Why Self-Care is Non-Negotiable When Building a Private Practice
Amanda Delorme, OTR/L, shares her story of the importance of having a self-care routine while building your OT Private Pay practice.
Amanda is a wonderful OT who is a alumni of Private Pay MBA. And in this interview we discuss her self-care routine and why it is foundational to her success as an OT practice owner.
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Transcript:
Amanda Delorme:
And it was an insurance-based kind of outpatient model, which was great for first starting. But there was a part of me that really knew that I was wanting more, or I've always been more interested in that sort of holistic lens. And so there was an opportunity that came to me to work with a chiropractor in my hometown, so closer to home, an opportunity to open up my own practice out of my comfort zone, like this entire process, which maybe is true for other practitioners opening up their own business.
Doug Vestal:
Today I'm sharing my interview with Amanda Delorme and amazing OT, who operates her own private pay OT practice called Pearl Pelvic Health. And in today's interview, Amanda is sharing a topic that is really, really critical why self-care is a must while you're building your private pay practice. Amanda is a pelvic floor therapist, a yoga teacher, and a holistic health coach. She specializes in helping women heal womb trauma and pelvic and core dysfunction through a really integrative approach to healing. And she believes that each woman holds innate wisdom within their womb and pelvic space that needs tending and support in order to thrive and live with greater vitality. Amanda is an alumni of private Pay M B A, and I hope you enjoy this interview. Amanda, I am absolutely thrilled that you are here to talk with me today. Thank you for joining us.
Amanda Delorme:
It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me.
Doug Vestal:
So I'm super excited to talk with you today because you have a pretty remarkable story. And we first met, I think when you enrolled in private pay M B A, and at that time you were working full-time at another practice, but that quickly changed and it's a really interesting story. So I'm wondering if you could share your practice story with everyone.
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, definitely. Happy to share. Yeah, we did meet through your course and it was super help as I started my private practice. But kind of what led me, there was a few things, and it started probably primarily when I became a mom. So I have two children, four and seven. And through that motherhood journey, postpartum journey, I was just in this kind of space in my life where I just had this awakening and so much internal kind of shift happening. And through that kind of birthed this, knowing that I was to work with women in a kind of health setting in this life, particularly pelvic health is what kind came to me. And so I sought out coursework to become a pelvic floor therapist, and as I'll share today, my story is a little bit about listening to that inner voice. And so it was this inner voice that came to me that was like, yes, follow this path.
At the time I was in skilled nursing, I had just had my first baby. I had just graduated from grad school and none of it really made sense logically, but I just knew. And so I kind of let go of all of my skilled nursing and that path and just embarked on getting the coursework to become a pelvic floor therapist. And so I did not know where I was going to work next or anything like that. But nonetheless, I got the training and then I started applying for jobs for pelvic health. And I did get a job in an outpatient facility, a little non-traditional family owned business here in Maine. And it was great. I was there for about a year, maybe a year and a half, and it was an insurance-based kind of outpatient model, which was great for first starting. But there was a part of me that really knew that I was wanting more, or I've always been more interested in that sort of holistic lens.
And so there was an opportunity that came to me to work with a chiropractor in my hometown, so closer to home, an opportunity to open up my own practice. And so my story is that I left skilled nursing, I got a pelvic health job at an outpatient, and then I had a deeper calling to even go further to create my own practice. And I forged a great relationship with my personal chiropractor who's also perinatal chiropractor. One day we came in for an adjustment and me and my kids, and she was like, do you know that I'm expanding my space? And I was like, well, do you know that I really want to work here? And so she's like, I'd love to have you. And it seemed like again, the stars aligned and I said yes. And she said yes. And then your course opened up. So it was just like this perfect timing of doors opened here, doors opened there, and so I continued and am continuing.
Doug Vestal:
I think it's amazing because when you set out with a lot of intentionality, what I found is that then the doors do kind of open, you find yourself a lot more open to what if and you're not as closed. And so it's easier to find an aligned practitioner and just things start to move forward once you start listening to that inner voice, I think, and allowing yourself to put yourself out there. So it's a beautiful story. And I know opening private practice comes with a ton of challenges. We could be here all day talking about all of the challenges, but what do you think is a underlooked or not talked about aspect of opening a private pay practice?
