Clinical Leadership at Proactive Therapy
Tory Krone, AM, LCSW
Founder & Managing Director · Clinical Supervisor · Speaker · Published Contributor
Tory Krone is a therapist, clinical supervisor, educator, and recognized leader in the mental health profession. As the founder and clinical leader behind Proactive Therapy, she has dedicated her career to improving the quality of therapy—not only through her work with clients, but by developing exceptional clinicians, strengthening clinical systems, and helping therapy practices deliver the care their clients deserve.
The Clinical Vision Behind Proactive Therapy
Exceptional therapy begins with exceptional clinical leadership.
Tory founded Proactive Therapy in Chicago in 2015 with a clear vision: clients deserve therapy that is active, thoughtful, evidence-based, and centered on meaningful change. That philosophy continues to guide how the practice hires therapists, matches clients with clinicians, approaches supervision, and evaluates the quality of care.
Tory provides the clinical leadership that supports Proactive Therapy’s team. Her work includes selecting and developing therapists, providing supervision and consultation, creating professional trainings, strengthening clinical systems, and helping clinicians translate evidence-based treatment into practical, individualized care.
Her leadership is grounded in curiosity rather than judgment, honest reflection, continuous learning, and the belief that therapists should be able to explain how they plan to help. Clients should feel understood, but they should also feel confident that their therapist has the skill, direction, and commitment needed to help them move forward.
Professional Impact
A voice for stronger therapy and better client care
Tory’s work reaches beyond a single practice. Throughout her career, she has trained and supervised clinicians, advised therapy leaders, contributed to professional publications, and spoken to audiences across the mental health field about what helps clients engage in therapy and experience meaningful change.
Clinical Expertise
A career grounded in evidence-based psychotherapy
Tory has worked as an individual, couples, family, and group therapist across the full continuum of behavioral health care. She completed extensive postgraduate training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, including individualized training with ACT author and trainer John Forsyth, PhD.
She is a Level 3–trained Gottman Method couples therapist and has particular expertise in couples therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, eating disorders, anxiety, trauma, therapist development, and clinical supervision. Her work is informed by the belief that effective therapy goes beyond temporary symptom relief. It should help people develop insight, psychological flexibility, healthier relationships, and a greater ability to build meaningful lives.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Helping clients and clinicians approach difficult internal experiences with greater openness, awareness, and commitment to personally meaningful action.
Couples & Relationship Therapy
Applying Gottman Method principles and evidence-based relationship work to improve communication, emotional connection, and constructive conflict.
Clinical Supervision
Helping therapists strengthen case conceptualization, therapeutic presence, clinical confidence, treatment direction, and the ability to navigate challenging moments in therapy.
Eating Disorders & Self-Acceptance
Understanding eating disorders through the interconnected lenses of shame, belonging, avoidance, identity, self-criticism, and disconnection.
Advancing the Mental Health Profession
Building better systems so clients receive the care they deserve
Tory’s commitment to quality care led her to co-found PracticeVital , a platform created specifically for group therapy practices. The purpose was never simply to collect more information. It was to help clinical leaders see whether clients were staying engaged, whether therapists needed additional support, and where practice systems might be getting in the way of effective care.
Through PracticeVital, Tory has coached more than 1,000 therapy practice owners and clinical leaders. Her work helps leaders ask better questions about client engagement, early dropout, therapeutic fit, rebooking, continuity of care, supervision, and clinician development.
Tory believes that practice owners have a responsibility to remain connected to the client experience. A client should not simply be handed off to a therapist and forgotten. Thoughtful leadership means creating reliable systems, noticing when someone may be falling out of care, supporting therapists when patterns emerge, and continually examining whether the practice is fulfilling the promise it made when a client first reached out for help.
Speaking & Professional Education
More than 50 presentations, trainings, and professional conversations
Tory has presented for therapists, clinical supervisors, practice owners, behavioral health organizations, and professional communities. Her speaking combines clinical depth with practical strategies that mental health professionals can apply in their work immediately.
Her presentation and training topics have included:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and psychological flexibility
- Clinical supervision and therapist development
- Improving client engagement and continuity of care
- Helping clients understand what to expect from successful therapy
- Eating disorders, trauma, addiction, and co-occurring conditions
- Developing effective, accountable, and well-supported clinical teams
- Reducing early client dropout and improving the first sessions of therapy
- Using clinical patterns to identify opportunities for therapist support
- Building sustainable practices without losing the human side of care
Published Work
Writing on self-acceptance, connection, and effective therapy
“It’s Okay to Take Up Space: A Journey Toward Self-Acceptance”
Tory contributed this chapter to a book by psychiatrist Brandon Gimbel, MD. Drawing from clinical insight and personal reflection, the chapter explores the process of challenging shame and self-criticism, developing self-acceptance, and learning to live more authentically rather than making oneself smaller to secure the approval of others.
