For years people have been asking me what niche markets are the best. And I tell them that it is more important to consider what you love doing – rather than the latest trend.
Yet there are some interesting developments in our culture that could lead to fun niches – if you love working with these populations.
1) Pets are the new “children” and some people (including the affluent) are giving their pets the same love and attention as children. Don’t get me wrong – I love dogs and cats. (Don’t tell anyone but I used to be the “cat lady” in my neighborhood.) But I am talking about prolonged divorce and mediation due to pet custody issues. Or even couples arguing over how the pets should be “raised.” This could be an interesting niche: “pet conflict.”
2) Gen-Y-ers. These are the children of the Baby Boomers and are very different than their parents or the Gen-X’ers. There can be a market for helping employers (and families) learn how to manage these highly connected, supremely tech-savvy young people.
These are just a couple of interesting niches we have come across lately. But again, I highly encourage you to pick a niche based on what you love (and of course what will make you money) rather than what is “trendy.”
But I am curious, what trends do you see in psychotherapy and how we deliver our services?
I expect we will be going to variable-length sessions when many start adding e-therapy to their mix of services. I envision that those working with executives will be doing shorter sessions via web-cams so the executive doesn’t have to leave the home or office.
Maybe we will be doing marital therapy in private web-chat rooms for couples who are separated by distance such as those in the military. I love the idea of working via technology for those who have disabilities and can’t easily get to a therapist’s office – or for the homesick college student who wants to “check in” with the same therapist she saw over the summer. Therapy over technology could be a Godsend for for those in very rural areas.
I also expect that we could truly offer more to our clients if we developed even better relationships with allied professionals such as attorneys, financial planners and life coaches. A good example of this is the Collaborative Divorce movement.
What do you see as trends in psychotherapy? Do you see new techniques emerging? Do you think we will continue to move toward more “outcome-oriented” therapy? Or maybe you see a return of more psychoanalytic work? And do you agree with me that we will be adding more technological ways of dealing with clients to our mix of services?
Please let me know what you think!
Happy practice building!
Casey
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
heal and deal, that is!
Hi Casey,
I see a lot of couples dealing with infidelity….more and more it’s the woman who has gone outside the marriage.
I think that anyone who is looking for a niche should consider specializing in helping hurt partners deal and deal.
Melissa
Hi Casey,
I have had a huge calling to serve our combat veterans that began years before 9/11 and after Viet Nam. Our returning warriors are in severe need. By the thousands. One vet commits suicide every 15 mintues. My training and experience has been treating PTSD in adolescents. I use CBT, which research proves is helpful with trauma. I also designed and directed an equine-assisted program to use with SED adolescents, who suffered severe early childhood trauma. Unfortunately the VA will not hire MFT’s. Only LCSW’s and they are the military and that is the way it is. I have attended workshops on treating the returning IRAQ Heroes of our country. Policemen and firefighters also could benefit. My problem is finding the referals. Can you help Casey?
My niche is working with children in a play therapy setting. This to me is the best way for children to express their inner emotions and difficulties without feeling threatened. Entering their world builds a trusting relationship. Developing this play therapy into working with the family system is still a developing practice for me. I continue to work with family systems in the traditional manner, even though there are therapies such as filial playtherapy that focuses on play with the family. Another trend I am hoping to develop and work with is animal assisted therapy. Working with childen and animals to develop trust and communication, boundary setting, etc. This is a new field still in development.
I also agree with Casey that a trend would be toward more therapy being provided long distance through technology. The up and coming generations do everything on line. I look forward to this advance, even though playtherapy is a face to face session. I am hopeful that this will open more ways for us as professionals to help and work with people.
I am seeing more burned out families. In the past I’ve had more kids dropped off to be fixed. I am pleased to see more parents coming in for support and willing to look at what they can do to de-stress themselves and their families.
I am also excited to hear more clients looking for mindfulness based practices so I can incorporate psychospiritual counseling into my work.
I find that I am seeing more men who are seeking help because of a crisis in their marriage. The common complaint that I am hearing is that their spouse no longer feels connected and is “tired of the same old stuff.” The reason given for the lack of connection is that the husband has been less than fully participating in the life of the family.
I see a very exciting trend towards Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. I have incorporated into the Women’s Mid-life Groups that a run with wonderful results.
Hello Casey!
First I want to let you know that the skills and techniques that I learned at your two day seminar here in Dallas last year have really been beneficial in helping me transform my practice into a fee-for-service practice.My marketing skills have blossomed. My website has been recieved well and has been very helpful in generating fee-for-service referrals. Your suggestions have been invaluable.
The niche that I am developing is working with families and couples that are dealing with the developmental issues associated with divorce. While as a couples therapist I never advise clients about whether or not to legally dissolve their marriage, but I have found a sizable market of clients who have already made the decision. These families need support and assistance with navigating post divorce co-parenting in ways that are in their children’s best interest.
I have found the Parenting Coordination and Collaborative Divorce Models to be very beneficial.
Thanks so much for what you do!
Also, I do think there is a shift in a niche of population to do psychoanalytic work. I think we have a generation of people who are interested in depth, personal reflection, and knowing the ‘whys’ about their behavior. I don’t know how many people are desirous of paying for this, but there is surely a segment that wants to and will. Margaret
Hi, Casey!
I’m doing collaborative work with a high-level estate planning and transfer attorney. Sometimes there is alot of family conflict around transfer of businesses and/or wealth, and doing actual family therapy here is very useful. The structure is completely different, though — not done by hourly sessions, but doing whatever it takes, days or weeks — to accomplish this task. It has been a nice evolution, though. Hard to find the actual clients, but very rewarding when they are discovered and then worked with. Thanks — Margaret Johansen