Early in my career, I agreed to be the Practice Executor for a close therapist friend, and she for me. Neither of us imagined we would ever be called into service.
But when I first stepped up for her, and then for another colleague, following untimely tragedies in their 40s, I began to understand the importance of planning to protect your clients, your legacy, and even your family. The old written wills lacked specificity and direction, and had not been updated for some time. Making important decisions in caring for another therapist's clients, records, billing, and all the details of closing a practice is overwhelming. The emotional and urgent demands while grieving myself were highly stressful.
There are so many details to tend to and threads to follow to ensure the ending of a practice reflects the integrity, skill, and compassion with which the therapist has lived. If you’d like to know more, you may read my published account
here.
I am honored to have been entrusted as Practice Executor, and to have served for people who have been meaningful in my life. But I have learned that the duties are too much for one person to take on, busy with their own practice and life that does not pause, possibly in mourning themselves. Volunteer arrangements with colleagues are well-intentioned, but do not account for whether the colleague has experience with grief notification or practice closure, nor if they will be available when the urgent notifications must happen or for the many hours of work required to secure referrals, records, and close down a practice. When I train therapists on Professional Wills and the duties of the executor, I see how overwhelmed by the idea many feel and this leads to avoidance and then to guilt. I thought there must be a simpler way.
After nearly 25 years as a psychologist in solo private practice, I’ve decided to put my difficult experiences to good use by creating an easy, reliable, and cost-effective way to outsource this important responsibility.
I want therapists to trust that their practice will be handled with the level of devotion and care shown to the closest of colleagues and friends. Therapists deserve peace of mind too. Rest easy knowing you have secured expert, comprehensive, compassionate, and personalized services for your practice.
Robyn Miller, Ph.D., Founder
