Hi! I’m Michelle
You deserve a business that gives you a sense of fulfillment and purpose as well as financial and professional success.
I believe you can have…
Balance in your life with a successful business and a lifestyle that allows for flexibility and freedom outside of the office.
My goal is to help you stop feeling stuck and overwhelmed and provide you a roadmap to success!
My Journey To Becoming A Practice Coach
Growing up in a family business, I have entrepreneurship in my DNA!
My grandfather had his own car dealership and my grandmother was a psychologist. I like to think I got the best of both of them, as a business owner and clinician. Although I had no desire to join the family business, I always knew I wanted a business of my own. Even when I was young, the idea of working for myself and having flexibility was so appealing!
I decided to get my undergraduate degree in Social Work from Syracuse University and then went on to get my Masters in Social Work (MSW) from New York University. After working in various mental health settings, I started my first part-time private practice in New York City while working at an employee assistance program. My office was literally on Wall Street in lower Manhattan in the heart of the business world! Not only was I doing clinical work I loved, I was also actually learning so much about business from my work with clients as well.
I was fortunate my practice grew quickly.
I was able to transition to private practice full-time. As much as I enjoyed the clinical work, I found solo practice extremely isolating. In addition, I found it hard to say no to new referrals, resulting in way too many clients and long hours. Already, I was feeling burnt out!
After getting married and deciding to relocate, I had a decision to make. I could either start building another solo practice or find a way to create an opportunity to have more balance in my life. I knew I couldn't go back to working for someone else, so I decided to start a group practice. At the time, I thought, “This shouldn't be that much harder then starting a solo practice, right?”
Needless to say…
I greatly underestimated how different creating a group practice is and the knowledge you need to make the transition from solo to group. Starting from scratch again, I read, researched, and sought out my own coaching. At the time, there were such limited resources, it was so hard to find information. For many years, I was working harder and making much less money than I was in solo practice. It was easy to think about giving up.
I was so burnt out that I briefly enrolled in school for interior design, while still trying to run my group practice. I had convinced myself that this just wasn't meant to be and needed to find another career. After about 3 months, as I was sitting in a 3-hour lecture on the color wheel, I realized this is not my true purpose. As much as I love design, I was meant to help and serve others in a meaningful way. This was the moment that changed it all for me. I knew I had a gift for helping others and passion for business but needed to find a way to create more balance in my life.
Fifteen years later…
I have succeeded and failed many times, but have learned so much along the way! I’m proud to say that my group practice, Passages Wellness & Counseling for Women, is thriving and successful! We have grown into 2 locations with 18 employees and have an amazing connection to our community. I have created a successful business with purpose that allows me to have the freedom and flexibility to enjoy my life outside my practice as well. I value the time that I have with my family and my own self-care.
Coaching therapists is inspiring and rewarding.
Through my own practice-building journey, I discovered the joy in helping other business owners grow their business. Wanting to share my experience, I started Purposeful Practice to help other practice owners start, grow and scale their own businesses and find purpose and balance in their own work. The most rewarding part of coaching for me is seeing the results of our work together!
I am committed to providing a roadmap to success!
I can identify with the struggle of building a practice!
I bring my years of expertise, along with supportive and encouraging energy to our coaching sessions
I have a natural ability to:
Help clients feel comfortable and create a non-judgemental space to grow
Help clients identify both their strengths and challenges in practice building
Collaborate with clients to set individual goals and help them reach them
Create a roadmap to a successful practice
Tailored to fit you!Let’s create a plan for success that is unique to you and your specific goals and stage of business. I do not believe in a "one size fits all" approach to coaching. Our sessions will fit your specific needs and concerns.