Curt and Katie chat about how therapists can take extended time away from their therapy practices. We talk about how to budget time and money for vacation as well as what therapists need to have covered when they’re gone. We also look at how to mitigate foreseeable risk and manage continuity of care.
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In this podcast episode we talk about how therapists can get time away from work
We’ve heard too many people talking about the challenges of taking time off when you’re working as a therapist.
How can therapists budget for time off?
Determining fees based on time you’re actually working (i.e., charging more or determining number of weekly sessions based on when you can be away)
Scheduling based on diminishing the number of actual missed sessions (i.e., scheduling vacations when your clients are on vacation and/or taking long weekends and moving clients within the week to take partial weeks off)
What do therapists need to cover when they go on vacation?
Clinical coverage within your practice or with colleagues
Identify when you’re on-call and how you navigate that within your vacation
Supervision coverage planning
Understanding when you can respond to clients or supervisees (i.e., being in wise mind)
Safety planning with clients, including coverage plan and/or when you’re available
How can therapists mitigate the clinical risks for taking longer vacations?
Determining when you should stop taking new clients before a longer vacation
Teaching your clients to be okay without you
Flexibility on when you take time away and how to take time away from the office
Planning for foreseeable risks
Homework or other resources
What does a hybrid work vacation look like?
Virtual work as needed
Creating times/spaces for clinical sessions and follow up
Make sure you have sufficient wifi or cell reception and privacy
It’s important to make sure you get downtime and aren’t constantly working
Why is it important to take time off when you’re a therapist?
Getting rejuvenated and living life
Working to prevent burnout
Renewed sense of energy within the profession
Our job is to talk about pain and suffering and there is so much pain and suffering in the world, so it is important to get restorative breaks
Who we are:
Curt Widhalm, LMFT
Curt Widhalm is in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is the cofounder of the Therapy Reimagined conference, an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and CSUN, a former Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, former CFO of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making "dad jokes" and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more at: www.curtwidhalm.com
Katie Vernoy, LMFT
Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant supporting leaders, visionaries, executives, and helping professionals to create sustainable careers. Katie, with Curt, has developed workshops and a conference, Therapy Reimagined, to support therapists navigating through the modern challenges of this profession. Katie is also a former President of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt's youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more at: www.katievernoy.com
A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves - except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.