly one million teen girls get pregnant each year. More than four out of 10 young women get pregnant at least once before they turn 20. Each year the federal government alone spends about $40 billion to help families that began with a teenage birth. Yet, much work is needed to be done in order to keep teen pregnancy down, such as more educational and counseling programs.

About 20 percent of U.S. children and adolescents (15 million), ages 9 to 17, have diagnosable psychiatric disorders (MECA, 1996, the Surgeon General, 1999). "There is a dearth of child psychiatrists…… Furthermore, many barriers remain that prevent children, teenagers, and theirparents from seeking help from the small number of specially trained professionals…… Thisplaces a burden on pediatricians, family physicians, and other gatekeepers to identify children for referral and treatment decisions." (Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, 1999). The population of children and adolescents under age 18 is projected to grow by more than 40 percent in the next 50 years from the current 70 million to more than 100 million by 2050 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1999).

The number of older people in the U.S. has increased tenfold since 1900. Today, an estimated 35 million people, 13 percent of the population, are age 65 and older. By 2030, 20 percent of Americans, about 70 million, will have passed their sixty-fifth birthday. The population age 85 and above is currently the fastest growing segment of the older population; its growth is particularly important for anticipating health care and assistance needs, because these individuals tend to be in poorer health and require more services than people below age 85.

The global population is aging at a rate unprecedented in history. In the U.S., the population age 65 and older is expected to double by 2030. The Forum developed the report "Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being" to regularly track trends as society and individuals look for ways to address the aging boom. Today's report, which brings together information from more than a dozen national data sources for the first time, will serve as a baseline for future updates.

Americans age 65 and older are an important and growing segment of our population. While many federal agencies provide data on this diverse population, it is sometimes difficult to understand how this group is faring. For the first time, the federal statistical system has come together to provide a unified picture of the overall health and well-being of older Americans. —Katherine K. Wallman, Chief Statistician, U.S. Office of Management and Budget

Competition

As a Registered Nurse and Health Psychologist, Rolanda K. Walker is equipped with advanced training and information about the interaction of psychological and medical conditions (or psychomedical disorders). This includes information about psychological difficulties that can be caused by medical conditions, as well as psychological factors which can complicate or delay recovery from medical conditions. This is the kind of expertise that will stimulate further thought about the assessment and treatment of patients with psychomedical disorders. This is the expertise that will give Juniper Counseling Center a cutting edge over their competition.

JCC will focus on servicing Washtenaw County and the surrounding areas. The three population segments will be individuals, families, and couples. The target customer is usually a person or persons with some type of behavioral dysfunction.

Competitive Edge

We start with a critical competitive edge: there is no competitor we know of that can claim anywhere near as much specific expertise on the problems and opportunities of psychological treatment as JCC. Our positioning on this point is very hard to match, so we must maintain our focus in our strategy, marketing and business development, and fulfillment. We should be aware that the tendency to dilute this expertise with more generalized counseling work could weaken the importance of our competitive edge.

Also, our potential competitor does not make home visits. Our staff is prepared to take our services to our clients. Older citizens many times are unable to leave their home for reasons such as lack of transportation, limited mobility, fear of driving, and issues of personal safety, to name a few. We will provide a holistic approach to total wellness by including intensive medical education pertaining to all medical diagnosis and treatments.

Price of Service

Prices will vary according to a person's insurance coverage and their ability to pay. Generally the cost of service averages about $75.00 per one-hour session. There will be one group session with 10 clients at $30 per client for the length of 52 weeks.

Sales Strategy

Sales in our business is client service. It is repeat business. One doesn't sell a session, one develops a treatment plan that works for the client.

We expect to see at least 15 clients per day. Dr. Walker will consult with 5 clients at an average of $75 per session, and each of her therapists will consult with 5 clients at an average of $75 per session. There will be at least one ongoing group session per week, averaging 10 clients at $30 per client, running for 52 weeks.

We expect to make enough money to expand the programs that Dr. Walker will implement in order to reach all disenfranchised individuals in the surrounding area.

Sales Forecast

We expect sales to increase as our staff and referral base increase. The following table gives a run-down on forecasted sales.

JCC's staff has an accumulated 75 years plus in the Health Care industry related to experience. All are well versed in the evolution of the Health Care industry and share a vision for the successful positioning of Juniper Counseling Center within the Health Care Industry.

Our professional staff come to you with many years of experience, compassion, sensitivity to cultural values which affect the treatment outcome, and a strong desire to make life the best that it can be for all of its citizens.

Our management team consists of founder Rolanda K. Walker (RN, MSW, ACSW, Ph.D.), who has worked in the Health Care arena for over 20 years as a Registered Nurse/Health Educator and Social Worker for the last 5 years. Dr. Walker is a graduate from Wayne State University as a Health Educator and is also graduate from University of Detroit Mercy's MSW program. She is currently finishing up her Ph.D in Health Psychology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Our professional support team will consist of of three registered nurses who will provide health education through medical seminars, groups, and individual counseling.

Personnel Plan

The following table summarizes our personnel expenditures for the first three years. We believe this plan is a compromise between fairness and expedience and meets the commitment of our mission statement. A professional staff of three RNs, 3-4 Therapists, Office Manager, Billing Clerk, Payroll Manager, Accountant, and Cleaning Crew will be assembled. These individuals will provide health education through seminars, groups, and individual counseling.

All the therapists will be paid 50-50. This means that for all counseling services provided, the therapist will be paid one-half of the amount the insurance company pays. For example, if a insurance company pays $75.00 per session, the therapist will be paid $37.50 per session.

The financial plan is for rapid, but controlled growth. Initial capitalization is pegged at 150K with cash streaming in from referrals over a period of six months. We plan to increase our clientele and cashflow through networking.

Break-even Analysis

The following table summarizes our break-even analysis. With approximate fixed cost of $2000 per month at the outset (a bare minimum), we need to bill $4000 to cover our costs. We really don't expect to reach break-even until a few months into the business operation.

Projected Profit and Loss

Our projected profit and loss is shown in the following table, with a net sales of more than $40,000 the first year to more than $60,000 through the third, and profits almost negligible for the start-up phase of this business.

Detailed monthly projections are included in the appendices.

Projected Cash Flow

Cash flow projections are the most critical indicator of our business's success. Attainment of the targeted population participation will ensure the accumulation of required cash to execute the running of the organization. The annual cash flow figures are included here and the more important detailed monthly numbers are included in the appendices.

Projected Balance Sheet

The balance sheet in the following chart shows managed but sufficient growth of net worth and a sufficiently healthy financial position. The monthly estimates are included in the appendices.

General Assumptions

Profit and Loss (Income Statement)

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:.

Home > Blog > Setting up a Counseling Business From Home

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Setting up a Counseling Business From Home

Angela Doel

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Starting a counseling business from home allows you to provide virtual or in-person therapy to clients while maintaining a flexible work-life balance. In recent years, telehealth has gained popularity, enabling psychotherapists to provide remote counseling services. You may choose to offer in-person appointments as well, depending on your preferences and the needs of your clients.

There are many advantages to running a counseling practice from home, including:

• eliminating the need for a separate office space.
• reduced overhead costs.
• flexibility to set your own schedule.
• reduced expenses related to commuting, parking fees, and so on.

Whether you are a seasoned therapist or just starting your career, establishing a successful counseling business from home requires careful planning and preparation. This article outlines some essential steps to help you set up a thriving home-based counseling business.

Define Your Counseling Niche

Defining the population you wish to serve allows you to focus your efforts, tailor your services, attract the right clients, and effectively market your practice. Consider the following:

Personal Interests and Expertise

Reflect on your personal interests and the areas of counseling you are passionate about. Assess your experiences, training, expertise, strengths, and skills. By leveraging your existing knowledge and experience, you can establish yourself as an expert in your chosen niche.

