Private Practice Success Stories Jena Castro-Casbon

Are you a neurodivergent SLP or OT thinking about starting your own private practice? This episode of Private Practice Success Stories is for you! 
I sat down with Alex Green, a speech-language pathologist with a private practice called Green Family Therapies in La Verne, California. She grew up watching her mom work as a school-based SLP and fell in love with the field, but decided to start her private practice after being in an unsupportive work environment.
In this episode, Alex talks about how she almost left the field entirely after her clinical fellowship year where she felt exploited, overworked, and unsupported. She discusses how her daughter was the key to discovering her own ADHD diagnosis, and how having a clinical director has helped her maintain work-life balance as a neurodivergent SLP. 

In 2022, Alexandria Green, MS, CCC-SLP, a seasoned entrepreneur and private practice owner, experienced a pivotal moment. Drawing from her 11-year journey in communication disorders and inspired by the collaborative spirit that defined her SLP community, she envisioned a platform to amplify the collective wisdom of Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs). 

Motivated by her personal challenges as an undiagnosed neurodivergent ADHDer and a desire for work-life harmony, Alexandria founded the SLP Link. This dynamic platform serves as a haven where SLPs from diverse settings unite, share direct-access resources, and collectively elevate their practices through a supportive and collaborative community.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

What led Alex to start a private practiceHow she got her first clientHow Alex grew her private practice from nothing up to hiring over 10 therapistsHow she transitioned to virtual therapy during the pandemicThe power of having a strong team as a large private practice owner with ADHDHow Alex changed her life and business after her diagnosisWhy private practice is perfect for people with ADHD 

I hope you enjoyed this episode with Alex! I love how she learned how to work with her neurodivergence, not against it. The field of SLP is evolving and making progress when it comes to neurodivergence, and Alex is part of that change.

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help support SLPs and OTs who want our help to start and grow their practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/Resources.

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned: 
Visit Alex’s website: https://theslplink.com/
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theslplink/

Where We Can Connect: 
Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199
Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/
Connect on Facebook: a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Feeling burned out? Wondering if private practice is the answer for you? 
You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories. I sat down with Vanessa Alcala, who decided to start her private practice after feeling the effects of burnout and having the desire to be her own boss. 
This is her second time on the show and she talks about her non-traditional journey to the field of SLP. Vanessa discusses how having her own private practice has helped her avoid burnout and how she has the freedom and flexibility to work with a variety of clients, ranging from bilingual children to older adults. 
She also talks about the importance of branding your business and the additional streams of revenue she’s added to her practice.
Vanessa Alcala, M.S. CCC-SLP, CDP is the owner and founder of TheraVolve Wellness Co., a bilingual Speech Therapy private practice serving adolescents and adults. In her professional career, she has provided skilled evaluation and intervention services to children, adult and geriatric populations in outpatient settings and skilled nursing.
Vanessa is also the co-creator of Sip & Social, which creates opportunities for connection and collaboration for female entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry by hosting social networking events throughout the Tampa Bay area.
It is her mission to provide a holistic approach to speech therapy by utilizing evidence-based and culturally sensitive practices with clients, parents, caregivers, and families. 
In Today's Episode, We Discuss:
Vanessa’s atypical journey to private practiceThe freedom you get when you have your own businessThe mindset shift that increased her successWhat a typical week looks like as a private practice ownerThe work Vanessa is doing with Sip and SocialThe power of building a referral network Why we don’t need to be competitive in private practiceWhy you don’t have to wait years to start a private practiceThe power of charging your worthA mindset shift around earning money in our professionVanessa’s plans to hire help in her practice 
I hope you loved this episode with Vanessa! She is a perfect example of someone who reduced her burnout and found freedom and flexibility through private practice. She has created her ideal career and life for herself by being her own boss, and you can too.
If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help support SLPs and OTs who want our help to start and grow their practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/resources.
Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned: 
Visit Vanessa’s website: www.theravolvewellness.com
Follow Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theravolvewellness
Follow Vanessa on Facebook: Facebook.com/theravolvewellness
Follow Sip and Social on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.social/
Mentioned in this episode:
School Based SLPs and OTs: Want to leave the schools and start a private...

