In the world of niche coworking spaces, a few trends reign supreme.
First, a deep and unwavering commitment to serving members. Second, a belief that a community of like-minded people serves everyone. And finally, a desire to empower others in that niche to be their own boss.
Coworking spaces for therapists capture all of these sentiments and more. In this article, we’re sharing 7 therapy-centric coworking spaces around the world that are helping mental health professionals thrive.
Hear from the people behind the spaces on what drew them to start their space and what impact they hope to have on their community.
Brooklyn Hourly Offices
Brooklyn, NY | @brooklynhourlyoffices
Brooklyn Hourly Offices (BHO) is a coworking space serving therapists and mental health professionals in Brooklyn, New York. Founded by two practicing therapists, they take a hospitality-driven and experience-focused approach centered around how they can best help their members and their broader community succeed.
“When you work for yourself, whether it’s as a therapist or a freelancer, it can be a very isolating experience because you’re not going into an office and seeing other people or having meetings with your coworkers,” says Deborah Schoenblum, Co-founder at BHO.
“I’ve always been very business-minded and entrepreneurial. But the whole office rental industry, I just kind of fell into it. It wasn’t something that I really planned for. We didn’t have a business plan or anything. We were just like, let’s try it,” adds Rachael Berezin, Co-founder at BHO. It’s this spirit of taking chances that has led them to great success.
Learn more about Deborah and Rachael’s journey into coworking.
“We want it to be less isolating to work for yourself. We want to form a community and be able to do cross referrals with other therapists. We’ve helped people that are newer therapists and want to start their private practice to be able to start really slow and build their practice.”Rachael Berezin, Co-founder at Brooklyn Hourly Offices
Brightside Space
Portland, Oregon | @brightsidespace
Brightside Space is a multi-location coworking network for therapists in Portland, Oregon fostering a strong sense of collaboration, connection, and community among its members.
Along with traditional office space, they also offer community events, training opportunities, networking, and professional development, all within a nurturing and supportive environment.
“I tried to start a coworking space for therapists so that I could create what I wished had existed for me when I started my counseling practice — a place with attractive surroundings and flexible scheduling while offering community and others resources for learning and building a robust practice,” says Brightside Space Founder, Kristin Schuchman.
“Since therapists support other people with mental health challenges, I believe them to be the unsung heroes who are helping society at large continue to function, especially in tumultuous times.”
“In that respect, Brightside Coworking supports the community at large by making it easier for therapists to thrive and grow sustainable private practices."Kristin Schuchman, Founder at Brightside Space
Center You
Pasadena, California | @centeryoucommunity
Center You is a shared office space designed to support the unique needs of mental health professionals. They offer fully equipped and flexible spaces for therapists, counselors, and other alternative wellness professionals, along with community-driven events and a network of other therapists supporting you along the way.
Founded by husband and wife duo Nicholas & Eliza, the space is designed to help therapists build their practice while being supported by a community of like-minded individuals. Unlike some other coworking spaces for therapists, they focus on consistent bookings and establishing a strong community of people who can grow together.
“Since the pandemic, a lot of therapy sessions have moved online. Most therapists still have a couple of people that like to be seen in person but typically not enough to justify leasing an entire office. We rent out spaces and morning and afternoon blocks for therapists on the days that they need them,” explains Nicholas Johnson, Co-founder at Center You.
“The other aspect of it is the community aspect. Our customers are therapists and mental health professionals. And we create a community where they can kind of unload together, hang out, and be with other therapists.”Nicholas Johnson, Co-founder at Center You
The Therapy Commons
Burlington, Ontario | @therapycommons
The Therapy Commons is a coworking community created for psychotherapists in Burlington, Ontario. They offer flexible office rentals, professional support and collaboration for mental health professionals in and around their local suburban community.
As with many founders in the coworking industry, The Therapy Commons was a happy accident that ended up being just what the community needed. They’ve been able to expand locations quickly by meeting an unmet need and serving it with clarity and commitment.
Today, they offer hourly bookings, group meeting space, community events and professional development opportunities, and affordable pricing for their members.
