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Pros and Cons to Having a Full Time Office

Not everyone needs to have a full time office space just for themselves - but some do. Let us help you figure out what is best for you and your practice at this given moment.

Perks of having a full time in person office

  • Having a quiet physical space to see your clients in

  • Being around other people throughout the day that aren’t your clients

  • Knowing that only you are in the space and items won’t be moved or misplaced while you are gone

  • Being able to decorate it as you please

  • Getting out of the house and having a short or long commute to assist in decompressing from the days work allowing you to create separation from work and home life

Drawbacks to having a full time in person office

  • May be responsible for furnishing it

    • Which can be quite expensive if you are looking to go above the basics of two chairs and a clock

  • Paying bills (WIFI, electric, etc) and purchasing office supplies (tissues, toner, etc)

  • Having a high monthly rent bill increasing your financial overhead

  • Having the office empty on the days you do not work

    • Or working hard to find a good fitting someone to sublet your office when you are not there if your landlord allows that


Each individual and each practice is going to have to decide for themselves if having a full time office space is what works for them. For some people - the high monthly expense does not bother them because the autonomy and separation from home it provides is well worth the expense. For others, it just doesn’t make sense to pay for and furnish your own office when you only use it 5 hrs a week.

If you are having a hard time deciding what is best for you and your business - reach out to us and we can assist you in exploring this further. At b.mindful Louisville we aim to meet the unique needs of each of our members with goals of empowering and strengthening the entrepreneurs in the KY wellness community to have the businesses of their dreams.


Our various membership (tenant, virtual and community) options allow mental health and wellness providers to save money when starting out all while having the safety and security of a furnished stable office backing them. Learn more here.

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Why Psychiatrists Should Rent Furnished Offices

Unlike other solo entrepreneurs who can hang their shingle at any local Louisville coffee shop or out of their house, as psychiatrists you don’t have that same luxury. In order to abide by HIPAA and/or maintain confidentiality for our clients we have to have a private, safe and neutral space to meet with them in. This barrier can add a lot of additional costs and stress onto our plates, which quite honestly turns away a lot of clinicians from getting into private practice in the first place.

Unlike other solo entrepreneurs who can hang their shingle at any local Louisville coffee shop or out of their house, as psychiatrists you don’t have that same luxury. In order to abide by HIPAA and/or maintain confidentiality for our clients you have to have a private, safe and neutral space to meet with them in. This barrier can add a lot of additional costs and stress onto your plate. Which quite honestly turns away a lot of clinicians from getting into private practice in the first place. 


Going through the office hunt process = headache

Signing a long-term commercial lease (2-5 years on average) = Yikes! Most of us don’t have clients when we are first opening up shop (therefore no income), so committing to a lease for that long can be hard to wrap your head around 

Furnishing said office = $$$

Upkeeping said office = Décor, cleaning, trash, restocking supplies, paying bills, etc. 


Why Psychiatrists Should Rent Furnished Offices

Ease

Instead of having to worry about all the items listed above, all you have to do is market your services, come in, do your work, write some notes, fill the scripts and leave. Don’t worry about cleaning the office, or paying the LG&E bill, or stocking office supplies or anything! Just come and do what you were trained to do and get back to your life outside the office.

 

Low startup costs

If you aren’t having to put down a hefty security deposit, and furnish an office and waiting area, your startup costs are going to be drastically lower. Therefore, allowing you to start a practice for hundreds, and not thousands of dollars.

Starting a practice for $200

            

Design 

If you are renting a furnished space, it is advised to rent a space that is used or has been designed by a like minded individual. 

Best to rent another psychiatrists office when he/she isn’t using it or from an office suite such as b.mindful Louisville, Therapy Space, or Alma. Each of these spaces have offices for rent by the hour or by the day and was designed by a counselor with others in the field in mind.

By doing this you will avoid renting a furnished space with a huge conference table in it, or a very large desk with a chair on either side of it and get a space with comfortable seating for you and your clients, soft lighting opposed to harsh overhead lighting, multiple clocks to be seen by all, calming décor, sound machines and more. 

 

Possible amenities 

Dependent on the furnished office you are looking at renting, some of them may come with amenities such as printer/scanner/fax machine, WIFI, address for your business, onsite parking, private waiting room, complimentary drinks, etc. 

Time

If you are like most psychiatrists starting your own practice, this isn’t your only gig. Maybe you work full or part time at an agency or hospital and/or you are a mother/father or caregiver for someone else, maybe you are dealing with your own health issues and the list goes on and on as to what takes up time in our day to day lives. 

