The Therapist Hustle: From Grad School to Group Practice
Welcome to the world of private practice growth! I’m here to share Reina’s inspiring therapy success story journey from a determined grad student to the owner of a flourishing group practice in bustling Manhattan.
Reina’s path was paved with intention and hard work. She began her career in various treatment settings, honing her skills and expanding her network. These experiences laid the groundwork for her solo private practice, which she started with a strong belief in the power of relationships and referrals.
In a recent YouTube interview, Reina offered valuable insights on starting a private practice, sharing how she transitioned from employee to entrepreneur. She explained that her early experiences in community mental health helped shape her values and refine her skills across a range of areas, from trauma to speech therapy to CBT. These formative roles helped her gain confidence and clarity on the kind of clinician—and business owner—she wanted to be.
Reina Zelonky is a Marriage and Family Therapist who runs a busy group private practice on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York. Reina specializes in addiction, couples, and families. She has additional training from the Ackerman Institute and is trained in Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy. Reina’s approach is strength-based and relational. She is committed to helping individuals have stronger bonds and healthier relationships to decrease unhealthy habits and behaviors. She believes in the power of stories and works with her clients to rewrite their narratives to highlight resilience and hope.
Website: www.reinazelonky.com
Email: [email protected]
Starting a Private Practice with Purpose
For therapists wondering how to start a private therapy practice, Reina stressed the importance of vision and preparation. She emphasized that clarity about your population, approach, and goals will make all the difference.
Her therapy success story began with a simple but powerful foundation: intention. Reina took time to map out what mattered most to her—supporting people struggling with anxiety, trauma, and autism spectrum disorder while staying grounded in her personal values. She also leaned into modalities like mindfulness, DBT, and trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy to serve clients of all ages.
She also encouraged therapists to explore specialties early on. Whether it’s working with children, focusing on trauma recovery, or incorporating expressive approaches like art therapy, knowing your niche supports personal and professional alignment.
Building a Private Practice Step by Step
Once Reina’s solo practice stabilized, she began building a private practice with a broader mission. This meant slowly expanding services to include group therapy, child psychology, art therapy, and specialized support for expressive language delay and autism awareness.
She didn’t rush. Every new hire was selected with care. Her group practice now includes clinicians trained in CBT, EMDR, MBCT, and talk therapy, all working collaboratively to offer individualized care across a range of needs—from child development to mental well-being.
She intentionally created an inclusive environment where both neurodiverse and neurotypical clients could thrive. Her team is equipped to support children and adults with autism, depression, emotional dysregulation, and other mental health needs using a holistic, client-centered approach.
As the practice grew, so did the need for streamlined systems. Reina adopted efficient private practice tools for therapists to manage scheduling, documentation, and communication. These tools freed up time for her team to focus on client care rather than paperwork.
Marketing for Therapists in a Human Way
One of the most relatable parts of the interview was Reina’s take on marketing therapy private practice. Like many clinicians, marketing didn’t come naturally at first. But she realized that connecting authentically with her audience was key.
She didn’t rely solely on ads or promotions. Instead, Reina invested in online marketing for therapists strategies that matched her tone—educational blog posts, SEO for local search terms, and engaging Instagram content. Her favorite marketing ideas for therapists include hosting free workshops, partnering with local schools, and creating guides for parents navigating their child’s diagnosis of autism or occupational therapy needs.
She also advised therapists to create content that reflects their niche—whether that’s trauma, recovery, or autism-focused services—and to speak directly to potential clients with compassion and clarity. Her digital presence focuses on authenticity, not perfection. This has made her brand relatable and trustworthy to the families she serves.
She also shared her favorite private practice tools for therapists, like digital schedulers, EHR systems, and automated billing platforms, all of which helped free up time to focus on client care and team development.
A Marketing Guide for Therapists That Works
Reina offered what feels like a go-to marketing guide for therapists: Be real. Be specific. Show how your work helps. She reminded viewers that most clients find therapists through relationships—both in-person and online. So instead of pushing sales, focus on building trust.
This includes optimizing your online presence for common searches like “CBT for trauma,” “autism support for children,” or “group therapy for anxiety.” If you’re offering services like speech therapy, physical therapy, or healing from trauma, your content should reflect those clearly and compassionately.
Blogging has also become a key marketing tool in Reina’s strategy. She writes about topics that answer real questions her clients are asking—from “how to talk to your child about anxiety” to “what to expect in trauma-focused therapy.” This not only builds trust but improves her visibility online.
She encourages therapists to focus on educational content as a form of service marketing, especially when working with populations like children, autistic individuals, or those navigating emotional healing.
Therapist Tools, Teamwork & Resilience
The conversation also touched on resilience—an essential part of growing a practice. Reina discussed how leading a team of therapists required her to grow as a leader, not just a clinician. She shared the importance of supervision, mentorship, and taking care of your own mental health as your responsibilities increase.
She also stressed the value of community—whether it’s a colleague who understands the pressures of group practice or a therapist guide that helps you navigate difficult cases. Building a network of support is just as critical as building a caseload.
In addition, she encouraged therapists to prioritize their own personal growth, using tools like mindfulness, bilateral stimulation, or MBSR to stay grounded amid the challenges of private practice life. Reina emphasized that clinicians can’t pour from an empty cup, especially when working with clients managing depression, trauma, or emotional dysregulation.
She shared how implementing moments of relaxation and rest throughout her day has improved her own emotional regulation and modeling of healthy boundaries to clients. Whether it’s a walk between sessions or journaling to reflect on difficult emotions, Reina promotes consistent self-care as a necessity, not a luxury.
Integrating Learning Through Play and Child-Focused Work
As part of her group’s child and adolescent services, Reina highlighted the importance of learning through play. Her clinicians are trained in child-centered play therapy, expressive arts, and occupational therapy techniques that encourage developmental progress through connection and fun.
Her therapists support children facing expressive language delays, challenges with focus, and regulation issues related to anxiety, trauma, or a diagnosis of autism.
Reina’s practice integrates the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy in age-appropriate ways, using visual schedules, play-based exposure, and resilience-building language. She believes that engaging children at their developmental level builds lasting skills and self-awareness.
She also values parental involvement, offering coaching and psychoeducation to families navigating their child’s mental health journey.
Final Takeaways: Growth Rooted in Purpose
In our discussion, Reina shares pearls of wisdom for those starting their own practices. She emphasized the importance of self-growth, authenticity, and maintaining a human connection in therapy. Her story is a reminder that with perseverance and a passion for helping others, your practice can not only succeed but truly make a difference.
Whether you’re offering child therapy, trauma recovery, or cognitive-behavioral therapy, Reina’s story proves that success is possible—with vision, heart, and strategy. And if you’re just beginning to wonder how to start, remember that starting a private practice isn’t just a business decision—it’s a bold, healing act of service.
With the right tools, mindset, and mission, therapists can build thriving practices that serve their communities and support their own well-being.
