| Mental health professionals have a wealth of valuable, | | | | No physical accommodations need be arranged; you |
| even crucial, information and expertise in which many | | | | only need to rent a telephone bridgeline.Teleseminars |
| people are in need.One-on-one therapy is only one | | | | can include people from all over the country, even |
| way we can deliver this expertise and help.There are | | | | internationally, at the same time.Classes are typically |
| a number of possible ways therapists can create | | | | 60 minutes long, but can vary. Often teleseminars are |
| revenue streams while sharing their talents, expertise | | | | offered in a multi-class series.Teleseminars are |
| and skills with people in need.Some of these ways | | | | another way to offer your packaged content and |
| are traditional and common, but others are rather | | | | introduce people to your services. Teleseminars can |
| innovative ways therapists are beginning to put their | | | | be offered for free to attract prospective clients and |
| abilities to good use. In doing so, they are creating | | | | let them sample your services.See for examples of |
| revenue streams.Traditional ServicesAlthough its time | | | | what various professionals are offering. Or, do a |
| for therapists to think out of the box and develop | | | | search on Google for teleseminars or teleclasses. |
| new services that creatively meet the felt needs of | | | | There are hundreds to browse and attend.To get a |
| niche markets, there is a place for the traditional | | | | better feel for how to conduct a teleseminar, attend |
| therapeutic services.These include psychotherapy for | | | | some yourself.ConsultingThe goal of this book is to |
| the DSM diagnoses, psychological testing and | | | | help mental health practitioners build thriving |
| evaluation, marriage and family therapy and | | | | managed-care free private practices. |
| behavioral health care.And, yes, people will forgo | | | | One of the themes I hope I have conveyed is that |
| managed-care reimbursement and pay out of pocket | | | | psychology is not just for DSM diagnoses. |
| for services that are of higher value because they | | | | While we have discussed ways to market traditional |
| are higher quality, offer real privacy and are truly | | | | services, diversification is important, as it increases |
| customized for the individual needs.One of the | | | | the chances we can generate sufficient income to |
| frustrations I hear from mental health care service | | | | operate outside of managed care. |
| consumers is that they can't find a specialized | | | | Multiple streams of psychotherapy income can be |
| therapist in their managed-care insurance network.It's | | | | developed in one's practice.When I decided to build a |
| as if managed care's philosophy is, "We'll help you | | | | manage-care free practice, I gave considerable |
| obtain access to psychotherapy, but we don't care | | | | thought to howI could provide private-pay services. I |
| whether the therapist we connect you with is a | | | | explored how I could use my skills in ways that |
| specialist. A generalist is fine."Set yourself apart and | | | | people would readily pay.Many psychologists and |
| demonstrate your true value in the marketplace | | | | other mental health professionals are successful in |
| through specialization. Many people in the market for | | | | consulting in the workplace for the benefit of |
| therapy value specialization.Getting PublishedA book is | | | | employees and employers. Business consulting can be |
| a powerful way to affect lives. It is also a good way | | | | a very lucrative income stream.Like many |
| to establish credibility, highlight your practice and | | | | practitioners, I found my skills could be applied in the |
| services and position yourself in your niche.And, it's | | | | business arena. Today, through a business I started |
| easier than you think if you self-publish. It has | | | | called Leadership Concepts, I offer services in the |
| become very affordable to do so, and it puts you in | | | | areas of business consulting, executive, business and |
| charge of the content, price and reprints.It can | | | | career coaching and seminars and workshops for |
| actually be more profitable, too. You keep every | | | | businesses. This has proven to be a solid and growing |
| dollar above your costs. If you went through a major | | | | income stream for me, and it is work I really |
| publisher who sells a few thousand books, you would | | | | enjoy.Other ways to diversify into consulting include |
| only receive the author's fee. You can make as much | | | | behavioral medicine, forensics and sports |
| selling a few hundred copies of a self-published book | | | | psychology.Consulting is a very broad and diverse |
| yourself.If your book is successful, you may even | | | | area, so I won't scrape the surface of the possibilities |
| attract a large publisher to take over your | | | | here. But perhaps I can give you good directions for |
| book.Writing a book opens doors to speaking | | | | exploration.If this area is new for you, you will be |
