The Culture Focused Practice is where business and humanity collide. Hosted by Dr. Tara Vossenkemper (group practice owner and consultant), this podcast dives deep into how practice culture drives business success. Learn actionable strategies to shape a thriving team, implement and use the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), and tackle the tough leadership decisions that come with growing your group practice. Whether you’re scaling up or streamlining, this show offers real-world insights ...
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Tara Vossenkemper Podcasts
I hope you find the podcast topics useful in growing and thriving your group practice. If you have a specific topic you would like me to discuss in an episode, I’d love for you to leave me a message at [email protected]. The goal of this podcast is to help practice owners learn ways to grow their practices. Hear about all the topics that related to group practice ownership. Hear other group practice owners talk about how they run their business. From start up to thriving, ...
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Episode 278 | What Is EOS? How It Creates a Values-Aligned Culture for Group Practices with Tara Vossenkemper
25:57
25:57
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25:57What does it really mean to run a values-aligned practice? As a group practice owner, I’ve learned how powerful it is to build a culture that actually reflects our values. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Tara Vossenkemper to answer the question “what is EOS?” and explore how it helps us create a true values-driven meaning in our practice…
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The Owner's Room: When Systems Start Running You
29:14
29:14
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29:14In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, I’m walking through something a little different: that feeling of being trapped by the very systems that are supposed to set you free. (👀 IYKYK.) This is a real-time, unscripted exploration where I’m asking myself — and you — the hard stuff. Things like: Am I actually free in my …
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Why Numbers Don't Fix Fear - The Emotional Side of EOS
15:55
15:55
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15:55Okay, so the numbers look good… but your nervous system didn’t get the memo. This episode goes straight into the emotional undercurrent of EOS (that no one seems to talk about). I’m breaking down why clean data ≠ internal calm — and how to use scorecards and structure without bypassing your actual lived experience as a leader. Here's the three-part…
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The Owner's Room: When the Data Tells You What You Don't Want to Hear
28:36
28:36
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28:36In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper sits with the messy middle of leadership — those moments when the data says what you don’t want it to. She works through five questions and two scenarios that expose how easy it is to avoid, rationalize, or overwork our way around uncomfortable numbers. Inst…
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Scorecards Aren't About Numbers - They're About Trust
23:10
23:10
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23:10In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper flips the script on how we think about scorecards. Spoiler: it’s not about tracking for the sake of tracking — it’s about meaning-making, alignment, accountability, and (surprise!) trust. Tara breaks the episode into three key buckets: Why metrics are just shorthand for …
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The Owner's Room: When You're More Frustrated Than You're Letting On
27:15
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27:15In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, I get into the messy stuff: what happens when you’re more frustrated than you’re letting on. I talk about how hidden frustration shows up (for me it’s resistance and irritability), how it sneaks into meetings or silence, and why it almost always ties back to accountability. I sha…
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Episode 277 | When to Hire a CFO vs. Accountant for Your Practice with Carter Freeman
21:39
21:39
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21:39Do you really need a CFO, or is your accountant enough? If you’re a group practice owner wondering whether your current accountant is giving you the insight you actually need to scale, this episode is for you. I sat down with Carter Freeman to talk about the evolving role of CFOs in therapy practices, and how CFO services - especially fractional CF…
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The Accountability Mirror: How Culture Falls Apart Without It
22:52
22:52
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22:52In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, I dig into accountability - not the “feet to the fire” kind, but the real kind that acts like glue for your culture. Enter the accountability mirror: the tool that forces us as leaders to ask, “What role did I play here?” before we go pointing fingers. I’ll unpack why accountability is essent…
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Episode 276 | Top 5 Things Leadership Needs From You So They Can Stop Bothering You and You Can Finally Focus on the Big Picture with Lisa Besler
24:08
24:08
