| Mental health professionals have a wealth of valuable, | | | | need to rent a telephone bridgeline.Teleseminars can |
| even crucial, information and expertise in which many | | | | include people from all over the country, even |
| people are in need.One-on-one therapy is only one | | | | internationally, at the same time.Classes are typically 60 |
| way we can deliver this expertise and help.There are | | | | minutes long, but can vary. Often teleseminars are |
| a number of possible ways therapists can create | | | | offered in a multi-class series.Teleseminars are another |
| revenue streams while sharing their talents, expertise | | | | way to offer your packaged content and introduce |
| and skills with people in need.Some of these ways are | | | | people to your services. Teleseminars can be offered |
| traditional and common, but others are rather | | | | for free to attract prospective clients and let them |
| innovative ways therapists are beginning to put their | | | | sample your services.See for examples of what |
| abilities to good use. In doing so, they are creating | | | | various professionals are offering. Or, do a search on |
| revenue streams.Traditional ServicesAlthough its time | | | | Google for teleseminars or teleclasses. There are |
| for therapists to think out of the box and develop new | | | | hundreds to browse and attend.To get a better feel |
| services that creatively meet the felt needs of niche | | | | for how to conduct a teleseminar, attend some |
| markets, there is a place for the traditional therapeutic | | | | yourself.ConsultingThe goal of this book is to help |
| services.These include psychotherapy for the DSM | | | | mental health practitioners build thriving managed-care |
| diagnoses, psychological testing and evaluation, | | | | free private practices. |
| marriage and family therapy and behavioral health | | | | One of the themes I hope I have conveyed is that |
| care.And, yes, people will forgo managed-care | | | | psychology is not just for DSM diagnoses. |
| reimbursement and pay out of pocket for services | | | | While we have discussed ways to market traditional |
| that are of higher value because they are higher | | | | services, diversification is important, as it increases the |
| quality, offer real privacy and are truly customized for | | | | chances we can generate sufficient income to |
| the individual needs.One of the frustrations I hear from | | | | operate outside of managed care. |
| mental health care service consumers is that they | | | | Multiple streams of psychotherapy income can be |
| can't find a specialized therapist in their managed-care | | | | developed in one's practice.When I decided to build a |
| insurance network.It's as if managed care's philosophy | | | | manage-care free practice, I gave considerable |
| is, "We'll help you obtain access to psychotherapy, but | | | | thought to howI could provide private-pay services. I |
| we don't care whether the therapist we connect you | | | | explored how I could use my skills in ways that people |
| with is a specialist. A generalist is fine."Set yourself | | | | would readily pay.Many psychologists and other mental |
| apart and demonstrate your true value in the | | | | health professionals are successful in consulting in the |
| marketplace through specialization. Many people in the | | | | workplace for the benefit of employees and |
| market for therapy value specialization.Getting | | | | employers. Business consulting can be a very lucrative |
| PublishedA book is a powerful way to affect lives. It is | | | | income stream.Like many practitioners, I found my skills |
| also a good way to establish credibility, highlight your | | | | could be applied in the business arena. Today, through |
| practice and services and position yourself in your | | | | a business I started called Leadership Concepts, I offer |
| niche.And, it's easier than you think if you self-publish. It | | | | services in the areas of business consulting, executive, |
| has become very affordable to do so, and it puts you | | | | business and career coaching and seminars and |
| in charge of the content, price and reprints.It can | | | | workshops for businesses. This has proven to be a |
| actually be more profitable, too. You keep every dollar | | | | solid and growing income stream for me, and it is work |
| above your costs. If you went through a major | | | | I really enjoy.Other ways to diversify into consulting |
| publisher who sells a few thousand books, you would | | | | include behavioral medicine, forensics and sports |
| only receive the author's fee. You can make as much | | | | psychology.Consulting is a very broad and diverse |
| selling a few hundred copies of a self-published book | | | | area, so I won't scrape the surface of the possibilities |
| yourself.If your book is successful, you may even | | | | here. But perhaps I can give you good directions for |
| attract a large publisher to take over your book.Writing | | | | exploration.If this area is new for you, you will be |
| a book opens doors to speaking engagements, media | | | | surprised to find out the many valuable ways our |
