We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lia Zalvin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

Starting Sage Wellness honestly came from wanting to create the kind of space I wished more people had access to… somewhere that felt warm, supportive, and genuinely human. I loved the clinical side of therapy early on, but I also realized I wanted more freedom to build a practice that fully reflected my values and the populations I felt most passionate about serving.

In the beginning, I definitely underestimated how much goes into starting a private practice outside of actually seeing clients. There were so many behind-the-scenes pieces to figure out, such as business licensing, insurance credentialing, finances, documentation systems, policies, marketing, creating a website, finding office space, and learning how to run a business while also being a therapist. It was exciting, but also overwhelming at times.

One of the biggest early steps was really getting clear on the heart of the practice and who I wanted Sage Wellness to serve. I knew I wanted to create a space for people navigating infertility, PCOS, anxiety, depression, grief, and couples. along with supporting moms, teachers, adolescents, college students, and couples. I also knew that I wanted to grow Sage to the point of being able to bring on other clinicians in an effort to not only grow the business, but to give new clinicians starting out a practice that truly valued them and recognized the efforts that they put in to enter into this profession.

One of the hardest parts of starting my own practice was balancing all the roles at once. As clinicians, we’re trained to help people, but not necessarily how to manage a business. Suddenly I was the therapist, marketer, scheduler, office manager, accountant, and problem-solver all at the same time. Right alongside being a somewhat new mom, wife and friend. There were definitely moments where I questioned myself or worried whether growth would happen quickly enough.

Looking back, I think one thing I would do differently is vetting the outsourcing I was doing. I knew that I was not in the position to take on business aspects like insurance credentialing and billing, so I wanted to find people to outsource with that I could really trust with my business. In the beginning, I was so eager to get things going and hit the ground running that I didn’t take the time to find the perfect fit. Luckily, I did eventually, but I wish I could go back and streamline that process!

I also learned how important networking and community are. Some of the biggest opportunities and referrals came through relationships with other professionals. Having mentors and colleagues to lean on made a huge difference. I have always tried to practice from the mentality of “there’s enough to go around”, and the biggest push for that was getting grounded and connected in my community early on

For anyone considering starting their own practice, my biggest advice would be: don’t let fear convince you that you have to have everything figured out before you start. You’ll learn so much as you go. Be open to growth, stay flexible, and remember that building something sustainable takes time. Also! Try to learn the business side early. Clinical skills are incredibly important, but understanding finances, marketing, systems, and boundaries is what helps a practice actually thrive long-term. And get a really good therapist of your own to help you navigate your way through the new waters of private practice.

Starting Sage Wellness has honestly been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my career. Watching it grow into a space where people feel safe, supported, and understood has made all the hard work worth it & I am so dang proud of what Sage is for the Wilmington community.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I’m a hockey loving person (go Rangers!) born & raised in New Jersey who found herself living in Coastal North Carolina. I also happen to be the founder of Sage Wellness, a mental health private practice focused on supporting individuals and couples through some of life’s most emotionally overwhelming experiences. My specialties include infertility, PCOS, chronic illness, and couples therapy, and much of my work centers around helping people feel less alone while navigating challenges that can deeply impact identity, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

I originally got into this field because I’ve always been passionate about helping marriages and relationships succeed. Over time, my own experiences with PCOS and infertility also shaped the direction of my work in a very personal way. I realized how isolating those experiences can feel and how important it is to have support from someone who truly understands both the emotional and relational impact. I wanted to create the kind of space I wish had existed for me.

At Sage Wellness, I strive to create an environment that feels warm, supportive, and genuinely human. I want clients to feel safe showing up exactly as they are- whether they’re struggling in their relationship, coping with chronic illness, grieving infertility, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life.

What I’m most proud of is building a practice where people feel seen, understood, and cared for in a real and authentic way. My goal has never been to create a “perfect” clinical space, but rather one where healing feels possible and clients know they don’t have to navigate difficult seasons alone.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Although I’m the sole owner of Sage Wellness, I also am the co-owner of the Sage & Cultivate Wellness Collective. The other half of the collective is the amazing Cecilia Patino, owner of Cultivate Wellness Counseling.

She and I met while both working at the same practice. From there, we established a friendship that developed into a really special relationship. She and I run a collective together- a 3600 square foot office space consisting of our two businesses and some offices rented by incredible mental health professionals in our community. We also host bi-monthly workshops, called Sage & Cultivate Love, where we feature a local business in the area. We have had accountants, PTs, dietitians, estheticians and more come to speak to our community.

She and I work so well together- complimenting each other design wise, business ideas and supporting one another in the reality of owning practices while being working moms! Our husbands are just as close as we are, and our sons are best friends.

I couldn’t do it without her!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Transparency. Transparency is something I’m so passionate about because I noticed that it was sorely lacking from a profession that is supposed to value it.

I work to show up intentionally and honestly. I also work to maintain relationships with the community and am a big fan of a referral. I know that I cannot be everything for my clients, and helping them build their life team is one of my favorite parts of the work that I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sagewellnessilm.com
• Instagram: @sagewellnessilm
• Facebook: Sage Wellness

Image Credits

Summer Lambert Photography