A colleague asks a therapist “who do you work with in your private practice?”
The therapist answers:
“I work with high functioning adults” or
“I work with people going through transitions.”
These answers describe clients in the most general and least compelling way, squandering an important opportunity.
I understand why a therapist would answer this way. It’s a quick way to describe the range of people you work with and it doesn’t exclude anyone who you might like to work with. But never say it again.
When you say that you work with high functioning adults or people going through transitions you set yourself apart from… almost no one.
When a colleague asks you who you work with, it’s an opportunity to communicate your unique understanding of a group of people. It’s time to show your enthusiasm for helping that group.
Look for new ways to talk about the people you work with so that your colleagues will remember you.
If you have a particular niche, you probably don’t have as much trouble setting yourself apart. But even if you have a general practice working with adults, you probably work better with some “high functioning adults” than others. Here are some examples of ways to describe particular groups of clients:
“highly sensitive”
“perfectionist”
“burned out”
“spiritual seekers”
“introverted”
“parents of young kids”
Look for similarities in the people you work best with, and name those. Your conversations with colleagues are likely to become more interesting rather than dropping off. Your colleagues will remember what you said about your work.
But what if you like working with LOTS of different kinds of people?
As the conversation continues, you can mention that too. You’re not going to be limited to just one kind of client. When your colleagues see that you have confidence and expertise with one group, they’ll imagine you working well with other people too.
Is it time to build your practice in a big way? Are you ready to think bigger? Apply for a free phone consultation now.