Research the Market

Understand the demand and competition in different counseling niches, while exploring gaps in services, underserved populations, emerging trends, and specific needs.

Target Clients

Determine the specific population or demographic you want to serve and their unique challenges, issues, and preferences. Tailoring your services to meet your targets’ needs will help you attract and retain clients.

Specialized Training and Certifications

Evaluate the qualifications, training, or certifications required to specialize in your chosen niche. Explore opportunities for continuing education and workshops to enhance your knowledge and skills. Specialized training not only boosts your credibility but also equips you with the tools necessary to address the unique needs of your clients.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Remain flexible and open to adjusting your niche as your home-based practice evolves. As you gain experience and receive client feedback, you may discover new interests or areas of expertise.

Since you will be working from home, it’s natural to experience a sense of isolation and even loneliness. When you prioritize networking efforts, you may experience professional growth and reduced isolation.

Here are some key reasons why networking is important:

Peer Support and Collaboration

Networking allows you to connect with colleagues who understand the challenges and joys of the profession. Sharing experiences, sorting out professional dilemmas, discussing best practices, and seeking advice from like-minded professionals provides valuable insights and support.

Referral Partnerships and Collaborative Opportunities

You’ll receive referrals from your network, and you can refer clients to trusted colleagues whose specialties align with their needs. Collaborating on joint projects or research endeavors can expand your professional reach and enhance the quality of your services.

Mentorship and Guidance

Establishing mentorship relationships can provide professional guidance, support, and career advice.

Professional Visibility and Reputation

Active participation in networking events, online forums, and professional associations establishes you as a knowledgeable and engaged professional. Sharing your expertise, insights, and research findings enhances your credibility and attracts potential clients or professional opportunities.

Emotional Well-Being

Having a strong network of colleagues alleviates isolation. Engaging in professional discussions can provide a sense of camaraderie and connection. Sharing challenges, successes, and self-care strategies can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Remember, networking is a two-way street, so be willing to offer support and guidance to others as well. By fostering genuine relationships and a spirit of collaboration, you can create a robust professional network that ultimately benefits your home-based practice.

Create a Business Plan

Your business plan is essentially an outline for your counseling practice. It should include all the details of your business, such as:

• your mission statement.
• your ideal client.
• a summary of the services you offer.
• your marketing plan.
• financial, legal, and other logistical practice concerns.

To understand the regulations within your state, meet with an attorney to discuss the regulatory requirements that may affect your home-based counseling practice.

Legally Set Up Your Business

Registering your business is an important step in establishing your practice and ensuring its legal and professional status. Consult with an attorney or seek guidance from professional counseling associations or regulatory bodies to ensure you fulfill all the necessary legal obligations specific to your business.

Consider the following:

Business Structure and Registration

Determine the appropriate legal structure for your counseling business, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) , or corporation. Each structure has its own legal and tax implications, so consult with an attorney or a tax professional to understand the best option. Registering your business may involve filing registration documents, paying fees, and obtaining permits or licenses.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

If you plan to have employees or operate your counseling practice as anything other than a sole proprietorship, request an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) .

Register Your Business Name

Choose a distinctive name for your practice, and check whether the name is available in your state by reviewing your state's business directory or conducting a name search through the Secretary of State's office.

Insurance Provider Considerations

If you plan to accept insurance, request a National Provider Identifier (NPI) from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). This unique identification number is used for billing and claims purposes, and it allows your clients to submit insurance claims for reimbursement.

Additionally, decide whether you want to become an in-network provider with specific insurance companies or operate as an out-of-network provider. Paneling with insurance companies involves additional paperwork and contracts, while being an out-of-network provider allows you to set your own fees.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Understand and adhere to the ethical guidelines and standards of your profession, maintain client confidentiality, and keep accurate and secure records.

Open a Business Bank Account

When choosing a bank for your practice, consider fees, accessibility, online banking capabilities, and the availability of additional financial services, such as lines of credit. A business bank account is beneficial for the following reasons:

Financial Separation

By opening a dedicated business bank account, you create a clear separation between your personal and business finances – essential for accurate record-keeping and financial management.

Professional Image

Maintaining a separate business bank account adds credibility and professionalism to your practice. It reinforces the legitimacy and integrity of your services.

Tax Compliance

Your tax obligations are streamlined when you have a clear record of your business income and expenses.

Update Your Insurance Coverage

It’s essential to protect yourself and your home-based practice from potential risks and liabilities. Obtaining the appropriate insurance coverage helps safeguard your practice and provides peace of mind. Here are the different types of insurance you may consider:

Professional Liability Insurance (Malpractice Insurance)

Professional Liability Insurance (Malpractice Insurance) protects you if a client claims they suffered harm or damage related to your professional services. This insurance provides coverage for legal defense costs, settlements, or judgments related to claims of negligence, errors, or omissions in your practice.

General Liability Insurance

General Liability Insurance provides coverage for accidents, injuries, or property damage that may occur at your office location. This insurance protects you from liability if a client, visitor, or vendor sustains bodily injury or property damage while on your premises. It can cover medical expenses, legal defense costs, and potential settlements or judgments resulting from such incidents.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance provides coverage for claims arising from professional errors, negligence, or breaches of duty. It extends beyond malpractice claims and can protect you in situations where a client alleges financial loss or harm due to your professional advice, actions, or recommendations. It’s particularly important if you offer consulting services or provide expertise beyond traditional counseling sessions.

Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability Insurance provides coverage for claims that arise from third-party injuries or property damage that occur outside of your office location. For example, if you conduct counseling sessions in clients' homes or at other locations, it protects you from potential liabilities that may arise during those sessions.

Home Insurance Amendments

Home Insurance Amendments are necessary since you will be operating your counseling practice from your home. You may need to amend your policy or obtain additional coverage. This coverage ensures your home and its contents are adequately protected.

Income Protection Insurance

Income Protection Insurance , also known as disability insurance or income replacement insurance, provides coverage if you are unable to work due to illness, injury, or disability.

When selecting insurance policies, carefully review the coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles. Consider consulting with an insurance professional that specializes in professional liability insurance for counselors, as they can help you assess your specific risks and tailor an insurance plan that meets your needs.

Set Up Your Home Office

Creating a dedicated and comfortable workspace within your home is crucial for a successful home-based counseling business. Here are some important aspects to consider:

Choose the Appropriate Space

Ideally, your home office space is a quiet area that provides privacy and minimal distractions. Consider dedicating a specific room solely for your practice. Choose a room with a door that can be closed during sessions.

Create a Calming Atmosphere

Choose soft, neutral colors to create a calming environment. Incorporate artwork, plants, or soothing lighting to enhance the atmosphere. Additionally, ensure that the room is well-ventilated and at a comfortable temperature.

a ) Invest in Quality Furniture. Invest in comfortable and ergonomic furniture. Start with a desk and chair that promote good posture and provide adequate support. Look for adjustable options that can accommodate clients of different heights and body types.

b ) Ensure Adequate Lighting. Proper lighting creates a welcoming and uplifting environment. Natural light is ideal, so, if possible, choose a room in your home that allows ample sunlight. If natural light is limited, supplement it with soft, warm-toned artificial lighting. Avoid harsh fluorescent lights, as they create a clinical and unwelcoming atmosphere.

c ) Acoustics and Soundproofing. Ensure your office has minimal noise interference. Thick curtains, carpets, or soundproofing materials can help absorb excess noise and create a more serene environment.

d ) Privacy and Confidentiality. Ensure that your home office provides a secure space for your sessions. Install a lock on your office door to prevent unwanted interruptions. Use a white noise machine or play soft background music so conversations cannot be overheard. Make sure shared living spaces, such as kitchen or bathroom areas, are located away from your office.

f ) Ensure Accessibility: To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), remove barriers that would prevent clients with disabilities from accessing your home office. Private counseling practices, including telemental health businesses, must apply ADA compliance to websites, making them accessible to clients with visual and hearing impairments.

g ) Acquire Necessary Software and Equipment: Invest in a reliable computer or laptop, a high-quality webcam, a headset with a microphone, and a stable internet connection. Consider using secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platforms that prioritize client privacy and confidentiality. Explore electronic record-keeping systems to efficiently manage client files and maintain confidentiality.

h ) Consider using generative AI tools such as Mentalyc : This platform will save you a great deal of time with the documentation process. Mentalyc allows you to record sessions and transcribe the progress notes in less than two minutes – increasing accuracy and efficiency, providing details you might otherwise miss. Try this tool by signing up for Mentalyc here .

