Scheduling can make or break a private practice. Therapists who book many billable hours command higher incomes and have more money to offset practice expenses. Working long hours back-to-back, however, can compromise quality and make it impossible to complete tasks that grow and market your practice.
A 2015 American Psychological Association survey found that psychologists spent an average of 18.4 hours per week on direct client care. Administrative and management tasks demanded 7.4 hours per week, compared to 4 hours for teaching, education, and research, 1.7 hours for clinical supervision, 1.3 hours for other services such as consulting, and 2.8 hours on other tasks.
A 2016 study of pediatric behavioral health providers in a primary care setting found that providers spent 35.28% of their time in direct client care.
The specific division of tasks greatly varies from therapist to therapist, and it may shift as a practice grows and expands. Therapists making their own schedule may get better results from seeing fewer clients at first, then gradually increasing their billable hours as needed.
How Many Hours A Week Should You Work?
Therapists scheduling clients should consider how much time they need to spend in other roles. Those who only work with clients may have time for more billable hours, while those who do consulting, research, or clinical supervision may have more limited availability.
Therapists may need to calculate their hourly rate based on the number of billable hours they can fill each week. Therapists with many other duties, such as teaching or hosting a podcast, are often heavily in demand. Their clients may be willing to pay more for their time.
Some factors to consider when devising a weekly schedule include:
- Physical needs. How many snacks or meals do you need each day? What about bathroom breaks? How much time do you need between sessions to tend to basic physiological needs?
- Self-care and burnout. Booking numerous sessions back to back is a recipe for burnout, especially if you work with challenging clients. You may need time between sessions to center yourself. Most therapists also need at least one quality break during the day for lunch, a walk, or even a nap.
- Session preparation. The best therapists understand that each client needs personalized attention and a caring listener. It takes time to prepare for each session. You’ll either need to schedule preparation time at the beginning of the day or prepare for each client in between sessions. A day of back to back clients without a break will almost certainly mean you are not well-prepared.
- Administrative tasks. As your practice grows, so too will your administrative load. Self-employed therapists may need just an hour a day to bill insurance, respond to emails, and pay bills. Therapists who run large or complex practices may need several hours. Neglecting these tasks can undermine your ability to get new clients and compromise your relationship with the clients you already have. So even though administrative work does not directly pay, it does help you continue to bring in revenue.
- Personal tasks and work-life balance. One of the benefits of making your own schedule is that you can take breaks to pick the kids up from school, walk the dog, or go home and meet the cable repair person. Consider how much time you might need each week for personal tasks. You may even want to schedule a light or half day so that you have time set aside to schedule non-work appointments.
- Support for non-billable tasks. Therapists who have assistance with non-billable tasks from receptionists, billing coordinators, or billing software may be able to schedule more billable hours.
For many therapists, 30 billable hours per week is the upper limit. Very busy therapists with other duties may bill half this.
Maximizing Productivity
Therapists eager to earn a comfortable living may try to maximize their productivity by scheduling as many clients as possible. But when this means skipping meals, ignoring marketing opportunities, and delaying insurance billing, it can actually slow the growth of your practice and undermine your earnings.
Some strategies that may help maximize productivity include:
- Scheduling tasks in large chunks. Rapidly switching from task to task can be stressful, and it may slow you down. Instead, try setting aside a large chunk of time each week for major tasks. For example, you might do billing on Monday, draft marketing materials on Tuesday, and meet with potential consulting clients on Wednesday.
- Hiring administrative help. While the expense might initially feel daunting, hiring part-time help may enable you to bill many more hours each year.
- Splitting administrative duties. If you work in a group practice, you may be able to split administrative and other tasks with other practice members.
- Planning each session. You will improve the quality of each session if you plan ahead.
- Developing templates and forms. This makes it easier to complete insurance billing, send common communications, and gather client information.
- Using technological solutions to outsource administrative tasks. Various apps and programs may reduce your administrative load. For example, a program like FrontDesk can help you with online scheduling.
Weekend and Evening Availability
Offering weekend and evening hours may enable you to treat more clients. Therapists who treat children or busy professionals may not be able to fill their schedule without offering extended hours, since school and office hours can interfere with therapy.
Evening and weekend hours mean you can spread your work across more hours. This can make it easier to balance the competing demands of administrative work and direct client care.
This extended hour strategy, however, can affect work-life balance. Most therapists find that they need at least one full day off per week. If you work long hours—such as by offering client time both in the early mornings and early evenings—consider working fewer days or scheduling a chunk of personal time in the middle of the day.
Making Time for Professional Development
Professional development helps you become a better therapist while meeting state continuing education requirements. Professional development may also connect you to other therapists who can help you grow your practice, refer new clients, or offer clinical supervision.
The amount of time you spend on professional development activities will vary throughout your career. Novice therapists can benefit from more professional development and networking, especially when they work for themselves. More experienced therapists may need to budget less time for these activities. Consider assessing your professional development needs each quarter, then carving out monthly time to fulfill these needs.
