Podcast Summary: Private Practice Startup Podcast - Episode 179
Title: How to Work from Home, Even with Kids and Save Your Sanity
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Katie Read
Date: March 28, 2020

Episode Overview

In this timely episode, hosts Kate and Katie are joined by entrepreneurship and mindset coach, Katie Read, to discuss practical and compassionate strategies for working from home as a mental health practitioner while managing childcare, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. The episode dives into personal stories, expert advice, and mindset shifts for maintaining both professional productivity and family well-being under unprecedented circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Real-Life Challenges of Working from Home with Kids

• Kate shares her experience juggling a newborn and an almost five-year-old during COVID-19 shutdowns, noting high anxiety and overwhelm due to loss of external support and disrupted routines.
  • “The sleepless nights, you guys, it’s so rough. That has a huge effect on my mental health.” [05:02, Kate]
• Katie L. relates to the struggle, recalling her own experience with young children and the increased need for family flexibility.
• Katie Read discusses her home dynamic with two kids (ages 6 and 9, both home for extended spring break), highlighting how a lack of structure impacts children’s moods and the need to shift course as a parent.

2. Mindset Shift: Embracing Imperfection

• Katie Read urges parents and practitioners to set aside unrealistic expectations and embrace imperfection, especially for those accustomed to high achievement or traditional routines.
  • “Embrace imperfection right now. Just know that nothing is going to go exactly the way you planned.” [09:30, Katie Read]
• She likens the current crisis to the experience of special needs families, where resilience and flexibility are essential, and advocates for accepting a new definition of “normal.”
  • “The people who I see struggling the most...are the ones where they're saying things like, ‘But Billy is going to be a Major League baseball player...’ That's the level of stress we need to let go of right now.” [12:04, Katie Read]

3. Creating Flexible Routines & Boundaries

• Importance of Structure: Having at least a loose structure helps everyone, but the hosts and Katie Read agree: let go of perfection and expect pushback from kids when home becomes school and work.
  • “Creating some sort of a structure helps and matters...You’re going to get pushback in the beginning.” [13:45, Katie Read]
• Strategies shared:
  • For older kids: Block out working hours in the morning, give kids autonomy with snacks and activities, and allow flexible screen time [15:00, Katie Read].
  • For all parents: If possible, wake up earlier to get focused work done before children are up.
  • For therapists: Be flexible in scheduling, shorten sessions if needed, and recognize privacy challenges with little ones at home.

4. Therapist Strategies for Sanity & Service

• Do Notes Immediately: Save mental bandwidth by completing session notes right after appointments [16:50, Katie Read].
• Be Fully Present: Short, quality engagement with children pays dividends in their independence.
  • “If I give my kids even one hour where I am just 100% present and focused with them, that buys me another hour where they're willing to go do something with each other.” [17:28, Katie Read]

5. Serving Clients Creatively During Crisis

• Flexibility for Clients:
  • Offer mini-sessions or 15-minute check-ins to accommodate clients with children at home. [17:40, Kate]
  • Adjust billing transparently—charge appropriately for shorter sessions.
  • Use creativity to provide value through video content, check-ins, and resource sharing for those unable to attend regular sessions [23:26, Katie L.].
• Be Indispensable:
  • “How can you become indispensable to your clients’ lives right now?...People need structure.” [21:44, Katie Read]
  • Focus therapy on immediate needs: structure, anxiety management, grief support.
• Humanizing Your Role:
  • It's okay to share your parallel struggles in clinically appropriate ways, strengthening therapeutic alliance through shared humanity.
    • “We're all on a parallel path...it's okay to be real about the challenges.” [25:42, Katie Read]

6. Self-Compassion & Reframing This Time

• Kindness to Yourself: Recognize the unprecedented mental load; practice self-gentleness and flexibility in both parenting and professional roles.
  • “Imperfection is the name of the game. I will never again in my lifetime have this much one-on-one time with my kids.” [32:20, Katie Read]
• Future Perspective: Document these times for yourself and your children, focus on memories and connection rather than lost academic or professional milestones.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the challenge of working with kids at home:
  • “Last week was a complete circus at our house...It took us a few days to kind of get through that...We’ve since created a plan and structure.” [04:48, Kate]
• On embracing imperfection:
  • “Embrace imperfection right now. Just know that nothing is going to go exactly the way you planned...Once you do that, it honestly can give you that little breath of fresh air.” [09:34, Katie Read]
• On serving clients creatively:
  • “It’s not that you need to be brilliant...All it is is take the resources that you've seen going around that you think are good, send them out to your clients, put them on your social media.” [28:52, Katie Read]
• On the gift of time:
  • “We will never again have this much time together as a family...Can I just get them materials...and let them be creative right now?” [32:20, Katie Read]
• On professional community:
  • “The therapists out here are absolute heroes right now. I am grateful for all of you and your work.” [33:45, Katie Read]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Life at Home During COVID-19: Hosts’ Experiences – 04:05–07:02
• Mindset Shift and Embracing Imperfection – 09:30–13:45
• Creating Structure Amid Chaos – 13:45–17:40
• Tips on Client Flexibility and Serving during Crisis – 17:40–23:26
• Client Communication and Humanizing the Therapy Experience – 25:42–28:44
• Final Advice & The Gift of Family Time – 28:52–34:19

Key Takeaways

• Let go of perfection, and embrace a new “normal.”
• Infuse reasonable structure, but accept inevitable interruptions and messy moments.
• Be radically flexible with both clients and family—offer shorter sessions, more check-ins, and share resources generously.
• Model authenticity and empathy in your professional role; be real about parallel experiences with clients.
• View this unusual time as an opportunity for deeper family connection and creativity.
• Prioritize self-kindness—you’re doing enough.

Episode Tone

Warm, honest, validating, and highly practical. The hosts and guest speak openly about their struggles, share actionable advice, and repeatedly return to compassion, flexibility, and the importance of human connection in challenging times.

Recommended Action:
If you support parents, therapists, or anyone juggling work-from-home and childcare during crisis, share this episode widely. The conversation offers universal truths and gentle support for anyone "in the trenches."