This episode is a deeply honest look at what it really takes to build a sustainable, values-aligned private practice—especially if you’re coming from agency work, wrestling with burnout, or questioning whether full-fee is truly possible for you.

I’m joined by Monica Jurado Kelly, LCSW, who shares her journey from agency and school-based work into private practice, through taking insurance, and eventually de-paneling and building a full-fee practice she can actually trust. We talk about niching with nuance, marketing as a learned skill (not a personality trait), and what shifts internally when your practice starts to feel stable instead of precarious.

This conversation isn’t about shortcuts or overnight success. It’s about strategy, support, and learning to trust yourself again as a business owner.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

1️⃣ How Monica clarified a niche rooted in lived experience, culture, and over-functioning—without boxing herself in

2️⃣ What changed when she stopped trying to do all the marketing things and focused on relationships and clarity

3️⃣ What it was really like to de-panel, raise fees, and hit her first $10K month

4️⃣ Why community, strategy, and learning therapist-specific marketing made all the difference

Resources & Links Mentioned:

1. Learn more about Confident Copy: https://walkerstrategyco.com/cc
2. The Walker Strategy Co website: https://walkerstrategyco.com

Connect + Subscribe

Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who’s building their private practice.

Explore more marketing support for therapists: The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com

About Marketing Therapy

Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by Anna Walker—marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co—each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.

Monica, welcome to Marketing Therapy.

2

I'm so happy you're here.

3

Will you please start by telling us

your full name and where you're located?

4

Monica Kelly: Sure.

5

Yeah.

6

So, I am Monica Jurado Kelly.

7

I am a licensed clinical social

worker and board approved supervisor.

8

I am based out of Round Rock, Texas,

which is just north of Austin.

9

And so I serve folks in the Texas,

uh, you know, throughout Texas.

10

And then I'm also licensed in Virginia.

11

Anna Walker: Okay.

12

Do you see folks in person

or are you all online?

13

Monica Kelly: I see folks in

person like one day a week,

14

and then the rest is online.

15

Yeah.

16

Anna Walker: Alright, next up I

wanna know about your niche, Monica.

17

Tell me about who you

do your best work with.

18

Monica Kelly: Woo.

19

Niche.

20

So, uh, to, if I could.

21

Kind of just make a real quick

illustration, essentially.

22

Luisa Madrigal from Encanto

is like my ideal client,

23

Anna Walker: right, there we go.

24

All of the moms in the room

are nodding like, oh yeah, I've

25

seen that one a time or two.

26

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

27

You know, so really, uh, uh, folks

who are parts of the BIPOC and

28

L-G-B-T-Q communities may also be

parts of the immigrant communities.

29

But, you know, these are folks who are

used to performing strength, who, you

30

know, always show up for everyone else.

31

They want to rest but can't

often are hiding or shrinking

32

their own needs in order to care

for everyone else around them.

33

So of course along with that is

a lot of perfectionism, people

34

pleasing, over-functioning, burnout.

35

Yeah, that's the work.

36

Yeah.

37

That's who I love working with.

38

Anna Walker: Awesome.

39

And how did you sort

of come to this niche?

40

Is this where you landed initially and

you've always served these folks or

41

have you found a sort of narrowing or,

or refocusing happen in your journey?

42

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

43

So, you know, I, I as a social work

social worker, I came from agency, uh,

44

work and, and working in public schools,

which meant that I worked with everyone.

45

Yeah.

46

So in going to private practice, I

honestly was like, I don't really

47

know who I really wanna work with.

48

And so over time have

figured out, you know, I.

49

I love doing that, like

deeper, more layered work.

50

I was noticing for a lot of folks, you

know, the, the, the work that we were

51

doing that was really exciting and

engaging was around these issues of

52

like perfectionism and people pleasing

and is, and particularly for folks

53

who are children of immigrants, like

how that experience kind of reinforces

54

these, you know, these behaviors or

these tendencies to people please.

55

And to over-function.

56

Anna Walker: Yeah.

57

There's another layer of nuance there.

58

Monica Kelly: yes.

59

Yeah.

60

Yeah.

61

So I, I think though I really haven't been

able to figure out how to talk about that

62

until maybe like a, a year ago, honestly.

63

So, yeah.

64

Anna Walker: So tell me, let's

go way back to the beginning.

65

You went from agency

life to private practice.

