Nicole Lobo: Turning Lemons Into Lemonade in Private Practice | Ep 102

Fearless Practice

If you had a tough experience as a counselling intern, you might feel inspired to create a space where future interns could have a different experience. It’s sometimes a healing response to turn the lemons of the past into the lemonade of the present, and that’s exactly what Nicole did.

From her practicum, Nicole had a very challenging experience as a counselling intern in a private practice, and vowed to do things differently once she was able to open her own practice.

MEET NICOLE

Nicole is a Registered Psychotherapist of 5 years, Clinical Supervisor and founder of Be Well Therapy Studio; a boutique private practice operating in Ontario. Nicole’s goal is to make coming to therapy something to look forward to. She values authenticity, transparency, and a person-centred approach to care that aims to neutralize the stigma of accessing mental health care.

Learn more about Nicole on her website, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles.

In this episode:

• Nicole’s journey into psychotherapy

• Learning from past experiences going forward

• Nicole’s success of getting busy in her practice

• Discounted therapy with interns

• Offering monthly texting subscriptions

• Nicole’s advice to listeners

Nicole’s journey into psychotherapy

In college, Nicole already had a passion for psychology.

Nicole made sure to keep a finger on the pulse of what therapy would be like to stay in contact and conversation with her professors. In her fourth year, she took part in an experiential learning course that was offered by her college.

Learning from past experiences going forward

During her masters, Nicole completed her counselling practicum in a private practice setting to gain experience in the field. However, the private practice offered free therapy which was great for making it accessible to the community, but she was exposed to communities of people that had a desperate need for mental health which she felt underprepared to provide for.

After Nicole’s counselling practicum was completed and while she was working full-time at a local hospital, she opened her own small private practice part-time.

Nicole’s success of getting busy in her practice

One of the things that Nicole did was to prioritize slow organic growth. She started her practice as a side-job about two and half years before the pandemic started while working full-time in a hospital, so these pre-COVID years helped her to have an idea of the busy seasons in private practice versus slow seasons.

Discounted therapy with interns

Due to Nicole’s difficult entry into private practice when she was a new student and completing her practicum, it was important to her to create a space where she could rectify that issue for others.

She offers this in her practice so that she knows she is providing new therapists with the guidance and support that she didn’t have when she started.

Offering monthly texting subscriptions

Nicole works hard to creatively meet the needs of the client, depending on where they are at.

This service developed into Nicole’s idea for offering her clients a monthly text subscription which allows a client a way to connect with their therapists between sessions.

Nicole is part of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, and she made sure to read through their standards of practice and technological access standards to make sure that she was on the right side of the regulatory framework.

Nicole’s advice to listeners

Take it slow. Follow your interests, and gently get out of your comfort zone! Take learning risks and expose yourself to new areas of work so when you really invest your time and energy into an area of work you know that it’s what you want to do.

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Resources mentioned and useful links:

Ep 101: Olivia Grigg: How to Host a Wellness Retreat | EP 101

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Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice

Jane App (use code FEARLESS for one month free)

Learn more about Nicole on her website, LinkedIn and Instagram profiles.