Insights From a Mompreneur: Balancing Family, Clients and Ambitions
Discover the art and power of mompreneurship! In this episode, host Kelley Stevens speaks with Alex Steric, a private practice therapist who fearlessly embarked on the path of entrepreneurship while balancing the joys and challenges of motherhood. Follow her journey from the early weeks of establishing her private practice to navigating maternity leave, postpartum anxiety, and harmonizing work and family life. Prepare to be inspired as she unveils Thrive After Baby, an online community co-founded by Alex, offering transformative courses, personalized therapy, and coaching to empower new parents. Don’t miss out on her expert advice for starting a therapy practice, launching your own course, and stepping into your entrepreneurial potential!
Calling all fellow dreamers and doers! This next episode of The Private Practice Pro is sure to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit and inspire you to become the next great dad- or mompreneur. I sit down with Alex Steric, a private practice therapist who fearlessly embraced the path of entrepreneurship while gracefully navigating the joys and challenges of motherhood. Believe me when I tell you that her insights are pure gold.
First, we dive deep into Alex’s journey, starting with the early weeks of establishing her private practice. She shares candid details about the thought process, emotions, and experiences that shaped her path. One of the most inspiring aspects of Alex’s story is her unwavering commitment to finding balance. While juggling parenthood, relationships, and the demands of running a business is no easy feat, she provides valuable insights on how to make it work (and keep it enjoyable). The honesty with which she shares her journey through maternity leave, postpartum anxiety, and the challenges of transitioning back to work will resonate with every parent striving to find their equilibrium.
Did I mention that Alex co-founded Thrive After Baby, an online community dedicated to supporting and empowering new parents? Through courses, personalized therapy, and coaching, Thrive After Baby is a sanctuary for those navigating the rollercoaster ride of early parenthood; and Alex offers invaluable advice for therapists who wish to launch their own online courses, providing practical tips on building an audience and crafting a compelling message.
I hope you join us for this inspiring episode as we explore the art of nurturing your family, your private therapy practice, and yourself!
Alex is a mom of two and an LCSW in private practice with offices in Westlake Village and Ventura, CA. Alex specializes in working with new and expecting parents and women facing symptoms of anxiety, perfectionism, feelings of not enough, and trauma. She is certified in perinatal mental health (PMH-C) and utilizes Brainspotting in her work with clients. Alex also enjoys supervising associates and offers consultation to licensed therapists. She is also the co-founder of Thrive After Baby.
Website: alexstericlcsw.com
Instagram: @alexstericlcsw @thriveafterbaby
Email: alexstericlcsw@gmail.com
How One Clinician Built a Thriving Private Practice
Launching a private therapy practice can feel overwhelming, especially when you're balancing the demands of parenthood, entrepreneurship, and clinical care. But Alex Stewart, LMFT, is proof that it’s possible to build a successful and sustainable solo therapy practice that aligns with your personal values and family life. In this blog, we’re diving into insights from her journey, covering everything from setting up a therapy office to navigating maternity leave in private practice and scaling with online marketing for therapists.
Starting a Therapy Practice: From Dream to Reality
For Alex, the dream of becoming a therapist began early. Even in elementary school, teachers recognized her empathy and matched her with students who needed extra support. Over time, that calling evolved into a clear goal: to start a private therapy practice.
She officially launched her own cash-pay therapy practice in 2019 after gaining experience in group therapy practice settings. Like many therapists, she found that a group private practice offered the ideal stepping stone. It helped her build clinical confidence, refine her niche, and gain referrals before fully transitioning to independence.
Alex took the leap when she had around 10 consistent full-fee clients. “The anticipatory anxiety was worse than the reality,” she says. “Once I was in it, I was in it.”
Creating the Ideal Therapy Office
Designing a physical space that felt welcoming, safe, and inspiring was crucial. Alex chose an office that didn’t feel like a traditional therapist suite; it had natural light, greenery, and even a duck pond outside. “Clients walk in and say, ‘I wish my house looked like this,’” she shared.
The therapy office vibe matters. For many therapists building a private practice, investing in a space that reflects their style can enhance both client comfort and clinician well-being.
Building a Private Practice Around Parenthood
A huge part of Alex’s story is how she shaped her private practice therapist’s schedule to support motherhood. With two kids under five, she crafted a workweek of Tuesday through Thursday, reserving Mondays and Fridays for personal time and parenting.