66

Tell me about that transition and what

led you into private practice at all.

67

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

68

So I have wor, you know, I've

worked in child welfare I've

69

worked in HIV and AIDS support.

70

But, and then.

71

Clinically moved into supporting

kids and their families in schools.

72

And, you know, we, I was doing

short-term solution-focused

73

work, which I loved doing.

74

But I also was recognizing, like I

wanted to stay in touch with some of

75

those deeper clinical skills that I,

you know, learned in, in training.

76

And so, you know, I decided and s.

77

September of 2019 to open my

practice, very small part-time,

78

private practice, uh, in order to

stay connected to that type of work.

79

And then eventually realized that

that is really the the work that

80

I want to do at, you know, the

chapter of working in agencies.

81

This was coming to an end for me, and

so I transitioned over to full-time

82

private practice in the summer of 2023.

83

So,

84

Anna Walker: So we're going on

three years then of full-time.

85

Monica Kelly: Mm.

86

Anna Walker: Awesome.

87

When you started that practice, and

I don't know if, if you wanna speak

88

to the initial part-time or possibly

when you made that transition to

89

full-time, what were your hopes for it?

90

Obviously to stay in touch with

those deeper clinical skills.

91

What else did you wanna get

out of private practice?

92

Monica Kelly: You know, I honestly

don't know that I knew that then.

93

Anna Walker: It was just

what you were gonna do

94

Monica Kelly: it was just what I was, what

I thought that, what I needed to do next.

95

And I, I, I think when I really reflect

back on it it was a lot of, like, I

96

wanted to help people in a different way.

97

You know, it was like, if I can help

a handful of folks and maybe make a

98

little extra money on the side and

just kind of figure out what this

99

private practice thing is all about.

100

Then that sounds perfect.

101

That sounds great.

102

Yeah.

103

Yeah.

104

And so that was really

kind of where it started.

105

Anna Walker: Okay.

106

Okay, so you launched the practice.

107

What, what happens you, how

do you start getting clients?

108

What do you do or not do in

those first couple of years?

109

What was hard or maybe easy?

110

Easier than you expected?

111

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

112

So launching, you know, that was at,

at, at a time where, I mean, I did

113

have a website, but I got a lot of

clients through Psychology Today.

114

And you know, the, the therapist

Facebook groups when folks

115

are asking for referrals.

116

And so, you know, I had launched

this in-person practice in

117

September of 2019, and then six

months later we faced a lockdown.

118

And really was kind of hitting a point of.

119

Do I keep doing this?

120

You know, I don't need to do this,

but do I, do, I keep doing it.

121

And so, you know, thankfully

I had met some really amazing.

122

Therapists who were in private practice

who've become really close friends of

123

mine and just kind of observing what

it was that they were doing because

124

none of us were doing online therapy.

125

And I didn't even know that

it existed at the time.

126

Anna Walker: that wild to think

127

Monica Kelly: Yes, yes.

128

Like I didn't know it was five years ago.

129

I didn't know this.

130

There's six

131

Anna Walker: That wasn't even an option.

132

Yeah.

133

Monica Kelly: Yeah, yeah.

134

And so just kind of watching them pivot

to, offering services online and thinking

135

like, I think I could actually do that.

136

Let me see how that, you know,

would, would work for me.

137

And also, like, I've put so much time

and effort into launching this business

138

and six months later I'm gonna close it.

139

Like, it just didn't

really feel right to me.

140

So, I think when things kind of really

exploded for, for me in, I guess a

141

small way was during the summer of 2020,

during the Black Lives Matters protest.

142

It was a part of the, and still am a part

of the inclusive therapist community.

143

And it was really important to me at

that time to, to support folks who were,

144

who were, who were really struggling

and you know, all of these issues around

145

race and racism were really coming

to the forefront on top of dealing

146

with the uncertainty of a pandemic.

147

Yeah, yeah.

148

Anna Walker: Were you actively marketing

to the Bipoc community at that time?

149

Monica Kelly: yeah, I

was and I was through.

150

Inclusive therapists.

151

And I think, you know, on psychology

Today, you know, definitely like checking

152

the boxes, but I don't know, I don't know

that I knew until that point that that

153

was really who I, I wanted to work with.

154

You know, I wanna work with both, you

know, I definitely wanna work with folks

155

who resonate with the type of support but.

