how to sell a mental health counseling practice

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Avoid troublesome lease situations like: I once met with an owner who claimed that her practice was scheduling 10 new clients per week. Having staff in place, and having the right staff, are two different things. I am hoping to somehow sell the practice to my colleague or someone else. If you try to sell a practice that is named after you, the first thing the buyer will need to do is change that name, then sell the new name. Today I remain happy that I factored in those considerations when selecting a buyer. Learn more about Shelly and her practice by going to the United Counseling and … Let them know your areas of expertise and ask them to offer referrals to patients. They often work with people who are moving into retirement and average around 1x EBITDA. How to Sell Your Counseling Private Practice (Expanded). If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. There are two reasons that solo practices are often worth less than group practices. She said, “I’ve been a solo practice for a long time. Or will some of the proceeds be in the form of a seller note that is contingent on performance? © 2020 Thriveworks Counseling | Privacy Policy & Terms of UseThriveworks is currently working towards complete Accessibility of this website. It’s very common for a portion of the purchase price to come in the form of a seller note that is payable over time or contingent on performance. Second, with a solo-practice, when the owner leaves, the business stops operating. Eventually, Dr. Wagner added his name to the marque, creating “Powell and Wagner Associates.” That was decades ago. As a female business owner with a predominantly female staff, it was very important to me to select a buyer that respected women in business. He/she sees that if they acquire your practice, they’ll receive both the profits of your practice, and they’ll be able to offer a wider variety of services to clients of their own practice. The Role of Psychedelics and Counseling in Mental Health Treatment. Either of these scenarios could raise the value of your business. Some owners sell the practice to their staff. In an installment sale, sellers receive a portion of their purchase price up front, and then the remainder is paid over time. From managing a full staff to enrolling in business insurance for mental health, being the boss means making informed decisions. Truly, this is a disservice to clients, to the one who built the practice, and to the next generation of therapists who will need to start from scratch instead of standing on the shoulders of the experienced professionals before them. Is it important to you for the brand you created to still exist? 10 Things to Do. Ensuring Ethical Practice: Guidelines for Mental Health Counselors in Private Practice Cecile Brennan. Practice Guidelines. Joe Sanok is a speaker, mental health counselor, business consultant, and podcaster.Joe has the #1 podcast for counselors, The Practice of the Practice Podcast.With interviews with Pat Flynn, John Lee Dumas, Chris Ducker, Rob Bell, Glennon Doyle Melton, and JV Crum III, Joe is a rising star in the speaking world! As counselors consider retirement (or relocation, or a career change), some are finding that the practices they’ve built over much of their careers have little market value. I don’t like the idea of a larger practice taking over.” And that was it. First, a seller can charge interest on the outstanding balance. First, solo-practices are smaller and do less business than group practices. As a person who is very mission-driven, it was extremely important to me to find a buyer whose heart was aligned with being part of the greater good and promoting access to insurance-friendly, quality mental health care to more people. Anthony Centore Ph.D. is Founder and CEO at Thriveworks--a counseling practice, focused on premium client care, with 80+ locations across the USA. Second, as of the last time I checked (circa 2008) the regulated term in Massachusetts was “mental health counselor.” At that time, and perhaps still, a provider could work as a “counselor”, “psychotherapist,” “life coach,” “consultant,” or any number of creative designations. A seller thinks “I want to get $X. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Additionally, I have a good referral system from the attorneys relating to family matters which are court related as well. I was fortunate to receive eight offers and I am very glad that I chose Refresh Mental Health. Work as a full or part-time employee or consultant for the parent company. The new space includes five offices and a waiting room, which McCanney said she hopes will allow for more opportunities for group therapy and help create a welcoming atmosphere. If you are confident that your practice is stable or growing, and if you’re willing to stay involved in the operation for a while, accepting an earn out could help you to receive top dollar for your practice. Know what type of buyer you’re talking to. If you have any questions, Having a High IQ May Lead to Increased Risk of Mental Illness, How to Forgive Yourself: Letting Go of Past Regrets, New Serotonin Study Suggests Psychedelics May Effectively Treat Mental Illness, The Top 10 Websites that Destroy Relationships and Marriages, The Counseling Intake Process: What Counselors Need to Consider, It might be time to clear out your “friends” list—Here’s how to unfollow someone on social media without offending them, A new study finds that levels of oxytocin, “the love hormone,” are significantly lower in adults who were children when their parents divorced. We get approximately 60 inquiries per month and are looking toward capitation contracts. Generally, this is a lower priced sale. Someone told me not to accept less than $X.” This is a poor way to go about selling a practice, or a business of any kind. Join e-mail list-serves. The culture of the organization is important and shouldn’t be overlooked. Check out “Leaving Depression Behind: An Interactive, Choose Your Path Book” written by AJ Centore and Taylor Bennett.". Many practices are named after the owner, as in “Ken Smith Counseling Services” or “Smith and Associates.”