As SLPs, a lot of us get into this profession because we just want to help people. Helping people is just what we do. And when we aren’t able to do that, it takes a serious toll on us emotionally. This quickly leads to burnout which can leave you feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. 

But you don’t have to stay that way. You can find more fulfillment by starting your own private practice where you get to build the life you want on your own terms. 

In this week’s episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Lydia Lacy, who was feeling stuck and unfulfilled in her job. This led her to start her own private practice which has given her so much more happiness and fulfillment. 

Lydia started working for Detroit Public Schools right after graduating in May of 1999. She was placed in a Title 1 elementary school in the heart of the city and then moved around to other settings throughout the district. Lydia and her family moved to Georgia in 2011 where she continued to work in education. She has over 20 years of experience working in the school setting serving students from preschool to high school. 

When it was time for a change of pace, she switched over to working for a private practice in 2018 but then moved back to the school setting as a contractor. That’s when she decided that maybe it was time for her to start her own private practice. 

While researching, she came across Jena’s website and joined her Facebook group then reached out to some local therapists to ask more questions! 

As a married mother with four children, Lydia is very busy working her full-time position in the schools while growing her part-time business, Katalyst Speech Therapy. It can be stressful at times trying to navigate each role, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

In her free time, she enjoys exercising, reading, spending time with her kids, and dating her handsome husband.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• Lydia’s journey to starting her own private practice
• The power of connecting with other people in the profession
• How Lydia finds clients
• The benefits of being an insurance provider
• Lydia’s experience with accepting Medicaid
• The importance of having a mentor when starting a private practice

I hope you found this episode inspirational. I love Lydia’s persistence and how she finally took the steps and started her private practice. She is the perfect example of someone who wanted to do it, did it, and is now encouraging others to go for it too. 

If you would like to learn more about our programs and how we support SLPs and OTS who want our help to start and grow their private practices, please visit www.independentclinician.com. 

Resources Mentioned: 

Visit Lydia’s website: https://www.katalystspeechtherapy.com/

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/