Therapist Platform Year-End Checklist: Creating Your Exit Plan for 2026
Introduction: Why Every Platform Therapist Needs an Exit Plan
It's November 2025, and therapy platforms are changing faster than most therapists can keep up with.
Over the past few weeks, we've been documenting what's happening across platforms like Rula, Grow Therapy, Headway, and others. We hosted a free training with a HIPAA expert and attorney that drew over 2,000 therapists to register - and the stories that are shared over and over are eye-opening.
Here's a small sample of what therapists are experiencing right now:
From the Rula therapists:
Sessions are being timed down to the second. One therapist had a session from 11:00-11:53am, but because it started at 11:00:32 and ended at 11:53:20, Rula classified it as 52 minutes and 48 seconds - not qualifying for the higher CPT code.
When therapists use backup systems during tech failures, they're being required to "prove" sessions happened with detailed documentation - even when their platform failed them.
Session times are auto-filled and in some cases can't be edited, even when there are clear errors.
After a session where the client never left, therapist saw 7 log on and offs all less than 30 seconds a part. Their assumption is maybe the client was swiping away for a few seconds to check something- but all of this can impact CPT codes and whether therapists are being paid while clearly working directly with the client.
From the Grow Therapy therapists:
During the AWS (Amazon Web Services) outage that took down most platforms, therapists switched to backup video systems to still see their clients. Grow refused to pay them because clients logged in with their preferred names instead of legal names, creating a "mismatch" in documentation. The invoices simply expired.
For phone sessions, therapists must screenshot their call logs and submit photo proof that the session happened.
For Kaiser clients specifically, Grow won't allow therapists to edit session times at all - even obvious errors.
Contracts include one-year non-solicitation clauses stating therapists cannot bill insurance for those clients for one year after leaving the platform.
The Common Thread:
Therapists are classified as 1099 independent contractors, but they have less control over their work than most W-2 employees.
And when we shared the research showing that major insurance companies are investing in these platforms (HCSC/Blue Cross Blue Shield in Headway, Cigna Ventures and Optum Ventures in Alma), suddenly the picture became clearer.
The same companies therapists struggle with daily have a financial stake in the platforms meant to "solve" those problems.
What Therapists Are Saying
When we posted about these issues on TikTok, the floodgates opened. Here's what therapists shared:
"I left community mental health for this & now I feel micromanaged again"
"How on earth did they even know [I discussed seeing the client through another practice]? We discussed it in our session and that was it. So that means they were listening into transcribed sessions beyond the use for just note taking."
"They add your time for you? If you use their platform (if you take Kaiser clients you have to use Grow Therapy platform for ALL clients with all insurances) AND the times are automatically loaded and therapists cannot change the times if the times got loaded incorrectly."
"Grow also has airtight non-solicitation clauses in their contracts which forbid Therapist from taking clients with them when they leave Grow. For a period of up to one year you cannot bill insurance for the clients that you have been working with under Grow's platform."
"Someone needs to sue or get a class action or something"
"The first step is just a labor board complaint. Contact your labor board and tell them- hey- I feel like an employee... what do you think?"
That last comment? That's where we're going to start.
Your 3-Step Exit Plan for 2025
This isn't about quitting tomorrow (unless you want to - we can help with that too). This is about creating options so you're not trapped when things get worse. And, so that you aren’t trapped in unethical relationships with these platforms.
Because based on the patterns we're seeing - the increasing micromanagement, the data collection, the insurance company investments - things are going to get worse before they get better.
Step 1: Question Your Contractor Classification
Why This Matters
The IRS and labor boards look at three main factors when determining if someone is truly an independent contractor or should be classified as an employee:
Behavioral Control: Does the company control how you do your work?
Financial Control: Does the company control the business aspects of your work?
Type of Relationship: Are there written contracts? Do you receive benefits?
When a platform:
Dictates which video system you must use
Controls exactly how and when you document
Auto-fills your session times
Requires you to submit "proof" of sessions
Determines which CPT codes you can bill
Won't let you edit your own documentation
Requires permission to cancel sessions
Has non-solicitation clauses preventing you from working with clients who find YOU
...does that really sound like you are functioning as an independent contractor? You might be being controlled like an employee (or worse), but without the protections, benefits, or rights of an employee.
What You Can Do Right Now
Submit a question to your state's labor board. Not a complaint (yet) - just a question.
Many states allow you to:
Call and ask questions anonymously
Submit online inquiry forms
Request an advisory opinion
What to say: "I'm working as a 1099 independent contractor for [platform name], but I'm experiencing the following controls over my work: [list them]. I'm wondering if my classification is correct or if I should be classified as a W-2 employee. Can you provide guidance?"
Need help figuring out if this applies to you?
Use AI (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) to help you analyze your situation. Copy and paste your contract terms and describe your working conditions. Ask: "Based on IRS guidelines for independent contractor vs. employee classification, does this sound like I'm properly classified?"
Why This Is Important:
As one therapist commented: "We need labor board complaints flooding in from all 50 states."
Labor boards don't act unless they see patterns. One complaint might go nowhere. Hundreds of complaints create a pattern that requires investigation.
You're not making trouble. You're asking a legitimate question about your classification.
Step 2: Understand the Legal and Ethical Issues
Watch the Platform Contracts Training
If you haven't already, watch our free Platform Contracts Exposed training. It's available as a replay.
