Every decision you make about your practice culture, your onboarding, your expectations, your tone in a team meeting. All of it shapes how your associates experience their work. The question is not whether you are influencing your team. You are. The question is whether you are doing it intentionally.

But here's what I really want you to hear today: you have more options than you think. And the option that's right for your practice might look very different from what the person down the street is doing.  And that's okay.  If you are intentional about what you offer and why it is that, you will be able to answer any questions or negotiations your potential associates may come up with.

As group practice owners, many of us feel like we have to wear every hat. Bookkeeper. HR. Intake coordinator. Clinical supervisor. Marketing manager. Team culture builder. Visionary.

Sometimes this comes from money concerns. Sometimes it comes from control. Sometimes it comes from being burned in the past and thinking, it is just easier if I do it myself.

And sometimes, if we are honest, it comes from identity. If I am not the centre of everything, who am I as the leader?

One of the most honest parts of this spring season is the mixed feeling of wanting to move forward while also wanting to hunker down. There can be excitement about what is possible alongside a very real desire for stability. Both belong.

Leadership is not about abandoning your team. It is about building capacity, clarity, and accountability. When you step in too quickly, you may unintentionally take away opportunities for others to learn, stretch, and succeed.

AI isn’t replacing the need for clarity. It’s rewarding it.

Search behaviour is shifting from short phrases like “counselling near me” to nuanced, human questions such as “I need a counsellor specializing in infidelity”

Many group practice owners intentionally prioritize culture, connection, and community. Depending on the practice, this might include peer consultation groups, regular team meetings, shared trainings, or team events like holiday parties. Sometimes it’s as simple as seeing colleagues in the hallway between sessions and knowing you’re not doing this work alone.

If you’re honest, you might notice that some of your decisions are being driven more by avoiding discomfort than by long-term sustainability. You say yes when you want to say no. You absorb the stress so no one else has to. You put your own needs — financial, emotional, and energetic — at the bottom of the list.

Your group practice goes through seasons — and leadership needs to shift with those seasons. In this post, we’ll explore the four seasons of a group practice (planting, growing, tending, harvesting) and how to lead with clarity and confidence in the season you’re actually in.

I know that for many practice owners, wintering feels emotionally risky. Productivity is quantifiable. Rest is nebulous. Growth is visible. Wintering is inward.

But here’s the thing every mature business eventually learns:
Scaling requires seasons.

People pleasing shows up quickly and quietly in group practice leadership. And over time, it can seriously hold back your confidence, your profitability, and the stability of your practice.

Let’s dig into why this happens, what it costs you, and how you can shift into a more grounded, steady leadership approach — one that values your time, your energy, and your role as CEO.

You don’t need to become an event planner or create a Pinterest-worthy party. What matters most is purpose, presence, and connection—three things that naturally align with the work we already do.

Your business? It should work the opposite way. Your business exists to serve you—your goals, your vision, and your life. Treating it like a baby flips the relationship: suddenly, you’re in service to the business, reacting to daily crises instead of guiding its growth with purpose.

If you’re an accidental group practice owner, it’s okay—you started from a place of care and connection.

But your next chapter requires intention, leadership, and structure.

Too many group practice owners I talk to feel like they’re scraping by on “humidity.” They’re holding everything together with sheer determination but never feel fully nourished or resourced.

When I asked people about their experience of the retreat, the most common response was, “I never take this time to just think about my business in my daily life.”

And what happens when you do take that time? You get amazing ideas, inspiration, and a renewed sense of energy. You come back to your business with clarity and excitement.

Running a group practice can feel overwhelming. You’re balancing clinical work, admin, finances, intake, marketing, team development, and—oh yes—leadership. It’s a lot to carry. At some point, many therapists think: If only I had a partner to share the load.

When a new contractor joins your practice, you likely have a strong onboarding process—clear expectations, paperwork, introductions, and systems to help them succeed. Offboarding deserves the same level of clarity.

As Merrisa Little’s group practice began to grow, she wondered if bringing on a partner might help her share the workload and responsibilities of leadership. Like many practice owners, she hoped complementary skills could make the journey easier.

In this blog, we’ll explore what leadership truly means, why you already are a leader, and how you can step confidently into this role while aligning with your values.