
Editorial Staff
Read all about building your private practice from Pollen Magazine's Editorial Staff.

How to Write a Clinician Voicemail Script for Any Private Practice
Client-clinician relationships are built on trust, confidentiality, and the ability to talk things through together. The way you connect with … Continued

Top 10 Mental Health CPT® Codes Billed in 2021
Have you ever found yourself wondering if you’re using the correct Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes? Knowing the proper codes … Continued

20 Most Commonly Used ICD-10 Codes in Mental Health in 2021
If you’re wondering about trends in mental health over the past year, you’re not the only one. To get more … Continued

What We’re Reading – Best Books We’ve Read All Year
As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the books that stuck with us—the ones that moved us, … Continued

Holiday Gifts for Social Workers
Social work can be a demanding profession. So if you have a social worker in your life—whether a friend, a … Continued

This Clinician Embodies Mindfulness In Private Practice—With Powerful Results
Many people have an incomplete picture of what a mindfulness practice entails. Before she started a practice of her own, … Continued

What We’re Playing—June 2021
Over the past year, we’ve played board games to keep ourselves busy and make connections with the people around us. … Continued

What We’re Eating—May 2021
After a year of cooking at home, we’ve been on the hunt for new recipes to try. If you feel … Continued

What We’re Feeling — April 2021
April is National Poetry Month, and in its honor, we’re taking a deep-dive into the poetry and poets that inspire … Continued

What We’re Listening To – March 2021
This month, we’re still reading, but we’re also branching out and using some of our other senses. To give our … Continued

What We’re Reading – February 2021
We’re a month into a new year. A lot feels the same as before, but some things do feel different. … Continued

8 Substance Use Disorder Group Topics for Addiction Treatment Counselors
Almost 21 million adults in the US struggle with at least one addiction, and drug overdose deaths have more than … Continued

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing SOAP Notes
Thorough, consistent documentation of your interactions with your clients and their progress are vital parts of treatment. They’re also important … Continued

What We’re Reading – January 2021
Although in-person bookclubs aren’t possible these days, that hasn’t stopped us from reading and discussing the books we’ve loved. Our … Continued

10 Art Therapy Activities for Teenagers
Most people probably wouldn’t describe themselves as creative, but creativity has many different forms. Just because someone doesn’t feel creative … Continued

What We’re Reading – December 2020
As this year comes to a close, it’s clear that the challenges of 2020 won’t simply disappear in the new … Continued

Is It Ethical to Exchange Gifts With Clients?
Can you accept gifts from your clients? Can you give them? To avoid awkward moments in your sessions, you should … Continued

What We’re Reading — November 2020
This year has taken a serious toll for a lot of people. There are plenty of reasons people may be … Continued

What We’re Reading — October 2020
“Normal” is a word we’ve been hearing a lot of in the past few months. Early in the spring, people … Continued

What We’re Reading – September 2020
In just the first six months of 2020, so many tenets of American society have been thrown into question. Now, … Continued

6 Things Every New Therapist Needs to Know
If you’re a therapist who has recently graduated and is still in the very early stages of your career, it … Continued

What We’re Reading – August 2020
Therapy, online dating, discussions about race, class, and gender—everything in the year of a global pandemic is under review and … Continued

How to Build a Client List
As a small business owner, you should always be thinking about how to build your client base. This is essentially … Continued

What We’re Reading – July 2020
Beef wellington, European bans, and the queer countryside… It doesn’t have to be Pride Month to celebrate the vibrancy and … Continued

What We’re Reading – June 2020
This month, we’re amplifying Black and POC voices because the content we read, watch, and listen to is an essential … Continued

What We’re Reading – May 2020
Staying informed can feel like a full-time job as we all settle into our new normal. And if you’re like … Continued

Why Your EHR’s Customer Support Team Matters
As a private practitioner, your time can be consumed by the day-to-day operations that are necessary to keep your business … Continued

How the Stimulus Package Impacts Your Practice
Jennie Schottmiller, LMFT, CPA is the founder of Simple Profit—an educational resource for small business owners. As a licensed therapist … Continued

The Ultimate Telehealth Insurance Resource Guide
Are you making the transition to telehealth but finding the insurance side of things to be muddy at best? Instead … Continued

What We’re Reading – April 2020
Even though we’ve all been met with some unique disruptions to our daily lives this month, it’s inspiring to see … Continued

What We’re Reading – March 2020
From building healthy habits for your practice, to tips for disease prevention — we have you covered this month. Listed … Continued

From Skilled Nursing to Private Practice
Speech-Language Pathologist Private Practice Have you thought about setting up a private practice? If you’re a speech-language pathologist, you’re not … Continued

What We’re Reading – February 2020
2020 is off and running. With so many articles shared daily, it can be hard to keep up—so we’ve rounded … Continued