So, if you want to throw some love your way, save yourself the headache and time of having to get your own office, and rent one that is already set up, designed with you in mind and ready for you to come in and do the work you were trained to do. 

 

Smart

You don’t work 24/7 (and if you do, stop that! #selfcare), so don’t rent and pay for an office 24/7. There are 168 hours in a week and most of us are only needing a clinical office for about 20 or so hours (dependent on your case load).


Perks of the digital age is that our documentation, marketing, expense tracking and other business-related tasks can be done anywhere. So be smart with your money and invest it where it counts the most. Rent an office for your client appointments by the hour or by the day, and do the rest of your work from home, in a shared break area, or from your favorite Louisville coffee shop or establishment.

 

Learn more about b.mindful Louisville and the office rentals we have for psychiatrists in the greater Louisville, KY area. Reach out to Shannon Gonter ( 502-528-1363 / shannon@bmindfullouisville.com ) with any questions or to set up your tour

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Importance Of Insurance For Your Private Practice 

There may be more insurances you need to carry for your business dependent on your license and the state you practice in. This blog will go into detail about the insurances your mental health and wellness private practice should carry.

Cover Your Ass With Insurance

There may be more insurances you need to carry for your business dependent on your license and the state you practice in (so check with your board and state), but below are some details on the three main insurances your mental health and wellness private practice should carry.

Professional Liability Insurance 

Professional liability insurance helps protect professional advice given to others. It assists in spreading out and defending the individual or business against a negligence claim made by a client, and damages awarded in such a civil lawsuit. Learn more about what professional liability insurance is here.

This should be held by every practicing individual and if you are incorporated in anyway (LLC, PLLC, S corp etc.) make sure you get a “professional policy” not an “individual policy”. The professional policy will cover both you and your business, an individual policy will only cover you. 

If you are not incorporated now but will be in the future, you can always start with an individual policy for protection and then/if you become incorporated, you can switch your policy to a professional account. This is easy to do by simply calling your current provider and requesting the change. 

Make sure you are specific about the services you provide, ways you provide them (in person, online, group, family…) and if you have a full or part time caseload to make sure you are receiving the appropriate coverage.

Where do I go to get a policy?

Some of the most popular are:

CPH

HPSO

American Professional

Hiscox  

NASW Assurance

*Suggestion to get a quote from several and compare the numbers before signing a contract. Quotes can vary greatly by state/licensure/company.


General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance is often referred to as “business liability” insurance or “slip and fall” insurnace. It is a coverage that can protect you and your business from a variety of claims including bodily injury, property damage, personal injury and others that can arise from your business operations. This can typically be added onto your malpractice insurance policy quite easily and is often required by most landlords. Learn more about it here.

Where do I go to get a policy?

Some of the most popular are:

CPH

HPSO

American Professional

Hiscox  

NASW Assurance

*Suggestion to get a quote from several and compare the numbers before signing a contract


Renters Insurance

You may need to get renters insurance dependent on your current office set up.

If you are going the traditional route and are renting a solo office, or several offices and furnishing them yourself, you definitely need to carry renters insurance. This is because your landlord’s insurance policy will typically only cover physical damage to the space and not your physical items in the space. So, let’s say there is a break in at your office, your landlord’s insurance would cover the broken windows, doors, or damage to the physical property but not your personal items that were taken (computer, couch, tables, decor, supplies…). That is where your renter’s insurance policy would step in and cover your computer, office supplies, telephones, etc. that were stolen. Learn more about renters insurance here.

If you are subleasing a furnished office or using a shared workspace such as b.mindful Louisville you may not have to carry property insurance (which can save you a lot of $ each year). With the subleasing model, clinicians are typically leaving minimal items on property (if any), and typically these items being inexpensive. With this structure, if there was an unfortunate event on property and those items where damaged or stolen, they may not even total up to the insurance deductible amount, therefore leaving you with the sole responsibility to pay to replace the items. Meaning, in some cases, the subleasing model can totally eliminate the need to carry renters insurance, therefore lowering the financial overhead by quite a bit and allowing the clinician to take home more money for themselves. .

*Most landlords will require your business to have renters insurance if you are completely furnishing the space, but most shared workspaces will have you sign a “property insurance waiver”. This allows you to save money each month by not paying for renters insurance when you aren’t leaving items on property but also lays down the line to protect the individual you are renting from.

