What Does Going Into Private Practice Really Look Like? My Real Story
One of the most common questions I hear from therapists is:
"What’s it actually like to go into private practice?"
And I get it. On the outside, private practice often looks like freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment. And while that can absolutely be true—it also takes planning, strategy, and a willingness to trust yourself in the process.
I launched my private practice in 2017 here in Belleville, Ontario—fresh out of graduate school and newly registered. I didn’t have a client base waiting for me. I didn’t come from coaching or consulting. I built my practice from the ground up, the same way most of you are doing right now.
Laying the Foundation
As soon as I graduated, I registered with the appropriate professional associations and licensing bodies, secured supervision, and made sure I was fully insured and set up to practice ethically and legally.
Then I took the first simple—but intentional—steps to begin filling my caseload:
I created a listing on Psychology Today
I let my network know I was opening a private practice
I reached out to peers and colleagues with a clear explanation of the work I was doing and who I was best suited to support
That outreach led to a steady stream of initial referrals. Between that and a few inquiries from Psychology Today, I was able to fill my practice faster than expected.
Building a Steady, Aligned Practice
Within several months, I had a full caseload. Not because of luck—but because I had clarity.
I was clear about my schedule, clear about who I wanted to work with, and clear about how I wanted to structure my time. I saw clients four days per week, during the hours that worked best for me and my family. I didn’t take on irregular appointments or one-off sessions and that rhythm kept my schedule full and predictable.
I had the freedom to take four weeks off per year. I wasn’t burning out. I had consistent monthly income and was able to start paying down student debt while still enjoying the kind of flexibility I’d hoped for when I decided to go back to school and become a therapist.
And the best part? It lasted.
I didn’t need to keep advertising. I didn’t need to chase clients. Referrals came from word-of-mouth, existing clients, and trusted colleagues. Eventually, I stopped keeping a waitlist altogether because the flow of new inquiries remained steady.
The Shift Into Mentorship
A few years into my practice, other therapists started reaching out.
They were curious how I’d filled my caseload so quickly. How I had maintained consistency. How I was balancing business and clinical work without burning out.
What started as casual support quickly became a new direction: mentoring therapists who wanted to build their private practices with confidence, strategy, and sustainability.
In 2023, I made the biggest professional leap yet: I acquired Build Your Private Practice, a business I had admired and learned from myself. Becoming its CEO was both a full-circle moment and the beginning of something much bigger.
Now, I Support Therapists Across Canada
Today, I continue to see a small number of clients—but most of my time is spent mentoring therapists in the pre-launch, launch, and growth stages of private practice. Through our courses, coaching programs, and online community, Build Your Private Practice helps therapists build aligned, profitable, and sustainable practices—with none of the guesswork.
So What Does Private Practice Really Look Like?
It looks like clarity.
It looks like boundaries.
It looks like building a business that works for your life—not one that drains you.
It also looks like evolving. My career started with a full caseload, transitioned into mentorship, and has now expanded into leading a national platform that helps therapists thrive as clinicians and entrepreneurs.
If you’re standing at the edge of private practice, wondering if it’s right for you—listen to that pull. You don’t have to do it alone.
Start with our Private Practice Readiness Workbook. It will help you assess where you’re at, where you want to go, and what you need to get there.
Private practice isn’t just possible—it’s buildable. And we’re here to walk beside you every step of the way.
