When I interviewed female group practice owners for my research, one theme came through clearly: gender shaped their experiences in ways they hadn’t always expected.
The counseling profession is majority female, but the world of business ownership often carries assumptions, expectations, and challenges that can look very different for women than for men. This blog explores what my study uncovered about gender’s role in practice ownership and what it means for current and aspiring female owners.
Balancing Caregiving and Leadership
Many owners described carrying a dual identity: counselor and business owner, but also often spouse, parent, or caregiver.
This sometimes led to:
- Guilt when work demanded time away from family
- Pressure to make the practice financially stable quickly so it justified the time investment
- Less time for networking compared to male business owners
One participant told me, “I felt like I had to prove I could run a business and still be present at home. No one was asking my husband the same thing.”
Barriers to Business Resources
Research outside counseling has shown that women business owners often have less access to start-up capital, mentors, and networks compared to men (Dyer, 2019; Yang & del Carmen Triana, 2017). My study participants echoed this reality, sharing that:
- They often relied on personal savings or family loans rather than business loans.
- Professional business groups were sometimes male-dominated spaces, making them feel like outsiders.
- They had to seek out female mentors intentionally because few were visible in leadership roles.
Strengths Female Owners Bring to the Table
Despite these barriers, participants identified unique strengths they brought to leadership as women, including:
- Relational leadership styles that emphasized team culture and collaboration
- Empathy in decision-making around staff well-being and client care
- Flexibility and adaptability, especially during crises like COVID-19
One owner said, “We lead differently—we bring our counseling skills into business. That’s not a weakness; it’s why our teams thrive.”
Impact on Workplace Culture
Female practice owners often built workplaces that reflected values important to them personally, such as:
- Work-life balance for employees
- Mental health support within the organization itself
- Opportunities for growth like supervision and training
This focus on culture helped with staff retention and morale, especially in a field where burnout is common.
Moving Forward: What Can Help
The owners in my study suggested several ways to make business ownership more accessible for women in counseling:
- Mentorship programs connecting female owners with aspiring practice leaders
- Business training in graduate programs so women feel more prepared to launch practices
- Networking groups specifically for female mental health entrepreneurs
Takeaway: Gender Shapes the Journey, But Doesn’t Limit It
Being a female group practice owner comes with unique challenges and opportunities. By recognizing gender’s impact and seeking mentorship, training, and support, women can build thriving practices that reflect their values and leadership style.
The next blog in this series will explore how group practice owners adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and what it taught them about resilience and innovation.
If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy: Brave Play Blogs!
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References
American Counseling Association. (2019). Counseling profession statistics.
Business Wire. (2018). Women-owned businesses on the rise.
Dyer, J. (2019). Barriers for women in small business ownership.Garrett, A. (2022). The Lived Experiences of Group Practice Ownership by Female Licensed Professional Counselors (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies, 12983.
Yang, Y., & del Carmen Triana, M. (2017). Gender differences in small business outcomes.