Step-by-Step Practice Setup

Learn how to set up your private practice clearly and professionally—from choosing your name to registering as a sole trader.

Simple, Ethical Marketing for Therapists

Discover simple, effective ways to promote your practice and connect with the right clients—without feeling “salesy”.

How to Attract Your First Clients

Understand how clients find therapists and what helps them choose you, so you can begin building your client base with confidence.

Are you a counsellor looking to start your private practice?

This course gives you a clear, step-by-step path from setting up your practice to confidently gaining your first clients. You’ll learn how to register your business, set your fees, create essential policies, market your services effectively, and build a sustainable, ethical practice. 👉 Start building your private practice with clarity and confidence. By the end of this course, you’ll have everything in place to begin seeing clients

What’s Included in This Course

This course gives you a complete, step-by-step framework to confidently set up and grow your private counselling practice. Inside, you’ll get: ✔️ A structured, step-by-step course (70+ lessons) Clear guidance from setting up your practice to gaining your first clients ✔️ Legal, ethical & professional foundations Confidentiality, GDPR, policies, contracts, and safe practice ✔️ Simple, effective marketing guidance Learn how to attract clients—without feeling “salesy” ✔️ Client journey & retention strategies From first enquiry to building long-term client relationships ✔️ Templates, checklists & practical tools Everything you need to take action—not just theory ✔️ Financial guidance & pricing support Set your fees with confidence and build a sustainable practice ✔️ Confidence & mindset support Work through imposter syndrome and build your identity as a therapist By the end of this course, you will: ✔️ Have your private practice set up and ready ✔️ Know how to attract and respond to clients ✔️ Feel confident working ethically and professionally ✔️ Be ready to begin (or grow) your client work No fluff. No overwhelm. Just clear, practical steps you can follow.

Aspire Counselling Academy

Aspire Counselling Academy provides specialist training and continuing professional development (CPD) for counsellors, psychotherapists, and mental health practitioners. Our work is grounded in ethical, reflective, and neurodiversity-informed practice. We focus on supporting practitioners to develop confidence when working with complex client experiences, including neurodivergence, trauma, and relational difficulties. Our courses are designed to be practical and applicable, combining theory, reflection, and real-world clinical insight to support meaningful integration into therapeutic work. Alongside CPD training, Aspire Counselling Academy also offers professional counselling qualifications and practitioner development programmes. To learn more about our full range of training opportunities, visit: www.aspirecounsellingacademy.co.uk

Course Curriculum

10 Chapters · 73 Lessons

  1. 1

    Welcome & Mindset for Private Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome & Your Private Practice Mindset

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding the Essentials

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Are You Ready to Start Private Practice?

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Practice Vision

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      The Reality of Private Practice (Honest Expectations)

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      From Overwhelm to Action

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Commitment to Your Practice

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Laying the Foundations for Your Private Practice

  2. 2

    Choosing Your Practice Name and Structure

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Selecting a Memorable Name

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Checking Availability (Don’t Skip This)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Deciding on Your Business Structure

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Registering Your Practice

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Separating You and Your Business (Healthy Boundaries)

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Don’t Get Stuck Here (Avoid Perfectionism)

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      summary : Choosing Your Practice Name and Structure

  3. 3

    Legal and Financial Foundations

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Registering Your Business

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Insurance – What You Actually Need

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Contracts, Policies & Client Agreements

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Confidentiality & GDPR

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Record-Keeping & Notes

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Financial Basics

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Setting Up Payments

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Financial Mindset (Very Important)

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      When to Get Professional Help (Accountants, Legal, etc.)

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Policies You Need in Private Practice (and Why They Matter)

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Professional Organisations to Join (Ethics, Credibility & Good Practice)

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Legal and Financial Foundations

  4. 4

    Marketing Your Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Creating Your Marketing Strategy

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Utilizing Digital Tools in Your Private Practice

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Where Your First Clients Come From

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Setting Up Directory Profiles That Attract Clients

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Building a Simple Website

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Writing Your Bio (That Actually Connects)

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Using Social Media

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Referral Networks

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      A Simple 30-Day Visibility Plan

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Why You’re Not Getting Clients Yet (And What to Do)

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: marketing your practice

  5. 5

    Attracting and Retaining Clients

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Building a Client Base (From First Enquiry to First Client)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Responding to Enquiries (What to Say)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Free Consultation – Should You Offer One?

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Structuring the First Session

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Trust and Retaining Clients

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Managing Cancellations and Boundaries

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      When Clients Don’t Return (And How to Handle It)

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Growing Through Client Experience

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Confidence as a New Practitioner

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      summary attracting and retaining clients

  6. 6

    Setting Your Fees & Building a Sustainable Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Set Your Fees (Without Guessing)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding Your Worth as a Practitioner

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Sliding Scale – Ethical Considerations

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Raising Your Fees (When & How)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Avoiding Burnout Through Pricing

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Setting Your Fees & Building a Sustainable Practice

  7. 7

    Working Online vs In-Person

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Online vs In-Person: Pros & Cons

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Setting Up Online Sessions (Platforms, Privacy)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Creating a Safe Physical Therapy Space

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Hybrid Working Models

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Working Online vs In-Person

  8. 8

    Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Therapist Identity

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Imposter Syndrome in Private Practice

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Comparing Yourself to Other Therapists

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Confidence Over Time

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Staying Motivated When It’s Quiet

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Confidence, Imposter Syndrome & Therapist Identity

  9. 9

    Scaling Your Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      When to Grow Your Practice

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Adding New Income Streams (Groups, Courses)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Increasing Your Visibility

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Moving from Part-Time to Full-Time Practice

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Summary: Scaling Your Practice

  10. 10

    Launch Your Practice (Final Integration Module)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Private Practice Checklist

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Your First 30 Days Plan

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      What to Do If You Feel Stuck

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Final Reflection & Next Steps

Everything You Need to Start Your Private Practice — In One Course

Build your private practice with clarity, confidence, and a clear step-by-step plan Full course • 70+ lessons • Practical templates included Designed for trainee and newly qualified counsellors (UK)

£75.00

Start the Course