Ever wish you could hear directly from the “regular” SLPs or OTs who transformed into successful private practitioners after going through the Start Your Private Practice Program? 
Their words? Their experience? Their outcomes from being in the program? 
Well, now you can! 
In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I’m introducing you to 4 amazing Start Your Private Practice student alums: Kacie Bartlet, Emily Gavin, Caitlin Celendano, and Melissa Perez.

All 4 of these Start students came from different backgrounds and had their own unique reasons for starting their own private practices. Some had experienced burnout early on in their careers, and others wanted more freedom and flexibility in their day-to-day lives for their current - or future families. Others had a particular niche that they wanted to serve and knew that there weren’t enough services in their community.

All 4 of these students had the same fears, doubts, and hesitations as you do - but they decided to go for it, join The Start Your Private Practice Program, and create a new future for themselves.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How each of these students decided to start a private practiceThe power of having a support system when starting a businessThe freedom that having a private practice gives you How the Start program helped these students figure out how to succeedWhat it’s like to start your practice on the side of your regular jobHow the Facebook community helps support students in the programThe income potential with a private practice How to fund or access assessments when you’re first getting started The impact of collaborating with other practices in your area How to find clients for your private practiceThe benefits of investing in yourself 

I hope you enjoyed this episode and that as you listened to their stories, you could see how you can do the same. They took a chance on themselves by joining the Start program, and it worked to give them the future they needed whether they were seeking freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, or financial independence. 

Enrollment for the Start Program is open now! To enroll, just visit: PrivatePracticeCourse.com and you’ll get immediate access to the exact same program that Kacie, Emily, Caitlin, and Melissa all went through to get set up, started, and seeing private clients. 

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned: 
Enroll in the Start Your Private Practice program: PrivatePracticeCourse.com

Where We Can Connect: 
Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199
Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slp.private.practice.beginners/
Mentioned in this...

Wondering how you can get more clients in your private practice? You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories! 
I sat down with Melissa Perez, a speech-language pathologist with a private practice called Honeybee Speech in El Centro, California. She decided to start her private practice after experiencing burnout from teletherapy and discovering the Start Your Private Practice program in 2022.

Melissa has been one of our Start Start students who recently joined The Grow Your Private Practice Program. 

Melissa grew quickly, quicker than she thought she would.  In this episode, she talks about how she went from zero to 30 clients in the first 3 months of starting her practice. Melissa shares how she started out by renting a dentist’s waiting room for $50 a month, and expanded her practice through referrals and taking small, consistent steps.

Melissa Perez graduated with a Masters of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from New York University in May of 2020. She has spent the majority of their career working as a teletherapist for a clinic based in Palm Desert, CA. There, she had the opportunity to work with individuals across the lifespan with various communication difficulties. 

It was during her time there that she found a true love for working with children with speech sound disorders and the early intervention population. Once the idea of opening a private practice popped into her head, she knew they wanted to focus on those two areas. 

To date, it has been 8 months since she opened her private practice and it was truly the best decision she ever made.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

Why Melissa decided that private practice was right for herHow her private practice took offWhy you don’t have to start big, you can start small How Melissa went from 0-30 clients in 3 monthsThe shift from traditional employment to fully self-employedThe cool things that Melissa has on the horizon for her private practiceWhy other practices aren’t your competitionWhere Melissa gets her clients The power of running your practice like a business

I hope you enjoyed this episode with Melissa! I love how she found a way to grow her practice through a variety of referrals and by taking small, consistent steps in the right direction.

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help support SLPs and OTs who want our help to start and grow their practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/resources.

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned: 
Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivhoneybeespeech/

Where We Can Connect: 
Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199
Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/
Connect on Facebook: a...

