Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Milton Sattler, owner of Milton Sattler Therapy, located in London, England, UK.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a psychodynamic and CBT counsellor and psychotherapist working with a variety of clients who have different presentations such as depression, anxiety, social anxiety, anxiety performance, suicide ideation, relationship issues, bereavement, loss, grief, bullying and harassment, and work relationships and issues. I am also a Gender, Sexuality, and Relationship Diverse Therapist. That is to say, I work with LGBTQI+, gender variant, gender queer Kink clients, sex workers, and those who do not have labels. GSRD therapy offers an affirmative therapeutic approach for LGBTQI+ clients. I am currently training as a Clinical Sexologist at the Contemporary Institute of Clinical Sexology and I am taking clients as part of my training supervised practice. The training cover different area related to sex, pleasure, libido and low desire, sexual dysfunctions, erection problems such as premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction and delayed ejaculation ,  pain during sex such as vaginism and anal pain, Chronic Pelvic Pain, Kink sexualities, compulsive Sexual Behaviour and ChemSex, Culture and Disabilies, Sexual health and fertility and Intimate Partner Relationship Therapy. It is part of the process for future accreditation with the COSRT as a Clinical Sexologist and Intimate Partners Relationship therapist. I am a trainee member of the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT).

Tell us about yourself

After living in the UK for ten years, I decided to go to university again, and I wanted to work helping people to achieve their potential in life. I had my own journey in my personal therapy, and it was very helpful for me to overcome family and emotional difficulties.

The next step was to embark on a seven-year journey at Birkbeck University, where I studied a BSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and CBT and later an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy. I started to see clients in 2013 in my placement and started my Private Practice in 2015. I used to work in SE London and Central London, but now I have divided my Private Practice into Online therapy and Central London.

I see therapy as a life journey where people can grow in the process. I offer my clients a safe and non-judgmental space to grow and achieve fulfillment. Sometimes people ask me when we meet how I deal with my own mental health, talking for hours with clients about theirs. My answer to this question is that being a psychotherapist gives me the privilege of being in the most intimate relationship with my clients, and seeing their personal growth is my best reward. I also like to always be clear to people that when I say intimate relationship, I mean an intimate therapeutic relationship which is not a romantic or sexual relationship. I take my professional boundaries very seriously.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest achievement is to have positively impacted the lives of many people and, from a personal perspective, be able to have a busy private practice and manage my own work and personal time. On top of this, I become an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and an accredited registered member of the British Psychoanalytical Council (BPC). I also trained to work online (video and telephone) during the pandemic.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

When you work in Private Practice you are all alone and depend on your supervisor to support your clinical practice. It is different when you work for an organization and it supports you when a client is in crisis. Therefore, it can be hard to work with someone at risk of suicide. However, when the suicide ideation and crisis have passed, it is also the most rewarding to know that you help someone to recover from risk.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Choose good psychotherapy training with balanced theoretical and practical skills.
  2. Having your personal therapy during your studies and sometimes when you work is also very important.
  3. Carefully choose which psychotherapy approach you are studying and want to practice.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://miltonsattlertherapy.wixsite.com/mysite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiltonSattlerTherapy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miltonsattler_therapy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiltonSattler
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milton-sattler-1abb74113/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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