Maryland Mental Health & Allied Professionals Meet-Up Circle

Building community, one connection at a time.

Pull Up a Chair

The work we do as mental health and allied health professionals is both deeply rewarding and, at times, isolating. Having a supportive, local professional network helps us to energize us and better support our clients.

That’s why we created the Maryland Mental Health and Allied Professionals Meet-Up Circle—an informal, dues-free gathering of licensed mental health and allied medical professionals. Our circle brings together Maryland-based group practice owners, prescribers, pediatric providers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and mid-to-senior-level clinicians who have monthly meet-ups to connect, share resources, and strengthen the web of care we offer our communities.

We gather monthly, most often in one another’s professional offices, where hosts can showcase their space and introduce colleagues to local resources. From time to time, we also meet at coffee shops, parks, or restaurants for a more casual vibe. Whether the setting is polished or playful, the goal remains the same: to build relationships, discover resources, and enjoy the company of fellow professionals who share our passion for the work we do.

Who’s At The Table?

We are particularly geared toward group practice owners and mid-to-late-career clinicians in supervisory, leadership, and mentorship positions. We also welcome any licensed healthcare professional, both mental health providers and allied clinicians, whose work serves the mental health and mental wellness of our community, including:

Psychologists (PsyD & PhD)
Psychiatrists (MD & DO) & Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs)
Therapists – LGPC, LPC, & LCPC Counselors, LMSW & LCSW-C Social Workers, LGMFT, LCMFT, & LMFT Marriage and Family Therapists
Primary Care Providers (MD & DO) – Family Practice, OB/GYN, Pediatrics
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)
Occupational Therapists (OTs)
Physical Therapists (PTs)
Registered Dietitians (RD)
Other licensed professionals whose work supports mental health and well-being (allied professionals)

Whether you’re in solo practice, a member of a large group, or a clinician at a healthcare organization, you’re welcome here.

How To Be Included

Simple and informal:

No dues, no membership obligations
No formal presentations — just friendly conversations about the work and professional connections
Events will rotate locations — usually hosted in professional offices, sometimes at restaurants or coffee shops, sometimes in private homes or parks
Come to events that fit your schedule — no pressure to attend every time
Bring a professional colleague if you’d like — the more, the merrier

We send invitations and event reminders via our dedicated Constant Contact email list for the Meet-Up Circle.

Get Event Invitations

Join Our Professional Meet-up Group

If you’d like to receive invitations to upcoming events, please sign up here:
👉 Sign up for emails

To keep logistics manageable on our end, at least for now, we’ll be scheduling just one event per month. Emails about upcoming events will be sent out monthly, along with another quick reminder shortly before each event. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Want to stay updated? Sign up for our emails here.

See All Upcoming Events

Membership FAQ

Is there a membership fee?

Nope. No dues, no fees, no formal membership.
If you’re hosting at your office? Some bagels and a box of coffee from Panera’s or Starbucks go a long way. Participation would be free.
If we’re at a restaurant or coffee shop, you cover your own tab.
If it’s a potluck, bring something real (we see you, open bag of Doritos).

Joining is easy — just answer six quick questions when you sign up for our event notice emails. We’ll ask for your name, email, where you work, what kind of license you have, and where you’re based (state and county). No essays, no GRE scores, no outstanding note count, we promise.

Become a Member

Is this just for MH therapists?

No! We welcome any licensed professional whose work supports mental health and well-being, including allied professionals such as MDs, PTs, OTs, SLPs, and RDs. If your work supports the mental health and wellness of individuals or families in our community, you are also encouraged to join us.

Can non-licensed professionals (coaches, students, paraprofessionals, etc.) attend these events?

Unfortunately, no.

We sincerely appreciate the interest of all those who care about supporting mental health and wellness in our community. However, to maintain the professional focus and integrity of this group — and in response to feedback from many of our colleagues — Meet-Up Group events are limited to licensed professionals only.

At this time, we’re unable to accommodate coaches without a clinical license, graduate students, paraprofessionals, and others without a current professional license in the fields outlined above.

We deeply respect those in adjacent roles, but this group is focused on creating connections among licensed professionals navigating similar responsibilities and clinical challenges.

Can I invite a colleague as a guest?

Absolutely — please do! We encourage attendees to bring a professional colleague or friend in the field, but please remember to limit your invitations to licensed healthcare providers.

Communications FAQ

Will there be an Instagram or Facebook page for this Meet-Up Group?

No, not in the traditional sense. We’ve intentionally chosen not to create a dedicated social media group for the Maryland Mental Health & Allied Professionals Meet-Up Group, as it would duplicate what many other professional Facebook groups already offer.

While online groups can serve a purpose, they also require a significant amount of time to moderate and manage. Our priority is to keep this initiative simple, collegial, and centered on real-world, face-to-face connections.

We will occasionally promote joining the group on professional listservs, our own announcement-only social media channels, and other existing professional Facebook groups. However, details about events will primarily be shared through our private Meet-Up Club email list.

Our LinkedIn Group – Maryland MH & Allied Professionals Resource Page

Because our members bring such a rich variety of expertise, opportunities, and community knowledge, we’ve created a private LinkedIn resource page exclusively for group members. This space is designed to make it easy to:

Share professional opportunities (jobs, CE trainings, supervision/consultation, and study groups)
Post relevant community resources, such as rental space available or sublease requests.
Celebrate member accomplishments and helpful related resources, such as member Podcasts, speaking engagements, books, and articles.

Think of it as a virtual, community information board of member-shared resources—complementing, but not replacing, our in-person gatherings.

How can I hear about events?

All communications regarding Meet-Up Group events will be shared via our Constant Contact email list. If you’d like to receive invitations to events, please sign up for our email list here.

Will my email be kept secure and not shared or sold?

Yes! Your email will not be shared with or sold to anyone, inside or outside of this group! We won’t even use it to sign you up for our own Kentlands Psychotherapy emails, unless you specifically request it.

Who organizes the Mental Health Meet-Up Group?

The Meet-Up Club is organized by Dr. Elizabeth Carr, with support from the Communications Department’s team of talented interns at Kentlands Psychotherapy. Our group is volunteer-led and designed to foster collegial support across the Maryland Metro professional healthcare community.

Can I Host an Upcoming Event?

Absolutely. We need clinician volunteers like you to host events in your area! Learn more and apply to host here.

Can my organization co-host or sponsor an event?

We deeply value the many non-clinical professionals and organizations that support mental health and wellness in our community. While organizations themselves cannot host or sponsor events, licensed clinicians who are actively engaged in direct care or clinical leadership are welcome to join and host in their individual capacity.

To preserve the informal, collegial spirit of the group, all members and hosts must be licensed clinicians and agree to prioritize connection over promotion. This group remains a grassroots gathering for clinicians, intentionally non-commercial, with events hosted in personal and professional spaces rather than as branded partnerships. Learn more here.

Still have questions?

For questions about the Maryland Mental Health and Allied Professionals Meet-Up Circle and how to be a host, contact:
👉 MHMeetUpCircle@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!