From Burnt Out to Booked Solid: How a BC Therapist Built a Thriving Group Practice in Under a Year

Starting a private practice in Canada can be terrifying enough. But leaving a cushy Health Authority job with full benefits, seniority, and job security to go fully solo in British Columbia? That takes guts (and maybe a little bit of reckless optimism).

Meet Suki Ó Huallacháin, a Registered Clinical Counsellor serving Port Coquitlam and the Lower Mainland, who made that exact leap in November 2024. Here's the wild part – less than a year later, she's not just surviving in BC's competitive therapy market. She's thriving with a full caseload, her first associate therapist already hired and seeing clients, and she's already planning her next hire.

Let me break down exactly how she did it, because her story proves something I've been teaching Canadian therapists for years: You don't have to choose between your purpose and your profit.

The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority Safety Net (And Why It Wasn't Enough)

Suki spent almost six years working in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside – arguably one of the most challenging clinical environments you can work in across Canada. She loved the work. The people were "her people" – direct, authentic, resilient.

But here's what was slowly killing her professional soul: the system.

Not the clients. Never the clients. It was the poverty, the lack of housing, the missing treatment beds, the endless bureaucracy that meant someone finally ready for housing couldn't get a bed and ended up sleeping on a pile of clothes with a back injury.

Sound familiar? Whether you're practicing in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, or anywhere across Canada, you know this story. The work invigorates us. The broken systems burn us out.

She had hit the union pay ceiling – literally no raises for the next 20 years. She was maxed out professionally and financially, working 10-hour shifts in Vancouver, and watching the same systemic problems play out on repeat.

So she started exploring private practice in BC. Slowly. Carefully. Like most Canadian therapists do when we're terrified of giving up stability (and those sweet Health Authority benefits).

The "Two Kids in a Trench Coat" Phase of Building a BC Private Practice

By the time we started working together in January 2025, Suki had been in full-time private practice for just two months. She was working six days a week (only Sundays off), her caseload was bursting at the seams, and she knew something had to give.

She wanted to hire but had absolutely no idea how to navigate BC's regulations, employment standards, or find the right fit for her practice. Her words: "I felt like two kids in a trench coat trying to act like an adult."

Here's what we worked on together:

The Niche That Changed Everything (and Beyond)

When we first met, Suki's "niche" was "life transitions." Which, let's be honest, is basically everyone who's ever lived – from Vancouver to Halifax. We needed to get specific.

Through our work in 1:1 coaching and the Full Practice Formula program, we refined her positioning to this:

"We specialize in helping BIPOC women break free from anxiety, people-pleasing, and self-doubt to find their authentic voice and live a confident life using body-based therapies, EMDR, and Brainspotting."

The difference? Night and day.

Her website traffic from the Lower Mainland exploded. She started getting the right clients – not just from Port Coquitlam, but from Coquitlam, Burnaby, and across Metro Vancouver. Her associate started filling her caseload with ideal referrals. Local BIPOC business owners in the Tri-Cities area began reaching out for partnerships.

Here's what Suki said about the shift: "It's not just Joe Schmo anymore. It's a really particular person I'm talking to, and it's helping with everything – marketing, networking, even knowing what content to create."

The Job Posting That Attracted the Perfect Associate

We completely rewrote her job description for the Canadian therapy market. Instead of boring corporate-speak, we made it real. We added personality. We included things like being okay with dropping the F-bomb in session if clinically appropriate (while still meeting BCACC standards, obviously), being nerdy about clinical interventions, and loving the messiness of real therapeutic work.

It worked. She found an associate who matched her values perfectly, understood the unique needs of BIPOC communities in BC, had complementary skills (Suki's Type B, her associate is Type A), and specialized in a sub-niche that fit beautifully under their BIPOC women umbrella: couples therapy and perfectionism.

The Numbers Don't Lie: What Growth Actually Looks Like for a Canadian Therapy Practice

Let's talk metrics, because this is where it gets really good for therapists watching from across Canada wondering if sustainable growth is possible here:

November 2024 to October 2025:

• Full caseload achieved by month 5 in the competitive Vancouver market
• First associate hired by June 2025
• Website analytics showing 100%+ growth across all measures (site visits from BC and beyond, clicks, contact forms)
• Reduced clinical hours while maintaining revenue (yes, even with BC's cost of living)
• Built a 6-month content marketing plan
• Let go of expensive SEO contractor (saving hundreds monthly – crucial in Vancouver's expensive market)
• Already planning second associate hire for her Port Coquitlam practice

That's not just growth. That's exponential growth. (Fun fact: 40% growth is considered exponential in business – Suki blew past that in her first year in BC's private practice landscape.)

