Every year my birthday arrives and brings this mix of gratitude, softness, determination, and a little bit of disbelief that I have somehow grown a full therapy practice from nothing into something steady and meaningful. This year feels especially significant because it marks six years of Fostering Fortitude, which still feels wild to say out loud considering how many small businesses never make it past the first few years. Surviving and thriving through year six as a woman-owned therapy practice in Ohio feels like a moment worth celebrating because it represents years of commitment, consistency, boundaries, mistakes (loads of them), lessons, reinvention, community support, and a stubborn belief that healing work matters.
When you look at the numbers, only about half of small businesses make it past the five year mark, so reaching this milestone feels like proof that slow growth, intention, and aligned values really do create something sustainable. Being a therapist in private practice means you are doing clinical work while also carrying the mental load of being an entrepreneur, a leader, and a visionary. It means learning business strategy and marketing at the same time you are supporting clients through trauma, attachment wounds, burnout, and anxiety. It means wearing many hats and also figuring out how to not wear them all at the same time. Running Fostering Fortitude has allowed me to create a space where trauma therapy, EMDR, somatic work, Ego State Therapy, and trauma informed CBT-I can be offered in a way that reflects both clinical excellence and human warmth. And to be completely honest, private practice ownership gives space for me to be a mom and a wife, all while building services that truly meet people where they are instead of squeezing important work into rigid systems.
The journey of being a woman business owner in the mental health world has been full of moments where I had to trust my instincts even when it felt uncomfortable because the traditional paths never really fit the type of practice I wanted to create. And we see it all the time that women in entrepreneurship often navigate expectations, emotional labor, and pressure that go completely unnoticed, and yet they continue to build businesses that change communities from the inside out. This practice has been one of my greatest teachers. It has taught me how to grow without abandoning myself, how to run a business that honors my values, and how to keep healing and growth at the center of everything. Every training I offer, every EMDR consultation group, every continuing education course, and every therapy session reflects that mission.
One of the biggest reasons Fostering Fortitude has grown the way it has is because of community support. Therapists do not usually get by on traditional advertising because so much of this field relies on trust and relationships. When someone refers a friend, a coworker, a family member, or a fellow professional to my business , it creates a ripple effect that allows the work to reach people who need compassionate and trauma informed support. And word of mouth has been the heartbeat of this practice. Every time someone shares a resource I created, tags the practice online, mentions my name in a meeting, or sends someone my way, they are playing a very real part in helping people. This practice has always been built on authenticity and connection, and the community has responded with a level of support I never take for granted.
If anyone feels called to support us as we enter year seven, the simplest and most meaningful ways are the ones that help us reach the people who need the work most. You can refer someone who is struggling with anxiety, burnout, trauma, perfectionism, or attachment challenges. You can invite me to provide mental health education, trauma informed training, or wellness resources for your workplace, school, organization, or community group. You can direct colleagues to my EMDR consultation offerings or share information about the upcoming Consultant in Training cohort launching in 2026. You can share my social media or blog posts to your network. You can sign up for the monthly newsletter for more information on services and events. These small actions help build a stronger, healthier community and ensure people know where to find therapy that feels human and supportive.
As I look back on the last six years, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude (and we love that gratitude is a key word this time of year). Gratitude for every client who trusted me with their story. Gratitude for every colleague who sent a referral when someone needed care. Gratitude for everyone who believed in this work even when it was still early and unpolished. Gratitude for the lessons that taught me resilience and the challenges that pushed me into the next version of myself. Birthdays have a way of slowing you down and making you see the full picture, and this year the picture is full of growth, healing, courage, community, and an unmistakable sense of purpose that continues to guide this practice forward.
