The Clarity Group (Clarity) on Village Square Drive is a different kind of therapy clinic. Owner Whitney Herrmann is committed to excellence in mental health therapy. She recruited a team of therapists who are the best in their field and who continue to improve and deepen their knowledge to benefit their clients. But what is atypical at Clarity is that the therapists are also part owners of the business.

“They are my dream team,” said Whitney. “We are unified in our dedication to our clients and passion for the therapeutic process. Each therapist brings something new and powerful to what we can offer the community.”

When she launched Clarity six years ago, Whitney realized the classical business model was not right for her vision. Historically, therapists were required to pay a sizable chunk of their hourly earnings to the owner, which sometimes caused attrition – leaving a clinic to regularly start over with rehires and building a client base.

Whitney wanted something more empowering for her team and the clients they serve, so she hired a DU professor and lawyer who specializes in helping doctors and lawyers start their practices.

“Doctors and lawyers know how to hire talented, powerful, wise people in the industry, to work well together, benefit from each other’s gifts and retain employees,” explained Whitney. “Therapists had not done that yet.” About the same time she started Clarity, the tax laws changed so that therapists could have their own “expense share agreements” meaning their individual practice is theirs even if they are part of a group.

“The Clarity Group was one of the first in the state to do this. All of the therapists own their own individual, limited liability companies,” added Whitney.

What makes this important is that Clarity therapists can focus more on the mission to help their clients versus crunching numbers.

“I am a therapist but not a manager of therapists,” added Whitney.  “Understanding our model helps our clients understand the integrity of Clarity.”

She underscored that her practice maintains the highest level of credentialing. In addition, Clarity holds informational workshops and is moving toward psychoeducation, well-researched tools and classes for those who might not be able to come to or afford therapy.

“Clients are the experts on their lives and we should be the experts on behavior modification, neuroscience, and where the field is going,” explained Whitney.

Born and raised in Indiana, Whitney began her career in ministry. While studying in Kenya, she realized she needed to increase her skills if she “wanted to partner with humanity in a kind and powerful way.”

Her time in Africa led her to believe she would pursue a career in human rights and she set her sights on being a human rights lawyer. Whitney worked for the International Justice Mission (IJM) in Washington, D.C. and was one day away from taking the LSAT.

Whitney’s mentor at IJM as well as her community saw something different for her. They helped her realize that she was not passionate about the policy per se but that her heart was with the human side of justice.

Whitney moved to Colorado to be near her sister and complete her master’s degree program in therapy at Denver Seminary. She worked with addicted clients at the Denver Rescue Mission and then moved to the legal side where she taught therapists how to navigate the court systems. From there, she worked for a decade at a therapy practice in Littleton until she started Clarity.

Whitney and her family live in The Canyons. Her husband, Ryan, is an engineer, and their two daughters attend Timber Trail Elementary. Whitney enjoys hiking and long walks, and the family enjoys skiing the Colorado peaks.

She encourages any and all to take advantage of therapy.

“The therapists at Clarity are committed to providing therapy for anyone who needs it,” concluded Whitney. “I truly believe that this team can serve with excellence any client in Castle Pines.”

For more information, visit www.claritygroup.org.

 

By Hollen Wheeler; photos courtesy of Whitney Herrmann and Abby Watkins