Season 6 Episode 3: Leading with Heart: Building Boundaries, Teams, and a Sustainable Practice

In this episode of OT Coaching Confidential, Alyce is joined by Jessica, a paediatric occupational therapist who built her own private practice from the ground up and is now navigating what it takes to lead well without losing herself in the process.

With close to a decade and a half in paediatrics, including a foundational stint at a larger multi-site practice with strong mentoring and supervision, Jessica reflects on how that early model continues to shape the way she trains and supports her own team today.

Now leading her practice alongside her husband, she shares openly about the boundaries she's had to build with staff and with herself, the discomfort of renegotiating long-standing relationships as the business has grown, and learning to see profit as something that protects her team rather than something to feel guilty about.

We explore

• The personal experience that shaped Jessica's path into occupational therapy
• Moving from clinician to business owner, and the boundaries that takes
• Setting boundaries with staff, and with herself, as a heart-led leader
• The shift in long-standing staff relationships from personal to professional
• Why being a great clinician doesn't automatically make you a great supervisor
• Reframing profit as protective rather than something to feel guilty about
• Building a team culture where ongoing learning is the expectation, not optional

Key takeaways

• Caring deeply about your team doesn't mean ignoring the financial reality of running a business
• Being an excellent clinician and being an effective supervisor are different skills, and the second one needs to be taught
• Staff don't carry the same risk or emotional investment in the business that you do, and that's not a reflection of how much they care
• A safe boss still holds boundaries, even when it's uncomfortable
• Documenting your values and ways of working makes it easier for new staff to buy in from day one

Mentioned in this episode

• Michelle Bihary's work on lifelong learning and professional development: michellebiharyhealth.com
• Gerda's episode "Dealing with Rejection as a Practice Owner" on The Private Practice Success Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7oJg7RLtlvynXtIcPIsILM
• The Business Hub

Brought to you by Alyce Svensk at The OT Coach Australia.

Supporting 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 would like support through supervision, business mentoring, or reflective practice, visit www.theotcoach.au to explore how The OT Coach Australia can support you.

The OT Coach Australia. Where therapists come to grow.