What if your previous career—completely unrelated to therapy—held the exact keys you needed to unlock a successful private practice? For Denise Smith, running an auto body shop taught her the administrative, financial, and client-relations skills that gave her the confidence to launch Speak Up Speech Therapy in Southern California.

Denise is a speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience whose journey to private practice was anything but linear. Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, she discovered the field almost by accident when university programs reopened after war. What began as a curious joke with friends became a lifelong calling after she moved to the United States.

Denise is also the co-host of the Heal Yourself Podcast, where she and her co-host lead powerful conversations on self-healing, emotional mastery, and elevating your relationship with yourself from the inside out.

After years as a school-based SLP, Denise never saw herself as a business owner. But a pivotal stint managing her then-husband’s auto shop—handling scheduling, insurance claims, invoices, and client complaints—became her unexpected training ground. She looked in the mirror and realized, “Why am I not doing this for me?”

Her turning point came on a walk past a neighbor’s house—a neighbor who happened to be a special education coordinator. Denise asked how to get on the list for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs). That simple question started a domino effect: her first contract led to school referrals, which gave her the foundation to build a practice intentionally designed around her life, not the other way around.

With a focus on school contracts, IEEs, and private clients, Denise has created what she calls a “lifestyle practice.” It’s a model built on freedom and flexibility, allowing her to heal her nervous system, prioritize her daughter’s competitive dance schedule, and travel—all while serving a population she loves.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

1. How running an auto shop gave her the unexpected confidence to start her own practice
2. Why she ditched perfection and chose progress with purpose
3. What it’s like to build a mobile, flexible “lifestyle” practice while navigating divorce and deep personal healing
4. How she makes income from school contracts, private pay clients, and independent evaluations — without burning out

Denise’s story is a powerful reminder that your path to private practice doesn’t have to look traditional. By trusting her unique journey and leveraging all of her experiences, she designed a business that supports her life, family, and well-being first.

Ready to explore what a lifestyle practice could look like for you? Whether you’re just starting to consider private practice or looking to grow an existing one, the right guidance can help you build the freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment you deserve — just like Denise has. The Grow Your Private Practice Program gives you the coaching and guidance to scale your private practice. Learn more at www.GrowYourPrivatePractice.com.

Whether you want to Start or Grow a private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Denise on:

Instagram: instagram.com/deniseloutfi.coach

TikTok: tiktok.com/@deniseslp23

Apple Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heal-yourself-podcast

Check out her website: speakupspeechtherapy.us

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199

Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/

Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/