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24:08Let’s be real - building a leadership team isn’t just about hiring strong people. It’s about letting them lead. If you’ve ever found yourself answering endless questions from your clinical directors or leadership staff, wondering why they can’t just run things without you, this episode is for you. In this week’s episode, I sit down with leadership …
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The Owner's Room: When You Realize Your Business Is Alive (and Not a Machine)
41:32
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41:32In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper steps into the Owner’s Room — her unfiltered space for talking about the real, raw side of leadership. No polished playbooks. No bulletproof strategies. Just the messy truth of what it feels like to lead when your business isn’t a machine but a living, breathing organism…
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The Living Practice Framework™ (How I Actually Lead a Group Practice)
19:50
19:50
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19:50In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, we’re talking about why your group practice is not a machine (no matter how “well-oiled” you think it is) — it’s a living, breathing organism. I introduce the Living Practice Framework™ — my way of blending the structure of EOS with the cultural, leadership, and people pieces EOS doesn’t full…
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Episode 275 | Are Your Notes Putting Your Practice at Risk? Compliance & Therapy Documentation Tips with Dr. Tiana Kelly
25:56
25:56
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25:56Are your notes putting your practice at risk? Skipping a HIPPA compliance checklist or letting sloppy therapy documentation slide could cost you big - legally, financially, and ethically. In this episode of The Group Practice Exchange Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Tiana Kelly, who’s here to help you strengthen your compliance practices, streamline you…
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[Encore!] Scripts for the Hard Stuff: What to Say When It's Awkward, Emotional, or Personal
25:22
25:22
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25:22In this encore episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper brings back one of her personal favorites: Scripts for the Hard Stuff. Originally part of a conflict miniseries, this episode dives into the messy, uncomfortable, and emotionally charged conversations that every leader faces — and offers real, usable language to h…
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The Owner's Room: When You Realize You've Been Leading From Your Wounds
27:36
27:36
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27:36In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper steps out of the strategy lane and into the real talk. No polished frameworks. No tidy how-tos. Just the raw, honest mess of leadership when your old wounds sneak into the driver’s seat. Through five unfiltered questions and one all-too-real scenario, Tara e…
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Episode 274 | Is It Really a People Problem - or a Leadership Opportunity? Busting Myths About Leadership with Adrian Koehler
23:34
23:34
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23:34As a group practice owner, it’s easy to assume your struggles are about hiring or team dynamics, when what’s really needed is some honest reflection and strong leadership training for teams. In this episode, I sat down with leadership coach, Adrian Koehler to unpack what’s actually going wrong in many therapy practices: leadership mistakes that no …
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The Habits You Didn't Choose: How Early Roles Shape Current Leadership
26:58
26:58
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26:58In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper dives into the messy, revealing world of leadership origin stories. From the therapist default (hi, overexplaining and holding all the space) to the over-functioning pattern (aka fixing everything before anyone else notices), she breaks down four core scripts that quietl…
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The Owner's Room: When You're Resentful of the Role You Created for Yourself
33:42
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33:42In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper gets personal, raw, and real about the emotional and operational weight of leadership. If you’ve ever looked around your group practice and thought, “Wait...did I build myself into a corner?” — this one’s for you. Tara works through five tough but clarifying…
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Episode 273 | How Student Loan Planning, HRSA Loan Repayment & Nonprofit Student Loan Forgiveness Can Fuel Practice Growth with Connor Pierce
17:38
17:38
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17:38Wondering how to turn student loans into a recruitment and retention strategy for your group practice? This episode is for you. I sat down with Connor Pierce - doctor of physical therapy and certified student loan consultant - to talk all things student loan planning, HRSA loan repayment, and nonprofit student loan forgiveness. As group practice ow…
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Systems Fatigue: When EOS Stops Feeling Helpful (And What to Do About It)
22:29
22:29
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22:29Let’s talk about systems fatigue—because yes, even with something as powerful as EOS, there comes a point where it feels heavy, clunky, or downright annoying. In this episode, I dig into what causes that burnout feeling around your systems, especially if you've been implementing EOS and suddenly feel like, “Wait… why is this not working anymore?” W…
