Maureen Campion and her wisdom

Background.  Maureen and I met because she’s a member of The National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists, a therapy directory I help run.  I’ve known her for several years and think she’s incredibly inspiring as a down to earth, genuine person who happens to have this amazing ability to connect to literally hundreds (maybe up to 1,000 now?) people in her local community who come out, join in classes, and participate in improving family and married life.  She’s a wife, mom, private practice therapist, and “chief babysitter” for her non-profit parenting center.

So Maureen, the first logical question is whether you had ANY marketing experience, training, or background before you plunged into this wild world of offering classes (and setting up a non-profit, Parenting Oasis)?

My mom was a realtor and I remember doing literature drops in our neighborhood as a kid.  She taught me a lot about establishing your reputation in your community as someone who is available to help.  Like most therapists, it was difficult at first for me to think about promoting myself but I also knew I couldn’t help people until they walked in my door.

What came first, the ideas for workshops, or the clients in your private practice setting who clearly needed more psycho-education better served in a less expensive setting than individual therapy?

I found myself telling the same stories, teaching the same lessons with so many clients who believed that their marital issues were personal.  I was also getting information from Smartmarriages that the research supported marriage classes and didn’t see anything past premarital programs.

How have you come up with your classes?  Is it a personal passion drive or more what you’re seeing lacking in the world and what you think you can successfully market?  (If those two conflict, which maybe they don’t!)

The first class I offered is still my most popular- “Amazing Marriage 101”.  It developed out of my passion for marriage research and the developmental stages of marriage, the things I think all couples would benefit from knowing about what matters in creating powerful marriages.  Since then I have continued to ask participates for feedback and suggestions and followed their lead.  Some classes have been cancelled due to lack of interest and others I have offered again and again.

A lot of therapists have baggage around marketing.  What are some ways that you’ve ensured you feel your integrity while trying to fill classes and your private practice?

My weekly newsletter is truly my voice, just me talking about stuff that I have seen in the week, in my life or in my practice.  It is never a “sales pitch”.  I am committed to offering something of value to people who I may never meet.  I always offer some options I am not connected to as well.  I think therapy is good for some people, classes for others and many will do just great reading a book together.  I also don’t think I am the therapist for everyone and love helping people find someone that works for them.

Do you think being an extrovert is a requirement for offering workshops as a feeder into new clients?

First of all, I don’t see my classes as feeders into clients.   Right now I don’t have room for new clients, especially those who want my precious evening hours.  I want people to come to my classes and do much of the work on their own and hopefully not need any therapy.  Or with some classes have therapy move much faster and be specific to a few key issues. 

My classes reflect me.  I love high energy classes where I get to do most of the talking.  Others offer more process focused, reflective discussion classes.  I do think that classes can balance the close personal work of therapy.

What are some lessons you’ve learned the hard way?

I end each class with a feedback form and encourage people to really let me have it.  The major concern people had was that the class wasn’t what they expected.  I learned how important it is to tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them.  This really allows people to relax and focus on the conversation.   I also am very clear what my classes aren’t- that no one has to talk, personal stories aren’t shared and that I get to do most of the talking.  This makes it much easier for people to come to the first class.

Anything else you’d like to share to help therapists?

Grab your soap box.  There are those topics that you know really get you going, that you love to talk about.  Those should be the things you put the majority of your energy into.  If you talk about what you love, people will want to listen.

Maureen Runs The Marriage Geek