| opportunities and a reputation in your niche market.It | | | | psychology and mental health expertise can be of |
| also helps you to crystallize your thinking and enhances | | | | benefit to people in the workplace. |
| your effectiveness as a practitioner; it's a great | | | | Our background makes us capable of assisting |
| exercise in that sense. You will learn a lot both in | | | | businesses with many different barriers to |
| breadth and depth.Take the opportunity now to | | | | productivity.To familiarize yourself with this terrain, I |
| brainstorm ideas for a book that's inside you.It doesn't | | | | suggest you do a Google search using the keywords |
| have to be long. One hundred pages is | | | | "business," "consulting" and "psychologist" and browse |
| plenty.TeachingTeaching courses part-time at a local | | | | the web sites that come up.Forensic |
| college or university can be an attractive stream of | | | | ConsultingAnother specific type of consulting is worth |
| income.I have been teaching as adjunct faculty in the | | | | considering separately.Forensic consulting has to do |
| Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program at Widener | | | | with psychological or mental health service specifically |
| University outside Philadelphia for several years and | | | | related to the court system.Often times, a court has to |
| find it both rewarding and enjoyable.Think about areas | | | | deal with issues that impinge on mental health |
| of special interest on which you could teach a course. | | | | issues.Some of these include:Criminal |
| Courses that adjunct faculty teach can be core | | | | casesCompetency to stand trialMental status at time |
| curriculum in a graduate program, an undergraduate | | | | of offenseMitigating factors in offensesRisk |
| course or an elective.I find that part-time professors | | | | assessments, violenceCivil casesEmotional damages in |
| who are practioners have a lot to offer because they | | | | personal injuriesAssessments for malingeringFamily |
| are immersed in what they teach. Students seem to | | | | cases and otherChild custody |
| appreciate this as well.E-booksE-books are another | | | | evaluationsCourt-ordered psychological evaluationsIn |
| medium in which you can package and share | | | | addition, attorneys often need help sorting out the |
| specialized information.And e-book is a written piece of | | | | issues when questions of a psychological nature occur |
| information that is distributed via the internet | | | | in their cases. They retain psychologists and other |
| electronically. It is offered free or for a cost (typically | | | | experts to review files and help them prepare for |
| $10 to $30) on a web site.You can also submit an | | | | depositions or cross-examination of |
| e-book to web sites that list hundreds of e-books to | | | | experts.Psychologists and other professionals can |
| make them available to the public.Tens of thousands | | | | inform the court on issues, perform assessments and |
| of e-books are downloaded each year, and are | | | | testify as experts.Consultants in this area testifying as |
| changing lives for the better.Perhaps you can make | | | | experts typically receive $1,000 to $2,000 for their |
| yours one of them.Do you have a solution to a specific | | | | testimony.I find that this niche is an attractive one for |
| problem or can you research the answers?The best | | | | several reasons:It is completely managed-care freeIt is |
| e-books share answers to a specific problem.E-book | | | | interesting workIt makes good use of our backgroundIt |
| topics I have heard of recently include: how to write a | | | | is lucrativeIt is a specialized area that many |
| eulogy, how to cope with a hysterectomy and the | | | | professionals find intimidating,which means less |
| topic of recovering from fibromyalgia.These are | | | | competitionIf you find this an interesting prospect as a |
| e-books written by non-mental health professionals. | | | | part of your practice, then I encourage you to begin |
| Imagine what information psychotherapists can offer in | | | | taking some training workshops to familiarize yourself |
| this just-in-time format.E-books cost very little to | | | | with the terrain.Web sitesRevenue streams can be |
| produce and nothing to distribute. You can attach the | | | | active or passive. Therapy sessions, therapy groups, |
| file for an e-book to an email or make it downloadable | | | | workshops and consulting services are all active forms |
| from a web site.A great e-book is not long. Many of | | | | of revenue streams. You exchange your time and |
| the best are 10 to 35 pages long.E-books offer short | | | | skills for a fee.Passive revenue is revenue from |
| answers to problems readers want to solve, and are | | | | streams that do not involve service delivery, but once |
| available to people quickly.Good e-books are specific | | | | set up, occur automatically 24/7. A common form of |
| and do not contain general information. The key to | | | | passive revenue is income from products sold on a |
| marketability is communicating your precise answer to | | | | web site.Can you see the advantages of passive |
