Starting private practice can feel exciting and daunting in equal measure. These five steps will help you begin with solid foundations, without getting lost in everything you think you need to do.
1 - Get clear on your ethical foundations
Make sure you have appropriate professional membership, insurance and supervision in place. Familiarise yourself with the ethical framework you work within and be clear about your scope of practice.
2 - Put the practical essentials in place
Think about where and how you’ll work, your fees, availability, cancellation policy, record keeping and how clients will contact you. You don’t need everything to be perfect before you begin, but the basics are an essential part of ethical practice.
3 - Create a clear client agreement
Your agreement should set out the practical and professional boundaries of your work, including confidentiality, fees, cancellations, contact between sessions and how you manage endings.
4 - Consider data protection and confidentiality
Think carefully about how you collect, store and protect client information. This includes notes, emails, contact details, online working and your responsibilities around data protection.
5 - Make yourself visible
Decide how potential clients will find you. This might be through a professional directory, a simple website, networking or referrals. You don’t need to be everywhere. Choose what feels manageable and authentic.
Want more support?
If you’d like to explore the process in more depth, my Starting Private Practice with Confidence course takes you through setting up a private practice thoughtfully, ethically and with confidence.