http://psyfin.com/wordpress A results-oriented resource for therapists in private practice. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:42:42 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As an addendum to an upcoming article in Psychotherapy Finances about Medicaid, we recently spoke with Roger Smith, a senior attorney for the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT). Smith tells us that 38 states allow MFTs to work with Medicaid patients “in some capacity.” So we would ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=33 As we’ve noted in past Psychotherapy Finances articles, smoking cessation is a viable niche market for some therapists, particularly those who have relationships with physicians or hospitals. Now, there may be additional incentives for offering these services after the Obama administration approved therapy sessions for seniors on Medicare who are trying ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=32 Anyone in private practice ought to have a website, although we know therapists have been reluctant to take the time and effort. But even if you have no intention of advertising the site on search engines, a website is still important for potential clients who have heard about you and ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=31 Have you ever Googled a patient’s name? The practice is controversial, with some practitioners believing that it’s unethical. Others say it can provide some valuable insight. But a study presented at this week’s American Psychological Association convention in San Diego reveals that many graduate students are already doing it. About 22% ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=30 The U.S. District Court decision striking down California’s Proposition 8 gay marriage ban came at just the right time for the American Psychological Association, which is holding its annual convention in San Diego next week and has packed the agenda with programs related to the issue. APA President Carol Goodheart immediately ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=29 More than 12% of emergency department (ED) visits were due to a mental health disorder or substance abuse, according to new data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), an arm of HHS, says almost 12 million emergency room visits ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=28 Marriage and couples counseling is a cornerstone of many therapy practices. The real question is, how do you carve out your own particular niche within that specialty? A new book discusses one possible alternative: Marriages that are being wrecked by adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Actually, adult ADHD has been getting lots ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=27 The potential for violence often looms in a therapy office, particularly when a clinician is working with a patient who has a serious mental illness. Two horrific attacks over the past five years illustrate the threat. A psychologist was hacked to death in her Upper East Side office in New York ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=26 Psychiatry is the hot medical specialty of the coming decade, according to a July 1 piece in USA Today. Merritt Hawkins, a national physician recruiting firm, reported receiving 179 requests for psychiatrists, according to the paper. That’s a blowout 121% increase from the firm’s 2006-2007 survey. Psychiatrists were the third most requested ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=25 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched its new consumer focused health care website yesterday at www.healthcare.gov. It’s supposed to become a “powerful tool” that consumers will use to find health insurance at competitive prices, as well as clinical information on diseases and prevention. Of interest to private practitioners ... http://psyfin.com/wordpress/?p=24