I still remember my first summer in private practice.

I was finally getting the hang of everything and ready to start busting my sweet little ass.

Then, completely out of nowhere, the phone stopped ringing.

At first, I didn’t really notice (OK, maybe a little bit).

Then the panic set in.

Ohmygod, what’s happening?!?! Is this my life forever??!

Even as I’m typing this, I can’t help but smile and shake my head at how naive I was. Silly Laura…

If you’ve been in private practice for any meaningful amount of time, you’ve probably experienced the seasonal ebbs and flows of your caseload, as well as the manic-depressive episodes that often come along with them.

I think of private practice like the stock market: When things are flowing, we tend to think that things will continue in that direction (“Oh HELL yeah, another new referral! I’m gonna buy that fancy new office chair! Damn, I’m such...

You finally got the kids to bed. You’re so relieved on the days they have early bedtimes and you can finally just sit in peace.

But once their day is over, it sometimes feels like yours is just beginning.

You open your computer and start working. Maybe you’ll type that blog post you’ve been meaning to get to. Or finish those notes from last night’s sessions.

How do other moms do this? you ask yourself as you open a new tab and hop on Facebook. You scroll through your newsfeed, random sponsored ads sprinkled with delicious recipes and other people who look like they’ve got it all together.

Sigh.

When you first decided to take the plunge into private practice, you told yourself that it would allow you the flexibility to spend quality time with your kids while also using that license you worked so hard for.

You were so naïve.

Now it feels as if you’re never done working. Between runny noses, meal...