The true story of how I became self-employed

Did I ever mention that I quit my last salaried job with no notice? A very un-me thing to do. That was exactly a year ago today, and, when people ask what happened, I usually just say, "our values didn't align." But the truth is that there's more to the story, and today I'd like to celebrate a full 365 days of freedom by sharing it with you.

It begins way back in January of 2022 when I started on the journey to become a therapist. In order to bill insurance as a social worker in New York State, an LMSW must complete a series of steps to become an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), including:

⭐️A minimum of 2000 client contact hours under the supervision of a licensed clinician, over a period of no less than three years

⭐️Documentation that supports that the above criteria have been met, submitted to the state with a processing fee

⭐️Approval of said paperwork from NYS

⭐️Registration for the clinical social work exam once paperwork has been approved

⭐️Completion of LCSW exam with a passing score.

⭐️And if this wasn't fun enough, if you don't pass on your first try, there is a mandatory 90-day waiting period before they let you re-pay the registration fee to try again.

I completed the clinical hours in January of 2025, sent in my paperwork in March, and got the approval to register for the exam on July 10th. When I went online to sign up, the only options were the next morning, a Saturday a few weeks later when I was scheduled to be out of town, or OCTOBER. So I did what any reasonable person would do:

And I passed.

Unfortunately my employer did not share the excitement, and I was put on immediate unpaid leave. After being expected to work despite this, instructed to ignore all information provided by my professional licensing board, and told to apologize for my "impulsive behavior," I resigned, effective immediately.

So, long story short, I went from not knowing when I would be able to take my exam on Thursday to being fully self-employed the following Wednesday. HELLO!

The craziest thing is, though, that as soon as I made the decision to get out of an environment that clearly wasn't for me, the most amazing things started to happen. Doors started to open, and opportunities came.

A situation that I did not ask for ended up being the best thing that has happened for both sides of my professional life. That's not to say that it's all been easy, though...

...but it has ABSOLUTELY been worth it.

So why am I sharing this with you today? It's not to speak badly about someone else's business decisions. But if I am going to ask you to trust me with your stories, I think it's only fair that you know mine. And know me, as a whole human--not just as the lady behind the camera or on the other side of the therapy zoom.

What I've learned, and will continue to stand by:

⭐️ Having a fancy degree does not automatically make you a good person.

⭐️Kindness and respect will always be more important than a bottom line.

⭐️Showing up as your true, real, human self is not just okay, it's essential.

⭐️If something feels off, it probably is.

The other reason is to express SO. MUCH. GRATITUDE. To everyone in my corner who didn't even blink when I decided I had to quit. To my support system that has had my back every step of the way. To my colleagues and clients who choose to trust me, partner with me, send business my way, and help me grow in so many ways. And to a truly awful situation that made the decision to take a scary leap incredibly easy.

Here's to the first 365 down, can't wait to see what is coming next ❤️