PAULA GONZALEZ: FROM PURPOSE TO PRACTICE AND SCALING WITH INTENTION | EP 197

Why Paula started working in mental health 

Over the last 15 years, Paula has dedicated her career to the mental health field. 

‘Even back in high school years, you know, when we had to volunteer, it’s always been in mental health. Even in university and placements, and my Master’s, and now being a therapist, so it’s been a long time in this field!’ – Paula Gonzalez

When explaining how Paula came into the world of therapy, and what encouraged her to pursue becoming a therapist and working in mental health, Paula recalls her family lineage and that she came from a long line of women who worked in various helping professions. 

‘My mom being a social worker, my grandmother was a teacher, you know, my aunt is a doctor, so it’s always been a part of my life to be in the helping profession. For me, having gone through my own experiences, like immigrating to Canada at a young age … That experience was very difficult for me … That made it clear … that I really wanted to become the kind of person I wish I had had at that time to get me through that.’ – Paula Gonzalez

Starting a private practice 

Paula completed her Master’s degree in 2016, and then she started working in community mental health, where she stayed for four years. 

While Paula loved the community aspect of working with people in her city, it was difficult to find a full-time job at the time, especially since virtual sessions were not yet popular or common. 

But when COVID hit in 2020, Paula started thinking about opening up her own solo virtual private practice. 

‘I did start in community mental health, and then I worked at a group practice. As a new grad, very new territory for me. Eventually, I decided, “I miss community mental health!” So I decided to go back. But then COVID hit. What led me to open up my own … during COVID … I felt so called to doing my part in working with folks directly.’ – Paula Gonzalez 

And so, Paula launched her online private practice! She would see clients in the evenings or even on weekends while she continued working in community mental health.

Scaling from solo to group private practice 

‘Every day I wake up, and I’m like, “How, I can’t believe I get to do this!” I’m still figuring it out as I go, but I love it.’ – Paula Gonzalez 

Creating the office spaces, editing the website, and social media content: all of these aspects are ways in which Paula gets to practice and unleash her creative freedom, and they are some of the things she loves the most about running a group practice. 

More than that, Paula wanted to share the work and expand the impact by creating a team, which is what motivated her to take her practice from solo to group. 

‘I knew that I wanted to create a team … I loved my role as a clinical supervisor, but there’s something about having a team of new grads, I love working with them, whether it is in a supervisory capacity or as colleagues, and knowing that we’re all trying to figure this out … I find it so important to have a team as a part of our support system, and that aligns with what I’m hoping to put out there in the world.’ – Paula Gonzalez 

Using Jane App in private practice

From her solo practice to her current group practice, Paula has consistently used Jane App for her business admin.

‘[Jane App] is so user-friendly. It’s got everything that I need, I can pull the reports that I need to track metrics and see what’s working, what’s not … I’ve also gotten very good feedback from clients that use it too … Very user-friendly for both therapists and clients.’ – Paula Gonzalez

Jane App was designed to serve therapists and clients equally, while in different ways, and allows them both to navigate an easy interface that lets them communicate with each other smoothly. If you are ready to give Jane App a try, click here and use the code FEARLESS2MO for a two-month free trial! 

Paula’s advice to listeners 

Focus your marketing on your client niche, and don’t spread yourself too thin! The work you do is important, so take care of yourself to take better care of your clients.