156

Being able to sit in this uncertainty

and in these spaces of, you know,

157

all of these people around me don't

really know what Black Lives matters

158

protests are bringing up for me.

159

And I need a space to be able to kind

of talk about it freely with someone

160

who has similar lived experiences.

161

So, you know, that, that, yeah, I think

that it's incredibly powerful to be

162

able to, to sit with someone who gets.

163

You without having to really get into

like the nuances and the nitty gritty.

164

So, yeah, that's kind of

where, where that went.

165

And then I just did that for a few

years with a handful of folks and being

166

able to do virtual was really helpful.

167

And in, you know, being able to

serve more people than, you know,

168

just the one day a week in person.

169

So,

170

Anna Walker: Sure, sure.

171

So you were at this time taking insurance.

172

Is that right?

173

Monica Kelly: No, I was, I

174

Anna Walker: not.

175

Okay.

176

Tell us about that journey.

177

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

178

Well, so because it wasn't my, uh,

primary form of income, uh, I was

179

like, I can do this service and

take anybody at any price point.

180

And so I honestly, I think I was

taking folks at like 20, $25.

181

I think my highest fee at that

point was around like 75, maybe $85.

182

And you know, that was,

that worked at that point.

183

You know, I was pretty

much just breaking even.

184

And when I kind of recognized that I was

just breaking even, I was like, okay.

185

This is fine, but it's not

really what my goal was.

186

You know, my goal was to maybe earn

some extra income to, you know, yeah.

187

Pay off debt, et cetera.

188

So yeah.

189

So then you know that with that came

like, how do I figure that piece out?

190

I don't know that I really did

while I was part-time, to be quite

191

Anna Walker: Okay, so what happened

when you went full-time there?

192

Monica Kelly: Yeah, so this is when I

had to kind of transition to my folk,

193

to, to the clients that I currently had

and saying like, okay, so this is now

194

my main source of income, which means

I am gonna have to increase my rates.

195

And, and, uh, you know, and, and being

able to navigate those conversations

196

with those folks and figuring out

what is a workable rate that is

197

for both works for both of us, or

finding someone who could serve them

198

at the rate that they could afford.

199

So, you know, we, I transitioned

over to full-time and was private

200

pay and fortunately had a salary

through the end of August.

201

But it became pretty clear pretty quickly

that I needed more people in my practice.

202

And so that was when I

decided to become paneled.

203

So it was like fall-ish of 2023.

204

And then my practice like filled,

you know, I was full to the

205

gills in like February 20, 24.

206

Yeah.

207

So, so insurance for a little bit,

208

Anna Walker: and then 2025 was a

big year for you as you chose to

209

Monica Kelly: mm-hmm.

210

Yes.

211

Yeah.

212

Anna Walker: So you joined Confident

Copy almost exactly a year ago, right?

213

It was January of 2025.

214

How did you find out about Confident Copy?

215

Monica Kelly: I honestly

think through like a Facebook

216

ad but many, many years ago.

217

So when, yeah, when I was in,

uh, like doing it part-time.

218

And then when I was transitioning over

to full-time and getting ready for that,

219

I wanted to kind of revamp my website.

220

And did your, uh, fill

your practice formula?

221

I think kind of the through line through

this was like, I still don't really

222

know how to capture these folks that I

want to, to work with and who, how to

223

not only speak to them, but also speak

to others about the work that I do.

224

You know, I, I have these folks who

are experiencing these specific issues

225

and are parts of these communities.

226

So how do I find that?

227

Like how do I talk about that intersection

of both of those, you know, and.

228

I, you know, I, I think when I had decided

229

I was like, okay, I need to strategize

about this, which really means that

230

I need to learn about marketing.

231

So, that was kind of part of my

232

things that I can about marketing

for therapists and learn how.

233

I mean, I, I loved the fill your

practice formula and was like, I

234

actually wanna hear and learn from

you in like a live sort of way.

235

And so, that was, and

I decided to jump in,

236

Anna Walker: Yeah.

237

What surprised you most about Confident

Copy and what happened for you there?

238

Monica Kelly: Hmm.

239

I, I think honestly, like the clarity,

I didn't expect to, I mean, I expected

240

to get some clarity in the language,

you know, but I honestly didn't expect

241

to get clarity on, you know, how I

wanted to work, who I wanted to work

242

with, and how that would show up in,

you know, in, in, in my work life.

