The Cooperative
What is a Therapy Cooperative?
A therapy retail cooperative is a business model where independent therapists and mental health professionals come together to operate a shared practice. Instead of working for an employer, members of the cooperative are co-owners and share the responsibilities and profits of the business. This model allows therapists to maintain their independence while benefiting from shared resources, such as administrative support, office space, and marketing, and having a voice in how the practice is run.
The 7 Principles of the Cooperative Model
Voluntary and Open Membership
Cooperatives are open to all individuals who are able to use their services and are willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without discrimination
Member Economic Participation
Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. The goal is for benefits to Members to be proportonate to their transactions with the cooperative.
Democratic Member Control
Members actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. Each Member has one vote, ensuring equal participation. In DMC, this means that each therapy business that pays a Membership and has a contract with DMC as a Member is entitled to 1 vote in various practice policies
Autonomy and Independence
Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their Members. If there is entry into agreements with other organizations (outside the scope of Membership), they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their Members.
Education, Training, and Information
Cooperatives provide education and training for their Members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperative.
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Cooperatives serve their Members most effectivey and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, regional, national, and international associations.
Concern for Community
Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their Members. These principles guide coopeartives in their operations and help them serve their Members and communities effectively.
Our Progress
Because we are still developing as a business, we believe it is important to share where we are, where we’re headed, and what you as a prospective Member can expect.
Where We Are
Our Cooperative is still in development! We are working with a dedicated team at the Northwest Cooperative Development Center to ensure we are maintaining full ethical and legal standards with this business.
At this juncture, we are offering the following benefits:
- Community and Allied Memberships
- Subleases for in-office spaces in Puyallup to businesses interested in joining the Cooperative
- Opportunities for participation in Cooperative development
- Community-building and collaboration with like-minded care providers.
- Group and individual therapies/waitlists for clients
Where We're Headed
We are currently working towards the following:
- Developing DMC as a Behavioral Health Agency for improved insurance contracting
- Establishing insurance contracts for clinicians to utilize as part of DMC and to develop the Affiliate Membership
- Working towards ACA/APA/NBCC CEU accreditation for Membership CEU offerings.
Services Rollout
Because we are still in development some of our service offerings will not be available immediately. Here is our expected timeline of service offerings!
| For Community Supporters | For Allied Members |
| Discord – View-only/Limited access | Discord – Access to all community forums and shared resources via DMC Discord server |
| Informal Networking Opportunities | Offices for rent (day or weekly rates available) |
| Informal access to Cooperative meetings and events (NO voting rights) | Discounted Supervision |
| Informal access to Cooperative meetings and events (NO voting rights) | Supervision/Consult Groups |
| Monthly Professional Development Groups | |
| Professional Will Support | |
| Professional Development Groups | |
|
Participation as a Member/Owner in the Cooperative
|
|
| Member Directory Listing | |
| (In the case of business profit) Profit-Sharing Opportunities | |
| Use of DMC’s location as your physical business address |
| For Community Supporters | For Allied Members | For Affiliate Members |
| Networking Events – Limited Access | Networking Events – Full Access | All Allied Member Added Benefits |
| Social Event Invitations | Social Event Invitations – including Webinars and Workshops | NASW CEUs Offered – Free or Significantly Discounted Pricing |
| Newsletter sign-up access | Newsletter Access – Ability to Contribute to Newsletters | Neurodivergent-Focused Suicide Prevention CEU Offered – Free |
| NASW CEUs Offered – Full Price | NASW CEUs Offered – Discounted Pricing | NBCC/ACA CEUs Offered – Free or significant discounted pricing |
| NBCC/ACA CEUs Offered – Full Price | Neurodivergent-Focused Suicide Prevention CEU Offered – Discounted | |
| NBCC/ACA CEUs Offered – Discounted pricing |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become a Community Supporter?
Community Support as a tier is meant to be a space for crowd funding and to give individuals and businesses an opportunity to have non-committal exposure to the Cooperative business model. To become a Community Supporter, you need to:
- Reach out to DMC to share your interest
- Pay the donation fee
After which you will receive 1 month of access to Community Supporter resources. To continue to receive resources, you will need to pay monthly donation fees.
How do I become an Allied/Affiliate member?
To become an Allied or Affiliate Member, you need to have:
- A business (including solo private practice)
- Current WA state licensure/certification in your area of practice
- Neurodivergent-affirming practices in your area(s) of expertise
The process of becoming an Allied or Affiliate Member includes
- Contacting DMC to share your interest
- Engaging in at least 1 meeting with current Members to address questions about being part of the cooperative to see if the cooperative structure is a good fit for you!
- Sign forms, receive the Bylaws, and pay your first Membership fee
Can I become a Member as an individual and not a business?
DMC is a shared-services cooperative, meaning that it’s Membership is with businesses and not individuals. If you are interested in participating in the Cooperative, but don’t have a business, you may inquire about employment with current businesses that have a DMC Membership!
How does Membership work if a business has more than 1 employee?
As DMC contacts with businesses, not individuals, each business that holds a Membership is treated equally in regards to democratic power and division of profit, meaning that each business (regardless of number of employees) is given 1 vote and 1 stake in decision-making and profit-sharing processes. DMC encourages all individuals to still participate in the democratic process and trusts businesses with more than 1 employee to determine how to decide on their vote.
How do I know if Membership is right for me?
Firstly, we welcome you as a prospective Member to reach out with any questions or concerns you have about becoming a Member with DMC. Current Members are always happy to chat about what it’s like!
In addition, part of the Community Supporter tier is to allow folx to try a non-commital approach to exploring what the Cooperative has to offer. Feel free to start there and see if it feels like a good fit for you!
That being said, DMC Allied/Affiliate Memberships would likely be a good fit for you if you;
- Are neurodivergent yourself or prioritize neurodivergent-affirming care in your clinical area of expertise
- Are interested in participating in a democratically owned and operated business built on principles of equity and reducing financial burden on private practices.
- Are wanting to both maintain your personal business identity while still having access to interdisciplinary coworkers and colleagues for consultation and collaboration.
- Are someone needing guidance in your practice as a new clinician (supervision) and/or as a business owner wanting to work with other neurodivergent-affirming professionals on expanding your business.
See What We're Up To!
Connect with us!
Explore the wealth of support and collaboration you can receive with a group of like-minded clinicians by reaching out today!