Pros
I have been contracting with Mindful Therapy Group since August 2015. This is an working environment for individual clinicians looking to maintain a great deal of control in their business model and policies. MTG is a service provider, which means that contracting with them is not an employer/employee relationship. If you are interested in being an employee, this will not be a good fit. I've loved being able to create my policies for my clients, maintain the style of psychotherapy which works best for me, and experience support as opposed to imposing ideas from my colleagues. This means I am able to create my schedule, charge fees at my discretion, see clients weekly, set private pay rates, and many other freedoms. The program we use to document and bill is managed by MTG, making it possible to work from anywhere I have an internet connection. I enjoy beautiful, well maintained office space which require little maintenance on my part. The most valuable part of contracting with MTG is the administrative staff. They are expertly trained, greet my clients with care and a personal touch, and assist with scheduling, billing, among many other tasks. I can not stress how much it means to know that my clients are treated with respect and care before and after our sessions. Overall the management team is consistently looking to advance, care for, and address any number of issues. This has resulted in a billing department of one growing to over three people since I began. Consultation opportunities, both paid and free, are available and growing within the practice. I have collaborated with colleagues in outside projects, worked closely with prescribers in the practice with whom I share clients, and built many friendships within the community. Since I completed graduate school outside WA, it was very important for me to build a community of colleagues here whom I feel confident referring clients. I enjoy the flexibility of owning my own practice, as well as the freedom to build another side of my practice outside of MTG. I've explored possibilities such as running groups, workshops, and do consulting in other areas of interest on a regular basis. The beauty of MTG is a bustling referral base which helps to grow practices very quickly, so I haven't felt pressured to build my consulting more quickly than I would like. I've felt supported and encouraged by MTG every step of the way. When I first began, I appreciated the detailed outline of requirements that accompany owning your own business. This made the steps much easier to tackle. Working with an accountant, I've also gained a great deal of knowledge around the more challenging aspects, such as paying taxes on gross income and finding health insurance.
Cons
There really have not been any drawbacks thus far. A great deal of this has to do with embracing the model of service provider and business owner. People who struggle to maintain independence in this way encounter more issues at MTG. That being said, there are a lot of systems in place to help people succeed, if you're willing to put in the work. Inevitably there have been bumps in the road (taxes, finding a working healthcare plan). None thus far are insurmountable and with the support of an excellent administrative team and owners, I've felt guided and free to ask questions. I enjoy helping new clinicians, collaborating with colleagues, and am constantly finding new and better ways to strengthen my business.