243

Yeah, it was really

helpful in figuring out.

244

is the way that my brain works.

245

This is the way that my energy goes here

is how I want my schedule to look like.

246

And really being able to stick to that.

247

You know, I think really clarifying

who are the people that light

248

me up and how do I wanna talk to

them and how can I talk to them.

249

Was super helpful in.

250

Anna Walker: You mentioned that one of

the other challenges you'd had early

251

on, and this is something I've been

talking to a handful of clinicians

252

about lately, is not just how to talk

to those clients, but how to talk to

253

other people about that work that you do.

254

Right?

255

Because networking still

reigns supreme these days.

256

Like our data shows it.

257

We know that networking is important, but

the only way people are gonna ever refer

258

to you as if they think of you and if

they know how to talk about you, right?

259

It's about being memorable and

about being easy to talk about.

260

Have you found clarity in that

regard when it comes to the

261

networking conversations you have?

262

Monica Kelly: Yes, yes, 100%.

263

Uh, you know, uh, it's, I

was thinking about like.

264

When in, in that time it was, you

know, when, whenever you talk about

265

the, uh, the elevator speech I wasn't

necessarily doing an elevator speech.

266

I was doing like a very fumbled like Oscar

acceptance speech where they start to

267

play the music and you know, it's, your

time is up and I'm, I'm still talking,

268

you know, so I was like, okay, I gotta,

I gotta tighten this up a little bit.

269

'cause you know, like you said,

like being people being able

270

to identify really quickly.

271

You know, this is a person who

does this specific type of work.

272

So, yeah, being able to talk to

other people and saying, these are

273

the communities that I serve who

are struggling with these issues.

274

And, you know, and, and being able

to figure out ways to work with them

275

in this sort of like deeper way.

276

Anna Walker: Mm-hmm.

277

Cool.

278

So you, you went through confident

copy for, you know, kind of the,

279

the first quarter or so of 2025,

you launched your new website.

280

What happened after, what was your

summer and your fall like last year?

281

Monica Kelly: You know, summer was

pretty steady and then fall kind

282

of exploded, which was awesome.

283

You know, fall was also the

time that I was deep paneling.

284

And, you know, there were.

285

So I officially depa in at the end of

August, but throughout July and August

286

was like, am I really gonna do this?

287

Am I sure?

288

Is this the right move?

289

You know, just constant doubt in that.

290

And I being able to get referrals

for folks who were amazing fit and

291

like, who I could tell from the get go

were really, really good fit clients.

292

Was, uh, you know, kind

of the, the turning point.

293

I mean, September was the first

time I've ever hit $10,000.

294

Anna Walker: I remember when

you shared that milestone.

295

It's

296

Monica Kelly: yeah.

297

Yeah.

298

Which, you know, was kind of one

of those like goals that, that, you

299

know, one of those sort of like, this

is a great goal to potentially have.

300

So, so yeah, fall was really,

paul was really pivotal in being

301

able to like ground myself in

this is the right decision.

302

Anna Walker: Yeah, you got kind

of those, those indicators,

303

those confidence boosters where

you're like, okay, I can do this.

304

Something's working.

305

Monica Kelly: Mm-hmm.

306

Yeah.

307

Anna Walker: Cool.

308

Now we talk a lot about the fact that

your website doesn't exist in a vacuum.

309

If all it took was just launching

a website, everyone would be full.

310

Right?

311

So you've taken, you've been

very intentional about action

312

beyond just clarifying your niche

and putting together a website.

313

So tell us kind of what does

your marketing rhythm or

314

routine look like these days?

315

What have you found to be effective

when it comes to calling in those

316

folks who are such incredible fit?

317

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

318

Well, I'm still figuring out what

my marketing routine looks like.

319

But, you know, a a, a

big piece of it is also.

320

Realizing that I don't

have to do everything.

321

'Cause that felt really overwhelming,

you know, the prospect of networking

322

and creating content and, you

know, SEO and all of those things.

323

Like, oh my gosh, this is so

much and I'm only one person.

324

But, you know, as you, as you stated

having really great connections

325

with solid referral sources

has been kind of my number one.

326

Marketing, uh, tool.

327

So, you know, making sure that

we're continuing to connect.

328

I try to connect with, you know,

I, I'll ask my clients like,

329

who are your other providers?

330

You know, are they in couples counseling?

