#19 - Megan Rafuse, Co-Founder Shift Collab. [Therapist turned CEO]

How I Became...

Megan Rafuse, the CEO and Co-Founder of Shift Collab, is growing Canada’s largest online mental health practice that prides itself on being female and clinician-owned. Megan is an innovator in the mental health space and a winner of the 2023 Top 100 Most powerful women in the women’s executive network.

With over 13 years of experience as a registered social worker and psychotherapist, Megan has leveraged her expertise to address a critical gap in the mental health sector, creating a platform that is clinician-first and committed to providing accessible, relatable, and ethical mental health care.

Megan is not just a business leader; she is a vocal advocate who has co-created several high-profile mental health education programs, reaching over half a million people worldwide. Her work as a speaker and advisor has made significant impacts in the Canadian mental health and startup communities.

In this episode, she discusses her personal experience with grief and loss, which led her to create a platform that provides accessible and relatable mental health care. Megan emphasizes the importance of addressing mental wellness and mental illness on a continuum, and highlights the need for strong therapeutic rapport between therapists and clients. ShiftCollab handpicks therapists and focuses on their development to ensure quality care for clients. The platform also offers a fit guarantee, allowing clients to find the best therapist for their needs. Megan Rafuse discusses the importance of ethical duties in therapy and the responsibility to refer clients to the best fit therapist. She shares her transition from therapist to CEO and the challenges and learning curves that come with it. Megan also talks about her co-founder and husband, and how they navigate their roles in the business and their personal relationship. She debunks myths about being a founder and emphasizes the importance of community and asking for help. Megan's journey is titled 'How I Became a Therapist Turned CEO.'

Takeaways

• Mental health and mental illness should be viewed on a continuum, with a focus on mental wellness and self-care.
• Therapy is like dating, and finding the right therapist is crucial for a strong therapeutic rapport.
• ShiftCollab handpicks therapists and invests in their development to ensure quality care for clients.
• The platform offers a fit guarantee, allowing clients to find the best therapist for their needs. Therapists have ethical duties to refer clients to the best fit therapist if they don't have the appropriate training or modality.
• Transitioning from therapist to CEO requires learning and adapting to new roles and responsibilities.
• Having a co-founder and partner in business can bring unique challenges and opportunities for growth.
• Debunking myths about being a founder, such as the idea of being self-made, and emphasizing the importance of community and asking for help.
• The journey of becoming a therapist turned CEO is a continuous learning process and requires embracing new roles and responsibilities.