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The Owner's Room: When the Perfect Hire Looks Great on Paper (But Not in Practice)
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26:37In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper gets real about the gut-wrenching moment when a hire you thought was perfect turns out to be a total mismatch. Through a candid, question-based reflection, she walks through two hiring situations — one tangled up in attachment wounds and the other tanked by her absence f…
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Episode 272 | Avoid the Dreaded Board Complaint: Top Clinical Risk Management Tips for Group Practices with The Working Alliance
21:26
21:26
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21:26Could your group practice survive a board complaint? If you’ve ever felt anxious about protecting your license - or the licenses of your team - this episode is a must-listen. In this episode, I sit down with Karen Pavlidis and Fran Schopick of The Working Alliance to talk about a topic that keeps a lot of group practice owners up at night: how to p…
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Don't Lower the Bar: What to Do When Hiring Feels Impossible
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20:30In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper breaks down what happens when hiring gets hard and you start questioning your standards. You know that moment — you're tired, you're desperate, and suddenly "Can they do the job?" starts to feel like an acceptable question... even though it's the wrong one. Tara dives in…
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The Owner's Room: When Your Team's Behavior Doesn't Match Your Values
24:15
24:15
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24:15In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper gets into that maddening, murky territory where your team technically isn’t doing anything wrong… but something still feels off. When behavior doesn’t match your values, it’s not always easy to know what the hell is actually going on—or what to do about it. …
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In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper calls bullshit on the idea that culture is just a vibe. Sure, it feels like something when you walk into a room, but that feeling? It comes from a system—of values, behaviors, and leadership choices—firing in the background. Tara breaks down how to stop winging it and st…
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TOR: When You're Scared They'll Quit, So You Stay Silent [with Nicole Brewer]
1:10:44
1:10:44
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1:10:44In this Owner’s Room special of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper sits down with Nicole Brewer, founder of Rethink Therapy and Rethink Your Practice. This one’s a no-polish, no-bullshit convo about what leadership really looks like when you’re deep in it — when the systems are built but the people stuff is still messy, emo…
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The Scripts Aren't the Problem... But You Might Be
26:34
26:34
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26:34In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, I’m coming in swinging at one of the most common traps leaders fall into: obsessing over scripts instead of showing up with actual presence. If you’ve ever stalled a hard conversation trying to get the words just right, this one’s for you. We unpack why scripting becomes a crutch, what actual…
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Episode 271 | Burned Out and Still Not Building Wealth? Try These Retirement Strategies and Diversifying Income Ideas for Practice Owners with Eric Miller
20:34
20:34
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20:34Feeling stuck in your group practice and wondering how to finally build real wealth as a practice owner? If you’ve been pouring everything into your group practice but still feel like you’re not gaining traction financially, this episode is for you. I sat down with Eric Miller, co-owner of Econologics Financial Advisors, to talk about the retiremen…
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Avoidance ≠ Harmony: How Conflict-Avoidant Leadership Backfires
32:25
32:25
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32:25In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, I’m coming in hot with one of the most damaging leadership myths out there: that avoiding conflict is the same as keeping the peace. Spoiler alert—it’s not. Avoiding hard conversations might feel safe in the short term, but it’s quietly eroding your culture, your clarity, and your credibility…
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The Owner's Room: When Slowing Down Feels Like Losing Ground [with Dr. Jeremy Sharp]
59:02
59:02
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59:02Welcome to the Culture Focused Practice podcast. In this Owner’s Room episode, I’m joined by my very first guest — Dr. Jeremy Sharp — for a beautifully messy conversation about what happens after you slow down. You know that moment when the chaos stops and you should be feeling calm, but instead your brain starts spiraling with “Why am I not doing …
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Rest ≠ Stagnation: Why Integration is the Hardest Work You’ll Do (Part 2)
31:31
31:31