331

Do they have a psychiatrist or

a psych nurse practitioner that

332

you know we can connect on?

333

And really kind of not only just

surround themself with, good care

334

when we're together, but also with

their other providers and reinforcing

335

all of the work that they're doing.

336

So that has, yeah, that has

really been the, the biggest tool.

337

And, you know, I'm starting to work on,

I guess SEO was also a big one really

338

figuring out like what my header ones

need to say and, you know, I didn't even

339

realize that I had to Google my business,

you know, all of those types of things.

340

But this year I'm.

341

Hoping to do more, uh, visibility

type of things, which is

342

something that I struggle with.

343

So, you know, potentially, uh, you know,

I, I launched my first blog, which was,

344

Anna Walker: Congratulations.

345

Monica Kelly: yeah, which was a lot of

fun, but also very like, anxiety producing

346

for someone who struggles with visibility.

347

But, uh, it was, it was also

a really awesome experience.

348

So I wanna do more of that.

349

Uh,

350

Anna Walker: Okay.

351

Awesome.

352

You know, I think continuity of

care, like seeking out those other

353

providers is low hanging fruit.

354

A lot of clinicians miss.

355

Because no doubt the person you're

sitting across the room from has someone

356

else they're seeing or talking to.

357

Right.

358

And obviously there are, you know,

you get an ROI and there are steps

359

that need to to happen there, but.

360

It's, it's just such a natural opening

to forming relationship with someone

361

else who's seeing your ideal client.

362

If they have one of your ideal

client, they probably have more.

363

And the reciprocity that's possible.

364

I do.

365

I think it's just something that, that

other clinicians kind of forget is there.

366

So I love hearing that that's served you

so well, uh, because it is just such a

367

natural extension of how you're already

serving your clients so well in the room.

368

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

369

Yeah.

370

I, I, i 100% agree and it is something,

you know, at the beginning that I didn't

371

really think about but also was something

I was doing in schools, you know?

372

Anna Walker: Sure.

373

You already had that

kind of naturally Yeah.

374

Built out.

375

Cool.

376

Okay.

377

So we're sitting here at

378

This will be your first

complete year being de paneled.

379

You are full fee.

380

You are doing the dang thing.

381

What is next for you?

382

What are you excited about, either

personally or professionally this year

383

and potentially beyond as you look

at what's coming for your practice?

384

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

385

Well, you know, from a, a professional

standpoint, I, you know, last year was a

386

lot of getting the learning pieces, you

know, understanding what I needed to do.

387

This year I think is really about

putting those pieces into practice

388

and really trying, like I was,

like you said, like finding what

389

is my marketing rhythm and routine.

390

And I also, uh, recently just

launched, doing intensives.

391

I would love to do more

of that type of work.

392

Yeah, I, it it with the type of clients

that I've worked with you know, I am, I'm

393

also an EMDR therapist and, uh, being able

to do some of that deeper work in order to

394

get to those places of, setting boundaries

and resting, you know, like we can read

395

all of the articles about how to do the

thing, but if we have, if it feels really

396

unsafe to do it, it we're never gonna do.

397

Exactly.

398

So I, I love being able to do

intensivess with folks you know, using

399

EMDR, using parts work and sand tray.

400

Uh, so that's something professionally

that I'm pretty excited about.

401

On a personal level my, I uh, will

be celebrating my 20th wedding

402

anniversary later this year, so

I'm really excited about that.

403

Yeah.

404

And also my best friend is

getting married and I'm really

405

excited to go to their wedding.

406

So yeah, those are kind of the,

yeah, those are kinda the big

407

things that are, that are coming up.

408

But yeah, I

409

Anna Walker: What does, uh, what,

you know, 20, 25, I mean, I just,

410

I love reflecting on what I know of

you and what the year that you just

411

accomplished, because it was massive.

412

I mean, you didn't just.

413

Get, get a great website out

there or clarify your niche.

414

You depa.

415

And then you started to see results like

you were attracting RightFit clients.

416

Not immediately, but pretty darn quickly.

417

You hit your first 10 K month and

now you're headed into this new year.

418

What does this new kind of upleveling

of your practice open up for you?

419

Maybe like, not tangibly, like maybe

it's more of your confidence in how you

420

feel about yourself, but also maybe it

is tangible, your ability, maybe you're

421

gonna go on a trip with your husband or

something like that for your anniversary.

