Group practice vs private practice
Group practice, doing it yourself, or Zenvia — compared.
There are three ways to run a counselling practice in Australia. Here's what each one actually costs you, row by row.
| Doing it yourself | Group practice | Zenvia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your share of billings | 100% — minus whatever it costs you to run it | 60–70% (30–40% split) | 90%, plus card processing at cost |
| Who owns the clients | You do | The practice, often with a restraint clause | You do — always |
| Hours and caseload | Entirely up to you | Their roster and rules | Your fees, your hours, your caseload cap |
| Rooms | Room hire $25–60 a session, or a lease | Theirs, on their schedule | Telehealth included; hire a room only when you need one |
| Reception, bookings and reminders | A receptionist, or you, between clients | Done for you | Self-booking, reminders, cancellations handled |
| Invoicing and chasing | Your evenings | Done for you | Sent, tracked and chased automatically |
| NDIS / EAP / private health billing | Spreadsheets and portals | Done for you, through their system | Invoiced from the client file, sent and chased automatically — funders needing their own claims portal, ask us first |
| Practice software | 2–3 subscriptions, $150+/month | Theirs | Included |
| Session notes | 10–15 minutes each, after hours | Your evenings | Drafted for you, signed by you |
| Referrals / new clients | Down to your own marketing and network | Their pipeline | Your public profile plus your own network |
| Insurer-ready records | Your responsibility | Their system | Audit trail on every file |
| If you leave | N/A — it's already yours | Clients usually stay behind | Export everything, any time — no exit fee |
Which one fits you
A quick read on each path
Doing it entirely yourself
Total control and 100% of your billings, minus whatever it actually costs you to run it — room hire, practice software, and every hour you spend on reception, invoicing and session notes instead of clients. Suits practitioners who already have a steady referral base and don't mind the admin.
A group practice
Rooms, reception and billing handled, in exchange for 30–40% of your billings and usually a say in your hours, your caseload and — via a restraint clause — where your clients can follow you if you leave. Suits practitioners who want the admin taken off their plate and are comfortable trading income and autonomy for it.
Zenvia
The admin of a group practice — booking, reminders, invoicing, third-party billing, session-note drafting — without the split or the restraint clause. You keep 90% of what you bill, plus card processing at cost, and the clients, hours and caseload stay entirely yours.
See what it means for your numbers
Run your own sessions, fee and admin hours through the calculator to see the difference in dollars.
Also relevant: leaving a group practice and starting a private practice from scratch.