Max is joined by Jeff and Eric, 2 of 7 worker-owners of a therapist worker cooperative in Minneapolis, Minnesota called Phoenix Mental Health. In their collective, everyone keeps 100% of the money they earn from seeing clients, and everyone pitches in money to pay for rent, bills, credentialing, billing, and accounting. They use consensus decision making in meetings, and people know them to be a “non-hierarchical, social justice” minded therapy practice. Members tend to lean “left” but don’t necessarily identify with left-wing labels such as anarchist, socialist, Marxist (etc), although some do.
How is Phoenix different from the ordinary capitalist mental health business enterprise? What motivates them to operate how they do? Is it possible for more workers in the mental health field to adopt this kind of model to help transition society toward a more equitable and pro- mental health economy? This episode is a lively discussion about these questions and more.
Learn more about Phoenix at phoenix-mental-health.com, and to learn more about the growing movement of therapist worker co-ops go to therapistworkercoops.info