NICOLE LOBO: FROM GROUP PRACTICE BACK TO SOLO | EP 199
What happens when the practice you worked so hard to build no longer fits the season of life you’re in? How do you know when it’s time to grow, and when it’s time to simplify? In another installment from my mini-series, “Where are they now?” I’m chatting with Nicole Lobo, who was on the show back in 2023!
In this episode, Nicole returns to the podcast to reflect on how her practice has evolved over the last three years, why she transitioned from group practice back to solo work, and how motherhood reshaped her understanding of success, sustainability, and balance.
From marketing struggles and wearing too many hats, to rediscovering groundedness in private practice, Nicole shares an honest look at what it means to build a business that fits the life you actually want to live.
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MEET NICOLE
Nicole Lobo is a Registered Psychotherapist and founder of Be Well Therapy Studio in London, Ontario, with over nine years of experience supporting thoughtful, high-functioning adults through anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, and life transitions. Drawing on an integrative approach that weaves together CBT, DBT, ACT, emotion-focused therapy, attachment theory, and trauma-informed care, Nicole specializes in the in-between seasons of life — the moments when what once fit no longer does. She has a particular passion for working with millennial adults navigating the quiet pressure to hold it all together, including the profound identity shifts that come with parenthood. Beyond her clinical work, Nicole also provides supervision for Registered Psychotherapists and business coaching for therapists building sustainable practices. She holds a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and sees clients both in person in London and virtually across Ontario.
Learn more about Nicole on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles.
In This Episode
- Nicole’s private practice in 2023
- Going from group back to solo practice
- How Nicole is marketing her practice
- Rebalancing virtual and in-person sessions
- What’s next for Nicole
Nicole’s private practice in 2023
‘Back in 2023, I rebranded into Be Well Therapy Studio … My goal at the time of rebranding was to make it a more inclusive therapy space … I was curious about bringing in students, moving into group practice … And looking at revenue streams that went beyond one-on-one therapy.’ – Nicole Lobo
Nicole had some big goals back in 2023, and all of them came to fruition over these past three years!
She explains that she was passionate and motivated, and that by taking consistent steps, Nicole was able to bring all of these dreams together into the practice that she now runs.
Going from group back to solo practice
While Nicole loved her time running a group private practice, at the beginning of 2026, she decided to restructure her business into a solo practice again.
‘I was ready to lean back into solo practice. This season of my life as a parent (I had my daughter two years ago now!), I recognized that the group practice life is very demanding, on top of being a new mom and still being a clinician, and so all the hats that I was wearing felt too overwhelming and demanding for what I felt like I was benefiting from at the time.’ – Nicole Lobo
Therefore, once Nicole’s last contractor was ready to move on, she decided not to take on another and readjusted her practice to run as a solo practitioner.
How Nicole is marketing her practice
Nicole is honest about having had a difficult time marketing her practice when it was a group-focused entity.
‘I had a hard time with marketing when I transitioned into group, because I have a really hard time speaking about my practice as a group versus just as me. I think that was one of my biggest struggles as a group practice owner, which was, “How do I shift this in a way that speaks to all the clinicians working in the practice?”’ – Nicole Lobo
Finding a way to honor everyone’s skills in the practice of marketing is essential, and can be difficult to do. Therefore, shifting back to solo practice has also made marketing easier for Nicole, because now she’s marketing herself only, and not having to do that heavy lifting for a team of other clinicians, as group practice owners often need to.
‘I’m able to create content for my Instagram page that’s very much geared to me and to my way of working and my way of practicing … It feels very natural, grounded, easy … Just way less complicated! So I feel like I have shifted back into that content.’ – Nicole Lobo
Rebalancing virtual and in-person sessions
At first, Nicole would see more than half of her clients in person and offer a day or two for virtual sessions.
However, she unfortunately experienced numerous no-shows, last-minute cancellations, and other hiccups, which made it difficult for her to continue seeing most of her clients in person, especially when she needed to arrange childcare and commute to the office.
Therefore, Nicole has found a new balance to seeing clients: the majority online, and a few in person. That, combined with being a solo practitioner, has made it easier and little less stressful for Nicole to balance her work and personal life commitments.
‘Once it happened, it felt really validating, but I felt that pull in January this year of, “I need to evaluate where my energy is going, because it doesn’t feel like I’m getting out of group what I want to” … I can see myself maybe, when my child or children are in school full-time and I have the time and energy to purely focus on a practice, yes, I can see myself trying to again … But in this season of my life, it’s not the season to juggle all these hats.’ – Nicole Lobo
What’s next for Nicole
‘I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing! … I’m open to exploring [new things] if it makes sense, but at the same time, I’m really comfy where I am right now too, which is a great feeling. I’ve been craving that feeling of groundedness for a while.’ – Nicole Lobo
For Nicole, the road ahead is smooth and steady.
While she’s not closed off from potential opportunities, such as partnering with another clinician in the future or taking on contractors again, she is focused on this season of her professional life, which is to be a solo practitioner for the time being.
Connect With Me
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links:
Shulamit Ber Levtov: Building a Sustainable Practice Without Losing Yourself | EP 198
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Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
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Learn more about Nicole on her practice website, Psychology Today, and LinkedIn profiles
Click here to listen to the previous episode with Nicole Lobo
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About Jules Smith
Jules Smith, MEd, RCT, CCC is a registered Counselling Therapist who owns a group private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They are also the owner of Fearless Practice Consulting and hosts the Fearless Practice podcast. Through the Fearless Practice podcast, they provide invaluable insights and practical advice on starting and growing a successful Canadian private practice.
Jules also has written articles for the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy association. You can learn more at www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/.