Following these suggestions as you set up your home-based counseling business allows you to create an environment that promotes trust, relaxation, and confidentiality for your clients. By following these suggestions, you can establish a successful and thriving counseling practice that meets the needs of your clients while maintaining a flexible work environment.

The Bottom Line

Starting a counseling business from home offers the flexibility to provide virtual or in-person support while maintaining a balanced lifestyle. This can be achieved through telehealth services and, if desired, in-person appointments. Advantages include cost savings by eliminating the need for separate office space and the ability to set your own schedule.

To establish a successful home-based counseling practice, defining a niche is crucial. Consider personal interests, research the market, identify target clients, and acquire specialized training and certifications.

Networking is vital for professional growth, collaboration, and referral opportunities. Creating a business plan, ensuring legal compliance, opening a business bank account, updating insurance coverage, and setting up a dedicated home office are essential steps.

Using tools like Mentalyc can also streamline documentation and transcription processes, saving time and improving accuracy. With careful planning and implementation, a thriving counseling business can be established from the comfort of your home!

All examples of mental health documentation are fictional and for informational purposes

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Psychological Health Center Business Plan

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Amesbury Psychological Center

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Amesbury Psychological Center (the Center) is a multidisciplinary behavioral health care practice that offers mental health and substance abuse services to the communities of the Merrimack Valley. Our focus is to provide cost-effective, quality treatment. Our mission is to create, promote, and maintain a positive customer relationship with our clients, Anna Jaques Hospital (AJH), payors, associates and staff, and our community.

The market for behavioral health services is healthy, as will be shown by the growth the existing Center has experienced during the past two and a half years. Massachusetts has recently passed a mental health parity bill that will become effective in month one. The bill requires insurance companies to develop benefits for biologically based behavioral health disorders similar to those provided for health disorders. This should help sustain the anticipated projected growth. Currently, the Outpatient Psychiatric Center is referring approximately four phone calls a day to other providers.

The key to success for this turnkey project includes:

• An ability to transfer existing hospital behavioral health contracts to the Center.
• Credentialing clinicians in a timely manner.
• Obtaining initial working capital.
• Contracting with clinicians using reasonable rates.
• Developing and implementing a successful billing and collection system.
• Listening to all customers and attempting to meet their needs.
• Obtaining a medicaid provider number.

The business plan provides a map for sustaining growth, improving revenue collections, and increasing our bottom line to produce a profit.

1.1 Objectives

Goal 1: To continuously develop, strengthen, and improve services offered by the Center.

• Strengthen the current payor mix by developing and maintaining strategic alliances with five major behavioral health managed care companies.
• Identify and develop strategic alliances with three community human service and addiction agencies.
• Identify and foster strategic alliances and networks with eight community medical group practices.
• Transfer and/or hire 80% of staff two months before starting date.
• Identify and implement a billing system two months before starting date.
• Improve the expected receipts rate by 40% over the previous year.
• Increase all  services offered through the Center by 80% over the previous year.
• Arrange working capital for the initial phase of the turnkey venture.

Goal 2: To strengthen the Center’s commitment to excellence.

• Enhance customer service by offering three in-service trainings related to client satisfaction with treatment, accessibility, and staff-client interactions.
• Continuously assess referral base satisfaction through the use of a referral base satisfaction survey.
• Continuously assess client satisfaction from three perspectives: accessibility, environmental factors, and treatment-related factors.

1.2 Mission

To promote the well-being of the individuals and families in the Merrimack Valley community by providing accessible, quality mental health and substance abuse/addiction care for children, adolescents, adults, and their families, utilizing a service system that emphasizes trust, respect, confidentiality, and compassion. We are committed to quality mental health care that is provided in a collaborative effort with consumers’ overall health strategies and an array of medical services. We are further committed to the philosophy that we exist for the customer/client.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Secure working capital by start of project.
• Be profitable on a forward basis by the seventh month of the first fiscal year.
• Be cash flow positive by the seventh month of operation.
• Being affiliated with a well-respected community acute-care hospital.
• Managed Care friendliness through cooperation, accessibility, and clinical focus.
• Community awareness of services provided by the Center.
• Ascertain a medicaid provider number and developing an interim plan to function during the application phase.
• Staff commitment to excellence as evidenced by the Center’s growth and customer satisfaction.
• Accessibility and responsiveness to the needs of the Center’s customers.
• Functioning as an organization that is fluid, responsive, and willing to change in order to meet the frequent shifts of the behavioral health industry.

Company Summary company overview ) is an overview of the most important points about your company—your history, management team, location, mission statement and legal structure.">

The Amesbury Psychological Center is a for-profit behavioral health company located in Amesbury, Massachusetts. It was founded by the privatization of an existing mental health center that was a part of the Anna Jaques Hospital psychiatry program. The transfer of clients to the Center from the Outpatient Mental Health and Addiction Center was an effort to provide for uninterrupted, continued quality services to its present consumers, and expand its network of providers to ensure further growth. The transition to a privatized center enables the residents of the Merrimack Valley area to have continued access to a quality, accessible mental health center.

Although the Center is a new company, it is taking over the operation of an existing full-service mental health center. Prior to the privatization of the Outpatient Mental Health and Addictions Center, the Center was part of Anna Jaques Hospital’s Psychiatric Services Program. This program offered an array of behavioral health services which included both inpatient and outpatient services. Currently, there are approximately 565 active cases. There are another 233 inactive cases that use the Center’s services on an as-needed basis. The Center is located at the Amesbury Health Center, a facility owned by Anna Jaques Hospital. The Amesbury Health Center, formerly a city-owned community hospital, is a four-story brick building. It has been modified to accommodate a child inpatient unit and medical office spaces, including the mental health center.

The outpatient center began as a psychopharmacology center at Anna Jaques Hospital. During 1995, the psychopharmacology center moved to the Amesbury Health Center. At that time, the center expanded to include an Addictions Program.

In 1998, the Center further expanded to offer psychotherapy services. The psychotherapy component consisted of individual, couple, family therapies, and specialized groups. The composition of staff was multidisciplinary and included independently licensed/certified mental health centerians and certified addiction treatment specialists. During this time, the Center was licensed by the Department of Public Health to offer specialized addiction services that included a Second Offenders Program, an Addiction Counseling program, and an Intensive Outpatient Program. The licensing enables the Center to collaborate with other state and community agencies working with substance abuse/addiction populations, resulting in further growth for this program.

Since 1996 the number of visits/procedures has continued to grow to its present day tallies. The total number of visits for 1996 was 1,471, in 1997 it was 1,869, in 1998 it was 3,399, and in 1999 it was 6,158. The projected number of units of service for 2000 is 5,700. Although units of service have increased by 45% over the past two years, the net revenue has decreased per unit of service. As volume has increased, expenses per unit of service has fallen from $88 in 1996 to $52 in 1999. Since 1998, operating expenses have been under control and reasonably proportionate to units of service provided.

