Many Therapists and Health Professionals we have the honour of connecting with and supporting, want to move away from the exhausting hamster wheel that is 1:1 clinical work…
And start a wellness business that is aligned with their passions and utilises the many years they’ve spent learning and becoming experts in their fields.
- Retreats for burnt out corporate workers
- Group support programs for people experiencing grief and loss
- Women’s circles for first-time Mums
- Life coaching for people on a journey with personal and spiritual growth
… the options are many and varied when it comes to spreading your wings and stepping into entrepreneurship.
But where many Therapists and Health Professionals get stuck is knowing how to bridge the gap between where they are, and where they desire and aspire to be.
This lack of knowledge fills them with fear and sends them into paralysis mode, resulting in them not moving forward and transitioning their careers in the way they truly desire.
This is not what we want for you, friend!
If you’ve even wondered where to begin on your journey of starting a wellness business, and how to move forward in a way that will set you up for success, then you’re in the right place!
Allow us to show you your first steps (because once you know what needs to be done the process isn’t so scary!)
Get in the know about how to protect your registration as a Therapist or Health Professional turned Wellness Entrepreneur
In many countries around the world, professions like Psychology, Medical, Nursing, and Occupational Therapy, are regulated by a governing body(ies).
This of course means that when you begin to dip your toe into the ocean of entrepreneurship and start a wellness business, you need to ensure you do it in a way that crosses all the t’s and dots all the i’s of your professional registration and licensing body (if you desire to hold onto your registration, that is!)
Depending on which country you live in, this will mean different things, so you need to do your research.
For Australian based Therapists and Health Professionals, who are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), some examples of how clinicians may want to protect their registration include:
- Having a completely separate website for their clinical and non-clinical wellness business offerings
- Not referencing their professional background as a Therapist or Health Professional in the marketing of their non-clinical offer/s
- Ensuring that they are not creating dual relationships by seeing coaching clients in therapy, or vice versa
While we know that understanding the ins-and-outs of what you can and can’t do can seem overwhelming to begin with, knowledge truly is power.
Once you begin getting clear on what your country’s professional registration body requires, you’ll feel confident to take action and move forward on your dreams (trust us, the time and energy is worth it and can be a surprisingly fun part of the journey!)
Are you an Australian based Therapist or Health Professional who is registered with AHPRA and wants to start a wellness business?
This pre-recorded webinar outlines the ethical and legal considerations you need to be aware of, and the practical steps you need to take, when you repackage your clinical skills into non-clinical offerings and start a wellness business (you’re welcome!)
DIVE INTO OUR WEBINAR HERE.
Not based in Australia?
The first port of call we recommend for you is to contact your relevant professional registration body and ask them for advice. Alternatively, you can send us an email and we may be able to recommend a Lawyer in your country who can help you navigate some of these potential land mines… I mean issues!
Tap into a support network of like-minded Therapists and Health Professionals turned Entrepreneurs
While one of the gifts of transitioning from clinical to non-clinical offerings and starting a wellness business is that you get to harness your years of training, experience and skills and not have to turn your whole career upside-down (YAY!)…
It’s still a transition.
And as with all the transitions we experience on this wild ride called life, they can get a little bumpy (which is part of the expansion and fun, right?!) … so we suggest getting yourself a support crew.
Let’s be honest – traditional therapy and health services are grounded in some rather outdated philosophies and values and ‘breaking free’ of these and ‘rewiring’ ourselves can take some time.
On top of this, while you may desire to start a wellness business and step away from the stifling clinical sphere, it can stir up a lot inside you…
Which is why having people around you who are in the same boat
Who are hitting their own goals and showing you what’s possible for yourself
And who are cheering you on and reflecting back your true genius
… is PRICELESS!
Our free ‘Therapists Rising’ Facebook group is full of hundreds of both aspiring and ‘already-made-the-leap’ entrepreneurial Therapists and Health Professionals who share their stories vulnerably, give advice generously and always have a set of virtual cheerleading pom-poms at the ready. Plus, the group is moderated by our Founder, Dr. Hayley Kelly, who is always dishing out sage advice and guidance.
Every successful entrepreneur we know has a support network around them. It’s kinda like the icing on a cake, or the olive in the martini – it’s just not quite the same without it!
Get your support crew here!
Start before you’re ready (or you may never begin!)
Many people who find their way into our community, programs and mentoring, are making the same mistake…
They’re waiting to have all their ducks lined up in a row before they take action on actually ‘doing-the-thing’ and starting their wellness business.
Needless to say, they sadly don’t get very far.
There is no perfect time to begin making your transition from Therapist/Health Professional to Wellness Entrepreneur however, at a minimum we suggest that you know:
Who your dream client is (like first-time Mums), and
How you want to support them (e.g. via an online group program with zero 1:1 support).
And then?
Begin, friend! Simply, begin.
- Start an Instagram page or Facebook group
- Reach out to people in your networks who you think would be the perfect fit for your offering
- Share your idea with like-minded people who ‘get’ it and ask them to help you spread the word (like our Therapists Rising community)
- If your funds permit, hire a space and hang a promo flyer in their foyer (and ask them for a shout out in their newsletter!)
You don’t need to know every single detail of your offering and wider business plan before you can start bringing your dreams to life – you simply need to take action!
Action spurs on more action, and more and more clarity will find you as you begin to pick up momentum.
Just like any journey, it’s the total of the steps you take that get you to where you want to be, so allow yours to begin with a single step. Sure it won’t be perfect, but you can’t create something incredible if you don’t ever begin!
What’s one action step you could take TODAY to move you forward in the direction of your wellness business dreams?
We know it can feel scary, but trust us when we say that if you do start taking action, you’ll look back in a year’s time and feel so proud and grateful that you did!
We believe in you and can’t wait to see you shine and succeed.
The Therapists Rising team. X