[WHITNEY OWENS]
Welcome to the Faith in Practice podcast. I’m your host Whitney Owens recording live from Savannah, Georgia. I’m a licensed professional counselor, group practice owner, and private practice consultant. Each week through personal story or amazing interviews, I will help you learn how to start, grow and scale your practice from a faith-based perspective. I will show you how to have an awesome faith-based practice without being cheesy or fake. You too can have a successful practice, make lots of money, and be true to yourself.

Hello and welcome back to the Faith in Practice podcast. This is your host Whitney Owens hanging out in Savannah, Georgia. Today’s our actually a little different; I’m hanging out at my house. COVID y’all is crazy. Hopefully by the time you’re hearing this podcast episode, it’s improved, but we’re in the sick of it right here in January. So it’s been in lots of time at home with sick kiddos but hanging in there. I’m sure many of you are in the same situation right now as I’m recording this.

I have loved this interview. I got to interview Nate Page, which is someone that I’ve been working with in Group Practice Launch. I want to talk about this for just a minute before we get going into the episode, is the program that we do twice a year called Group Practice Launch, GPL for short. To get more information go to practiceofthepractice.com/grouppracticelaunch. But let me tell you a little bit about it. Couple of years ago, Alison Pidgeon and I, who are both consultants of Practice of the Practice, it was really more her idea than mine said, “Whitney, we are helping so many people start group practices. We can do this more efficiently and faster and help more people if we create a program for this.”

I was so like, “Okay, awesome.” Because she always has all the good ideas and I jump on board. So we started this program and we’ve had two cohorts go through so far. We’ve helped over 60 to 70 people to start a group practice and so we’re looking forward to helping you. If you’ve been thinking about starting a group practice, I want to encourage you to check it out. In the next episode, I’m going to share more with you about my group practice journey. You can hear more about my experience with starting a group practice, but I can say hands down, having a group practice has been game changer for so many reasons.

For me personally, my faith and walk with the Lord, definitely I’ve been stretched in so many ways and honestly it feels like I’m doing it with Him. Like He’s leading me on this journey. I don’t know, I feel like it’s grown my faith, my relationship with him so much, but it’s also allowed me to have the income that I need to do some things for my family. We were able to do a renovation on our house this past year. I have never really been able to do much with my house. The house was built back in ’49 and so to be able to make some changes, to make it easier for my family to live here was phenomenal.

We’ll be taking a trip to Disney soon and able to do a few things. Also with getting my daughter services that she needs, she has special needs, all that stuff. Maybe I could have done it as a solid practice owner, but as a group practice owner, it’s given me not only the finances, but it’s also given me some time that I need to be able to be with my family. So the program that we run people through with Group Practice Launch is years and years of Alison and I taking the knowledge and information that we have learned, putting it in a package, easy for you to get everything that you need, but also giving you that emotional support that you need. We all go into it thinking, what am I doing? Do I really have what it takes to own a group practice? I’m here to tell you, you can and I can help you do that.

So the program is six months. This one will be going from March through August and throughout that program every month we have different elements that we’re tackling. So first we walk you through just setting that foundation for your practice and then we walk you through some of those setup parts like setting rates, things for instance, between 1099 and W2 things like that. Then we help you with the interviewing, onboarding process, help you in marketing, building a company culture where you can retain your employees or your contractors. Then we look back and make sure that you’re actually running things well and that you’re making the income that you need.

The great thing is you do it all in six months. If you follow the step, you’ll get to where you want to be. You also have a cohort that you’re doing it with. Many of the people that I’ve talked to recently that have done this program usually have two people hired by the end plus an assistant. Pretty awesome. So if you’re thinking, I’m not really sure if I want to start a group practice, please go check out the information. The other thing I have to say is obviously pray about it and talk to people about it. But what do you have to lose? I mean, you have some time, energy to lose, but I can’t say anyone I’ve looked back on who said to me, I wish I had never done that. Most people say I’m so glad I started a group practice because we are in the midst of a pandemic. There are people out there that need our services more than ever. So if you can create a group practice and meet those needs and meet your own needs and help people find jobs, that would be pretty stellar.

Anyway, this episode you’re going to get to hear from Nate Page and his experience of Group Practice Launch. So to get more information, go over to practiceofthepractice.com/grouppracticelaunch. The dates for that launch are March 7th through the 10th. It is a very structured program. We don’t let people in on other dates because we really want to walk you through the program to have success. We do have an early bird special the 7th and 8th for $1350 for the entire six months. It includes paperwork, FYI that you can edit and take to your attorney, which will save you tons of time and money.

Or if you miss the early birth special March 9th and 10th, the cost is $1,500. For six months of consulting and all the paperwork it’s well worth it. So get on over to that website. If you’re listening to this episode, after we’ve closed the doors, please still go join that email list so that you have early access. If you want to start a group practice and you miss that, send me an email. I’m happy to help you. It’s one of my favorite things about being a consultant.