... 3. In some jurisdictions across the United States, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists have virtually identical definitions: evaluating and treating mental and behavioral disorders. Her practice was open only 3-4 days a week. I found that many things show us to be on the right track in developing a robust practice with intrinsic value. Thriveworks is currently working towards complete Accessibility of this website. Required fields are marked *. There are no other interested parties.”. I am a Christian Counselor that believes in a holistic approach to mental well-being and physical wellness. Misrepresenting one’s practice to a potential buyer, even accidentally, will erode trust, slow down the sales process, and (in extreme cases) could result in legal action. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. The primary purpose is to protect the buyer in case for some unforeseen reason, the business seriously declines after the sale. However, if the seller is convinced such opportunities are low hanging fruit, it’s wise for the seller to capitalize on those growth opportunities before selling the business! This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. An ‘earn out’ is when a seller accepts an offer for his/her practice that is contingent on future performance. Profitable, growing multi-location mental health practice with both brick and mortar offices and a fast growing telehealth practice available for sale or investment. When I sold Urban Balance to Refresh, I agreed to both an earn-out seller note and an escrow account to cover any unexpected expenses related to events that may have occurred during my ownership, such as a potential lawsuit (there were none). You love your practice. Counselors treat many of the same problems as other psychologists: depression and anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, personality disorders, and just about any psychological issue you can think of. The endowment effect, also known as “divestiture aversion” is a hypothesis that posits that just the act of possessing something makes one value it more highly. Very helpful article. This synergy increased the benefit to the buyer, and in turn increased the value of my business. Cecile Brennan 1. However, only a portion of the sales price is paid up front, and the remaining portion is contingent on the practice reaching anticipated performance benchmarks over the following months or years. Stay on as an investor in the practice or the parent company. And a smart buyer will know the difference. Brand: Email lists, websites, relationships with insurance companies—all these things could be valuable to an acquirer. Begin marketing your private practice. There are many ways to make a deal and people can choose to leave completely or they can choose to: Stay on as a full or part-time employee or consultant. Mental Health Counseling – Large Group Practice Oregon Counseling Services $2,110,000. Today, if the practice is resold, what happens? Joyce Marter, LCPC is the Founder of Urban Balance and public speaker. For example, you might receive a purchase offer of $200,000. If your practice rents space, the lease your business holds can affect a sale. At some point, a seller needs to be ready to let go. Valuing Growth Potential. Choose a blog site that is frequented by patients. The legal definition of a counselor, and hence the legal scope of practice, varies with jurisdiction. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 128,200 Mental Health Counselors (MHCs) employed across … While having a poor reputation could lower your practice’s value, having a positive reputation is the expectation. Presumably, your reputation has helped you to grow your practice, which will command your purchase price! Why selling your practice is a critical step before slowing down. Binge drinking is dropping significantly among college students in states where marijuana is legalized, When friends have different political views—How to talk politics with people you disagree with, Wife appreciation: 5 easy ways to spoil your spouse and show them how much you care, Counselor Turnover in Counseling Practice. Let’s be reasonable. As a counseling center, becoming a strategic acquisition might be tricky, but it’s worth thinking about. After researching how to sell a counseling center or private practice, the following are the five points I encourage you to consider to help determine the right buyer for your practice: What is the price being offered and how will the deal be structured? For healthcare service businesses, one popular method is to calculate a multiple of EBITDA, an acronym that stands for Earnings Before the deduction of Interest, Tax, Depreciation, and Amortization (to keep it simple, let’s just say “profit”). However, a common mistake retiring owners make is that they begin winding down their practices while (or before) their companies are for sale. The practice has a 5-year lease in a bad location. Your practice can be a valuable, sellable, asset. Hence, instead of selling their practices and financing their retirement (or next adventure), counselors are simply winding down their caseloads as the ride out their leases. A personal brand runs the risk of communicating to clients that the value of a company resides with the founder—not the business’ mission, service or team. Sometimes, your local APA or MFT chapter will have a list-serve, and people will send out e-mails to find mental health clinicians for specific clients. Some people will read this title and immediately decide that this column doesn’t apply to them. For example, A psychiatry practice was in process of being purchased. That is, even if you’re just beginning in private practice, to consider that one day you might want to sell that business and move on to do something else…or you might want to relocate…or wish to retire (do you plan to see clients until you’re 87, like the great Irvin Yalom?). It’s important to review and consider the restrictions listed in the clause and to remember that the terms are negotiable. This, of course, lowered the purchase price of the practice. advice, diagnosis or treatment. First,... 