DR. ANUSHA KASSAN: PURCHASING A GROUP PRIVATE PRACTICE IN CANADA | EP 191
After 10 years of working as a Registered Psychologist and dabbling initially in private practice, Dr. Anusha Kassan and her cofounder, Alyssa Hasham, purchased and freshened up an already existing Canadian private practice. With creativity, passion, and drive, they have developed the space into a community that they share with other clinicians to thrive in.
In this podcast episode, Anusha and I discuss her journey into therapy, private practice, and the experiences she’s had in recent years both as a psychologist and a practice owner.
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MEET ANUSHA
Anusha Kassan, PhD, RPsych (she/her), resides and works on the traditional territories of the people of Treaty 7 in Southern Alberta and Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6). She also works on the territories of the Musqueam People; she is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia. She is also the co-owner of The Psychology Group, a private practice in Calgary. Anusha’s scholarship is influenced by her own bicultural identity and is informed by an overarching social justice lens. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, and she recently received the organization’s Award for Public, Community Service, and Human Rights and Social Justice in Psychology.
Learn more about Anusha on her website, Instagram, university post, and practice websites.
In This Episode
- Why Anusha became a psychologist
- When Anusha started private practice
- Purchasing a private practice
- Marketing the private practice
- What Dr. Kassan is looking forward to
Why Anusha became a psychologist
Anusha explains that her path to becoming a psychologist was paved by both purposeful and spontaneous events.
When she had to choose an undergraduate major, Anusha applied to programs in the helping professions, such as psychology and education. Later on, when she had to choose one, she chose psychology because it offered a wider scope.
‘It didn’t take long for me to realize that [psychology] was super interesting, and when I found out what the pathway was to go to grad school, I just committed. And along the way, things happened … ’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
Dr. Kassan explains that within her family, there was a near-death experience, and she met incredible mentors. These events encouraged her to keep going and pursue additional training and schooling, which led her to complete her PhD at McGill University, and later to join the faculty at British Columbia University.
When Anusha started private practice
It took about 10 years! Dr. Kassan completed a lot of clinical work through her grad school, and dabbled in private practice part-time.
However, for a few years after, Anusha’s priorities shifted, and she focused more on building her career and caring for her young children, and so private practice was placed on the back burner for the time being.
‘It didn’t feel like I had much time to be in private practice, but I stayed connected. I taught a lot of clinical courses and practicum courses, so I was always engaged with the psychological practice. Then, in 2019, when both my kids were in school, I felt like I could take a little bit of time to start something.’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
Her private practice started as a small one, and mostly as a way for her to keep her skills fresh and engage with people, since being in private practice helped her to be a better teacher, and teaching helped her succeed in her private practice.
However, it has now turned into something larger. She took over from the previous owners and purchased the psychology group where she was working. Together with her cofounder, Alyssa Hasham, Anusha now runs her growing Canadian group collective.
‘In May 2025, it became the Psychology Group, which is a joint venture between my partner Alyssa and myself.’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
Adopting a private practice
Alyssa, Dr. Kassan’s co-founder, had many conversations about starting this collective practice. They shared an office and had conversations about expanding slowly and bringing on clinicians. Things were already laid out; they just freshened up the group private practice.
‘I guess the benefit would be [that] the bones are there. It’s already built, and then you have to maybe redecorate, or dust off the old cobwebs, and continue with the processes that are working well and also create some novelty where there is opportunity to grow or change.’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
However, Anusha has had to learn a few skills quickly when she became one of the founders, and that process will continue as she and the practice grow and develop over the years.
Marketing the private practice
Right now, Anusha and Alyssa are still figuring out what works best for their practice in terms of marketing the collective to potential clients.
‘We have a basic website, and we have an active Instagram account, which is helpful … I don’t know how many clients come through that platform, but we get a lot of engagement with other practitioners in the city, other practices, prospective clients or psych students who are learning from some of the content: that has been a staple for us since the beginning.’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
Anusha and her team have invested some money into Google Ads and SEO to help boost their marketing efforts, and she has implemented some helpful tips from the Fearless Practice Podcast, too!
‘Now, we’re in this phase of, “Okay, it’s 2026, how do we want it to look? How much do we want it to grow in a way that we have the capacity for as well?”’ – Dr. Anusha Kassan
What Dr. Kassan is looking forward to
In the upcoming months and years, Anusha is looking forward to more stability and security, since their group private practice has undergone a few changes and shifts. Additionally, Anusha wants to expand her creativity in business and implement it more into their collective.
Connect With Me
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Christina Page: Private Practice Lessons in Growth | EP 190
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS2MO for two months free)
Get started with Hushmail here and get one month for free!
Learn more about Anusha on her website, Instagram, university post, and practice websites
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About Jules Smith
Jules Smith, MEd, RCT, CCC is a registered Counselling Therapist who owns a group private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are also the owner of Fearless Practice Consulting and hosts the Fearless Practice podcast. Through the Fearless Practice podcast, they provide invaluable insights and practical advice on starting and growing a successful Canadian private practice.
Jules also has written articles for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy association. You can learn more at www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/.
