I think on of the biggest problems for anyone in private practice is finding patients. I decided not to get on insurance boards because I wanted to start out slowly and do things my way. The solutions I found were to advertise in a variety of locations that target your ideal client. I was surprised at how visible I must have been because I received a few inquiries a week from new clients. The next problem was not accepting any insurance plans so I do a sliding scale, inform people about using their HSA/Flex funds accounts in their insurance plans and offer a super bill. Now, several of my clients have insurance but choose to pay out of pocket to come to me!

Doing agency work can be really informative and rewarding but it can also cause you to feel burned out on being a therapist. My advice would be to work hard towards getting your license as soon as possible. Find an agency that will offer supervision and is reliable about helping you get licensed. Once you’re licensed, so many more doors open up and it is really liberating.

I used to encourage myself to just keep working hard towards licensure and remembering that it will be worth it. I also learned to maintain my boundaries while working in agencies which has helped me to this day.

I am a licensed mental health therapist and I have experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I received my masters in counseling from ASU and I’ve been practicing for about 5 years. In addition to working with issues of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, PTSD, and childhood traumas; I’ve been working in the field of substance abuse treatment and have experience treating co-occurring disorders. I have experience counseling people questioning their sexual orientation and identity, alternative relationship models as well as traditional monogamous relationship issues such as infidelity, mistrust and lack of communication. Everyone is seen as capable of reaching their highest potential and living a fulfilling life. My therapeutic style uses CBT techniques and is solution-focused helping you focus on what you can change and motivating you to take control and make important changes to have immediate effects. The therapy is client-centered and tailored to each person’s unique treatment needs. My philosophy is that everyone has the answers to their problems within them and given an accepting and nonjudgmental environment, they can gain the courage and motivation to address them. My approach is to address the core negative self-beliefs that not only adversely impact the choices one makes but also strains interpersonal relationships. You can contact me via email at tucsoncounselingassociates@gmail.com or from the website www.tucsoncounselingassociates.com.

Tucson Counseling Associates specializes in outpatient psychotherapy services for children, teens, adults, couples and families. We offer flexible scheduling with therapists available evenings and weekends. In office appointments are available as well as in the comfort of the client’s own home and online (via Skype).Tucson Counseling Associates is a teaching facility that provides clinical supervision and training to associate level clinicians in a private practice setting. Everyone is seen as capable of reaching their highest potential and living a fulfilling life. I think I stand out because I am a very personable and approachable therapist that really tries to collaborate with my clients to best meet their needs.