2.1 Company Ownership

The Center is a privately-owned sub-chapter S corporation formed to privatize, manage, and offer mental health and substance abuse services to the community of the Merrimack Valley. It is solely owned by its principal operator, John Nestor, Ph.D., M.P.A. It has been chartered and the name has been reserved with the Secretary of State’s office.

2.2 Company Locations and Facilities

The Center is located in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and has been in the same location since 1996. The location is excellent because the Center is easily accessible by automobile or public transportation, and has ample parking. The psychological center has its own entrance on the south side of the building, ensuring moderate privacy and confidentiality. The Center has been recently refurbished by the hospital and there is space available for growth. Leasing arrangements are yet to be negotiated, though $10-$12 dollars a square foot is the customary rate as quoted by local realtors. The Center will ask the hospital to subsidize rent for the first two years of operation, representing their support to ensure the success of this project.

The Center occupies approximately 2,200 square feet. It has nine clinical offices and group rooms. There is a larger reception area that is separated by a divider, allowing for a child and adult reception area. Included in the square footage is a small staff kitchen, a staff bathroom, and a business/intake office. The offices are handicapped accessible. There is a public unisex, handicapped-accessible bathroom within close proximity to the Center, and one within the building.

Leasing arrangements are in process. Based upon a financial analysis and financial projections, the hospital will need to subsidize rent for the first two years if the project is to succeed. It is our goal to obtain a three-year lease from the Anna Jaques Hospital with an option to renew a second three-year lease. The present location is not critical to the success of the business. After three years we will review our rental options, the need for additional space, and other available facilities in the geographical area prior to renewing the contract.

The Center provides an array of quality mental health and substance abuse/addiction services to individuals, couples, and families. The service population includes people of all age ranges. Specifically, services include psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, substance abuse programs, and contracted mental health services. A multidisciplinary staff provides quality treatment of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, behavioral disorders, post traumatic stress disorders, stress management, substance abuse disorders, and gambling addiction disorders.

3.1 Service Description

There are four components of the Center that interact closely with each other, and also with the consumer’s primary care physician, when appropriate. The philosophy of treatment recognizes the totality of the individual in his or her life situation. This includes the interconnection of multiple dimensions from biomedical to spiritual, as well as external relationships of the individual to the family and larger social groups.

• Psychopharmacology: This service is provided by licensed and board certified psychiatrists (MD/DO) and certified nurse specialists (RNCNS). Persons utilizing this service may or may not be in therapy, but need medication to stabilize the presenting symptoms and to facilitate a return to the person’s previous level of functioning. All age groups are treated. The average number of sessions is ten per year. Treatment is tailored to the needs of the individual and guided by an individualized treatment plan based on a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of the individual and their family, if appropriate. Rates are contracted.
• Psychotherapy: This intervention is provided by independently licensed certified nurse specialists, psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, and licensed, independent social workers. The format of these services are individual, couple, family, and/or group sessions. All age groups are treated. The average number of sessions is eight per year. Treatment is tailored to the needs of the individual and is guided by an individualized treatment plan based on a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of the individual and his/her family, if appropriate. Rates are contracted.
• Substance Abuse/Addiction: Substance Abuse and Addiction treatment centerians provide professionally-directed evaluation, treatment, and recovery services to persons with substance related disorders. Interventions are provided by licensed independent practitioners and/or certified alcohol and addiction counselors. These services are provided through individual and group modalities. The program consists of a four-week program that meets nine contact hours per week. Services are designed to treat the individual’s level of illness severity and to achieve significant changes in an individual’s addictive behavior. Treatment is tailored to the needs of the individual and guided by an individualized treatment plan based on a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of the individual and his/her family, if appropriate. Rates are contracted.
• Contracted Services: Services provided to consumers within this category are generally provided off-site at another facility. The services are provided with associated staff and billed via the Center at contracted rates. Services include: consultation, psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and addiction services.

3.2 Competitive Comparison

The Center provides quality, accessible service. The key to differentiation is to promote and evidence the mission of the Center to our customers in a meaningful and understandable manner. It is clear that we will not be able to compete doing “business as usual.” Our approach will be customer directed. Our customers will be able to discern our intangible, as well as our tangible, benefits. Our dedicated focus on all our customers will place us ahead of our competitors. When compared with its competitors, the Center stands out in several respects:

• Environment. The Center is managed-care friendly; we provide prompt and accurate information as well as good communication. The Center has a shared treatment philosophy. Our services are accessible and cost effective.
• Marketability. When marketing our services to managed-care companies and preferred provider organizations, we take into consideration their needs. For example: group vs. individual treatment, family vs. individual treatment, after-hours accessibility, access on weekends, use and tracking of outcome measures, and customer satisfaction.
• Value-added Customer Contact. The Center provides free phone or face-to-face contact with therapists prior to treatment as a means of initiating a therapeutic relationship.
• Location and Ease of Access to Facility. The Center is easily accessible by both automobile and public transportation. It has a private entrance which provides confidentiality. It is accessible to the physically challenged and there is ample free parking.
• Promotion. Our customer-first philosophy will help attract new customers and maintain existing ones.
• Self-Assessment. A major thrust of the Center is to continuously self-assess our mode of operating in order to evaluate how user friendly the Center is for clients, referral sources, payor, staff and associates, and others.
• Integrated Delivery System. The Center has familiarity, understanding, and willingness to work closely with other health care providers. We are affiliated with an integrated health and behavioral health care system encompassing inpatient, partial, and outpatient services.

3.3 Sales Literature

At the time of this writing, our logo, brochure, business cards, and advertising are in the process of being developed. Our focus will be on selling the Center’s perceived qualities and intangibles.

3.4 Fulfillment

The key of fulfillment will be provided by the philosophy and principals of the business. The core values are customer focus, quality treatment, and professional expertise, as is evidenced by associates and staff performance, compassion, trust, and hard work.

3.5 Future Services

If the Center is to sustain its growth and other capacities, it must continuously strengthen its customer relations and identify their ongoing needs. We will watch closely for industry trends that may impact our delivery service system. Our energies will be focused on creative problem-solving solutions in how we deliver our service and how we reimburse our associates and staff for their hard work.

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

In this age of health care reform and increased use of contracts with health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and other groups, the demand for behavior health care providers continues to decline. This phenomenon, being driven by behavioral health “carve outs,” has created a competitive clinical market, resulting in customer service being a critical factor. From this particular perspective, the customer identified as payor is: self-payor, medicare, medicaid, and managed care companies. They clearly drive the large percentage of referrals within the industry.

The Center has identified several behavioral health payors who have a strong foothold in the Merrimack Valley area. They include: Tufts HMO and Tufts Affiliated Health Programs, Harvard/Pilgrim Health Care, Medicare, Medicaid/MBHP, Magellan/MBC, Magellan Lucent, United Behavioral Health, Behavior Health Network, managed care company (MCC)/Cigna, US Health Care, and Health Care Value Management (indemnity products). Consumers participating in these programs are drawn from the communities of the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire area. Within this service area it is estimated that HMOs provide insurance for approximately 51% of the population.

It should be noted that there is an abundant supply of behavioral health providers/institutions within the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire. They include: psychiatric hospitals, residential facilities, outpatient group practices that vary from public to private organizations, and solo practitioners. Customer service, then becomes an even more critical factor. To obtain and maintain a foothold in the behavioral health market will necessitate the provision of optimal, accessible, quality customer service.