422

But what do you feel like this new level

of of practice is, is opening up for you?

423

I.

424

Monica Kelly: I honestly feel like it just

opens up possibility, which is something

425

that is, IM really important to me.

426

I I love.

427

Being curious and I love

being able to explore.

428

But within that, it has really

helped me to focus what those

429

possibilities can really be.

430

'cause you know, I've previously

kind of just looked at all the new

431

shiny things and dabbled in all

of the new shiny things, but then

432

wasn't really getting anywhere.

433

So being able to have this like

focus and this very clear focus

434

of the direction that I'm heading.

435

Finding the, the, you know, tools,

the education, the, you know, other,

436

other pieces that support that.

437

I'm really excited about.

438

I'm also just excited about ma this

being more sustainable, you know?

439

I'm in my mid forties and you know, with

that kind of looks at like what does the

440

rest of kind of my working life look like?

441

And you know, I've spent a lot of

time in really unsustainable jobs

442

and you know, at one point even

considered leaving the profession.

443

So I was so burnt out and I think

being able to reengage with this

444

is what I set out to do and I wanna

be able to keep doing it, feels

445

pretty awesome to be quite honest.

446

Anna Walker: Such an achievement

to build something you can rest in

447

and trust and not always feel like

you're spinning or you're, you know,

448

you're seeking out that shiny object.

449

I think.

450

I think at the end of the day, anyone

starting a business of any kind,

451

that's what they're hoping for is

to create something where it's like,

452

oh, I can re, I can rely on this.

453

Now is doesn't mean that work goes away.

454

Of course not.

455

There's always going to be effort

required, but to know I can put

456

in A and add B and probably get

C, that's there, that's there's

457

safety and security in that.

458

Right?

459

And that flows out into every

area of your life I would imagine.

460

Monica Kelly: Mm-hmm.

461

Yeah.

462

Yeah, absolutely.

463

And you know, I, I, I think a big piece

that I have internalized or, you know,

464

had, had previously internalized from

working in nonprofit and in agencies is,

465

you know, funding scarcity and, you know,

elimination of positions or, you know.

466

Having to do more with less and the toll

that that takes on our health, that it

467

takes on our mental health, you know,

not having to deal with that anymore

468

has, I mean, it's been, it has been huge.

469

Anna Walker: Yeah.

470

Yeah.

471

Liberating in a lot of ways.

472

Monica Kelly: Mm-hmm.

473

Anna Walker: One of the most shocking

things from our state of the industry

474

survey that we put out last month

that has just shocked me is the

475

number of people that plan to depa

this year compared to last year.

476

It's increased.

477

Almost 90%.

478

So not people who have

depas but who want to.

479

And so I know for a fact that there are

people listening right now who are sitting

480

in a position you were in about a year

ago where they were grappling with this

481

desire, but this, this fear, right, of

the leap you filled up after you had,

482

after you started taking insurance.

483

De paneling is a big move.

484

It's not necessarily the right

one for everyone, but what, what

485

advice would you give to someone

who's sitting in that place?

486

Monica Kelly: I think it's really

important to have a strategy and, you

487

know, and to keep coming back to the

why, like why is it that you need to

488

depa and, you know, I would, I would

love to be able to accept insurance.

489

Unfortunately, it's not

financially sustainable.

490

You know, I could go on and

on about how low fees really

491

actually harm our industry, how

they can also harm our clients.

492

And you know, honestly, like

it isn't our responsibility as

493

individuals to solve what is actually

a systemic problem, you know?

494

So I, I think.

495

Really grounding in the why.

496

Why is it that you are feeling

pulled towards de paneling?

497

What is that additional

income going to give you?

498

What the freedom, the sustainability

I think are really, really

499

important things to ground in.

500

And to really have a strategy in the

way in which you're going to do it.

501

Uh, I, I have a couple of post-its

that are up on my board in front

502

of me that it, you know, to remind

the, remind me of those things.

503

Like, I trust the version of myself

that made this decision, you know?

504

Anna Walker: Powerful.

505

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

506

Yeah.

507

So.

508

And I, I think also being able to connect

with other folks who are either doing

509

the same work or who have done that work.

510

And.

511

You know, being able to, to

vent about what that is like, or

512

brainstorm or, so just like support

each other in, in that work.

