The business side of mental health practice is one of the most overlooked yet essential skills for clinicians today. In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King speaks with Keith Myers, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training at Point Loma Nazarene University, about why business literacy is no longer optional for therapists.

Keith shares a powerful perspective shaped by both academia and real-world clinical experience. He highlights a major gap: clinicians are trained to care for people, but not to run sustainable businesses. This disconnect often leads to financial stress, poor decision-making, and burnout, even for highly skilled therapists.

Throughout the conversation, Keith breaks down the realities behind billing, insurance reimbursements, and the hidden costs of running a practice. He also explores the identity shift required to succeed, from clinician to clinician-entrepreneur, and why marketing, self-advocacy, and financial awareness are critical skills.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why most therapists misunderstand the true cost of delivering care 
•  How business education can transform long-term career success 
•  The importance of developing a strong professional identity and niche 
•  Practical lessons for group practice owners navigating growth and revenue challenges 

Keith also shares insights on working with veterans, emphasizing the need for culturally competent care and the role group practices can play in serving underserved populations.

If you’re building or scaling a practice, this episode will challenge how you think about money, identity, and sustainability in mental health.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Mission, vision, and values in group practice are not just abstract ideas; they are strategic levers that directly impact growth, recruitment, and long-term sustainability.

In this solo episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King explores why the most successful practices take a clear stand on what they believe and who they serve. Drawing on real-world examples across the mental health landscape, Dan breaks down how practices with a defined identity consistently outperform those that rely on generic branding.

Dan highlights how clarity of purpose creates alignment across every level of a practice from clinicians to clients, while also simplifying key decisions around hiring, marketing, and culture. In a crowded and competitive market, especially in self-pay environments, practices that articulate their values clearly gain a powerful advantage.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • Why defining your mission, vision, and values attracts aligned clinicians faster
 • How clear positioning improves patient connection and therapeutic outcomes
 • The role of purpose in reducing burnout and building resilient teams
 • The potential risks of strong positioning and how to navigate them as you grow

Dan also reflects on the tension between clarity and scalability, offering a nuanced perspective on how practices can evolve their identity without losing their core.

If you’re building or leading a group practice, this episode will challenge you to move beyond generic messaging and define what you truly stand for.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Choosing a business partner in group practice is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — decisions founders make. In this solo episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King breaks down when you actually need a partner, and how to choose the right one if you do.

Dan starts by challenging a common assumption: not every business needs a partner. If your goal is to build a lifestyle practice, you may not need one at all. But if your ambition is to build something larger, more complex, and enduring, the case for a partner becomes significantly stronger — especially in mental health, where complexity, regulation, and human impact are high.

From there, Dan introduces a powerful guiding principle: would you marry this person? This question reframes partnership as a long-term, high-stakes commitment — one that requires deep trust, alignment, and resilience.

He then outlines three critical criteria for choosing the right partner:

•  Complementary skill sets that expand decision-making capacity 
•  Integrity you can trust at a gut level 
•  Alignment on mission, vision, and long-term ambition 

This episode is a practical framework for group practice owners navigating growth decisions and considering partnership as a path forward.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Sustainable growth for mental health practices doesn’t come from radical change, it comes from consistent, intentional progress over time.

In Episode 38 of Your Group Practice, Dan King speaks with Sean McColl, founder of Trusted Business Advisors, about how practice owners can break through growth plateaus and build scalable, resilient businesses without losing sight of their mission.

Sean brings a unique perspective from both Fortune 500 leadership and entrepreneurial experience, helping business owners navigate the critical shift from doing everything themselves to leading strategically. He explains why many practices stall between $2M–$4M in revenue, and what it really takes to move beyond that stage.

Throughout the conversation, Sean draws a powerful parallel between therapy and business growth: small, incremental changes applied consistently create the biggest long-term results.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “what got you here won’t get you there” in practice growth
• How delegation and prioritization unlock your next stage of scale
• The role of accountability in driving real business results
• Practical cost-cutting strategies that immediately improve profitability
• How to build a foundation for sustainable, long-term growth

Sean also shares how strong advisor relationships, built on trust and accountability, can help business owners stay focused, overcome blind spots, and maintain momentum, even during challenging periods.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to scale your practice, this episode offers a clear and practical roadmap forward.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Working fewer hours as a practice owner is a goal many clinicians dream about—but few believe is actually possible.