Where do I go to get a policy?

  • Suggestion to check with your current homeowners or rental insurance agency to see if they offer coverage for commercial offices and if so, you can usually just add it onto your current policy. 

  • Sharon Stivers is local to Louisville, KY and works with Kiely, Hines and Associates Insurance Agency and can assist you in getting navigating the insurance world and putting together a quote for you and your business.

  • State Farm can also provide quotes for you and your business. 

  • OR add on specific property coverage to your current malpractice insurance (computer, expensive treatment tools you use…)


Please check with your attorney and insurance agent to ensure that the insurance choices you are making are the best and appropriate coverage for you and your line of work.

Disclaimer: This is not legal or tax advice. This information is for educational purposes only. You should consult with an attorney and insurance agent to determine which type of business insurance will best meet your needs.

Disclaimer: Each state will have varying needs and requirements, please check with your individual state to ensure you are checking all the boxes!

If you are in the Louisville, KY area and interested in learning more about the opportunities b.mindful Louisville has for you and your private practice, don’t hesitate to reach out t o Shannon Gonter.

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Every Successful Therapy Office Needs…

Every successful therapy office needs a secure entrance and exit, comfortable waiting area for clients, seating for you and your clients in the office, sound machines, clocks, tissues, desk, shredder, fax, machine, soft lighting, décor, WIFI, amenities and more. 

Secure entrance(s) and exit(s).

Preferably separate doors for the entrance and exit to ensure highest levels of confidentiality. Also, so the clinician doesn’t have to trek through the waiting area to get to their office. We all have those clients who get there super early and some of us are those clinicians who stroll in right before our sessions. Last thing we need is to be running through the waiting area at 9:58AM with our 10:00AM session watching us!

Seating for you and your clients.

Minimum of two chairs. Dependent on the population you see, you may need more seating. No need to spend thousands, but be sure that they are at least comfortable (you’ll be sitting in yours quite often), sturdy (don’t want it falling over on you), and durable (want it to last more than a few sessions). 

Sound Machine(s). 

If you don’t have sound proofing drywall or insulation of some sort (or even if you do) you will most likely have to utilize sound machines within your office hallways, waiting room, office or all the above. The white noise will add a buffer between you and the others in the office suite protecting your clients confidentiality even more. 

Clock.

Make sure it is visible for you and your client (or have two separate ones) and make sure you can actually tell the time on it! Though decorative analog clocks can add a nice flare to your wall, no shame in going digital for the ease on telling time. 


Those are the basics that every office NEEDS but below are the common things offices SHOULD have. 


Comfortable waiting area for clients.

I don’t mean a hallway or an empty room. I mean a secure, private or semi-private designated waiting area for your clients to sit and wait for their sessions in. This room should have enough chairs to accommodate the office suite and maybe even some reading material, soothing music and aromatherapy. 

Tissues.

Suggestion to keep a box by your chair and your clients. Therefore, you will always have a backup for when your client pulls the last tissue mid-session. Stock up and be prepared! 

Desk. 

Along with your client clinical hours, comes a good bit of paperwork and documentation. Most clinicians don’t need a large desk but something structured and big enough for your computer can be helpful in getting you out of your “therapist chair” and into a more upright ergonomic typing position. 

Shredder.

Must have for all sensitive information and PHI that is not kept within client files. Even if it is a post it note with a client’s name and number on it, don’t toss that in the trash — shred it. Though we are probably the ones taking out our own trash, better safe then sorry. Follow the protocol and protect your clients confidentiality. 

Fax Machine. 

I know it’s the 21st century but insurances and HIPAA compliance can be “old school” and sending/receiving a fax is still one of the most secure ways to send PHI. 

Soft lighting. 

No one wants to feel like they are under interrogation while in session. If you don’t have the capability to dim your overhead lights, invest in a few standing and table lamps to soften the lighting throughout the space. 

Décor.

Ask yourself the following questions: What do I use my office for? Is my office comfortable? Are there organizational systems in place? Do the colors within the space evoke any emotions? Needing help answering those questions? Read more here.

WIFI. 

Lots of therapist don’t invest in WIFI for the office because they can just “document when they get home”. But then you are taking your work home with you which can cause strains on your work life flow, as well as cause complications for abiding by HIPAA. There are tons of ways to get WIFI at your office (that are affordable and portable) so you can document at the office and not have to take your work home with you (literally and figuratively). 

Amenities. 

