How to weather the summer slowdown
Many therapy practices slow down in the summer.
This is called the “summer slowdown” or “summer slump.”
Kids are out of school, families are on vacation, and people generally feel happier during the summer when the sun is out.
So what can you do to weather the summer slowdown?
Budget for a dip in revenue
Set aside money in advance and plan ways to reduce expenses during the summer.
Build a summer schedule that reinvests in your business
Use the summer to work on your business instead of in your business. Catch up on bookkeeping, organize receipts, and do some networking.
Set expectations when it comes to extended absences
Make it clear to your regular clients what you expect from them if they need to take an extended break from therapy (two or more sessions in a row).
Go on vacation
Consider scheduling your own time off to match your clients. It may make more sense to leave on vacation when your schedule would be half empty anyway.
Explore other income streams
Offset your income by running an online course, facilitating online workshops for fully-remote organizations, or providing consulting services to other self-employed therapists.