If you’re working part-time in private practice while juggling a full-time or part-time job, you’ve probably asked yourself: How do I know when I’m ready to go full-time?

This is a decision I agonized over for far too long. I loved the idea of building a thriving private practice, but the leap from part-time to full-time felt huge. And if you’re in that space right now, I want to share the three signs that helped me know I was ready to step into full-time practice.

Sign #1: You know your niche

A light bulb shining, highlights knowing your own niche - The Private Practice Pro

I will shout this from the rooftops over and over again: successful private practices are built on niches.

When you’re part-time, you can experiment. You can work with a variety of clients and see what feels like a fit. But once you’re depending on your practice as your full-time income, you need clarity.

That doesn’t mean you’ll only ever see one type of client forever. We all work with human beings who experience a range of struggles. But what I’ve found over the years is that therapists with thriving practices are well-known for something specific.

Think of it this way: can the people who refer to you, whether they’re colleagues, doctors, attorneys, or even someone who stumbled across your profile online, sum up what you do in one clear sentence? And could they repeat it back to you?

For example, saying “I treat anxiety, depression, and life transitions” doesn’t give anyone a concrete sense of who you really help. But saying “I work with high-achieving teens who look fine on the outside but feel like they’re crumbling on the inside”? That sticks. That’s a niche.

If you’re not yet clear on your niche, don’t panic. I put together a free niche workbook that walks you through the exact steps to get clear on who you serve and how to talk about it. It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself before moving into full-time practice.

Sign #2: You can cover expenses or consistently bring in clients

Here’s the truth: hanging a shingle and assuming clients will magically come is not how private practice works. Especially if you’re building a cash-pay practice that doesn’t rely on insurance panels.

You need one of two things before you step into full-time:

Savings to cover 3–6 months of expenses (both business and personal).
A high level of confidence in your ability to consistently bring in new clients.

Now, let’s be real, saving that much money isn’t always possible. You might have student loans, childcare costs, or a mortgage. And that’s okay. If you don’t have a cushion, then you need strong referral streams and a clear marketing plan you trust.

I’ve seen therapists jump into full-time private practice without either of those, and it’s stressful. The bills don’t wait while your caseload slowly grows.

That’s why marketing is not optional. It’s part of your job when you’re in private practice. Whether it’s networking lunches with other therapists, building relationships with doctors or schools, writing blogs and leaning into SEO, or showing up on social media, you need consistent ways of letting people know you exist.

And the keyword here is consistent. Not every therapist is going to market the same way. Some of us love content creation, some thrive on in-person networking. What matters is that you pick a method that matches your strengths and values, and then you commit to it week after week.

If you’re still shaky about this, it doesn’t mean you can’t go full-time. It means your first full-time responsibility is getting serious about marketing your practice.

Sign #3: You’re willing to tolerate risk

This last one was the tipping point for me, and honestly, the hardest to embrace.

When you work for someone else, your paycheck is steady. When you own your own therapy practice, no matter how strong your referral base or savings account is, there will always be some risk.

Clients come and go. Seasons shift. Life throws curveballs. Owning a business means being willing to hold that reality and still say: “I’m betting on myself.”

When I was making the decision, I had to sit with some tough questions:

Am I willing to go back to part-time and pick up a side hustle if I need to?
Am I willing to put myself out there in my community, even if it feels uncomfortable?
Am I willing to keep showing up and trying, even when it feels uncertain?

For me, the answer was yes. I told myself, “No matter what it takes, I’m going to make this business work.”

That willingness to tolerate risk, more than the savings account, more than the marketing plan, is what finally gave me the courage to go full-time. There will never be a perfectly safe time to do it; what matters is your readiness to trust yourself through the ups and downs.

Final Thoughts

A woman working on her private practice - The Private Practice Pro

So, how do you know if you’re ready to go full-time in private practice?

You’re clear on your niche and can confidently say who you serve.
You either have savings to cushion your transition or strong referral streams to keep clients coming in.
You’re willing to tolerate the risk that comes with betting on yourself.

If those three things are true, you’re more ready than you think.

Remember, you don’t have to do this perfectly. You don’t have to have every detail figured out. But you do need to start and what you have to offer is worth the risk.

This is your permission slip to step into the private practice you’ve been dreaming about.

Until next time 💛