We were lucky to catch up with Violeta recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Violeta thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Thank you so much for inviting me to this interview! I first established my practice, Notice That! Therapy PLLC, in 2024 after the birth of my son. I wanted more flexibility in my schedule because I needed time to rest and orient to all the hormonal changes that would come after birth even up to a year. My body was learning how to be a mother and it needed time to rest and adapt. Because of these changes, I found myself struggling to keep up with a normal work schedule at my then-job. It dawned on me that I needed more flexibility and slower pace to nurture my baby and be nurtured myself. I started my private practice when I was about 9 months postpartum. You could say that my first step was taking an assessment of my and my family’s values, and making professional business decisions based on that. I needed to be in charge of my work hours and finances. Having never been a business owner before, I needed to maturely assess the risk associated with moving on from employee/ independent contractor role. What costs and responsibilities would I be absorbing as an owner in order to live a truer version of myself having become a mother?

My main challenge in the beginning was making decisions around office space. Leasing one’s own office can range from $400 to $1,000 depending on your location in the Southeast Michigan market. It could also include a contract that mandates a length of time that you have to lease. I knew that I didn’t have the capital necessary to make that commitment. I also knew that was a higher level of commitment than I was willing to make. Thankfully, I found a therapist collective called “The Practice Collective” where I could lease only the hours needed per month in a community-oriented office space that was fully furnished with a coffee bar. It felt like the type of place I would want to walk into if I were be seen by a therapist. I knew my clients would love it, too.

For newer therapists interested in starting their own therapy practice business, I recommend talking with colleagues who have made these decisions already. They may charge a consultation fee, they may not. It also doesn’t hurt to read free resources online. I’ll provide a few further into this interview. Most importantly, I recommend doing a personal values assessment so that you can be intentional about the professional and entrepreneurial goals that you pursue. There’s nothing wrong with being an employee or an independent contractor as a therapist! But if you know you’re ready for a change, start talking to people and do your research. For the mama-preneurs in the therapy world, just know that it’s okay to establish a private practice by beginning with a small caseload until you’re ready to increase your practice responsibilities.

Violeta, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 2014, I was a part of a Black Lives Matter Healing Justice Practice Space (HJPS) set up in a local church basement in Ferguson, MO after the killing of Michael Brown by Darren Wilson. I had joined a delegation of citizens who bussed to Ferguson to see how we could help. Being on the ground in this way was one of the first times I saw activism and community care come together as a direct response to abuses of power by authority. My role in that HJPS was to be a deep listener to anyone who came and pulled up a chair at my makeshift counseling table. It would be almost 15 years before I went to the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor to become trained as a social worker invested in marrying social justice and mental health for individuals and communities.

I’m most proud of my consistency in my career to address issues of social injustice inside of mental health and wellness spaces. I’ve done this work in public schools with youth, in neighborhoods of my local community, alongside colleagues at conferences, as part of programming in other countries, etc. I really do live a life as much as possible consistent with the values I hold dear. Sometimes, people have to draw that line in their professional lives and I’m grateful that I don’t. I get to be consistent across major domains of my life. It’s a real gift. I’m confident that that shows up in my work with Notice That! Therapy clients.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn to stop avoiding conversations about money. I’m still a work in progress. If you struggle with this too, I recommend you identify 2-3 “money buddies.” Money buddies are people you can talk to transparently about finances, even the anxieties you have. These individuals might be your spouse, accountant, financial advisor, or business coach. If you’re not ready for money buddies just yet, tune into podcasts and consume content related to money psychology or financial anxiety.

I’d recommend listening to these folx below to help get over or navigate money anxieties:
Lindsay Bryan-Podvin: https://www.mindmoneybalance.com/about
Dez Valdez: https://www.dezvaldez.com/
Calvalyn Day: Peace and Profit for Therapists

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of my biggest pivots came when I thought I was ready to hire. It’s probably my biggest failure so far. I was successful as a solo entrepreneur in private practice so I thought it was time to scale. I didn’t realize how much start-up capital I would need in order to transition from a solo practice to a group practice. I attempted to hire after having had major surgery which led me to ramp up productivity during a time when I should have been focusing on recovery. Not to mention, my infant was transitioning to toddlerhood and that brought on a slew of new parenting changes that I hadn’t expected. Needless to say, I had to reach out to individuals and apologize that I’d moved too fast and couldn’t support them moving forward.

Having gone through this experience, I now understand that this is why having a 3-5 year plan is so important. You have time to plan far out in advance and make practical decision based on revenue and profit margins. It was a humbling reminder to again, slow down. Everything doesn’t have to happen all at once. Take care of your health. Take care of your family. When you are well and ready, that lays a stronger foundation for when it is time to scale. I still have not shifted into a group practice but I’m currently building a a digital curriculum to support the mental health and community care needs of Mamas of Color raising bicultural, school-aged children.

Pivoting has allowed me to slow down, appreciate the successes I’ve had thus far, and to really take it in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.violeta-emdr.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568827714582

Image Credits

Brittany Greeson