Private Practice Success Stories

Latest Episodes:

Words Matter: Language and Trauma-Informed Care with Rachel Archambault Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I’m sharing something a little different. I sat down with Rachel Archambault, who is a speech-language pathologist and trauma educator.

She started her Instagram account and consulting practice, The PTSD SLP, after experiencing a traumatic event at work. This experience led Rachel to discover trauma-informed care and how it could help her better serve her students and professionals understand how

In this episode, she talks about what trauma-informed care is, why it matters, and how to apply the principles to your interactions.

This isn’t a private practice-specific episode but it’s information that all private practitioners need - even if you don’t think you need to know it. I promise. This episode is well worth your time because it will inform how you practice and how to interact with not just clients, but everyone you know.

Rachel Archambault, MA CCC SLP, is an SLP Program Specialist in Broward County Florida. Previously, she was an SLP at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. On 2/14/18, a traumatic event happened at her workplace. This led her to look up resources for her students who had undergone trauma.

She found trauma-informed care and has been presenting to SLPs and related fields ever since. Rachel created @PTSD.SLP to serve as a place where she could post resources, answer questions, and support SLPs using trauma-informed care. Rachel is also a cohost of the Speech Science Podcast.

She recently created PTSD SLP, LLC to provide trauma-informed consultations and presentations to educators and healthcare providers.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

The tragedy that got Rachel into trauma-informed care
The first steps if you want to become more trauma-informed
Why it’s important that we understand the trauma people have experienced
How to find out what trauma someone has experienced in a sensitive way
Using inclusive and non-violent language to avoid causing more harm
The importance of having an emotional regulation toolbox

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Rachel. People like her are making a huge impact and I hope that she inspires you to embrace trauma-informed care in your practice. To learn more about trauma-informed care and Rachel Archambault's work, please visit https://www.ptsdslp.com/ and follow her on Instagram.

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 the PTSD SLP website: https://www.ptsdslp.com/

Follow Rachel on Instagram: Instagram.com/ptsd.SLP

Get a copy of What Happened to You: https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-You-Understanding-Resilience/dp/1250223180

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/

Offering Feeding Therapy and Lactation Consulting Through Her Private Practice with Jaime Perez Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Interested in learning more about turning your niche as an SLP or OT into a thriving private practice? You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories.

I sat down with Jaime Perez, who is a speech-language pathologist and lactation consultant with a private practice in Tampa, Florida. She started her private practice after facing burnout in the hospital setting and wanting to spend more time with her family.

I got to know Jamie during her time in the Start program and it has been so exciting to watch her find her niche in feeding therapy.

In this episode she talks about her journey from event planner to SLP, finding her calling in the NICU, and how private practice empowered her to put her family first.

Jaime Kaley Perez is an ASHA-certified Speech Language Pathologist, passionate feeding specialist, and mother of two crazy boys. She is also a Certified Neonatal Therapist, Certified Neonatal Massage Therapist, Certified Lactation Counselor, and has been treating medically complex infants and children in hospitals and neonatal intensive care units for over 10 years.

She loves tiny humans and is a strong patient advocate and supporter of parents. She tackles feeding difficulties with a holistic focus and believes the best care is family-centered.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

Jaime’s journey to becoming a pediatric SLP that worked in the NICU
How you can work a lot less hours and make the same money or more
Where Jaime does the most marketing for her private practice
The power of networking and collaboration
How Jaime became a lactation consultant and why it is so helpful during speech services
Why Jaime decided on a mobile private practice
The freedom you get when you have a private practice
The fulfillment you get from building a private practice yourself
How to bring your joy back as an SLP or OT

I hope you loved this conversation with Jaime! I love how she found her niche in feeding therapy and built a practice that brought her joy for the profession back to life.

She is a perfect example of someone who had fears about jumping into private practice, but took a chance on herself and was rewarded with the flexibility and freedom she craved.

If you would like our help to start your private practice - just like we helped Jaime get started - please visit StartYourPrivatePractice.com

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Jaime’s website: www.thrivingjoy.com

Follow Jaime on Instagram: Instagram.com/thrivingjoytherapy

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/

Starting From Scratch to Successfully in Private Practice: Student Panel with Claire Powers, Asha LeRay, and Lexey Pruitt Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

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 going to introduce you to 3 amazing Start Your Private Practice student alums: Lexey Pruitt, Claire Powers, and Asha LeRay.

All 3 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.

