Building Your Private Practice:

A counselor's guide to launching a successful business

Registration Currently Closed - We can’t wait to see you in 2027

Book Your Place

A 2-day live, interactive workshop with 2 highly-qualified counselors

Over two live, interactive days, we’ll walk you step-by-step from “I have no idea where to start” to a concrete plan for opening or strengthening your private practice.

Friday, May 1st, 2026 & Saturday, May 2nd, 2026

Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm PST.

Location: Online via Zoom

If these dates don’t work for you but you're interested in the training, let us know! We’ll add you to our waitlist to be the first to hear about future sessions.

A woman with curly black hair sits in front of a large window, looking at another woman who is standing and speaking in front of a whiteboard or flip chart in a bright room with brick walls.

Who is this training for?

  • Graduate students and associates who are curious about private practice

  • Early-career clinicians ready to launch

  • Established therapists who want to restructure, raise fees, or realign their practice with their values

Does this Sound Familiar?

When you picture private practice, you you feel a mix of excitement and dread.
One minute you’re dreaming about flexibility and freedom; the next, you’re frozen wondering:

  • Where do I even start?

  • What if I mess up the legal or money parts?

  • Can I really make this work as a single earner / parent / associate / student?

We see you. And we don’t want you to do this alone.
This training is an invitation to take the next step with support—where we walk alongside you, help you build what you're envisioning, and create a practice that feels like yours, not a carbon copy of someone else's.

Your Facilitators

  • A human hand held up with fingers slightly spread, casting a shadow on a wall with striped sunlight.

    Frankie Lemmons

    LMFT, LMHC and Supervisor in Training

    Counselor, supervisor, mentor, and supporter, who loves supporting people as they explore identity, heal relational wounds, and build lives rooted in connection and wholeness.

  • Two people holding hands, one wearing a dark shirt and light-colored pants, and the other wearing a brown dress.

    Dr. Michelle Engblom-Deglmann

    LMFT, Professor and Supervisor

    Counselor, supervisor, professor, mentor, cheerleader and genuinely in love with supporting people in their journey to learning, loving, healing, and living a more balanced life.

Building a private practice is easier when you learn from people who have walked the path before you. We bring diverse, real-world experience building and sustaining private practices through both growth and challenges, and are committed to helping clinicians create sustainable, meaningful careers.

But why choose to work with us?

  • Depth + experience. Dr. Michelle brings nearly 25 years in the field as a licensed counselor (OR/CA), supervisor, and professor, with a strong grounding in ethics, systems thinking, and training.

  • Real-time, lived experience. Frankie is a BIPOC clinician licensed in Washington and Oregon who built a profitable, flexible private practice right out of graduate school—while prioritizing parenting and work-life boundaries.

  • Values-aligned support. We care about you as a whole person, not just as a provider. We talk frankly about identity, money, burnout, and boundaries.

  • Practical tools. You’ll see examples of how we structure forms, workflows, and money systems—and leave with templates you can adapt immediately.

  • 2025, Licensed Participant

    “The workshop on starting a private practice was incredible. Not only did I learn so much about the steps and process, I felt inspired and empowered. Additionally, I left feeling confident that I could do it, and with a greater sense of purpose and connection to what I have to offer that is unique to me. I left with a vision. What a gift! The workshop leaders took a holistic approach with the content, integrating the work with the person of the counselor. I couldn't give it a higher recommendation.” 

  • K.P.M LMFT, 2026

    “If you are deciding whether to attend this training, know that you will be receiving quality information, a step-by-step process, and clear explanations of how each step works. You will also be supported, encouraged, and valued both as a clinician and as a business owner.”

  • 2025 Student Participant

    “I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone thinking about going into private practice. Not only will you learn about the legal, ethical and practical basics of what to consider, but also have the opportunity to begin honing in on the specific steps to make this dream a reality. I'm still marveling at all the resources offered and ideas generated - such a valuable offering, thank you again!”

  • 2026 Student Participant

    “Take it! It’s so worth it! It helped put my mind at ease when considering sustainability.”

  • 2025 Student Participant

    “This course is a MUST for anyone considering starting their own private practice! The facilitation, content, expertise in answering the numerous questions that came up, and the tools provided were exceptional. I am so thankful that Frankie and Dr. Michelle offered this course - I feel so much more prepared to successfully launch my private practice when I graduate!”

We will cover

  • Foundations of your practice

    EIN, business structure basics, email, phone systems, and choosing what actually matters at your stage.

  • Business structures, de-mystified

    Understanding Sole Prop vs LLC vs S-Corp in plain language, and where to start.

  • Money that feels aligned

    Budgeting, taxes, working with/without insurance, and setting fees that reflect your worth—without abandoning your values or your community..

  • Self-of-the-Therapist exploration

    How personal history, identity, family beliefs, boundaries, and internalized narratives shape how you show up in business.

  • Ideal client & aligned marketing

    Defining who you serve, how they find you, and how to share what you do clearly and passionately.

  • Step-by-step launch planning

    Practical workflows and sample documentation to adapt immediately.