So this episode that I did with Nate Page, just to let you know it was used also on the Practice of the Practice podcast. It might sound a little different than my traditional Faith in Practice podcast episodes, but it was such a good interview that I wanted to be able to present it to you so that you could gain from it. So sit tight, listen, you’re going to hear Nate Page and he’s going to talk about, should I start a group practice?

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[WHITNEY]
Well, all right, you joined Group Practice Launch, so can you talk a little bit about what is it like to be in Group Practice Launch? Like you attend regular meetings, you talked a little bit about Teachable. What’s the experience like?
[NATE]
So I think we’re four to five months into it. I mean, like I mentioned just day one, having access to all the materials was wonderful. And something I didn’t know but found out day one was, I also had access to all of the Next Level Practice coursework and paperwork and even the Facebook groups and the meetings and events and other things. That was a nice surprise. So you get a really good value in that way. But it’s, I think it was a fairly small cohort. I don’t know for sure there are 30 of us that signed up together or —
[WHITNEY]
That’s a pretty average number, actually.
[NATE]
Pretty average number, and so, yes, it’s a six month cohort experience. So there’s a Facebook group that’s private, that’s just for us. I think one of the first tasks we had was to record a Facebook video message to introduce ourselves to the group. I was a few days behind on even knowing I needed to do that but as I was going through the Facebook page, it was really nice to see five or six other clinicians that were posting and sharing their reasons for joining and their hopes and dreams and goals. So then I threw mine on there. And we have meetings most every Thursday except for when there are holidays or other things.

They’re structured with what a typical process would be for building a group practice. So we all go on a journey together and I mean, you can help me remember the phases more or less that you go through, but what is it like to hire a virtual assistant or to hire a clinician or what are the systems and structures that you want to set up with your electronic health record and your phone record? Right now further in we’re doing more of the meetings about, well, how do you help clinicians really be happy and really learn how to thrive in the practice? So my experience, I’d say probably the first three months or so is just absorbing everything. Every little thing that you Whitney would say, or Alison would say, or other people I’d be, oh, wow, that’s a new revelation.

So I’m very much in that learning stage. I think the last month or two I’ve been more and that, well, how do I want to make this my own? So in our practice we now have two clinicians that are hired and trying to build up to 20 clients each. Then we do have a virtual assistant. So yes, I’m more in that place and sometimes in the meetings now, I’m like, oh, that’s not for me, or, oh, I would want to do it differently. So it’s nice to be in that more growth phase in some ways of how do I make this my own?
[WHITNEY]
Wow. So since starting Group Practice Launch, we’re almost done with month four and you already have two clinicians and an assistant?
[NATE]
Right.
[WHITNEY]
Which is pretty good.
[WHITNEY]
I love that you talked a little bit about the phases. So we do take people through a structured program; it’s over six months and Alison and I have tailored this based on the many people we’ve helped start group practices on what we think are the most important things. It’s really walking through that process, like trying to encourage people, not to jump too far ahead, but also push them forward. Being in that cohort really does help people push forward when you’re wanting to slow down. The very first part is just the foundation of your practice. We want to make sure that everyone has everything they need to start a group. A lot of people come and say, oh, I got everything. It’s a shocker ow many things people don’t have, even their name being group practice oriented or their bank accounts aren’t set up right, getting payroll set up, all these types of things.

We help on that end. Then we really walk people through the other part of setting up your rates, W2 versus 1099, what’s going to be best for your practice. Then after that, we teach you how to write a job description, all the stuff that you said was in Teachable, all that paperwork and helping you figure out what clinician you want to have, what culture you want to have. Then hopefully by the end of the third month, most people have hired somebody by that point. Then after that, we walk you through hiring an assistant, because you’re going to need that. Then how do you market a group practice, because you have to do that differently. Then getting that culture of a place where people want to work, a place that you enjoy.

