How to choose a professional administrator

The process of choosing your professional administrator is a key part of a successful pause or closure of your practice. There’s a few characteristics that are important in a professional administrator. Typically, a person who makes a quality administrator is someone who is:

·       A fellow mental health professional

·       Well versed in the intricacies of privacy law and client records

·       Fully capable of following the steps of your document in a timely way

·       Trusted to contact clients as needed to provide records and referrals

·       Able to meet clients with empathy

·       Not overwhelmed by grief or the magnitude of work

Do you have someone in mind who meets these criteria? It can be really difficult to balance choosing a person you trust to know you well enough to do the job you’re asking, but also won’t be overwhelmed emotionally by the role. Who can you choose that’s going to be sad that you died, but not so sad they can’t administer your closure plan? Or who is excited for the birth of your baby but won’t have their own full plate while you’re out on family leave?

The whole point of creating your pause or close plan is so that it will be carried through when you need it to be carried through. Even the most complete, thorough, organized plan is garbage if it’s not put into action. The person you choose to be your professional administrator is how you actually have a quality pause or close plan.