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, I was thinking about that and coming to our interview today, and really what I want to share is that at least in my story, it's more about listening to yourself than what is external and what everyone else thinks you should do or what we think we should do based on books or media or upbringing, et cetera. And so my mind, call it, my ego, call it whatever you want, has all these ideas of what I should be doing. And yet there's this inner part of me that has a deep knowing and I continue to follow that, and that's kind of led me here to open my practice. So I think it's that piece that we don't talk about is, you could call it intuition, you could kind of call it inner knowing, but sort of really guiding, or at least that's how I practice, is moving forward from that place really whatever you're feeling called to based on your own inner guidance, if that makes sense. Yeah.
Doug Vestal:
How do you tap into that? So for you, is it a loud voice? Is it something that is really, really crystal clear, or is it something that you have to come back to a lot? What does it look like for you?
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, it's totally a practice and actually it infiltrates to a lot of what I do now as a pelvic floor therapist, really helping women clear away all of that story. So the limiting beliefs, traumas that live in our body, all the things that kind of get in the way of knowing what is what I call truth or what's our inner knowing or our wisdom and how I tap into that. I mean, it's a journey and I rely on a lot of practitioner help. I do my own work of course, but I think that's where it's really beautiful to have some support. My work with some healers and things like that, practices for me that resonate are breathwork, yoga, journaling, a lot of alone time and a lot of mistakes and learning from them to be honest. But yeah, going slow, going inward, and it is usually a whisper.
And sometimes, like I said, my mind has ideas of I should post this many this week because that's what it's best practice, or I should be doing more, all these shoulds that kind of live in my brain, and yet I really kind of pull back to a felt sense. So if it feels really good, I do it in that sort of feels good. I know it feels good, not like I'm comfortable because pretty much I'm out of my comfort zone, like this entire process, which maybe is true for other practitioners opening up their own business.
Doug Vestal:
I think it is true. There are not many that I've met who are 100% comfortable with all aspects of opening up their own practice. They normally get stuck on the sales and marketing side of it about posting to social media, and it's overcoming those level. There's some part of, I think growth happens when you can overcome discomfort and you can reside in being comfortable, being uncomfortable. That's something that we, Lindsay and my wife and I, we talk to our kids a lot is like, Hey, this sets you up for the future of, you need to know that your nervous system is actually going to be okay being uncomfortable. Listen to it, don't ignore it, don't push it down, but be able to sit with it and know that you're still safe. And I think OTs are just this amazing community and that type of self-care, I would kind of call it, of being able to do that internally as you go through and kind of OT yourself as you go along. The process is really powerful. You don't have to listen to all of the business books and the business, Gus. You can do it your own way, what's best for yourself.
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, exactly. I think tuning in and doing that self-care piece, or at least that's kind of how I call it self-care, knowing what our capacity is and really going at your own pace. So what might look like one person's success in a business might not be others, kind of all coming from a different starting points. What I would offer to others is really honoring yourself and listening to what's true for you.
Doug Vestal:
How would you say this approach that you have and the internal work you're doing is helping your practice?
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, I mean, I am still in the infancy right stage. I'm open a few months now and I'm open, which I think is a success and a celebration. I think it's helping me in the sense of I really won't do anything that is not aligned if I do, I think it just creates this forced feeling and then people can feel that. So I think I draw not more people, but the people that are aligned with maybe my beliefs or philosophies or what have you, the people that are right for me, the clients that are right for me, that I'm right for them. I think that's where the success is, which is a little less tangible and a little less given facts and data, but I have clients and they're getting better. Yeah.
