We recently connected with Mattie Weingarten-Pardy and have shared our conversation below.
Mattie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?
There’s an expectation in our industry for new employees in human service industries (such as nursing, teaching, and counseling) to essentially accept difficult working conditions and not complain because we’re in it “for the cause”. Of course therapists are motivated to help others, but we also deserve fair compensation and career longevity. I see so many young professionals leaving their industries due to low pay, burnout, and exhaustion. My mission is to create a healthy, supportive work environment for my team so they can better serve our community, and hopefully keep great therapists in the field for longer.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Weingarten Counseling & Associates is a therapy practice that is passionate about making quality healthcare treatment accessible for our community. We provide virtual counseling in North and South Carolina, as well as parts of Florida. We accept most commercial insurances because we believe therapy should not be a luxury, and we want our clients to use the healthcare benefits they already pay for. Behind the scenes, my role is to create the most supportive environment for my therapists as possible. Telehealth enables us to pay our associates well above the industry standard, which means they don’t need to see 25+ clients a week to meet their career and financial goals. My motto is “healthy clinicians, healthy clients, healthy community.”
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Other local therapy practices have been our greatest source of referrals and business growth. Practice ownership can be risky and lonely, and I think it’s easy to become protective of your resources and connections. My philosophy is the opposite–a rising tide floats all boats. There’s a very collegial and supportive community of young female practice owners in Charlotte, and they’ve been my biggest cheerleaders and mentors. They keep WC&A busy with steady flow of client referrals, and we’re happy to do the same for them. It’s a joy to work alongside fellow therapists rather than see them as competition.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My parents have been working in healthcare in Charlotte for the last forty years. My mom is therapist like me, my dad is a doctor specializing in infectious diseases, and my sister is a physical therapist. Our city has grown tenfold since they started their careers, but they laid a rock-solid foundation for our family in terms of name recognition and trust. Both my mom and dad are deeply service-oriented and devoted to helping others in everything they do. I know I had a head-start in terms of reputability due to their decades of work, which is a tremendous privilege. I also attribute our success to our amazing team of therapists; the work they do with clients speaks for itself, and there’s no better advertisement than that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.weingartencounseling.com
Image Credits
Photos by Haylie Noelle Photography