Which skills do you have that could be carried over into your private practice? Today's guest Olivia Grigg, who works as a therapist, used to spend her summers running camps, and now she hosts successful wellness retreats!
If there is something that you would like to do, whether start a podcast, create an e-course, or even host and launch a retreat, these options are all possible for you. Even if you love counselling but you still feel like there's something else out there that you want to combine with your standard hours in session, you can find it, and make it happen.
In this podcast episode, Olivia and I talk about her journey from working in another group practice to starting her own Canadian practice, and hosting wellness retreats that keep getting full!
MEET OLIVIA
Olivia is an RSW in London, Ontario. She has three young kids who keep her busy. Olivia supports clients 1:1 as well as hosting wellness retreats regularly throughout the year. Olivia focuses on somatic approaches as well as inner child and self compassion strategies to help clients move towards self trust.
Learn more about Olivia on her website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles.
In this episode:
Why Olivia started a private practice
Hosting retreats
Retreats could help you get clients
Advertising retreats
Handling insurance
Why Olivia started a private practice
Before starting her own practice, Olivia was working at another group practice offering one-on-one counselling.
Although Olivia enjoyed her time at the group practice where she previously worked, she felt a strong pull to expand on her own desires and skills as a therapist. For her and her journey, it made sense for her at that point to continue the journey on her own.
Olivia knew that she wanted to spend more time with clients that were going through a religious transformation or deconstruction, or had a desire to reconnect with their faith in a new way, but these weren't the clients that she could see while working at the other group practice.
Hosting retreats
Since Olivia has had experience in both improvising through handling big groups of people - and from playing music - she felt comfortable organizing and leading a wellness retreat.
Even though there are some differences, the similarities are far more and far greater.
Retreats could help you get clients
For some of Olivia's clients, they often come to her retreats first before signing on as an official client since it allows them to indirectly work with her and experience her counselling before making the commitment.
Of course, not all participants are looking for a therapist, but some do, and so retreats could function like a soft-meeting.
Advertising retreats
In terms of advertising the retreats that Olivia hosts, she usually uses:
Instagram as her main platform
Her website
Her network of therapists in the community to pass the information onto their clients, but often the therapists themselves join the retreats too!
Since retreats are becoming more popular and people are more familiar with what they are, the need has adjusted and grown. So, Olivia often finds clients and participants relatively easy. She's hosted retreats as small as five to as large as 20.
Handling insurance
Even though insurance is not as big of an issue as you might think, it is still advised to purchase top-quality insurance, like Olivia does, for her retreats.
For herself and her brand, she purchases high-quality liability insurance so that in case an accident does occur, her business won't suffer for it.
For anyone who is looking to host retreats, get advice that will suit what you want to do.
Connect with me:
Resources mentioned and useful links:
Ep 100: What I've Learned about Podcasting | EP 100
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)
Learn more about Olivia on her website, Psychology Today, and Instagram profiles
