From “Me” to “We”: Signs You’re Ready to Build a Counseling Team

You’ve been thinking about it for months, maybe years. The idea of having another therapist join your practice keeps tugging at you. You imagine a colleague down the hall, someone to help with the overflow of client calls, and maybe even someone to swap clinical ideas with over coffee. But how do you know when it’s time to stop thinking and start hiring?

The leap from a solo counseling practice to a group practice isn’t just about adding another name to your website. It’s about stepping into a new role—one that includes leadership, management, and long-term planning. Here are five signs you’re ready for the shift.

Your Caseload Is Beyond Full

If you’ve got a waitlist that’s longer than a CVS receipt, that’s your first clue. When you’re regularly turning away potential clients because you simply can’t fit them in, you’re missing opportunities, not just for revenue, but for impact. A second clinician can help you serve more people without burning yourself out.

Pro Tip: Track your inquiry-to-intake ratio for three months. If you’re referring out more than 25–30% of inquiries, it’s time to think about expanding.

Your Financial Base Is Solid

This might be a controversial take, but your primary reason for adding another clinician should NOT be the increase in revenue. Now that can be one of the reasons, but it shouldn’t be the driving force behind your decision, Adding another clinician is an investment, one that can take months to pay off. You’ll need funds for marketing, additional office space or telehealth capacity, payroll or contractor pay, and possibly benefits.
Before you make the move, you should:

• Have at least 3-6 months of business expenses saved(or access to it in business credit)

• Be paying yourself consistently

• Understand your monthly revenue cycle and profit margin

If your numbers are shaky, focus on financial stability first.

Your Systems Work Without You

If you’re the only one who knows how the phone gets answered, how client notes are stored, or how invoices go out, you’re not ready. Hiring someone without clear, documented processes will lead to chaos. Your systems for scheduling, billing, compliance, and client communication should be smooth and repeatable before you bring someone new into the mix.

You’re Excited to Lead, Not Just Practice

Being a group practice owner means your role changes. You’ll still be a clinician (at least in the early stages), but you’ll also be:

• A mentor

• A manager

• A marketer

• A problem-solver

If the thought of developing others excites you, that’s a green light. If it fills you with dread, it might be worth rethinking your timeline.

You Have a Vision Beyond Your Personal Caseload

Some therapists start group practices to make more money. That’s fine, but it’s not enough to sustain you when the leadership challenges hit. You need a vision for your practice that goes beyond yourself—whether it’s becoming the go-to trauma therapy center in your area, offering a broad range of specialties, or creating a work culture where therapists actually enjoy coming to work.

Moving from “me” to “we” is a big step, but it’s also a rewarding one. If you see yourself in these five signs, start preparing now. That might mean tightening up your systems, building your financial cushion, or simply writing down the vision you have for your practice.

The next step? Understanding exactly who to hire first—and how to find them. That’s where we’ll head next.

Still sure this is the right move, but have questions about tightening up loose ends? Schedule a mini strategy session and we can discuss how I can support you in your transition.