Introduction

We are so excited to have you onboard and doing your internship with us at Life’s Work.  You are a very specific type of intern.  You are someone who wants to go into private practice, and that allows you to have a unique experience in your internship. 

​

That said, in order to bring you up to speed on the mindset pieces that are an integral part of the private practice experience, I have created a reading list for your internship at Life’s Work Clinic, and this will be in your next Step. 

​

These books were chosen specifically for the mindset components that they impart.  This list is by no means exhaustive, but they will serve as a great starting point for opening your perceptions, enhancing your understanding of emotions and laying out practical and duplicatable tools that you can use on your professional path should you choose to apply them. 

​

While a lot of people will tell you that they always have “the Turner book”, Social Work Practice, on their desk, this applies to a much greater degree when you are working for an agency or doing community level work as opposed to working in private practice.  I still have my copy in a prominent place, but the books I actually have on-hand and the ones that have shaped my practice more than anything else are all listed below. 

​

During the first weeks of your internship, we will be focusing on your reading and processing of these books during our weekly meetings as well as marketing your services.  We will also be strategizing about what your ideal clients look like, where to find them and how to screen for them during your initial contact.  These are going to form the foundation of your practice, so we might as well take a deep dive into them now. 

 

The more you practice these skills, the better you will get at them and the less nervous you will potentially be when you are making first contact with a new client or reach out by phone to potential referral sources.  Trust me when I say that you do not want to fill your practice with clients that are not the people you are passionate about helping, so learning to screen the prospects is vital to having a happy and thriving practice.  While some therapists enjoy the diversity that can come with a wildly different client base, when you get your ideal clients, you will have better results, and, in the end, you could have a practice where 60-75% of your new clients come from referrals!  It does get easier over time, and there will never be any substitute for diving right in.

​

We will, of course, be creatively looking for ways to meet all the different criteria that your university will require for your internship.  Being that you are located geographically in or near a large, metropolitan area, you will have a lot of different ways that you can fulfill these requirements, so don’t worry about that.  It’ll happen.

​

We are going to have a great time in your internship, and I look forward to getting you started on a long and enjoyable career in private practice.

​

Sincerely,

 

Adam DeVaney, LCSW, CECP