The Holiday Blues (Therapist Edition)

You’ve opened your new private practice and adjusted your December schedule to offer extra available hours. The “holiday blues” will mean a crush of urgent appointments by existing clients and new clients looking for any opening. Braced for the rush, you listen for the phone to start ringing.

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Crickets.

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What's happening? You know that your clients will visit family members, dredging up unresolved issues. And changes in routine cause some people additional stress. Since they have time off work, they should be free to schedule appointments in December. 

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For most practitioners, December is one of the slowest months of the year.

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What makes December slow for therapists

It’s likely that the extra contact with family members during the holidays will cause an uptick in stress for many clients. However, There are several factors that keep them from scheduling sessions during December, including:

• They may be out of town.
• They may have house guests and don’t have the privacy for an appointment.
• They’re busy with their own shopping and holiday-related obligations.
• They’re short on cash for copayments due to all of the holiday spending
• For lucky clients who have warm relationships with their family, the need for conversations with a therapist are supplanted by conversations with them.

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When to expect an uptick in appointments

For many therapists, January tends to be when their calendar gets booked full. This is because:

• With house guests gone and kids back in school, they have time to address the stresses from December
• They have new insurance from their company that includes generous coverage for therapy.
• In the spirit of new year’s resolutions, they’ve decided to take action on their long-standing symptoms and issues.

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How to make the most of a quiet December

Believe it or not, this annual cycle is a good thing. If your clients are taking time off, you should do the same. By arranging for your vacation time in December, you’re less likely to miss out on income than if you took the time in other months.

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December is also a good month to focus on marketing efforts that you don’t have time for during busier months. Update your website, call your established referral sources to touch base, or send out a personalized email with a link to an interesting article on mental health.

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Here's to the holidays and a happy New Year for you, your practice, and your family! 

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