Lightwell Collaborative, 1596 McFarland Road, is a space for private practice therapists to rent office space together and find community, while retaining their own independent services.

Therapists Chancie Chaney, Margot Groenfeldt and Sam Wilshire founded Lightwell Collaborative to meet a growing need in their profession.

Lightwell Collaborative is not a group practice, meaning the therapists only rent shared space and do not work together on clinical services, treatment, supervision or referrals. Rather, it’s a space for therapists looking for new ways to combat the loneliness and isolation in the field that can come from working as an independent practitioner.

“It’s a different approach to mental health treatment,” said Groenfeldt, a Mt. Lebanon High School graduate. “We’re giving people an opportunity for these new approaches and these new practices to spring up here in this area.”

“It’s nice to be able to consult with others,” added Chaney, Hazel Drive. “If you have a client issue, [it helps] to be able to pick each other’s brain on what insurance they’re using for liability, [or] what experience they’ve had at these trainings. So, we wanted to maintain our own businesses but be in relationship with others.”

Therapists at Lightwell Collaborative offer a wide variety of treatments, with diverse specialties for various client populations. For example, Chaney specializes in anxiety, trauma, grief and pregnancy issues, Groenfeldt works with individuals, couples and families on relationships and Wilshire practices a body-centered approach to stress and trauma.

Prospective clients who are interested in therapy with a counselor at Lightwell Collaborative should utilize the directory on its website, lightwellpgh.com, and contact a therapist directly. Private practice therapists who are interested in renting a space should fill out an inquiry form on the website or email hello@lightwellpgh.com to learn more.