For so many clinicians, the dream of starting a private practice feels like something you do “one day.” But what if that day could be today – without quitting your job, without burning out, and without turning your life upside down?
Today’s guest is Anaya Ruiz, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and the founder of Wonder Wings Pediatric Therapy, LLC in Central Florida. After working in schools and clinical settings, Anaya realized she wanted more freedom, flexibility, and the ability to design a practice that truly puts children and families first. That led her to take the leap into private practice – a journey full of challenges, growth, and rewards. Today, she helps children in her community develop communication skills through family-focused and child-led therapy, while building a practice that reflects her values.
And here’s the best part: Anaya didn’t quit her day job to make it happen. She’s currently splitting her time between working part-time in the schools and growing her private practice. From the time she joined the Start Your Private Practice program to the day she officially launched, over two years passed. Life happened (a pregnancy, a new house, you name it). But Anaya kept the dream alive, and now she’s on the verge of going full-time in her practice.
Anaya holds specialized strengths in literacy from her graduate coursework and works with children from birth to 18 on articulation, phonology, and language. She describes her approach as “generalist” – but make no mistake, her impact is anything but general.
Outside of patient care, Anaya is building her practice with an eye toward the future: adding OT services, hiring another SLP, and eventually opening a brick-and-mortar location. In her free time, she enjoys spending afternoons with her daughter, running her business alongside her husband (who helps with the accounting!), and yes – going to Target in the middle of the day.
In Today's Episode, We Discuss:
- What it really looks like to build a practice when you're not ready to make a dramatic leap
- How she went from "just going through the motions" to waking up excited about her work again.
Anaya is truly living proof that you don’t have to choose between stability and freedom. She started slow, trusted the process, and is now building a practice that fits her life – not the other way around. Her story does not have to be the exception. You, too, can achieve the career of your dreams if you simply start taking steps to get there.
Want to build your private practice to the point where you can go part-time – or even full-time – on your own terms? Learn more about our Start Your Private Practice Program, where Anaya got the step-by-step guidance she needed to go from employee to business owner. To learn more, please visit www.startyourprivatepractice.com.
Or, if you already have an existing private practice and you're ready to take it to the next level we'd love to support you inside the Next Level Private Practitioner. You can learn more at www.nextlevelprivatepractitioner.com.
Whether you want to start a private practice or grow your existing private practice, I can help you get the freedom, flexibility, fulfillment, and financial abundance that you deserve. Visit my website www.independentclinician.com to learn more.
Resources Mentioned:
Follow Anaya on Instagram: instagram.com/wonderwingsllc/ & instagram.com/anayamarieslp/
Check out her website: wonderwingsllc.com
Where We Can Connect:
Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-practice-success-stories/id1374716199
Follow Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/independentclinician/
Follow Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.castrocasbon/