What Actually Made the Difference? (Lessons for Canadian Therapists)

Here's what Suki implemented through our coaching and the Full Practice Formula – strategies that work whether you're in BC, Ontario, Alberta, or anywhere across Canada:

1. Authentic Website Copy That Speaks to Canadian Clients

We aligned her online presence with how she actually shows up in session. No more corporate therapy-speak. Real voice. Real connection. And critically for Canadian practices – addressing the specific cultural context of BIPOC women in Canada.

2. Strategic Marketing Systems (That Work in Canada's Smaller Markets)

She pre-planned months of content, created a sustainable posting schedule, and built systems so marketing doesn't consume her weekends. This matters especially in Canadian markets where we can't just copy American marketing strategies.

3. Clear Hiring Framework 

From job descriptions to interview questions to onboarding, she now has a replicable system for bringing on the right people while meeting provincial regulations.

4. Sub-Niche Strategy for Associates Serving BC Communities

Each clinician under her umbrella niche has their own specialty. This creates a practice where clients across the Lower Mainland can find exactly what they need without diluting the overall brand.

5. Business Boundaries That Actually Work (Even in Vancouver's Hustle Culture)

She went from one day off per week to a sustainable schedule that includes actual personal time. Her friends in the Tri-Cities area started inviting her to Saturday plans again.

Building a Practice That Serves Canadian BIPOC Communities

Here's what makes Suki's practice particularly important in the BC landscape: she's created a safe haven for BIPOC women seeking therapy. In Port Coquitlam, where the population is largely Caucasian, having a practice specifically designed for BIPOC women fills a critical gap.

As she shared: "There is that feeling of we're almost trained to present a certain way... I almost had a hesitation of niching into that because the BIPOC community is a little bit smaller where I live."

But here's what happened when she got specific: she created a referral magnet. BIPOC women from across Metro Vancouver started seeking out her practice specifically because it was a place designed for them.

This is what makes niching powerful for Canadian therapists: You become the go-to expert for your specific community, whether you're serving a neighborhood in Vancouver, a region in Ontario, or clients across multiple provinces.

The Best Part? She's Using What She Learned to Lead

Here's what really gets me: Suki took the worksheets and frameworks from the Full Practice Formula and brought them to her associate. She's coaching her team members through finding her own sub-niche, developing her clinical voice, and building her practice within the practice.

That's leadership. That's how you create a sustainable group practice culture in Canada's unique therapy landscape.

What This Actually Required (For Canadian Therapists)

Let's not sugarcoat it. Suki's success in building a BC therapy practice came from:

• Facing the scary finances: Leaving Health Authority job security isn't easy, especially with immigrant parents asking about stability (a reality many first-generation Canadian therapists navigate)
• Doing the identity work: Processing the "profit guilt" that comes with charging what she's worth in Vancouver's high cost-of-living market
• Getting uncomfortable with visibility: Marketing felt "icky" until she reframed it as connection
• Understanding Canadian business requirements: Navigating BC incorporation, provincial regulations, and tax implications
• Trusting the process: Even when she couldn't see exactly how it would all work out
• Investing in support: Both in coaching and in learning Canadian-specific business skills she didn't get with her Graduate Degree.

What's Next for This Port Coquitlam Practice?

She's already planning her next hire (probably November 2025 or early 2026). She has systems in place. She knows exactly what she's looking for. And most importantly, she's not pulling her hair out this time.

Her practice is becoming known in the Port Coquitlam and Tri-Cities area as the place for BIPOC women seeking therapy. She's building partnerships with other BIPOC business owners in the Lower Mainland. She's creating a referral network that serves her community authentically.

And she's doing it all while actually having weekends off – revolutionary in our hustle culture.

Suki's practice, Serenity Counselling BC, represents what's possible when you:

• Build with intention from the start
• Get specific about who you serve
• Create systems that support sustainable growth
• Lead with your values while building profit
• Seek support from someone who understands the Canadian context

Her practice serves clients across the Lower Mainland, specializing in BIPOC women dealing with anxiety, people-pleasing, and self-doubt. Using evidence-based approaches like EMDR and Brainspotting, her team helps clients find their authentic voice and build confidence.

This is what modern Canadian therapy practice looks like: values-driven, niche-focused, systematized, and profitable.

The Bottom Line for Canadian Therapists

You don't need an MBA to build a thriving group practice in Canada. You don't need to work 60-hour weeks. You don't need to choose between clinical excellence and financial success – not in BC, not in Ontario, not anywhere across Canada.