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31:31In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper wraps up the two-part deep dive into rest, integration, and the quiet (but hard) work of leadership. This episode challenges the assumption that rest is passive, arguing instead that integration is one of the most demanding—and crucial—skills in leadership. It’s not a ga…
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Rest ≠ Stagnation: Why Integration is the Hardest Work You’ll Do (Part 1)
23:07
23:07
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23:07In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper unpacks the gut-punch of realizing that rest doesn’t mean you’ve stopped growing. It just means you’re in integration mode — and, spoiler alert, integration might be the hardest damn thing you do as a leader. We dive into why rest feels so itchy, what cultural narratives…
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The Owner's Room: When You're the Bottleneck (And You Know It)
28:56
28:56
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28:56In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper digs into what it feels like—and what it means—to realize you’re the bottleneck in your own business. She explores the emotional weight and operational impact of being the one who unintentionally slows everything down, despite good intentions and strong syst…
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In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper calls out the top myths that group practice owners believe about EOS—and why those misconceptions are costing you more than you think. She breaks down why EOS is not just for large companies, why “we already do that” is a red flag, and why the system isn’t nearly as rigi…
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Episode 270 | Should Group Practices Offer EMDR Training for Therapists? These are the Key Benefits You Can’t Ignore with Rachel Harrison
16:23
16:23
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16:23Have you thought about offering EMDR training for therapists in your practice, but don’t want to overwhelm them? In this episode, I’m joined by Rachel Harrison from Trauma Specialists of Maryland, and together, we unpack how EMDR training for therapists can transform how group practices support clients, retain top-notch clinicians, and position you…
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EOS in the Wild: How to Know It's Actually Working
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25:04
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25:04EOS isn’t just a checklist you halfheartedly check off—it’s a rhythm. A way of operating. A structure that makes space for actual leadership and sustainable sanity. In this episode, we’re digging into what it really looks like when EOS is working inside your group practice. (Spoiler: it's not about having a pretty L10 doc saved in Google Drive.) I …
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The Owner's Room: When Clarity Isn't Enough (And You Still Feel Stuck)
24:40
24:40
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24:40In this special Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper cracks open the weird liminal space where everything in your business is running smoothly—and you still feel off. You’ve implemented EOS. Your team’s solid. Systems are humming. And yet… the spark? Nowhere to be found. Tara riffs candidly on her own …
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Real Problems, Real Tools: How to Stop Spinning in Place
30:42
30:42
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30:42Ever feel like your practice has déjà vu on loop? Like you're solving the same problem... again... for the third quarter in a row? You're not imagining it — you're stuck in what I call “chronic problem recycling.” And spoiler: insight alone isn’t gonna fix it. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly why you’re spinning in circles and how EOS giv…
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The Owner's Room - When You're Leading (and Non One's Listening)
24:53
24:53
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24:53This one’s for the leaders who’ve said the same thing five times (kindly, clearly, calmly) and are now screaming into the void. You’re not crazy — and no, you don’t suck at leadership. But something is definitely off. In this Owner’s Room episode, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper riffs on the soul-sucking dynamic of doing your damn best to lead…and watching n…
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Structure ≠ Control: How to Use EOS Without Becoming a Micromanaging Nightmare
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19:07Structure doesn’t have to mean micromanagement, rigidity, or soul-sucking spreadsheets. In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper unpacks how EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) actually creates freedom, not constraint, when it’s done well. We’re busting myths about “structure = control,” walking through …
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Episode 269 | Feeling the Referral Slowdown? Here’s How to Get More Therapy Clients and Boost Therapy Referrals
12:39
12:39
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12:39Feeling like the therapy referrals at your group practice have stopped flowing in? You’re not alone, and it’s not your fault. A lot of us are seeing a drop in therapy referrals, even though the demand for therapy clients is still sky high. In this episode, I’m digging into what’s really going on behind the scenes and sharing clear, actionable ways …
