In this episode, Morgan Graves joins the show. She is not only a contemporary mental health professional, but she is also a trusted advisor to therapists transitioning to private practice. Morgan talks about her journey to private practice and some important lessons she learned along the way. Morgan reveals her self-care routine and the importance of managing her time well to stay organized and not feel overwhelmed. Tune in as we chat about utilizing your resources, asking for help, and Morgan’s Self-Made Guide.
Meet Morgan Graves
Hello! I am Morgan Graves. I’m a lover of all things full of laughter, fun, and adventure. I have a humanistic approach to therapy. I meet you where you are and walk with you on your journey. I enjoy experiencing the growth of my clients as we work on living an intentional life that honors all parts of you.
I started my career in education in various teaching roles as well as school counseling and then transitioned to therapy in private practice. Within the mental health field, I have worked with individuals of various backgrounds and ages from 14 to 85 years old. I draw heavily to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with the utilization of Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Reality Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and mindfulness. I am also a Gottman-trained therapist which is the modality used for couples therapy. I also support other therapists on their journey to private practice with one-on-one consulting, group consulting, and Self-Made: A Therapist’s Guide to Starting a Private Practice, a workbook for purchase.
Practicing Self-Care In Private Practice
Morgan likes to get massages as a self-care practice. Plus, running has been helpful for physical health and mental health. It’s the only time she has peace of mind and is in the moment. Laughing and connecting with other people is another way that Morgan practices self-care. Plus, Morgan will make lists and keep organized. If she has a thought or an idea, she writes it down. Also, Morgan will prepare for the next day the night before, so she doesn’t have to be in a rush. When we get busy, learning how to manage our time well is essential.
Make Sure That You Have A Therapist Too
As a therapist, you should make sure that you have a therapist. Sometimes sessions with a client will give Morgan a lot of lessons, and it’s a reminder to herself. We all need a therapist because when we are working with clients, we can see the same struggles that we have with ourselves. So, having a therapist yourself will help when processing personal problems with others. Lastly, if you believe in your service as a therapist, it only makes sense to get one yourself.
Lessons Learned From Morgan on Her Private Practice Journey
Don’t give up on yourself when you are transitioning to private practice. Also, make sure to use your resources. Morgan started bootstrapping; then, she reached out to people for help. Plus, there are so many podcasts that give out free information. Basically, Morgan began to work smarter, not harder. When you’re running a business, this can be a challenge. Morgan says to utilize your resources, ask for help, and take a leap of faith for yourself. Overall, be persistent and consistent with what you do.
Self-Made: A Therapist’s Guide to Starting a Private Practice
Therapists are not about running a business in graduate school. So, Morgan put a guide together for people who want to become private practice owners. This 60+ page workbook will equip you with everything you need to build a successful private practice on your terms. With detailed step-by-step instructions, planning checklists, journal prompts, and loads of resources, you’ll be able to overcome feelings of fear, doubt, overwhelm, and imposter syndrome. You can check it out here: Self-Made: A Therapist’s Guide to Starting a Private Practice.
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Okay. Hi, I'm Morgan grace, I am happy to be on the practice of therapy. And we are talking about my private practice journey.
Well, hello, everyone, and welcome again to the podcast. And I'm so happy for you to get to know Morgan graves. Hi, Morgan, welcome to the podcast.
Hi, how are you? Thank you for having me.
Yes. And so, Morgan and I connected online and really started learning a little bit about her and thought she would be just a fun person for you to hear from and just hear about her private practice journey. So, Morgan, as a start with most everyone, tell folks a little bit more about yourself and how you've landed where you've landed?
Okay, well, I guess I'll start with grad school, I went to grad school at North Carolina Central University. And I got to do a dual degree in clinical mental health counseling as well as school counseling. At the time. It was my dream to be a school counselor, that's all I wanted to do. What professors presented to me the opportunity to extend my degree and just get that dual licensure. And she really pushed it in, it made sense. And so I decided to go ahead on that dual track, because I'm like, Yes, learning, you know more about mental health will help me be a better school counselor. And then I started my school counseling career in 2016. And those summer months started to get tough. And so I'm like, Okay, I want to use both of my degrees, let me you know, see what's going on in this mental health world. And I was a little bit nervous, because at that time, you know, I felt like I was kind of removed from what I learned within the mental health field, because I was in the world of school counseling at that time, so I was a little bit scared. But nonetheless, I sent out my resume and still didn't hear anything. And then I received an email, an emailed response. And the young lady expressed to me that she wasn't hiring any therapists, but she had an office that I could rent out. And everyone in the suite were independent contractors, and, you know, they kind of ran their own private practice. And that scared me. Because, you know, that wasn't a part of the plan. It's like, wait a minute, that means I'm gonna have to do a lot extra. And so I was scared. Yeah. But I talked to some friends. And they're, like, you know, we'll, either way you're gonna have resources, you have a supervisor, and, you know, you have mentors. So you have people, you know, you can use your resources. And I'm like, I don't know, I don't know. So I decided to take a risk, because I really needed the money for the summer. Yes, yes. So I took that risk for myself. And two weeks later, I had my first my first client. Wow. And then about two months in, I had a full like part time caseload that will sustain me for the summer. Right? So I'm like, Oh, this, you know, this feels kind of good, you know, the freedom of it all, it felt good. And so transitioning back into the school years, were kind of hard because, you know, you have to go back to answering to someone and, you know, even if you don't necessarily completely agree, you know, there's still policy and procedure that you must follow. Um, and so then, fast forward, here comes the pandemic,
right.