All 3 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 fast your life can completely change with a private practice
How a private practice helps you do what you are passionate about and receive the financial stability you deserve
Tips for maintaining your private practice even during a big move
What it’s like to transition from part-time to full-time in your private practice
How you can use your skills to grow your private practice
The power of working in under-served populations
How having a private practice can change the life of your whole family
The freedom to work with clients the way you know can truly help them
Great ways to get clients for your private practice
The confidence being a private practice owner gives you
The best way to grow your income in a shorter amount of time

Weren’t those stories so powerful? I hope that as you listened to their stories you saw yourself in various aspects of their lives and can see how they’ve transformed their careers by being in private practice.

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 Your Private Practice Program is OPEN! Come join the *exact same Program* used by our panelists by going to: www.PrivatePracticeCourse.com!

Resources Mentioned:

Join us in the Start Your Private Practice program: www.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/

How An Unconventional Career Path Led to SLP and Private Practice with Jaimie Gant Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

For many SLPs and OTs, the path to this career isn’t always straightforward.

And that’s okay!

If you are looking for a way to integrate your unique career path into private practice, you’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories.

I sat down with Jaimie Gant, a Start Your Private Practice student, whose previous career in law enforcement led her to discover the field of speech pathology. She was then driven to open her own private practice by the desire to be her own boss.

In this episode she talks about her unconventional path to being an SLP, how networking helped her find more clients, and why she recommends a five-year plan for clinicians to determine if private practice is right for them.

Jaimie Gant, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS, is the owner and founder of Avec Therapy Services, a speech therapy private practice in Tampa, FL. Jaimie is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and Certified Dementia Practitioner with experience in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings.

Her diverse background in healthcare, criminal justice, and state regulatory licensure and investigations has allowed her to serve her community in a variety of settings. Jaimie’s mission at Avec is to connect with clients and families to provide personalized care that improves the quality of their lives.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

When Jaimie decided to shift careers and become an SLP
When she knew that private practice was right for her
How Jaimie found her first client
The power we have to continuously change and evolve
Tips for finding clients for your private practice
How to decide what payer sources to accept
The impact of having a willingness to learn something new
The benefits of making a five-year plan for your life and business
Jaimie’s plans for the future of her private practice

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Jaimie! I love how she discovered her passion for SLP and private practice through her career experience in criminal justice. She is a perfect example of someone who found flexibility and independence through owning her own private practice.

Private Practice Bootcamp starts next week! Come join us to learn how to plan a private practice that's perfect for you. Register now by requesting to join the Pop Up Facebook Group.

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Jaimie’s website: https://www.avectherapy.com/

Follow Jaimie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avectherapy/

Follow Jaimie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechwithjaimie/

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/

Going All In to Serve Her Rural Community with Michael Johnston Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Ready to go all in on your private practice?

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with one of my students Michael Johnston to discuss how she did it! I got to know Michael in the Start Your Private Practice Program and oh my goodness has she grown quickly!

She is one year into her private practice journey and already has a multidisciplinary practice serving 100 clients a week because she’s in a rural area that desperately needs services because it didn’t have any pediatric therapy services.

In addition to wanting to serve her community, Michael started her private practice to have more flexibility for her family. Michael is the type that likes to go “All In” and she has with her private practice.

Whether you live in a rural or populated area, if you’ve been thinking about starting a private practice to fill your needs, your family's needs, and the needs of people in your community, this is a must-listen episode!

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

When Michael made the decision to go full-time with her own private practice
How Michael filled the need for services in her community
The payer sources Michael accepts in her private practice
How to find your very first clients
The power of word-of-mouth referrals and reviews
Why Michael decided to offer multiple disciplines in her practice instead of just speech
Where Michael’s private practice is located and her plans for expansion

I hope you found this episode with Michael inspiring! I love how dedicated she is to her community and how she wants to bring services and jobs to her local area. She is a perfect example of someone who had a goal and went all in to get it. And you can too.

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we work with SLPs and OTs - just like Michael to start and grow their practices, please visit www.IndependentClinician.com/learn-with-jena /.

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Michael’s website: https://www.fundamentalpediatrictherapy.com/

Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fundamental_pediatrictherapy

Follow Michael on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FUNdamentalpediatrictherapy

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/

My Private Practice Predictions for 2024: How to Thrive in a Changing Economic Landscape with Jena Castro-Casbon Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to one of my favorite episodes of the year: My Private Practice Predictions for 2024! And specifically, I’m talking about how to thrive in a changing economic landscape.