GoodTherapy supports therapists at every stage of their career. Our continuing education and professional development seminars help you run a better and more effective practice. Members also gain a position in our highly-searched directory. To expand your practice and become a better therapist, join today!
References:
- Cederna-Meko, C., Ellens, R., Burrell, K., Perry, D., & Rafiq, F. (2016). An exploration of behavioral health productivity and billing practices within pediatric primary care. Journal Of Pediatric Psychology, 41(10), 1133-1143. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061975/
- Hamp, A., Stamm, K., Lin, L., & Christidis, P. (2016). 2015 APA Survey of Psychological Health Service Providers [PDF]. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/workforce/publications/15-health-service-providers/report.pdf
- Shorehaven Behavioral Health, Inc. (n.d.) Frequently asked questions [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.shorehavenbhi.com/pub/jobs/Job-FAQs/Outpatient-PsychoTher-FAQ.pdf
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Psychologist
Is a career in psychology right for you? Well, the short answer is it depends. There are advantages and disadvantages to being a psychologist. Depending on what you’re looking for in life and an occupation, psychology may or may not be the right career for you. But chances are if you enjoy helping people, facing new challenges, and are willing to continually learn and grow you’ll enjoy psychology. Below are the most noteworthy advantages and disadvantages of career in psychology.
The Advantages
1. The reward of helping people overcome their challenges.
One of the top reasons psychologists cite that they enjoy their careers is that they’re able to help other people improve the quality of their lives. Many people throughout the world struggle with disabling mental disorders and disabilities. Pyschologists help these individuals learn to cope with their disorders and disabilities and overcome mental and emotional challenges. While being a psychologist can be stressful it times, it’s also a very gratifying and fulfilling occupation.
2. Flexible work schedules.
While many psychologists pull long hours, once you’ve established your own practice your schedule becomes very flexible. You’re able to set your own hours, come and go when you want and have ample vacation time. Most psychologists report one of the aspects of their job they enjoy the most is the ability to spend time with their family and friends. Even though psychologists working in hospitals and clinics don’t have a much flexibility in their work schedule, they still report having a lot of control over their schedules and plenty of time to dedicate to their family and personal activites.
3. High earning potential.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average psychologists working full-time earn between $50,000 and $100,000 a year. Those who work part-time obviously earn less but they still earn a respectable amount. Psychologists who are able to run a successful private practice can earn up to $200,000 a year and psychiatrists (a field closely related to psychology) average between $150,000 and $200,000 a year. Of course, money alone shouldn’t be your motivation for becoming a psychologist but earning a descent living is an attractive benefit.
4. Ability to work for yourself.
Becoming a psychologist is a great career choice for those with an entreprenuerial spirit. Many psychologists go on to establish their own private therapy practices once they get a little experience under their belt and have proven themselves as competent professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 35 percent of psychologists are self-employed – many of these owning and running their own practices. While being self-employed isn’t for everyone, it give you complete control over your time and your earning potential.
5. Opportunity to work with new people every day.
As a psychologist you’ll work with clients from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds. You’ll help a large variety of people overcome mental and emotion obstacles. And while you’ll face setbacks, the reward of help children, adults and couples achieve their full potential will outweigh any challenges you may face.
The Disadvantages
It’s true, psychology can be a very satisfying and rewarding careers but no career is perfect – and psychology’s no exception. The following are a few potential disadvantages that anyone thinking about a career in psychology should thoughtfully consider.
1. Dealing with clients can be stressful and draining.
The biggest reward of being a psychologist is often the biggest challenge of being a psychologist – helping people overcome and deal with their mental and emotional struggles. The fact of the matter is, dealing other people’s problems on a daily basis is difficult. Most of us have a hard enough time wrapping our mind around our own problems, let alone everyone elses. Psychologists have to learn how to help their clients find effective and productive methods for dealing with their struggles without taking them on themselves. Successful psychologists must learn to separate their work life and personal life and practice effective stress management techniques.
2. Not on is your schedules flexible, it can also be quite erractic.
One of the advantages of being a psychologist is that your schedule can be quite flexible, especially if you run your own practice. At the same time, psychologists are often on call and must deal with client issues that arrise at the most inconvenient times. It’s not uncommon for psychologists to meet in evenings with clients who work all day and can’t meet during normal business hours, or be called out of bed to help a client that’s facing a crisis situation.
3. Having to set up your own practice.
Over a third of psychologists are self employed. Many of these own and operate their own practices. Launching a psychology practice is a daunting task, and keeping it going is also challenging. In addition to finding an office, acquiring necessary equipment and finding clients, psychologists must also purchase malpractice insurance, deal with business taxes, set up a reliable document management system, and deal with never ending billing issues.
4. Dealing with billing issues.
All psychologists, regardless of whether they work as employee of an organization or run their own practice, have to deal with billing issues. These include processing and collecting payments from insurance companies, dealing with piles of paperwork, the unpleasant experience of sending clients who don’t pay their bills to collections, and various other billing issues. Dealing with insurance companies in and of itself can be a very trying process, especially if you have your own practice.
