Handbook of Private Practice ─ Keys to Success for Mental Health Practitioners

Handbook of Private Practice is the premier resource for mental health clinicians, covering all aspects of developing and maintaining a successful private practice. Written for graduate students considering the career path of private practice, professionals wanting to transition into private practice, and current private practitioners who want to improve their practice, this book combines the overarching concepts needed to take a mental health practice (whether solo or in a group) from inception, through its lifespan.

From envisioning your practice, to accounting and bookkeeping, hiring staff, managing the practice, and running the business of the practice, a diverse group of expert authors describe the practical considerations and steps to take to enhance your success. Chapters cover marketing, dealing with insurance and managed care, and how to choose your advisors. Ethics and risk management are integrated throughout the text with a special section also devoted to these issues and strategies. The last section features 26 niche practices in which expert practitioners describe their special area of practice and discuss important issues and aspects of their specialty practice. These areas include assessment and evaluation, specialized psychotherapy services, working with unique populations of clients, and more. Whether read cover-to-cover or used as a reference to repeatedly come back to when a question or challenge arises, this book is full of practical guidance directly geared to psychologists, counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists in independent practice.

Steven Walfish, Ph.D., was a licensed psychologist and had been in independent practice in Atlanta since 2002. He was also a Founding Partner of The Practice Institute, LLC. He had been the Editor of the Independent Practitioner and Practice Innovations and served on the Editorial Boards of several journals. He published in the areas of substance abuse, weight loss surgery, and professional training and practice. He was a Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine where he supervised postdoctoral fellows.

Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP, is a licensed psychologist as well as a Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean at Loyola University Maryland. For over 30 years he has been actively engaged in contributing to and advancing the mental health professions. As a scholar in ethics, legal, and professional practice issues, he has published ten books and more than 200 articles and chapters and has given over 300 conference presentations and workshops, and he has mentored hundreds of students and junior colleagues in the business of private practice.

Jeffrey Zimmerman, Ph.D., ABPP, is a licensed psychologist (Connecticut and New York) and has been in independent practice for about 35 years. He returned to solo practice in 2007 after serving as founding and managing partner of a group practice for 22 years. Dr. Zimmerman provides training and consultation to mental health practices, is a founding partner of The Practice Institute, LLC, and is editor of Practice Innovations. Since 1988 he has been an Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, and has authored numerous books, chapters, and articles on practice management and niche practices.