The Center has four primary customers, each with their own specific needs. These include:

4.1 Target Market Segment Strategy

If the Center is going to survive and grow, we must market our services aggressively. As previously noted, our referral base is primarily driven by managed care companies, medicare and medicaid, indemnity products and self-payors. Within the Merrimack Valley geographical area, HMOs have approximately 51% of the covered lives. Focusing on and identifying the needs of these five referral sources is critical for our growth.

4.1.1 Market Trends

Trends which began with health care reengineering and the introduction of managed health care will continue during the next decade. There will continue to be change within this industry, but change will be less dramatic than the health care revolution of the 1980s and 1990s. Managed care companies will continue to influence fee structures and restructure the provider network.

With the advent of mental health parity in Massachusetts, utilization rates and reimbursement rates should improve. Under the mental health parity law, insurance companies are not allowed to cap mental health services for biologically based mental health disorders. Co-payments cannot escalate during the course of treatment for these disorders.

Managed care organizations (MCOs) are beginning to review provider compensation packages with the intent of increasing  compensation rates. Rates have been flat for the past ten years.

4.1.2 Market Growth

As noted in a previous section, the growth rate for the Center during the past three years has been significant. There is no identified reason indicating that this will change. We are currently referring out four to five phone calls per day. Within the geographical area, it takes approximately six to eight weeks to get an appointment with a psychiatrist. For psychotherapy, it takes approximately seven to eight days to get an appointment. With the use of additional staff and creative scheduling, some of these challenges can positively impact the bottom line.

Dr. Marc Shay, an adult psychiatrist, has recently become an associate of the Center. He has committed to 12 hours per week, resulting in an increase of services by 48 units per week. His schedule is filled for the next three weeks as of July 10, 2000. He will begin work on July 17, 2000. We are also in the process of negotiating with a clinical nurse specialist to work 12 hours per week. Her specialty is with children and adolescents. Her starting date is estimated to be early September 2000.

4.1.3 Market Needs

Previously, we have identified the significant aspects of services offered by the Center. Of these services, children and adolescent services are in greatest demand by all referral sources. This gives strength to the four segments of our delivery service system which address these needs. Additionally, there is significant population growth in the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire areas, and this growth is projected to continue over the next decade.

4.2 Service Business Analysis

The behavioral health care industry consists of inpatient programs, residential and partial programs, outpatient group practices, and outpatient solo practices. For the purposes of this business plan, we will focus on multidisciplinary group practices, both public and private. Within the geographical area designated as the service area for this business plan, the industry participants include: North Essex Mental Health Center, Arbour/HRI Counseling Services, Harris Street Associates, and Harborside Psychological Center.

4.2.1 Main Competitors

To identify the principal behavioral health competitors within the Merrimack Valley, it is important to have an understanding of the behavioral health industry as it has been transformed by the influence of health care restructuring. There are primarily four types of behavioral health facilities: (1) psychiatric hospitals, (2) residential facilities, (3) outpatient group practices, and (4) solo practices. The primary competitors of the Center fall within the third category, outpatient group practices. These practices can be further categorized as public, not-for-profit facilities, and for-profit private practice facilities that include homogeneous group practices and multidisciplinary group practices.

Not-for-Profit Facility

1. North Essex Mental Health Center

North Essex Mental Health Center, Inc., Newburyport, Massachusetts with a satellite office in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Three years ago, this facility was bought by a subsidiary of Northeast Health Systems of Beverly, Massachusetts. This facility is a community mental health center whose primary consumer is the medicaid population. The center has been providing behavioral health services in the Merrimack Valley area for over 20 years. This center has grown significantly in the last 10 years, culminating in the opening of an Amesbury office. North Essex Mental Health Center is the dominant provider in the Northeast area of Massachusetts. They are the emergency services provider for MBHP and have contracted with the AJH to provide emergency services to their emergency room. Their payor mix is composed of medicare, medicaid, self pay, and some MCOs.

a. Strengths:

• Bureaucratic flexibility
• Affiliations programming
• Availability of home-based and school-based services

b. Weaknesses:

• Size (considered to be arrogant by some area professionals resulting in a negative perception in the community)  
• High staff turnover

c. Potential Impact of Strengths:

• Politically well connected
• Large pool of resources to draw from
• Staff availability to respond to request for proposals (RFPs) and request for quotations (RFQs)

d. Strategies To Thwart Competition:

• Develop reputation for providing quality services
• Respond to the needs of referral sources
• Respond and demonstrate respect to consumer
• Develop niche markets
• Continuum of services available from inpatient, to partial, to intensive outpatient services
• Availability of child/adolescent psychopharmacologist
• Increase visibility of, and procedures offered by, the Center
• Strong referral base from physicians practicing within the AJH health care system

2. Arbour/HRI Counseling

HRI/Arbour Psychological Center is a moderate-size, for-profit mental health center. It is a full-service multidisciplinary center, offering mental health services to children, adolescents, and adults. It was recently procured by Arbour Mental Health Systems. This center has recently invested money to refurbish a facility that houses their geropsychiatry program. Their payor mix is spread among Medicare, Medicaid, self pay, and MCOs

• Good location in downtown Haverhill
• Affiliations
• Programming: geropsychiatry partial hospitalization program
• Community respectability
• Unknown at this time
• Part of a large system
• Strong referral base
• Programming/outreach home-based legal services

d. Strategies to Thwart Competition:

• Develop reputation for providing quality services 
• Continue services available, from inpatient, to partial, to intensive outpatient services
• Increase visibility of, and procedures offered by, the Center

3. Harris Street Associates

Harris Street Associates is a multidisciplinary group practice providing mental health services to the Newburyport and Haverhill communities. It was established over fifteen years ago by several local psychiatrists and psychologists. Their payor mix has been primarily with MCOs, with some indemnity programs. It has had a rocky financial history, culminating in being bought by H.E.S. For the past three years, H.E.S. has attempted to turn around the financial status of the agency without success. It was recently announced that the center is closing on October 30, 2000.

4. Harborside Psychological Center

Harborside Psychological Center is located in Newburyport, Massachusetts. It is a multidisciplinary mental health group practice. Until recently, their service focus has been psychotherapy with children, adolescents and adults. Currently, this center has added pharmacology to their list of services. Their payor mix is composed of MCOs and employee assistance programs (EAPs).

• Location quite good in downtown Newburyport
• Multidisciplinary composition of the Center
• Not close to public transportation
• Not visibly known to the public
• Psychopharmacology time is limited
• Strong referral base with MCOs
• Develop niche markets, especially with children and adolescents

4.3 Market Segmentation

The market segmentation can best be understood from an analysis of the clinical services being offered by the Center. Presently, three services are offered: psychotherapy, pharmacology, and substance abuse/addiction treatment. When the Center commences its operations, a fourth service will be implemented: behavioral health contracts. Contracts are different from the previous three segments in that the services are provided offsite at another facility.

All services are offered to all age groups, with a modality of treatments that include individual, couple, families, and group. Some customers will use only one service at a time, while others will use a mix of the various services simultaneously.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

The Center will focus its market activities on two market areas: the communities of Merrimack Valley, and Southern Hew Hampshire. Services will include psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and substance abuse/addiction services.

The target customers are the consumers of mental health services (i.e. individuals, couples, families, and groups). The composition breakdown is approximately 50% adults and 50% children, adolescents, and families. The second target customer are the payors. They are an integral piece of this turn key project. The payors are basically the gatekeepers for referrals and authorizations.

5.1 Sales Strategy

The Center’s sales strategy will target potential purchasers and referral sources of our services, from:

• Managed Care Companies (5-6)
• Preferred Provider Organizations (2-3)
• Medical Groups (5)
• Community Agencies (3)
• Consumers/Clients

Wherever possible, our niche marketing approach will be linked to our sales strategies.

