Alex Shink
August 16, 2023

Philip Bower, MSW.

1. What's your practice focus and what kind of clients knock on your door ?

I mostly work with individuals 18-70 wanting a holistic approach to therapy. My practice is a hybrid model with a focus on Self-compassion Mindfulness and traditional mindfulness. Clients seek me out because they are looking for a different approach to mental health. I incorporate some traditional models such as DBT and CBT for those individuals with bi-polar disorder.

2. Tell us about yourself. 

I opened my private practice in May of 2023 to have the opportunity to work with individuals on a more authentic basis. Before that I had been working in Community Mental Health and had found that it did not spark as much joy as working within my own practice. I came from 35 years of background in retail management and have found opening my own business to touch on things I enjoy such as networking and administrative work. I plan to use these strengths to open a private practice group.

3. Tell us the story of a patient who you are most proud of helping.

I could share so many of these stories however, the one that stand out the most is an individual that came to me thinking they had DID. After a year working with them we discovered that they had created a complex defense mechanism in which they were willingly separating their parts to help protect them in stressful and overwhelming times. Through understanding this they were able to integrate all these parts into one and are now living their fullest life.

4. What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a practitioner in private practice?

One of the hardest things about being a practioner in private practice has been learning to niche down. Having come from Community Mental Health, I was very much a generalist serving any client that came through the door. Within private practice I am having to learn what truly brings me joy and allows me to reach those who are in need of assistance with Anxiety, Trauma, Depression, and Bipolar symptoms.

5. What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a private practice today?\

Three tips for starting, running, or growing a private practice are:


  1. First - Be brave, fear and anxiety about starting your own practice can often hold us in place. So we must be brave for ourselves and learn into that fear to succeed.
  2. Second - Network, network and more network. Do not fear communicating with individuals in both the counseling world and within the medical world
  3. Third - Do not be afraid to seek out help from others who have started a private practice. We do not have to do this alone and I honestly recommend partnering with others for success.

6. Where can people find you?

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