Robert Engle, LMHC, M.A. - Very Good Counseling

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Alex Shink

February 23, 2023

Robert Engle, LMHC, M.A. - Very Good Counseling

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

My practice has changed and grown over the years, recently I have been working with Adults with ADHD, depression, anxiety, life stage transitions, and people whom have gone through traumatic experiences. I have specialized training in treating ADHD and neurodiversity. I am currently also being trained to become a Certified EMDR therapist. I would Iike to focus on where these meet. Often a person with ADHD can be impulsive or careless and this can lead to being put in vulnerable positions.

2. Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in this industry. My parents are dedicated professionals that have spent their lives helping others and leading them to teach me the values of care for others. I volunteered and gave my time from early on to helping others. This passion and identity was reinforced in the choices I made in education and employment. I have had the pleasure of seeing the possibility for change lead to changing individuals lives and set them free from fear, self-doubt, grief, and other issues.

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

There is someone whom had severe psychiatric issues and was actually institutionalized for decades of their life due to this illness. He often discussed things from his past a wife, children, driving a bus for local school. Many took these as another hallucination. After helping him organize his story we searched and found his family. They were real, alive, and he was able to get on contact with them. Belief in his story lead us to place of healing and restoring a loss he had for over 30 years.

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

Practicing what you preach! Being someone whom has been on both sides of the counseling experience it’s easy to give guidance and support your clients when you are doing well. We are human like everyone else and need to take steps to promote our own self. It is hard to treat others when we are not taking the steps we need to prepare, attend, and engage with our clients. Teaching skills and doing them with our clients in session can also be moment for us to gather and settle ourselves.

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

I actually have helped several peers start, run, and grow their private practice across the country. I’m actually looking at expanding into consulting for those who would like help starting their private practice business.

Here are my three:

1. Get Organized: Have a place to store and continue to track your progress.

2. Get a CPA: All accountants are not the same this will save you money.

3. Set your rates at what the standard is in your area: Imposter syndrome is real especially with money.