5.1.1 Sales Forecast

The following chart and table depict the Center’s forecasted sales. During the first year, we expect a yearly growth rate of approximately 100%  from the previous fiscal year. Since existing associates will remain with the Center, and several associates from a closed center will join us and bring at least sixty percent of their current caseload with them, the forecast is reasonable. The Center is in the process of negotiating with Harbor Schools to provide mental health services, resulting in 3,300 additional units of service. The sales forecast is also based on the assumptions that we meet projected staffing patterns, managed care contracts are transitioned to the Center without difficulty, and a Medicaid provider number is obtained without complications.

Operationally, the Center is prepared to handle growth. Support staff is in place, as are other necessary environmental resources. The immediate problem would be to transfer patients from one center to another. Through a planned transition program being driven by the therapists, it should occur without too much difficulty or confusion.

The chart and table depict a modest 18% growth rate for the second year, and a 23% growth rate for the third year. The second year growth rate will be the result of adding additional therapy hours. The third year growth will be a result of adding therapy contracts. We are in the process of negotiating with Harbor Schools to provide on sight therapy services.

5.2 Value Proposition

If the Center is going to compete effectively, it will need to clearly define its value-added benefits. Our goal is to meet and exceed the needs of our customers: consumers, staff and associates, payors, consultants, and other referral sources. Previously, we discussed the needs of our customer. These needs will drive the value-added philosophy and marketing strategy.

5.3 Competitive Edge

Our competitive edge is our associates and staff affiliations. Our associates and staff spread the company proposition, “our mission is to meet/exceed customer’s expectations.” Our affiliations with the Anna Jaques Hospital and other medical group practices allows us to interface easily with a strong referral base. Hard work, integrity, accessibility, experience, quality service, and customer satisfaction are the factors influencing our competitive edge. When the customers call the Center, they will get a real person, not a voice mail message.

5.4 Marketing Strategy

Target marketing of our services is critical to growth. Strategies will include:

• An emphasis on customer-driven, quality service
• Building a relationship business
• Focusing on five behavioral health payors
• Identify and build a niche market

Marketing tools will include: direct mail, print and audio advertising, public speaking, and relationship building with identified managed care corporations and persons.

5.4.1 Promotion Strategy

Multiple strategies will be used to promote the Center. Throughout the promotional strategy, our focus will be on selling the Center. The types of promotions will include:

• Participation in activities related to treated disorders at the center, e.g., National Depression Screening Day.
• Developing a  brochure, logo, and business cards to promote the Center.
• Networking with various health care providers, community agencies, and state agencies.
• Media advertisement, especially to announce the professional affiliation of a new associate or new program.
• Use of follow-up letters to referral sources.
• Offering informational workshops to the public.
• Networking with the media to facilitate articles about the Center.
• Join small business groups/organizations as a means of increasing public awareness.

5.4.2 Positioning Statement

It is our goal to enhance our image and reputation by being responsive, accessible, and by providing quality treatment. By building relationships, we will cultivate our image with case managers and network managers of identified managed care organizations.

5.4.3 Pricing Strategy

Pricing for the services provided by the Center is market driven. Our fee structure is based upon a survey of existing MCOs and other payors. In order to operate profitably under these prices, it is imperative that the Center monitor and control costs. Behavioral health industry watchers believe that there is at least a 15% range of variation in what certain managed care companies will pay different providers for a given service. Our goal is to obtain the highest price within the competitive range by convincing the payor that we have a service to offer which exceeds that of our competitor. A possible example of this is creative bundling.

5.5 Strategic Alliances

Strategic alliances are critical to the goals of the Center, and include selling more services and strengthening our relationship with all our customers. If we are to meet our strategic goals, we must have a strong, continued alliance with Anna Jaques Hospital. Concurrently, we must strengthen and develop our relationship with our referral networks, especially medical groups within the Anna Jaques System and the surrounding community.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The Center’s organizational structure is based upon a shared services model. The founding president/director of the Center has an accumulated twenty years of administrative, management, and clinical experience in the human service and behavioral health industry. The management philosophy is based upon open-book management, shared responsibility, and mutual respect.

6.1 Organizational Structure

The founding president/director will manage the company. Since the company is organized as a shared service model, relationships will be a key variable in setting the direction of the Center. There will be an advisory board composed of four leaders in the field of behavioral health, managed care, organizational dynamics, and a consumer.

An advisory management group, consisting of the Center’s staff, will meet on a regular basis to review the Center’s financial structure, identify customer relations issues, and develop future goals for growth, marketing, and sales. This group will be assigned the task of developing a plan to implement and integrate a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) component and culture into a private practice Shared Service Model (SSM). A customer relations committee will be formed to brainstorm, formulate ideas, plan and implement activities to enhance levels of satisfaction among all customers. The organizational chart follows:

6.2 Management Team

The proposed personnel team includes the individuals listed below. It will involve one to three consultants, a five member advisory board composed of professionals, and a consumer and CQI team composed of associates and staff. Dr. John Nestor will be the president and director. He has an extensive employment history in program start-up, budgeting, and program development. The advisory board includes:

**Names have been removed for confidentiality

6.3 Management Team Gaps

At present, we are in the process of identifying a financial services company and consultants for several other areas.

6.4 Personnel Plan

The personnel plan reflects the needs of a shared service model for a multidisciplinary behavioral health center. It should be noted that benefits are provided to those personnel designated as salaried or hourly employees who work more than 30 hours per week. Associates will be paid a predetermined percentage of their collectible fees. Employees will be paid every two weeks. Associates will be able to draw the first paycheck and reconcile the second paycheck each month.

Human resources, legal, fiscal billing, and marketing/sales will be out sourced. We are in the process of identifying a human resource company and a billing/collection company. The billing company will be paid a percent of fees collected with a goal of collecting at least 93% of that billed. Thought will be given to other risk variables to be included in the contract. The costs for the Human Resource services are not determined as of this writing.

The president/director’s compensation will be a combined package that includes 75% administrative salary and 25% from clinical work.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

The financial plan for this turn key project is presented in detail in the following sections. There are three important factors in the financial plan:

• Reducing the days in receivables and improving the quality of receivables,
• Improving cash flow, and 
• Significant growth the first year and modest growth the second and third year.

7.1 Important Assumptions

There are several assumptions related to this turn key project.

• The economy continues at its present rate, without major recession.
• Expected receipts will improve dramatically by out sourcing billing and collections.
• The current climate for these services will continue.
• Behavioral health contracts will be transferred to the Center without difficulty.
• Center clinical associates will be credentialed in a timely manner, or the Center will be able to credential by “job description.”
• Our staffing patterns and facilities will be able to handle the projected growth.
• The average days of receivable will be 67 or less.
• Unlike inpatient behavioral health services, managed care manages the services but has not attempted to cap them. It is assumed that this trend will continue. There are also signs that managed care companies are moving away from micromanaging these services.
• A mutually-agreed upon plan will be devised to prepare for the transition of medicaid clients to the Center.

The following table summarizes the general financial assumptions.

7.2 Key Financial Indicators

The following benchmark chart indicates our key financial indicators for the first three years of operation. We see significant growth during fiscal year 2001, as compared to the previous fiscal  year. Units of service are projected to increase by approximately 75%. The growth during fiscal year 2001 is reasonable in that the existing pharmacology will continue with the pharmacology and three pharmacology/therapists will transfer to the pharmacology with their clients from a center that is closing in the community. A recent medical graduate psychiatrist will join our Center as of July 2000. We will recruit one to two pharmacology nurse specialists during the fiscal year 2001. The Center will double in size during its first fiscal year, as compared to its previous level of operation. During the second fiscal year the growth rate will be approximately 18%. During the third year of operation it will grow at a rate of 23%. This growth will be a result of securing contracts with local human service agencies. Although the rate of expected receipts remains the same during the next two years, it is expected to improve during the third year with new contracts, and experience and familiarity with the new billing system. A financial goal is to be debt-free by the end of the fourth year of operation.

