We are so excited to have Wakelyn here to teach us about essential oils.  She'll be joining us for a talk on March 11th at 12pm.  More to come on getting tickets!

What KIND of NETWORKING will I have to do?
What KIND of networking suits me??

Developing your niche is clearly something that is very important. From a business standpoint, it is a way to set yourself apart from others. From a personal and professional standpoint, it is a way to ensure you enjoy what you do day in and day out.

Ok, you are clearer on your niche- now what?

One of the main reasons to be super clear with yourself about niche is so you can begin to spread the word about who you want to see, which means we get to talk NETWORKING!
I have not met many therapists who love this part of private practice- or at least love the idea of networking in its classic, schmoozy form. Good thing we do NOT have to do this to network successfully.

I think it is super helpful to begin rethinking networking and reframing it to mean something that works for you. If you like big groups and meeting tons of new people and handing out cards- great, do that! If you are more of an introvert and enjoy meeting someone for coffee, then that is YOUR way of NETWORKING! And that works just fine!

The most important writing concept I ever learned was from Anne Lamott who talked about Shitty First Drafts in "Bird by Bird."

Do not let perfectionism stop you from even starting.  The most important part of turning your niche into content is writing drafts of content.  They don't have to win an award.  They don't have to define you as a therapist or as a writer.  These drafts just need to be written so you can get to the good stuff.

As you write, you will hear your voice begin to show through.  You will get clear on your messaging.  

But before that happens, often a naughty little voice tries to sabotage that process.  Let me just go out on a limb and guess what that voice in your head is saying right now...​

Now that you've heard that tricky little voice in your head.  Be nice to it.  Ready for some therapizing?  Here we go... 

Repeat three times as needed.

Starting a private practice is one of the biggest opportunities for self-love you will ever encounter.  You have a choice to make:  will you listen to the fear in your heart, or embrace your true essence and your strengths?  

One of the reasons I started Launch Wellness was because I kept hearing fear in the voices of my friends starting their practices.  I felt as though I was holding their amazingness in my heart, but they weren't feeling it in theirs.

At Launch, part of our job is to create a community to help you get back to your essence -- back to your worth.  We have new membership levels rolling out soon to provide you opportunities to get support and feedback and feel your worth.

Let us know in the comments what your niche is!  We'd love to hear!

If someone in grad school told me to consider my brand I probably would have asked  “what does that even mean?”

I never thought I would be talking about branding as a psychologist. I just assumed that branding was for people trying to sell products- like Nike :) . As therapists, we are not necessarily selling products, so why the need to discuss branding?

Cultivating and developing your brand helps clarify your message to future clients.
So how do I go about doing this? I feel like I have been hearing about branding more and more these days. I included a link to Joe Sanok’s Practice of the Practice Podcast where he interviews a branding expert. Below are some of the key points Nicole Bonsol makes about discovering your brand. Check it out!

http://www.practiceofthepractice.com/pop-114-discovering-your-message-and-voice-an-interview-with-nicole-bonsol/

1. Your Message: What do you stand for? What’s the heart-felt mission statement that rallies your tribe? Figuring this out is the foundation for creating great written content AND a stunning website.

2. Your Voice: What is it about your personality – your essence – that helps your message connect with the right people? How you consistently deliver your message is just as important as the message itself.
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3. Your Visual Brand: Do your website and marketing materials make a visual impact that matches the power of your healing work? Having a website that instantly communicates your warmth and your spirit is a wonderful way to welcome potential clients into your practice.