| a specific problem.E-CoursesE-Courses are similar to | | | | revenue? Can therapists develop passive revenue |
| e-books, but they may be lengthier and delivered to | | | | streams? You bet!Therapists can productize their |
| readers one segment at a time. As the name implies, | | | | most useful expertise and offer information products |
| these can be formatted as guided self-study | | | | to benefit others.Some of these we already looked at, |
| programs.E-courses allow for the content to be | | | | like books, e-books and e-courses. These can all be |
| integrated over a specific period of time. Each lesson | | | | offered on a web site for web seekers to obtain and |
| can be a simple article or more in-depth with guided | | | | utilize to fill their needs.There are other possibilities as |
| self-study. Write between five and 10 lessons, and you | | | | well, such as licensing programs.As an example of a |
| have a good e-course.Written by a professional, a | | | | passive revenue web site effectively offering |
| good e-course can bridge the gap between a reader | | | | information products to a specific niche, see Passive |
| learning new information and the reader applying that | | | | income streams utilizing the internet via web sites are |
| information to his/her life and making a behavioral | | | | a burgeoning area for many service professionals, but |
| change.Personal CoachingIn sports, coaching is | | | | few mental health professionals are taking advantage |
| important to help an athlete develop a winning strategy, | | | | of the potential so far.This will be changing soon.Active |
| develop skills and execute the plan. The coach knows | | | | income streams can also be marketed on the |
| how the athlete can progress and move forward. He | | | | internet.Web sites can also be effectively used as a |
| she urges the athlete to set high goals and provides | | | | marketing tool for your fee-for-service practice. More |
| motivation, support, focus and encouragement.Over | | | | and more therapists are putting up web sites and for |
| the past 10 years, the field of professional coaching in | | | | good reasons.A web site is your practice brochure, |
| personal development and business arenas has grown | | | | available any time, day or night, to seekers on the |
| tremendously.What is coaching? Personal coaching is | | | | internet. People you meet, people who hear you give a |
| a one-on-one professional relationship in which a client | | | | presentation and people referred to you by another |
| is assisted in achieving a personal, business or career | | | | professional, can be directed to view your web site, |
| goal.What is the difference between coaching and | | | | find out more about you and, hopefully, be stimulated to |
| therapy? Although coaches sometimes assist people | | | | contact you.A simple, attractive, intriguing postcard sent |
| with challenges and problems of various kinds, they do | | | | to a mailing list can direct your niche market to your |
| not try to help people overcome problems related to | | | | web site. Or, your yellow page ad in the phone book |
| diagnosable conditions as found in the DSM.Rather, | | | | can include your web address.A web site is much |
| coaches assist well-functioning people to attain greater | | | | more than a brochure. It is also a potentially powerful |
| levels of achievement and satisfaction in their personal | | | | marketing vehicle, when combined with internet |
| lives, businesses or careers.While therapy is remedial | | | | marketing strategies.If you decide to have a web site |
| and restorative, coaching is developmental and | | | | for your practice, or for a particular niche service, |
| growth-oriented.Therapy heals mental and emotional | | | | make it full of resources (articles and free information) |
| infirmities, while coaching helps healthy individuals | | | | that will attract people to it and make them want to |
| achieve more or reach important goals.Personal | | | | spread the word.Although beyond the scope of this |
| coaches work with clients on a wide range of issues, | | | | article, internet marketing strategies can be developed |
| such as coping with a problem or crisis, focusing their | | | | to drive people to your web site.Increasingly, people |
| efforts on achievement, making career transitions, living | | | | are beginning their search for products and services |
| more fulfilled lives, achieving life goals and building | | | | on the internet.The yellow pages are not the first |
| better relationships.Other coaches assist people with | | | | choice for many.Are you effectively represented on |
| business development or managerial or leadership | | | | the Internet?Licensing ProgramsAfter you have |
| development. These coaches are called business | | | | developed effective structured programs for your |
| coaches or executive coaches.While coaching is not | | | | niches, you can license the use of these programs to |
| always based on psychology, it often is. And many of | | | | other professionals.Other therapists have been doing |
