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Private Practice vs Group Practice: What’s the Best Fit for Therapists in Maryland?

Filed in Mental Health — July 20, 2025

If you’re a licensed therapist in Maryland, you’ve likely considered the pros and cons of launching your own private practice versus joining a group therapy practice. Both paths offer unique benefits and challenges, and the decision often depends on your personal goals, values, and lifestyle.

The more I speak with clinicians in our field, I realize many do not have a deep understanding of what it takes to run your own business. Not surprising since we don’t get any of that training in our educational programs.

At Wholistic Living, our growing integrative group practice in Harford County, we hear from many clinicians who feel overwhelmed by the demands of solo practice or burnt out from high-stress systems like schools, hospitals, or non-profits. This blog will explore the key differences between working independently and joining a group practice, so you can decide what path supports your vision as a clinician.

Understanding the Two Models

Private Practice (Solo Practice): You operate as your own business. You’re responsible for all aspects of running the practice, including scheduling, billing, marketing, insurance credentialing, tax payments, and ongoing compliance.

Group Practice: You join an established team and provide therapy under the umbrella of an existing business. At Wholistic Living, therapists are W-2 employees, supported by a team that handles the business operations so they can focus on client care.

The Pros and Cons of Private Practice

Pros:

1. Full Autonomy
You set your own schedule, pick your ideal clients, choose your niche, and have creative freedom over your business.

2. Unlimited Income Potential
You decide your session rates and keep 100% of your earnings (minus expenses). High-income potential if your caseload is full and you’re credentialed.

3. Flexibility
Work from home, a sublet office, or virtually. You have control over how and where you work.

Cons:

1. High Startup Costs
Getting started in private practice isn’t cheap. Expect to spend on:

Office space: $600–$1,200+/mo
EHR systems: $50–$200/mo
Website & marketing: $1,000–$5,000+
Liability insurance: $150–$600/year
Supervision/consultation fees
CEUs and training in specialties you really want to have

2. Business Management Overwhelm
You become your own billing department, IT team, marketer, bookkeeper, and receptionist.

3. Isolation
Solo work can be lonely. There’s no team to lean on for feedback, case consults, or collaboration.

4. Unpredictable Income
It can take months to build a steady caseload. Vacations or time off mean unpaid time.

5. Tax Burden
As a 1099 contractor or sole proprietor, you’re responsible for setting aside ~30% of your income for taxes and paying quarterly estimates.

The Pros and Cons of Group Practice

Pros:

1. Built-In Support
At Wholistic Living, we provide:

Billing and admin support
Marketing and client referrals
Credentialing
Professional development reimbursement
A collaborative team culture

2. Consistent Income + Tax Simplicity
As a W-2 employee, we handle payroll taxes. You receive regular paychecks for the work you have done and don’t need to worry about quarterly tax payments or bookkeeping.

3. Flexibility Without the Hassle
You still choose your preferred schedule and populations, but without the burden of managing the business side.

4. Clinical Growth Opportunities
We offer specialty CEUs in modalities like EMDR therapy, Brainspotting, Somatic Therapy, couples counseling, kids, and more. Your growth is our priority.

5. Collaboration & Connection
You’re part of a mission-aligned team of holistic, trauma-informed clinicians who share insights, celebrate wins, and support each other.

6. Work-Life Balance
Our therapists enjoy unlimited time off, paid malpractice insurance, and the ability to shape their caseloads without hustle culture.

Cons:

1. Less Control Over Branding
In a group practice, you operate under the practice’s brand rather than your own name (though you can still build your reputation).

2. Set Fee Splits
You earn a set hourly rate ($50–$60/hr at Wholistic Living), which may be lower than 100% of your fee in private practice but comes with far fewer responsibilities and includes your taxes.

3. Policies and Systems
You’ll follow the group’s policies, documentation timelines, and procedures—though ours are designed to prioritize clinician well-being.

Expense Comparison in Maryland

Category	Solo Private Practice	Wholistic Living Group Practice
Office Rent	$600–$1,200/month	Included
EHR/Software	$100/month	Included
Marketing	$500–$2,000/year	Included
Billing Services	5%–8% of income	Included
Insurance Credentialing	Time-consuming and costly	Included
Liability Insurance	$150–$600/year	Covered
Admin/Reception	DIY or $15–$25/hr	Included
Supervision	$100+/month	Team support & consults available
Tax Prep	$500/year + quarterly payments	Included in payroll

Real Talk: What Therapists Are Telling Us

Here’s the truth: therapists in Maryland are burned out. Many are working in large institutions where the mission has been lost, and the focus is on productivity and output rather than healing and transformation. They entered the field with a desire to serve but now feel trapped in systems that are misaligned with their values.

Therapists tell us they’re tired of:

Feeling like they’re on a never-ending treadmill of back-to-back clients with no time for integration.
Doing mountains of unpaid admin work.
Navigating toxic work cultures with little support or supervision.
Having to get permission to take time off or prioritize their own families.

At the same time, many feel intimidated by the idea of going completely solo. Private practice sounds appealing in theory—but the reality of running a business is daunting. Billing, marketing, taxes, insurance claims, tech platforms, and HIPAA compliance? It’s a full-time job, and most therapists didn’t go to school to become entrepreneurs.

There are also lesser-known challenges in private practice that can sneak up:

No built-in peer consultation: Clinical growth stalls when you’re on your own.
Liability burden: You carry full responsibility for every aspect of your practice, including managing emergencies, record retention, audits, and legal risks.
Loneliness and isolation: Without community, the emotional labor of this work can lead to compassion fatigue.

Group practice—when built intentionally—can solve these issues. Especially in a practice like Wholistic Living, where the culture is values-aligned, trauma-informed, and focused on healing from the inside out.

Our therapists experience creative freedom to build the kind of caseload they want, while also being part of a team that offers depth, support, and cutting-edge training. The administrative burden is lifted, and the mission is clear: to help people uncover the truth about their struggles—mentally, emotionally, and neurologically—so that healing isn’t just possible, it’s transformative.

Many therapists dream of autonomy, but dread:

Learning marketing
Networking for referrals
Writing clinical notes at midnight
Managing client payments
Filing taxes
Feeling professionally alone

At Wholistic Living, you don’t have to choose between your passion for helping people and your own mental health. You can:

Do deep, transformative work with the populations you love
Choose your hours and client focus
Access advanced training
Work with a values-aligned team

All without owning a business or burning out.

Why Wholistic Living Might Be Your Perfect Fit

Wholistic Living is a Maryland-based integrative therapy practice where trauma-informed care meets holistic healing. We treat the whole person—mentally, emotionally, and neurologically—using modern, evidence-based approaches like EMDR, neurofeedback, somatic therapy, IFS, and more.

We’re growing and currently hiring W-2 licensed therapists in Maryland who want to: