In 2003, the first Be A Wealthy Therapist website was created and launched. Back then, websites for many of us were big deals and I felt so “in the future” to have mine “on the world wide web.”  Here is our web banner from that first website:

(I still love the old tagline – Private Practice and a Big, Fat Bank Account – Yes You Can! But I can tell you – not everyone loved it!)

Fast forward to today – seven years later. My, how technology has changed. Now a 14 year-old  can get a website or blog up in a couple of hours.

Back then, our Be A Wealthy Therapist exhibit booth was shunned by therapists at conferences. People didn’t even want our no-charge training materials if they said “Be A Wealthy Therapist.”

When I finally sold one product at our exhibit booth, the purchaser asked us not to give her our specially printed Be A Wealthy Therapist plastic bag to carry the product. “I don’t want people to see those words,” she whispered to me as she glanced around to see who might see her at our booth.

Therapists have really grown as business people over these past seven years. While they have always been caring professionals and well-trained in the art and science of their therapy, those in private practice today have a much broader (and more comfortable) idea of the business of psychotherapy.

For example, seven years ago we didn’t talk much about money. Look where we are today.

Money is not ‘bad’ in our thoughts and vocabulary these days. Money is a measure of the value we put on our time and services. We are taking responsibility for our income in new and powerful ways. We set fees we feel good about. We choose reimbursement options that work for us. We see that money is both a clinical issue and an issue of good self care. I love the progress this represents for us as a profession.

And the future is very bright.

I see compelling business possibilities opening up for the ”business-curious” therapist. There are so many new ways to add even more meaning and money to our lives -  along with or beyond one to one sessions in private practice.

If you like, you will be able to create multiple streams of therapy income – everything from online products to opening multiple offices to starting foundations or non-profits to writing books.

These new options can be big or small but will give many therapists opportunities to bring into play more of their creativity, build some new muscles, and have a lot of fun.

Furthermore for some who are experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout or just a bit of boredom with seeing clients all day every day, these new pathways can offer new ways to use their skills and help bring more meaning into their lives and careers.

Now it is your turn. What do you think?

When you look back over the last seven years, have you changed in the way you think about money and earning a living?

Where are you being invited to grow more?

What do you see as the future for your therapy business? What would you love to do if your weren’t afraid and knew how to do it?

Please share your thoughts, comments or questions below or if you are reading this somewhere other than the blog, you can comment  there at http://InTLI.com/blog/2901/#respond. I look forward to the dialogue. I read and treasure every comment.