In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King speaks with Ruth Mannschreck, founder of Shoreline Strategies, about the systems and leadership principles that allow healthcare practice owners to reclaim their time without sacrificing quality of care.

Ruth’s journey began in dentistry. After building a successful practice, her life changed dramatically when her daughter experienced serious health complications that required extensive medical care. Faced with the need to dramatically reduce her clinical hours, Ruth and her team redesigned their entire business model—compressing five days of work into just 2.5 days while maintaining excellent patient care.

What emerged from that experience became the foundation of her consulting work with healthcare practices.

In this conversation, Ruth shares how practice owners can redesign systems, hiring strategies, and leadership approaches to create what she calls a self-propelled business.

Key insights from this episode include:

• Why mapping the client journey from the first phone call can transform operations
• How hiring for soft skills like empathy and compassion improves patient care
• Innovative interview techniques that reveal a candidate’s real interpersonal abilities
• How generational differences in the workforce can unlock creativity instead of conflict
• Why practice owners must clearly define outcomes before empowering teams to innovate

Ruth also shares how practice owners can begin reducing their own workload by focusing on systems, team development, and emotional intelligence in client interactions.

Free Resource:
Download Ruth’s framework:
The Self-Propelled Business Framework
www.WorkFewerHours.com

Learn more about Ruth:
https://shorelinestrategies.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthmannschreck/

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

AI in therapy is advancing faster than most clinicians can keep up with, but what does that actually mean for group practice owners?

In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King sits down with psychologist and MBA Genevieve Bartuski, whose background in forensic and cyberpsychology places her at the center of AI governance conversations. Together, they unpack the real role AI should play in mental health and where the profession must draw clear ethical boundaries.

Genevieve makes one thing clear: AI will not replace therapists. Research consistently shows that the therapeutic alliance is the strongest predictor of positive outcomes. While AI can augment workflows, it cannot replicate empathy, clinical judgment, or the nuanced human relationship at the core of therapy.

Here’s what you’ll take away:

• Why AI hallucinations and “drift” pose serious accountability risks
 • Where AI can responsibly support group practices (billing, documentation, compliance)
 • The ethical concerns around AI note-takers and session recording
 • How AI could bridge mental health access gaps with strong human oversight
 • The psychological risks of clients developing emotional reliance on AI

For practice owners navigating rapid technological change, this episode provides a grounded framework: protect the client relationship, leverage AI to improve backend efficiency, and approach innovation with critical thinking not blind adoption.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Authenticity and emotional well-being in business are the foundation of sustainable leadership, especially for practice owners carrying the emotional weight of care, culture, and client outcomes. In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King sits down with Yummii Nguyen for a heart-forward conversation about growth, healing, and what happens when our business becomes a mirror for our unmet needs.

Yummii shares that transformation isn’t about “fixing yourself,” but about surrendering to your humanity, and letting your work become an expression of love rather than a reenactment of childhood wounds. Together, Dan and Yummii explore why so many high-performing founders default to control, overwork, and attachment to outcomes… and how those patterns quietly erode joy, health, and presence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “chaos” and “fear” often signal old patterning, not current reality
• How childhood wounds can turn your business into a survival strategy
• The difference between you and the “gift” moving through you
• Why your business is meant to serve your wellbeing (not the other way around)
• A powerful reframe for clinicians: you don’t “hold” space you allow space to expand

If you’ve been feeling the weight of leadership, this conversation offers a radical permission slip: slow down, listen more deeply, and let the work evolve as you evolve.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Selling a group practice can feel like handing over your life’s work, especially when your culture, clinicians, and community relationships are the “why” behind everything you built.

In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King sits down with Danielle Hayes, founder of Therapy Austin and now Clinical Strategy Advisor at Mindfully Behavioral Health, to unpack what it really takes to grow with integrity and transition ownership without sacrificing mission.