Have you been thinking about starting a neurodiversity-affirming private practice? You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories! 
I sat down with Samantha Rothman, an occupational therapist with a private practice called Play and Purpose in Phoenix, Arizona. She decided to start her private practice after being laid off during the pandemic and realizing she didn’t want to rely on others for income anymore.

Join us as she talks about creating a neurodiversity-affirming practice with a whole-child approach. Samantha discusses how she grew her practice to include 5 therapists, as well as the importance of setting boundaries to avoid burnout as her practice grows.

Samantha is a licensed and board-certified pediatric occupational therapist, DIR Floortime provider, and the owner/founder of Play and Purpose. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health and a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Florida Gulf Coast University.

She enjoys using a "whole child" approach, including all aspects of being human-especially focusing on emotional and mental health. She is passionate about using child-led and non-compliance-based techniques to promote engagement and self-advocacy skills.

Samantha has experience working with children who have unique needs and consulting with schools/parents to ensure great outcomes. Additionally, she enjoys helping parents to advocate for services and programs that may be beneficial to the child's progress.

Outside of patient care, Samantha is devoting time to mentoring new therapists and building/supporting our team. In her free time, she enjoys reading, kayaking, traveling, and weightlifting.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How being laid off led to her starting a private practice Why Samantha decided to focus on neurodiversity-affirming practicesThe burnout many therapists feel in traditional settingsHow Samantha eased into private practice The freedom and happiness you get when you have your own private practiceWhy boundaries are so important in private practiceWhen she decided it was time to hire help How Samantha helps her employees feel valued and appreciatedHow she finds her clients using Facebook networking groups and referralsSamantha’s plans for the future of her private practice

I hope you loved this episode with Samantha! I love how she focuses on neurodiversity-affirming approaches and created a practice that allows her to provide the quality care her clients deserve.

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help support SLPs and OTs who want our help to start and grow their practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/resources.

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned: 
Visit Samantha’s website: https://playandpurposeaz.com/
Follow Samantha on Instagram: ​https://www.instagram.com/playandpurposeaz/

Where We Can Connect: 
Follow the Podcast: a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Have you ever thought about starting a coaching-based private practice? You’re going to love this episode! 
I sat down with Emily Gavin who decided to take the leap into private practice with encouragement from her peers and spouse after being laid off from her job.

In this episode, she talks about her journey from SNFs and inpatient rehab to owning her own dementia-focused business. Emily shares how caring for her mother-in-law with dementia inspired her special interest. 

Emily S. Gavin, MS, OTR/L, came to occupational therapy as a second career in 2012 at the age of 41. After a few years of clinical work in geriatrics, she transitioned into a management position at a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Philadelphia, PA.

 This non-traditional setting allowed her the freedom to develop specialized knowledge in dementia care training, though she always felt the vulnerability of being a middle manager. 

Being laid off in May of 2023 seemed like the perfect time to start PhillyCare Coaching LLC, the private practice she'd always thought of as the next thing.

Emily hopes to complete her Post-Professional OTD at Thomas Jefferson University in late 2025. She has also earned an Advanced Practice Certificate in Coaching, and will soon be a certified practitioner of Skills2Care®, an evidence-based program supporting caregivers of people living with dementia. She uses the Allen Cognitive Disabilities Model to inform her treatment plans.

Emily lives in the Germantown section of Philadelphia with her wife and four cats. Someday she will have time to knit again.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

The moment that brought Emily to become an OT and start a private practiceWhen she realized her passion for dementia patientsHow she kicked imposter syndrome to the curbHow long it took Emily to get her first private practice clientThe types of clients Emily works withHow she networked to grow her private practiceThe power of referrals in growing your private practice


I hope you enjoyed this episode with Emily! I love how she overcame imposter syndrome and remained persistent in opening her private practice. 

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help YOU - just like we helped Emily - please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/resources.

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.


Resources Mentioned: 
Visit Emily’s website: https://phillycarecoaching.com/
Follow Emily on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093197558689
Follow Emily on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillycarecoaching
Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-s-gavin-ms-otr-l-94966454/
Listen to her podcast: a...