Growing, Letting Go, and Trusting What You Built

Preparing to step into maternity leave has been one of the most emotional and reflective seasons as a Speech Language Pathologist and small business owner. When I first started Move Play Say, it was just an idea rooted in passion. A vision of creating something more personal, more family-centered, and more aligned with the kind of therapy I always believed children deserved. I never imagined how quickly that vision would grow, or how much it would require me to grow as a person alongside it.

As I prepare for this next chapter, I am doing so with a full heart knowing that Move Play Say is not pausing. It is expanding. What began as a mobile practice has now grown into a team of four incredible therapists and an administrative assistant who keep everything running with care and intention as one. Each member of this team brings their own strengths, warmth, and clinical insight, and together we are creating something even more powerful than I could have built alone.

There is something incredibly grounding about knowing your work is being carried forward by people who truly believe in it. As I step into maternity leave, I am not stepping away from Move Play Say. I am stepping into trust. Trust in the systems we have built, trust in the families we serve, and trust in the team that continues showing up every single day with purpose. For so many SLP’s, the idea of starting a private practice can feel overwhelming or even out of reach. The uncertainty, the fear of leaving stability, and the question of whether it is really possible to build something of your own. What I have learned is that you do not need everything figured out to begin. You just need a commitment to your values and a willingness to grow through the process.

Building Move Play Say has taught me that success is not about doing everything alone. It is about creating space for others to grow with you. It is about hiring intentionally, trusting your instincts, and building a culture that reflects the kind of clinician you want to be. Most importantly, it is about allowing your practice to evolve as you do. As I enter maternity leave, I feel proud not only of the practice itself but of what it represents. It represents possibility. It represents balance. It represents the idea that SLP’s can build careers that support both their professional goals and personal lives.

To any SLP who is considering taking the leap into private practice, I hope this serves as a reminder that you are more capable than you think. You do not have to wait for the perfect time. You just have to start. Growth will come from action, not perfection. 

Move Play Say is growing, and so am I. And in this season of stepping back, I am reminded that sometimes the most powerful way to move forward is to create something strong enough to thrive even when you are not in the room.