Welcome to the Freedom Therapist Podcast, your safe space to learn and unlearn all the things about scaling your business without losing yourself in the process. I'm your host, Mia Pokopovic, a previously burnt-out mental health occupational therapist and business owner who found her way to fall back in love with business and life all over again. Because success doesn't have to come at the cost of your freedom. You're going to get so much chat, a lot of energy, and of course, a little bit of chaos because it comes with the territory. I can't wait.
SPEAKER_02Welcome to the Freedom Therapist Podcast. Today I have the wonderful Nat with me, who is a pediatric occupational therapist and auntie to seven little people that she absolutely adores and someone who deeply believes that when families understand the why underneath a child's behaviour, everything changes. Nat is a PES OT and the founder of Discover OT in Queensland. She works with children, parents, teachers, educators, and she has this really beautiful way of going beneath what we see on the surface to help families understand what's happening developmentally, what the child might be needing, where things might be trickier, and what actually is going to support growth and connection. Nat also teaches what she calls the little hidden gems, and these are the things that completely shift how we respond in everyday moments. She's someone who advocates fiercely for children and families in her therapeutic approach, and she is also incredibly passionate about supporting mothers through the realities of parenting with practical tools, emotional support, and connection. Across her two seasons inside the Freedom Therapist Club, I have watched her step into leadership with intention, compassion, and their most incredible deep thought leadership. She's an exceptional clinician, a thoughtful business owner, and someone who leads with so much intention. And Nat, I am so glad that you're here today.
SPEAKER_03Mia, that was so, so beautiful. Thank you. I think this is the perfect time to really reflect on all the things. So I'm so excited. But thank you. That was a beautiful introduction.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, I can't.
SPEAKER_02I can't wait to dive into today's combo. I just love, you know, I love chatting with you, and I think that our listeners are going to get so much out of this conversation today. I would love to know your story, Matt. Like what's your before? Where did you start? How did Discover OT come about? What did life and work look like you before you started your journey to building your beautiful business?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so was in private practice since I graduated and was straight into pediatrics, which I didn't have very much clinical expertise in through PRAC at uni because of COVID. My first placement was cancelled. That was supposed to be in pediatrics. So have been in private practice working in the NDIS space for yeah, majority of my career. And was working full-time. So was doing a nine-day fortnight with an RD on a Friday. Um working very long hours, I think is one of the big things that resonates the most. So I felt like I was never home. I would leave home at 7:30 and I wouldn't get home until after five o'clock. Um, so it felt like I was spending more hours at work than I was at home. So I was always working in a clinic. Um, that was the environment. So was doing some um out of clinic like school visits and kindy for observations and things, but most of the time families came to the clinic um for sessions, which I think now I've seen such a big shift in my mindset being a mobile therapist. Um, back then it almost felt like it was um, what's the word, more exhausting to do out of clinic visits because I was so exhausted. So days were um probably yet fitting up to seven kids in. Um lots of afternoon sessions because that was preferred after school, but obviously you can only fit so many kids in to that time slot. Um, so even yeah, back-to-back sessions made it trickier um of not having time to really think about and reflect on what happened in one session, but quickly racing to the next. Um, so yeah, that was the before starting Discover OT.
SPEAKER_02Wow. It's right, it's really an urgent care reactive model sometimes, isn't it? And you would know, I mean, we've all been there, like the toll that it takes on your nervous system, we're not able to show up as as our best selves, as our like big part of our job is co-regulating the little people we work with, which is so hard when we're absolutely pushed to the limit as well, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I think um in the space that I was in, I feel like that quantity was prioritized over quality. And realistically, how can you deliver a quality service if you are back to back throughout the whole day? Um, and I guess that um performance with KPIs of there was a bonus scheme put in place. So if you met or exceeded your billable targets, then you were rewarded with a bonus payment. And obviously everyone wants to achieve that, but the implication that has on therapist is huge.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, definitely. And I think that there has like we know that you need to have certain accountability in business and you need to have like certain thresholds to meet, but I think that a lot of the models need to be tweaked, right? Like there's there's so many extremes in the space, and it's like we need to find this happy medium, we need to find this happy medium, and I think it's gonna take some time as well.
SPEAKER_03Yes, absolutely. I knew for myself, um, working in that space for roughly five years that it wasn't sustainable for me long term, and I loved, I love what I do, but I knew I couldn't deliver that um same, I guess, intensity for 20 years. That wasn't going to be viable at all.
