Opher Ganel Headshot

If you’re an independent professional, these may sound familiar…

I know how to serve my clients,

…I’m not a numbers person! Numbers make me anxious! I don’t “speak money!”

I love working with people,

…not numbers! Numbers overwhelm me (I rarely even balance my check-book)!

Helping people is what I love,

…what I’m good at – I never learned how to run a business! It feels like a distraction!

qualifications

If any of that resonates, I’m here to help.

As founder and owner of three successful small businesses of my own, I’ll help you cut through the deluge of numbers so you know what to track, how to track it, and what it means for your practice.

Professionals like you make such a huge difference for people, helping your clients to thrive in the face of life’s challenges. That’s why I want to use my experience and knowledge to help your private practice thrive.

I'm not a therapist, attorney, acupuncturist, or other kind of professional practitioner. And that's a good thing. You already have your specific expertise and don't need more of it from anyone else. My complementary skill-set and the perspective I bring as a scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur help get you moving towards your big goals in a way that you won't on your own or with coaches who have the same professional background as you.

I coach practice owners, helping them avoid big money mistakes; increase their rates so they can earn more while seeing fewer clients, and make the difference they were meant to make for each client each time; and make decisions with confidence knowing they're based on facts and numbers rather than intuition and guesswork.

I came to this country from Israel after grad school over a quarter century ago, with a negative net worth; but now I live the American dream with a high net worth, almost all of it from my small businesses. My experience in developing and running small businesses also helped my wife, a therapist in private practice for over 15 years, grow her business from scratch to a thriving practice– she even calls me her CFO.

My clients tell me that what they appreciate most about my coaching is my calm, non-judgmental approach, my patience in explaining the financial details of their practice (that they've shied away from forever) in a clear and approachable language, and that my only agenda is their success.

As a physics PhD and consultant for NASA (yeah, a “rocket scientist”), I’m a numbers kind of guy. I’m also a firm believer in Albert Einstein’s quip, that every problem should be simplified as far as possible, but no further. I make complex topics approachable and actionable for you. What I offer is easy to understand, usable, and can make a dramatic difference for your practice.

As a first step,

I developed a free worksheet to help you set your rates the right way to get to your financial goals.

I am am not a therapist

I hate spam as much as you do (maybe even more!), so I never sell, rent, or give away your contact info without your permission, period. I will only ever use it to send you the free worksheet now, followed by biweekly emails with free tips, useful and relevant content, and occasional news.

My Promises to You

— I won’t waste your time

— You’ll get value as a visitor/reader even if you never buy anything from me (of course, you’ll get more value if you do )

— The more you engage, the more you’ll get out of your time here

Results

Laurel Fay, LCMFT

Laurel Fay, LCMFT

Opher was calm, reassuring, and experienced in an area where I had anxiety and need. His advice saved me at least $18,000…
Tara Simpson, PsyD

Tara Simpson, PsyD

After our meeting I felt a focus and optimism about my ability to make changes that would not only help my business succeed, but also make me feel like a successful business owner.
Risa Ganel, LCMFT

Risa Ganel, LCMFT

As I’ve grown my business from one day a week to adding associates and buying our own office suite, having Opher as my CFO made every complex financial decision clear. And when something I wanted to do wasn't possible because of the numbers, he explained what would make it possible.
Sheri T. Brown, MSW, LCPC

Sheri T. Brown, MSW, LCPC
President, Kairos Moments, LLC

If you’re a counselor who understands that to ensure success you must merge passion and experience with a “business mindset,” this is for you!
Rachel Mahoney Rengifo, PhD

Rachel Mahoney Rengifo, PhD

Opher provided me with so many different perspectives on my practice and areas to consider. Suddenly, topics that felt daunting made sense and were manageable.
Rachel Eddins, LPC

Rachel Eddins, LPC
Owner, Eddins Counseling Group

Opher’s financial analysis was thorough and helpful, identifying target percentages for expenses, and pointing out budget areas to cut and increase.
Eliezer Schlein, LCPC

Eliezer Schlein, LCPC

Talking with Opher was inspiring. I really liked his clarity, energy, wisdom, and frankly unmatched experience compared to others I spoke with.
Read more results…

Let's Talk

Please reach out if you'd like to explore how I may be able to help.

Podcast Interviews


Popular Blog Posts

What Does the new Tax Law Mean for Your Therapy Practice

The US tax code is infamous for its complexity, and the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (love it or hate it) makes things even more complicated than before for therapists in private practice. Does the new ...

01/02/2018 by Opher Ganel

Best Way to Pay Yourself from Your Practice

You have your very own private practice, and even paying clients – congratulations! You’re officially the owner of a business with revenue (and hopefully profit too!). How do you pay yourself out ...

09/17/2018 by Opher Ganel

Why Free Isn’t Always so Great

It almost seems like you can get something free anywhere you turn these days. That’s because people don’t hesitate to accept something for free, where they may be very reluctant to pay for it. It...

06/13/2017 by Opher Ganel

Associates in a Group Practice – Independent Contractor vs. Employee

Many therapists in private practice at some point expand their practice by bringing in associates, either as independent contractors or as employees. If you joined such a group practice as an IC, or i...

03/21/2018 by Opher Ganel

Retirement Plans for Solo Practitioners

Retirement plans are an important topic for solo practitioners, which I plan to cover more fully in my upcoming video course. However, I don’t want to hold off...

06/23/2017 by Opher Ganel

First 12 Tips Guaranteed to Make Your Practice more Profitable – Your Space

From our experience with my wife Risa’s practice, I’m sure you often feel overwhelmed trying to not only make a difference for your clients, but also juggle all the hats you have to wear to make ...

08/20/2017 by Opher Ganel

Recent Seminar Delivered:

Make Your Private Practice a Success!

6–CEU Training on September 27, 2019
Location: Kenhill Center, 2614 Kenhill Dr. Bowie, MD 20715

"In this 6-CEU training, participants learned from four presenters in four fields: Accounting, Employment Law, Family Law, and Financial Strategy. The presenters covered a broad range of topics in one training, designed to support therapists in minimizing money concerns, so they can concentrate on their main mission – providing the best possible therapy services to their clients!"

Here are some of the things attendees told us they realized as a result of their participation:
  • "My clients are paying for a talent and expertise that I have developed over years, not JUST for the hour we talk/work!"
  • "I'm not charging enough!"
  • "I need to enforce good boundaries by charging no-show, late cancellation fees."
  • "I need to make my practice work for me, rather than me working for my practice!"
  • "While difficult, I do not need to compromise my passion to start and run a business and practice. My expertise is valuable and worth sharing."
  • "My fear of starting my private practice is a good fear, because otherwise I would have too small of a dream."
  • "I need to transform my dreams to goals by setting deadlines."

Let's Talk

Please reach out if you'd like to explore how I may be able to help.