10 Tips that Will Change How You Feel About Marketing
Meet James Guay, LMFT When James Guay entered the mental health profession as an intern in San Francisco in 1999, … Continued

What We’re Reading – January 2020
At the beginning of the year, it’s easy to stumble upon thousands of different posts on the topic of resolutions … Continued

Top 10 Surprising Facts We Learned in 2019
In 2019, SimplePractice Learning customers have enrolled in more than 14,000 hours of continuing education through our on-demand video platform. … Continued

What We’re Reading – December 2019
Tired of sifting through the endless sources of news articles online? We’ve rounded up a collection of the most interesting … Continued

What We’re Reading – November 2019
Tired of sifting through the endless sources of content online? We rounded up some of the most interesting articles and … Continued

What We’re Reading – October 2019
This month, we read about a poet managing obsessive compulsive disorder, how to organize an overflowing email inbox, the science … Continued

Letter Templates for SLPs
Are there any parts of your job you wish you didn’t have to do? Like putting together an authorization for … Continued

Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 3 of 3)
In Part 1 and Part 2 of Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice, we covered insurance and … Continued

What We’re Reading – September 2019
Overwhelmed by the amount of articles and blogs on the web? We’ve narrowed down some of our current favorites and … Continued

The 4 Features Every Mobile Entrepreneur Needs
For some health and wellness specialties, your office isn’t four walls — it’s wherever your clients need you to be. … Continued

What We’re Reading – August 2019
There are a ton of articles and blogs on the web. We wanted to share some of the most thought-provoking … Continued

SimplePractice is the Most Popular Therapist Billing & Practice Management Platform
SimplePractice was recently named the #1 Most Popular Therapist Billing & Practice Management by Zencare, an online service that connects … Continued

Mental and Behavioral Telehealth in Private Practice
As technology continues to improve — from the computers on our desks to the phones in our hands — it … Continued

Fill-in-the-Blank Letter Templates for Your Private Practice
Save Time with Free Letter Templates Trying to write a business letter from scratch can be a challenge, especially when … Continued

Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 2 of 3)
Picking up from Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 1), here are some more actions you … Continued

Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 1 of 3)
‘What’s the financial health of my practice?’ It’s a question that many business owners don’t ask often enough or at … Continued

Preparing Your Practice for Generation Z
A new generation of clients will soon be knocking on your practice’s door (or visiting your practice’s URL). We’re talking … Continued

Getting Started with Telehealth
Are you ready for telehealth? Making the decision to add telehealth services to your practice may seem daunting—why bother? Well, … Continued

Should I get paneled with insurance payers?
Weighing the pros and cons of joining payer panels Will you join one or more payer panels, or will you … Continued

5 Steps for Hiring MFT Associates
Finding the right MFT associate for your practice or agency takes time, but it can be well worth the effort, … Continued

Make What You’re Worth: How to Set Your Psychotherapy Session Rates in Private Practice
NOTE: This research is based on 2017 data. Here is the latest version based on 2018 data. Also, check out … Continued

Does Meditation at Work…Work?
When I walked into SimplePractice on my first day a few months ago, I instantly felt that this place was … Continued

Creating a Welcome Package for New Clients in Therapy That Keeps Them Coming Back
Increase your efficiency with a template for your welcome package for new clients As part of your practice policies, you … Continued

What They Didn’t Tell You About Starting a Counseling Practice
Starting a counseling practice was always a goal of yours, but understand that there are a lot of unexpected challenges … Continued

Sidewalk Talk: I am heard, therefore I exist
A core component of our business here at SimplePractice are the unique partnerships we form with different organizations. But life … Continued

How to Get Therapy Clients To Keep Coming Back
Build rapport and be supportive to reduce no-shows For the second time this week you had a no-show. Today, you … Continued

A Guide to Tax Deductions for Psychologists
Do you know which tax deductions for psychologists you’d qualify for? It’s tax season. Are you prepared? Even if you’ve … Continued

How to Attend a Psychotherapy Conference and Get the Most Out of It
Getting the most out of a psychotherapy conference involves preparation and organization. It’s time to get your annual CEUs and … Continued

The Best Feng Shui Office Colors for Psychologists
Use feng shui office colors to help your clients feel calm and at ease “The most important thing to understand … Continued

5 Mental Health Performance Indicators Every Practice Should Track
Mental health performance indicators help private practice owners know if they’re growing, and if not, where to focus their time … Continued

9 Psychology Journals and Magazines for Therapists
If you’re looking to add to your subscription list, try one of these psychology journals. Better yet, try them all! … Continued

How to Create Psychotherapy Business Cards That Leave an Impression
Psychotherapy business cards are one of your biggest marketing tools. Invest in a hard-working design that attracts prospective clients for … Continued

Starting Up: How to Get Counseling Clients For a New Practice
You didn’t learn how to get counseling clients in school, but that doesn’t mean you won’t do so quickly. You … Continued