5. Constantly drumming up new business.
Many psychologist get into the business to practice psychology – not to become a sales professional. Notwithstandy, if you plan on being self-employed and owning your own practice you’ll need to get used to the idea of prospecting for new clients on an ongoing basis. Finding new clients requires time, money and resources and is key to having a successful practice. One of the most effective ways to find new clients is networking. Build relationships with other industry professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, etc.) and mental health providers that can refer clients to your practice. Conducting free seminars and support group meetings is also an effective method for building your clientele base. And last, but not least, take advantage of some good old fashion advertising in industry publications. While some psychologists really enjoy the business development aspect of operating a private practice, others would rather focus exclusively on therapy work.
Is a career in psychology right for you? Well, the short answer is it depends. There are advantages and disadvantages to being a psychologist. Depending on what you’re looking for in life and an occupation, psychology may or may not be the right career for you. But chances are if you enjoy helping people, facing new challenges, and are willing to continually learn and grow you’ll enjoy psychology. Below are the most noteworthy advantages and disadvantages of career in psychology.One of the top reasons psychologists cite that they enjoy their careers is that they’re able to help other people improve the quality of their lives. Many people throughout the world struggle with disabling mental disorders and disabilities. Pyschologists help these individuals learn to cope with their disorders and disabilities and overcome mental and emotional challenges. While being a psychologist can be stressful it times, it’s also a very gratifying and fulfilling occupation.While many psychologists pull long hours, once you’ve established your own practice your schedule becomes very flexible. You’re able to set your own hours, come and go when you want and have ample vacation time. Most psychologists report one of the aspects of their job they enjoy the most is the ability to spend time with their family and friends. Even though psychologists working in hospitals and clinics don’t have a much flexibility in their work schedule, they still report having a lot of control over their schedules and plenty of time to dedicate to their family and personal activites.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average psychologists working full-time earn between $50,000 and $100,000 a year. Those who work part-time obviously earn less but they still earn a respectable amount. Psychologists who are able to run a successful private practice can earn up to $200,000 a year and psychiatrists (a field closely related to psychology) average between $150,000 and $200,000 a year. Of course, money alone shouldn’t be your motivation for becoming a psychologist but earning a descent living is an attractive benefit.Becoming a psychologist is a great career choice for those with an entreprenuerial spirit. Many psychologists go on to establish their own private therapy practices once they get a little experience under their belt and have proven themselves as competent professionals. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 35 percent of psychologists are self-employed – many of these owning and running their own practices. While being self-employed isn’t for everyone, it give you complete control over your time and your earning potential.As a psychologist you’ll work with clients from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds. You’ll help a large variety of people overcome mental and emotion obstacles. And while you’ll face setbacks, the reward of help children, adults and couples achieve their full potential will outweigh any challenges you may face.It’s true, psychology can be a very satisfying and rewarding careers but no career is perfect – and psychology’s no exception. The following are a few potential disadvantages that anyone thinking about a career in psychology should thoughtfully consider.The biggest reward of being a psychologist is often the biggest challenge of being a psychologist – helping people overcome and deal with their mental and emotional struggles. The fact of the matter is, dealing other people’s problems on a daily basis is difficult. Most of us have a hard enough time wrapping our mind around our own problems, let alone everyone elses. Psychologists have to learn how to help their clients find effective and productive methods for dealing with their struggles without taking them on themselves. Successful psychologists must learn to separate their work life and personal life and practice effective stress management techniques.One of the advantages of being a psychologist is that your schedule can be quite flexible, especially if you run your own practice. At the same time, psychologists are often on call and must deal with client issues that arrise at the most inconvenient times. It’s not uncommon for psychologists to meet in evenings with clients who work all day and can’t meet during normal business hours, or be called out of bed to help a client that’s facing a crisis situation.Over a third of psychologists are self employed. Many of these own and operate their own practices. Launching a psychology practice is a daunting task, and keeping it going is also challenging. In addition to finding an office, acquiring necessary equipment and finding clients, psychologists must also purchase malpractice insurance, deal with business taxes, set up a reliable document management system, and deal with never ending billing issues.All psychologists, regardless of whether they work as employee of an organization or run their own practice, have to deal with billing issues. These include processing and collecting payments from insurance companies, dealing with piles of paperwork, the unpleasant experience of sending clients who don’t pay their bills to collections, and various other billing issues. Dealing with insurance companies in and of itself can be a very trying process, especially if you have your own practice.Many psychologist get into the business to practice psychology – not to become a sales professional. Notwithstandy, if you plan on being self-employed and owning your own practice you’ll need to get used to the idea of prospecting for new clients on an ongoing basis. Finding new clients requires time, money and resources and is key to having a successful practice. One of the most effective ways to find new clients is networking. Build relationships with other industry professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, etc.) and mental health providers that can refer clients to your practice. Conducting free seminars and support group meetings is also an effective method for building your clientele base. And last, but not least, take advantage of some good old fashion advertising in industry publications. While some psychologists really enjoy the business development aspect of operating a private practice, others would rather focus exclusively on therapy work.
