We love being therapists and supporting therapists in living their best lives. We want to help you connect with local support, have fun and get out of the rut’s therapists have all fallen into over the past few years.We want to share what we’ve learned to help you conquer your fears, connect with us and all the other therapists in our group. Let’s do this!
Meet Ginger Houghton
In 2018, a bit of agency burnout and the challenges of balancing family obligations led me to the gift of starting my private practice Bright Spot Counseling. Prior to this, I spent months in my own head weighing the pros and cons until I finally and gleefully gave my notice. After years of agency work as a therapist and a director, I was free.
Gulp, swallow, sweat–this transition prompted alternating bouts of excitement and anxiety. For me, there was a huge difference between knowing that I had the skills to run a non-profit’s counseling program versus feeling comfortable in building my own practice. Would I be able to earn enough? Whose office would I be able drop in to after a really rough session? How would this all work?
Enter the amazing Natasha Kendal of (https://www.drkendalandassociates.com/) who was inspiring, reassuring and endlessly wonderful in helping me connect both to my vision and to other local therapists. Together, Natasha and I created The Therapist Collective. The Therapist Collective encouraged me to connect with other local therapists who have become my best referral sources, advocates and one of best parts of my daily life. Without their support, I would still be spending my time bingeing on practice building podcasts, reading business books, and trolling all the therapist Facebook groups instead of serving a practice full of clients and clinicians I adore. (**Sidenote: While Natasha is no longer involved in the business of The Collective, I can’t get enough of her thoughtful and positive energy and can’t wait to see her smiling face at events! She is the best!)
The genuine relationships I built through the Therapist Collective helped create my thriving group practice and I couldn’t be more thankful. I’m so excited to share this experience for other therapists in our community. At the request of lots of members over the past several months, and with the bold leadership of the amazing Madison Marcus-Paddison, we’re bringing back the Therapist Collective experience to help combat burnout, reconnect to community and increase growth opportunities for therapists. Madison and I have worked together for years and she is one of my very favorite humans and I know she’ll be one of your favorite humans too!
I can’t wait to have fun with each of you and see your practices thrive! Give yourself the gift of fun and connection and join us!
Meet Madison Marcus-Paddison
After working as a school social worker for many years, I decided to branch out and broaden my skillset to include more in depth interpersonal work. I joined a local agency part-time and discovered that I absolutely loved working with clients and witnessing their growth and progress. My supervisor at the time, Ginger Houghton, was incredibly patient and helpful as I learned the ropes. I didn’t know it at the time, but Ginger would become such an integral part of my development, both personally and professionally. When she left agency work to open her own private practice, I followed along and joined her shortly after- and have never been happier.
As much as I absolutely love it- going from an educational setting where I’m constantly interacting with teachers, administrators, parents and other staff members, to private practice (especially mid-Pandemic), has been an adjustment and at times, can feel somewhat isolating. When I found out about the Therapist Collective, it was as if a lightbulb went off- like, my world was looking back at me saying “Duh! It doesn’t have to be this way!”. The notion of getting together with like-minded individuals to share in learning and social opportunities is such a simple but brilliant concept. The Therapist Collective is a platform for us to strengthen our therapeutic muscles, but also- deepen our laugh lines and build long-lasting relationships while doing it.
I can’t wait to meet all you!