Midsommer White Paper
Introduction:
Midsommer (Midsommer.org) was founded on a simple yet powerful principle: prioritizing people—both clinicians and clients—in the mental healthcare industry. The initial vision for Midsommer originated with Spencer R. Potesta, whose combined expertise in industrial and organizational psychology and clinical psychotherapy highlighted a critical need for change. This vision, shaped by years of observing the gap between best practices and industry realities, took shape when Spencer and Taylor Newendorp collaborated at Chicago Counseling Center. Taylor’s deep knowledge and respected standing in the field were key in refining the Midsommer model. Their success at Chicago Counseling Center forms the foundation for Midsommer, a model they seek to replicate and expand. This white paper outlines Midsommer's philosophy, structure, goals, and unique methodology, inspiring a shift toward a more humane, effective, and organizationally sound model of mental healthcare rooted in self-managing teams and supportive partnerships.
The Problem:
Years of experience in private practice and organizational consulting revealed a stark disconnect between the stated goals of mental healthcare providers and the realities on the ground. Bureaucracy, a lack of integrity, and a pervasive “profits-first” mentality often overshadow the needs of both clinicians and clients. Clinicians are frequently underpaid, undervalued, and subjected to unsustainable workloads, leading to burnout and compromised client care. Simultaneously, clients face rising costs, limited access to quality care, and a system often more concerned with maximizing billing than fostering genuine healing.
Pressures from private equity and venture capital, along with disorganized smaller practices, exacerbate these issues—some prioritize profit over people, creating a "corporate veil" that hinders clinician growth and negatively impacts client care. Others, while well-intentioned, struggle to balance financial realities with ethical obligations, often leading to compromises that ultimately harm both clinicians and clients. The influence of profit-driven insurance companies further complicates the landscape, often prioritizing cost-cutting over quality of care. The rise of Venture Capital and Private Equity in the field poses another threat, as these models often prioritize short-term profit over long-term sustainability and client well-being.
Midsommer's Vision:
Midsommer is a direct response to these challenges. We believe that a truly effective mental healthcare system must be rooted in organizational psychology to prioritize the well-being of both clinicians and clients. Our vision is to create a sustainable, replicable model that fosters a culture of care, respect, and integrity through self-managing teams. We aim to build and partner with small pods, empowering clinicians to thrive and deliver the highest quality care to clients in a supportive, human-centered environment.
Core Principles:
People First: Midsommer’s core value is putting people—clinicians and clients—first. We believe that by creating a supportive and empowering environment for clinicians, grounded in organizational psychology, we can ensure clients receive the highest quality care.
Organizational Effectiveness: Drawing on principles of organizational psychology, Midsommer is structured to maximize efficiency and minimize bureaucracy. We believe that smaller, localized teams are ideal for fostering collaboration, specialization, and personalized care, with a focus on building self-managing units that operate autonomously.
Industry Leadership: Midsommer is committed to offering industry-leading compensation, benefits, and profit-sharing opportunities for its clinicians. We believe that investing in our clinicians is essential to attracting and retaining top talent, which ultimately benefits our clients.
Humanity-Focused Care: In an age of increasing automation, Midsommer champions the importance of human connection in mental healthcare. We believe that empathy, compassion, and genuine human interaction are essential components of effective therapy.
Accessibility: Midsommer is committed to accepting insurance, not as a profit-maximizing strategy, but to ensure that high-quality mental healthcare is accessible to as many people as possible.
Long-Term Sustainability: Midsommer is self-funded and will never accept Venture Capital or Private Equity investment. This allows us to prioritize long-term sustainability and avoid the pressures that often lead to compromising ethical principles for short-term profits. We are committed to organic growth, focusing on building a strong foundation for future generations of clinicians and clients.
Systems-Focused Care: While recognizing the importance of individualization, Midsommer emphasizes a systems-focused approach to mental healthcare. We believe that clinicians thrive in a supportive system where they can collaborate, share knowledge, and grow together.
The Midsommer Method:
At the heart of Midsommer's approach is the "Midsommer Method," a unique organizational framework rooted in organizational psychology, designed to optimize both clinician well-being and client care. This method centers on creating small, geographically or specialization-based "pods" of 10-12 clinicians—we keep these teams small to limit bureaucracy, provide the highest pay, training, and support possible, and focus on self-managing structures. Our goal isn’t to maximize profits by expanding team sizes; we’re dedicated to nurturing close-knit groups of specialists who collaborate effectively. Once established, we respect their autonomy, allowing them to self-govern without unnecessary pressures, empowering clinicians and enhancing client outcomes. These pods function as self-managing units, making decisions collaboratively, supporting one another, and prioritizing the collective well-being of their clients.
