17 Free Resources for Mental Health Professionals
October 10, 2016
With so many free resources for mental health professionals available, how can you choose which to try first?
Who was it that said, “If it’s free, it’s for me?” While the original speaker may remain unknown, the saying is true! Running a private practice can be financially stressful, but you’ve adjusted your money mindset, and you don’t mind the dough you invest into your professional goals. That doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate no-cost options that will make your practice run smoother. Free resources for mental health professionals may seem tough to find, but have no fear. We’ve curated a list of 20 options to boost your business – all at no cost.
Screening tools
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Screening Tools
Created with your clients in mind, the ADAA provides assessments your clients can complete and print out to discuss in person with you.
Here’s another screening tool your future clients can complete at home and then discuss in a session with you. You’ll gain valuable insight from the way they’ve answered questions, and save time in each appointment as they’re not completing assessments on paper.
Digital organization and storage
Do you consume a lot of counseling-related content? If blogs are your go-to source, get organized with a free feed reader.
Write and speak notes on your mobile device, then organize and save them for later in a way that’s easy to search and find on your mobile or desktop app.
Avoid losing practice forms, worksheets, or any other type of file by keeping all of your documents synced with this cloud-hosted storage solution.
Payment options
There’s no need to send collections letters when you can receive payment from your clients right in a session. Accept secure credit card payments through your phone at your office or on location with this free card reader and app.
Paper tools
If you’re looking for paper tools that you can use with your clients, Psychology Tools has over 125 downloads that are available in 41 languages. Some of the paper tools available include sheets to better help your clients understand the information shared with them in counseling, as well as thought records they can use to monitor their thought patterns in between sessions.
If you’re looking for worksheets to use as part of your practice, look no further. One of the reasons this site is a leader in downloadable worksheets is the easy-to-use filters. Search by demographic (child, family, adult) or by topic (CBT worksheets, grief worksheets, Motivational Interviewing guides, etc.).
Video conferencing
Ever dream of providing a HIPAA-compliant video counseling session? With iCouch, you can meet with multiple participants for counseling and even bill them directly in the appointment.
Need video conferencing to connect with your peers for networking, mastermind sessions, or even a motivational pick-me-up when you’re feeling burned out? join.me allows for up to five users on one video conference for free.
Magazines
Published by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, this magazine is an excellent source for counselors who are interested in staying in the know about all things related to family and couples therapy.
If you’re looking for an award-winning magazine relevant to the counseling profession, you’ve found it in Psychotherapy Networker. It’s even won the prestigious National Magazine Award.
Music
Spotify
If you’re playing music in your waiting room or sharing it with clients, sign up for a free account, where you can create playlists or listen to the Spotify radio.
If you don’t want to play DJ, let Pandora create a personalized playlist for you. Just choose a song that suits your needs – think ambient instrumentals for your waiting room – and Pandora will personalize all following tracks based on your selection.
Marketing tools
It’s important to make a place for your practice online, but if you aren’t able to invest in a website developer at this time, there’s no excuse. A free WordPress.com website is all you need to create a practice blog.
Are you creating graphics for your blog or do you need help designing a practice brochure? Canva has many free templates and designs you can use as a starting point for all your graphic needs.
We’ve provided you with an extensive list of free resources for mental health professionals, and we can’t complete it without mentioning SimplePractice. A free 30-day trial allows you to manage your calendar, payments, insurance and clients in one place, with a daily agenda that pops up in your email every day. What more do you need?
How SimplePractice streamlines running your practice
SimplePractice is HIPAA-compliant practice management software with everything you need to run your practice built into the platform—from booking and scheduling to insurance and client billing.
If you’ve been considering switching to an EHR system, SimplePractice empowers you to streamline appointment bookings, reminders, and rescheduling and simplify the billing and coding process—so you get more time for the things that matter most to you.
Try SimplePractice free for 30 days. No credit card required.
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