Doug Vestal:
Yeah. I think it's about also what you said. You're attracting the types of people that you feel rejuvenated working with, and that can be a very big difference compared to perhaps your previous experience prior to having your own practice. And you just have to, you're not really in control of the messaging that's put out there. You're not in control of the practice ethos. And then I think getting into your own practice and going like, wait a minute, I actually have a little bit more control and autonomy here to attract really the types of people that I want to work with. And it's a great synergy. They start to get better, and I feel not drained at the end of the day because working with exactly the people that I want to,
Amanda Delorme:
It's so true. I leave here and I'm like, oh my gosh, I have more energy than when I started my day. And I don't necessarily question what I'm doing. I do in the sense of that imposter piece, but not like, oh, I don't know if I want to work here. It's like, I really want to be here. I want this to grow. I really am passionate about this and I never leave feeling drained.
Doug Vestal:
Yeah. That's amazing. So what kind of advice would you have for OTs who are maybe just starting their practice or already operating it and know this is important? No self-care is important. No giving themself the time and space to do it, but maybe they struggle with how to fit it in because they already feel overwhelmed with everything that they have to do. So what are perhaps some simple ways that they could incorporate this?
Amanda Delorme:
Yeah, I mean, I'm a huge believer and I am still human, so I have mistakes of course, but I'm a huge believer in what we do to ourselves actually is a kind of give back. So the level of healing that I can do for myself is the level of which I can take people to. And so I think that that's the most successful that a business person could get, if that makes sense. So tangibly, I think, and it's going to be different for everybody, but just being honest with yourself of what you need and everyone's going to be different in different phases of their life, and really taking into account for me, I know that I need a lot of alone time and processing time to kind of regulate my nervous system. And while that's taken me a long time to accept it's the truth, and so that might not be someone else's story. So I think, and that's really what I kind of hit home in my practice here, is that coming home to yourself and really honoring who you are as an individual and kind of taking care of yourself, that self-care piece, I mean, if you want to put a tangible thing on it, I do think connection with nature, breath, nourishing foods, really those simple things. Whatever the joyful things are too, art making or reading,
Doug Vestal:
Right? Yeah. I love that. And I think finding ways to just incorporate it into your day throughout. You mentioned food, that's a fantastic
Amanda Delorme:
Example
Doug Vestal:
Because we're all eating three meals a day plus snacks. So what can you do to really come away from that with more energy and feeling grounded through that? And it's a simple practice that you can implement. It doesn't take any more time than what you're already doing is just flipping the script on it
Amanda Delorme:
And how we talk to ourselves. Even here, sharing what I share with you, it's like I really want to be in alignment or integrity with what I say. Am I actually doing so practicing what I preach basically, right?
Doug Vestal:
Yeah, exactly. So I love that. So let me ask you one last question, which is what would you say to some of the OTs out there who want more freedom like you have now and are struggling with maybe the overwhelm of the thought of opening their own practice and particularly being their own boss?
Amanda Delorme:
I mean, as cliche as it is, I think it's one step at a time. It's true. If I had stopped myself a year ago and said I'd be here, I probably wouldn't believe myself. And where I'm heading in a year still, I probably can't believe, right? But one thing at a time, and I really am a believer in anything's possible. I think sometimes we put on these limiting beliefs that nothing could get done. And so taking a little time to kind of go in and see what those fears might be and address them so that you could had shared earlier, allow your nervous system to kind of expand to that next level that you can be your own boss and you can have a practice that you love.
Doug Vestal:
Yeah, I love that. One of the things that we've talked about before through the course was I really think when you become an entrepreneur and when you start working on your business, the person who's going to benefit the most and change the most is yourself. It just requires so much. And so doing inner work that you've been talking about and overcoming your limiting beliefs is really anything is actually possible and achievable. Many times we're just stuck in these old scripts that maybe happened from school or from our parents. And really seeing the examples like yourself of people who have gone out there and have done it, I've done it while still feeling scared. I've done it. While you're not superhuman, none of us are. We all have emotions. We all feel self-doubt, but realizing that you're working towards something that's much greater than yourself, and it's a huge fuel. So I just want to thank you so much, Amanda, for joining me today and for your insights, and I am wishing you all of the best success in your practice. Thanks, Doug. It's been a pleasure. Thank you.
