Between Sessions with Berries

Maternity Leave Planning for Therapists in Private Practice with Ashley Comegys

Berries Episode 59

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0:00 | 37:41

Building a family while running a private practice can feel like a math problem with no clean answer. Sick kids interrupt session days, maternity leave threatens months of income, and caseloads built around trauma work don't always leave room for the unpredictability that comes with parenting. For mental health professionals thinking about starting or growing a family, the question isn't just clinical; it's logistical, financial, and deeply personal.

Ashley Comegys knows this terrain from the inside. She's a licensed clinical social worker, the owner of a multi-state online therapy practice for women, a military spouse who has relocated her practice three times, and the host of The Therapist Mom podcast. In this conversation, Ashley shares how she built a business flexible enough to survive cross-country moves and three maternity leaves, what she considers before taking on certain client populations, and the AI documentation shift that finally got her notes under control.

In This Episode, We Cover:

  • How Ashley built a fully online, multi-state practice around three military relocations.
  • Why private practice offers real flexibility for parents, without pretending the deeper challenges disappear.
  • What to think through before choosing a niche if you're planning to grow your family.
  • How Ashley prepares clients and sets up a transition plan before going on leave.
  • Why financial planning matters just as much as clinical planning when preparing for maternity leave.
  • How switching to an AI documentation assistant helped Ashley catch up after her third child.
  • Ashley's advice for building a practice that fits your life instead of building your life around work.

Mentioned in the episode:
Maternity Leave Playlist: www.raisedtoempower.com/maternity-leave-playlist

Connect with Ashley Comegys:
Website: https://www.raisedtoempower.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raisedtoempower/
Podcast: https://www.raisedtoempower.com/podcast

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