Some of the common offices amenities to have in the waiting area are water, coffee, tea, mints, hard candies, reading material, toys for children, music, TV, etc. Some of the common office amenities are blankets, weighted blanket, fidgets, candles, salt lamps etc. 


Of course there are other things you will “need” for your office and that will assist you in treating your clients to the best of your ability but this list will get you going. 


If you don’t want to hassle with the high startup costs associated with outfitting an office, getting all this set up for yourself and keeping up with replenishing the supplies? Check out the shared workspace of b.mindful Louisville. We provide office rentals for mental health and wellness professionals in the greater Louisville, KY area that are completely furnished and loaded with amenities. Learn more here


Have additional questions? Feel free to message me and ask!

Shannon Gonter, Founder and Owner of b.mindful Louisville

Shannon Gonter, Founder and Owner of b.mindful Louisville

I’m Shannon, a professional counselor and understand the importance of having a safe space to practice in, consulting, networking, having a solid referral list, and being around other like-minded professionals. 

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How To Keep Yourself Safe In Your Private Practice

There are a million details to plan for and think through when starting your own business. As a mental health or wellness professional, one of the most important elements to consider is safety. Safety for yourself as a practitioner and your clients. There are a lot of safety measures to think about when evaluating office space for your practice. Read on to learn about just a few of the areas of safety that b.mindful Louisville was created to address for you and your practice.

There are lots of things to plan for and think about when going into business for yourself. But in the mental health and wellness fields there is an added level of intentionality needed for everything we do with our clients. As certified mental health professionals, it is critical to make sure that this extends into our business thought process as well. 

After getting all your business paperwork filed, business entities formed, clinical paperwork in order, and networking events attended; you would think the planning should be done right? Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. One of the most important elements in your practice is client and practitioner safety.

Below we will break down the most important safety items to keep in mind when finding your office, setting it up, and scheduling clients to ensure you have appropriate safety precautions set in place for your items, your clients and most importantly you. 

When looking for an office space…

  • Ensure the office you are looking at has a lock on the office door or the ability to add one.  

  • Best case scenario for your new office would be that your office door does not lead to the exterior of the building and that there are some interior barriers between you and the outside.

  • Make sure that the office you are looking at has more than one exit and that you know where all the exits are

  • Think about where all exits lead to. Does it lead to a busy street? Does it lead to an alley way?

  • Think about the parking situation. Is the parking close by? Does it require a lengthy walk from the office door? Is it well lit? 

  • Think about who is around you. Are you renting an office in a space where you will be the only one working late or weekends? Suggestion to rent somewhere around other like-minded health and wellness professionals with similar schedules so you aren’t the only one in the building at all times. 

When setting up your office space…

  • When configuring the furniture in your office, ensure that there are no barriers between you and the door and that you are sitting closest to the door. 

  • Look at the décor in your office and evaluate what could be used as a potential weapon. Remove items that could be dangerous to you or your clients. 

  • If you have a waiting area, think about the population you work with and if giving them a locker in the waiting area would be appropriate. This then limits the possibility of dangerous items being brought back to your office. 

  • If not already developed, make an office-wide emergency plan (fire, power loss, tornado, active shooter, agitated client…). 

When scheduling new clients…

  • A great suggestion is to screen potential clients before scheduling intake appointments with a free 15-minute consultation call. Use this time to ask pertinent questions in regard to safety and to ensure that they are a good fit for your practice and expertise. 

  • If possible, try not to schedule new client appointments late into the night or as your last appointment of the day. 

  • If your office is around other people, give yourself an out and allow colleagues to interrupt if they hear a client getting volatile. Discuss with your coworkers that they can knock to inform you that you have a call or ask for your assistance with something. 

Extras…

  • If possible, you can label one of your rooms a “panic” room so everyone in the office knows where to go in case of an emergency. 

  • You can download specific apps for your phone that act as a panic button and will call emergency authorities at the touch of a button. Certain smart watches will do this as well. Panic Button Apps

  • Keep your cell phone near you or in your pocket during sessions in case of an emergency. 

  • You can learn self-defense techniques5 Self Defense Moves Everyone Should Know

Of course, we hope that no one ever has to use these suggestions and techniques in real life but always better to be safe and prepared than in danger and not having a plan. 


Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

b.mindful Louisville takes the safety of our tenants and their clients very seriously. We designed our offices with mental health and wellness professionals in mind and have taken care of a lot of safety measures for you. Our goal is to ensure our tenants feel confident, secure and prepared to tackle whatever comes into their office that day. 

