Pros
Relationships: I love my colleagues. This is exactly what I wanted: A place where I could be supported and grow as a professional. My supervisor creates space for me to explore not only my concerns with clients, but my use of self and the interpersonal space of therapy. It has been important to me to have this professional support provided in a warm environment. I never have to worry about what I'm saying, because it is a relationship which holds space for vulnerability. Flexibility: I love the flexibility. I make my own schedule, have complete freedom and autonomy over deciding when I work and who I want to work with. COVID brought a lot of uncertainty. I appreciate having the ability to decide if I'm going to work from home through telehealth or whether I want to come to the office to provide in-person care and support. It is a hybrid model which helps me make the decision I need to in order to best support my family as well as my clients I serve. Support: This is a platform where I have built my own practice, but do so with a support system. The office staff are amazing. They provide support with referrals, phone calls, scheduling, handle all my billing and insurance payments. I never have to worry about that side of my practice. I have a support staff who knows me and helps me be successful. I get to be a therapist and focus on my clients knowing that there are people handling the rest. I thought it would feel like I was working for an agency. This truly is a group practice with colleagues who are committed to providing excellent client care in a way which can be accessible by everyone. I genuinely appreciate that I work with people who want to serve those in most need. That is why I went into this work. We can do this because of the support and relationships in place. That paired with the flexibility, I think, helps me feel balanced and not burned out all the time.
Cons
I wish insurance companies reimbursed at a higher rate! I also wish we were paid for documentation time by insurance providers. This position is not salaried, but works more like a private practice. I receive all the money billed for client care and pay for my bills out of that (office, support staffing, etc.). I make a decent living (about $75,000 after bills), but there is stress at times when I budget for my time off and taxes. I think that with a masters degree we should be compensated better by insurance companies and that insurance companies should value our documentation time.