You’ll walk away with

  • A written launch (or re-launch) plan that maps out your next steps clearly

  • Multiple guided worksheets and exercises to help you design a practice that fits your goals.

  • Sample language for documents, intake forms, boundaries, fees, and communication (adaptable to your practice)

  • A clearer understanding of the money landscape—fees, insurance vs private pay, budgeting essentials, and how to make aligned financial choices moving forward

  • Tools to support confidence, clarity, and sustainability in how you show up as a business owner

  • Community connections with other therapists building practices with intention

Register Interest Today

Tiered investment in your practice

  • Students

    $200

    For current graduate students in marriage and family therapy, clinical counseling, or related mental health fields who have ever been curious about private practice.

  • Associate Level Professionals

    $300

    For pre-licensed clinicians practicing under supervision (associates, interns, residents, or candidates depending on state).

  • Licensed Professionals

    $400

    For fully licensed therapists and clinical mental health professionals interested in starting or growing a private practice.

Register Your Interest

Inclusive scholarship for Black / Indigenous People Of Colour

A hand with martian-like skin, showing reddish-brown spots, is extended against a dark background, wearing a silver chain bracelet.

We offer one free slot for BIPOC therapists/students in each of our workshops. Please contact us to request this free slot or, when the slot is filled, to be put on the waitlist. We would love to hear from you!

If you’re thinking about private practice, this is where you begin building a practice you don’t just survive each day in — but one where you have room to be free.

Sign Up Today

What happens next?

  • Immediately after registration

    Confirmation email with Zoom link and training details.

  • Two weeks before the training:

    Reminder email with your step-by-step startup guide, two worksheets/activities, and the Zoom link again for easy access.

  • The day before the training

    Quick “See you tomorrow” email with final reminders, what to expect, and the Zoom link one more time.

  • After the training

    You'll receive a feedback form. Once you complete it, you'll get your certificate (if applicable) and access to our Google Drive folder with the slides and all additional worksheets and resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This training is open to therapists at any stage of their professional journey, including:

    • Graduate students

    • Interns and practicum students

    • Associate-level clinicians

    • Newly licensed therapists

    • Licensed and seasoned clinicians

    If you are looking for clarity, support, and answers about what private practice can look like — this space is designed for you.

  • No — and many participants are not.

    You do not need to know with certainty that private practice is what you want. This training is for clinicians who have ever:

    • wondered what private practice could look like,

    • felt curious about career options outside of a 40-hour clinical workweek,

    • questioned whether profitability is possible without insurance or while seeing fewer clients,

    • or felt stuck believing there are limited career paths in therapy.

    Our goal is to provide accurate information so you can make an informed decision about your career, rather than feeling overwhelmed, boxed in, or unsure what options exist.

  • PMHNPs and other behavioral health providers may find the business and practice-building foundations helpful.

    We also want to be transparent: as a PMHNP, you are not only starting a therapy practice but also a medical prescribing practice. Our training focuses on the business and operational side of private practice and does not cover medical components such as:

    • DEA registration

    • Prescribing systems or laws

    • Medication management workflows

    • Lab coordination

    • Medical billing or coding

    While we have general familiarity through colleagues, neither facilitator operates a prescribing practice, and we want to be clear about the scope.

  • Participants continue to receive support after completion, including:

    • Ongoing access to the full training Google Drive resource library

    • The option to retake the training in a future cohort at no additional cost as a refresher

    • Optional consultation sessions with facilitators for additional 1:1 support

    • Access to supervision opportunities:

      • Frankie — supervision available in Oregon and Washington

      • Dr. Michelle — supervision available in Oregon

    Business development, practice questions, and implementation support can continue to be discussed within supervision or consultation spaces.

  • Training materials are shared through Google Drive so participants can receive updates and added resources over time.

    You have two options for accessing training materials:

    Option 1 — Create a free Google account (recommended)
    Training materials are housed in Google Drive so participants can access resources, templates, and receive ongoing updates after the training.

    You do not need a Gmail email address. You can create a free Google account using your existing email address (work, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.). We provide an instruction sheet to all participants. 

    This option allows you to:

    • Access materials anytime

    • Receive updated resources automatically

    • Keep everything organized in one location

    Option 2 — Receive materials as a ZIP download
    Materials can be sent as a downloadable ZIP file upon request.

    Please note: ZIP downloads will not receive future updates or added resources.

  • Yes. Participants receive worksheets, templates, planning tools, and implementation resources designed to help translate learning into actionable steps within their own practice.

  • CE credits for this training are currently available only to licensed therapists in Oregon.
    To receive CE credit, you’ll need to:

    • Attend the full training live

    • Complete the course evaluation at the end of the workshop

    If you have questions about eligibility or documentation, please  contact us.

  • Please note that all registrations are non-refundable. We are unable to offer refunds for cancellations for any reason, including scheduling conflicts, illness, or unforeseen circumstances.

    If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to another participant. To do so, please notify us at least 2 days prior to the event with the name and contact details of the new participant.

    By registering, you acknowledge and agree to this cancellation policy. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to having you at our training.