Private Practice
Training resources for those building up their small business as a counsellor, supervisor or spiritual director.
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Online seminars
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Session One: 5 August
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Video resources
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Silvia Purdie shares her personal career journey into private practice.
25 minute video, hosted by Courtney Brown |
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Online resources: Business development
‘Who is in Charge of What You Charge? Fee Setting for Sustainable Private Practice Counselling and Supervision’, by Jeremy LeComte, NZAC magazine, April 2026
https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/nzac/nzjc/article/view/293
‘Private Practice Counselling Business Plan’, by Jude Fay
Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
https://iacp.ie/files/UserFiles/Download-Area/Private-Practice-Counselling-Business-Plan-by-Jude-Fay.pdf
Alma: Private Practice Business Plan Worksheet
https://helloalma.com/for-providers/resources/private-practice-business-plan-worksheet/
Websites about therapy business planning:
MentalYC:
www.mentalyc.com/blog/mental-health-private-practice-business-plan
Allyssa Powers:
https://www.allyssapowers.com/blog/complete-guide-to-creating-a-business-plan-for-your-therapy-private-practice
Psychotherapy UK:
https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ukcp-members/are-you-setting-up-a-private-practice/
The Entrepreneurial Therapist:
https://www.theentrepreneurialtherapist.com/blog/business-plan-for-therapists-your-strategic-roadmap-to-private-practice-success
Developing your Private Practice business plan
Business development principles:
1. Know your ‘why’
What are your best hopes for your practice?
What truly motivates you?
2. Know your context
What are the needs and opportunities for counselling in your area (both geographical and niche)?
Practical Steps
a) Identify at least 2 other counsellors working in your area. Meet them for coffee. Discuss: what are the needs and opportunities here?
b) Identify at least 2 community leaders (e.g. in a social service agency, church, City Council, medical centre manager) to ask them what they see as local mental health needs and what they are looking for from counsellors.
c) Research the stats.
https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/nzac/nzjc/article/view/293
‘Private Practice Counselling Business Plan’, by Jude Fay
Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
https://iacp.ie/files/UserFiles/Download-Area/Private-Practice-Counselling-Business-Plan-by-Jude-Fay.pdf
Alma: Private Practice Business Plan Worksheet
https://helloalma.com/for-providers/resources/private-practice-business-plan-worksheet/
Websites about therapy business planning:
MentalYC:
www.mentalyc.com/blog/mental-health-private-practice-business-plan
Allyssa Powers:
https://www.allyssapowers.com/blog/complete-guide-to-creating-a-business-plan-for-your-therapy-private-practice
Psychotherapy UK:
https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/ukcp-members/are-you-setting-up-a-private-practice/
The Entrepreneurial Therapist:
https://www.theentrepreneurialtherapist.com/blog/business-plan-for-therapists-your-strategic-roadmap-to-private-practice-success
Developing your Private Practice business plan
Business development principles:
1. Know your ‘why’
What are your best hopes for your practice?
What truly motivates you?
2. Know your context
What are the needs and opportunities for counselling in your area (both geographical and niche)?
Practical Steps
a) Identify at least 2 other counsellors working in your area. Meet them for coffee. Discuss: what are the needs and opportunities here?
b) Identify at least 2 community leaders (e.g. in a social service agency, church, City Council, medical centre manager) to ask them what they see as local mental health needs and what they are looking for from counsellors.
c) Research the stats.
- Statistics NZ: https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/place-and-ethnic-group-summaries/
- Suburb: https://suburb.co.nz/
- Infometrics: In their Resources page – Regional Economic Profile, you can compare Wellbeing ratings for different regions
- Mental health statistics: https://www.health.govt.nz/monitoring-statistics/statistics-and-data-sets/mental-health
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3. Know your process
All the advice about business planning has a very structured approach. But is that how you work? Yes, it can be effective to set clear goals
adrienne maree brown: ‘Practicing Emergent Strategy’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1xS7hmipkU&t=13s “Organise towards what we really want and what we long for.” “Always creating more possibilities.” Octavia Butler: “All successful life is adaptable, opportunistic, tenacious, collaborative and fecund.” |
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Online resources: Marketing
Marketing your practice, Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/how-to-do-life/201810/marketing-your-practice
Becky Stone, showing up online
https://www.counsellorwhocares.co.uk/marketing-for-therapists-in-the-age-of-ai-visibility-ethics-and-the-power-of-connection/
Marketing in 2026, Jane Travis
https://www.janetravis.co.uk/counsellor-marketing-in-2026-whats-changed-and-what-still-holds-up/
TherapySites
https://www.therapysites.com/7-effective-marketing-strategies-for-your-therapy-practice/
Season of life counselling
https://seasonsoflifecounselling.com.au/private-practice-marketing-5-steps/
Kiah Place
https://www.kiahplace.com.au/blog/marketing-your-private-practice-therapy-clinic
The Therapist Network
https://www.thetherapist.network/news/5-counseling-advertising-ideas
Some NZ people who use Facebook well:
Debbie Buddle
https://www.facebook.com/debbiebuddle.com.nz
Campbell Langford
https://www.facebook.com/christchurchtherapeutic
https://www.facebook.com/mjpaget
Alicia
https://www.facebook.com/mumwithasidehustle
https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/how-to-do-life/201810/marketing-your-practice
Becky Stone, showing up online
https://www.counsellorwhocares.co.uk/marketing-for-therapists-in-the-age-of-ai-visibility-ethics-and-the-power-of-connection/
Marketing in 2026, Jane Travis
https://www.janetravis.co.uk/counsellor-marketing-in-2026-whats-changed-and-what-still-holds-up/
TherapySites
https://www.therapysites.com/7-effective-marketing-strategies-for-your-therapy-practice/
Season of life counselling
https://seasonsoflifecounselling.com.au/private-practice-marketing-5-steps/
Kiah Place
https://www.kiahplace.com.au/blog/marketing-your-private-practice-therapy-clinic
The Therapist Network
https://www.thetherapist.network/news/5-counseling-advertising-ideas
Some NZ people who use Facebook well:
Debbie Buddle
https://www.facebook.com/debbiebuddle.com.nz
Campbell Langford
https://www.facebook.com/christchurchtherapeutic
https://www.facebook.com/mjpaget
Alicia
https://www.facebook.com/mumwithasidehustle
Online resources: Ethics
Resources
Biblical Ethics in Reflective Practice: Recording of seminar by Silvia Purdie
https://youtu.be/3ABaqGwaA_M
Silvia’s Statement of Ethics for Conversations Seminars
https://www.conversationscounselling.nz/seminars.html
Self-Care Tips, Psychotherapy UK
https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/news/self-care-tips-for-psychotherapists-and-psychotherapeutic-counsellors
Biblical Ethics in Reflective Practice: Recording of seminar by Silvia Purdie
https://youtu.be/3ABaqGwaA_M
Silvia’s Statement of Ethics for Conversations Seminars
https://www.conversationscounselling.nz/seminars.html
Self-Care Tips, Psychotherapy UK
https://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/news/self-care-tips-for-psychotherapists-and-psychotherapeutic-counsellors