Building a strong network of colleagues in private practice is highly beneficial. It provides therapists with the opportunity to seek advice from peers, discover practice-building resources, and foster a sense of community that can be mutually valuable both within and outside the workplace. 

Better care is provided together. 

It’s normal to bring experiences and biases into sessions, but they can create blind spots and narrow your lens. Collaborating with colleagues can broaden your understanding and perspective by introducing you to new viewpoints and ways of thinking about a situation, thereby reducing your blind spots. The colleagues you collaborate with might also propose alternative strategies and options, giving you more flexibility, or provide feedback on your approach and help you refine it. All of this can ultimately lead to better care for your clients. For example, consulting with colleagues can help curate a treatment plan that best suits your client while maintaining confidentiality. 

Collaboration also reduces workload, and its inherent focus on community increases job satisfaction. Working with like-minded individuals, with whom you can brainstorm, can help you find solutions much more quickly and effectively than if you were working alone. It is commonly known that being in private practice can be an isolating experience, and working with others with whom you can confide can increase your overall mood and workday.

 

 

Sharing practice-building resources

There are several steps involved in running a private practice, including establishing the practice’s foundation through legal and licensing requirements, building a brand and marketing strategy, and securing the right office space or virtual setup. Discussing experiences and practice-building tips with other clinicians can prevent unnecessary mistakes and provide valuable resources to get your practice started. This type of collaboration is not limited to the workplace; there are virtual and in-person networking events and groups to assist with forging these connections. Facebook and Eventbrite host numerous groups dedicated to therapists sharing resources and connecting with one another. Below are some groups and resources that therapists in the Chicago Minds community have found helpful!

 

Facebook Groups

• LCSW Online Private Practice Start Up
• Psychiatric, Mental, & Behavioral Health Professionals Group
• Chicago Area Mental Health Therapists
• Chicago Coalition BIPOC Clinicians
• South Side Chicago Clinicians
• Business Networkers of Chicago

 

Keyword Searches on Eventbrite

• Therapist/clinician networking events 
• Mental health professionals’ events
• Healer events 
• Community events 
• Practice-building events

 

Expertise Resources 

• Simple Profit
  • Provides a collection of educational resources, practical business tools, and live support for business owners. 
• Be Your Own Biller
  • Insurance credentialing and billing 
• Monahan Law Group
  • Offers legal guidance for agencies and individuals in Chicago 
• Raj Pillai
  •  Assists businesses with accounting and business financing

 

Written by Sarah Hormanski, Chicago Minds’ Community Coordinator and Office Manager