Discover the benefits and challenges of joining a group therapy practice — with expert tips on finding the right fit and navigating the transition.
You may be wondering whether or not you should join a group practice. It’s a significant decision — one that can feel weighty and full of considerations. I, too, wrestled with that question earlier in my clinical journey. In this guide, we’ll review the most important factors to consider, which can help you make the best decision.
Joining a team of therapists in a group practice has many benefits and some potential challenges to consider.
| Benefits | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Shared mission and purpose with a group | Some practices limit flexibility in choosing your specialization focus |
| Reduced isolation through support and collaboration from other clinicians, including easier access to consultations | Less choice and autonomy over policies, schedule, caseload, and treatment approaches |
| More referrals if the group handles all or some of the marketing | Potential productivity pressures from the expectations of the practice |
| Many practice expenses are covered, such as an EHR, telehealth services, office space, etc. | Lower income due to the group practice taking a portion of the revenues for each session |
| Many group practices handle administrative tasks like billing, scheduling, and onboarding, so you can focus on the clinical work | Working on a team can bring the potential for colleague conflict or workplace politics |
| Lowers personal risk when you are not the primary owner of the practice | |
| The opportunity to learn how a private practice operates without taking all the risk upfront or jumping in before you feel ready | |
| Depending on the practice, you could be hired as a W-2 employee, with benefits like health insurance, PTO, a retirement plan, and/or continuing education support |
Simplify insurance and save time on your entire workflow — from compliance and billing to credentialing and admin.
It takes self-reflection and honesty to make the decision of joining a group practice versus starting your own private practice. These are some key questions to ask yourself:
There are some key categories to be considered when evaluating group practices. It's helpful to have a framework of assessment that can be applied to each practice you're considering. You might rate each category on a 1 to 5 scale, then compare practices based on their overall scores.
| Category | Example questions |
|---|---|
| Financial | Is the position W-2 or 1099? What's the compensation and benefits package? How are payments handled? |
| Clinical | What are the specialties and niches of your practice? What's the clinical approach of your practice? Do I have a choice in the clients I work with? How much flexibility is there to choose the modalities I use? |
| Administrative | How much of the scheduling, billing, and marketing does the practice handle? What would be required of me for administration? Are there any administrative support staff? |
| Legal and ethics | How do you all handle consultations for ethical dilemmas and difficult cases? Do you require that I sign a noncompete agreement? What types of licenses do you require beyond the state’s requirements, if any? |
| Growth and development | What type of supervision, mentorship, and consultation is offered? What are the policies around client transfer? (In other words, can you take your clients with you even if the practice sourced them for you?) Is there a structure to support professional growth? Does the practice pay for any continuing education? |
One of the main determinants of your financial situation in a group practice is whether you’re a 1099 contractor or a W-2 employee. This usually determines whether benefits are offered, which can significantly affect your overall compensation.
There are several ways in which pay can be provided. This is usually either through a salary (applicable to W-2 employees only), a set hourly rate, or a percentage-based fee split per therapy session (usually 60% to 85% for the therapist, but rates can vary). Some practices only pay for clinical sessions, while others also compensate for administrative time. A rental model is also used in some cases, where therapists pay a group practice a set fee for office space with less administrative support, but then keep 100% of their session revenue.
One other payment determinant is the amount of insurance companies the group practice panels with — and the reimbursement rates they pay for each session. This is particularly important for fee-split structures because differences in the reimbursement rate per session can have a significant impact on your income. It's crucial to learn about the pay structure before accepting a position so you can get a detailed picture of what your income would be.
Transitioning to a group practice from solo or agency work can be a significant process. Here are some details to keep in mind for the process.
There are other avenues you can pursue if you feel that joining an already existing group practice isn't right for you. One popular option is teaming up with other therapists you know to start your own group practice. You must consider the time, financial, and risk implications of this approach, but it can offer benefits compared to joining another practice. Some key benefits include:
If this is a path you choose to take, Headway can support a new group practice through handling administrative tasks such as scheduling, insurance credentialing, billing, and documentation.
Whether you decide to join a group practice, start your own group, or continue a solo private practice, you can get support with Headway. Headway’s designed-for-compliance platform can handle scheduling, insurance billing, a robust EHR with AI-powered notes templates, and administrative tasks. With Headway's support, running your own practice — or joining a group practice — becomes simpler and more rewarding.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.
© 2026 Therapymatch, Inc. dba Headway. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.
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