“We were looking for space together and we thought we'll just have like one little extra office maybe. Over time, it sort of evolved. Then we thought maybe we can create a psychotherapy coworking space. And then it turned out that that's what everybody wants.”Kristen Hodges, Co-founder at The Therapy Commons
Therapists Coworking by Epistamai
Atlanta, Georgia | @epistamai_
Therapists Coworking by Epistamai is the first coworking space for therapists and mental health professionals in Atlanta, Georgia. They offer mental health professionals sound-proof therapy rooms, curated events (like a social media marketing workshop for therapists), and a supportive environment where therapists can really thrive.
“Therapists are becoming more and more burnt out and I wanted to be part of that solution,” says Nakita Robinson, LMFT and Owner of Therapists Coworking by Epistamai. “I was hoping that by placing this space in SouthWest Atlanta, it would encourage providers to see this side of town as a profitable area and worthy of healthcare services.”
“I started my coworking space for therapists to support our healers so that they can focus on providing quality care and less on the business side of healthcare.”Nakita Robinson, LMFT, Owner at Therapists Coworking by Epistamai
Therapy for the People
Portland, Maine | @therapyforthepeople_
Therapy for the People (TFTP) is a coworking space and community for therapists who are committed to LGBTQIA+ affirming, interculturally humble, and trauma-responsive mental health care.
“In 2019, we launched what was, to our knowledge, Maine’s first coworking space designed specifically for therapists,” says Dani Fazio, LCSW and Owner and Co-founder at TFTP.
“Unlike traditional agencies or group practices, Therapy for The People (TFTP) operates as a membership-based organization, offering therapists a peer-supported environment where they can host and grow their individual practices with full autonomy. The coworking business model enables us to focus on investing our time, creativity, and funds directly in membership benefits: fully furnished offices, peer supervision groups, marketing support, right-fit referrals, and small business coaching.
Our vibrant community has been so rewarding to see grow to what it is today with more than a dozen members, and there’s never been a regret about not starting a managed health care center. Here, everyone benefits: owners, members, and clients.”
Dani continues. “Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Maine, TFTP features six private offices, a shared waiting room, and a members kitchen and office outfitted with a printer, supplies, snacks, and a cubby for everyone. Our flexible structure allows therapists to rent space from one to five days per week, avoiding the cost and isolation of outfitting a private office.
From the beginning, our mission has been to go beyond simply renting office space. We intentionally built a community of therapists committed to LGBTQIA+ affirming, interculturally humble, and trauma-responsive mental health care. As a result, TFTP has become a trusted and inclusive space for clients across Maine.”
“Our members frequently tell us that what they value most is being part of a kindred clinical community—one that shares their values and supports their growth as independent practitioners.”Dani Fazio, LCSW, Owner and Co-founder at Therapy for The People
Therapy Suites
Edina, Minnesota | @therapysuitesedina
Therapy Suites is a beautiful coworking space for therapists featuring flexible membership plans, unique amenities, and a thriving community of mental health professionals. Christina H. Cohen is the Founder & President of Therapy Suites, and like many coworking space owners and operators, her journey into coworking was an unexpected blessing.
“I am a licensed psychologist who relocated to MN and I went on a hunt for office space to launch a practice here,” says Christina.
“As I looked around the Twin Cities metro, I realized that what was ‘affordable’ was a dingy basement office. At that point, I had to make a decision, create a huge practice with lots of practitioners under me to have a nice office (and lots of liability) OR create a coworking space where I could help other therapists have a beautiful office to treat clients. Additionally, out of COVID, no one really uses an office space 100% of the time so we all can use partial space and want flexibility to see our clients when we want! Clearly, I chose the coworking space.”
“The impact to our community is two-fold. 1. Create a great space for therapists to treat clients that is a safe space, focused on autonomy for both clinicians and their clients. 2. Bring amazing therapists to our community who practice across many modalities so that our community can receive top-notch mental healthcare.”Christina H. Cohen, Founder & President at Therapy Suites
Coworking spaces are transforming how therapists work
With so many benefits to coworking and shared workspaces, it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. Whether it will replace the traditional office model is yet to be determined. However one thing is clear – therapists that work out of these spaces are more likely to feel supported and be successful in their career.
Here at Optix, we’re proud to power coworking spaces for therapists around the world, helping operators automate key operational processes so that they have more time to connect with their community. Get in touch with a member of our team today to learn how Optix can support your coworking goals.
Special thanks to the wonderful spaces who helped make this article possible! We couldn’t have done it without you.
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