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🔮 Episode Highlights
How can we improve communication between practice owners and employees? In this episode of Group Practice (R)evolution, Sarah is joined by Dr. Sthefany Alviar, a postdoctoral fellow at Mirjam Quinn and Associates (MQA), who offers a candid comparison between two vastly different group practice experiences.
Together, they explore how financial transparency, leadership accountability, and admin support shape clinician satisfaction. From navigating the shift from salaried to contractual pay, to building trust through open dialogue, this conversation invites both practice owners and employees to consider what it really means to work in alignment with your values—and what happens when that alignment is missing.
💬 What You’ll Learn
In this episode, we dig into:
- What questions clinicians should ask when applying for a group practice role
- Why Sthefany left her previous job—and what made MQA worth staying for
- How financial transparency builds trust and empowers employees
- What Miriam Quinn’s “State of the Practice” meeting includes and why it matters
- The downstream effects of disorganization and lack of administrative structure
- How leadership accountability fosters psychological safety
🌟 Quotable Moments
“I wish I had known to ask: Where does the money come from? How do I get paid?”
“When your needs are seen and respected, it makes you want to stay.”
“If there’s a gap in what the owner understands, that gap will trickle down.”
“Miriam doesn’t just lead from the top—she opens the floor to ideas from everyone.”
🔍 Digging Deeper
Sthefany offers an honest reflection on the emotional and financial impact of unclear job expectations, opaque compensation structures, and unacknowledged needs. Her story highlights what’s possible when group practices prioritize clear communication, shared values, and collective growth. This episode is especially helpful for early-career therapists and practice owners alike.
🦄 The Magic Touch
Sthefany’s clarity, humility, and willingness to name hard truths make her insights invaluable. She doesn’t just compare practices—she gives us a roadmap for how values-based leadership shows up in real-world decisions.
🔮 Future Visions
As more early-career therapists enter group practices, Sthefany hopes to see increased education around compensation structures, transparency in hiring, and a shift toward mutual respect between owners and clinicians. She imagines a future where new hires are encouraged to ask the right questions—and where owners are prepared to answer them with care.
📱 Connect with Sthefany
Dr. Sthefany Alviar (she/her) earned her doctorate from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA in 2020 and now serves as a postdoctoral fellow at Mirjam Quinn and Associates, a thriving private practice. She offers virtual therapy for clients of all ages using an integrative approach rooted in attachment and relational frameworks. Her specialties include trauma, anxiety, cultural identity, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ concerns, and parent-child dynamics.
📧 Email: salviar@mqatherapy.com
📸 Instagram: @mirjamquinnandassociates
🔗 Practice Website
💼 LinkedIn
🎙️ Group Practice (R)evolution is a platform and podcast series offering insights from owners, employees, and experts—plus resources to support this wildly ambitious vision for the future.
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🎧 More episodes available now:
- The Ideals of Therapy vs the Limitations of Capitalism with Jeff Levy
- Sustainable Solutions for Staff Retention and Satisfaction with Jennifer Froemel
Creating Emotional Safety, Belonging, and Buy-In With Your Staff with Mirjam Quinn
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