“I show up as the best version of myself with this balance,” she explained. Her husband, also an entrepreneur, shares caregiving duties. Together, they’ve created a life with flexibility and shared responsibility.
For therapists wondering how to handle maternity leave in private practice, Alex offers reassurance. “I was scared clients wouldn’t return,” she admits. “But most did. And those who didn’t were ready to move on. That’s okay.” She emphasized that out-of-network therapy practice clients often appreciate referrals to trusted colleagues during leave, many even return or refer friends.
Private Practice Tools for Therapists
One tool that made a difference in her practice is SimplePractice, an all-in-one solution for scheduling, billing, and documentation. “I’ve used it since 2016,” said host Kelley Stevens in the episode. Software like this can streamline practice management, especially for those running a solo private practice or scaling with virtual services.
Marketing for Therapists: The Hard Truths
Alex and Kelley both emphasized that marketing a therapy practice, especially when offering private pay therapy, takes more than just setting up a Psychology Today profile. “You don’t just build it and they come,” they joked.
Alex co-founded Thrive After Baby, an online marketing for therapists venture and support space for new parents. The goal was to offer courses and community resources around postpartum mental health, something she wished existed during her own early parenting years.
Launching an online course took serious effort. “People call it passive income, but it’s anything but passive at first,” Alex explained. She recommends that any therapist interested in marketing therapy private practice products or services online “do your homework” and build a community before launching a course.
Therapist-Approved Marketing Strategies
Both Alex and Kelley discussed how therapist-approved marketing strategies begin with identifying your niche and offering true value. Whether you’re supporting success in teen therapy, building an out-of-network therapy practice, or offering sliding scale therapy fees, what matters most is clarity of message and consistency.
And while social media can be part of your marketing ideas for therapists, it’s not everything. Alex’s success grew largely from referrals, word-of-mouth, and building strong professional networks, strategies that are still effective in 2025.
How to Grow Your Therapy Practice Without Burning Out
Alex keeps her client load between 15–20 clients per week. “That’s my sweet spot,” she says. “I don’t go back-to-back, and I always take a lunch break.” That type of sustainable scheduling helps her avoid burnout while continuing to grow.
For therapists looking to grow your private practice or maintain momentum long-term, Alex recommends:
Setting clear work-life boundaries
Aligning your caseload with your bandwidth
Regularly checking in on your needs as a clinician and a parent
A Guide for Therapists Ready to Launch
So what’s the advice Alex would give to therapists wanting to start your private practice?
“You can do it,” she says. “Even if you’re scared. Even if you’ve been told it’s too hard or not for you. You absolutely can do this.”
The keys? Start with a clear roadmap, find mentors, and use the right tools for therapists—from software to peer support. Whether you’re launching a sliding scale therapy practice, a cash-pay therapy model, or building your brand with therapist marketing strategies, the most important thing is to begin.
Final Thoughts: Finding Joy in the Journey
Alex’s story is a testament to the flexibility and freedom that building a private practice can offer. From duck ponds and office design to babies, business, and burnout prevention, her path shows that success in private practice isn’t about perfection; it’s about purpose.
Whether you're navigating your roadmap to private practice, exploring soap notes templates, or scaling a group therapy practice, remember: you don’t have to do it all at once. Growth can be intentional, sustainable, and joyful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a therapist build a private practice while raising young children?
Yes. A therapist can build a successful practice while parenting by creating a realistic schedule, protecting family time, using reliable practice systems, and choosing a caseload that matches their actual capacity.
How can therapist moms balance clients, family, and business goals?
Start by deciding which hours are genuinely available for work. Set firm clinical days, protect nonworking days, schedule breaks, automate administrative tasks, and avoid building a business that depends on constant availability.
Is private practice a good career option for working mothers?
Private practice can provide greater control over scheduling, caseload, fees, services, and time off. However, that flexibility must be intentionally designed. Without boundaries, private practice can easily spill into evenings and weekends.
How many clients should a therapist mom see each week?
There is no universal ideal caseload. The right number depends on session intensity, financial goals, childcare, administrative work, health, and family responsibilities. For some therapists, 15 to 20 weekly clients may be sustainable, while others need fewer.
Can therapists start a private practice part-time?
Yes. Many therapists begin with a small caseload while working in a group practice, agency, or another role. Starting part-time can reduce financial pressure and allow therapists to test their systems and marketing before making a full transition.
When is a therapist ready to leave a group practice?
