10 Essential Steps to Starting a Private Practice in Behavioral Health

Episode 2 of The Right Tack podcast is out — and if you're thinking about starting a private practice (or you're already in the early stages), this one is for you.

Paul Jonas and Jim Jonas sit down with Carrie Ripley, Director of Operations at BreezyBilling and Co-Founder of Phoenix Credentialing, to walk through a high-level roadmap of the 10 major steps every behavioral health provider should take before opening their doors to clients.

Carrie has helped hundreds of therapists make the leap into private practice, and in this episode, she breaks down what the process actually looks like — from the early decisions that set you up for success to the details that catch new practice owners off guard.

What's Covered in This Episode

The conversation addresses some of the most foundational decisions you'll make as a new practice owner, including:

• Choosing the right office setup — What are your options, and what works best for your practice model?
• Registering your business — What entity type makes sense, and what do you need to file?
• The three core addresses required by insurers — This is one of those details that trips people up. Carrie explains what insurers need and why it matters.
• Building your client paperwork system — What documents do you need in place before your first client walks through the door?

Whether you're a therapist who's been dreaming of going independent or a group practice leader looking to support a clinician making the leap, this episode offers practical tips and a look at what it really takes to build a solid foundation for your private practice.

Listen to the Episode

You can catch Episode 2 of The Right Tack on the podcast platform, YouTube, or by subscribing to the Trade Winds newsletter for episode updates delivered straight to your inbox.