And I have a mother who has MS and she's wheelchair bound. And during before the pandemic, we had homecare, but the pandemic happened and we lost our home care. So that meant that my sister and I were responsible for taking care of my mom. The school was not able to accommodate my needs. Sure. And so I Started resourcing again. And I landed on once again betting on myself. And so I decided to resign from my position, February of 2020. Wow. And I went full time with my private practice. So here I am now, at a place where I'm looking to grow and expand, because I cannot take on any more clients, I don't have the capacity to reach as many clients as I would like to. And, you know, with more people searching for mental health, especially with the different controversies going on, while also dealing with a pandemic, you know, you have an influx in clientele, people of color who are looking for people of color, as therapists. And so with that incline, I'm at capacity. So it's a good thing. But I'm now at a point where I am transitioning into group practice so that I can reach more clients.
Right, right. Yeah, what a bright, you know, what a, you know, an interesting time to jump full time into, into private practice right at the beginning of the pandemic. And did you did you go straight telehealth? And what do you How did you handle all of that within your practice?
Right. So I had an office that I still rented out, however, I wasn't utilizing it again, because of, you know, the difference in dynamics at that point. But with the clientele that I got in, you know, I was able to still maintain having that office, but I was virtual. So I had the option I could work from home, or if I still wanted to hold my virtual session in office, I could do that. Awesome.
Right. Right. Yeah. Well, it's, yeah. And I think what you have experienced, which has been like a lot of us is, is that the pandemic, the silver lining of the pandemic, is just that. We started filling up in, in our practices. I mean, I think the stigma around mental health was was kind of people were talking about that and saying, you know, I'm struggling with this too. And, and I think so a lot of people started seeking out counseling and in therapy, and so, yeah, I think that that phenomenon is is pretty, pretty, pretty you pretty universal. For most of us in this field, I think.
Pandemic has challenged a lot of us. And I believe that in some ways, with the things that people are experiencing, it's made it hard not to reconsider therapy, if you haven't considered it before. Because we're dealing with a lot. Yeah. And, you know, if you haven't been taught how to manage, what do you do at this point? And so people are searching for answers, they, you know, want to understand themselves a little bit better. And they kind of they want a healthier version of themselves.
Right. Right. Yeah. It's, um, you know, the the other thing that I think is, really, you're right, I'm sorry, sorry. I've had two thoughts at once, in my mind. Yeah. You know, just I think with all this going on the world, I think with, you know, certainly with all of the stuff around George Floyd's death, and, and I would, I would, I can only imagine what it's like for you as a, as a black woman, and being in the mental health field and dealing not only with what other folks are dealing with, but only also dealing with your own stuff. And so it's it really is it really has created a place where the, the need for mental health services is just we need it now more than ever. And then, you know, even now in with all that's happening in the Ukraine and all of that kind of stuff. It's just it's a it's a it's a really strange time.
Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah. So what would you say? Yeah, no, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
I was saying it's hard also for therapists who are, you know, within the helping profession Question, you know, we have to almost remind ourselves to Hey, remember to take care of yourself. Also, because you need it, you know, you're in order to take care of someone else, you have to take care of yourself first, you know, you gotta put your mask on first.
Right, right. Yeah. So that that just brings up a great question. For me. One of the things that I've shared on this podcast is that I'm also dealing with, you know, caring for a wife that's disabled. And so you shared with, you know, being having to take care of your mother and all of that sort of thing, what what are you finding is your kind of go to around self care.
So externally, like massages, um, I run, and at this point, running is not only for my physical health, but also sometimes that's the only time that I really have like, peace of mind where my mind is not thinking about one thing or another, you know, it's just, it's, I'm in the moment, I'm present. It's almost kind of like meditation. For me. It's my mindfulness time. Yeah. So I made sure sure. I get my runs. And I laugh, I have a good time I connect with other people. I love massages. But also, I make lists. I try to keep organized. And that includes my mind. And so if I have a thought, or if I have an idea, I make sure I'm writing it down. I prepare for my next day, the night before that way. I'm not waking up thinking, Okay, what do I have to do for the day, it's already thought about planned, I can get that out of the way. And as become very good with my boundaries.