How to Use Social Media in Your Private Practice
Social media, for health & wellness professionals is a great tool to nurture potential clients and network with colleagues. “Don’t … Continued

5 Self-Care Activities for Groups That Promote Overall Wellness
Self-care activities for groups will keep participants engaged and teach them how to be kind to themselves. Your groups are … Continued

4 Keys to Balancing Life and Work as a Therapist or Counselor
Balancing life and work may seem impossible for a therapist, but it’s easier than you think “Never permit a dichotomy … Continued

How to Use Outcome Measurement Tools in Mental Health
Outcome measurement tools, in mental health therapy, empower you—and your clients—to set goals and determine the treatment’s effectiveness. “Our goals … Continued

9 Great Websites for Therapists to Find Ideas, Resources, and Support
These websites for therapists will help you stay in the know and work with clients Do you find yourself searching … Continued

How to Improve Your Private Practice Therapy Business in 10 Steps
Are you ready for a thriving private practice therapy business? “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful … Continued

5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Employees in a Group Practice
If dealing with difficult employees stresses you out, these five strategies will ease your struggles. Ah! The joys of managing … Continued

Must-Have Telephone Manners for a Mental Health Practice
When was the last time you thought about telephone manners? Make sure yours are up to par before picking up … Continued

5 Stress-Reducing Activities for Families
Keep a list of stress-reducing activities for your clients to use with their entire family, regardless of whether you treat … Continued

How to Use Psychology Workshops as a New Revenue Stream
You can market psychology workshops to clients or other counseling professionals. Who will you target? It doesn’t matter if you’re … Continued

How to Create a Self-Care Journal: 4 Ideas for Journaling Paths to Improvement
Dedicating time to a self-care journal helps counselors fight burnout. “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.” —Isaac … Continued

Why is Self Care Important for Mental Health Practitioners?
Why is self-care important when you’re the counselor, not the client? Your clients may ask you, “Why is self-care important?” … Continued

10 Group Activities for Kids Who Are Acting Out
10 group activities for kids to practice and play outside of their counseling appointments Whether they’re having tantrums at school, … Continued

Why Wait? The Psychological Origins of Procrastination
We’ve all been there. We sit, we stare, we even start to clean as long as it means that we … Continued

Rebuilding a Practice in a New City: SimpleSpotlight on Lara Hanson
Lara Hanson, LCSW is a recent San Diego to Los Angeles transplant, who has been re-building her private practice over … Continued

When Risk Taking Pays Off in Private Practice: A SimpleSpotlight on Kristin O’Rourke
Kristin O’Rourke, LCSW, has a unique practice in the New York area, in which she sees her clients entirely in … Continued

How to Build an Abundance Mindset in Private Practice
At SimplePractice, we love the idea of therapists building efficient and successful practices — so last week, when I read … Continued

Do the Work and the Clients Will Come: A SimpleSpotlight on Lindsay McGrath
Even in a therapist-heavy city like Portland Lindsay McGrath, LMFT has built a consistently thriving private practice working primarily with … Continued

10 Simple Self Care Strategies in 10 Minutes or Less
At SimplePractice, I have spent hundreds of hours interacting with and helping our therapists. And a recurring theme that I … Continued

Are You a Self-Compassionate Private Practice Owner?
Have you ever had moments of struggle as an entrepreneur and private practice owner? Of course you have! … Continued

Ideal Practices DO Exist: A SimpleSpotlight on Tracy Tanner, LMFT
It is hard not to be moved by the passion of a therapist who loves her work. And even via … Continued

SimpleSpotlight: Alicia Taverner on Building a Practice with Baby
Alicia Taverner is an LMFT in private practice in Rancho Cucamonga, growing her practice during her 18-month-old son’s naptimes. We … Continued

Embracing Insurance: A Spotlight Interview with Danielle Kepler, LCPC
Since venturing out from her group practice 9 months ago, Danielle Kepler, LCPC already has a full and profitable practice. … Continued

Can I Deduct That?
A quick guide to the common and not-so-common write-offs for private practice clinicians. For private-practice clinicians, tax deductions are critical to … Continued

Weathering the Ups and Downs of Private Practice
Uriah Guilford on the Tears, Fears and Playing to your Strengths in Entrepreneurship For this SimpleSpotlight post, we’re talking with Uriah … Continued

Entrepreneurship as Self-Care: SimpleSpotlight on Kama Hiner, LCPC
Some therapists dive headfirst into the risks and rewards of private practice right out of school and never look back. … Continued

The ICD: What Therapists Need to Know
Earlier this week, Congress passed a measure to delay the implementation of ICD-10 from October 1, 2014 until at least … Continued

1 simple HIPAA step you may be forgetting
In the September rush up to the HIPAA compliance deadline, you were probably focused on the big items on your … Continued
