Seasonal Cycles in Private Practice
An important thing to consider when in practice is the ebbs and flows of “busyness.” I can’t speak for all practices, but it is very common to experience lower numbers during the summer months and during the end of the year. This information is important to help you plan accordingly. Things to keep in mind:
Don’t freak out
Plan your finances
Plan your time off
Don’t freak out: seasons and cycles happen, you will get to know them better after a few years. I imagine it varies slightly by niche but in general most clinicians see lower numbers in the summer and end of year months. Take some deep breaths and do anything you are going to regret later (ie take on extra sliding scale spots that you can afford in the long run, take on a side gig that drains time and energy from your primary focus). Take some deep breaths and you the down time to work on marketing. For every session you should be in during unexpected down times, schedule a virtual chat with another colleague.
Plan your finances: Make sure to do the math, if you are going to have down time, you need to be creating enough income during the busy season. I need 600 sessions/year to invoice the amount to support myself and my family (read invoice, not take home). But I also need to invoice 30 sessions per 14 day pay period. With those guidelines, I can plan my finances accordingly…any my time off. (For session charging help see this guide)
Plan your vacations/time off: Once you know how much you need schedule, use your understanding of the cycle to best schedule your time off. For example: I usually get a lot of cancellations, and low numbers during the third week in November (I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but a lot of people do). So instead of booking people during that week (unless clinically necessary), I usually take that week off. But remember I need 30 sessions per pay period, so I need to add 12-15 sessions some other time during that pay period to not be hurting financially. Or I take this hit for that pay period.
So to recap, cycles happen, don’t freak out, plan your finances, and plan your vacations.