| engagements, media opportunities and a reputation in | | | | surprised to find out the many valuable ways our |
| your niche market.It also helps you to crystallize your | | | | psychology and mental health expertise can be of |
| thinking and enhances your effectiveness as a | | | | benefit to people in the workplace. |
| practitioner; it's a great exercise in that sense. You | | | | Our background makes us capable of assisting |
| will learn a lot both in breadth and depth.Take the | | | | businesses with many different barriers to |
| opportunity now to brainstorm ideas for a book | | | | productivity.To familiarize yourself with this terrain, I |
| that's inside you.It doesn't have to be long. One | | | | suggest you do a Google search using the keywords |
| hundred pages is plenty.TeachingTeaching courses | | | | "business," "consulting" and "psychologist" and browse |
| part-time at a local college or university can be an | | | | the web sites that come up.Forensic |
| attractive stream of income.I have been teaching as | | | | ConsultingAnother specific type of consulting is worth |
| adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) | | | | considering separately.Forensic consulting has to do |
| program at Widener University outside Philadelphia for | | | | with psychological or mental health service specifically |
| several years and find it both rewarding and | | | | related to the court system.Often times, a court has |
| enjoyable.Think about areas of special interest on | | | | to deal with issues that impinge on mental health |
| which you could teach a course. Courses that adjunct | | | | issues.Some of these include:Criminal |
| faculty teach can be core curriculum in a graduate | | | | casesCompetency to stand trialMental status at time |
| program, an undergraduate course or an elective.I | | | | of offenseMitigating factors in offensesRisk |
| find that part-time professors who are practioners | | | | assessments, violenceCivil casesEmotional damages in |
| have a lot to offer because they are immersed in | | | | personal injuriesAssessments for malingeringFamily |
| what they teach. Students seem to appreciate this | | | | cases and otherChild custody |
| as well.E-booksE-books are another medium in which | | | | evaluationsCourt-ordered psychological evaluationsIn |
| you can package and share specialized | | | | addition, attorneys often need help sorting out the |
| information.And e-book is a written piece of | | | | issues when questions of a psychological nature occur |
| information that is distributed via the internet | | | | in their cases. They retain psychologists and other |
| electronically. It is offered free or for a cost (typically | | | | experts to review files and help them prepare for |
| $10 to $30) on a web site.You can also submit an | | | | depositions or cross-examination of |
| e-book to web sites that list hundreds of e-books to | | | | experts.Psychologists and other professionals can |
| make them available to the public.Tens of thousands | | | | inform the court on issues, perform assessments and |
| of e-books are downloaded each year, and are | | | | testify as experts.Consultants in this area testifying |
| changing lives for the better.Perhaps you can make | | | | as experts typically receive $1,000 to $2,000 for their |
| yours one of them.Do you have a solution to a | | | | testimony.I find that this niche is an attractive one |
| specific problem or can you research the | | | | for several reasons:It is completely managed-care |
| answers?The best e-books share answers to a | | | | freeIt is interesting workIt makes good use of our |
| specific problem.E-book topics I have heard of | | | | backgroundIt is lucrativeIt is a specialized area that |
| recently include: how to write a eulogy, how to cope | | | | many professionals find intimidating,which means less |
| with a hysterectomy and the topic of recovering | | | | competitionIf you find this an interesting prospect as |
| from fibromyalgia.These are e-books written by | | | | a part of your practice, then I encourage you to |
| non-mental health professionals. Imagine what | | | | begin taking some training workshops to familiarize |
| information psychotherapists can offer in this | | | | yourself with the terrain.Web sitesRevenue streams |
| just-in-time format.E-books cost very little to produce | | | | can be active or passive. Therapy sessions, therapy |
| and nothing to distribute. You can attach the file for | | | | groups, workshops and consulting services are all |
| an e-book to an email or make it downloadable from | | | | active forms of revenue streams. You exchange |
| a web site.A great e-book is not long. Many of the | | | | your time and skills for a fee.Passive revenue is |
| best are 10 to 35 pages long.E-books offer short | | | | revenue from streams that do not involve service |
| answers to problems readers want to solve, and are | | | | delivery, but once set up, occur automatically 24/7. A |
| available to people quickly.Good e-books are specific | | | | common form of passive revenue is income from |
| and do not contain general information. The key to | | | | products sold on a web site.Can you see the |
