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Are you just on the cusp of switching from solo to a new group practice? What is important to make sure you have in place when you finally launch? What is the best tip for new group practice owners?
In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok speaks about going from solo to a small group practice with Matt Fowler.
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Meet Matt Fowler
Matt Fowler IS the owner of Olde Port Counseling, PLLC and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His practice helps children, parents, and couples overcome obstacles, improve relationships, and better their lives. His personal clinical practice focuses on helping families uncover the issues associated with childhood anxiety, depression, and ADHD and find solutions to help them obtain the vision they always wanted for their child and family.
Visit Olde Port Counseling and connect on LinkedIn.
In This Podcast
- Transitioning from solo to group
- Early operational decisions
- Get comfortable with the unknown
- Matt’s advice to private practitioners
Transitioning from solo to group
Around 2019, Matt started working on his solo practice.
During 2020 when the pandemic hit, Matt decided to pivot, because the three-person office space that he was sharing with two other therapists might’ve been lost.
[I thought], “Oh well, this is something I want to do in the future, and here it is a little bit sooner!” So, I started the process of getting involved and thinking more a little bit seriously about [starting] a group practice at that time. Matt Fowler
Once Matt decided to give launching a group practice a go, he started speaking to other therapists that he knew in the area about their experience and advice.
There’s no rulebook and guidebook, at least that I felt at the time anyway, to set that up. So, I just started researching a little bit.
Matt Fowler
Through his research, Matt discovered the Practice of the Practice Group Practice Launch program, and decided to sign up!
Joining that and doing your Group Practice Launch really started an outline and a process for me of [how to start] putting all the pieces together.
Matt Fowler
Early operational decisions
To set up his group practice successfully, Matt thought backward.
He asked himself, “What do I need to anticipate a new clinician to be able to do to get everything well, up, and running?”
Matt put a brainstorming list together to make sure that he had all of the bases covered, such as considering:
- Which steps new clinicians would need to know about how the practice works
- How the email system would work
- How the clinicians would access the EHR program
You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it, so … I was very honest and open with [my new clinicians] at the beginning that there [were] things that I [didn’t] know so we were working collaboratively with them to get things up and running.
Matt Fowler
Matt’s tip for new group practice owners: document everything! It will help you to refer back, make adjustments, and see where and how the best flow works.
Get comfortable with the unknown
Matt’s main challenge at the beginning of launching his group practice was getting used to the fact that he won’t always know everything because there are often learning curves and new challenges to face.
There will be moments when you aren’t sure, or you make a mistake, or you figure out how to do something the right way once you’re halfway already finished with it. In those moments, view the experience as feedback and not as a failure.
So [try] to get comfortable with [the fact that], you don’t know it but you’ll figure it out and you’ll put all of those pieces together as you go.
Matt Fowler
Matt’s advice to private practitioners
Don’t be afraid to start! Gather information and set your eyes on the goal, but then get to it. Don’t wait around trying to always learn, because you need to take action to get traction!
Books mentioned in this episode:
Sponsors mentioned in this episode:
- Trust me, don’t waste any more of your time, and try TherapyNotes.
- Apply to work with us!
Useful links mentioned in this episode:
- Visit Olde Port Counseling and connect on LinkedIn
- Find out more about Group Practice Launch
- Visit practiceofthepractice.com/apply and join our membership communities!
- Check out practiceofthepractice.com/invite to join Next Level Practice
Check out these additional resources:
- Launch a Group Private Practice Month: When to Start a Group Practice with Emily Runyan | POP 851
- Apply to work together
- Events – click on the event’s dropdown
- Sign up to join the free webinars and events here
- Podcast Launch School
- Practice of the Practice Podcast Network
- Free resources to help you start, grow, and scale
- Apply to work with us — a decision-making matrix for your next steps
Meet Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok helps counselors to create thriving practices that are the envy of other counselors. He has helped counselors to grow their businesses by 50-500% and is proud of all the private practice owners that are growing their income, influence, and impact on the world. Click here to explore consulting with Joe.
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