OT Coaching Confidential

Season 5 Episode 9: Growing a Practice Without Losing Yourself

In this final episode of OT Coaching Confidential Season 5, I’m joined by Rochelle, an experienced paediatric occupational therapist who has recently taken a significant next step in her business journey. After years of building a strong trauma-informed paediatric caseload as a sole trader, Rochelle has just transitioned into company structure and brought on her first employee. What sounds exciting on paper also brings a very real shift in identity, workload, and responsibility. Alongside holding her own long-term caseload of children and families with complex trauma backgrounds, Rochelle is now navigating onboarding, supervision, service agreements, business systems, payroll, and the invisible emotional load of becoming the person responsible for both clients and another therapist. This conversation explores what happens in those first few weeks after your first hire, when your clinical work remains full but the business suddenly demands a whole new layer of leadership and structure. WE EXPLORE: * Transitioning from Sole Trader to Company Structure * Onboarding and Supervising a First Therapist * Building a Caseload Intentionally Rather Than Reactively * The Emotional Load of Trauma-Informed Paediatric Practic * Boundaries Around Phone Calls, Emails, and Crisis Communicatio * Balancing Client Care with Business Sustainabilit * Planning Systems for Future Growth Including Clinic and Admin Support KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Your First Hire Changes Your Role as Much as Your Business * Supervision Needs Clear Structure and Intentional Tapering * Responsive Care Does Not Mean Being Constantly Available * Boundaries Protect Both Clinician Wellbeing and Service Quality * Sustainable Growth Requires Systems Before Expansion MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * The Master Timetable / Paper Planning Tool * The OT Coach Business Hub Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia. Supporting occupational therapists and allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity, and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops, and The OT Coach Academy. If this conversation resonated with you and you’d like support through supervision, business mentoring, or reflective practice, visit www.theotcoach.au  to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.

Season 5 Episode 8: Stepping Into Private Practice: Navigating Autonomy, Admin, and Sustainability in Mental Health OT

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, I’m joined by Marie, an experienced occupational therapist who has recently transitioned from hospital and community mental health into private practice. With over 15 years of experience, Marie reflects on the shift from structured public health roles into the autonomy of private work. While the transition has brought flexibility and creative freedom, it has also introduced new challenges particularly around business systems, financial management, and the invisible load of admin. Together, we explore what it really looks like to build a sustainable mental health OT practice while balancing clinical care, business responsibilities, and personal life. WE EXPLORE: * Transitioning from public mental health roles into private practice * The emotional and cognitive load of managing admin, finances, and systems independently * Navigating payment boundaries and discomfort around money conversations * Structuring caseloads across NDIS, Medicare, and private clients * Letting go of work streams that don’t align (e.g., functional capacity assessments) * The tension between flexibility, family life, and financial sustainability * Using tools (like AI and practice software) to reduce admin burden * The difference between “being the therapist” and “running the business” KEY TAKEAWAYS: * A smooth clinical transition doesn’t always mean a well-structured business foundation * Discomfort around money is common and requires clear, consistent systems * Not all work streams are worth keeping, alignment matters more than opportunity * Admin overwhelm is often a mix of clinical and business tasks, not just “extra work” * External accountability (deadlines, supervision, structure) supports follow-through * Autonomy is powerful but requires intentional boundaries and decision-making * AI and digital tools can reduce cognitive load when used intentionally * Sustainable practice comes from aligning workload, income, and lifestyle priorities MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * Halaxy practice management system (invoicing, Medicare, client management) * ChatGPT and AI tools for documentation, planning, and communication * “She’s on the Money” podcast (financial literacy and planning) * The concept of separating you from the business when setting boundaries * Virtual assistants vs. clinical admin realities * Financial planning, payroll setup, and income structuring for private practitioners BROUGHT TO YOU BY ALYCE SVENSK AT THE OT COACH AUSTRALIA Supporting occupational therapists and allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity, and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops, and The OT Coach Academy. If this conversation resonated with you and you’d like support through supervision, business mentoring, or reflective practice, visit www.theotcoach.au  [http://www.theotcoach.au] to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.

Season 5 Episode 7: Building a Values-Led Practice: Slowing Down, Backing Yourself, and Letting It Unfold