SPEAKER_02No, absolutely. And I think that's such a beautiful reflection to share so vulnerably. So thank you for sharing that, Nat, because I know there's probably therapists who are sitting in the same position now. You then went on to start your own business. What inspired you into doing this? You know, what was the biggest hesitation about transitioning into a business? And talk to me about your freedom-based business model. What helped you make that leap? Because I know that moving from a state of dysregulation and being in that urgent care, sometimes we can move into starting our business and bringing those same habits with us. So, how did you do things differently?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so I think um I was actually trying to find the quote. So, one quote in particular always comes back to my mind when I feel like I um really made the decision that I can't continue the way I'm working for me as a person and the way that I'm showing up for my family as well. Um, and yeah, I couldn't find exactly the words, but wanted to share that um it was something along the lines that it's your choice whether you follow someone else's dream or pave your own. Yeah. Um, so that's what, yeah, really was the turning point where I thought um I know that this is important to me, and I really do need to shift um for myself and yeah, the way that I'm working currently. And I knew that organizations um obviously need to meet, yeah, like we said, their KPIs and all of those things and their targets, but it wasn't going to work for me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I love that. I love it's whether you're going to follow someone else's dream or behave your own. It's such a beautiful quote. And you did. You went off and you followed your dream and you built this incredible business. Can you walk us through some of the first steps of your journey? I know there's a lot of therapists who may be in the same position. I get like, I know I have DMs all the time of therapists being like, I really want to do this, but I'm unsure. And I know that, you know, it's such a journey that you have so much to share on. So do you want to walk me through the first steps of your business?
SPEAKER_03Yes, absolutely. Um, I knew deep down without the right support, um, it would always just be a big dream of mine that it would never be, I guess, achievable or attainable without um being surrounded by the right people and knowing what is possible or what that can look like, or having a step-by-step process until I found you there, which was incredible. So it was um, I just feel like it was fake that your Instagram came up online, um, and I was like, this is exactly what I need. Like, I don't know, this is spoke directly to me. Um, I was reading it and I was screenshotting it, and I was like, what? This is amazing. Yes, I'm in. And um reached out to you, Mia, which was perfect. And so this was obviously when I was still um under my current employer, um, and said, Yep, I want to know what I can do to take the right steps to create um Discover OT to really support me and my vision. Um that was the biggest, I guess, first step that I took was joining the Freedom Therapist Club. And like we said, um, for the first six months, I was really just um trying to work out what my vision was and how to make that come to life. Um, so soaking in everyone else's goodness during that, um, and really reflecting and planning what my next steps were and how to make it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there was a lot, yeah. And so just a lot of reflecting and planning in those six months and really just defining that. You I remember when you came in and you were so incredible around the intention and the thought of what you wanted your business to look like, and you really did. I feel like you really put in those sustainable steps so that you knew what your business vision was, you knew what your message was, you knew the type of business you wanted to run, you started to embody those leadership skills, and now you're like living and breathing it. And I think this is so important because there's so many different ways to do business, and often we hear of like the quick, you know, jump, dive in, say yes, figure the rest out later, all of those things. And I think your way is so beautiful because I remember us having so many conversations, and you were like, I really want to nut this out first, I want to get this like really clear first, I want to be super intentional about that, and I think it really paid off when you launched your business, right? Because tell me about when you launched your business. Like, I know there would have been fear around clients and around you know how many people it was gonna take to book us in. What happened in those first initial weeks of your business? And I can see you laughing.
SPEAKER_03Yes, it skyrocketed beyond what I could have ever imagined. Um, so yeah, the community, um, the amount of posts that were shared that I was launching and starting was incredible. I was in shop for the first week.
SPEAKER_02I know it was just so amazing, wasn't it? And I think like you, because you had put all this intention behind, you had like your Instagram post ready to go, you had your content ready to go, you had all of your referral process ready, and I think that like spending that time to do those things, like there's so many different ways we can do business, but you really spent that time to like really fine-tune that process when you were in the club and you did so much extra work to really make sure that process felt really good, it felt really streamlined. Did it make when you opened the doors of your practice easier?