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Feedback that Works: How EOS Creates Safe, Structure Conversations
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25:42
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25:42Let’s be real—giving feedback shouldn't feel like walking into a firing squad or hosting a damn hug circle. (Though, for the record, I am pro hug circle.) In this episode, I unpack why feedback feels so freaking hard for most leaders—and how EOS makes it easier, cleaner, and way less soul-sucking. We dive into the real emotional fallout of unclear …
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The Owner's Room - When You're Outgrowing the Things You Built (But Don't Know What Comes Next)
31:47
31:47
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31:47In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper gets honest about what it feels like to outgrow the very thing you built. When your practice is stable—team’s solid, systems are flowing, fires are out—but something inside you feels off... this one's for you. Tara explores the identity shift that happens wh…
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Episode 268 | How Dietitians in Mental Health Can Elevate Client Care, and the Logistics of Building a True Multidisciplinary Therapy Team with Jamie Magdic
21:38
21:38
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21:38Ever wondered if bringing on dietitians in mental health could transform your group practice—but felt stuck on where to start? In this episode, I’m sitting down with Jamie Magdic, registered dietitian and group practice owner, to dive deep into the logistics of dietitians in mental health, opportunities, and challenges of creating a true multidisci…
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Your Team Isn't Lazy - They're Just Foggy. The Real Cost of Half-Clarity
29:19
29:19
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29:19In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper calls BS on the myth of the “lazy team.” What looks like laziness is usually fog — unclear expectations, half-baked communication, and leadership gaps that leave your team flailing. Tara unpacks why clarity is everything when it comes to performance, engagement, and acco…
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The Owner's Room: When the Systems Are Solid but the Pressure to Grow Won't Quit
24:45
24:45
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24:45In this Owner’s Room episode of the Culture Focused Practice Podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper unpacks a very specific kind of leadership tension—the pressure to grow when everything already feels solid. If your systems are tight, your team is aligned, and things should be good… but you still feel a pull to do more, this one’s for you. Tara explores t…
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Inside the EOS Toolbox: The Six Key Components of a Thriving Practice
25:09
25:09
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25:09If you’re tired of flying by the seat of your pants in leadership (and wondering why everything still falls on you), this episode is your big-ass permission slip to structure the hell out of your practice. I’m walking through the six core components of EOS (that’s the Entrepreneurial Operating System, developed by Gino Wickman), and how they create…
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Chaos is Not A Culture Strategy: Why EOS Changes Everything
21:31
21:31
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21:31In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper tackles the reality that chaos isn't leadership—and it definitely isn't a culture strategy. She introduces the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework as a game-changing solution for group practices stuck in survival mode.Dr. Tara shares personal stories, hard-w…
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The Owner's Room: When Good Candidates Just Don't Show Up (And You're Starting to Panic)
27:30
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27:30Welcome to The Owner’s Room, a new kind of episode inside the Culture Focused Practice podcast where Dr. Tara Vossenkemper ditches the lists, outlines, and expert takes—and instead just shows up, owner to owner, to talk about what’s really going on. This one’s for anyone who’s been staring at an empty applicant pool, second-guessing their entire hi…
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From Application to Orientation: What a Well-Oiled Funnel Actually Looks Like
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22:58In this episode of the Culture Focused Practice podcast, Dr. Tara Vossenkemper walks through what a strong hiring funnel really looks like—from the moment someone clicks “apply” all the way through orientation and onboarding. She breaks down why clear values and role alignment are non-negotiables at every step, how to craft strategic application qu…
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Episode 267 | How to Overcome Fear of Public Speaking as a Group Practice Owner with Linda Ugelow
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20:45Does public speaking anxiety stop you from saying “yes” to opportunities to share your voice? As therapy group practice owners, many of us find ourselves being pulled toward leadership beyond the therapy room—whether that’s hosting retreats, teaching workshops, speaking at conferences, or simply leading internal trainings with more presence and eas…
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