| marketability is communicating your precise answer | | | | advantages of passive revenue? Can therapists |
| to a specific problem.E-CoursesE-Courses are similar | | | | develop passive revenue streams? You |
| to e-books, but they may be lengthier and delivered | | | | bet!Therapists can productize their most useful |
| to readers one segment at a time. As the name | | | | expertise and offer information products to benefit |
| implies, these can be formatted as guided self-study | | | | others.Some of these we already looked at, like |
| programs.E-courses allow for the content to be | | | | books, e-books and e-courses. These can all be |
| integrated over a specific period of time. Each lesson | | | | offered on a web site for web seekers to obtain |
| can be a simple article or more in-depth with guided | | | | and utilize to fill their needs.There are other |
| self-study. Write between five and 10 lessons, and | | | | possibilities as well, such as licensing programs.As an |
| you have a good e-course.Written by a professional, | | | | example of a passive revenue web site effectively |
| a good e-course can bridge the gap between a | | | | offering information products to a specific niche, see |
| reader learning new information and the reader | | | | Passive income streams utilizing the internet via web |
| applying that information to his/her life and making a | | | | sites are a burgeoning area for many service |
| behavioral change.Personal CoachingIn sports, | | | | professionals, but few mental health professionals are |
| coaching is important to help an athlete develop a | | | | taking advantage of the potential so far.This will be |
| winning strategy, develop skills and execute the plan. | | | | changing soon.Active income streams can also be |
| The coach knows how the athlete can progress and | | | | marketed on the internet.Web sites can also be |
| move forward. He/she urges the athlete to set high | | | | effectively used as a marketing tool for your |
| goals and provides motivation, support, focus and | | | | fee-for-service practice. More and more therapists |
| encouragement.Over the past 10 years, the field of | | | | are putting up web sites and for good reasons.A |
| professional coaching in personal development and | | | | web site is your practice brochure, available any time, |
| business arenas has grown tremendously.What is | | | | day or night, to seekers on the internet. People you |
| coaching? Personal coaching is a one-on-one | | | | meet, people who hear you give a presentation and |
| professional relationship in which a client is assisted in | | | | people referred to you by another professional, can |
| achieving a personal, business or career goal.What is | | | | be directed to view your web site, find out more |
| the difference between coaching and therapy? | | | | about you and, hopefully, be stimulated to contact |
| Although coaches sometimes assist people with | | | | you.A simple, attractive, intriguing postcard sent to a |
| challenges and problems of various kinds, they do not | | | | mailing list can direct your niche market to your web |
| try to help people overcome problems related to | | | | site. Or, your yellow page ad in the phone book can |
| diagnosable conditions as found in the DSM.Rather, | | | | include your web address.A web site is much more |
| coaches assist well-functioning people to attain | | | | than a brochure. It is also a potentially powerful |
| greater levels of achievement and satisfaction in their | | | | marketing vehicle, when combined with internet |
| personal lives, businesses or careers.While therapy is | | | | marketing strategies.If you decide to have a web |
| remedial and restorative, coaching is developmental | | | | site for your practice, or for a particular niche service, |
| and growth-oriented.Therapy heals mental and | | | | make it full of resources (articles and free |
| emotional infirmities, while coaching helps healthy | | | | information) that will attract people to it and make |
| individuals achieve more or reach important | | | | them want to spread the word.Although beyond the |
| goals.Personal coaches work with clients on a wide | | | | scope of this article, internet marketing strategies can |
| range of issues, such as coping with a problem or | | | | be developed to drive people to your web |
| crisis, focusing their efforts on achievement, making | | | | site.Increasingly, people are beginning their search for |
| career transitions, living more fulfilled lives, achieving | | | | products and services on the internet.The yellow |
| life goals and building better relationships.Other | | | | pages are not the first choice for many.Are you |
| coaches assist people with business development or | | | | effectively represented on the Internet?Licensing |
| managerial or leadership development. These coaches | | | | ProgramsAfter you have developed effective |
| are called business coaches or executive | | | | structured programs for your niches, you can license |
| coaches.While coaching is not always based on | | | | the use of these programs to other |
| psychology, it often is. And many of the skills a | | | | professionals.Other therapists have been doing this |
