Small Business Spotlight: Psychologist sees need for group practice in region

Liz Campbell

Business Name: Campbell Psychological Services

Years in Business: 7.5 years

Location: 25 E. North St., Carlisle; with second location in Chambersburg

Q: Why did you want to start this kind of business?

A: I’ve been a licensed psychologist since 2003 and have been working in the mental health field ever since. I took a few years away from direct care when my children were young and worked as a consultant with the Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Support Center at Penn State. At one point I took the lead on the EPISCenter’s project for trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, coordinating training and providing technical assistance to providers. Trauma has always been the area I am most passionate about, clinically speaking, and working on the TF-CBT project got me excited at the idea of doing clinical work again. The stars aligned with various life circumstances, and I decided to start a private practice.

Q: How did you get your start?

A: When I opened Campbell Psychological Services in 2016, I thought it would a very part-time, solo gig. Little did I know what was in store. The more I learned about running a therapy practice and the more need I saw in our community, the more excited I became at the thought of having a group practice. Working alone, I could see about 25 clients a week. By hiring other therapists, I’ve been able to increase that number dramatically. We now have a staff of 10 therapists plus our admin team. In any given week, the practice sees upwards of 150 clients. In 2023, we provided services to 485 individuals while staying committed to our “small business ideals.”

Q: What does your business sell or provide?

A: Campbell Psychological Services primarily provides psychotherapy to individuals and families. We do this at our two offices (Carlisle and Chambersburg), as well as in two local school districts, and we [launched] an online therapy program in April. We specialize in therapy for children and trauma therapies, such as TF-CBT and EMDR. We also work with adults and see a wide range of mental health concerns, like anxiety, depression and behavior problems. We offer paid workshops and presentations to area organizations. The trainings focus on various mental health topics, especially trauma, anxiety and parenting.

Q: What is the biggest challenge you are facing right now?

A: Hiring has been a challenge for the past couple of years. The COVID pandemic put a spotlight on mental health. Unfortunately, as the demand for therapy has increased, the mental health field has seen a lot of therapists burn out and look for other types of work, much like we’ve seen in education. The number of applicants for therapist positions has dropped dramatically, and everyone is competing for those few applicants. Fortunately, we just hired two fabulous new clinicians for our online therapy service. We have a wonderful team at Campbell Psych. As a business owner, I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such great people.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do or place in Cumberland County?

A: My favorite thing about Cumberland County is that it offers such a range of activities and opportunities, but we still have that “small town” feel. I love going out to eat in downtown Carlisle, spending a lazy afternoon tubing on the Conodoguinet with friends, or heading to one of the cities nearby (Philly, Baltimore).

Rachel Andreoli is the owner of Interior Intuition. She specializes in helping clients design spaces to help them love the way they live.