SPEAKER_03Absolutely, 100%. Yeah. It wasn't like I was scrambling or you know, thinking, oh, this isn't working, what else can I do in the moment? Um, yeah, the system was set up. Um, so referrals, I wasn't scared as a new referral popped in. I wasn't like, oh, what happens next? Um, so yeah, that was great, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, you put in so much hard work, and I think it's just paid off in such a tenfold as well. And I know that a big part of your business was you wanted to create a business that had a really connection-led approach that really empowered parents. And what does that look like in your day-to-day work now?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was honestly just reflecting on it, and I was thinking to myself, this is the most connected I've actually felt as an occupational therapist in my community. Um, working and working so closely and traveling to schools and kindies and daycares. Um, one of the daycare um directors actually said to me jokingly, we should really just get to a shirt for here because I visit so often, um, which is so beautiful, and has actually led to conversations about me delivering professional development for the educators and presenting to parents to really share um what what work I am doing with kids and how it does make such an impact, which has been amazing and something that yeah, I didn't have very much community involvement in my previous role, um, which I've absolutely loved to see how that's unfolded within Discover OT.
SPEAKER_02I love that so much, Nat. That's so incredible, and I can just like I just feel like your presence in those spaces is just going to be so valued and such a beautiful asset for education, for the educators, for the families, for the kids as well, because your approach is just so empowering for them too. I really love your sense around community and tell me more about like why that's so important to you, I guess in the space like where you live and why that's important to you in your region. We spoke a lot about, and I know we've had a lot of conversations around like community involvement and why that is such a big part of the values your practice has at Discover OT.
SPEAKER_03I think thinking back um obviously about the way that I wanted to create Discover OT. Um, so I guess in my previous role, I felt like it was more of a pick-up, drop-off. Um that was the clinic environment vibe. That was, I guess, um, that was just resulting from having the clinic environment. And obviously, parents are so busy that they're needing to do other things. And um, so all as well as the um back-to-back sessions don't allow for any direct communication with families at the end. Um, so yeah, definitely knew that I wanted to be more involved with families so that they could also understand what we were doing in OT sessions to really support the whole family. So, home visits have been a big part of me being as a mobile therapist now, uh, which has been so nice to see what their everyday looks like. It really does give that deeper level insight um into the family dynamics, um, plus what the daycare environment looks like and what the challenges are, um, school visits, so being able to collaborate with teachers more regularly, which often only happened once a turn. So now that I'm traveling there once a week or once a fortnight, how those conversations shift, um, and have just felt like I'm yeah, a part of so many different communities. I go to um, I think five different schools a week. So I feel like I'm a part of each school network, um, which has been, yeah, such a huge shift within, I guess, my energy as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, that's so beautiful. I think a big fear around starting your own practice, especially as a mobile therapist, is that you're gonna feel really isolated. And I think you have just spoken to so beautifully that with the right strategies around building your business and like really prioritizing connection, you've probably got more connection than what you did. Well, you have than what you did before, right? Yeah, yes.
SPEAKER_03And honestly, Mia, the community that you created, um, for all of us as I guess, um, well, some of us as soul um practitioners and small teams, um, I've never felt like I've been alone through any of my business journey so far. Um, so yeah, I've always stayed connected uh with the ladies and um within the Freedom Club, which has been so nice to call on for any questions or ask, um, or just even, I guess, checking in on what they're doing on social media as well is inspiring. So thank you for helping us all as Allied Health professionals across Australia and I know and Tabali and all of those things, which is incredible. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, no, I am so grateful for each of you because I think each of you make the space what it is, and I think like it's so important to have a community when you are a therapist at any stage of your business. And one of the things I love that you just spoke to is that you know, you may have finished your time in the Freedom Therapist Club, but you forever have that community, which I think is so important for us. Like we're all as therapists, we're building individuals to become more independent, and that's what we're supporting. And I think that's something we hold really true to it's that you have that community forever, like it doesn't disappear once your time finishes, right?
SPEAKER_03Yes, so so true.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love it. No, I love I love seeing everybody's journeys on socials, and I just love the just the energy that gets behind it, and I love that you were just speaking of energy because tell me how your energy has changed. Tell me how your business now looks after you and how your energy has changed.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so the flexibility has been the biggest. Um, yeah, I've absolutely loved it and have never looked back um to my, you know, oh, I wish I was back in my previous role. That's never come across my mind. Um, so working like school-based hours has been huge of not having to um start before eight o'clock and work until 5 p.m. But also I get to choose what like my schedule looks like. And I can confidently say that I choose to see a client at four o'clock on a Friday, and that still meets me. Um, which has been, I guess, like in my previous role, I was counting down to my RDO. I was like, How is it not Friday yet? And now I'm like, oh my goodness, where is the time gone? How is it Friday today?