“Eating Disorders Breed Disconnection”
In this article, Tory examines eating disorders through the lens of disconnection—from the self, from other people, and from a meaningful life. She explains why recovery requires more than changing food-related behaviors and explores the roles of belonging, authenticity, vulnerability, and values-based action in lasting healing.
Selected Professional Writing
Research and practical guidance for improving client outcomes
Tory regularly writes for therapists and clinical leaders about the skills, expectations, and systems that help clients remain engaged long enough to benefit from therapy.
Client Retention Research
Effective Therapy Takes Time
A research-informed examination of premature termination, how long meaningful change can take, and why helping clients remain engaged is a clinical concern—not merely a business metric.
Therapist Development
What They Didn’t Teach Us in Grad School
Eight practical principles that help clinicians build trust, orient clients to therapy, create a clear treatment direction, and increase the likelihood of meaningful client progress.
Early Client Engagement
Preventing Client Churn in the First Three Sessions
Concrete ways therapists can establish confidence, clarify expectations, strengthen early therapeutic connection, and prevent clients from leaving before treatment has had the opportunity to help.
Clinical Leadership
Ten Tips for Orienting New Clients to Therapy
Guidance for helping clients understand the therapeutic process, what their therapist recommends, and how they can work together toward a successful outcome.
Featured Media & Interviews
Conversations about therapy, clinical leadership, and client care
Tory has been invited to share her perspective on leading mental health podcasts, video interviews, panels, and educational platforms. Across these conversations, she focuses on helping therapists do their best work and helping practices create the conditions in which clients can succeed.
The Shrink Think Podcast
Episode 221: Get Curious About Yourself
Tory joins Aaron Potratz and Nathan Hawkins to discuss Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, self-awareness, psychological flexibility, and how curiosity rather than judgment can help people improve their relationships.
Money Skills for Therapists
Episode 211: Key Numbers Every Therapist Needs to Track
Tory and Linzy Bonham explore how client engagement, retention, rebooking, and continuity of care can reveal where clients or clinicians may need additional support. The discussion emphasizes that information should strengthen—not replace—clinical judgment.
The Business Savvy Therapist Podcast
Episode 145 with Nicole McCance
A conversation about therapist development, client retention, early therapeutic engagement, and how practice leaders can identify when a clinician may benefit from more training or support.
The Testing Psychologist Podcast
Episode 434: How to Use Data & Metrics to Improve Your Practice
Tory joins Dr. Jeremy Sharp to discuss using meaningful information to strengthen clinical decision-making, support therapists, and improve the experience of care.
Practice of the Practice
Episode 1198: Practice Metrics That Matter
Tory speaks with Joe Sanok about the patterns that help clinical leaders understand client engagement, therapist effectiveness, practice health, and opportunities to improve care.
The Neurodivergent Entrepreneur
Episode 165: Streamlining Therapy Practices
Tory discusses clinician transparency, therapist support, sustainability, and how practice leaders can recognize improvement opportunities before they affect more clients.
Building a High-Performing Private Practice Team
Therapy Flow Panel Discussion
Tory joins a panel of therapy practice leaders to discuss team development, retention, expectations, performance, and building a culture in which clinicians can thrive.
Practice Operations & Workflow Conference
Using Data to Run a More Sustainable Practice
Tory shares a practical framework for using clearer systems and meaningful indicators to support therapists, strengthen care, and make more informed leadership decisions.
Weight Inclusive Innovators
Episode 166: KPI and Accountability
A discussion about compassionate accountability, therapist support, and creating sustainable systems that help clinicians provide consistent, client-centered care.
Education & Professional Background
Clinical training combined with organizational leadership
Education & Advanced Training
- BA in Psychology, Duke University
- Postgraduate study in the Science of Effective Human Development, Georgetown University
- Dual clinical and administrative graduate training, The University of Chicago
- Extensive postgraduate training in CBT, DBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Individualized ACT training with John Forsyth, PhD
- Level 3 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Clinical & Leadership Experience
- Founder and Managing Director of Proactive Therapy
- Individual, couples, family, and group therapist
- Leadership experience across outpatient, partial hospital, and residential treatment settings
- Former Clinical Director of a Chicago-area treatment center
- Former Director of Clinical Training and faculty member within a nationally recognized residential and partial hospital program
- Clinical supervisor, educator, consultant, and national presenter