A lot of times people go through programs to start a group practice and they don’t get to that part. They just, here’s how you hire. Go do it. We want you to be really successful and you want you to really love what you do and not make a lot of mistakes. So by going through that process of, okay, you’ve hired someone, here’s what you do now and then here’s how you look back and make sure you’re actually making money. Are you running your numbers? Do you have the space you need? That’s why we have it as a six month program instead of a three month program. Then when everyone finishes, you have the option to join Group Practice Boss, which is our membership community for group practice owners. So we love that because we get to continue working with you after the six months is over and helping you because we all need continued help on our practice.
[NATE]
Yes. Well, and as you’re talking right now, Whitney, it’s helping me remember why I trusted you. I’ve known liked and trusted Joe for a while and then I’ve listened to your podcast and Alison’s for a while. And in being in the group, the cohort, the Group Practice Launch. When you talk, well, I’ve been through things enough that I do trust you. There’s a nice, surety that I think comes with this program, that this is really the best way to do it. Maybe 2% of the time I’m like, oh, I’m going to try it a different way but 98% of the time, I’m like, oh yes, that feels very solid and true what you’re saying, Whitney and what Alison is saying.
[WHITNEY]
Thank you. Well, we love it. I mean, we love it. You were talking earlier about jobs and pay and stuff. When I was in college, actually one of my professors said, find something you love so much you do it for free, but be so good at it people pay you. I mean, we feel that way as therapists. I also feel that way as a consultant. I think Alison would say the same, like we love it. In fact, I talked to someone today who I helped start a group practice. This was before we had Group Practice Launch; helped her hire her first people and just hearing her talk about the success she had last year and the money she made. I was like, wow, that is so cool. We just did this a year ago? And just the progress you can have in a very quick amount of time, if you really put the right pieces in place. One of them is a consultant because you don’t want to go down that road and make those mistakes without setting it up.
[NATE]
I can’t even picture what things would be like if I would’ve tried to do this on my own. I have no idea, but it clearly would not be where I’m at right now.
[WHITNEY]
Oh, well we appreciate having you and you’ve made a lot of success. You’ve worked super hard and also have just loved seeing you interact with the group and the relationships you’ve made through that.
[NATE]
Well, I’ll quickly say too spending time at Dawn Gabriel’s soul-care retreat, there were a lot of group practice owners there that, or a few years further along than I am. That was really great to rub shoulders. I’ve listened to people on podcasts and I was at Killin’It Camp, for those of your audience members that know about that conference every October. So that’s one thing that’s helped me increase the trust too, is just seeing where people are at, after they’ve done this program. Being able to spend time with people, I was like, wow, I’ll probably be there in a year or two having eight or nine clinicians and maybe doing a podcast myself or who knows exactly what the next steps will be.
[WHITNEY]
Awesome. Hopefully we’ll keep connecting through that and I can be on your show.
[NATE]
There we go.
[WHITNEY]
Awesome. All right. Well as we wrap up here, I want to ask you what I ask every person that comes on the show. What do you believe every counselor needs to know?
[NATE]
So the direction I’ll go is I guess maybe to promote myself. I run online groups for therapists and I’m a big fan of Irvin Yala. He talks about, you are too, it looks like you —
[WHITNEY]
Oh my gosh, if I could meet anyone in the clinical world —
[NATE]
Well, he does consultations. He’s been referring people to the groups that I do and so he does one time consultations. I run three online groups, four therapists, and they’re process oriented, Yala style groups that meet for 90 minutes twice a month. We do that real here and now interpersonal dynamic work; what are our relationships, where are we at with that? So we’re curious about your life outside of group, what might have happened throughout your week or in your relationship with your parents growing up, but we’re always curious to how is that playing out in the room or the virtual room, in our relationships and the ways that you get stuck in your life outside of group. How do you get stuck in your relationships with us? So I’ve met, there’s been four people this week that have done consultations Yala and he refers to them saying go find a group for therapist.

So you can go to my website and I have, I think there’s 18 or 19 now of my colleagues that do online groups for therapists that are process oriented. So that’s what I’ve seen echo what Irvin Yala says when usually he’s on podcasts or giving presentations. He says, every therapist could use a group. So we focus more on that clinical, emotional therapist as a tool, how you can get better at doing that. So to be a better clinician for your clients, to be a better spouse, better a parent and of course probably the most important, be better in your relationship with yourself and learning how to get your emotional needs met more. That’s what I would tell every therapist. If you have any interest in group work, find a group. You can go to Group Therapy Central and look through a lot of people that do these kinds of groups.
[WHITNEY]
Awesome. I appreciate you sharing that with us today and thank you so much for taking the time to come and share with everyone about your experience with Group Practice Launch. If you’re listening and you’re thinking, gosh, I can empathize with Nate, or I feel like him sometimes, or maybe I just stumbled into my first hire and don’t know what I’m doing, please join Group Practice Launch. That will be happening March, 2022 here at the beginning of the month of March. If you listen to this episode, after that, you can still jump in our next cohort. Or if it’s before that, you can join the way so that you get early bird access. So just go to the website, practiceofthepractice.com/grouppracticelaunch to get all that information. All right, Nate, thank you so much for being on the show.
[NATE]
Thank you. Catch you next time.
[WHITNEY]
We want to thank our sponsor Brighter Vision for this episode. If you want to get three months of website service, completely free, head on over to brightervision.com/joe.

Thank you for listening to the Faith in Practice podcast. If you love this podcast, please rate and review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. If you liked this episode and want to know more, check out the Practice of the Practice website. Also there, you can learn more about me, options for working together, such as individual and in group consulting, or just shoot me an email, [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.

This podcast is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. This is given with the understanding that neither the host, Practice of the Practice, or the guests are providing legal, mental health, or other professional information. If you need a professional, you should find one.