After spending many years working in community mental health agencies, followed by several years in a private group practice, I eventually branched out on my own and opened my own individual practice. The biggest challenge for me was having to learn how to run a business and address all of the issues that are necessary to run a private mental health practice, none of which are taught to you in school, and most of which are likely taken care of for you in other professional settings. As strange as it might sound, I found it to be very difficult at times to collect money from people I was trying to help. Virtually everything about running a “successful” business involves bringing in money to help support and sustain the business, but for some reason this can create some discomfort when all you really just want to do is help people. It took time for me to learn to accept that I worked hard for my degree and license, and that it’s ok for me to be financially reimbursed for the services that I provide. Again, this is a “business” mindset that isn’t taught in school and has to be learned through experience. The other challenge is in regard to whether or not you decide to accept insurance as reimbursement for your services. It’s easy to simply say you will only accept clients who can pay out-of-pocket, however, most people are not able to afford those fees. This means applying for and getting on various insurance panels, which can be a very lengthy and frustrating process. It takes time to get reimbursed for services, and if a claim is denied, it takes time to figure out why and to re-submit the claim with changes, if necessary. Hiring someone and/or paying a service to handle this for you can take off most of the stress. For me personally, I can be a bit of a “control-freak” at times so I knew that I was only going to be comfortable handling all of this on my own, which for me meant a much longer learning curve. These are all business-related tasks that can be quite overwhelming when you are out on your own and it’s very important to make sure that you are prepared to learn how to think as a business owner, which can feel quite different from the work you have done to prepare to be a practitioner.

In virtually all helping professions, possibly more so than any other career, there can be an increased risk for what we refer to as “compassion fatigue.” Others might refer to this simply as burnout. When you spend virtually all day, every day, hour after hour, helping others, it becomes easy over time to start to ignore your own needs and neglect self-care. Becoming licensed as a mental health practitioner can be very exciting, and it’s easy to want “throw” yourself into your work because you want to try and make a difference and help out as many people as you can. I imagine that for most of us, that is why we entered this field. The “oxygen mask on the airplane” analogy seems relevant here, which teaches that one of the most effective ways for you to help others is to make sure your are first helping yourself. Saying “no” to people can be very difficult, especially when you are first starting your career, but it’s very important to know your own limitations and maintain boundaries. It’s hypocritical to encourage those you are helping to make changes in their lives to better themselves while at the same time you are neglecting your own needs. Along with self care, I would also suggest continuing to learn as much as you can about who you think you are as both a practitioner and a person. Remind yourself why you made the decision to enter this field and use that knowledge to help you focus on your personal and professional goals, including who you specifically want to help. Network with as many other providers in your area as possible, within both the mental health and medical community. Helping others can sometimes be a lonely profession, especially if you have your own private practice, and it is vitally important that you nurture and maintain healthy relationships in your own life and spend time with others who understand what it is that you do and can empathize with your own struggles. Also, have a hobby that you love that has nothing to do with your profession!

My educational background includes bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology, a master’s degree in Counselor Education (agency track), and a doctorate degree in Human Development & Family Studies, with a specialization in Couple & Family Therapy. I have over 15 years of experience providing therapy/counseling to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I specialize in treating anxiety disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as depression, and most other mental health concerns. Doing relationship and communication work with couples is also another area of specialization. My practice is located in Ames, Iowa and the easiest way to reach me is through my website at DrMattHiveley.com.

Not knowing how others work, it is difficult for me to identify anything that I do that might be considered unique or different. What I strive to do well, and what I feel is one of the most important components of therapy, is building a healthy, trust-based relationship with each and every one of my clients. Through my experiences so far in life, both personally and professionally, I feel that I am able to relate fairly well to my clients and understand their struggles. I love the work that I do and will often use humor as a device to help build rapport. I am a human being, just like everyone else, and have learned more in life from my mistakes (which are many) then from my successes. I understand grief, pain, anxiety, and depression, because I have felt them myself, but I don’t rely on my own opinions to simply dispense advise to others. I use research-based treatments that have been shown to be effective and I continue to conduct research on my own to make sure that what I am doing in therapy continues to be shown to be effective. Overall, I feel very honored to have the opportunity to participate in the process of helping people improve their lives!