Similiarly, collection days remains the same during the next three years. However, efforts will be made to improve this variable with the use of electronic billing.

As sales of services increase, operating costs will rise as well. Every effort will be made to contain these costs proportionately. There are no actual or projected significant increases evident. The variable costs will increase during the third year as we need to hire new staff for the projected contracts. The hiring will not be concluded until the contracts are signed so as to avoid any unnecessary spending.

7.3 Break-even Analysis

The following chart and table summarize the Center’s Break-even Analysis. These figures and assumptions are fairly well represented since they are based upon actual historical data. Cost control and production improvement will ensure profitability.

7.4 Projected Profit and Loss

The following table shows the projected profit and loss statement. Projected sales increased from approximately $530,000 the first year of operation to more than $637,000 the second year and more than $842,000 the third year. The third year growth is a result of additional units of service gained through a contract with a local residential program.

7.5 Projected Cash Flow

The following chart and table summarize the Center’s cash flow. The projections are a combination of short-term borrowing and Center receipts. Cash flow is obviously critical to the Center’s success. The monthly cash flow, as shown in the table, generally improves from month to month. The chart and table reveal a positive cash flow as operations move beyond the seventh month and steadily continues thereafter. 

7.6 Projected Balance Sheet

The following table shows the projected balance sheet. The monthly estimates are included in the appendix.

7.7 Business Ratios

The following table shows the projected business ratios as determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index code 8063 for the mental health center industry.

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Private Counseling Practice Business Plan

NOV.19, 2020

Private Counseling Practice business plan for starting your own social service agency

Are you a psychologist, social worker, or marriage counselor? Did you know that you can make money from a prosperous business by going into private practice like any of the trainers mentioned above? Yes, the profession of counseling, social workers, and marriage counselors are one of the largest and most lucrative professions in the United States, open to interested entrepreneurs who are qualified and able to come in as a private trainee and earn a great income. This counseling private practice business plan has the insights.

Executive Summary

USA Private Counselors LLP is a professional and licensed consulting (private practice) organization that specializes in helping its clients cope with their challenges, achieve their personal goals, and improve their skills, competence and productivity.

The scope of our private counseling practice business offerings covers areas such as clinical psychology, industry-organizational psychology, all other psychology, psychosocial work, marriage, and family therapy, child, family and school social workers, online counseling services and retail sale of self-help books. And materials and others.

Our business is located between a well-populated residential estate and a business district in Pennsylvania – Smethport, Pennsylvania, USA.

USA Private Counselors LLP, is a customer-centric and consequently operated private consulting firm that offers a wide range of consulting, learning approaches and experience at an affordable fee that is in any way to put a hole in our clients’ pockets. We make sure to work hard to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers because whenever they hire our services, it is related to their professional and personal goals.

The Business

USA Private Counselors LLP is the overall best interest of our clients comes first, and everything we do is entirely guided by our values ​​and professional ethics. We make sure to hire professional and certified psychologists, social workers and counselors of various skills who are well experienced and enthusiastic.

Management of Social Service Agency

In the private counseling practice business plan , we ensure that we are responsible for the highest standards by accurately and fully meeting the needs of our customers. We will cultivate a work ambience that gives a humane, sustainable approach to practicing, earning and living in our world for our associates, employees and our clients.

Customers of Social Service Agency

While starting a social service agency it may seem like a dream too high, but we are sure it will attract more customers like celebrities, public figures, and Private Job based customers. As we have done lots of research and feasibility, studies and we are excited and confident that Smethport is the right place to start our private consulting business.

Business Target

Our primary goal is to satisfy our customers and establish our business location. So people can learn about us and our dress code. Our business plan Private counseling practice is to gain as many customers as possible and expand our Social service agency line to many countries. Profit is a secondary thing, but the primary concern is to satisfy our customers and their queries.

1. How to start a business?

Well, this is the most challenging part because the person starting the business never knows about the future. Whether the business will work or not; it will always be an opportunity, and because of this, many are sacred. Most people ask how to start a business? Therefore, the answer here is, you need to identify the needs of the people. You need to check the latest market trends and what people want to do.

2. What are the costs involved in opening a business?

The start-up cost of the counseling business can be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The start-up capital for a home-based private consulting business without any overhead can be as low as $250,000 to $350,000, while a medium and large scale value is definitely higher.

3. How to implement business management?

Our management staff and this is based on the performance of the company for a period of three years or more. We know that if it is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best staff for management, which we can get in the industry. They will be more dedicated to helping us build the business of our dreams.

4. What target of this business?

We have a private counseling practice business plan, our target areas are local people, celebrities, and social media influencers, and they can advertise our agency differently.

Company Summary

  plan your business.

USA Private Consultants LLP will ensure that the right foundation, structures, and processes are in place to ensure that the interests of our customers employees are well taken care of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to move our business to greater heights, and the training and retraining of our employees will burn at the top of our business strategy.

Define your brand

The new business will have to face the initial problems in establishing a brand name in the head of the customer. We treat our customers well and take care of their needs and recommendations. We also did tailor-made projects for clients. We discuss with our team what the customer needs and how to apply it.

How to promote & market a business

The truth is, if your customers have experienced a big difference in their lives as a result of hiring your company’s services, they will be compelled to help improve your company.

Establish a web presence

Another notable trend in this field is the influence of technology; the advent of technology has led to an increase in the income of private consultants around the world. With technology, it is not easy for private consultants to provide advice to their client’s thousands of kilometers away from them.

Company Owner

USA Private Consultants LLP- may be a new private consulting agency in Pennsylvania, but the board of directors and business owner are considered gurus in the industry. The woman is a leading professional, licensed and highly qualified psychologist and marriage counselor. She can help her clients cope with their challenges and successfully achieve their personal goal in the short term. These are the areas where we consider a competitive advantage.

Why the social service agency is being started

Our owner loves to start new social services agency, but they feel like they can share their social ideas with others. They are learning about social causes and are now going to propose a big agency or business project so that people can also benefit from their practicing department.

How the social service agency will be started

Being talented is one thing, knowing how to make people successful is another; That’s why you need to constantly get feedback to measure the progress and performance of your agency. Keeping all these things mind and with the help of private practice counseling business plan template, the business will be started.

Our mission to start our private practice counselling business is to help our clients and staff to meet their challenges, achieve their personal goals, improve their skills, competence and productivity, and of course, make a profit from the field of counseling. In addition, you can work on starting your own counselling practice agency as well.

Our service offerings are listed below;

• Clinical Psychology
• Industrial-organizational psychology
• All other psychology
• Social work on mental health
• Marriage and family therapy
• Child, family and school social workers
• Online consulting services

Marketing Analysis of Counseling Services

Market trends.

The trend in the field of Counseling Services, social workers and other counsellors over the past half-decade shows that the industry continues to grow. Private consulting services are required regardless of economic conditions, which protect the industry from economic fluctuations.

Marketing Segmentation

USA Private Consultants LLP will generate revenue by providing the following private consulting services;

• All other counselling
• Retail sale of self-help books and supplies

After opening a private practice business , our business target cuts across different classes of people and people from all walks of life. We come with a business concept and company profile in the field of psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors, which will help you, work with clients from different backgrounds and different positions.

Product Pricing

Generally, starting your own counselling practice services are charged flat rates on an hourly billing rate and a weekly or monthly basis. As a result, USA Private Consultants LLP will charge flat fees to our clients, except for a few cases where special clients will have to pay on an hourly basis.