Yeah. Yeah, that's a that's an important. That's an important piece. And I love that. You're right, when we get busy. Learning how to manage our time well, is, is essential. I know, with my planner, I can couldn't function without it. Because that's what keeps me on track and that sort of thing. And I'm pretty good most of the time, but there there are those weeks, you know, where you just kind of things fall apart, but you just regroup and you? And you, you know get back on track, as I like to say Yeah,
absolutely. Absolutely. And then of course, as a therapist, making sure that you have a therapist, right now I'm in a transition of finding a new therapist. So that's really been something that's been my priority. But yes, like making sure that I'm talking in, you know, sometimes the sessions that I have with my clients, you know, give me that little, um, that I need for the day or the lesson that I need from the day. So I learned from those lessons, and it's a reminder to myself of some things.
Right, right. Yeah. And I couldn't agree with you more, I think all of us need to have our own therapist. And that's been my experience, too, is that in many ways, it's, you know, I guess the technical term is transference. But there are a lot of times when we're working with clients, and we see in them some of the same struggles we have ourselves. And we think, Okay, what I'm telling them is almost like talking to myself, right? Yeah, right. Right. Yeah. So that's, that's, that's great. So I know you, I mean, you've been in practice, really, full time, practice a relatively short period of time, not that there's a net, but what would you say are the biggest things that you've learned? And what are? What would you want people to know about? What you've learned along the way?
Don't give up. Use your resources. So I started off kind of bootstrapping. And then it was like, I gained a little bit more confidence and then was reminded, hey, you have people reach out to people. And then there were this a wide range of podcasts that, you know, gave information. And so utilizing those things, and I guess I would say I started to work smarter, not harder. But when you're building a business, it's hard. Right? It's no way around that but definitely utilizing my resources, asking for help when I need it. Those were huge lessons and taking leaps of faith, betting on yourself. Um, a lot of times, there may be like some self doubt, or, you know, life happens. And you know, you know, sometimes when life hits, it hits hard. 2019 was kind of like a rough year for me. And so 2020 was also a year that I was kind of bouncing back. So I was going through my own stuff, too. So self care is extremely important to me. And so, yeah, though, those would be my big tips to upcoming private practice owners.
Yeah, yeah. And that, again, that's been my own experience, I think just as I like to call it is to be persistent and consistent with what you do. And, and just keep at it, and it's, it's, in many ways, use this metaphor a lot. I don't know if it's a good metaphor or not. But yeah, in many ways, you, you have to build the airplane as you fly it. And, and I think, as you, as you have, have done, Morgan, is, you've you stepped out and showed some courage, and you, you, you just jumped into it. And you know, quitting a full time job, and moving into it is a huge step. And it just, I can imagine that you had a lot of knots in your stomach, if you did it all.
But what I found was, when I ran into, like my colleagues, we were having the same conversations about how do we start a private practice? You know, we weren't taught that in school, we knew it was a possibility. But, you know, no one talks about the business aspect of it, you learn the art of therapy in school. And, you know, that's that. And so, after my first year, I kind of reflected on, you know, what were the tips that I wanted from someone else. And so I put a guide together for upcoming private practice owners self made a therapist guide to starting a private practice, which is where I kind of comprise a kind of step by step from your why to formalizing your business from start to finish some of my tips and tricks, some of my organization, charts that I use throughout my process, and then I share some parts of my journey in the guide as well. And it also, of course, emphasizes, you know, thinking about you and taking a second to pause and think about where you are in your journey. How are you doing? What do you need? So that self care piece of, of going through your journey also as an entrepreneur,
right, right. Yeah. I love that. And how can folks get a hold of that guy?
Absolutely. They can grab a copy on Royal Phoenix ls.com, which is my website. And so they can grab their coffee beer? I can also you can put it in the show notes. Yes,
yes. Yes. And that's what what exactly what we'll do is we'll have those links in the show notes. And, and I took a look at Morgan's website. It's a beautiful website. So yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Well, Morgan, I want to be respectful of your time. And what are some maybe some parting thoughts that you have about this whole journey that you've been on?
For me, or for others?
I would say both. Okay.
Well, I guess it's the same, keep going. Keep going, don't give up and be creative. So think about niching. In my transition, I'm also you know, really niching. And so that is exciting. And it kind of gives me a rejuvenation of excitement about the field. And so be creative. Don't give up. bet on yourself. You deserve to be here. And people need you.
Yes. Yeah. So well, thanks. And, and I would say ditto to every bit of that. It's that's been my experience as well just, you know, finding your finding your space, finding your niche, and you're going to be a lot happier in the long run. Absolutely, yes. Yes. Well, Morgan, it's been a delight to have you on the podcast. And, again, be sure to check her out at Royal fame. xx.com is that correct
well your Phoenix L S
royal Phoenix ls.com And again we'll have that in the show notes in the show summary so take care Morgan
Thank you have a good one
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