About Dr. Michael Schneider
I’m Dr. Michael Schneider—a psychologist turned entrepreneur, mental health business consultant, and startup advisor.
3 Key Services: Growth, Advisory & Startup Support
After building and selling a thriving behavioral health group practice, I now support other founders and owners of mental health businesses! You can learn to do the same, including how to scale sustainably, lead effectively, and prepare for a successful exit.
Whether you’re growing your business or planning your next chapter, I offer hands-on and personalized consulting. It’s grounded in real-world experience and a deep appreciation for both the clinical and business sides of care.
I am a clinical psychologist and founder of New Directions Counseling Services, LLC, a premier behavioral health group practice that I launched in 2004 in Wexford, PA. Under my leadership, New Directions became a market leader. It provided integrative care, offering a unique combination of counseling, medication management, and nutritional services.
Beyond clinical excellence and the delivery of compassionate care, we (my management team) built New Directions into a business powerhouse, pioneering digital marketing in behavioral health. Our focus was on implementing financial forecasting tools, optimizing hiring and retention practices, and elevating brand reputation through strategic planning and operations management.
I hold a B.A. in Psychology from Duquesne University and a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) from Wright State University. I completed my predoctoral internship at Fairleigh Dickinson University and spent over 30 years providing holistic, compassionate, trauma-informed care for individuals coping with mood, anxiety, and adjustment disorders.
Today, I provide boutique consulting services for healthcare group practice owners and founders. My work is rooted in personalized, hands-on guidance. I avoid templated strategies or one-size-fits-all approaches. Clients turn to me to improve operational efficiency. In addition, they value my support with building high-performance teams, creating demand-driving marketing strategies, including Google Ads optimization, and sharpening leadership capacity. My approach integrates deep listening, strategic insight, and data-informed decision-making to align each client’s business goals with their deepest values and long-term lifestyle vision.
2. Sell-Side Private Practice Advisor
In late 2021, I facilitated the successful sale of New Directions to Transformations Care Network. I then served as Regional Market President of the rebranded New Directions Mental Health through September 2023. I led integration efforts across four practices and supported organizational growth before transitioning into a strategic consulting role.
Beyond business development, I offer sell-side advisory services to owners preparing for an exit—whether the sale is imminent or several years away. My process addresses not only transactional logistics but also the emotional and psychological dimensions of letting go, preparing clients for a transition that is both profitable and personally meaningful.
I also serve as a startup advisor and selective angel investor focused on innovation in the mental health space. I find great meaning in actively supporting startup founders who aim to improve access, quality, and outcomes in behavioral healthcare.
FAQs about Michael Schneider’s services:
“Michael, my private practice feels chaotic. Can you help me get more efficient?”
Yes, because I help owners build a more sustainable business strategy. Mental health private practices often run on short-term thinking, but I can help you to develop an effective long-term strategy. My experience shows that a more organized approach improves care, increases revenue, and reduces daily headaches. Providers notice the difference fairly quickly.
“I’ve run my practice for 20 years, and I’m ready to sell, but I have no idea what it’s worth or how to start. Can you help?”
Definitely. I can walk you through four steps: 1. valuing the practice, 2. planning the transition, 3. protecting what you built, and 4. getting the best outcome for your years of work. I’ve been there myself. Selling a private mental health practice is exciting, relieving, and very stressful all at once.
“I have an idea that could change how people access mental health support. Would you advise or invest?”
My approach to startup advising covers three areas: 1. strategic support around technology, 2. industry connections, and 3. a founder-focused model. Those three pieces give an idea its best shot at becoming something real. But I’m always open to a conversation. I typically advise first and consider investing later, though both can happen at the same time.
Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
If you’re an operator, innovator, or investor who shares my commitment to reshaping and enhancing
mental health care, let’s connect.