Are you cut out for Private Practice? (Pros & Cons of W2, 1099, Solo, and Group Ownership Models)

Are you cut out for Private Practice? (Pros & Cons of W2, 1099, Solo, and Group Ownership Models)
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If I'm completely honest, I think anyone who wants to be in private practice is cut out for it. But the real question is: what kind of private practice is the best fit for you?
So let's go over some of the categories of private practice and some things to consider to see which option might be the best fit for you:
00:00 Intro
01:41 W2 Employee
04:25 1099 Contractor
07:15 Solo Part-Time
09:22 Solo Full-Time
11:20 Group Owner
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This video is geared for therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field.
Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.
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This video is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

[@maggietulip5761]

You put so much into these videos 🥰 I wish you good health in the birth of your baby when the beautiful day arrives💝

[@PrivatePracticeSkills]

Aww 🥰 thank you!

[@brockjazz8838]

Thank you this is helpful! I have worked for an agency all my career, and I greatly enjoyed team projects, socializing in the workplace, and interacting with my coworkers. I was afraid doing private practice I would be too isolated. I would have to make a greater effort to increase socialization outside of the private practice.

[@christopherstreet6841]

Great information and right on time. Thank you 😊

[@matthewryanLCSW]

This was really helpful information. Thank you for making this.

[@lunalane3302]

Hi! I'm wondering what a day in the life full time private practice looks like?! Vlog, anyone?? I'm wondering if full time is considered 40 direct client hours, how many clients per week is considered full time, vs hours for notes, billing? Thank you for your wisdom!

[@briannajaide]

I really value your channel and insight!

[@PrivatePracticeSkills]

I'm so glad!

[@michelefisher5171]

Thank you! I’m very close to opening and the information you offer is very helpful. I’m in Ontario Canada. Thank you!!

[@russellbernheisel4861]

I’m completing a dual track masters in counseling (school counseling and CMHC) and will be licensed in both. My plan is to work full time as a school counselor and part time as a mental health counselor working with high school and college athletes. I think the 1099 route would make the most sense initially but I would like to run my own part time practice.

[@lacytannous]

I love the way you distilled different types of private practice down into tax categories. Very timely! :) And very informative, per usual. Thank you!

[@PrivatePracticeSkills]

I'm glad you found it helpful! It made for a rather long video but I just didn't want to cut those tidbits out!

[@viksaggu9085]

Solo private practice over here!

[@lansayf]

Thank you very much

[@rodneyjames224]

I’m starting my part-time teletherapy private practice. The videos are really helpful.

[@theresacolton644]

Same

[@parisjoy7875]

How has your part-time teletherapy private practice been going?

[@Poppomatic64]

How was the process getting there, good??

[@TheMichelex20]

I’m just starting in private practice and I’m a 1099 contractor. I’m learning a lot but the money sucks. Onward and upward.

[@beeawnkuh1]

Thank you so much for this! Can someone with an associate license do everything but solo practice?

[@nehagaglani9131]

Hi would it be too much to ask if you can create a video on pathways for people who are pursuing psychology. What are beneficial course, what allows us to work and etc. I’m a confused student would mean a world to me 💫 Thankyou

[@nehagaglani9131]

I want to do my masters and I’m confused with so many course options. I don’t what would be correct for me and what course would lead me where.

[@gorgeousqbin]

What is the dress code for private practice? Do you have to wear slacks and a blouse to see clients? I don’t want to have to buy an all new wardrobe but want to make sure I dress appropriately. So wear do you shop for your clothes that are private practice appropriate?

[@LaurenMelisa]

This is soo helpful! Thank you!! I’ve only ever worked at non-profits that provide free services for clients, so I’m really unfamiliar with private practices, their pay structures, and insurance billing. I’m honestly incredibly confused with how private practice clinicians get paid (I know this can differ a lot). Does anyone know where I can learn the basics of this and get a complete breakdown of the process from billing insurance to clinicians getting paid? Also how do other tasks get factored in (providing supervision, group therapy, writing blogposts, etc.)? I feel so lost and am struggling to find info out there. I need a true 101 lol

[@PrivatePracticeSkills]

I think a part of your question might have been cut off at the end there. But there are lots of resources available! You're right that there are a lot of potential avenues for how clinicians get paid in private practice, but *most* practices either bill insurance or charge a cash rate (or a combo of both!). Is there an aspect about that process that's seeming a bit tricky?