Danielle shares how her practice scaled organically from two clinicians to nearly 150 across five locations, and why locally-owned, mission-driven practices often deliver the most compassionate care. She explains the real trade-offs that show up with scale: how systems can protect culture, how decision-making changes when non-clinicians enter the mix, and why the “quality-first” mindset needs to be designed into the agency waterline.

You’ll also hear Danielle’s candid perspective on the selling process, especially how the pandemic shifted the market, what she learned from sorting through misaligned buyers, and why leadership retention (and values alignment) can be the difference between a legacy preserved and a legacy diluted.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to scale without watering down mission and clinician support
• What to consider when choosing a co-founder (and why it can reduce decision fatigue)
• How to build an advisor network that actually understands mental health businesses
• What practice owners should do a year in advance before considering a sale
• How to “date the buyer” to protect culture, quality of care, and long-term purpose

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Therapist autonomy in group practice isn’t a perk; it’s often the condition for great clinical work and sustainable growth. In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King sits down with Patrick Cleveland, LMFT, founder of Daybreak Counseling Center in Southern California, to unpack how he moved from loving solo private practice to building a values-aligned group practice, almost by accident.

Patrick shares what happened when clinician demand (and a strong website presence) pulled him into group ownership, and how repeated intake calls from clients with “bad therapy experiences” clarified his mission: create a place where clients can tell their story and clinicians can practice with authenticity.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Why Patrick sees therapy as more art than science, and what gets lost when we obsess over metrics
• How aligned hiring is his primary quality-control lever (and why “not hearing complaints” matters more than surveys)
• The hidden downside of outcome-fixation: therapists becoming agenda-driven and missing the client’s lived experience
• How philosophy and meaning-making show up in the therapy room, especially for younger clients questioning the “traditional path”
• Daybreak’s operating model: tools + support, without micromanagement, so clinicians can thrive and stay

If you’re building (or rebuilding) a group practice culture, this episode is a grounded reminder that autonomy, trust, and safety aren’t “soft” ideas; they’re strategic.

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com

Five-step scaling method for therapy practices is the difference between “busy and stuck” and “built to grow.” In this episode of Your Group Practice, Dan King sits down with Nicole McCance, a retired psychologist and business coach for therapists, to unpack the exact framework she used to grow her practice to 55 therapists in three years without sacrificing her life outside work.

Nicole breaks down a practical, CEO-level path for scaling that doesn’t rely on hustle or guesswork:

1) Systemize operations before you hire. Build the container before you fill it, SOPs, manuals, practice management workflows, and clear admin responsibilities to avoid becoming the “chief question answerer.”
2) Build a cohesive team. Nicole explains why your first clinician hire should be a “mini-me” to maintain brand consistency and how to consider complementary skill sets without compromising the client experience.
3) Attract clients with digital marketing. From SEO foundations to preparing for AI-driven search (ChatGPT and Gemini), Nicole shares what practice owners should prioritize, and what they should never DIY.
4) Convert leads with consult calls. Why online booking matters (people often book after 7pm), how to structure a 20-minute consult, and what to cover to increase follow-through.
5) Retain clients with follow-up. The simple follow-up behaviors most clinicians avoid and why clients often interpret them as care, not “sales.”

They also dig into the inner work: self-worth, pricing, and the identity shift from clinician to leader.

Want to go deeper? Explore Nicole’s free masterclass: https://linktr.ee/Mccancemethod

Transform Your Group Practice

Actionable insights for practice owners and clinicians who want to lead, grow, or exit with purpose. This is the podcast shaping a stronger mental health system — one practice at a time.

• Subscribe and listen to more episodes: https://yourgrouppractice.com/
• Want to be a guest? Reach out: [email protected]

About the Host

Dan King is a lawyer turned private equity founder with a passion for fixing burnout in mental health. With a background in M&A, Shark Tank deals, and psychology, he now leads Fireside Strategic — investing in group practices that put people first.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danmking
• Website: firesidestrategic.com