Starting a Successful Practice in Clinical Psychology and Counseling

A Guide for Students in Psychology and New Career Psychologists

Clinical psychology is a quickly growing profession, yet it is a challenging one: the preparation is arduous, the training is highly selective, and the results – an established and financially successful practice – are not easy to achieve. This book explains how to prepare for and surmount all of the hurdles presented to those who hope to eventually develop a lucrative and rewarding practice in clinical psychology. It is the first of its kind to focus primarily on financial success, though it does also look at the personal stresses and rewards of the profession. The author provides tips from his own experience and from other financially successful private practice psychologists and offers business techniques and pointers that are not explained in training programs. Undergraduate students contemplating a career in psychology will find advice on preparing for the GRE, applying to graduate schools, and getting involved in research and clinical work. For graduate students, an overview of a graduate clinical psychology program, preparing and completing a dissertation, and gaining experience in psychological testing are provided. Chapters then focus on how to build and manage a private practice, the best ways to manage personal and business finances, and how to practice good self-care. Additionally, the book includes a chapter by an expert on student-loan repayment that examines how to best work through the process of paying back student loans while building a practice.