There are more ways to access therapy now than ever before. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, many clinicians have become increasingly comfortable offering virtual therapy, which has helped reduce barriers to care for clients. Consequently, the popularity of virtual therapy has surged, leading to a rise in large tech mental health platforms that provide virtual access to a wider range of clinicians.

The therapy landscape has gone through various cycles, and today’s environment is unique. 

Large-scale tech platforms, such as BetterHelp and Talkspace, have gained prominence due to their effective marketing and broad reach. Meanwhile, private practice clinicians continue to deliver care within their individual networks. Additionally, small-scale homegrown websites and small group practices, like ours, offer a collaborative space for therapists to work together.

Previously, finding the right therapist often relied on word-of-mouth referrals or recommendations from providers, such as primary care physicians.

While these methods still exist and are valuable, the accessibility of internet searches and online directories now allows individuals to explore many options. They can learn about each clinician's background, availability, and fees with greater ease and convenience.

And yet… finding the right clinician is often still difficult. To read more tips about interviewing a therapist, click here. Making choices when options feel limitless is incredibly challenging for our systems. 

With more options than ever, let’s talk about the benefits of working with a therapist from a small, private practice. But first, we’ll answer a few common questions.

Q: What is a small group practice?

A: A small group practice is owned by an individual and is not funded through the government, health system, or any other large-scale investors. Every practice is unique by nature. Group practices typically employ 1-25 licensed clinicians and generally offer localized services. A small group practice is driven by expertise, a desire to create individual change, and often a culture of prioritizing quality over quantity.

Q: What is a private practice?:

A: A private mental health practice is run by one individual, usually a licensed provider. The provider owns and operates their own business and provides services independently. Private practice is also driven by expertise through clinical oversight and consultation, as well as self-reliant operations. 

Q: How is that different from big tech mental health companies like BetterHelp, etc.?

A: Therapy platforms such as BetterHelp and Talkspace are typically funded by corporations or private equity with a focus on driving profit and profit-sharing. These platforms connect hundreds or thousands of clinicians with their resources to provide care for exponentially more people. The focus is on quantity over quality, as these companies tend to operate from a national scale with no centralized location or centralized supervision mechanism of their therapists.

Top 5 advantages of seeking therapy from a small practice:

• Thoughtful, personalized care

• Specialized treatment

• Increased collaboration and oversight

• Flexibility in offerings

• Less therapist turnover and burnout

Let’s break these down. 

1. Thoughtful, personalized care

A therapist working in a small practice is more likely to have clarity about the therapy modalities they use, the conditions they treat, and the demographic groups they are most skilled at working with. This means you will be met with a clinician who is more engaged and able to tailor their approach to your individual needs, circumstances, and goals. Just as you want to find the right therapist, the therapist also wants to ensure they are working with a client they feel confident in treating.

2. Specialized treatment

Therapists in smaller groups typically have greater access to resources such as time, funding, and support, which helps them enhance their skills through comprehensive training. Some groups bring together therapists who specialize in similar modalities or tools, allowing them to provide specialized treatment as a team. This includes approaches like EMDR, IFS, Somatic Experiencing, and Brainspotting. Trauma work is itself a specialized field, and larger organizations may not fully understand what trauma-informed care entails.

3. Increased collaboration and oversight

The work that happens in traditional one-on-one therapy is contained between the therapist and the client, for the benefit of maintaining confidentiality and safety. And like any other profession, having access to peer support, interdisciplinary-teamwork, and case consultation enhances the quality of therapy. From team meetings to oversight and case consultation from the practice owner, small therapy practices tend to create space for the therapists to share experiences and ask for support when needed (all while maintaining client confidentiality). 

Also, if you see other providers such as a psychiatrist, a primary care doctor, or you are adding in adjunctive therapy, clinicians at a small group are encouraged to take time to collaborate, with consent from the client, to provide an integrative care experience for optimal healing. 

4. Flexibility in offerings

Generally speaking, small group practices can offer options outside of the standard weekly, 50-minute talk therapy. Offerings can include longer sessions, twice-weekly sessions, intensives, and group therapy. This is particularly helpful when treating trauma or working with body based modalities such as EMDR, as longer sessions have been shown to accelerate healing. The option to extend the time of your sessions provides you with the chance to determine what works best for you.

5. Less turnover and therapist burnout

Small practices typically have higher employee retention rates, meaning your clinician is less likely to terminate with you due to job change. A small practice is also much more committed to the wellbeing of their clinicians and is more likely to take actionable steps to create a better workplace including lower caseloads and a supportive environment, which ultimately benefits the client as well.

To sum it all up: Small private practices provide a more specialized environment focused on quality and consistency of care.

IFS EMDR Therapy Group is proud to be a small, independently owned and run group private practice, focused on facilitating a supportive environment for the therapist, who can pass along that specialization and support to their clients. If working with a therapist from a small group sounds like the right fit for you, you can schedule a free consultation here. 

Are you a therapist looking for a new role? Reach out to us here. 

More Reading: 

Understanding Trauma: Symptoms and Healing

How EMDR Can Help With Negative Thoughts

Insurance: Why We Do Not Take It

Authorship: This blog was written by Katy Levine, LMSW. Katy (licensed in Washington, D.C., MD, VA, & PA), focuses on supporting clients with complex trauma history, attachment wounding, anxiety, and perfectionism, using IFS-informed EMDR. 

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for mental health care nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. The information may change without notice. No claims, promises, or guarantees are made about the completeness, accuracy, currency, content or quality of information linked. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information.

IFS EMDR Therapy Group is an outpatient therapy group founded by Morgan Levine. We specialize in helping adults struggling with the effects of living in dysfunctional systems move toward healing and wholeness. We provide therapy to address symptoms such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, grief, obsessive and compulsive thoughts and behaviors including but not limited to using work, perfectionism, substances, relationships, food, etc. We offer ongoing support as well as EMDR intensives; both of which are informed by IFS, EMDR, DBT, CBT, Polyvagal Theory, trauma-informed yoga, attachment, and other recovery principles. Our therapists work virtually with clients living throughout Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Florida.  Morgan Levine also provides trauma-informed consultation to therapists worldwide.

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