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Importance Of Design Within The Office

On top of your mental health or wellness degree, did you also happen to pick up an interior design degree? The answer is going to be a hard no for the bulk of us. So, what now? How are do we design an office that we both love and want to spend our days in but also make our clients feel welcomed and secure in? 

On top of your mental health or wellness degree, did you also happen to pick up an interior design degree? The answer is going to be a hard no for the bulk of us. So, what now? How are we supposed to design an office that we both love and want to spend our days in but also make our clients feel welcomed and secure in? 

Well I am not an interior designer by any means, but I do have an interest in it, have an eye for what looks good together and am obsessed with the idea that simple touches and décor can have such a large impact on how we feel when we are inside a room. 

If you aren’t in the same boat as I am and are feeling completely lost when it comes to office design, ask yourself these questions. 


What do I use my office for?

Is my office comfortable?

Are there organizational systems in place?

Do the colors within the space evoke any emotions?


Practicality

In order to make sure your office fits your needs, you’ll need to answer a few more questions. 

 What do you do? Are you a therapist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a life coach, a reiki practitioner, or a dietitian? 

How many people are in your office at once? 1, 2, 3, 4 or more? Usually 1 but sometimes 4? 

What do you use your office for? Are you solely sitting and talking with your clients or do you sometimes stand up and do physical movement? Do you need space for a treatment table to do energy work on? Or do you need a designated writing space for testing or art work? 

12_18_10009.jpg

Dependent on your answers, the needs for your office are going to look different. If you are solely sitting and talking with one client at a time, you can get away with a smaller office, a small desk, love seat and chair. But if you are doing work with 3+ people at a time or needing space for movement you are going to want to ensure that your office is large enough for this, or that your furnishings are lightweight enough to be easily moved to the sides of the room. 

 Comfortable

In order to fully answer the question of “is my office comfortable” you will need to be willing to see your office from another perspective and listen to your friends and family’s honest opinions. Okay so first, walk into your office as if you were the client. Sit where they would sit. Do what they would do. The difference in perspective allows you to step outside of your provider lens and see the space from your client’s point of view. Maybe you notice from the clients chair that you can’t see the clock, or that the pillow on the couch is very prickly. Pay close attention to all details and make tweaks from there.  

Next, invite a few trusted coworkers, friends or family members into your office to give their honest opinion. The point of doing this is to get different sets of eyes on the space and various points of view on how it makes them feel. Though this is your office, it is not only for you. You want to make sure that it is welcoming to a wide variety of people in order to appeal to all your clientele. 

 Organization

 Dependent on your natural state of organization, this area might come easier to some than others. 

For those that are naturally inclined to organizational techniques (me) and thoroughly look forward to going to the The Container Store (literally the best place in the world). This will be a breeze for you and honestly might be your favorite part of designing your office. 

But for those who aren’t naturally interested in label making, file folders and color-coded systems, don’t fret! You are not going to have to shift your entire way of doing things, but you do need to find out if you are naturally messy, disorganized, or cluttered (yes, there is a difference). 

12_18_10063.jpg

Messy = untidy or dirty

Disorganized = spaces that lack structure

Cluttered = too many things in a small area 


In summary, if you are in the messy category, you are going to want to clean up a bit. If you are in the disorganized state, just don’t let it get out of control because once it does it’ll be hard to manage. If you are in the cluttered state, put some time aside to go through the items little by little and get rid of what you don’t need. 

Think about how you would feel paying money (sometimes a lot) to a provider for a service, and then walking into their office and the trash is overflowing, there are stains on the carpet, and it smells unpleasant. No matter how good of a clinician you are, it is going to make your clients think “if he/she can’t even manage to take out the trash on a weekly basis, how is he/she going to be able to help me?” 

 What works for you and your business is what’s most important, so deep dive into your patterns and what category your office falls into and make adjustments in order to have your office depict who you are as a wellness provider. 

Learn organizational tips here, here and here

Color

Close your eyes and image you are walking into a bright yellow room with white furniture. How do those colors make you feel? Okay now do it again but imagine you are walking into a light blue room with wood toned furniture. How do those colors make you feel? 

Were the feelings the same after each imagery? For most people they are not. Most describe initially feeling energized by the yellow but not wanting to stay in that room for long. With the light blue room, most describe feeling welcomed and comfortable. After doing some research on various color theories, I stumbled upon Angela Wright and her “Color Affects System”. 


