Do you have a specialism? Many psychologists and therapists in private practice don't. Read why you need one if you are serious about doing more than therapy and how to find one.
Why every psychologist and therapist needs a specialismThis week in the DMTT membership we are looking at business planning and specifically planning out what projects we are all going to be working on in 2021. In writing the materials for the course I realised how crucial it is to be clear on your specialism, the projects you want to work on and the ideal clients for each project before you start to even consider creating products or services or marketing. 
In this episode I’m going to talk to you about:
Why you need a specialism and why you might not know what it is yet.
How a specialism is different from your ICA but how it helps you find them
Why thinking in “projects” will help you to plan a private practice that feels more professionally fulfilling.
PP makes it easy NOT to have a specialism as insurance referrals can be broad and we often want to take EVERYONE because we are scared of not having enough work. There is also the imposter syndrome… In the early stage so of my practice my imposter syndrome was so huge that I literally told people that I had no specialist skills and actually refused to see anyone who might require any kind of specialist. Even now when I get an email from a prospective client who says they have chosen me because I am “an expert” in birth trauma I feel like replying saying “oh no you got it wrong, here are the contact details for a REAL specialist”  
BUT I have learned that, even if it feels uncomfortable, a specialism is vital because it:
Helps you to avoid burnout/overwhelm because you can focus all of your activity on one subject. All your CPD, all your marketing, all of your resources are all on one topic. Doesn’t that sound less overwhelming?
Provides the reassurance our clients need (wouldn’t you rather see a specialist when you are struggling?)
Helps you build authority, credibility and an audience who trust you enough to buy products and services.
Helps you identify your https://psychologists.drrosie.co.uk/the-business-of-psychology/ideal-client-avatar-psychologists-therapists-marketing/ (ideal clients (ICAs)) for your services. 

Your specialism is the problem clients are most likely to want your help to solve.
Examples of specialisms versus client groups Think about some very successful psychologists and therapists that you have heard of. https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ (Bessel Van der Kolk) - the trauma and the body guy. You know what his specialist subject is but when you look across his career he has applied that specialism to a whole host of different client groups/ICAs. 
A specialism can be quite a broad thing as it is about the struggle that people are facing. Through your career, you might help lots of different client groups that all share a similar struggle. For example, if your specialism is trauma and the body you might start your career helping veterans, move on to helping people who have been through birth trauma and further down the line help healthcare professionals who worked on acute wards during COVID-19. The time and energy you have put into the CPD and research associated with your specialism can be applied in many different ways to different people through your career.
BUT each project you work on through your career will be targeted towards specific ICAs. This helps hugely with marketing and making your message clear for the people who need to hear it and also reduces the overwhelm for you.
Why your specialism might not be what you think it isPersonally, I think the way that NHS services are structured often does not help us (or clients) in the best way. To me, it doesn’t make sense to have services such as “adult mental health” when the only thing the people using the service have in common is that they are 18-65. The reality in most...