What you do need:

• Clarity on who you serve and how you're different in your local market
• Systems that support growth without burning you out
• Understanding of Canadian business requirements (provincial regulations, employment standards, tax implications)
• Support from someone who's actually built what you're trying to build in the Canadian context
• Permission to do things your way, not the way some American business coach says you "should"

Suki's story proves what I've been teaching Canadian therapists for years: sustainable scaling is possible here. Purpose and profit can coexist in our healthcare landscape. And your clinical wisdom isn't just relevant to business – it's your competitive advantage, whether you're practicing in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or anywhere across Canada.

Why Canadian Therapists Need Canada-Specific Business Guidance

Here's what's different about building a therapy practice in Canada:

• Provincial regulations vary significantly (what works in BC might not apply in Ontario)
• Tax implications are different (incorporation strategies need Canadian accounting advice)
• College requirements differ by province (advertising rules, billing practices, documentation standards)
• Market dynamics are unique (smaller population centers, different insurance landscape)
• Cultural context matters (addressing Canadian experiences of BIPOC communities, immigration stories, healthcare system navigation)

American business coaching doesn't account for these realities. You need someone who understands the Canadian therapy practice landscape.

Ready to Write Your Own Success Story?

Whether you're in BC like Suki, practicing in Ontario, Alberta, or anywhere across Canada, the principles of sustainable practice growth are the same:

1. Get crystal clear on your niche (who you serve and how you're uniquely positioned to serve them)
2. Build systems that support growth (not just hustle harder)
3. Create authentic marketing (that connects rather than feels "salesy")
4. Develop leadership skills (for when you're ready to hire)
5. Understand Canadian business requirements (so you're compliant and confident)

The Full Practice Formula was designed specifically for established Canadian therapists who are ready to scale sustainably. No hustle culture. No sacrificing your values. No copy-paste American strategies that don't fit our context.

Just real strategies for real growth in the Canadian therapy landscape.

Connect With Suki's BC Practice

Want to learn more about Suki's approach or see if her practice might be right for you or someone you know in the Lower Mainland?

• Website: www.serenitycounselingbc.com
• Instagram: @serenitycounselingbc
• LinkedIn: Suki Ohulahan
• Serving: Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Burnaby, and across Metro Vancouver
• Specialization: BIPOC women struggling with anxiety, people-pleasing, and self-doubt

Ready to Scale Your Canadian Therapy Practice Without the Burnout?

If you're a licensed therapist in Canada hitting the $100K+ revenue mark and wondering what's next, let's talk about how the Full Practice Formula can help you build the practice you actually want – not the one everyone else says you should have.

I work exclusively with Canadian therapists because I understand:

• Provincial regulations and college requirements
• Canadian tax and incorporation strategies
• The unique challenges of building practices in smaller Canadian markets
• Cultural context for serving diverse Canadian communities
• How to navigate Canada's healthcare landscape while building private practice

Book a consultation call and let's map out your sustainable growth strategy – designed specifically for the Canadian therapy practice landscape.

About the Author

Cecilia Mannella is a Licensed Clinical Counsellor with 25 years in mental health and 17+ years building therapy practices in Canada. She scaled from solo practitioner to seven-figure group practice and now helps established therapists across Canada do the same – sustainably. Based in BC and serving therapists coast to coast, Cecilia understands the unique challenges and opportunities of building therapy practices in the Canadian context.

FAQ: Building a Group Practice in Canada

Q: How long does it take to build a successful group practice in BC? Suki's experience shows that with the right systems and support, you can go from solo practitioner to hiring your first associate in under a year. However, sustainable growth varies based on your market, niche, and capacity. Most Canadian therapists I work with see significant momentum within 6-12 months of implementing strategic systems.

Q: Do I need to incorporate to hire associates in British Columbia? While you can operate as a sole proprietor initially, most therapists incorporate before hiring to protect personal assets and access tax advantages. BC incorporation requirements differ from other provinces, so working with a Canadian accountant familiar with therapy practices is essential.

Q: How do I find the right associate for my Canadian therapy practice? The key is creating a job posting that attracts your ideal cultural fit while clearly stating your niche, values, and approach. Be specific about what makes your practice unique – whether that's serving BIPOC communities, using specific modalities like EMDR, or maintaining particular practice values. Generic job postings attract generic candidates.

Q: Can I really build a profitable practice while serving marginalized communities in Canada? Absolutely. Suki's practice proves that serving BIPOC women specifically hasn't limited her growth – it's accelerated it. When you're clear about who you serve, you become the go-to expert for that community. This is especially powerful in Canadian markets where BIPOC therapists and culturally responsive services are in high demand but short supply.

Q: What's different about marketing a therapy practice in Canada versus the US? Canadian therapy practices operate in smaller population centers with different advertising regulations, cultural norms, and healthcare contexts. What works in American markets often doesn't translate directly. Plus, provincial college regulations on advertising vary significantly across Canada, so your marketing must comply with your specific provincial requirements.