I’m going to make 3 BIG predictions that you’re going to want to know if you’re thinking about starting your private practice this year.

I’ll give you a hint of one of them: The Importance of Diversification of Income.

I tell my students in the Start and Grow Your Private Practice programs all the time about how business isn't something that you learn once. Just like you're a lifelong learner for clinical education, it's important to invest in being a lifelong learner for your business education.

One of the reasons is that this landscape of practice changes every few years, and you need to be prepared and know how to navigate the ups and downs, the feast and famine cycles, and different positive and negative trends when it comes to things like finances, marketing, hiring, and more.

So I know what I'm talking about. And no matter where you are in the private practice journey, I know that the information that I'm about to share can really help you.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How we are planning to support even more students in our programs this year
The shift toward lifestyle private practices
Positioning your private practice in a changing economy
Why diversification of income is crucial

Those are my private practice predictions for 2024!

I hope you're feeling as energized and excited about the future of private practice as I am. My word for 2024 is 'Evolve' – because it's all about evolving with the times, simplifying complexities, and thriving in our practices.

Beginners, Private Practice Bootcamp starts on January 22nd! Click here to register by requesting to join the private Facebook group!

Resources Mentioned:

Join the Private Practice Bootcamp: www.PlanYourPrivatePractice.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/

Taking Floortime Therapy Abroad with Dyan Dickerson Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever considered running a private practice while living abroad?

I sat down with Dyan Dickerson who is a speech-language pathologist with a virtual, floortime-focused private practice in the US and London. Dyan discovered her passion for floortime therapy after working with a very special child and his family during undergrad.

In this episode, Dyan shares her love of floortime therapy and talks about how starting her own private practice allowed her the freedom to move abroad with her family while still seeing clients virtually.

Dyan is an SLP, private practice owner, and mom working in America and the UK. Dyan worked at The Floortime Center in Bethesda MD straight out of grad school after falling in love with the Floortime Approach and DIR model in her undergraduate program.

She learned from a team of amazing professionals while working there and was able to be a part of some great experiences from giving trainings, lectures both stateside and abroad, and being a part of a top-notch team.

But she always wanted to open her own practice one day, having control over her therapy, schedule, and programs. And when her family started to grow- it was the perfect time to make the switch. She is passionate about supporting and advocating for neurodivergent children and their families and sees individual clients, has intensive programs, and helps to train other therapists wanting to use a child-led, developmental therapy approach.

As a private practice owner, she sees the importance of keeping up collaborative relationships as well as continuing her education with courses around her niche.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

Dyan’s journey into private practice
The power of finding your clinical passion
How Dyan packed up her family and private practice and moved to London
How intensives can be used in your therapy sessions
Creating a private practice that fits around your life not the other way around
The freedom and flexibility to do what you want, where you want with a private practice
Dyans plans for the future of her private practice
Why you need people to collaborate with, even as a private practice owner

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Dyan! She is a perfect example of someone who found the flexibility and freedom to travel and make her own schedule by starting her own private practice.

Want our help to start or grow your private practice in a strategic and profitable way? Please visit https://independentclinician.com/learn-with-jena/!

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Dyan’s website: https://www.floortimefla.com/

Visit Dyan’s TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Floortime-Florida

Follow Dyan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floortimefla/?hl=en

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/

Balancing Family and Career with Martha Boiardt Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Thinking about starting a private practice to find more flexibility in your life? You’re going to love this episode!

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Martha Boiardt, a Grow Your Private Practice student who started her private practice in 2020 after becoming a mom and wanting the flexibility to spend more time with her family.

Martha talks about how she went from working for a private practice to starting her own! Starting her private practice gave her the flexibility and freedom she needed as a parent to care for her own children while continuing to serve the needs of children in her community.

She also discusses the importance of parent coaching and her future plans to offer a support group to her clients' families.

Martha Boiardt, MS, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist based in Miami, FL. She became a practicing SLP in 2010, working in private practice, public schools, and specialized private schools.

In 2014, she founded Miami Speech Therapy with the goal of running a mobile practice that focused on a family-centered approach for each client. When she is not working with clients in their homes and schools, she enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 children, and their pets Allie and Sunny.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

How Martha went from working at a private practice to starting her own
The benefits of having your own private practice
How Martha discovered the type of business owner she wanted to be
The types of clients she serves in her private practice
How Martha is incorporating parent coaching into her practice
A fantastic way to get referrals for your business
Martha’s plan for the future of her private practice
The power of collaborating with other professionals

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Martha! I love how she talked about how her priorities changed once she became a parent. She found that serving families through her private practice allowed her to feel fulfilled and have more freedom to spend time with her family.

