How to Engage Clients with Tailored Learning While They Wait
Have you had an over-capacity waitlist? Were you worried that your clients would not be able to book in a reasonable amount of time?
It’s a common concern for so many practitioners. And it’s something that I’ve seen in my own private practice.
As a mental health practitioner, I thought about my clients’ needs at the time and how I could help them while they waited to see me. So I created a live, online learning program for them to manage their mental health in between appointments or while on the waitlist. Our team then turned the recording into an on-demand course that clients could access while maintaining their place on the waitlist.
That experience led me to recently launching a Canadian-based online mental health platform where we’re always thinking about how to make therapy more accessible.
Every step of the way, I’ve applied “tailored learning” — an approach that focuses on accessibility and formats education around your clients’ particular learning styles.
There are many benefits of tailored learning, especially in a digital format. Let’s take a look at some benefits and how you can apply this method in your practice.
The benefits of tailored learning for your clients
Tailored learning is something I picked up on in my career journey, which wasn’t a typical one.
I started out in community mental health, focused on neurodiversity. Later, I moved into international education, working to make learning more inclusive for diverse student populations. I traveled the globe, living and working in different countries — including Australia, Torres Strait, Indonesia, Mongolia, China, United Arab Emirates, Thailand and Vietnam.
Then when I came back to Canada, I retrained as a therapist to bring my experiences into private practice.
No matter where I’ve been throughout my career, I’ve always been a champion for education.
Education is a powerful tool that can help clients better understand themselves, make informed decisions, and feel more in control of their lives.
Tailored learning can make a difference in private practice — especially when facing common challenges like long waitlists, financial barriers, and information overload.
Let’s say you’re a therapist. When you offer personalized educational content, tailored learning helps clients take charge of their mental health on their own time. This approach allows therapy to extend beyond traditional sessions and reach more people in need.
Starting a tailored learning program doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require planning, focus, and an openness to feedback.
Here are four steps to build a tailored learning program for your practice.
Step #1: Choose a core focus
The first step is identifying a key topic that’s relevant to your clients. This might be something like managing anxiety, building resilience, or improving self-esteem — topics that come up often in therapy and that clients could benefit from exploring independently.
Think about common themes you see in sessions or ask clients directly what they’d find helpful.
For example, if you decide on “managing anxiety”, you could dive into specific strategies like breathing exercises, mindfulness, or reframing anxious thoughts. This approach allows you to offer a focused, useful learning experience.
Step #2: Develop clear, engaging materials
Once you have a topic, start creating materials that are both informative and practical. Think about written guides, worksheets, short videos, and interactive elements like quizzes. This variety allows clients to engage with the content in ways that work best for them.
If the topic is anxiety, for example, you might include a guide on grounding techniques, a video explaining mindfulness, and written tasks to help clients identify their anxiety triggers. Having different types of materials can accommodate diverse learning preferences and make the experience more effective.
No matter which topics you choose, you’ll want to plan ahead and track how you’re building all your content with an editorial calendar.
Consider color-coding your materials in the content calendar based on their formats (i.e. yellow for videos, blue for blog posts, etc.) so that you and your team can easily glance and get a sense of what is going out when.
If you’re looking for an editorial calendar template to get started, here’s some inspiration from the team at Jane:
Step #3: Decide on a delivery method
Consider the best way to deliver your tailored learning program. Do your clients prefer online, in-person, or a mix of formats?
One thing to keep in mind is that everyone absorbs information in different ways, so you’ll want to have a range of options.
Let’s break them down.
Online
- Looking for a cost-effective platform? Start a YouTube channel to host your videos or post content on your clinic’s blog.
- Digital learning platforms like Thinkific work well, as they allow clients to access materials remotely and at their own pace. This flexibility is essential for busy clients who need to fit learning around their schedules.
Jane Team Tip💡: In case it’s helpful, Jane made an online tailored learning program — it’s called Jane University (and you should definitely check it out).
In-person
- For clients who prefer to read hard copies, offer printed resources. You can use a free template from Canva to design your ideal document—big box office stores can help you to print these in the highest quality.
- You could host monthly workshops at your office or a local community center. If you get together outside of your office, consider a location that is easy and accessible to get for your clients.
Hybrid
- A hybrid approach can also be effective, starting with printed or online content that clients explore on their own, followed by in-person group discussions. This lets clients learn the basics independently and dive deeper with support when you meet in-person.
- Consider adding QR codes on printed resources that link to videos or PDFs so that your clients have the option to engage with your content on their smartphones. You can also use this handy guide from Canva to create your own QR codes and apply them to your print documents.
Step #4: Gather client feedback to improve
Feedback is crucial for understanding how your tailored learning program is working. After running a workshop or releasing a course, ask clients what they found helpful and what could be improved.
Surveys, feedback forms, or even informal conversations can provide valuable insights to ensure that we continue to improve the learning experiences. By regularly updating the program based on client input, you can make sure it stays relevant and beneficial as well as ensure that we are valuing participants' voice and experiences.
Some examples of key questions:
- What information or experience did you find most valuable?
- Why would you recommend this to others?
- What other information or experience do you think we should add?
The power of tailored learning for your practice
If you’re looking to make the time in-between appointments meaningful for your clients, a tailored learning program can help. It’s a simple yet powerful way to provide extra value in your practice.
Not only does it help address clients’ needs in a low-pressure environment, but it also demonstrates your commitment to their overall well-being.
I’ve seen the benefits in my own practice—clients have access to learning and growth that works with their schedule. And, ultimately, that’s the best form of self-care.
Now, let's hear from you 📣
Emily from the Jane team here! 👋🏻 I'm Front Desk's Digital Editor (pop by LinkedIn and say hi).
We really admire how Maureen has applied tailored learning in her practice.
And we’re curious… How have you applied tailored learning in your clinic? What advice would give other practitioners looking to do the same?
We’d love to hear from you! Send your ideas to us: [email protected]
P.S. If you're looking for more great expert advice on how to build a practice you love, subscribe to Front Desk magazine today (it's free)!
