Starting Your Practice: 4 Things for Therapists to Think About When Choosing an Office
You don’t need very many physical things to start your own therapy practice. However, unless you go the telehealth route, you will need an office.
And it’s important that you pick the right one: It can affect your client’s experience, your ability to run your practice and your bottom line.
So here are four things to keep in mind when you’re choosing an office:
1. Cost
When you’re only seeing a few clients a week, it’s probably not the best idea to pay top dollar for an office. One way you can save some money is by subleasing from another therapist. Rebecca Wong, LCSW, paid another social worker $10 per hour to use their office when she was starting out. You may even be able to negotiate a deal where you don’t start paying for the office until you start seeing clients. Finally, when you sublease, you don’t even have to worry about furnishing it!
To save even more money, consider working from home. There’s no rent to pay, plus you save money on your commute and amenities (more on that below).
2. Comfort
While it’s important to keep your costs down, make sure that the space you choose will be comfortable for both your clients and yourself. Look for an office that gives you access to a thermostat. If that’s not possible, a window that you can open is very helpful for climate control.
Another important aspect is furnishing your office. For one, leave the fluorescent lights off and buy some lamps with warmer light bulbs.
If you plan to work with children, having some blocks or board games is a good investment. One therapist who worked with teens on anxiety issues even hung pictures of superheroes to inspire his clients.
Finally, one advantage of a home office is that it is naturally more welcoming than a commercial office (and, again, already furnished).
3. Amenities
There are some amenities that may seem superfluous, but will actually make running your practice a lot easier. The first is internet access. This is especially important if you use an practice management application like BreezyNotes EHR. Internet lets you to manage your notes, check for insurance claims and keep track of your financials without having to leave your office. It also makes it easier to keep up on the latest behavioral healthcare news between appointments.
Another important amenity is a printer. With a printer, you can instantly print consent forms, notes and receipts for your clients. Even if you handle many of those online, having a backup never hurts.
4. Boundaries
When you’re setting up your office, you need to keep in mind the boundaries between you and your client as well as your work and personal lives. Should you have pictures of your family? Should you only answer calls and emails when you’re in the office?
This becomes more important when you have a home office. Will you let your clients enter through the front door or a side door? If you live with other people, how will you ensure your client’s privacy is protected?
There’s a lot to think about when you’re setting up your office. It is the most important part of your practice next to your own expertise. But if you think it through, you’ll have a space that makes your clients feel comfortable and lets you manage your practice with ease.
Want to make managing your practice even easier? Check out our practice management application, BreezyNotes. From scheduling to notes to billing, BreezyNotes will simplify every aspect of your practice. Sign up now for a 30 day free trial.