Want our help to start or grow your private practice in a strategic and profitable way - just like we helped Martha? Please visit https://independentclinician.com/learn-with-jena/!

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Martha’s website: http://www.miamispeechtx.com/

Follow Martha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miamispeechtherapy/

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/

From Side Gig to Success: Gina's Journey in Private Practice with Gina Sanfelippo Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

Wondering what the potential is if you just start your private practice as a side gig?

In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Gina Sanfelippo who started her private practice on the side shortly after graduating. After gaining experience and seeing the growth potential, Gina left her school position in June 2023 to focus on expanding her private practice.

I got to know Gina during her time in the Grow Your Private Practice Program. It has been amazing to watch her private practice become successful while also finding a better work-life balance and being able to focus on her expertise and passion in assistive technology.

In this episode, she talks about starting out by seeing private clients on the side of her full-time school job, growing her business, and hiring. She found that working with her own clients was more energizing and fulfilling, and her client base grew steadily, leading to a successful transition.

Gina Sanfelippo is a pediatric speech therapy private practice owner specializing in assistive communication (AAC), along with providing therapy in areas like early intervention and articulation. She focuses on neurodiversity-affirming and child-led therapy strategies that support the whole person in order to see successful therapy outcomes.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

Gina’s journey into private practice
The fulfillment Gina found by picking her own specialty and working with her own clients
How quickly and steadily Gina grew her private practice
How Gina embraced hiring to help balance her workload
How school contracts can help keep your options open and increase your income
Why setting boundaries can prevent burnout as a business owner
The grace we all need to have with ourselves, particularly with mistakes
The power of leading with helpfulness
How private practice can help you embrace living in the moment

I hope you loved this episode with Gina! She is a perfect example of someone who transitioned to a full-time private practice and was able to hire to help balance her workload and allow her to continue coaching basketball, which was important to her. She was then able to protect her boundaries, prevent burnout, and find a better work-life balance.

Want our help to start or grow your private practice in a strategic and profitable way - just like we helped Gina, please visit https://independentclinician.com/learn-with-jena/

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Gina’s website: https://www.bktherapyllc.com/

Follow Gina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bees_knees_speech_therapy

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/

Personalized Care and Parent Coaching with Lexey Pruitt Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

Have you been thinking about starting a private practice so that you can provide more personalized care for your ideal clients and have more work-life balance? You’re going to love this episode of Private Practice Success Stories!

I sat down with Lexey Pruitt, a Start and Grow Your Private Practice student who started her private practice on the side when living in St. Louis and then moved to Houston and has been building it from there.

In this episode, she talks about establishing new connections and marketing herself in a new city, how she receives a lot of referrals through a directory associated with a certification program, and the benefits of being an in-home mobile therapist, which often allows for more personalized care and time for parent coaching.

Lexey Pruitt is a certified speech language pathologist, founder of Leading Little Language, LLC, and an NLA-trained clinician. Lexey specializes in early language development and Gestalt Language Processing.

After graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Lexey worked in the school system in southern Illinois, where she found her love for early language and working with non-speaking and Autistic children.

She initially opened her private practice as a part-time practice by driving to clients' homes and daycares in St. Louis, MO, and the southern Illinois area, after school hours and on summer breaks. Following a move to Houston, TX, Lexey reopened her business as a full-time venture and enjoyed its growth over the last year!

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

The moment Lexey knew she wanted to pursue private practice
What it’s like to start a private practice in a new area
The marketing activities Lexey did to grow her practice
The types of clients that Lexey gets to work with in her private practice
How Lexey became trained in Gestalt language processing
How having a private practice enabled Lexey to provide coaching to parents
Lexey’s goals for growth in the next 6-12 months in her business
How you can get out of the day-to-day activities by hiring help
How life-changing the income from your private practice can be

I hope you loved this conversation with Lexey! Her story is so inspiring. She is a perfect example of someone who had a goal and made it happen.

If you would like to know more about our Programs and how we help support SLPs and OTs - just like Lexey - and you want our help to start and grow your private practice, please visit https://independentclinician.com/learn-with-jena/.

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Lexey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadinglittlelanguage/

Follow Lexey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadinglittlelanguage

NLA-trained clinician registry: https://www.meaningfulspeechregistry.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/