Before making a final decision, it is worth looking at some of the basic pros and cons which may not yet have been especially drawn to your attention. These considerations relate less to counselling per se, and more to the generic business model for self-employment.
Firstly, if you have previously always worked as an employee, you’ll have extra responsibilities now. You won’t have an employer who will provide the umbrella protection of a regular salary and other benefits. You may work largely in isolation without the support of colleagues. It will be your responsibility to generate sufficient income to survive and meet your outgoings, to build and sustain a credible and acceptable professional reputation. You’ll need to consider the risks of personal safety. You may need to hone your skills for dealing with paper work, record-keeping and accounts. You’ll need to keep a balance between self-development, personal health and meeting the needs of clients, whilst maintaining high standards and making a reasonable living.
However, provided that you do recognise these issues, and are willing to take them on, the challenges and rewards of seeing your own business develop and flourish, the freedom of working for yourself without the pressures of office politics and other workplace problems, the ability to develop your working strategies along the lines that you feel are the best, and produce the best results, and the satisfaction of creating a business that fulfils your own dreams; these are the things that will hopefully make the sacrifices worth while.
This post is part of the free E-Course “How to Develop Your Therapy Practice”. Each lesson only covers the bare essentials of what you need to learn and should not form your only source of information.
For the complete detailed guide which takes you through each step of setting up and building a successful Therapy Practice, click here.
If you missed the earlier lessons, here are the links:
An Introduction to Private Practice
Legal Requirements