Therapists’ work goes far beyond just sitting with clients during sessions. Research from a 2019 Psychotherapy Research study and a 2021 APA survey share that these tasks can contribute to a 50-60 hour workweek. If you’re a therapist, you’ve probably felt the weight of these unseen hours. But here’s the good news: with practice management tools like Owl Practice, you can take a load off, streamline your workflow, and reclaim some of that valuable time.
Documentation-Related Tasks
Progress Notes
Let’s face it — progress notes are a necessary evil. They’re critical for tracking client progress and maintaining continuity of care, but they take forever to complete.
Treatment Planning
Treatment planning is another time sink. Sure, it’s important — you’re setting goals, structuring treatment, and reviewing assessments — but it’s hard to find time for it when you’re juggling everything else.
Scoring Assessments
Scoring assessments might not seem like a big deal, but when you add up the time spent interpreting results and documenting them, it starts to get overwhelming.
CPS Reporting
CPS reporting is one of those tasks that, while essential, is emotionally and administratively draining. Filing reports for suspected child abuse or neglect takes time, and it’s not billable.
How Owl Practice Helps
With Owl Practice, all your client records are stored securely in one place, so when it’s time to file a CPS report, you have everything you need right at your fingertips. That means less scrambling and more peace of mind. Progress notes are much easier with customizable templates. Whether you’re documenting a straightforward session or something more complex, these templates save you loads of time. Plus, everything is securely stored, so you can access your notes whenever you need them without any hassle. Additionally, the built-in assessment tracking means no more manual entry or lost papers. You can store, score, and refer back to assessments with just a few clicks. It’s a lifesaver.
Communication and Collaboration
Email Communication
We all know how fast email can pile up. Between responding to client concerns, scheduling appointments, and following up on session details, email management alone can steal hours from your week.
Collaboration with Other Service Providers
Working with other professionals, like psychiatrists or school counselors, is key to holistic care. But coordinating care across emails, calls, and meetings takes a ton of time — none of which is billable.
Crisis Management Calls (Under 15 minutes)
Crisis calls are inevitable. While they’re short, they’re also crucial for client safety and support. Unfortunately, they’re typically non-billable and often come at inconvenient times.
Free 15-Minute Consultation Calls
Offering free consultations is a great way to connect with potential clients, but those 15 minutes here and there add up quickly. It’s unpaid time that still contributes to your workload — 4 consultations adds up to about one unpaid session.
How Owl Practice Helps
Owl Practice’s Client Portal allows clients to schedule consultations directly, helping you manage and organize these calls efficiently so you’re not overwhelmed with back-and-forth scheduling. The built-in secure messaging allows you to handle client communication right inside the platform. It’s faster, more secure, and everything stays in one place. No more bouncing between apps or inboxes — just streamlined communication. You can also document Crisis Management calls directly into the client’s file in real-time. No need for follow-up paperwork, just a quick and easy way to ensure everything is recorded properly. And you can keep all collaboration-related documents and notes in one place. Easily share info (with consent, of course) without all the back-and-forth.
Professional Development & Networking
Continuing Education
Therapists are required to stay up-to-date with the latest practices, and that means attending webinars, conferences, and workshops. While this keeps your skills sharp, it adds even more to your weekly workload.
Staying on Top of Legal and Ethical Changes
Legal and ethical standards in the mental health field are always evolving, and keeping up with those changes is non-negotiable. This research can take a lot of time, though.
Professional Networking
Building connections with other professionals is essential for your growth, whether it’s for referrals or collaborations. But attending events and maintaining these relationships can take up valuable time.
How Owl Practice Helps
With Owl Practice managing your admin tasks, you’ll have more time to dedicate to building those relationships, without the extra stress. By taking care of your administrative tasks, Owl Practice frees up time you can use for continuing education. No more stressing about falling behind on billing or scheduling while you’re learning something new. And since the platform is regularly updated with security, compliance, and ethical standards built in, you can stay compliant without extra effort.
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Practice Management
Scheduling
Scheduling clients, rescheduling, handling cancellations — this alone can feel like a full-time job, especially if you don’t have administrative help.
Billing and Producing Superbill
For therapists who handle their own billing, the process of invoicing and creating superbills for insurance can eat up hours of your week.
