“What If I Get It Wrong?” Two Therapists on Doubt, Fear, and Creating Their First Programs Artwork

Therapists Rising Podcast

Welcome to the Therapists Rising Podcast, where we share real, raw, and behind-the-scenes stories and lessons from Therapists who are thinking outside the traditional clinical box and choosing to do things differently in their careers. I’m your host, Dr. Hayley Kelly, and I myself have made the journey from a very experienced, but burnt out and unhappy, Clinical Therapist - to a successful entrepreneur who runs a business she loves, is thriving financially, and working and living life on her own terms. Join me, and be inspired, as I speak with other Therapists who too are broadening their horizons, and experiencing more abundance, joy, and fulfilment than ever before. Together we will laugh, soak up priceless wisdom and take actionable steps, to help you transition from clinical practice to non-clinical offerings, and diversify and amplify your income - all while honouring your wellbeing and having a work-life balance. If you’re ready to be inspired and take action on your dreams, then you’re in the right place, friend. This is the Therapists Rising Podcast.

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Therapists Rising Podcast

“What If I Get It Wrong?” Two Therapists on Doubt, Fear, and Creating Their First Programs

September 23, 2025 • Episode 228

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Alice Ayliffe and Elise Cassidy — two incredible therapists and Incubator graduates — to explore what it really looks like to move beyond the 1:1 model and create programs that change lives.

If you’ve ever wondered, Where do I even start? Will anyone want what I create? What if I get it wrong? — this conversation is for you.

Alice is an occupational therapist based in Hobart who has carved out a powerful niche supporting adults with ADHD and training other OTs to work in this space. Elise is a Melbourne-based speech pathologist with nearly 30 years of experience, who has turned her deep passion for dyslexia advocacy into online programs and resources for parents and schools.

Neither of them had it “all figured out.” They both wrestled with doubts about burnout, regulation, self-belief, and fear of judgment from peers. But through the Incubator, they found clarity, community, and the confidence to build programs that not only generate income but also expand their impact far beyond the therapy room.

In this episode, Alice and Elise share the barriers they had to push through, the wins they’ve achieved, and the advice they’d give to any therapist standing where they once stood.

HERE ARE THE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

Burnout can be a signal, not the end. Both Alice and Elise hit walls in their careers that forced them to look beyond the traditional therapy path. That pain became the nudge toward innovation.
Fear of judgment is universal — but it’s survivable. Whether it was Elise worrying about peers judging her for charging for her knowledge, or Alice fearing regulatory trouble, both show that self-doubt doesn’t disqualify you.
Programs expand your reach without diluting your expertise. Dyslexia advocacy, ADHD-affirming practice, and OT supervision are now impacting parents, schools, and other clinicians — proof that your clinical skills are needed in new spaces.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The Therapist Rising Incubator – For therapists ready to create their first sustainable online program with ongoing support: therapistsrising.com/incubator

Connect with Alice Ayliffe:

Website: aliceayliffe.com
Facebook: Alice Ayliffe Consulting

Connect with Elise Cassidy:

Website: littlevoices.net.au
Facebook: Little Voices Speech Pathology
Instagram: @littlevoicesspeechpathology

People on this episode

Dr. Hayley Kelly

Host