Redefining the Status Quo: A New System for Therapists and Businesses
At Introspective Family Therapy, one of our core values is to lead by example. We see ourselves as embodied therapists, which simply means “we practice what we preach.” We aim to walk alongside our clients in their growth while also committing to our own.
Recently, we introduced our Core Transformation Model—which illustrates how change unfolds, both within ourselves and in the world around us.
When our old systems of doing things break down, we’re left with a pivotal question: What comes next? This next phase explores how we can operate a business that stays true with our core values—prioritizing people over profit and aligning with our greater purpose.
Finding Harmony and Transformation in Business
Owning a business may feel at odds with the inherent goal of therapy. But since our founding, we’ve pursued internal systems to mirror the external systems—ways in which we can achieve our business goals without losing alignment with our greater beliefs.
On a national level, our current structures—whether they be financial, emotional, environmental, or economic—are not sustainable. Unfortunately, our professional lives and businesses are rooted in the legacy system of capitalism and profit-over-people expectations.
As Founder and Director of Introspective Family Therapy, I’ve often felt disenchanted and frustrated with the expectations of running a business. The standard operating model prioritizes profit, power, productivity, control, and hierarchy. But this felt woefully at odds with what we aim to accomplish in therapeutic practice.
These feelings of conflict led me to develop a New Systems Model, highlighting the persistent impact these legacy systems have on us—and how to embody a new way of operating and thinking about structures in general.
How We Use the New Systems Model in Our Business
As much as possible, our goal at Introspective is to suspend our participation in the legacy systems and transition toward this new philosophy.
We’re currently using this model in a few key ways and seeing remarkable results, both on an individual and collective level:
Transparency and Communication
Instead of a siloed, hierarchical approach to business, we prioritize transparency, openness, and communication. Our core clinical group and our staff are well-acquainted with daily operations. They contribute openly and are recognized for the value they bring. We’ve also built check-ins and feedback within our communication structure.
Heterarchy over Hierarchy
Many traditional practices—and many businesses in general—function on a hierarchical system. At Introspective, however, we’ve embodied a horizontal (heterarchical) structure. While we still have a “final-say leader,” all voices are heard, and all roles are valued for their unique contributions—and they are never based solely on seniority.
Insurance Fees
We only work with insurance companies that align most with appropriate compensation for our services. We research and stay open to new healthcare payment models that differ from the profit-driven insurance model.
While there is no easy solution to insurance, we launched a Low-Fee and No-Fee Program to ensure increased accessibility to therapeutic services regardless of insurance or financial circumstances.
Training and Internships
We developed our Integrated Training Program to support interns as they become leaders in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), offering a learning community that is both profoundly challenging and deeply supportive.
This program offers interns the opportunity to apply various MFT approaches taught in school and develop their own intuitive style, true to themselves. Interns are also trained on our New Systems Model and other collaborative approaches.
Collaboration
Our universal goal is to promote more healing. Instead of a scarcity mindset rooted in competition, we openly partner with other service providers with similar offerings.
We’ve also removed non-compete clauses from our employees’ contracts, eliminating the scarcity and competition mindset.
Curious to learn more?
We’re currently developing new resources for therapists, healing professionals, and practices to adopt these methods and transform the status quo. If you’re curious to learn more about our work—and how we can partner together—reach out to Anviksha Kalscheur at anviksha@introspectivefamilytherapy.com.