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Letter from the President, AnnMarie Stankovich, MA, LMHC, NCC
Marketing
a private practice can feel intimidating and unnatural to most
counselors. Most of us didn't choose to go into counseling because we
were interested in sales. And yet, marketing a practice is surprisingly
more similar to the work of therapy than you might realize. Marketing
or networking is about building relationships, sharing information,
educating, and connecting with others, all skills that therapists
practice every day.
But
the truth is, many counselors are struggling to effectively apply those
skills in the marketing of their business. In my work consulting with
private practitioners, I have found people are hesitant to market
themselves for a few reasons: feeling uncomfortable about their own
skill level as a counselor, feeling a contradiction around asking for
business when we are in a field of giving, and experiencing challenges
around clearly defining the services they provide and their niche
market.
When
you market your business, you are promoting yourself and giving
information about your services; however, it is important to understand
that the relational aspect is the most important piece of your
interaction. It is the natural connection that takes place between you
and a potential client that will lead to selling yourself in a genuine
way. It's the comfort that you bring to a conversation, the safeness,
the understanding, and the warmth. That's what people are drawn to when
choosing a counselor. It's less about your education and credentials
and more about how people feel when they are in your presence.
While
marketing is about relationships, it is essential to embrace the
pragmatic, business side, too. Make marketing a regular part of your
weekly schedule and set a goal for the number of new people you will
network with each week. Work to develop strong and ongoing
relationships with your referral sources. Determine how you will
monitor your success. Will it be through increased phone calls, weekly
income, increased clients, getting the ideal client, or increased
traffic flow to your website? Also ask yourself questions like: Who is
your target audience? What are your specialties? Where will your
clients come from? What puts your business above your competitors?
Remember
that it is the first contact a potential client makes, such as seeing
your website, picking up your brochure, making the initial phone call,
or coming into your office, which will determine if they choose you as
their counselor. Being a great therapist with excellent clinical skills
is not enough to bring clients in the door. They will not come to you
if they don't know about you. It's up to you to make sure they know
you're out there.
As
you develop the marketing plan for your business, you want to feel good
about how you are presenting yourself to the world. You want to have a
clear idea of who you are, what you offer, how you make a difference in
your clients' lives, and the type of client you would like to attract.
Be genuine and informed as you talk with potential clients, and always
follow-up with a phone call or thank you note. Stay in touch- it's
important to keep your name in front of your referral sources.
One
way to always be prepared when networking is to have an effective
elevator speech. Elevator speeches are intended to prepare you for very
brief, chance encounters in an elevator. But elevator speeches are not
just for elevators. You should use it whenever you want to introduce
yourself to a new contact. That could be in the supermarket, waiting in
line at an ATM, or when you get your morning latte. Rather then
focusing on what you do, instead focus on the results of what you do.
For example, what are the benefits that your clients experience after
seeing you for 6 months?
As
you create your elevator speech, make sure you share your name and your
business name, and introduce yourself in a memorable fashion. Create an
opening sentence that will grab the listener's attention. The best
openers leave the listener wanting more information. Next, share what
you do in one or two sentences. Remember, think in terms of the
benefits your clients derive from your services. In other words, facts
tell, stories sell. Also, showcase your uniqueness and identify what
sets you apart from the competition. Always be sure to promote yourself
with confidence and enthusiasm! Practice your speech in front of the
mirror and with friends. Record it and listen.... Do you sound
confident? Sincere? Is it engaging?
Most
importantly, be sure to have your networking tools with you at all
times. Exchange business cards with people you meet and write comments
on the back of the business cards that you collect. Share information
about your practice with friends, colleagues, family members, and other
professionals near your office. This can be done by writing a letter of
introduction or having an open house.
Here are some other suggestions for marketing your private practice:
· Join networking associations
· Contact other health care professionals
· Advertise
· Write articles for your local paper
· Participate in trade shows and health expos
· Meet with the Human Resource Department of small businesses
· Post fliers, business cards, or brochures on community bulletin boards
· Send out paper and email newsletters
· Post your information on website directories
· Provide free public speaking
· Participate in blogs, internet forums, and online discussions
· Serve on committees and boards
· Contact the media to provide a free quote
· Write a news release
· Deliver an e-course
· Keep in contact with former clients
· Teach a class at Discover U or North Seattle Community College |
January Presentation
January 16, 2009
Be Seen, Be Heard and Build Connections at our January Networking Meeting!
By Jeffrey Morrison, Current SCA Vice President
Start the year off right by talking to your friends at our half price January Networking Meeting. This non-speaker meeting will feature YOU and your colleagues. What better resource could we ask for? There will be plenty of time to let others know what you are passionate about, the kind of referrals you like, and to learn what others have to offer you. We will also have time to engage in some small group networking and practice building activities. Best of all our beloved President AnnMarie Stankovich will be returning from maternity leave with tips on how to bring your practice to the next level in 2009.
Last year we had a meeting at which our speaker canceled at the last minute. As a group we decided to introduce ourselves by taking a little more time and saying what we wanted to about ourselves and our businesses or interests. It was a spontaneous hit! I feel it gave all of us a time to Be Seen, Be Heard and Build Connections. We really are a great resource for each other and we do all like to talk. Conversations with other helping professionals has become my most successful way of building my business. Let's share our wisdom and tips for success.
Personally it was at that meeting last year that I felt like SCA was the kind of group I wanted to become involved with. As our secretary Loryann Nichols talked about the wonderful benefits personally and professionally of volunteering, I thought to myself "I can do that!" I am now your humble Vice President and the way I look at myself and my business is evolving in new and exciting ways. As a shy person in recovery I have found SCA a very supportive and encouraging environment to express something of myself in front of others that scared the heck out of me not long ago. Begin your new year by joining our fabulous leadership team and making a difference for yourself and others. |
February Presentation:
February 20, 2009
"Mindfulness Centered Therapies"
A mini-workshop with Carol Ladas-Gaskin
and David Cole
Carol Ladas-Gaskin and David Cole will present a mini-workshop that will show how to combine 'relational mindfulness' and "parts" language to enrich experiential and cognitive approaches in counseling. Relational mindfulness is the application of non-judgmental present moment awareness while interacting with another. "Parts language" involves the recognition of and interaction with sub-personalities (critic, people pleaser, skeptic, impulsive parts) especially as used by Richard C. Schwartz in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. The presentation will include a brief exposition liberally sprinkled with poetry, participatory exercises, visual analogies, and an extremely moving video of a session with a Viet Nam Vet conducted by Richard Schwartz.
Bios of presenters:
Carol Ladas-Gaskin has been in private practice as a counselor and massage therapist since 1990. Her practice includes individual, couples counseling and massage therapy. She is a certified Hakomi body centered therapist, teacher and trainer and has been a Progoff Intensive Journal consultant since 1986 and has been practicing Focusing for many years. (See below for more information on Hakomi, IFS, and Focusing).
David Cole has been in private practice (first coach then counselor) since 1988 and a licensed massage therapist since 2000. His practice includes individual and couples counseling. He is a certified Hakomi therapist, teacher and trainer and has also trained extensively in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy with Richard Schwartz and has also studied and practiced Focusing.
Carol and David have been teaching Hakomi workshops and trainings since 2000. These workshops are approved for CEUs for Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors by the Washington State Society for Clinical Social Work. They have taught PESI seminars (Professional Education Seminars Incorporated) on Mindfulness and the Practice of Compassionate Presence nationally for the last three years. They are both members of the Seattle Hakomi Education Network, the Hakomi Institute and the US Association of Body Psychotherapy. They recently co-authored and published Mindfulness Centered Therapies: an integrative approach (© 2007, edited by Lynn Morrison M.A. and Dennis Gaither M.D.). Their new book demonstrates the synthesis of three mindfulness based modalities (Hakomi, IFS, and Focusing) into a single method and includes a 2 hour DVD with brief lectures and video demonstrations of basic skills taken from real therapy sessions.
Hakomi was developed by Ron Kurtz, IFS by Richard C. Schwartz and Focusing by Eugene Gendlin. Each of these mature methods employs a client led, body centered, mindfulness based approach. Hakomi is described in Counseling and Psychotherapy, Edited by Capuzzi and Gross, 2007, 4th edition; IFS in Internal Family Systems Therapy, by Richard C. Schwartz, 1995, The Guilford Press; and Focusing in Handbook of Experiential Psychotherapy, 1998, edited by Greenberg, Watcon and Lietaer.