Marketing Strategy

We note that there is fierce competition among private consulting firms in the United States; So we were able to hire some of the best marketing staff to handle our entire sales and marketing.

Also, our sales and marketing staff will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry, and the goals of USA Private Consultants LLP.

Competitive Analysis

Being more competitive in the field of counselling, the staff, counsellor and practitioners will provide consistent quality service, and our clients can experience significant difference and improvement, and meet the expectations of your clients at all times you can meet.

Sales Strategy

USA Private Consultants LLP is all set to use the following sales strategies to attract customers. The sample proposal for counseling services will include the followings-

• Introduce our private consulting firm by sending introductory letters with our brochure to key stakeholders in Corporate, Religious Institutions, Families, and Smethport – Pennsylvania.
• Print flyers and business cards and drop them strategically in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations and more.
• Use close friends and family to spread the word about our private consulting firm.
• Put information about our private consulting agency on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries and local coffee shops.
• Placing a small or classified ad in the newspaper or a local publication about our private consulting firm
• Advertise our private consulting firm in relevant educational magazines, newspapers, television stations and radio stations.

Sales Monthly

Well, here is a chart below where you can find monthly sales.

Sales Yearly

We are also exploring the market and its sales in the marketing plan for counseling center . Well, the counsellng is doing well, as you can see in the chart below.

Sales Forecast

Excellent work.

excellent work, competent advice. Alex is very friendly, great communication. 100% I recommend CGS capital. Thank you so much for your hard work!

We were able to critically explore the private consulting market, explore our opportunities in the industry, and we were confident and able to come up with the following sales forecast. Sales forecasts are based on data collected in the field and some strange assumptions for similar startups in Smethport – Pennsylvania.

Below are the sales forecasts for USA Private Consultants LLP, which are based on the location of our personal training and training company, and of course the wide range of training we offer-

• First financial year : $150,000 to $400,000
• Second financial Year : $350,000 to $500,000
• Third financial year : $500,000 to $550,000

 Personnel plan

Company staff.

Considering the above counseling services, we have decided to appoint qualified and competent hands to hold the following posts;

• Chief Partner / CEO
• Psychologists, social workers and marriage counselors
• Office Administrator
• Marketing executives
• Customer Service Administrator

Average Salary of Employees

Well, this is the most important process for counseling private practice business plan . However, in the table below we have mentioned all the details about the salary.

Financial Plan

In setting up a private counselling practice business plan, size, or cost depends on the approach and size you want to undertake. If you rent a space and want to go big, you will need a large amount of capital as you need to make sure your employees take good care of you.

Important Assumptions

According to our assumptions, we will follow this plan to increase our business naturally. If there are any natural disasters, we control the things of our human condition. You can see the map.

Break-even Analysis

The Break-Even Analysis is based on our private counseling practice business plan to reach the level in only one year.

Projected Profit and Loss

Our private counselling practice business works well, but we don’t cover the monthly budget, so we try to cover it for the next four months.

Profit Monthly

The monthly profit chart will be as below-

Profit Yearly

The yearly profit chart will be as below-

Gross Margin Monthly

The below gross margin lines are showing the future figures, and we hope they will get thicker by the time.

Gross Margin Yearly

Slow, dense lines, as we can see. This year we will cover.

Projected Cash Flow

The psychotherapy finances or cash flow can be seen below where we can not only get out of debt, but also find profits.

Projected Balance Sheet

Business ratios.

Download Private Counseling Practice Business Plan Sample in pdf

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235 – Making a Counselling Business Plan

235 – Making a Counselling Business Plan

Introjected values – carl jung’s theories on ego and self.

In Episode 235 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week’s three topics:

• Firstly in ‘Theory in Practice’, we look at introjected values.
• Then in ‘Practice Partner’, Rory and Ken discuss making a counselling business plan.
• And lastly in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Dr. Jessica Bockler about Carl Gustav Jung’s theories on ego and self.

Introjected Values [starts at 02:40 mins]

This episode of counselling tutor podcast is sponsored by, webhealer.net.

• WebHealer are the go-to provider of websites for private practitioners in the UK.
• Established over 20 years, WebHealer offers a non-technical and fully supported service to help therapists grow their private practice.
• Just one customer from your website each year pays for their service.

Go to  WebHealer.net   and use coupon CT100 for £100 off their "Do it for me" service.

We start today with Rory and Ken discussing introjected values, and how these may present themselves in the therapy room.

The key points of this discussion include:

• Introjected values are views we adopt from our caregivers and society.
• Some people struggle when they find themselves having a view through their own experience that opposes these values.
• Introjected views are unseen to the person who holds the value – to them, it is a ‘truth’.
• In therapy, you have to treat disarming these ‘truths’ carefully.
• A sign of introjected values may be that the client recognises that their beliefs are different from the values they know .
• When people ‘find themselves’ this is an example of recognising and stepping away from these introjected values in order to find your own.
• It is important to remember that these introjected values don’t exist solely within the client, they exist within us too.

Theory to Practice is sponsored by

Counselling Skills Academy

Learn counselling techniques by seeing  counselling skills used in real sessions by qualified therapists . Real sessions – real-life presentations – real skills.

Making a Counselling Business Plan [starts at 21:01 mins]

In a discussion that will be continued in next week’s podcast, Rory and Ken list a few things that you might want to think about when making a business plan for your counselling service.

The main aspects of this discussion include:

• A business plan is a layout of what your business will look like – complete with your motivations for starting your own private practice.
• Consider things like where your sessions will take place – will they take place in your home? Online? Will you rent a space or go to the clients’ house? What considerations are necessary due to this choice?
• Think about the cost of set up and what you might need e.g. comfy seating, stable internet, a work email, lockable filing cabinet, a clock, tissues, you may even consider a card reader.
• Consider accessibility to clients who may use a wheelchair or have other mobility issues.
• Part of making a counselling business plan is thinking about how you will advertise your business.
• Take into account costs to yourself (such as possible travel costs) when deciding how much you’ll charge.
• When making a counselling business plan, consider too whether you’ll set up as a sole trader or a limited company – research the differences and decide which is a better fit for you.

Get on-demand Certified CPD that is implementable in your practice

Counsellor cpd library.

• Over 150 hours of on-demand CPD lectures to help you stay current with your CPD ethical requirements
• Support, and be supported , by thousands of other counsellors as a member of the exclusive online community.
• Access your learning anytime you want ... anywhere you choose ... using any device type — desktop or mobile.

Carl Jung’s Theories on Ego and Self [starts at 40:47 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Dr. Jessica Bockler about the theories of Carl Gustav Jung including the collective unconscious and archetypes.

• The collective unconscious is something primal and that we are unaware of.
• We embody archetypes that can be seen throughout history in art and literature – things like heroes, sages, rebels etc.
• When working with archetypes you will encounter what is called the shadow – this is a place where all the traits we’ve been told are bad about ourselves are kept e.g. maybe a young boy has been consistently told that boys don’t cry, and this will create an adult man who holds back from showing such emotion.
• We are able to see qualities in other people that we don’t like within ourselves (projection) – it takes looking within and taking ownership over these traits to fully explore this.
• Carl Gustav Jung also looked at dreams vs active imagination. He decided that dreams where the conscious mind is not in charge is good for free flowing engagement with deeper materials, but it is active imagination that is a more powerful route to engage with unconscious contents – you have more control to frame and challenge the ego.
• By beginning to write down your dreams your recall will improve, and you may begin to spot themes.

The National Counselling Society is proud to sponsor Practice Matters.

NCS are really excited to have launched their Children and Young People Therapist Register for counsellors working with the younger age group.

Free Handout Download

Introjected Values

Links and Resources

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner’s Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course

Spotted out-of-date info or broken links? Kindly let us know the page where you found them. Email: [email protected]