| coach uses are the skills in which therapists are | | | | for years. Psychologist Dr. Daniel Dana, a conflict |
| trained. So, there is considerable overlap between | | | | resolution specialist, certifies mediators and licenses |
| coaching and therapy.This is why many psychologists, | | | | his program at Another example can be found at |
| counselors and therapists have found coaching | | | | DifficultChild.com, as we mentioned previously. |
| attractive and transitioned into coaching either | | | | Howard Glasser, M.A. offers a parenting approach and |
| entirely or as a part of their practice mix. I am one | | | | program, as well as other materials, for ADHD |
| of them. | | | | children. His program involves a book, a training |
| In many ways, therapists have an ideal background | | | | program for parents and a training and certification |
| to be coaches. But the differences between coaching | | | | program for therapists.His program is called |
| and therapy are significant and important to keep in | | | | "Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart |
| mind.Therapists can make great coaches because of | | | | Approach."One of my coaching clients is certified in |
| their insights into human motivation and behavior, | | | | this program and speaks highly of it.Howard Glasser's |
| their understanding of human development and life | | | | web site actually models several streams of income, |
| transitions, their communication and relationship skill | | | | including a book, workshops, training other |
| and their sense of professional ethics, knowledge | | | | professionals, licensing or certification and internet |
| base and experience in helping people.Live | | | | marketing for all the above including his |
| Workshops, Retreats, TrainingsPresenting live events | | | | practice.These "programs in a box" are typically |
| such as seminars, workshops, retreats and training | | | | complete turnkey therapy, counseling or consulting |
| programs can be a very lucrative stream of | | | | programs that therapists can purchase. They are |
| income.And, it can be a powerful way to affect | | | | usually complete, including the structured program |
| peoples' lives.The group setting allows learners to | | | | itself, instructor materials, workbooks and also include |
| engage with your material and benefit from the | | | | marketing pieces you can use to generate |
| collective knowledge and experience of the | | | | business.For those of you who want to do niche |
| group.Live programs can also be an introduction to | | | | marketing but prefer not to do the creating part, you |
| your other services. Brief programs, such as a "lunch | | | | may want to find out whether someone has |
| and learn," can be delivered for free as a solid | | | | developed a program you can utilize to serve your |
| marketing vehicle for your practice.As a therapist, if | | | | niche.Someone may have done the work for you.If |
| you have developed and packaged your message | | | | you can find a program suitable for your niche |
| into a program as recommended earlier, you have | | | | market, you could be a few days away from having |
| the makings of a great seminar or workshop.Why | | | | a marketable service in your repertoire.Training Other |
| not kill two birds with one stone?Promoting a | | | | ProfessionalsWhen you have developed an effective |
| workshop or retreat is promoting your practice at | | | | program, you can leverage it by training others in |
| the same time - and may be psychologically easier to | | | | your approach and methods.Innovators in therapy |
| do.Consider adding a post-training element to your | | | | have been training others for years. If you develop a |
| program. It could be a follow-up mini-workshop, a | | | | specialization, program or niche service in a growing |
| series of workshops or one-on-one work.You can | | | | area, you may find many other therapists would like |
| leverage the energy of a live event in many ways | | | | to learn from you.Sometimes the innovation is mainly |
| for additional revenue streams.And, it is likely that | | | | in how a service is packaged.You can train other |
| some participants will choose to work with you after | | | | professionals via live workshops, self-study program |
| the event is over.You will want to casually present | | | | packages and teleseminars.Diversification by |
| your other offerings at the event. You may make it | | | | developing a number of streams of psychotherapy |
| easier for them by having a sign-up | | | | income increases the chances you can create |
| sheet.TeleseminarsA teleseminar (also called a | | | | sustainable income and can be rewarding in other |
| teleclass) is a seminar held over the telephone, like a | | | | ways too.William D. Morgan is a psychologist, author, |
| conference call.The advantage of a teleseminar is the | | | | and private practice business coach. He coaches |
| convenience. No one has to commute and the | | | | human service professionals and others who want to |
| consumers dial to a bridge line at the specified time. | | | | build thriving practices. |