Sandra Karlin: From Tech to Therapist in Private Practice | Ep 201
Release Date: 09/23/2026
Maria Tsoukalas: From Forensic Assessments to Nomadic Therapy | Ep 204
Fearless Practice
Is there something you have been wanting to try in your Canadian private practice, but you’re unsure of how to approach it? Could you be waiting for permission to be creative? Well, here you have it! Maria pivoted her career from working as a forensic psychologist in prison systems and other group practices when she sat down with herself and was honest about chasing her goals: she wanted to travel the world while seeing her clients virtually. She figured it out, kept her clients at the center of her itinerary (including her interests), and found a way to bring her goal and dream...
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6 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Canadian Private Practice | Ep 203
Fearless Practice
Starting a Canadian private practice can be such an exciting time in your life, but also very overwhelming! This means that sometimes things can get missed, or too much time can be spent on one task, running the risk of other important steps falling through the cracks. In private practice, anything missing could have serious consequences! It is important to be thorough. So, I thought it would be helpful to share a couple of common mistakes and how to avoid them! In this episode: Waiting for perfect clarity before launching Using US advice without adapting to Canada ...
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Katie McLean: Combining Two Master’s Degrees Into One Practice | Ep 202
Fearless Practice
Some doors close so that others can open: when Katie didn’t get accepted into the original Master’s Education in Counselling program she wanted, it was disappointing. However, she ended up following another piece of her passion, and got her Master’s in Teaching and Education. Then, once she had graduated, she pursued her second Master’s in Counselling Psychology, achieving the degree she was initially looking for! Today, Katie runs her fully booked private practice where she combines her passion for education and psychology into one. Join us today as we discuss how...
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Sandra Karlin: From Tech to Therapist in Private Practice | Ep 201
Fearless Practice
Our paths can change in ways that we may not easily foresee. While Sandra was someone who always knew that she liked and wanted to help people, she only became a therapist later on in life: her first career was in tech! It was only after she completed her Master’s degree - studying part-time while working in the Canadian tech hub - that she pivoted her career, starting both from scratch and in a new industry in counselling. Over the last three years, Sandra has graduated, started, and grown her private practice from solo to group, and become a new mom. In this episode, we cover...
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My Biggest Takeaways From 200 Podcast Episodes! | Ep 200
Fearless Practice
This is an amazing milestone: I had no idea back in 2022 that the Fearless Practice Podcast would grow so big, and that I would still be here recording in 2026! Of course, I could not have done this by myself. Thank you to Jane App, my podcast department team, and you, the audience. You are as much a part of this team as we are, and your listenership helps us develop and continue publishing new episodes. In celebration of this milestone we’ve all achieved together, I’m sharing eight of my biggest takeaways from this journey with you. In this episode: The path is...
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Nicole Lobo: From Group Practice Back to Solo | Ep 199
Fearless Practice
What happens when the practice you worked so hard to build no longer fits the season of life you’re in? How do you know when it’s time to grow, and when it’s time to simplify? In another installment from my mini-series, “Where are they now?” I’m chatting with ! In this episode, Nicole returns to the podcast to reflect on how her practice has evolved over the last three years, why she transitioned from group practice back to solo work, and how motherhood reshaped her understanding of success, sustainability, and balance. From marketing struggles and wearing too many hats, to...
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Shulamit Ber Levtov: Building a Sustainable Practice Without Losing Yourself | Ep 198
Fearless Practice
Building a business while caring for others can be deeply meaningful work, but it can also come at a cost if your own well-being is left behind. It can be easy to get absorbed in caring for others and accidentally lose focus on your own personal needs in the process. Shulamit experienced this firsthand. In this episode, Shulamit Ber Levtov shares her unconventional path into therapy, from activism, graduating with a Master’s degree at 48, and building a thriving group practice in a rural community. She opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, the mental health...
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Paula Gonzalez: From Purpose to Practice and Scaling With Intention | Ep 197
Fearless Practice
Building a meaningful practice often starts with a personal story, and grows through courage, creativity, and a commitment to helping others. In this episode, I talk with Paula Gonzalez. We discuss her journey into mental health, which was shaped by both her background and lived experience, and how it led her from community work to launching and scaling her own private practice. From navigating the early days of going solo during COVID to building a supportive group practice, Paula offers an honest look at growth, purpose, and the systems that make it all sustainable. Join us for a...
