Season 2 Episode 8 | Melissa Wesner | Systemic Considerations when Setting Up a Group Practice

FEATURED GUESTS: Melissa Wesner, LCPC is the Founder of LifeSpring Counseling Services, a Maryland-based group practice where she and her therapists strive to provide hope, healing, and empowerment through the collaborative process of counseling. As a Certified Brainspotter and Brainspotting Consultant, she is an avid believer in the power of Brainspotting. She's a dreamer, a doer, and a co-host on the Protecting Your Practice podcast.

LISTEN & LEARN: 

• Questions for consideration regarding logistics when setting up a group practice. 
• The importance of defining and reflecting upon who you want to bring into your practice. 
• Understanding what model you would like to use for the therapists within your practice. 
• Benefits of clearly communicating your values and culture that are important in your practice when bringing on therapists. 
• How to build in tasks within your screening process to identify particular skills that will be important within your practice. 
• Several ways to build in office culture to create connection and community within a group practice. 
• How an internal website, or intrasite can be used to connect your practice team. 
• The impact of addressing employee/contractor complaints and dynamics quickly within your business. 
• The role of pruning within a group practice. 
• Considerations for having an Human Resources (HR) process or contracting with an HR company to assist with those systems. 
• The importance of having an actual contract when you have an Independent Contractor when it comes to dissolving the relationship. 
• The benefits of having a dedicated receptionist answering your practice phone. 
• Understanding the tax benefits of spending money on resources to enhance your business. 
• Before launching into a group check in with your WHY to really understand if this is what you really want to undertake.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
The Protecting Your Practice Podcast protectingyourpractice.com
Melissa's Group Practice https://lifespringcounseling.net/
Free Download: How to Start Your Group Practice from the Start https://www.protectingyourpractice.com/free-downloads
Good to Great by Jim Collins