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, that's so beautiful. We're actually loving being in it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yes. I've you know adjusted my calendar. When my niece asked me, can you come to my parade? I'll say, Yeah, no worries, I'll put in my calendar now. And I'm able to show up without the guilt of saying, Oh, sorry, I'm working, I have to take leave, and just the process around needing to do that always felt like I was letting my case slow down. But now I'm able to um attend appointments when I need to and shuffle my calendar to reflect that. Um, so have traveled to Townsville in the morning, um, which is an hour away from where we live, and continue to work in the afternoon because I can. I don't need to take, you know, a full day off work if that's not necessary, or if I feel like I really want to see that family this week, I'll fit them in.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, that's so beautiful, Nat. And I think you just have such a beautiful way of describing the all of the things that we dream for in our week, in our day as therapists. And I think the most incredible part is your practice is fully booked, your financial situation has not been impacted by these hours, which I can see you shaking your head as well. And it's like, I think we sometimes think that, you know, if we make these choices to prioritize ourselves, our clients are gonna suffer our financials, they're gonna suffer our freedoms, gonna like, do you feel that too? Like sometimes there's like you have a like there's there's an aspect before we actually step into these kind of practices that all of these things are going to be, you know, impacted if we run a practice in this way.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was so surprised. And I think it is something that we don't reflect on often. Um, like when we were first talking through numbers, Mia, and that type of thing, when I was trying to compare, like I don't want to make anything less than what I was already making because that was like a safe net um or a safeguard. But yeah, it is um when you do really sit down and reflect on what's important to you as a person, um, and you do want to live your life, like that's the that's the end goal. We're not um wanting to be working constantly. Um, if we really enjoy what we do and able to have that flexibility, it doesn't feel like work, it doesn't feel like a full work week or that you're working constantly because there is that buffer that you get to choose what it looks like.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, I love that so much. I just know that so many therapists are gonna be feeling so inspired by this episode, and I love that I like I'm not sure what our release date is on this one just yet, but we're recording this in December, and I feel like you are the most regulated therapist I have ever seen in December, and I think that is just speaking to like such a truth there. Like you're in December, which is meant to be one of the most stressful times of the year for therapists, and I'm just looking at you and you're like, you are relaxed, you are energized, you are like so happy, and it just makes me like literally makes me burst with joy like so much.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, starting my own business. I know there was like life has been busy, don't get me wrong. Yeah, um, the months are flying, but I feel so much happier within myself. Um, I know like weekends used to be just a recovery for me because the work week was so huge that I had no energy. Left in the tank to do anything else. Um, which, yeah, I guess has all changed since prioritizing what's important and how can I make it work for me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. That's such a big thing, isn't it? Around like really just enjoying the journey. And I think you work so hard on the foundations and the strategy of your business to keep having that end goal in mind of like not even an end goal of five, 10 years, but the end goal of I want to finish Fridays feeling really good. I want to finish Fridays feeling regulated, I want to be excited to go to work on a Monday as well.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Can you share an example of a moment or like there may be just a point in time like where you knew your business was creating more freedom? Is there something that you come back to where you're like, oh, that really stuck with me because that's not something I would have been able to do before, or even just a feeling where you are like, oh my gosh, this is what it's meant to feel like.
SPEAKER_03I think I've also thought about um how freeing it has been to work with educators to know what their schedule looks like and being able to um not really be so rigid and say, oh no, these are the only times I can offer this week. I can't support the kindy. Um I think I was like, wow, like I have freedom to do that now. It's not like I'm saying, nope, if you can't make nine o'clock work, well, too bad, you're lost. I think, yeah, I'm becoming or noticing those shifts where I'm like, wow, that is huge, and what a difference that has made for everyone um that we are working together because I am prioritizing those um collaborative relationships. Um other types of freedom, I think. Um I go across the bridge. Um, so we're in a small community and there's two sides, and my parents live on the other side of the bridge currently. Um, so I get to have lunch with my parents on Fridays because I visit the school over there every Friday, which I never would have had um the opportunity to see my parents during the working week because I was at work from 7:30 till 5:30. Like, where does everything fit otherwise? So that's freedom as well of being able to go to the school, see some clients, um, have lunch with my parents, and then continue working in the afternoon.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, Nat, that is so beautiful. Like that is just that just makes my heart incredibly, incredibly happy. That's so gorgeous. I think freedom looks so different for each of us as well, and it can look so different in all of our practices. Can you talk me through like anything that's maybe surprised you in your business? Anything that you were like working on that really supported my business, anything that was maybe trickier, or were there any moments that surprised you? Any unexpected goodnesses? Let me know. Was there anything there that really surprised you along this journey as well?
