Building a Therapy Practice for Black Women with Dr. Ayanna Abrams

Heard Business School

Therapy hasn’t historically been accessible to everyone.

And by “everyone,” we mean those from different backgrounds, communities, and cultures.

Dr. Ayanna Abrams, licensed clinical psychologist and founder and executive director of Ascension Behavioral Health, identified a need in her community and took action.

In her conversation with host Michael Fulwiler, Dr. Abrams shares her journey starting a private practice as a Black woman and the challenges she encountered along the way.

She covers the unexpected difficulties she faced becoming a business owner, her journey with personal accounting and challenges with financial literacy, and the value of building genuine connections and relationships within the mental health field to grow a clinical practice.

Hear how personal relationships and genuine networking can fuel your referral network, and be ready to explore new consulting opportunities outside the traditional therapy space.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• The challenges and surprises Dr. Abrams faced while transitioning from being a therapist to a business owner, including the exhaustion and lack of social life that comes with entrepreneurship
• The steps Dr. Abrams took to build her clinical practice and referral network through personal connections and relationships with colleagues and peers
• How Dr. Abrams navigated financial management in her private practice, from setting flexible fees to eventually hiring an accountant to manage her business finances

Connect with the guest:

• Visit her website: https://www.ascensionbehavioralhealth.com/
• Dr. Abrams on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_ayanna_a/
• Dr. Abrams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayanna-abrams-psy-d-08826556/

Connect with Michael and Heard:

• Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfulwiler/
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter
• Book a free consult: https://www.joinheard.com/welcome-form

Jump into the conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to Heard Business School with guest, Dr. Ayanna Abrams

[02:59] How Dr. Abrams's background has impacted her career

[08:16] Dr. Abrams's goal with a private practice in grad school

[12:28] How she navigated how much to charge her clients

[18:23] How Dr. Abrams fulfilled a need in the community

[21:35] What Dr. Abrams would’ve done differently if she could go back in time

[25:24] What Dr. Abrams did well when she first started her private practice

[29:31] The shortage of Black therapists

[31:44] What surprised Dr. Abrams when starting her practice

[38:08] The power of finding and forming a community

[44:11] Building a referral network and developing strong relationships

[45:16] How Dr. Abrams balances her business and clinical work lives

[53:30] Dr. Abrams’s biggest takeaway from the conversation

[55:17] Closing