I will admit something I have been feeling guilty about lately.
Recently I made the decision to pivot into medical aesthetics, but part of me worried I was betraying the identity I spent my entire career building.
I have been in the mental health field for 22 years, since I was 21. Every chapter, from clinician, operator, franchise owner, and executive, was rooted in helping people through the most challenging times in their lives. That work shaped me.
So stepping into an industry viewed as “not medically necessary” made me question myself.
Was I abandoning those values?
Was I selling out?
But life changed.
The chapter I thought would continue for years came to a natural end. Suddenly I had a blank page. And I realized that my life goals had changed and I was not willing to repeat a path that no longer fit.
I did not want to run another insurance-based group practice. I had learned that the system is flawed. The constraints are structural. I was not willing to build another business on a foundation that could not support the growth I wanted.
I also did not want another executive or corporate job. I like building, not slotting into a machine, and the natural politics and focus on optics had worn me down. I wanted to get closer to the beginning stage again. The part where you build the wheel.
So when I discovered medical aesthetics, it clicked.
I went to AmSpa’s Medical Spa Business Bootcamp this weekend and it confirmed a lot. Everything I learned in running and scaling outpatient mental health translates directly. Compliance, scope of practice, KPIs like capacity, utilization, show rates, retention, revenue per hour, client satisfaction, safety, and quality. It is the same operational playbook with a different specialty.
I also met so many MDs, DOs, PAs, NPs, and RNs who left hospitals for the same reason. Burnout. Bureaucracy. Feeling like a cog in a wheel. It struck me that we are all being pulled toward the same thing.
Freedom.
In aesthetics you have pricing power.
You can scale without reimbursement ceilings.
You can pay your team well.
You can reinvest in growth.
And you can still build a brand aligned with your values.
Your bottlenecks are within your control. Clinicians want a first break if you’re willing to train. Marketing has real ROI. And there is blue ocean.
The work still changes lives, just differently.
Mental health strengthens the inside.
Aesthetics strengthens how people show up in the world.
This has become the most aligned path I have found.
I am not abandoning my roots. I am building something new with the same values, but with a model that lets me take better care of my family, my team, and myself.
This path is not typical for most therapists. My combination of experiences is rare. But it is the right one for me.
Sometimes the right next chapter is not the one you expected. It is the one where your experience, values, and ambition finally match.
If you work in aesthetics, I would love to connect.
This piece was originally shared on LinkedIn and sparked thoughtful discussion among medical aesthetics practice owners. I’m sharing it here for those who prefer to read privately.
View the original LinkedIn discussion →
If this resonates, or if you’re thinking about the future of your practice, I’m always open to a confidential, owner-led conversation.