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Amber Sperling: Three Years of Private Practice Growth | Ep 196
Fearless Practice
Growth rarely happens by accident because it’s built through intention, care, and a willingness to evolve. In this episode of my mini-series “Where Are They Now?”, Amber Sperling reflects on the journey of expanding her practice from a single basement setup to a thriving, multi-location space rooted in accessibility and community care. Amber and I first spoke on the podcast in 2023! To get the full experience of the there-and-now conversation, you can click here to listen to . In our conversation in this episode, she shares how prioritizing clients over waitlists, investing...
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How I Developed a Marketing Strategy for My Private Practice — Networking | EP 195
Fearless Practice
We’re revisiting episode 7: How I Developed a Marketing Strategy for My Private Practice — Networking. In this encore episode, I share the networking strategies I used when I started my practice in Halifax almost 10 years ago, including my first outreach system, why a personal touch like a thank-you card matters, and the biggest lesson I learned. You can find the show notes to the original episode . Connect with me: Resources Mentioned and Useful Links: Sign up for my free e-course on Learn more about the that I love and use for my Canadian private practice Sign up for my free...
info_outlineOur paths can change in ways that we may not easily foresee. While Sandra was someone who always knew that she liked and wanted to help people, she only became a therapist later on in life: her first career was in tech!
It was only after she completed her Master’s degree - studying part-time while working in the Canadian tech hub - that she pivoted her career, starting both from scratch and in a new industry in counselling.
Over the last three years, Sandra has graduated, started, and grown her private practice from solo to group, and become a new mom. In this episode, we cover her journey, what she has learned, and what she wants to share with you, the listener. Join us!
MEET SANDRA
Sandra Karlin is a Registered Psychotherapist and group practice owner of Beyond Happiness Counselling, supporting adults and couples in Kitchener‑Waterloo and virtually across Ontario. With a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology, she brings a warm, supportive, and sensitive approach to therapy, helping clients make sense of what they’re going through while building practical skills for change. Sandra works with concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, self‑esteem and body image, grief and loss, career changes, major life transitions, trauma, and relationship challenges. Her integrative style includes mindfulness, person‑centred therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Walk & Talk therapy, and Gottman Method couples counselling (Clinical Foundations training).
Learn more about Sandra on her private practice website, Psychology Today, LinkedIn, and Instagram profiles.
In this episode:
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When Sandra started her private practice
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Running a private practice as a new mother
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Changing careers from tech to therapy
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Marketing the private practice
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Offering walk-and-talk therapy
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Sandra’s advice to listeners
When Sandra started her private practice
Sandra completed her internship at a local clinic and then decided to stay on. While at the clinic, she slowly started building out her private caseload on the side.
At times, Sandra was working with an average of two private clients for a year, so it was truly slow and steady!
Sandra completed her Master's at Yorkville University and landed a great placement where she still occasionally works part-time, while now running her private practice. She also joined another group practice, where she works one day every two weeks, while managing her ever-growing practice with contractors.
Running a private practice as a new mother
Sandra started looking into hiring contract therapists when she was around four months pregnant.
She was concerned about her client’s therapy journeys and didn’t want their work to be interrupted while she took maternity leave. So, Sandra decided to hire contractors to take over some of her caseload.
Changing careers from tech to therapy
She always knew that she wanted to help people and be of service, but that has taken shape over time: being a therapist is Sandra’s second career.
At first, Sandra worked in tech. However, she decided to complete her Master’s degree part-time over four years while working in tech, and once she graduated, she made the switch.
Marketing the private practice
To market her private practice currently, Sandra has been using a mixed approach in terms of techniques, utilizing:
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Psychology Today referrals
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Word-of-mouth
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Google Ads
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Social media presence
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Videos on social media profiles
Offering walk-and-talk therapy
Sandra has found that offering walk-and-talk therapy in her private practice makes therapy more accessible. Some clients might feel nervous, shy, or too self-conscious to sit face-to-face with their therapist, and walking in nature means that you are side-by-side with them instead.
Additionally, you get to be out in nature, which may aid in helping people’s mental health, bringing a sense of calmness, and allowing one’s eyes to travel as they gather their thoughts without feeling self-conscious.
Walking also supports people’s therapeutic journey by offering them a literal way to talk through their stuck patterns or thoughts, bridging new thoughts and patterns with physical motion.
Sandra’s advice to listeners
If private practice is something that’s often on your mind, try it out!
Connect with me:
Resources mentioned and useful links:
My Biggest Takeaways from 200 Podcast Episodes! | EP 200
Learn more about the tools and deals that I love and use for my Canadian private practice
Sign up for my free e-course on How to Start an Online Canadian Private Practice
Jane App (use code FEARLESS2MO for two months free)
Get started with Hushmail here and get one month for free!
Learn more about Sandra on her private practice website, Psychology Today, LinkedIn, and Instagram profiles
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and TuneIn