Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT

Course description:

Small businesses in mental health fail many times due to lack of marketing and branding.  In order to have a successful private practice in mental health, professionals must not only have clinical skills, but also marketing skills.  This seminar/workshop will help mental health professionals gain knowledge pertaining to professional development and market strategizing and explore effective ways therapists in private practice can market themselves through social media outlets such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Course objectives:

Attendees of this course will be able to do the following:

1)      Understand the legal and ethical standards of marketing and advertising through social media such as Facebook, YouTube, and other social networking sites as pre-licensed and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.    

2)      Create an interactive and engaging website with videos utilizing YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and other social media outlets.

3)      Create a marketing strategy that will promote the branding of her/his practice.

4)    Develop a powerful online presence in order to increase client load and enhance other professional opportunities. 

Seminar/Course outline:

• I.                    Legal and ethical standards of marketing and advertising. 
• a.       Exploration of CAMFT advertising standards.     
• b.      Acceptable titles for pre-licensed and licensed marriage and family therapists.
• c.       Scope of practice and content in blogs and video-blogs.
• II.                   Therapists’ view of marketing.
• a.       Philosophical view of marketing by mental health therapists.
• b.      Therapist’s personality and types of marketing.
• III.                Create an effective Facebook, YouTube, Linkedin, and Twitter marketing campaign showcasing the clinician’s mental health practice to gain clients and professional opportunities. 
• a.       Top-down approach to media marketing and strategizing.
• b.      Visual and lighting effects that increase viewer attention.
• c.       Creative ways to project a sense of urgency and interest to your audience.
• IV.                How to create traffic to your website with blogging, video blogging, and email marketing campaigns.
• a.       Word of mouth promotionals.
• b.      Recruiting other professionals in non-related fields.
• c.       Partnering with other social services in the community that target the same clientele.   
• V.                  How to develop a YouTube channel discussing important topics on mental health related topics.     
• a.        Sending email surveys to individuals in the community.
• b.      Monitoring discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and other media sources to gain resources on topics to discuss on your YouTube channel. 

Recommended Resources and Texts:

CAMFT advertising guidelines for therapists: http://www.camft.org/ScriptContent/CAMFTarticles/Advertising/Advertising_Guidelines2.htm

Mary Lou Roberts, Debra Zahay, (2012). Internet Marketing Integrating Online and

                Offline Strategies (3rd edition).  Cengage South-Western.

Ernesto received his undergraduate degree in psychology from Biola University and received his Masters of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University.

Along with his counseling experience, he has conducted various classes and seminars concerning relationships and mental health related topics such as parenting, substance abuse, maintaining healthy marriages, private practice social media and video marketing, and managed care practices. Ernesto is currently an adjunct professor at Hope International University and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Irvine, CA campus. Ernesto owns and operates a group practice with offices located in Huntington Beach and Fullerton California, and also supervises pre-licensed therapists in his group practice called CAV Family Therapy Inc.

Ernesto created FYLMIT.com to help mental health professionals develop a web-based presence in order to learn how to market their practices through video and social media marketing, and is also a videographer, creating promotional videos specifically for therapists in private practice. To learn more about Ernesto, please visit his website: www.FYLMIT.com or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.