New to practice and need a low-cost office space?

When first starting out in practice, expenses and overhead are essential considerations. In the beginning, there are so many unknowns when starting a business, and frankly, it can be scary. We all want a dope office with the coolest accessories but our budget quickly reminds us of the reality, and that is a steady income is a priority.

Here are some places to consider opening your first office.

A church or other place of worship can be a great location. During the week, most churches aren’t that busy and have offices that go unused. Speak with the leader and explain how you can be of service to the place of worship as well as the community at large.

Community centers can be excellent locations as well. This is especially true if you work with children. Children to go to community centers and so being able to connect with them in their natural environments makes sense. Community centers are great places to conduct groups as well as family counseling.

Doctors are seeing more patients with mental health issues and overwhelmed with where to refer them. How convenient would it be for the medical provider to have a mental health expert in the same space?

Senior homes and centers are overlooked when it comes to mental health services. This means you’ll have to be a Medicare provider or private pay depending on the demographics of the population.

Providing home-based services takes away the need for an office. Conducting therapy this way comes with special considerations such as safety concerns, time management, privacy, but nothing that can’t be resolved with some forethought and planning.

Do you have a private space in your home? You might want to consider making it an office for a home-based business. There are tax advantages. Do the due diligence for the laws in your jurisdiction to make sure you can legally do this.

I think it’s also worth considering subleasing space from another therapist. You can negotiate the terms and have an office that doesn’t commit you to a full lease and all that comes with that.

It’s possible that any of the above suggestions can be free or low cost. Remember to make a case for how you can help and negotiate.

Please keep in mind that no matter when your office is located you will still need business liability insurance that lists your landlord as an additional insured. In other words, make sure you’re handling your business to mitigate any legal considerations.