Marketing
Marketing your practice is essential for growth, but it’s unpaid and requires ongoing effort, whether it’s maintaining a social media presence or updating your website.
How Owl Practice Helps
Owl Practice’s reporting tools provide insights into your client demographics and trends, helping you make smarter, data-driven marketing decisions. Plus, the Client Portal enhances your online presence, making it easier for potential clients to find and engage with you. The scheduling system automates reminders, cancellations, and rescheduling. Clients can even book directly through the Client Portal, so you can focus less on logistics and more on your clients. And billing is simplified with features like invoicing, payment tracking, and superbill creation. It ensures that you get paid on time and cuts down on the administrative burden.
Research and Resource Development
Research
Staying current on the latest therapeutic techniques and clinical findings is critical for providing quality care. But let’s be honest, research takes a lot of time, and it’s not billable.
Community Resource Development
Identifying local resources for your clients, like housing assistance or legal aid, is important for holistic care. But developing and maintaining these relationships takes effort and time.
How Owl Practice Helps
Owl Practice allows you to store and organize all your client-related resources in one place, so you have everything you need when connecting clients to external services. By automating so many of the administrative tasks you’d otherwise have to handle manually, you now have more time to focus on research and keep your practice at the cutting edge.
Clinical Supervision and Consultation
Clinical Consultation/Supervision
Early-career therapists and those pursuing further certification often engage in clinical supervision, which is essential but typically non-billable. Even experienced therapists participate in peer consultation for continuous improvement.
How Owl Practice Helps
With Owl Practice’s secure platform, you can document supervision hours, session notes, and feedback in one place, making it easy to stay organized and compliant with supervision requirements.
The Impact of Non-Billable Work on Therapist Well-Being
Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
Non-billable tasks add up, often leading to therapist burnout. Balancing clinical hours with all the behind-the-scenes work can be exhausting and emotionally draining.
Work-Life Balance Challenges
It’s common for therapists to find themselves working late into the night or on weekends just to keep up with their non-billable duties. This can strain personal relationships and affect overall well-being.
Discrepancy Between Clinical and Non-Clinical Hours
Seeing 25 clients a week might seem manageable, but when you add the non-billable work on top, it starts to feel overwhelming. This gap between clinical hours and total workload can lead to dissatisfaction.
How Owl Practice Helps
Owl Practice narrows that gap by streamlining all non-clinical tasks. The result? More time for clients and less time spent on administrative work. By automating so many of the tasks that take up your time — like scheduling, billing, and documentation — Owl Practice helps you avoid burnout and focus on what truly matters: providing care to your clients. With automated solutions for scheduling, documentation, and client management, Owl Practice helps you regain control of your time, so you can focus on maintaining a healthier work-life balance.
Conclusion: You Can Reclaim Your Time
Non-billable tasks are an unavoidable part of running a therapy practice, but they don’t have to take over your life. By using Owl Practice, therapists can automate many of these tasks, freeing up time to focus on what truly matters — providing high-quality care to clients. With Owl Practice’s features, you’ll not only streamline your work but also improve your overall well-being and job satisfaction.
FAQs
1. Can Owl Practice help reduce the time spent on progress notes?
Yes! Owl Practice offers customizable templates and dictation options, making progress notes faster and more efficient to complete.
2. How does Owl Practice simplify scheduling?
Owl Practice automates appointment reminders, cancellations, and allows clients to book through the Client Portal, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication.
3. Can Owl Practice assist with billing and insurance claims?
Absolutely. Owl Practice simplifies invoicing, payment tracking, and superbill creation, making it easier for therapists to manage their billing.
4. How can Owl Practice help with client communication?
Owl Practice’s secure messaging feature allows therapists to communicate directly with clients from within the platform, keeping everything organized and confidential.
5. Can Owl Practice improve work-life balance for therapists?
Yes, by automating non-billable tasks like scheduling, billing, and documentation, Owl Practice allows therapists to spend more time focusing on their clients and themselves, reducing burnout and improving work-life balance.
Reduce clinical administrative tasks and transform more lives with Owl Practice. Owl Practice provides all the tools you need to make your practice successful. Join the thousands of care professionals using Owl to run their practice every day.
