I have been leading group consultation for over fifteen years now and I have come to believe that consultation is the key to a vibrant private practice. Having participated in group consultation since I was an intern in private practice, I have always valued it highly.  It is an excellent marketing and networking tool.  Whether you participate in the chapter’s free Newly Licensed Support Groups, a peer consultation group, or a facilitated Private Practice Consult, group consultation will always be worth the time and/or money you invest.

 Private practitioners who belong to peer consultation groups report such benefits as support for difficult cases, guidance on ethical and professional issues, sharing information, and countering isolation (Lewis, Greenburgh, & Hatch, 1988). 

 We work in a very isolated environment. At times, we can become so overwhelmed with the problems facing our clients, we lose our perspective. Case consultation in a group setting gives you the luxury of several unique perspectives and theoretical orientations.  Often times, clinicians do not see how truly “burnt out” they are and it takes other clinicians to recognize the signs. Group consultation can give you the empathy and support you give your clients. 

Lawson (2007) found that counselors in private practice engaged in less consultation on average (2.34 hours a month) than counselors in all other settings, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities, hospitals and residential settings, and community agencies. Private practitioners also tended to engage in less peer and group supervision than colleagues in other settings, and in less individual supervision than everyone else except school counselors. 

All of us in private practice know that it can be lonely at times. Running the business of a private practice, it is difficult to find time to read journals, sign up for CEU classes, and even attend SCV-CAMFT luncheons. Scheduling time to meet with other therapists to discuss cases can be overlooked.  A few minutes in the hallway with a colleague or over the phone, usually will not allow us to address the more in-depth issues we handle alone in our offices. 

The unique private practice dilemma of financial concerns like budgeting, billing, setting client fees, working with insurance, and renting offices, make consultation incredibly useful.  Private practice therapists always need to discuss how they will handle client referrals and advertising their practices. Consulting with a colleague who already has a thriving practice could be beneficial to MFTs first starting out or looking to improve their practices.

Your fellow therapists are the only ones who can tell you to call and speak to a CAMFT lawyer. They are the ones who will say,” that’s a CPS report” or “you did the right thing sending that teen to the hospital.” You can always document consultation in your notes on difficult cases, therefore following ethical practices. Most importantly, other clinicians can give you reliable and diverse feedback on your cases.  One of the greatest values in group consultation is that your fellow MFTs can suggest when a case appears out of your scope of practice. 

Depending on the focus of the consultation, consultants can provide specialized expertise, research knowledge, situation assessment, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, guidance on ethical concerns, and assistance with case conceptualization (Dougherty, 2013). 

Many of us still remember our intern experience in group supervision.  The camaraderie with our fellow interns, the nervousness in presenting cases, and the security in numbers, propelled us through the process. Group Consultation harkens back to those days with the added burden of paperwork and monetary burdens. The idea of spending more money on another expense or taking time to meet consistently with fellow MFTs may seem superfluous. 

The opposite is true. Spending the money and time to secure your success is wise. Having the balance in your practice of monthly consultation enables you to get invaluable feedback from your peers. Whether you are discussing a case that has kept you up the night before or addressing an issue with an insurance company, your colleagues have been in your shoes. They feel your pain and your joy. 

A colleague in your consultation group will have worked with that child psychologist you need for your new child client or know a good software program to keep your practice up and running.  They may have a bookkeeping referral, a masseuse, or a bank that’s friendly. They may know an office in a different town that you are considering or a way for you to become involved in your CAMFT chapter so you can network and meet new clinicians. They will know which CEU classes are boring and which online referral services are worthwhile.

 Group consultation is a safety net.  Each of us has felt overburdened at times with the demands of our practice. More than your family or your friends, your colleagues   will recognize burnout.  They will not hesitate to encourage you to take a vacation or lower your case load. Group consultation can insure your work/life balance. It is well worth the investment of funds and time. 

Mary Deger Seevers, MA, MFT (CA#35702) has been leading private practice consultation groups in San Mateo for over fifteen years. She is a certified CAMFT supervisor. Her current group meets on Friday mornings once a month. If you are interested in individual or group consultation, please contact her through mary@marydegerseevers.com