SPEAKER_03I think um delving into the business side was scary, but it's also so achievable, which I think everyone is so fearful of. Oh no, my clinical expertise as an occupational therapist doesn't involve the business setup or the social media marketing. Um, I guess yet chatting with um all of the stakeholders involved. Um, yet my confidence of actually just reaching out to people and connecting has grown so much. I feel like business has really changed me as a person and has made me grow so much, which has been amazing.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, that is one of the most beautiful answers so much. I think business shifts us internally. Like you really push yourself out of your comfort zone. And I think you've spoken to that amazingly because it does, it changes you as a person. It really propels your confidence. It can be so scary at the beginning, which is so, so true. But then every time we do something for the first time, it becomes a little bit easier and a little bit easier. And I know like showing up on social media is one of the things that therapists get so terrified about. And I think I have spoken to so many therapists in the DMs who are like, Mia, can you just like give me someone to outsource to? And I'm like, absolutely not. Like, and you, I can see you laughing. I'm like, you know how much I work, like we worked on messaging and we work on like deep values-led messaging, and I think that is just one of your strengths. And what would like, is there anything you would want to say to them about showing up on socials, like doing their own content or copy? Because I think you went through this journey in such the most incredible way, and I just feel like you'd have so much wisdom to offer others.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I often do reflect on what do what am I sharing or what am I doing week in, week out that I think would be helpful for other families. Um, and yeah, just showing up vulnerably on social media because people really do want to connect with you as a person. They want to know that they are getting um, I guess, genuine support because really, when you think about it, they're opening up their whole life to us as their occupational therapist. Um, so recently I shared um a post about me joining soccer for the first time uh with no soccer experience um since primary school, which has been huge. And I hope um parents do share that with their kids to show them that we're also making, I guess, decisions that are uncomfortable for us as adults too. That we're not just expecting kids to show up day in, day out and try new and hard things. Um so yeah, I do think sometimes I once I post, I'm like, oh, that was a bit sticky, or I don't know if I should have, but I said, nope, um, that's it. This is me. Um, and parents I think really do appreciate connecting with you on a deeper level to know what that looks like and to feel, I guess, safe and um nurtured is a big one as well that I always, I guess, strive for parents and families to feel like we want Natalie to come into our home.
SPEAKER_02That is such a beautiful way of putting that because we do go straight into people's homes, they open up like so vulnerably to us, and we're so scared to show up and like talk about ourselves or be on camera or have a photo of ourselves on our social media, like whereas we're asking so much more, and I think you've just phrased that so gorgeously, Nat, like that it it really changes the perspective of it too.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and even I guess seeing families, you know, in the supermarket, like we do live in a small town, and um a couple of kids have been like shocked, like, oh my goodness, there's Miss Nat, and they're so excited. And then next time when we do have a session, they're like, Well, did you buy at the shops?
SPEAKER_02Yes, I love this small chance. That is the best. That is so gorgeous. I think it's really inspiring to hear that you can show up on content, you can show up on the socials, and it doesn't have to be perfect. I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves, right? To have the most beautiful graphics or the most beautiful words, or people want to run things through AI till the cows come home, and like just showing up as yourself is the most beneficial thing you can do in your business. It's also most the most scary as well. Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I think my social media really reflects um, I guess, my core values and what I believe um that therapy should be um, yeah, I guess nurturing um families right from the core. So that's um, I know I sometimes I wish I could show up more often, but I'm also that busy delivering and yeah, doing all the things in business um that I'm not really getting out there to put sneak peeks or what therapy sessions look like, but I really do want families to feel um the vibe that therapy looks like for me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's beautiful. It's so beautiful. It's a sense of community, it's just an online community instead of an in-person community, and that's what we build in our services. We build communities, we build connection, and I think that is just one of the most beautiful ways of just putting it that you know we've got to be a little bit vulnerable to. What would you say, Nat, to the therapist who feels like they're in the sticky burnout, feeling a bit unsure, a bit uncertain to start the journey of creating their own business, of founding their own service?
SPEAKER_03Mia's reflection questions were the most inspiring for me to really nut out what's not working and what do I want to change? I think really sitting with um or looking at the working week and think like what is the hardest part? Um, for me, it was actually going into the clinic space. So having to leave home and be away for however many hours in a day. So I knew that mobile therapy for me was the answer because it gave me more freedom to spend time and write notes between lunch times at home, um, all of those things. But I think sitting with and really reflecting on what I wasn't enjoying and what needed to change was the biggest turning point for me of saying, well, no, the systems aren't changing in my current position. Um, we know that these expectations are going to stay. Um, so if I can't, if I don't feel regulated to meet or continue that, um, what can I do to make it feel easier?