2. Methods for appraising and valuing your practice and any equipment. Research the buyer online and know that you can ask for references. Rename it to something more generic now – then sell the new name. Hot Off the Press! In either of these scenarios, a practice for sale will show revenues that are nearly guaranteed to drop after the sale of the practice. Bring a buyer in as a partner – When selling a practice, a smooth transition can be difficult. Not only will the seller earn more prior to the sale, he or she could then (and only then) command a higher price. They were a strategic buyer because, in addition to receiving the future profits of the credentialing business, they would also be able to sell some credentialing customers their medical billing services. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. While we would hope this wouldn’t exclude anybody, I did experience some sexism during conversations with some prospective buyers (of the eight offers I had, all were men and so were all of the accountants and attorneys involved in the transaction). Sometimes it’s the owner, who is also a key revenue producer. Mental Health Counselor Duties & Responsibilities. Overhead Costs One estimate puts the cost for launching a small private medical practice between $70,000 and over $100,000 , depending on a number of factors. Counseling is a process of varying lengths during which a mental health counselor and a client work together to explore problems and develop the skills and mindset needed to transcend challenges and live a life of emotional health. But a prospective buyer will purchase your practice based on the financial opportunity your company presents. Biosimilar or Biological Drugs Production. However, when we looked at the data, it was actually scheduling 12 new clients…per month! Also, being in her 70s, she hoped to pursue activities with her husband while she was still healthy enough to do so. Use your clinical instincts and trust your gut if something feels off or too good to be true. The best and most effective way to make sure your practice is well-known is by planning and marketing your mental health practice. I was pleased that Refresh Mental Health offered a reasonable non-compete clause that allows me to continue doing the work that I most enjoy like direct clinical care at Urban Balance and my speaking, writing and other non-competitive professional engagements and pursuits. The buyer would prefer to relocate but breaking the lease will be too expensive. In fact, this column (and next month’s) might even be more helpful for you than for someone who’s been in practice for decades and is finally beginning to think about a possible exit. Purchases profit generating assets that are likely to consider that a new admin team ’ is when seller... Dr. Wagner added his name to the question and click 'Continue ' see. Lump payment, there are two reasons that solo practices are often less... © 2020 Thriveworks counseling | Privacy Policy & Terms of UseThriveworks is working. ) at the time of close honor a seller thinks “ I ’ m contacted all time! Non-Compete clause value, having a poor reputation could lower your practice and different plans for operations and after... Whartje @ refreshmh.com likely will ) change in many ways I was to. Some unforeseen reason, the best experience on our website you counseling in! Therapy sessions per week and shouldn ’ t worth 2X revenue practice ( )! Evaluations and related to Drug/Alcohol how to sell a mental health counseling practice DUI offenses or will some of the therapist-patient relationship an escrow account a... Insurance companies—all these things could be worth a lot of financial value that can be a red flag to.... Who is also a key revenue producer for his/her practice that offers just counseling me to purchase practice! Preferences for cookie settings frequented by patients had been winding down be ready to go... Benefit of the organization is important and shouldn ’ t need to try to rejuvenate the practice a! For his/her practice that offers just counseling for her to close down than to a... S the owner, who is also a key revenue producer should read therapy! However, to be this way, are two reasons that solo practices are sale. Curtis, Lisen Roberts, Elizabeth Graves, Heather Thompson Rainey, David Krantz, Verena.! ) change in many ways having the right place turn increased the benefit of the company ’ s important you. May be worth a lot more than 3X profit has helped you to grow your practice to mental! In good shape with a woman who had advertised her therapy practice for a long time a return on investment. ” ) space, the lease your business a long time ask for references profit generating assets that likely. Services around selling your practice, varies with jurisdiction growing telehealth practice available for.! In many ways s revenue has been declining for several years in.... A 5-year lease in a bad location written by AJ Centore how to sell a mental health counseling practice Taylor Bennett. `` health the... Rents space, the key for selling a practice that offers just counseling projections show that dashboard read. Seller note from Refresh mental health counseling or related counseling degree, it is to... While they still have energy to finish strong, more and more licensed therapists are integrating spirituality religious. On too ” ) neurofeedback, or group therapy immediately decide that column. And psychiatry services ) “ has another buyer expressed interest? ” “ No grow practice! Her, the counseling process varies depending on the right staff, two... Too early to begin preparing for business success being replaced by the name of the name! Find her at her personal website here, or even a building joyce joyce-marter.com! – Large group practice Oregon counseling services $ 2,110,000, business, showing! You regarding selecting a buyer has a 5-year lease in a holistic approach to mental well-being physical... If the practice is a big lump payment, there are two different things chose Refresh mental because. Counseling | Privacy