I’ve been talking to many of the therapists on the strategy calls and exploring with them their big “why”, the reason why they do what they do. We are not in this profession for the money, but to help others process, grow, explore, heal, and transform their relationships and their lives. Money is not the bigger “why”, but the gift of helping others is what keeps us showing up, being present and compassionate with our clients. So when the clients aren’t showing up all of a sudden you may question your clinical skills, or start to second-guess your gifts as a therapist. Self-doubt will often show up when you are vulnerable and do its best to keep you put. Yet, you know your truth, you have the clinical knowledge, you are a gifted healer, that is your truth.
However, even the most gifted therapist may get overwhelmed and feel stuck, if they are fearful of not attracting enough clients to their practice. (read more on the blog- click here). Fear often shows up at these crossroads with the intention to keep you right where you are. So people start to make comments about the economy or about things not working out because there is too much competition. Brilliant therapists may just stay put, doing more of the same marketing as they have done in the past, hoping things will be different. Some people may start looking for contract or agency work, fearful if they don’t do something now they may not be able to pay the bills.
So what can you do during these periods, when Monday comes around and you are dreading the lack of clients, or the agency job? You can look fear head-on and see what it is attempting to do; then when you acknowledge fear, you can begin to take action on marketing your business.
I like to think of fear as an indicator that there is a possibility for something remarkable to happen fairly soon. Here’s a simple tool to help you understand what your fear is signaling.
Draw a bull’s eye with two rings. In the center of the target is your comfort zone. It’s the place that is familiar to you right now. Even if it is not the best place for you, it is familiar. Your comfort zone may stretch some, but it stays fairly closed. When you move beyond the comfort zone into the next ring you are in the ‘gap’. The outside ring is your goal, or intended outcome.
While you are in the gap there is an intensity of feelings, this is where fear resides. Emotionally you may feel like you will be annihilated. Being in the gap will bring up lots of negative cognitions to validate why you should go back in to your comfort zone. You’ll find excuses to quickly help you return to your comfort zone (such as I can’t do that, I don’t know enough, I don’t have the time, I don’t have the money, the economy is bad, my spouse won’t let me, etc). We see this with our clients when they go through transition as they move out of their comfort zone and familiar patterns into the unknown. By looking at fear honestly and openly you can see where you may be ‘playing small’ and staying in your comfort zone (even when you are longing for something bigger).
Take the time to do this exercise and write down or draw out all the negative cognitions and feelings in the gap. Then acknowledge what you desire to create, and take steps towards your bigger “why”, or the goal that keeps you showing up, even on tough Mondays.
Ready to take a no excuses approach to your bigger ‘why’? Then join us for the 6-month Create a Business I Love Platinum Program on April 9th. You will be given a blueprint to create a six-figure business and walked step-by-step through the process of exactly how to create the therapy business you love, making more money and helping more people.
Link text: www.businesssuccessfortherapists.com/platinum
I’ve been talking to many of the therapists on the strategy calls and exploring with them their big “why”, the reason why they do what they do. We are not in this profession for the money, but to help others process, grow, explore, heal, and transform their relationships and their lives. Money is not the bigger “why”, but the gift of helping others is what keeps us showing up, being present and compassionate with our clients. So when the clients aren’t showing up all of a sudden you may question your clinical skills, or start to second-guess your gifts as a therapist. Self-doubt will often show up when you are vulnerable and do its best to keep you put. Yet, you know your truth, you have the clinical knowledge, you are a gifted healer, that is your truth.
However, even the most gifted therapist may get overwhelmed and feel stuck, if they are fearful of not attracting enough clients to their practice. (read more on the blog- click here). Fear often shows up at these crossroads with the intention to keep you right where you are. So people start to make comments about the economy or about things not working out because there is too much competition. Brilliant therapists may just stay put, doing more of the same marketing as they have done in the past, hoping things will be different. Some people may start looking for contract or agency work, fearful if they don’t do something now they may not be able to pay the bills.
So what can you do during these periods, when Monday comes around and you are dreading the lack of clients, or the agency job? You can look fear head-on and see what it is attempting to do; then when you acknowledge fear, you can begin to take action on marketing your business.
I like to think of fear as an indicator that there is a possibility for something remarkable to happen fairly soon. Here’s a simple tool to help you understand what your fear is signaling.
Draw a bull’s eye with two rings. In the center of the target is your comfort zone. It’s the place that is familiar to you right now. Even if it is not the best place for you, it is familiar. Your comfort zone may stretch some, but it stays fairly closed. When you move beyond the comfort zone into the next ring you are in the ‘gap’. The outside ring is your goal, or intended outcome.
While you are in the gap there is an intensity of feelings, this is where fear resides. Emotionally you may feel like you will be annihilated. Being in the gap will bring up lots of negative cognitions to validate why you should go back in to your comfort zone. You’ll find excuses to quickly help you return to your comfort zone (such as I can’t do that, I don’t know enough, I don’t have the time, I don’t have the money, the economy is bad, my spouse won’t let me, etc). We see this with our clients when they go through transition as they move out of their comfort zone and familiar patterns into the unknown. By looking at fear honestly and openly you can see where you may be ‘playing small’ and staying in your comfort zone (even when you are longing for something bigger).
Take the time to do this exercise and write down or draw out all the negative cognitions and feelings in the gap. Then acknowledge what you desire to create, and take steps towards your bigger “why”, or the goal that keeps you showing up, even on tough Mondays.
Ready to take a no excuses approach to your bigger ‘why’? Then join us for the 6-month Create a Business I Love Platinum Program on April 9th. You will be given a blueprint to create a six-figure business and walked step-by-step through the process of exactly how to create the therapy business you love, making more money and helping more people.
www.businesssuccessfortherapists.com/platinum
