What if the hardest moment in your life became the spark that pushed you to finally follow your dream? That’s what happened for Andrea Gingras, who turned loss, burnout, and a desire for freedom into the driving force behind her private practice, Love Without Words: Speech Therapy, in Concord, California.

Andrea is a speech-language pathologist who has always loved working with kids. After years in schools, nonprofits, and private practices, she found herself burned out by compliance-heavy approaches and the daily grind of long hours away from her family.

When a former client’s family reached out to tell Andrea that their son Ben — who had inspired her early passion for strength-based, child-led communication was entering hospice, something shifted. Love Without Words was born — a name and mission inspired directly by Ben. With the support of the Start Your Private Practice Program, Andrea learned the logistics of setting up her business.

Today, Andrea creates her own schedule, chooses the clients she wants to serve, and uses a strength-based approach to help autistic and minimally verbal children thrive.

Andrea specializes in working with children, particularly those who are autistic or minimally verbal. She integrates strength-based therapy, gestalt language processing strategies, and family coaching to create engaging, individualized sessions.

She also mentors other clinicians, offers online training, and speaks to groups of SLPs, OTs, and BCBAs on how to shift away from compliance-based therapy.

As a mom of two young children, Andrea treasures the flexibility her private practice provides. She’s now able to take her kids to school, join field trips, and be home for dinner—something her 9–5 never allowed. She even jokes about enjoying luxuries like long lunches or mid-day errands, freedoms that once felt impossible.

In Today's Episode, We Discuss:

• Why she left “safe” jobs to build a business aligned with her values
• What it looks like to create a schedule that actually works for her family (Hint: She only sees 2-4 clients per day and earns more money than she was before working far less hours)
• How she’s now mentoring fellow SLPs on using using strength-based strategies with clients

Andrea’s story shows how deeply personal experiences can fuel professional transformation. By finding her “why” and honoring her values, she built a practice that not only helps families but also gives her the life she wants for her own family.

Want to create a private practice that gives you freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment—just like Andrea has? Learn more about our Start Your Private Practice Program, where Andrea and so many other SLPs and OTs have gotten the tools, systems, and confidence to make the leap. Visit www.StartYourPrivatePractice.com to learn more.

Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.

Resources mentioned:

Follow Andrea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slplovewithoutwords/

https://www.instagram.com/slp_mentor4u/

Check out her website: https://slplovewithoutwords.com/

Send her an email at: [email protected]

Where We Can Connect: 

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

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