Anthony Centore

Some companies, through advertising alone, convince us to buy their brand of product over a competitor’s. It’s why consumers choose Advil® instead a generic painkiller. It’s why we grab a box with Tony the Tiger® instead of a bag of ‘Sugary Flakes.’ It’s why we feel safer buying Scott® grass seed when we could buy seed with a less familiar name. We’re so influenced by branding that we’ll pay a premium for these items even when the generics are the exact same product.

Busy counseling practices today, with some exceptions, are insurance driven. There are good things that come from working with insurance companies. Clients who might not have been able to afford your services now have access. Also, it’s much easier to induce clients to buy services when someone else is paying the bill.

Promotion is an art and a science, a gamble, and a moving target. Few things about building a practice perplex people more than promoting it. In this column, I dispense with style and cram as much advice I’ve learned from my Thriveworks Counseling Cambridge practice as I can into 1000 words. Enjoy!

At my practices, in the last year, two counselors submitted letters of resignation because they were tired of the daily commute and wanted to work closer to home, two others decided to work less and cut their hours by more than half, and another two resigned after deciding to migrate from the east coast to California (one had plans to join a commune and take up organic gardening). Even with over 50 clinicians on staff, losing even one counselor is difficult. But it’s all too common.

A few months ago I wrote a column about the Summer Slump. Let me preface this month’s column by saying that I realize most people have never heard of a “winter slump” in our field. In fact, for many mental health practices, winter is good for business. Short, dark days seem to carry with them client discontent and malaise.