In this training, we brought together:
Liath Dalton from Person Centered Tech (HIPAA compliance expert)
Eric Ström from Ström Consulting (legal and ethical compliance expert)
Kelly & Miranda from zynnyme (practical alternatives)
We covered:
The Business Associate Agreement structure and who's really the "covered entity"
Where liability actually falls when something goes wrong
What protections do you have (or don't have) under these contracts
What happens to client data
Your actual alternatives
What the Research Shows
The Psychotherapy Action Network surveyed 667 therapists about practice management platforms. Here's what they found:
On Privacy:
96% of therapists rate client privacy as extremely important
81% of those using PMCs believe these companies don't adequately protect patient information
On Ownership:
85% of therapists said they wouldn't use a PMC if they knew it was owned by an insurance company
70% are unaware of who actually owns these platforms
On Financial Reality:
50% of therapists using these platforms report earning the same or less than independent practice
84% weren't informed about fee-splitting arrangements before joining
The Ownership Reality:
Headway: Major investor is HCSC (Health Care Service Corporation - Blue Cross Blue Shield). Source
Alma: Backed by both Cigna Ventures and Optum Ventures. Source
The same insurance companies therapists struggle with are financially invested in the platforms meant to "help" navigate those insurance companies.
Step 3: Build Your Empowerment Plan
This is the step most therapists skip - and it's the most important one.
You need to know, deep in your bones, that you can build a practice without these platforms. You need options. You need confidence. You need an actual plan.
Create Your Safety Net
If the platform locked you out tomorrow, could your clients find you?
This is not a hypothetical question. Therapists have reported being locked out, contracts being terminated, and platforms changing terms with little notice.
You need:
Your own website - Your address on the internet that no one can take away
A HIPAA-compliant way to contact clients - Google Voice number, separate email, something that's YOURS
Backup video systems - These need to be setup for HIPAA compliance
A plan to transition clients - Know your state's laws about client ownership and non-solicitation
Build Your Skills
Free Resources to Get Started:
Fill Your Caseload Training Learn how to market your practice ethically and fill your caseload without depending on platform referrals. This training covers:
Where to list your practice
How to optimize your profiles
Getting referrals from other therapists
Building your local network
When to Say No to Insurance Understand when insurance makes sense and when it doesn't. Learn:
How to calculate your true hourly rate with insurance
The hidden costs of accepting insurance
How to transition to private pay
Scripts for talking to clients about fees
Client-Centered Marketing Messages Write marketing content that feels authentic and actually attracts your ideal clients. Learn:
How to write about yourself without feeling gross
Creating content that connects with potential clients
Ethical marketing that honors the therapeutic relationship
Regulate Your Nervous System
Let's be real: This stuff is stressful. When you're realizing that the system you've been depending on might not be working in your favor, your nervous system is going to react.
Insight Timer Meditations Kelly has created guided meditations specifically for therapists dealing with practice stress, burnout, and the anxiety of making big changes.
You can't make clear-headed business decisions when you're in fight-or-flight. Take care of yourself while you're figuring this out.
What This Actually Looks Like: Your End of 2025 Action Plan
Week 1 (This week):
Watch the Platform Contracts training (1.5 hours)
Read the PsiAN survey (30 minutes)
Document specific examples of micromanagement or control from your platform (30 minutes)
Week 2:
Research your state's labor board process
Use AI to analyze your contractor classification. You can check out this custom GPT here to help.
Submit a question to your labor board (if applicable)
Start the Fill Your Caseload training
Week 3:
Set up your own website or refresh your existing one (We also have a website template and all the how-tos in our Business School for Therapists)
Create a HIPAA-compliant backup contact system
Set up a backup video platform
Review your platform contract for non-solicitation clauses
Week 4:
Complete the When to Say No to Insurance training
Calculate your true hourly rate with your current platform
Create a financial plan for transition (3 months, 6 months, 1 year out)
Identify 2-3 therapists in your area for networking/referrals
By January 1, 2026, you should have:
✓ A clear understanding of your legal situation
✓ Your own website and contact system
✓ Backup systems in place
✓ Skills to fill your caseload independently
✓ A financial plan for transition
✓ Confidence that you have options
You Don't Have to Stay Stuck
Here's what we keep hearing from therapists:
"I feel trapped." "I don't know how to get clients without the platform." "I'm scared to leave." "What if I can't fill my caseload?"
We get it. We've been helping therapists build sustainable practices for 15 years, and we know that fear is real.
But here's the thing: Staying because you're scared is different than staying because it's the best option.
You deserve to work in a system that respects your autonomy, pays you fairly, protects your clients, and honors your ethics.
These platforms aren't giving you that. And based on everything we're seeing, it's only going to get worse.
Join the Conversation
We're having these discussions in real-time on TikTok: @zynnyme
See what other therapists are experiencing, ask questions, share your story. You're not alone in this.
Need More Support?
Our Business School for Therapists walks you through building a sustainable practice on your own terms - whether solo, in a group, or working for someone who actually values you.
Our next week-long Therapist Private Practice Camp is December 1st-5th, 2025. Check out the syllabus here.
The Bottom Line
You don't have to quit tomorrow.
But you do need an exit plan.
You need to understand your rights, document what's happening, and build the skills to create real options for yourself.
2026 doesn't have to look like 2025.
You can choose security. You can choose ethics. You can choose yourself and your clients.
But first, you need a plan.
Start with Step 1. Submit that labor board question. Watch the training. Build your skills.
Your exit plan starts now.
References & Resources
Research:
Psychotherapy Action Network (2025). Practice Management Companies: New Research Reveals Therapists' Concerns. https://www.psian.org/practice-management-companies
Platform Ownership Sources:
Headway/HCSC: https://www.hcsc.com/newsroom/news-releases/2023/strategic-investment-headway-behavioral-health
Free Trainings & Resources:
Business School for Therapists:
Join the Conversation:
