Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash
Scarcity can be defined as “there’s not enough.” As a mental health therapist and Financial Therapist serving fellow therapists and small business owners, I often detect scarcity in the way folks speak their fears out loud. For example, “there’s never enough clients,” “not enough referrals,” or “there isn’t enough money.” With these beliefs come stress and resulting problematic behaviors. Let’s take a look at some warning signs for therapists in private practice that show when scarcity may be driving.
#1 You say yes to a client who’s not a good fit.
Taking on any and every client that calls can be a sign of scarcity. As therapists, we aren’t a good fit for everyone, so we should use caution and practice pausing before taking on clients that aren’t within our wheelhouse. It can also become an ethical concern if we take on a client that would benefit from a speciality that we aren’t trained in.
Scarcity Solution: Identify your ideal client(s) and market to them!
#2 You schedule a client on your lunch to make their schedule work.
I’ve been guilty of this. The client shares that they have a limited schedule, so you offer them your lunch hour to make it work. This could become a recipe for burnout in not taking the much-needed break to rest, eat, and reset during a day full of clients.
Scarcity Solution: Block out your lunches and honor them.
#3 You schedule a client at a time that’s not your ideal schedule.
Your client shares that their schedule is changing and that their original appointment time isn’t going to work any longer. So you respond by offering a Friday or later evening appointment you don’t actually offer to other clients on your caseload. This response of “fitting people in” could lead to burnout or resentment if they begin to expect scheduling exceptions on a regular basis, especially since you set your schedule for valid reasons, such as family, self-care, or other obligations.
Scarcity Solution: Commit to a work schedule to see how you like it. When you identify that schedule, honor it with new and existing clients. You can always change the schedule later as you see fit, it’s a benefit of working for yourself!
#4 Do you feel uncomfortable with a blank spot in your calendar so you seek to fill it?
Perhaps you find yourself nervous with too many open appointment slots in your calendar so you attempt to track down clients who haven’t scheduled in a while, or seek out projects to keep you feeling busy.
Scarcity Solution: Lean into the discomfort. Schedule self-care or a fun project in the free space. Embrace boredom as the catalyst for creativity.
#5 Do you see a lighter schedule so you take on more clients than you actually need to.
As a result, your efforts to take on new clients or add in new commitments leaves you feeling stretched too thin the following week when folks are scheduling regularly again.
Scarcity Solution: Identify a mantra or phrase you can say to yourself when things feel light and anxiety-provoking, that helps you hold fast against an urge to take on more or be overly busy.
#6 You hesitate to raise your rates or move to private pay from insurance because you’re afraid you’ll lose clients.
It is possible that you could lose a handful of clients when shifting away from insurance or raising your rates, and preparing for that possibility helps one feel in control of next steps in response. It’s important to recognize that avoiding a change that would benefit you, your practice, or your family from a business or burnout standpoint is a textbook example of scarcity in private practice.
Scarcity Solution: Gently remind yourself that folks don’t like to start over with new therapists if they can make things work financially. Revisit your numbers to clarify why a pivot to private pay or a higher rate is worthwhile to you in your practice, then make a conscious plan for the transition that supports both you and your clients through the change.
#7 You see colleagues as competition rather than collaborators.
You notice a colleague is doing something similar to you, such as serving the same client population or offering a course or training with similar content. To feel threatened and respond as if they are competition is a sign of scarcity. Instead, recognizing that you each have your own style and that cross-referring could be a helpful to reaching more folks wanting services or content, could result in a beautiful collaboration where you both win!
Scarcity Solution: Recognize that you have your own spin on things and that there are plenty of people looking for what you offer. Network with that colleague to get to know them better. This reduces the internal narrative that they are a competitor and instead helps you see them as a fellow professional.
It's natural to have moments of scarcity in private practice because you are working hard to make your business successful. Therefore it’s important to recognize the signs of scarcity and respond to them in ways that lessen the pull to play small or overwork yourself, instead responding in authenticity and awareness that will build your business best.