Meet Diane Franz, LCSW-R, M.Ed, a Binghamton University alumna who earned a B.S. in Human Development! Diane owns her own psychotherapy practice and has a diverse range of experiences in the psychology field. Her wisdom, wealth of experience, and passion for helping others serve as an inspiration to students who may be interested in a career in psychology.
Continue reading to learn about Diane’s experiences and gain insight into her field!
- What is your job title and what are your responsibilities at work?
I am the founder and owner of my own psychotherapy practice, Southern Tier Counseling Solutions. I work exclusively with women and teens and specialize in grief work. My practice is a hybrid of in-person and online clients around NY state.
As owner of the practice and the building, my responsibilities are quite varied. While I spend most of my time with clients, I also have to track income, track and pay expenses, pay payroll, make sure the office is clean and maintained. Mental health is a very dynamic field and I am committed to ongoing education and staying informed about new research, therapeutic techniques, and best practices.
- What was your major/program at Binghamton and how did you know that it was the right choice for you?
Initially, I was a sociology major at Binghamton but I switched to human development. I knew I wanted to be in the helping professions but I was not committed to a particular field so the more generalist approach was really helpful for laying a foundation. After graduating with my Bachelor’s, I attended the University of Albany and earned my MSW in 2003. I also have a Master’s in Education.
- What advice would you give to a student who is exploring different career options and is not exactly sure what they want to do?
As a first-generation college student, this was me! I was considering different career options but had little guidance. Subsequently, I asked a lot of questions! I really enjoyed taking classes with adjunct professors. I found they were usually working in the field. Professors are such a resource and I used this as an opportunity to ask a lot of questions about their education, work experiences, current job trends, grad school, etc. This helped me tremendously as it provided me with more knowledge and clarity about my future opportunities.
- What activities/clubs/organizations were you involved in at Binghamton?
As a first generation college student, I worked full time and attended college full time so I had very little free time for any clubs or organizations.
- Did you participate in any internships? If yes, how did they help you develop skills or interests in your career area?
I completed a semester-long internship during my last semester. It was very helpful in applying the knowledge learned in class, learning more about community resources, the experiences of vulnerable populations, and boosted my confidence as a young professional entering graduate school the following semester.
- How did you break into your career field?
I worked full-time at the Department of Social Services during my last year at Binghamton. I knew I wanted to do something to help others but in a different capacity and so I applied to graduate school and then attended Albany. While there, I completed two year-long internships and I also worked in an Emergency Department. I was hired by my second placement and started two days after graduation. From this mental health clinic, I went on to work on the psychiatric units at Binghamton General for about five years. I returned to outpatient mental health in a school-based program in Tioga County until I launched my psychotherapy practice from part-time to full-time.
- What advice would you give to students interested in your career?
Burnout and vicarious trauma are real. Gain experience shadowing, interning, or volunteering so you can make sure this is for you. Practice good self-care and surround yourself with great supports so you can enjoy a long, rewarding career.
- How did your coursework at Binghamton prepare you for your career?
At Binghamton, I took several sociology and women’s studies courses. These were my favorite classes and I apply a great deal from them still today. I really enjoy learning about others and consider myself perpetually curious about people, their context and these foundational courses provide some of that framework. I love to help women learn to articulate their experiences, grow, and become more empowered!
- What does a day in your life look like at your job?
It really depends on the day! I tend to do paperwork, billing, calls and emails in the morning and then see clients 11-5. Sometimes I am cleaning, doing snow removal, shopping or updating my website.
- What is the best part of your job?
I love helping people. While being witness to the struggles others face is challenging, it is very rewarding to help them gain insight into themselves and help them develop tools to enhance their lives and overcome obstacles.
For my own personal life, it is great to make my own schedule around what works for myself and my family. Also, as someone who embraces new opportunities, I like that this field allows a lot of flexibility in job choices! We can work with individuals, families, run agencies, do grant work, do a huge variety of different tasks, work with different populations and in a huge array of settings. I have worked in schools, hospitals, clinics and my own practice. Each setting had pros and cons and I enjoyed them all a great deal! I am sure private practice is not my very last job either.
- What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging aspect is social isolation. While it is a people-facing career, I work with people I can’t talk about and I can’t share a great deal about my day. Therefore, it can sometimes feel isolating and this makes family and friend relationships, activities, and hobbies very important.
- What skills are involved at your job?
As a psychotherapist, active listening is the most utilized skill. Others include accurate reflection, empathy, cultural competence, patience, mental flexibility, organization, a good memory, boundaries, ethics, and problem solving. It is vital to remain current on counseling theories, trends and interventions and have the ability to utilize different theories and interventions with each client. Also, understanding healthcare as a payer-driven system means having the skills to diagnose, document, treat, bill and track payments and copays. Owning a private practice also entails a lot of business tasks such as owning or renting space, learning electronic health record systems, dealing with contracts of W2 or 1099 staff, dealing with health insurance contracts, marketing, knowledge about tax structures and proper tax filings.
- What would you recommend to a current Binghamton student who is looking to develop these skills?
It is vital to gather information about the field and all that it entails. There are so many options in the helping professions! If you are looking to own your own private psychotherapy practice, there is a lot of business knowledge to learn first. Try to find work settings, resources and a mentor who can help you so you can achieve your goals.
- What resources did you use when applying to jobs and what advice would you give to students currently in the job application process?
I have worked on my own for over ten years so I am sure my job applying advice would be outdated and I could most likely learn more from current students about this process!
- Is there any other advice you would like to share with Binghamton students?
The focus in many helping professions is the client/consumer/patient and their community. However, we can also be agents of change for ourselves and our profession.