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, Alyce is joined by Sophia, an experienced occupational therapist who is navigating early private practice while holding the weight of past system reform, identity shifts, and changing personal priorities. With over a decade of experience across government disability services, hospitals, schools, and child development teams, Sophia reflects on how previous large-scale funding changes continue to shape her response to uncertainty today and how those experiences have also deeply strengthened her clinical reasoning and adaptability. Now running a small private practice alongside motherhood, she shares openly about reclaiming joy and creativity in her work, redefining professional success, and building a service that aligns with her values rather than external expectations. We explore * Living at a point of clinical mastery and why familiarity can feel unsettling * The emotional imprint of past system reform and how it resurfaces during current NDIS uncertainty * Identity shifts as OT becomes part of life rather than the whole of it * Neurodiversity-affirming, relational, and nervous-system-informed practice * Transitioning from government services into values-based private practice * Navigating Medicare, NDIS, and private funding without shrinking clinical ambition * Contracting, intentionality, and clarity in parent-focused work * Holding space, slowing down, and trusting professional judgement * Building sustainability without pressure to grow faster than feels right Key takeaways * Feeling unsettled at a point of competence is often a sign of growth, not failure * You don’t need to know everything before stepping into private practice * Intentional contracting supports confidence, boundaries, and clinical clarity * Presence and relationship are powerful therapeutic tools * Success in private practice can be defined by alignment, flexibility, and values not just income or growth Mentioned in this episode * Alyce’s Caregiver Capacity Framework * The Therapy Conversation Planning Tool * Contracting and intentionality in therapy delivery Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia. Supporting occupational therapists and allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity, and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops, and The OT Coach Academy. If this conversation resonated with you and you’d like support through supervision, reflective practice, or business mentoring, visit www.theotcoach.au [http://www.theotcoach.au/] to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.

Season 5 Episode 6: The Hidden Skills of Leadership: Supervision, Systems and Accountability

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, Alyce sits down with Jane, an experienced occupational therapist working in a Grade 3 leadership role within the public health system while also running her own private practice. After more than twenty years working across clinical roles, Jane recently stepped into a leadership position supervising a growing occupational therapy team. While continuing her own clinical work privately, she now also supports supervision, service development, and team leadership within a public health setting. This conversation explores the realities of stepping into leadership as an occupational therapist. Many therapists find that the transition from clinician to supervisor brings a new set of challenges, including navigating difficult conversations, supporting team development, and balancing competing responsibilities across clinical and leadership roles. Jane shares openly about the complexity of holding these roles while maintaining strong relationships within the team. We explore: * The transition from clinician to leadership roles in occupational therapy * Supervising and supporting a growing team * Navigating difficult conversations within the workplace * Balancing clinical work, supervision, and service development * Supporting team performance while maintaining positive team culture This episode highlights how leadership in allied health often evolves gradually as therapists take on greater responsibility for supporting colleagues, developing services, and shaping team environments. Key Takeaways Stepping into leadership often changes the nature of work from primarily clinical to a combination of supervision, service development, and team support. Difficult conversations are a normal part of leadership and often become easier when supported by clear systems and expectations. Regular check-ins and structured supervision can help create space to address small challenges before they grow into larger issues. Supervision approaches often need to adapt to the different learning styles and experience levels of individual therapists. Leadership roles often require therapists to balance multiple responsibilities while supporting the growth and development of others. Mentioned in This Episode * Michelle Bihari – Supervision and Leadership Training   * Toni Knight – Wellbeing for therapists    * Situational Leadership Model for adapting leadership style to clinician experience   * Zoom AI Companion for supervision summaries and documentation Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia Supporting occupational therapists and allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops and The OT Coach Academy. If this conversation resonated with you and you’d like support through supervision, business mentoring or reflective practice, visit www.theotcoach.au to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.

Season 5 Episode 5: Serving the Community Beyond the Caseload

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, Alyce sits down with Mary, an occupational therapist running her own private practice across several rural towns. After stabilising her caseload and building systems that support sustainable rural service delivery, Mary finds herself asking a new question. Not how to build a practice, but how she can best serve her community beyond individual therapy sessions. Working in regional areas often means therapists see the gaps in services very clearly. Schools needing support, education assistants feeling overwhelmed, and limited access to professional development and therapy services. Mary shares how she is beginning to explore new ways to contribute to her community, including developing educator workshops that support school staff to better understand regulation, behaviour, and practical strategies for supporting students. We also explore the role rural therapists can play in growing the future workforce, including hosting student placements and increasing awareness of rural practice opportunities. This conversation reflects a common shift many therapists experience after building a stable service. Once the day-to-day clinical work is running well, new possibilities begin to emerge around education, mentoring, and community support. We explore: * Moving from building a private practice to expanding community impact * Supporting educators and school staff through workshops and training * The realities and opportunities of rural occupational therapy practice * Hosting student placements and strengthening the future workforce * Recognising the expertise that comes from building a service independently Key takeaways Building a sustainable clinical caseload often creates space to explore broader community initiatives. Supporting the adults around the child can have a powerful impact on outcomes for children. Rural therapists often hold valuable knowledge about community needs that can inform education and training programs. Student placements can play an important role in increasing awareness of rural practice and strengthening local services. Therapists working independently may underestimate the expertise they have developed through building and sustaining a service. Mentioned in this episode: * Educator workshops and school-based training * Student placements in rural communities * Master timetable [https://www.theotcoach.au/freeresources] and structured scheduling approaches for rural practice Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia. Supporting occupational therapists and allied health professionals to build confidence, clarity, and connection through mentoring, supervision, workshops, and The OT Coach Academy. If this conversation resonated with you and you’d like support through supervision, business mentoring, or reflective practice, visit www.theotcoach.au to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.