| the skills a coach uses are the skills in which therapists | | | | this for years. Psychologist Dr. Daniel Dana, a conflict |
| are trained. So, there is considerable overlap between | | | | resolution specialist, certifies mediators and licenses his |
| coaching and therapy.This is why many psychologists, | | | | program at Another example can be found at |
| counselors and therapists have found coaching | | | | DifficultChild.com, as we mentioned previously. Howard |
| attractive and transitioned into coaching either entirely | | | | Glasser, M.A. offers a parenting approach and |
| or as a part of their practice mix. I am one of them. | | | | program, as well as other materials, for ADHD children. |
| In many ways, therapists have an ideal background to | | | | His program involves a book, a training program for |
| be coaches. But the differences between coaching | | | | parents and a training and certification program for |
| and therapy are significant and important to keep in | | | | therapists.His program is called "Transforming the |
| mind.Therapists can make great coaches because of | | | | Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach."One of |
| their insights into human motivation and behavior, their | | | | my coaching clients is certified in this program and |
| understanding of human development and life | | | | speaks highly of it.Howard Glasser's web site actually |
| transitions, their communication and relationship skill and | | | | models several streams of income, including a book, |
| their sense of professional ethics, knowledge base and | | | | workshops, training other professionals, licensing or |
| experience in helping people.Live Workshops, Retreats, | | | | certification and internet marketing for all the above |
| TrainingsPresenting live events such as seminars, | | | | including his practice.These "programs in a box" are |
| workshops, retreats and training programs can be a | | | | typically complete turnkey therapy, counseling or |
| very lucrative stream of income.And, it can be a | | | | consulting programs that therapists can purchase. |
| powerful way to affect peoples' lives.The group | | | | They are usually complete, including the structured |
| setting allows learners to engage with your material | | | | program itself, instructor materials, workbooks and also |
| and benefit from the collective knowledge and | | | | include marketing pieces you can use to generate |
| experience of the group.Live programs can also be an | | | | business.For those of you who want to do niche |
| introduction to your other services. Brief programs, | | | | marketing but prefer not to do the creating part, you |
| such as a "lunch and learn," can be delivered for free | | | | may want to find out whether someone has |
| as a solid marketing vehicle for your practice.As a | | | | developed a program you can utilize to serve your |
| therapist, if you have developed and packaged your | | | | niche.Someone may have done the work for you.If |
| message into a program as recommended earlier, you | | | | you can find a program suitable for your niche market, |
| have the makings of a great seminar or | | | | you could be a few days away from having a |
| workshop.Why not kill two birds with one | | | | marketable service in your repertoire.Training Other |
| stone?Promoting a workshop or retreat is promoting | | | | ProfessionalsWhen you have developed an effective |
| your practice at the same time - and may be | | | | program, you can leverage it by training others in your |
| psychologically easier to do.Consider adding a | | | | approach and methods.Innovators in therapy have |
| post-training element to your program. It could be a | | | | been training others for years. If you develop a |
| follow-up mini-workshop, a series of workshops or | | | | specialization, program or niche service in a growing |
| one-on-one work.You can leverage the energy of a | | | | area, you may find many other therapists would like to |
| live event in many ways for additional revenue | | | | learn from you.Sometimes the innovation is mainly in |
| streams.And, it is likely that some participants will | | | | how a service is packaged.You can train other |
| choose to work with you after the event is over.You | | | | professionals via live workshops, self-study program |
| will want to casually present your other offerings at | | | | packages and teleseminars.Diversification by |
| the event. You may make it easier for them by having | | | | developing a number of streams of psychotherapy |
| a sign-up sheet.TeleseminarsA teleseminar (also called | | | | income increases the chances you can create |
| a teleclass) is a seminar held over the telephone, like a | | | | sustainable income and can be rewarding in other |
| conference call.The advantage of a teleseminar is the | | | | ways too.William D. Morgan is a psychologist, author, |
| convenience. No one has to commute and the | | | | and private practice business coach. He coaches |
| consumers dial to a bridge line at the specified time. No | | | | human service professionals and others who want to |
| physical accommodations need be arranged; you only | | | | build thriving practices. |