The Private Practice Summit Preconference, June 2 in Las Vegas, helps mental health clinicians build sustainable, patient-centered practices with confidence.
By: Brittany Albright, MD, MPH, DABOM
Psych Congress Elevate 2026 Co-Chair
No one should have to learn private practice the hard way, especially when patient care and your livelihood are on the line. My own challenges and victories in private practice inspired me to work alongside Psych Congress to create the first ever Private Practice Summit preconference.
If you are a psychiatric clinician considering going into private practice, chances are you feel the same mix of excitement and uncertainty like I did 10 years ago. You may be worried about making costly mistakes, unsure of how to evaluate your readiness, or frustrated by the lack of formal training on best practices in psychiatric private.
Most of us were trained to be excellent clinicians, not practice owners. Yet we are expected to make major decisions about business structure, staffing, compliance, and finances with little guidance. That gap is why we created the Private Practice Summit, a preconference connected to Psych Congress Elevate, taking place June 3–6 in Las Vegas, with the preconference held on June 2.
Why Attend the Private Practice Summit at Psych Congress Elevate
Starting a private practice in psychiatry is not just a career move. It is a clinical decision that directly affects how you care for patients, how often you can follow up, and whether you can practice in a way that aligns with your values.
During my training, I was encouraged to schedule infrequent follow-ups for patients newly started on medications and to complete 15-minute medication checks while typing my note on a computer screen. I knew I could not deliver the level of care my patients needed in that structure. I knew I would burn out quickly.
As I often say, private practice was not about entrepreneurship for me. It was a calling. It was about practicing medicine the way my patients deserved.
What Clinicians Will Gain from the Private Practice Summit
This preconference is designed as preparation for new practices and refinement of existing practices. It helps clinicians think clearly before making high-stakes decisions about ownership, employment, or long-term career direction.
Attendees gain:
- A realistic understanding of psychiatric private practice so clinicians can plan with confidence
- Practical frameworks to avoid common early mistakes that lead to burnout, financial insecurity, regulatory violations, and compromised care
Expert and Faculty-Led Training for Mental Health Private Practice
This is not generic business advice or industry sales pitch. The Private Practice Summit delivers psychiatry business training led by industry experts alongside clinicians who have built and scaled their own successful practices.
I will be joined by faculty who have navigated these decisions themselves. Every session is grounded in real experience, focusing on what works in clinical practice, not just theory. The goal is clarity, not pressure, so you can move forward thoughtfully rather than reactively.
Why Private Practice Education Matters Now
More clinicians are questioning traditional employment models, yet many make decisions under stress or burnout rather than preparation. The earlier you understand how to structure a private practice, navigate credentialing, payer contracts, billing, human resources, and marketing, the better positioned you are to build a career that is both sustainable and meaningful.
I can’t wait to see fellow private practice clinicians at the Private Practice Summit and help them plan and navigate the exciting next step in their careers!
Event Details
- Event: Psych Congress Elevate
- Dates: June 3–6, 2026
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- Website
- Private Practice Summit
- Registration
Brittany Albright, MD, MPH, DABOM, is a Harvard-trained, double board-certified adult and addiction psychiatrist and founder of Sweetgrass Psychiatry, the largest physician-owned psychiatry practice in South Carolina. She focuses on helping clinicians build sustainable careers that support high-quality patient care.