[@LaurenMelisa]

@@PrivatePracticeSkills thank you for your response! I suppose it’s confusing to me how clinicians working at a group practice could get paid different rates for different clients (depending on insurance) or for completing non-direct tasks (such as holding supervision). I’m not even sure how accurate my understanding of it is or if I have the correct language to explain myself since it’s all so new to me. I’d love to find an example breakdown of the earnings a private practice clinician is accruing within a week which would make up their total income.

[@kaleimaile]

You can take a business coaching class to help get you started. I learned a lot from working @ a group practice & a lot of ppl helped me on social media. I am going to open up my own cash pay (no SuperBill) next month. Good luck!

[@casperTheBird]

Interesting! Are there ways to get clinical support but also work as a solo business? It seems like working 1099 includes paying for overhead not just clinical support, so it might be beneficial to have other options

[@kaleimaile]

In CA, 1099’s are illegal in group practices.

[@cl7422]

Question - is fee for service automatically 1099? Interning at a private practice and they are going to hire fulltime and offer full time salary (lower fixed salary and the schedule gets filled for you) or fee for service where you get to make your schedule and get a higher hourly rate. I didn’t know which would result in a better net positive. 1099 pays more taxes so I didn’t know if (despite the higher rate) I’d end up making more when all is said and done after taxes to make it worth it.

[@Shynexoo]

hi! i just decline a job that is fee for service bc i felt like they didnt have the demand i needed. and they expected me to market and find my clients. my expectation was that i thought they were going to find clients for me and schedule them for me. MAKE SURE YOU ASK THIS QUESTION UP FRONT! ask about marketing, are you responsible for it? is the waitlist sufficient. 1099, i personally would not do because I am a new clinican and would rather wait until i get my feet wet, i am still learning. all of this is deff alot for a new clinican, make sure you ask lots of questions. my private practice also did not offer benefits, time off, etc. as a new grad, i dont have steady income so i declined this job for now. (my personal opinion and expierence each private practice is different, make sure you ask plenty of questions!!). I am going into a salaried job first as a new grad lmsw to gain expierence and as a way for me to network. along the line, i am willing to pick up private practice as a side gig and one day start my own! the biggest scary thing for me was not knowing when i was going to get clients or not having steady income

[@courtneymorgan9227]

As a 1099 contractor, do you typically need to seek your own malpractice insurance, or do they usually have group malpractice insurance?

[@colbyl5582]

At my employment, I have to provide my own, however it is not very expensive.

[@kaleimaile]

In CA, you can’t be a 1099 contractor anymore, but if you’re a 1099, yes, you NEED your own malpractice insurance.

[@oopsiedaisy3976]

Hey, I’m a 14 year old and am looking for a therapist. I don’t really know how to start and how to find one. Should I be going to a therapist who deals exclusively with children or someone with a broad range. Also what’s the difference between counselling and therapy? I’m really confused, please help!!

[@LexiAngel91]

PsychologyToday.com and TherapyDen.com are good places to start searching. You can filter therapists based on location, insurance, specialty, and other categories.

[@kaleimaile]

It’s better to start your own PP than to work for a group. I am going to start my own PP next month. I am waiting for the S-Corp to go through. You can’t be a 1099 Contractor in CA in group practice. It’s illegal. If someone is a 1099, they have full control over their schedule as the owner can’t tell them when to work.

[@viksaggu9085]

Also solo private can be lonely!

[@PrivatePracticeSkills]

Absolutely true! I have a video talking about some ways to avoid isolation in private practice. It's absolutely important that we find ways to stay interconnected, especially us solo practice owners!

[@kaleimaile]

Get involved in consultation groups.

[@hallmark1]

So W2 seems like a good fit for an LL? I just interviewed for a great place that offers w2 employment, benefits and even clinical compensation for each person seen thus incentivizing to see more people and I could make as much as I wanted? They were also very clear that I can make my schedule fit whatever I wanted. It's still a cap on how much I can make but as a broke grad student who needs supervision and a steady income while licensing...this seems like a good idea, no?