Providing therapists practical solutions to managed care's erosion of their freedom to practice, this book presents a working blueprint for a private-pay psychotherapy practice. Dana C. Ackley casts out the distortions that have crept into many clinicians' thinking as a result of reliance on third-party reimbursement. Based on his own experience, he shows how you can serve clients--and yourself--better by developing real alternatives to the pressures and bureaucracy of managed care. In clear step-by-step detail, including practical exercises and checklists, sample marketing materials, and payment plans, the volume shows you how to:
*Rediscover the economic and clinical value of your work
*Discard assumptions that might block your progress
*Educate yourself about the needs of potential clients
*Market and sell your services effectively
*Learn ethical, reasonable business-of-practice skills
*Diversify into the rewarding area of psychological consultation to businesses.
No matter what your clinical style, theoretical orientation, or practice history, you will benefit from the hard-won lessons Dr. Ackley shares in this book.
Industry Reviews
"I converted a heavily managed care-dependent practice to one that is 90% managed care-free in one year, using principles from Dr. Ackley's book." --Robin Sesan, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Wilmington, Delaware "A unique contribution for mental health practitioners inundated by scares of managed care. Dr. Ackley begins with an excellent reminder of why we are in the helping professions and how we have gotten embroiled in the health-care morass. He is careful to not assume his solutions will automatically work for others and provides tools for self-assessment and customizing a plan for any clinician. Finally, in this thoroughly readable and enjoyable work, he provides enough 'nuts and bolts' to actually build a practice." --Richard F. Small, PhD, Director, Spring Psychological Associates; Past President of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association; Author, Maximizing Insurance Reimbursement in your Mental Health Practice
"Finally-- a worthwhile marketing book for psychotherapists! With deep commitment to his calling, Ackley documents the tremendous value of psychotherapy. Then in a very readable and no-nonsense style, he leads psychotherapists step-by-step through the process of liberation from third parties. The therapy marketing information is excellent. The application of mental health expertise to the American workplace is inspiring. Every psychotherapist who is weary of third-party interference should read this very practical book, and every clinical training program should include it in its curriculum." --Janet E. Pipal, PhD, PC
"I especially enjoyed reading Dr. Ackley's book, Building A Managed Care-Free Practice. This is a much needed breath of fresh air to counter the doom and gloom psychotherapists have been feeling. The book is loaded with real life examples showing the need for and benefit of a managed care free practice. Ackley provides numerous charts, exercises, and worksheets to guide the reader through developing such a practice. I teach his model to our doctoral students and I have been using Dr. Ackley's model in my own practice. It works just as he suggests in his book." --Marc I. Oster, PsyD, ABPH, Adler School of Professional Psychology
"Dr. Ackley's book comes to our rescue with absolutely crucial 'tools' to enable psychotherapists to flourish in an era dominated by the irrational and nonclinical constraints imposed by managed care. Like the best psychotherapy, he offers new information, an example of success (his own practice), and practical advice and guidance based on his extensive experience in adapting and helping others to adapt to the current environment....If you feel the need to take your independent practice into the future, there is no better guide to that journey than this book." --From the Foreword by Edward L. Zuckerman, Ph.D., Series Editor, The Clinician's Toolbox
"Reading Breaking Free of Managed Care is like sitting with 'the Carl Rogers of the year 2000 AD' --wisdom, clarity, and respect abound, along with a compendium of 'killer-resources' for marketing that fits like an 'old, worn shoe.' No jargon, no 'snake oil'--not even the word 'mindfulness' appears in this cutting-edge, mindful book. Get ready to simply 'be where the client is, ' the most reliable indicator of a good therapist we have ever known. And get ready to see your practice grow and to feel your professional self-esteem rise, as you see that 'you have all that it takes', with Ackley's book to guide you." --Monda Sue Freeman, LICSW, Vice-President, Massachusetts Academy of Clinical Social Work "The text is a breath of fresh air in an environment of closed panels and restricted benefits, with a frank discussion of philosophical assumptions that offers alternatives and supportive resources." --"Readings"
"This book is enlightening, energizing, and redeeming." --"The Pennsylvania Psychology Quarterly"
"A highly enjoyable and practically useful book....Reading this book is very much like listening to a good friend describe his experiences and ideas....Ackley provides creative solutions to difficult situations, and does so as any good therapist should--in a nonthreatening yet challenging way." --"Psychotherapy"
"Well-written and organized, it contains many practical tools and strategies for the development of a free-market private practice....Of particular value...are the numerous questionnaires and exercises that Ackley includes. These are designed to assist the clinician in developing a vision of the kind of practice he/she wants to have, correctly analyze its current status and resources, access market potential, and develop a business plan to achieve both economic and professional objectives...."Breaking Free" is an important book for what it says about the changing nature of clinical practice both in terms of the practical lessons it teaches as well as the ideological and economic values it espouses." --"Child & Family Behavior"
.,."this book is an excellent survival manual for professionals wishing to salvage their independence, lifestyle, and self-respect. It offers practical step-by-step guidance to developing marketable services and establishing alternative revenue sources. As we push for broader MCO reimbursement in psychiatric rehabilitation, it is worthremembering the lessons included in this useful book." --"Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal"
