Get Clients to Pay Your Therapy Fee in a Down Market

Does Anybody Have the Money to Pay Your Fee? The current financial downturn in the U.S. has a few therapists wondering.

If you watch the news or read the business section of the newspaper, you can easily scare yourself to death before breakfast. Yes, there are some financial issues plaguing many Americans: Job loss, the increase in the cost of gasoline and groceries, and the fallout of the housing market are creating financial pressures for many people. Today's dollar has to stretch further than a few years ago. Financial pressures are very stressful. However, who is better at helping people cope with stress than therapists?

You get what you focus on. If you spend time each day fretting over the economy and filled with worry that no one will be able to afford your fee, that's exactly what will happen. Instead, get clear on what you want: Clients who value and appreciate you, who are willing to pay for their therapy because they know it is useful, and who have a pain that you can help soothe.

Work through your old money stories. You may have some old stories about money left over from childhood. When you think about your money, do you feel the clenching of fear in the pit of your stomach? If so, you have some money shadows waiting to be processed.

What would you say to one of your clients who has fear about money?

Many people are still able to pay for cable television, buy new cars, and take vacations. They can pay for therapy IF they feel it is essential to solving their problem. Certainly, there are tragic situations where people are destitute and cannot afford the necessities of life, let alone therapy services. Thankfully, there are community agencies with sliding fee scales to serve that population.

Your ideal client is someone with the financial resources to pay for their therapy. Instead of focusing on all the doom and gloom, decide to focus on what is working well.

Examine your marketing plan. Consider these questions:
• Where are you finding your ideal clients?
• Can you speak to more groups to get in front of more ideal prospects?
• Are you following through on your networking?
• Have you made any new professional contacts this week?
• How long has it been since you had lunch with the person who gives you the most referrals to thank him for his support or ask her about her needs?
• Do you choose to see the opportunity in today or be paralyzed by fear and old stories?

If you want to earn more money and become a wealthy therapist, this is the ideal time for you to spring into action. Resolve to do more work on your marketing plan and implement your plan with regular action steps.

People are stressed out and worried. What a great time to be a therapist who can help!

--Casey Truffo, MFT is an award-winning speaker and coach to therapists on five continents. She is the author of Be A Wealthy Therapist: Finally, You Can Make a Living While Making a Difference. Founder of BeAWealthyTherapist.com, her vision is to teach therapists how to ethically and honestly earn a good living.

If you have any questions, please contact us at http://www.beawealthytherapist.com/contact.html or call (949) 309.2590.



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