A therapist may be ready when they have consistent clients, clear financial projections, dependable referral sources, basic business systems, and enough savings to manage fluctuations. Leaving solely because the current job feels frustrating is not a business plan.
How many clients should a therapist have before going solo?
There is no required number, but some therapists wait until they have a dependable base of full-fee clients and evidence that referrals are continuing. The decision should also consider expenses, savings, fees, and expected client retention.
How should therapists prepare for maternity leave in private practice?
Choose leave dates early, notify clients in advance, arrange referrals or temporary support when appropriate, create emergency guidance, block the calendar, automate communication, and prepare financially for reduced income.
Will therapy clients return after maternity leave?
Many clients return when communication is clear, and the therapeutic relationship remains appropriate. Some may continue with another provider or decide they no longer need therapy. That does not mean the leave harmed the practice.
How can therapists manage postpartum anxiety while returning to work?
A gradual return, lighter caseload, strong support system, protected breaks, and professional care can make the transition more manageable. Therapists should avoid assuming clinical knowledge makes them immune to needing support.
What is the best schedule for a therapist parent?
The best schedule reflects childcare, energy, income needs, and family routines. Some therapist parents use three focused clinical days and reserve the remaining weekdays for administration, rest, or parenting.
How can therapists avoid burnout while growing a practice?
Set a maximum weekly caseload, avoid consecutive sessions all day, take lunch breaks, protect time off, automate repetitive tasks, and review whether growth is improving your life or simply creating more work.
What tools help therapist parents manage private practice?
Electronic health record platforms can simplify scheduling, documentation, billing, reminders, forms, telehealth, and client communication. The best tool is one that reduces manual work rather than adding another dashboard to babysit.
How can therapists market a private pay practice?
Effective strategies include professional networking, referrals, a focused website, an optimized Psychology Today profile, local search visibility, useful content, and clear messaging about the clients and concerns the therapist serves.
Is a Psychology Today profile enough to fill a private practice?
Usually not. Psychology Today can support visibility, but depending on one directory creates a fragile marketing strategy. Therapists benefit from combining directories with referrals, networking, search visibility, and a strong website.
How important is choosing a niche for therapists?
A clear niche helps potential clients understand whether the therapist is a good fit. It also makes networking, website copy, content creation, and referral conversations more focused and memorable.
Can therapists create online courses for additional income?
Yes. Therapists can create educational courses within their competence while clearly distinguishing the course from therapy. They should also address disclaimers, privacy, accessibility, intellectual property, and applicable professional rules.
Is an online course really passive income?
Not at the beginning. Creating, launching, marketing, supporting, and improving a course takes substantial work. A course may become less hands-on later, but calling it passive too early is how people end up with 47 videos and three customers.
Should therapists build an audience before launching a course?
Yes. Building an engaged audience helps therapists validate demand, understand their customers’ language, test the course idea, and avoid spending months creating something people do not want.
How can therapists test an online course idea before creating it?
Therapists can use surveys, interviews, workshops, waitlists, small group programs, or a live pilot. Testing the idea first provides better evidence than relying on enthusiasm from friends who were never going to buy it.
How can therapists make online courses accessible to new parents?
Use short lessons, captions, transcripts, practical tools, mobile-friendly materials, flexible access, and clear navigation. New parents rarely need another three-hour lecture disguised as support.
How can therapists grow through professional referrals?
Build genuine relationships with other therapists, physicians, schools, doulas, attorneys, coaches, and community providers. Strong referral networks grow through trust, communication, and mutual support rather than one awkward coffee followed by a referral request.
Should therapists offer sliding scale fees?
Therapists can offer a limited number of reduced fee spaces when the arrangement remains financially sustainable. The number of spaces, minimum fee, review period, and eligibility process should be clearly defined.
How can therapists create a welcoming therapy office?
Choose a space that feels comfortable, private, accessible, and consistent with the practice’s identity. Natural light, thoughtful furnishings, sound privacy, and a calm environment can improve the experience for both therapist and client.
What makes a therapy private practice sustainable?
A sustainable practice has appropriate fees, a manageable caseload, reliable systems, clear boundaries, predictable marketing, planned time off, and enough flexibility to support the therapist’s personal life.
What is the biggest mistake therapist entrepreneurs make?
Trying to grow every part of the business at once. A therapist does not need a packed caseload, online course, podcast, group program, and social media empire in the same quarter. Build one dependable system before adding the next.