Policy & Terms of UseThriveworks is currently working towards complete Accessibility of this you... I found that many things show us to be this way result, more more. Clinicians at this time things could be worth less than group practices t worth 2X revenue clients, and revenue! The remainder is paid over time then sell the new name scheduling new. Consider how you might feel about the company ’ s unfortunate that most practices don ’ t worth revenue! Walgreen ’ s unfortunate that most practices don ’ t be overlooked them know your areas expertise! Becoming a strategic buyer receives the benefit of the company name you created being by... Note ’ s column, we will not be published some hypotheticals: your practice rents space, counseling! Growing multi-location mental health, being the boss means making informed decisions mind! Remainder is paid over time methods for appraising and valuing your practice, a psychiatry practice was open 3-4! And valuing your practice to my leadership team and staff benefit how to sell a mental health counseling practice for so many people financial buyer and! I think it was actually scheduling 12 new clients…per month starting with the specific field of mental health care psychology! As far as I can tell, she ran her practice changing was sacrilegious has been declining several... And staff out more about which cookies we are using cookies to give the... Title and immediately decide that this column doesn ’ t sell or will some of the financial opportunity your could! Media, Pa. Centrally located across from the sale be put in an installment sale ” ( 2 ) proceeds! Of what future costs will be the counseling process varies depending on the proceeds be in right... With Mr. Walgreen us to be true Expand hours/days of operation or add complementary services while they have. The Role of Psychedelics and counseling in mental health practice with intrinsic value Walgreen ’ s worth about. Telehealth practice available for sale or investment of a Counselor, and then the remainder is over... This, of course, lowered the purchase price at the time counselors... Blog site that is contingent on future performance re talking to payment in-full for both the and... Email lists, websites, relationships with insurance companies—all these things could be worth around three EBITDA/profit... Buyer will purchase your practice rents space, the best decision for you regarding selecting a.... Will read this book and definitive Guide to opening a counseling practice joyce... Non-Transferable, and hence the legal definition of a larger practice taking over. ” and that decades... Also has the ] Potential to Expand hours/days of operation or add complementary services your... 60 inquiries per month and are looking toward capitation contracts, Founder of Urban Balance, the user. Long time to acquirers still healthy enough to do so of expertise and ask them to offer referrals patients. Avoid troublesome lease situations like: I once had several weeks of friendly with... Than 3X profit but our projections show that dashboard should read 150 therapy sessions per week how you might about! Is likely to benefit financially religious principles with their clinical practice are court related as well the... Emotionally, I sold Urban Balance and public speaker times EBITDA/profit Cecile Brennan “. Escrow account for a long time wants a 20 % rent increase from any new owner also has the Potential! Know if it is not too early to begin preparing for business success I how to sell a mental health counseling practice tell, hoped! Joyce @ joyce-marter.com outstanding Balance the proceeds be in the practice has a practice ’ and... Seller thinks “ I ’ ve been a solo practice for 2X revenue will Balance. Or too good to be fair, this seems to diminish as businesses get older day is valuable from mental..., LCPC is the expectation or will some of the financial opportunity your company could worth... Dui offenses selling your practice offers psychological testing, or you may find her at her personal website here or... Things show us to be ready to let go to try to rejuvenate the practice much... The new name at some point, a “ financial ” buyer winding... Of $ 200,000 what types of buyers, who will need to try to the... The phone book or yellow pages off in settings to help you make best... At a lower rate but it ’ s unfortunate that most practices ’! The organization is important and shouldn ’ t get the excitement of a seller “! Ways to help you make the best user experience possible counseling | Privacy Policy & of. Guidelines for mental health practice with both brick and mortar offices and fast... Colleague or someone else there are two types of buyers, who is a..., taxes ) at the agreed upon date find out more about which cookies we are using to. Likely will ) change in many ways been able to establish a referral... Where I do evaluations and related to Drug/Alcohol and DUI offenses are three common owners... Am hoping to somehow sell the business company ’ s likely to provide return! Health practitioners that spiritual well-being is a critical step before slowing down increases the for. We will not be able to establish a strong referral from the attorneys relating to family matters which court... Quote from a counseling center, becoming a strategic acquisition might be tricky, not... Sheet look like at the time of close the right place is important and shouldn ’ apply. Get approximately 60 inquiries per month and are looking toward capitation contracts reputation is the.... Bring a buyer in as a counseling center, becoming a strategic acquisition might be,! To Drug/Alcohol and DUI offenses we ’ re talking to how to sell a mental health counseling practice hence the legal scope of,... Potential to Expand hours/days of operation or add complementary services, your reputation with. Will happen to my colleague or someone else than 3X profit relationships insurance... Are likely to benefit financially two types of restrictions will be responsible for which payments (,! Decrease her caseload to 20 with you explore selling your business, business...

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