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, that is such incredible advice. Like to really sit with those things, it's just it's so much intention, and I think it just oozes out of like everything you've created as well. What has been the biggest reward, Nat, since making a shift to a scalable freedom-based practice, since making the shift to running your own business? What's been your biggest reward?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think I've really removed the pressure um side of being an OT. So um I show up day in, day out, day in, day out, knowing that um what I'm doing matters, um, and that I'm doing what I can in the time that I have. Um, so the pressure part was like the biggest reflection piece because realistically, I'm still doing the same work that I was doing five years ago, and thinking about how much has shifted this year since being able to work for myself has been, yeah, I guess the biggest um best reward.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think that's so inspiring. Like you're still in the NDAS world, you're still doing that high intensity, reactive often urgent care work. But the fact that you are your most regulated self in that through changing the environment, like typical OT, listen to us, but changing the environment, changing the occupation, you know, it that's so inspiring. I think it's gonna be so incredibly inspiring for other therapists to know that you can stay in this line of work and you can feel really energized and really, really excited about your work too.
SPEAKER_03Yes, no, for sure. That was yeah, when I was thinking, I was like, well, what has really shifted in what I'm doing or what has changed about my days, and it really is me up the tiny things that have made me feel so much happier.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, Nat, I love that so so much. Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to women looking to build a purpose-driven freedom-based business and life, what would it be?
SPEAKER_03That's so hard. I know I think um if you do have a burning desire within you to do something that feels scary, um, absolutely dive in and really, if that means getting support, then completely go for it. Um, I know I was hesitant and was like, even joining the freedom therapist um without having you know my own business actually set up at the time, I was like, this is a huge investment, but I knew that's what I needed to actually go for it. Without that, it would just be me having conversations of yeah, I would love to work for myself, but that's just not attainable right now. Yeah, so honestly, um, yeah, believe in yourself and absolutely go for it because it really does make such a difference, even in the short term. Um, how much has shifted for me has been incredible.
SPEAKER_02I love that, Nat. I think that is just gonna inspire so many. And I'd love to know what what does freedom mean to you? What does freedom look like for you in this season?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think it's been um showing up the way that I can because I am able to look after myself and I'm making those decisions. So if I have a really busy day, I know that I can make the next day easier and um able to do the things that I wasn't able to do previously because every day was pressure. Um, every day there was an expectation that you needed to meet a certain number to, I guess, feel successful or feel like you were able to deliver um what was that like what was expected at that time. Um, so that flexibility has been the biggest piece that has now been joined to my puzzle, which has been great.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I love this, Nat. I have just absolutely sat here and just eaten up every single word that you have said because it has been so inspiring, and you have absolutely inspired me in this episode. I think your energy and the way you show up with the biggest passion for your practice. Like, this is what these are the stories we need to hear more of, right? These are the stories that are inspiring our space. It's no secret, we've had a hard year in the NDIS space, and this is just this episode and this energy in here and this conversation. Therapists are gonna get so much from this. And thank you for being so open, so vulnerable, and just really sharing like all of the things that have changed for you and all the things that are possible and available. I'm so grateful for you and your beautiful wisdom. Please let me know where can everyone find you because I know they're going to want to.
SPEAKER_03Thank you, Mia. Yes, I'm on Facebook and Instagram, and so you can look up under Discover OT. Yeah, Discover O. And my referral link is actually in my bio, um, which has been so streamlined for families that they can look at what Discover OT is all about and um click on the link and it will send me an email straight away. So um, yeah, everything has fallen into place and I'm so so happy, Mia, to finally be on the podcast. Um the Spotify announcements and the um what is it? The button button. Yes, I was actually, I think, um, I I think I was in the fourth percentile or the fourth, I don't know, something about the fourth for listening to the podcast. I love listening, and um your episodes always inspire me to yeah, make those tiny little shifts that all compound and make such a difference.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh, Nat, you are an absolute ball of joy, and I am so grateful for you. Also, everyone, I feel like Nat just gave away a really hot tip that put your put your links in your bio and make it easy for people to book in. Do that before the end of December. But thank you for sharing your energy, your words, your passion, your thought leadership. What you are doing is absolutely changing the space, and you have created a service that you should be so inspired and so proud of. And I just know people are going to absolutely love this episode. So thank you, thank you, thank you so much. It's been such a pleasure.
SPEAKER_03No, thank you, Mia. You are amazing. Right back at you.