For the 4 primary colors she summarized that:

The color blue affects the mind and stimulates higher productivity

The color green affects emotions and causes balance, calmness and reassurance

The color yellow affects creativity levels and self-confidence

The color red affects the body and causes a physical exertion response. 


With the wide spectrum of hues available, it can get tricky knowing what the best options are for your space. Some things to take note of in regard to wall color is that it is not recommended to use intense colors in an office where emotions tend to run high and it is usually safest to go with a pale color on the walls for a calming or soothing overall vibe.  

In regard to other décor within the space, it is recommended to use more than one color to create a color palette (one or two other colors to create balance within the space). 


If you are still completely overwhelmed about the design of your office and not knowing what way to turn, you can always:

1.    Ask a friend or family member to assist you in decorating or hire someone (Houzz may be able to assist in finding a professional)

2.    Rent a furnished office from shared workspaces such as b.mindful Louisville

3.    Share an office with a like-minded provider (check craigslist for postings or ask around your clinical community for availability)


Photos taken by Bryan Moberly


Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

Have additional questions? Feel free to message me and ask!

I’m Shannon, a professional counselor and understand the importance of having a safe space to practice in, consulting, networking, having a solid referral list, and being around other like-minded professionals. 

 

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Why A Quiet Office Space Is A Must For Social Workers In Private Practice

While interacting with people is a big part of a social worker’s job they still need some form of quiet space to complete their paperwork and make phone calls. What’s more, the area needs to be one where they can focus without any sort of distractions.

While interacting with people is a big part of a social worker’s job they still need some form of quiet space to complete their paperwork and make phone calls. The area needs to be one where they can focus without any sort of distractions.

Something that social workers tell us is that they need their own space where they cannot be distracted. This is to allow them to be able to get all their important paperwork done such as documents that need to be sent to the state government or insurance company. Believe it or not, but paperwork takes up a significant portion of a social worker’s workload. So when renting an office space, it is important to have a space that they can be left alone to do paperwork and be able to focus on their clients. Keep in mind, most social workers complete paperwork that is very important to peoples lives. So if they make a mistake, they could be facing a delay in services or support for the people they are working with. So a social worker needs to be able to concentrate and focus on what they are doing some say more than other professions. And the biggest distraction of all as reported by some is office noise.

Whenever we talk to social workers, it’s apparent that they need to focus on providing assistance and services to the people that they work with. The fact that clients build their assumptions about you based in-part on the office they meet you in is a sentiment we hear repeated over and over. And to accommodate this fact, they need an office that is warm and inviting. Why does it matter? Well, meeting clients who have been abused or have other mental and family issues, it’s extra important that the space they are meeting in is comforting and should be a place where people can feel safe. However, it’s important to remember that every office does not project the same type of feeling. When businesses like financial consultants or insurance companies are looking for a space, they may be looking for the standard office. They may expect a few offices and a table that is set up like a conference room. This setup is not ideal for social workers. Rather, their office needs to be inviting, even if it goes against what other businesses may be looking for.

If the office is noisy, this can cause colossal productivity problems.  Even a small amount of noise can be disturbing. Auditory distractions can have a negative impact on anyone's productivity and quality work. Things like coworkers on the phone and even notifications from a cell phone can take attention away from the task at hand. So if a social worker is sharing an office, they each need to have their own separate working space. This way they do not distract each other with phone calls and noise. This may sound like a common-sense no-brainer piece of advice. However, we have heard lots of horror stories from social workers who have had to share workspace in an “open office” setup.

Studies have been conducted on focus, and it was found that the average worker has a concentration of 11 minutes due to interruptions. So if there is noise that is distracting, any focused work like paperwork can take even longer to complete. And social workers, some say more than most, need to make sure all of their documentation is accurate. And if they keep on getting distracted with distractions, it can have an impact on their client's lives and quality of work.

When a social worker is looking for a space to get some work done, it’s vitally important to have somewhere where they feel comfortable. This is in large part due to the mentally demanding type of work that they do. They need to have an office that is free of distractions so they can work in peace and focus on what their real goal is, helping people.  b.mindful Louisville is specifically designed and set up for health and wellness businesses. Call or text us at 502-528-1363 for a tour of our space, or Click Here to schedule a walk-through.

Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

Shannon Gonter, LPCC, Owner and Founder of b.mindful Louisville

Have additional questions? Feel free to message me and ask!

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