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

Hi Kitzia, thanks for joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

I have been a mental health therapist for 12 years and in 2021 I decided to start a parti-time solo private practice with the goal of working full-time by 2026. In June of 2024 I decided to work towards that goal earlier than expected and began working at my private practice on a full-time basis. It has been a year since I started this full-time journey and I have learned more than I ever expected. If I were to start over, one thing I would do differently is to be more mindful of the growth of my practice, including taking more time to make big decisions such as hiring and office growth.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Kitzia Lopez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT-S) and the founder of North City Counseling.
My primary expertise lies in Parenting Support/Education and Child-Centered Play Therapy, where I hold a certification as a Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCPT). However, my skills and qualifications extend beyond working solely with parents and children. I also work with pre-teens, teens, adults, couples, and families in navigating the complexities of home, school, and community life.
I am proud to offer bilingual counseling services in Spanish within an environment that is truly open and inclusive. This also means that I am committed to providing affirming services to the LGBTQI+ community and providing neurodivergent affirming support to all who seek my care.
With over 10 years of experience, I’ve provided mental health counseling and parent education in diverse settings in Texas and California, including: Keller Independent School District, Dallas Independent School District, The Parenting Center in Fort Worth, Pacific Clinics in Los Angeles, and Mission Neighborhood Health Center in San Francisco. These roles have deepened my understanding of the unique challenges faced by families, allowing me to tailor my therapeutic approach to meet their specific needs.
I am trained in a range of evidence-based practices including: Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Child-Parent Relationship Play Therapy (CPRT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). My expertise in these approaches enables me to provide comprehensive and research-backed support.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In January 2025 my son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and this life altering event has required me to pivot both in my career and personal life. Before his diagnosis, I was focused on the growth of my career and my small business. I was driven by ambitious goals and dedicated long hours to achieving them. However, when we received the news about my son, it became clear that my primary focus needed to be on him and our family’s well-being.

Navigating the complexities of Type 1 Diabetes – understanding his care, managing his health, and ensuring his emotional well-being – required a complete re-evaluation of my time and energy. This meant consciously choosing to put the accelerated growth of my career and business on the back burner. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was undoubtedly the right one. While my professional trajectory has certainly changed, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for work-life balance and the profound importance of family.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I began my solo private practice in 2021 after a friend, who owned her own private practice, encouraged me to consider the benefits of having my own business, especially since I had young children. I worked a full time job as an intervention counselor at the local school district. For three years I worked at my full time job during the day time and would go to my private practice office in the evenings.

This initial setup offered several crucial benefits that were instrumental in my decision to eventually transition into my business full-time. Primarily, it provided a low-risk environment to test the waters. I could genuinely explore if there was a sustainable market for my services, understand the operational demands of running a business, and, most importantly, determine if this was something I was truly passionate about doing for the long term.

It allowed me to build a client base organically and understand the rhythm of demand without the immediate pressure of needing it to fully support me. The income from my full-time job provided a safety net, allowing me to invest in the necessary tools, marketing, and professional development for my private practice without financial strain.

This gradual approach was invaluable. It allowed me to learn by doing, make adjustments based on real-world feedback, and gradually build confidence in my ability to succeed as a business owner. Ultimately, the positive experiences and growing momentum from those evenings spent building my practice gave me the confidence and the foundation to eventually make the leap and dedicate myself to it full-time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.northcitycounseling.com
• Instagram: northcitycounseling
• Facebook: northcitycounseling
• Linkedin: northcitycounseling