How to Survive and Thrive as a Therapist

"We wrote this book as a resource for starting, growing, or improving a psychology practice. It's for psychologists (and other mental health professionals) who are just starting out-and may be unsure about what steps to take to open a practice-as well as for those who have been in practice for many years and are looking for ways to expand, strengthen, rethink, redirect, or improve their practice. Graduate programs and internships offer a wealth of strategies for responding to those who are hurting and come to us for help. We learn theory, research, and interventions. We gain skills in assessment and therapy. Training in business principles and the other practicalities of practice tends to be much less extensive. Most of us end up with far more knowledge and skill in responding to people in pain, in conflict, and in crisis than to our own critical needs for a successful business plan, productive marketing strategies, an office well suited to our practice, sound policies and procedures, ways to meet legal requirements, an attorney and professional liability policy we can count on, methods of self-care, a secure use of computers in our practice, and the other nuts and bolts of a psychology practice. This book presents in a concise format information, ideas, and resources for the practicalities of practice; most chapters are almost in the form of bulleted lists. This book is not about assessment and therapeutic theory or technique. It is not a review of assessment instruments or therapy research"--Foreword. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)