Ashley Mader, Ph.D, LICSW.
1. What's your practice focus and what kind of clients knock on your door ?
There has been quite the evolution of my practice. When I first started out my focus was on sexuality and aging. My focus is still on sexuality, but has also expanded to a family systems perspective. I continue to see older adults and consider that a specialty, but I see many queer young adults as well as middle aged individuals wanting to work on family issues and/or intimacy issues.
2. Tell us about yourself.
When I first started graduate school I knew I wanted to eventually have a private practice. Unfortunately, it wasn't as linear as that and I ended up working in community behavior health and in a hospital. Both were great experiences! When I moved to another state, I remembered my goal of having a private practice and started working on it. Seeing my clients' growth and work on themselves keeps me motivated.
3. Tell us the story of a patient who you are most proud of helping.
She was one of my first clients in my private practice starting in 2016. This client came to me when she was transitioning from male to female. She had severe trauma and had a history of ECT as well as hallucinations. She didn't want to be on medication and I supported her in that as long as she communicated with me about her symptoms. She eventually stabilized and after three years she got a job in the tech industry and continues to thrive.
4. What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a practitioner in private practice?
It can be very isolating. Before when working in hospitals and community behavioral health I had colleagues that I could talk with on a regular basis. That is not the same in private practice. The other thing is managing burn out and having boundaries for one's self. It is really easy to over extend myself when I am the one that controls my schedule. I have to make sure I schedule vacations and time off. That kind of self-care is really important in preventing burn out.
5. What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a private practice today?\
The top 3 things I would suggest to someone would be:
- Don't let fear hold you back. Just start doing the research and put yourself out there. Especially now when Telehealth is so common.
- Find your niche and who you work the best with and market to those people. Don't be afraid of turning people away because they aren't a good fit. We all want to help people, but sometimes others may be able provide better help.
- Set boundaries for yourself and hold yourself accountable to a schedule. It's super easy to over extend yourself.