Ep 38: Advocacy, Autonomy and the Future of Psychotherapy with Linda Michaels of PsiAN

Rachel speaks with Dr. Linda Michaels, PsyD, MBA, a psychologist in private practice in Chicago and co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN). Founded in 2017, PsiAN was built to provide a unified voice for psychotherapists across all disciplines and theoretical orientations, advocating for access to quality care and pushing back against the forces reshaping the field. Dr. Michaels brings a rare combination of clinical training and a prior career in business, marketing, and organizational consulting, and that background is evident in how she analyzes the systems bearing down on the profession. The conversation opens with the origins of PsiAN, the research they have conducted with both the public and therapists, and why the organization has made it a priority to cut across the silos that limit collective professional power. The second half of the conversation takes a direct look at practice management companies and what therapists need to know before working with them. Dr. Michaels walks through PsiAN's research with nearly 700 therapists, revealing that despite promises of higher earnings, half reported making the same or less. She details the near-total insurance company ownership of these platforms, the data privacy concerns including a class action suit against Headway for sharing patient data with Google, and the growing use of therapy session transcripts to train proprietary AI language models. Dr. Michaels closes with a clear message for therapists: every business decision is ultimately a clinical one, and the profession's greatest asset in the face of corporate consolidation is knowledge, standards, and solidarity. RESOURCES MENTIONED Articles Referenced: They Thought They Were Doing Good, But It Made People Worse: Why Mental Health Apps Are Under Scrutiny — The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/04/they-thought-they-were-doing-good-but-it-made-people-worse-why-mental-health-apps-are-under-scrutiny Chatbots and AI Therapy Are Filling Gaps in Mental Health Care, but Regulation is Lagging — Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/04/19/chatbot-therapy-mental-health-regulations/ Practice Management Companies: What Therapists Need to Know — PsiAN: https://www.psian.org/practice-management-companies Connect with Dr. Linda Michaels and PsiAN: Website: https://www.psian.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psianofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/psian/ Connect with The Mental Health Evolution: Website: https://www.traumaspecialiststraining.com/mental-health-evolution-podcast Instagram: /thementalhealthevolution LinkedIn: /the-mental-health-evolution Facebook: /TheMentalHealthEvolution Music Credit: Music by Zach Harrison