513

You know, the, the work in the therapy

room that we do is so important

514

and so impactful and so hard.

515

We can't do this in a silo.

516

We need each other to be

able to support each other.

517

So I think those are the, the

biggest things I would say.

518

Anna Walker: I love that.

519

I think there's an echo chamber

any of us can find ourselves in.

520

But in the current economy, the

current state of things, it's

521

really easy to find people to

reinforce the belief that you can't.

522

Be successful with a full fee practice

that it's impossible to build a

523

practice if you don't take insurance.

524

That de paneling will whatever.

525

It's really easy to find people to

reinforce that message right now.

526

If instead you can find an environment,

a chamber, that will reinforce the

527

idea that it is possible that you can

do this, that others have gone before

528

you and done it and are doing it today.

529

There is.

530

There's nothing that can replace the,

the community element of being surrounded

531

by people that actually are supporting

you in that journey versus causing you

532

doubt every time you open up Facebook or

whatever it is that, that you're part of.

533

Monica Kelly: Absolutely.

534

I also would say that learning

from folks who know how to market

535

for therapy specifically is gonna

be really huge in that piece.

536

And, you know, it was what I was really

looking for in kind of my strategy

537

of, of deep paneling last year.

538

But those are also the folks who

are part of that community who are

539

often trying to figure out how do I.

540

Create a sustainable, exactly.

541

Exactly.

542

And I mean, I, I feel like folks who are

probably listening know that marketing

543

for a therapy practice is such a different

knowledge base than marketing for other,

544

Anna Walker: Literally anything else?

545

Monica Kelly: Exactly, exactly.

546

So, and I mean, we all have the

opportunity to learn from that.

547

I mean, I would say probably 99%, if not

all of us didn't get any type of education

548

about how to market a private practice

in grad school, and understandably so.

549

But it's really important to trust

folks who know what they're talking

550

about, to be able to tell you.

551

I mean, I am a scrappy d Iyer,

but there's only so far that

552

Anna Walker: Yeah, there comes

553

Monica Kelly: take me.

554

Yeah.

555

Anna Walker: Yeah.

556

Yeah.

557

Alright.

558

My favorite question to end these

interviews with is to invite you to.

559

Tell something to the, we'll

560

So the 2019 version, who

decided, I'm gonna start the

561

part-time private practice.

562

What would you say to that

version of Monica now?

563

Monica Kelly: I probably would

say just stay the course.

564

Trust yourself.

565

Umm, much like my clients, I have a lot of

self-doubt and a lot of, you know, voices

566

that come in from, you know, experiences

that I've had that are like, are you sure?

567

Is that really what you wanna do?

568

Or that's not the, you know, quote unquote

right thing to do or the good thing to do.

569

But I truly believe that we hold.

570

Inherent intuition and internal wisdom.

571

And so, you know, being able to

trust that, I think yeah, reminding

572

that version of me, like, you,

you, you know what you need and you

573

want, and you need to trust that.

574

Anna Walker: yeah.

575

I think if every business owner

can learn to do a little bit more

576

of that, of trusting themselves

and as you said, the version of

577

yourself that made this decision.

578

We would all get a lot further

and in a lot happier way probably.

579

So I think that's powerful

advice for anyone wherever

580

they find themselves today.

581

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

582

Yeah.

583

I just, I feel so grateful to,

for all of the folks who have

584

like supported me along the way.

585

I've had some really amazing

therapists and coaches and you

586

know, that that has kind of been

the through line of like trust the

587

decisions that you make, you know?

588

Anna Walker: Yeah.

589

Yeah, because at the end of the

day, that's what you're betting on.

590

And if you know you can bet on

yourself, then you can't fail.

591

Right.

592

Monica Kelly: Mm-hmm.

593

Anna Walker: Awesome.

594

Well, Monica, thank you

so much for being here.

595

What an honor to learn about your journey.

596

I know lots of folks are listening

inspired right now and I'm just so

597

grateful you carved out some time as

you start your year to sit down with me.

598

Monica Kelly: Yeah.

599

Well, thank you so much for inviting me.

600

This has been such an awesome

conversation and you know, quite

601

honestly, really helpful and like

602

Anna Walker: There you go.

603

Yeah.

604

A little bit of planning

session for you too.

605

Absolutely.

606

Thanks so much, Monica.

607

I appreciate you.

608

Monica Kelly: thank you.