David and Carol have developed an integrative approach blending these three mindfulness based systems as they are needed in therapeutic work. For more information on these methods, links to relevant websites and details about their integrative method and book see www.mindfulnessbooks.com. |
Events and Workshops
Listening To The Voice Within: A Level One Focusing Workshop
Would you like a tool for doing your own inner work, one that allows you to be more present, connected and compassionate with yourself and others? Are you interested in learning a body centered approach to helping clients release stuck patterns, soften critical voices and process trauma safely. Focusing is a body centered self awareness skill for emotional healing and wellness that can be combined with any thereputic approach. This two day workshop will be held in West Seattle January 17th and 18th. Fee: $225. A guided Focusing session (half price to SCA members registered for the workshop) is highly recommended prior to the workshop. Register online at www.morrisontherapy.com or contact Jeffrey Morrison MA, LMHC and Certified Focusing Trainer at 206-935-7850 or Jeffrey@morrisontherapy.com
Divorce Is Hell: Is It True?
This workshop, primarily teaching and using the Work of Byron Katie to address the completion of a primary relationship and all the stressful beliefs involved, will be conducted on the phone as a teleconference for six Saturdays beginning Saturday, Jan. 17th at 8:30 am - 10:00 am Registration is limited to 12 participants. Please email Grace Bell at gracebell@comcast.net for detailed brochure, or call 206-829-8048 for more information. Class fee is $240. PLEASE NOTE: Byron Katie will be coming to Seattle Feb. 13 and 14th and conducting a powerful workshop on Financial Freedom. For more information on her visit, or to register for her events, please see www.thework.com. There will be no teleconference class held on Saturday, Feb. 14th because of Katie's Seattle visit. Class dates are Jan. 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7, 21, 28.
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SCA meets on the 3rd Friday
of each month (except July,
August & December) from
8 to 11 am at the
Swedish Cultural Center
1920 Dexter Ave. N.
More info: 206-283-1888, or
www.seattlecounselors.org
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2008-2009 Board and Committees
President
AnnMarie Stankovich,
MA, LMHC, NCC
amscounseling@comcast.net
206.354.6384
Vice President
Jeffrey L.Morrison, MA
Jeffrey@morrisontherapy.com
206.935.7850
Past President
Andrea Davis, MA, RC
andreadianedavis@msn.com
206.304.1102
Treasurer
Margaret Sutro, LMHC
Margaret@InnerSpace Studio.net
206.715.2227
Secretaru
Lorynann Nichols, MS, LMFT
loryann@centerforcouples.com
425.889.0832
Committees
Membership
Barbara Farwell Alexander
alexander@oasiscounselingseattle.com
206.949.7929
Newsletter
Grace Bell, MA, RC
gracebell@comcast.net
206.829.8048
Program
Elaine Duncan
aineaduncan@masn.com
425.883.4939
Web Site
Pete Fabish
pfab99@gmail.com
206.545.4818
Newsletter Mailing
Georgie Kunkel
gnkunkel@comcast.net
206.935.8663
Hospitality
Sarah M. Heath, MA
sarahmary@mindspring.com
206.282.7223
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Join SCA!
For membership information and an application to join SCA, please log on to our website:
www.seattlecounselors.org/
application.html
or call Barbara Alexander at
206.949.7929 or email her at
alexander@oasiscounselingseattle.com
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Membership &
Meeting Fees
Annual
Membership Fees
Individual ...........$85.00
Agencies ..........$115.00
Student/Senior....$42.50
Half-year ............$42.50
(Apr.-Sept.)
Meeting Fees
Member .............$20.00
Non-member.......$30.00
Student/Senior....$15.00
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Mission Statement
Seattle Counselors Association is a professional community of mental health counselors serving the entire Puget Sound region. We challenge ourselves to continue growing in our work. We invite an exchange among diverse individuals and disciplines, embrace creative tension, support the self-reflection that underlies ethical practice, and welcome new practitioners.
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Meeting Schedule
8:00 Registration
8:15 Introductions
8:50 Networking
9:00 SCA business
9:15 Speaker
10:45 Networking
11-12 Board Meeting
(Open to all)
Refreshments provided!
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SCA Connections is the newsletter of the Seattle Counselors' Association and is published five times a year. All rights reserved© by Seattle Counselors Association. Submissions may be sent to gracebell@comcast.net.
Please use email for all inquiries and submissions. If you don't have access to email, call Grace at 206.829.8048
Design & Production:
Spear Studios 206.621.0240
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