Meet Julia Smith

Having worked in the counselling industry, I knew I would be the happiest being my own boss.

Established in 2016.

Hi,

I’m Julia, and I launched my part-time private practice in Halifax back in 2016. My motivation behind starting this practice was to have the freedom to provide therapy using approaches that truly ignited my passion. I also desired the flexibility to set my own schedule, achieve financial stability, and have the autonomy to choose the clients I worked with. Most importantly, I wanted to ensure that I could deliver exceptional counselling without succumbing to the exhaustion and burnout that can come from working long hours and seeing an overwhelming number of clients.

Since its inception, my private practice has flourished into a thriving online group practice catering to teens, adults, and couples alike. Witnessing this growth and success has inspired me to extend my support to fellow Canadian therapists who are seeking to establish and expand their own private practices. Through my podcast, Fearless Practice, I share valuable insights and strategies, empowering therapists to navigate the intricate journey of starting and growing their practices.

In addition to the podcast, I provide you with the tools you need to start a private practice and one-on-one consulting services tailored for established solo and group practice owners who find themselves burnt out and overwhelmed. My goal is to help Canadian therapists cultivate sustainable practices that not only prioritize your professional success but also foster a healthy work-life balance.

If you’re a therapist in Canada who is looking for guidance and support, I invite you to join me on the journey of starting and growing fearless practices.

Take the Next Step

Julia’s Journey Podcast Episodes

Changing My Mindset in Private Practice : Year 8 | Ep 144

And what a year it has been! With so many ups and downs, changes, and new insights. This year has been characterized by personal changes in mindset and approach to my practice, and professional development within my Canadian private practice and podcast. Today’s episode will be a deep dive into my personal story, in celebration and reflection of year eight in private practice! I’ll share with you what I’ve learned, struggled with, and overcome, plus advice or tips I have picked up. Thank you for your support and for going on this journey with me!

Overcoming Sudden Obstacles in My Private Practice: Year Seven | Ep 97

We all have intentions for the new year when it begins, and ideas of what we’d like to do differently or in a new way. And it’s often the case that things don’t go as planned! However, it can be part of the overall process, and in the end new lessons are learned and new skills are acquired. At the beginning of my seventh year in Canadian private practice, I had a vision for the year and how I wanted it to go. Of course, it wasn’t what I expected, but now I have better systems, a strong team, and new strategies for handling stress and the unexpected. In this podcast episode, I recount my year, what I went through, and how I ended up feeling more confident and ready for what will come my way.

Growing Pains I Experienced in My Canadian Private Practice - Year 6 | Ep 49

What has your year of private practice looked like? Which lessons have you learned, or are currently learning? Starting and running a Canadian private practice is a journey of continual growth and education. As you develop, so does your practice! And what impacts you in your personal life may also influence the unfolding of your business. In this annual episode, I take a little dive into what my year has been like, what I’ve learned, and what my focus will be for the next one!

Building a Canadian Online Group Private Practice - Year Five | EP 06

As I started to get busier in my Canadian private practice, I had to make a decision of how many clients I wanted to see each week. I needed to find my sweet spot. I figured that if I got to see 8 to 9 clients a week, that would be my capacity to do amazing work with those clients. If I started to see more than that, I would start to feel drained and not do my best work. I now knew that I was getting to a point where I needed to grow my solo private practice, to a group private practice.

Transitioning My Canadian Private Practice From In-Person To Online Counselling - Year Four | EP 05

I was getting really busy in my private practice, this was exciting, but I was starting to burn out. I had some tough decisions to make so that I could free up some time and energy. However, nothing could have prepared me for a global pandemic and having to transition my Canadian private practice from in-person to online counselling.

How I Grew My Canadian Private Practice - Year Three | EP 04

By the end of 2018 things were going pretty well. I was working in my private practice 2 days a week and I was teaching at Dalhousie. I was making money and all the hard work I had done in setting up the foundational phase of my Canadian private practice was paying off.

Dealing With Unexpected Changes in My Canadian Private Practice - Year Two | EP 03

I was in my second year of running my Canadian private practice and things were going really well. I wasn’t stressed about finances and I was able to gain some really valuable experience with my job at Dalhousie University whilst being able to pay the bills...

How I Set Up My Canadian Private Practice - Year One | EP 02

I decided to move across the country to start a Canadian private practice in Halifax, NS with only 1 year of professional counselling experience under my belt, but I was pretty determined and really excited!

Why I Started a Canadian Private Practice | EP 01

Welcome to Fearless Practice Podcast! This podcast has been a year in the making and I am so excited to finally talk to you about how to start and grow a Canadian Private Practice, and sometime in the future, how to make it into a group private practice.