[.ca] Building Your Ideal Private Practice (ISBN 0393703312)

By Lynn Grodzki . . . For Lynn Grodzki:
For me, the ratio of inspirational clouds-and-shrouds to tangible substance is too high. Other books, I suppose, teach you the steps of establishing and building a practice. This one doesn't really; rather, it tries to inspire you to be a much more "abundant," powerful, entrepreneurial, well-connected, spiritual and hyperkinetic person -- a better person, in fact -- than you really are, by means of meditations, guided imagery, hierarchical lists of general business concepts, and case histories of miracle business cures. I suppose my problem is that I'm not susceptible to being inspired by other people's unbridled enthusiasm, and inspiration and enthusiasm, in several dozen permutations, is the main substance of this book. If YOU are so impressionable, the book may be great for you. Another problem, from my rather reactionary viewpoint, is that Ms. Grodzki wants to carry all psychotherapists along on the New Age bandwagon, happily yanking us out of the "pathology"-focused mindset and into the growth-and-self-actualization mindset. This may not be a fad, but I wish it were. I believe that, despite the therapist's enthusiasm for serenity, karmic bliss and a bright-eyed future orientation, hurting clients primarily want (or need) their hurts focused on. Ms. Grodzki would, I believe, see this orientation as a real lead balloon in the business plan. Bottom line, I feel that this book is written for the "inner Bill Gates" that Ms. Grodzki sees in her readers. In other words . . . by Ms. Grodzki, for Ms. Grodzki.

What a gift..the book that has been so desperately needed!:
Building Your Ideal Practice, by Lynn Grodzki is a true gift. This is a book about empowering yourself to create, build and grow the type of practice that you dream of. It offers a rich set of practical tools, suggestions and examples to help guide you through the process. Blending the strength of Lynns business background and the richness and success of her own psychotherapeutic practice, she offers readers a well thought out approach that helps to attract new clients, hold onto clients and avoid the pitfalls of many private practioners. This book is particularly important for therapists who love the work of therapy, but are struggleing with growing their practice in light of changes in the health care industry. The book is fun and easy to read. I have spent 25 years in the business world and am now growing my executive coaching practice and have found her book to be most helpful in laying out the right foundation so that I get off to the right start. Bravo, Lynn Grodzki, thanks for writing the book that has been so desperately needed.

truly amazing!:
This book is fantastic. I've underlined passages, bookmarked pages, and I go bck to them again and again. It's like having a personal business coach for the price of the book! I went from wondering how in the world I could market my private practice, to now seeing limitless possibilities! It should be a must-read for every clinician, both those starting out and those who need a little boost.

I Loved This Book:
Lynn Grodzki offers two invaluable things in her book. One, was the ability to get me unstuck and out of my fear-based paralysis about the future of my practice and the future of the business of psychotherapy. She has done this through her unbridled enthusiasm and inspirational message that apparently comes directly from her own business experience. If someone has a very successful practice than I want to know their experience, hope, and strength. Her positive mind-set has helped shake me out of a "victim" and "scarsity" mindset that was polluting my "off" hours,i.e. the hours when I didn't have clients in my practice. Secondly, she offers a ton of practical advice for a clinician like me. How to start thinking like a business person in addition to being a skilled clinician? Her book has gently led me forward, past my resistences, towards thinking much more intelligently and responsibly about the business end of my work.

Finally, solid, straightforward help for therapists:
I am a clinical social worker, in private practice for quite a while. Last year without knowing why, my client count began to drop off. I got worried. A colleague in my peer supervision group swore by this book. (Her practice stays full all the time.) I think it is the most helpful book on practice-building and marketing for therapists I have ever read. The information in the book is really useful and solid. But more than that, the tone of the book is so calming and inspiring. The author clearly knows her topic, and she finds ways to explain exactly what steps you need to take to become more profitable and grow your practice. Unlike other non-therapist marketers, she understands the mind of a healing professional and the mental shifts in thinking that introverts like me need to go through in order to follow through on networking or getting more boundaries in place for my billing policy. On the back of the book, one reviewer (who was a social worker of the year!) said the book should be the bible of every clinician. I agree. I keep it on my bedside table, and when I can't sleep because I am worried about my practice, I open up this book and feel inspired. Her new workbook is great as well.