Grow your Private Practice from Solo to Group: A Somatic Approach to Visibility, Leadership, and Sustainable Growth

Stepping into visibility as a group practice owner is more than just a business decision—it’s a nervous system shift.

For many therapists, growing your practice from solo to group isn’t just about adding clinicians or expanding access to care. It’s about being seen in a new way—as a leader, as an employer, and as the face of something bigger than yourself.

 Four years ago, I took this leap without fully realizing what it would require—not just in terms of logistics and financial planning, but in navigating my own internal resistance to visibility, leadership, and networking. I had to confront the discomfort

of stepping into a larger role, owning my voice in professional spaces, and allowing my practice to be seen and recognized in a way that felt deeply vulnerable.

 

 

 

From Therapist to Leader: Navigating the Visibility Struggle 

Therapists are trained to hold space for others—but stepping into leadership requires allowing yourself to be seen. 

Many clinicians—especially those with histories of people-pleasing, perfectionism, or anxious attachment patterns—struggle with visibility and authority when you strive to grow your private practice.

You might feel:

● Fear of Judgment: Worrying about how colleagues or the community will perceive your leadership decisions.

● Imposter Syndrome: Doubting whether you’re “qualified” to run a practice, even with years of clinical experience.

● Fawn Response in Business: Over-accommodating clinicians, avoiding hard conversations, or undercharging due to discomfort around financial leadership.

● Somatic Resistance: Feeling tightness in the chest, shallow breath, or hesitation in your body when discussing growth, marketing, or networking.

 

What if this wasn’t just a mindset problem—but a nervous system response? For many therapists, visibility feels like a threat because, at some point, taking up space, being seen, or standing in authority was met with criticism, rejection, or even relational loss. The body holds onto these experiences, making leadership feel risky—even when it’s necessary for growth.

 

Instead of forcing yourself to “get over it,” a somatic approach allows you to work with your nervous system to build capacity for leadership, confidence, and connection.

 

 

Expanding Without Burnout: How Somatic Awareness Changes the Process

1. Know Your Nervous Systems Response to Leadership

Before expanding, take time to notice how your body responds to different aspects of leadership.

● Do you feel activated when discussing finances, contracts, or clinician expectations?

● Do you notice tension when advocating for yourself in professional settings?

● Do you avoid networking, marketing, or hiring because it feels overwhelming?

 

Recognizing where expansion feels stressful in your body allows you to create regulation strategies—so that leadership doesn’t become a constant state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.

 

2. Visibility Work: Teaching Your Nervous System That Leadership is Safe

Leadership requires putting yourself out there—in professional spaces, community discussions, and clinician mentorship.

Instead of avoiding visibility, try these somatic practices to make leadership feel safer:

● Ground before making big decisions. Feel your feet on the floor. Breathe deeply. Give your body the cue that leadership doesn’t require urgency.

● Slow down networking. If big networking events feel overwhelming, start small.

One conversation. One connection. One relationship at a time.

● Create an expansion mantra. Try: “It’s safe to grow. It’s safe to be seen. I can lead in a way that aligns with my values.”

● Notice and reframe the old stories. If a past boss, supervisor, or professional experience made you believe leadership was overwhelming, remind yourself: “This is my practice. I set the tone.”

The goal isn’t to eliminate discomfort—it’s to increase your capacity to move through it without shutting down or overworking yourself.

 

The Practical Side of Growth: What I Wish I Knew Before Expanding 

Somatic awareness isn’t just about the internal experience of growth—it also helps guide practical, sustainable decision-making so that expansion doesn’t lead to burnout.

1. Build a Support System That Matches Your Nervous System Needs

Not all business advice applies to your unique regulation style. If you thrive on fast-paced ideas but struggle with follow-through, surround yourself with structured thinkers who can help create stability in your vision.

If you tend to freeze when overwhelmed, get mentorship and community support so you don’t shut down when decisions get hard.

Expanding a practice requires the right people—not just employees, but people who regulate and support your leadership style.

 

2. Plan for Sustainable Expansion, Not Urgent Hiring

Many practice owners hire too quickly because they feel desperate to lighten their caseload. But without sustainable systems, this leads to financial and operational strain.

● Use a profit-first model to ensure financial stability before hiring.

● Expect a financial dip before revenue evens out. Plan accordingly.

● Get clear on your practice culture. What kind of clinicians align with your values? What kind of work environment do you want to create?

 

3. Lead with Nervous System-Aware Boundaries

Many group practice owners burn out because they bring therapist tendencies into leadership.

● Instead of over-functioning, let clinicians take ownership of their work.

● Instead of fawning to accommodate everyone’s needs, create clear expectations and stick to them.

● Instead of feeling guilty about financial success, recognize that a well-resourced leader creates a more sustainable workplace for everyone.

Group practice ownership isn’t just about hiring therapists—it’s about creating an ecosystem where clinicians, clients, and leadership can thrive.

 

The Path Forward: Sustainable Leadership for Therapists

Expanding from solo to group practice isn’t just about logistics—it’s about rewiring your relationship with leadership, visibility, and sustainability.

 

If you’re in the process of growing—or if you feel stuck in visibility resistance, nervous system overwhelm, or financial uncertainty—know this:

● Your fear of leadership is not a sign you aren’t capable. It’s a sign that your body is protecting you from something that once felt unsafe.

● You don’t have to expand the way others do. Your practice can be built around your nervous system, your values, and your capacity.

● You are allowed to be seen. Your work is valuable. Your leadership is necessary. And you don’t have to navigate growth alone.

 

 

Looking Ahead: Let’s Grow Together

If you’re a therapist navigating visibility, business expansion, or nervous system overwhelm in leadership, we invite you to:

● Subscribe to our newsletter for insights on sustainable practice growth.

● Explore our upcoming training on Somatic Approaches to Visibility &

Networking—designed to help therapists expand with self-trust and nervous system awareness.

 

The transition from solo to group can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Let’s step into leadership, expansion, and sustainability—together.

 

 

As always, with hope and light,

Helen Malinowski, LICSW