Therapist Spotlight: Problem Clients and Finding Your Own Rhythm with Stacey Horn

This Therapist Spotlight is a part of our interview series with experienced Mental Health Practitioners, where therapists share their experiences in Private Practice Therapy.
What was one of the biggest problems you struggled with and ultimately solved in the beginning of your private practice? What solution did you find to your (perhaps persisting) problem?
After practicing for 23 years, I had a client who was very treatment-wise. The client made a complaint about me to the licensing board. I took it very personally even though the complaint was dismissed. This experience changed how I see myself. I know I did nothing wrong, but it was discouraging and both emotionally and spiritually painful. The solution I found was to consult and document the consult.
What advice would you give to a budding mental health practitioner just getting licensed?

Find a niche. something you love passionately, do it better than everyone else..It’s ok if you change your mind later..Do your own Therapy/Consultation. Know yourself and who you work Most effectively with and focus on those clients. Develop the habit of referring clients you don’t connect with to a better Therapist. You will be well thought of in your community, clients will have better outcomes, and you will not burn out. Find an amazing template for notes, either on paper or electronic and use it as if it will save your life and it possibly will.

If you delay having children because you are focusing on your career, just know that you can have a healthy pregnancy and birth in your late 30’s and early 40’s. You have more patience than in your 20’s, you just don’t have quite as much energy.

What advice would you have given yourself early in your career?
Develop the habits to manage your time efficiently, 45 to 50 minutes. Treat your practice as a business, put some money away for hypothetical retirement. Stop believing you can do it all and understand that just because you can do many things- Doesn’t mean that you should do them. Someone else can do it faster, at a lower rate- freeing you up to generate a higher rate of income ($20 hr –administrative activities vs $100+ per clinical hour)
Do you see any persisting or upcoming problems in the private practice industry. If so, how do you handle them?
Insurance contracts average $ 80 for an initial session and $60 for
90834. The “sickest” most complicated clients will only be seen in Mental Health Centers. Being a Medicaid provider pays less than the average, barely pays for case management services (a predominant need) the level of documentation required consumes approximately an hour for 12 sessions. This may be cost and time prohibitive for an individual provider, a Mental Health Center has the
Administrative, computer system and billing system built in and may pay their professional Providers $35 to $60k per year. For me, I chose to give up Medicaid. I can’t tolerate the stress of everything being about documentation and oversight.
Please let us know about you: where are you located, any specialties, credentials, and educational background. How should someone get in touch with you?

I practice in a rural resort community near Vail Colorado. My degree was Masters of Social Services Administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland 1991, and am a LCSW. I have worked in all levels of care from Outpatient, IOP, Residential treatment to a State Hospital. I loved Psychiatric Urgent Care, and I loved Forensic work including Civil Commitment of Sexual Predators.

Over the last 4 to 6 years, I’ve recognized my passion as a Consulting Hypnotist, and in the area of Temperament Psychology my niches. I am a 51 years old and I have a 6 ½ year old daughter. I am finally taking my own advice noted above for new practitioners and myself early in my career. My website is www.familyroomco.com and www.hypnosisvail.com and I have both a Facebook page and Pinterest page.

Stacey Horn, LCSW, CH
(970) 616-4401
stacey@familyroomco.com
PO Box 6042
Eagle CO. 81631