The Midsommer Method addresses the limitations of both purely individualized practice and large, impersonal corporate structures. It provides the small-team feel that fosters close collaboration and quick adaptation to client needs, while offering the resources and support of a larger organization.
Key features of the Midsommer Method include:
Pod Structure: Clinicians are organized into small, geographically or specialty-focused teams (pods) of 10-12 members, designed as self-managing entities.
Collaborative Decision-Making: Pod members work together to make decisions regarding client care, resource allocation, and practice management, drawing on organizational psychology for effective teamwork.
Shared Knowledge & Growth: Midsommer fosters a culture of shared learning and professional development. Internal knowledge is shared across pods, allowing clinicians to learn from each other's experiences and expertise. This communal growth is a key differentiator, setting Midsommer apart from traditional individualistic models.
Patient-Centric Approach: The pod structure allows for a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to client care. Clinicians can easily consult with colleagues, share insights, and ensure that clients receive the most appropriate and effective treatment.
Supportive Ecosystem: Midsommer provides the infrastructure and resources necessary for pods to thrive, including administrative support, technology, and access to continuing education opportunities.
Our Focuses:
Building a Sustainable Future Midsommer's growth is driven by a deep commitment to our core principles and a desire to expand our reach, ensuring that more clinicians and clients can benefit from our unique approach. We are actively open to both new partnerships and organic growth, welcoming individuals and groups of clinicians who resonate with our mission and values. Our strategy is not about rapid expansion at all costs, but rather about carefully cultivating a network of thriving pods that embody the Midsommer philosophy. We prioritize sustainable growth that allows us to maintain our commitment to quality care and clinician well-being. Our approach involves two key focuses:
Strategic Partnerships: We seek partnerships with existing teams that share our values and are looking for a more sustainable and ethical model. We don't simply partner with companies; we collaborate with them to best support their practices. By implementing the Midsommer Method within partner firms, we provide the resources, support, and collaborative framework they need to flourish. This includes sharing our expertise in organizational psychology, providing access to our network, and fostering a culture of shared learning and growth through self-managing teams. We believe that by working together, we can achieve more than we could alone.
Organic Growth: We also prioritize organic growth by establishing new Midsommer teams in strategic locations. This allows us to carefully select and curate teams of clinicians who are deeply committed to our mission and values. We welcome both individual clinicians seeking a supportive and fulfilling practice environment and established groups of clinicians looking to join a like-minded community. Our organic growth strategy ensures that each new pod is a strong and cohesive unit, capable of delivering exceptional client care. We provide the necessary infrastructure, resources, and mentorship to help these pods thrive as self-managing teams.
Our focus is not on maximizing profits or market share, but on building a strong and sustainable ecosystem of Midsommer pods. We believe that by prioritizing people, fostering collaboration, and adhering to our core principles, we can create a lasting positive impact on the mental healthcare landscape. We are always open to conversations with individuals and organizations who share our vision and are interested in joining the Midsommer movement.
A Call to Action:
Midsommer is more than just a company; it's a movement to reclaim the human element in mental healthcare. We invite other practitioners, organizations, and entrepreneurs to join us in this mission. By embracing the principles of people-first care, organizational effectiveness rooted in psychology, and the Midsommer Method, we can collectively transform the landscape of mental healthcare and create a world where both clinicians and clients thrive.
Conclusion:
Midsommer is a testament to the power of combining clinical expertise with organizational psychology principles. We believe that by rooting firms in organizational psychology and creating a supportive environment for self-managing teams, we can ensure clients receive the highest quality care. Our goal is not just to build a successful company, but to inspire a movement that reshapes mental healthcare. After years of organizational and psychotherapeutic work, we’ve developed a micro and macro lens on the industry. Our hope is that ethical, aspirational psychotherapists replicate our method, as we lead in applying organizational psychology best practices while prioritizing quality care above all—if replicated, this will support more clients and clinicians in their healing journeys. We invite you to join us in this mission. We believe that by working together, we can counteract the encroaching influence of VC and PE firms, restoring a human-centered approach essential to effective mental healthcare. By prioritizing people, fostering collaboration through self-managing teams, and adhering to our core principles, we can create a lasting positive impact on the mental healthcare landscape, ensuring a brighter future for both clinicians and the individuals they serve.