What if your workday started at the beach? That’s the dream for Tahara DeBarrows, LMFT — and at Grow Therapy, it’s her reality. Every day, Tahara balances her work with the flexibility to live life on her own terms. If you’re wondering how a career with Grow could fit into your life, here’s a glimpse into a typical day that’s anything but typical.
Monday, 6:30 AM
Tahara begins her work week like many working parents: with a whirlwind of cereal, sunscreen, and car seats. “I’m a single parent, my daughter’s seven,” she says. “In the morning, I’m making breakfast and bringing her to camp, because it’s summertime.”
Monday, 7:15 AM
Tahara drops her daughter off at camp and heads to the beach herself. Afterwards, she grabs a coffee. Tahara has oriented her business around being able to take care of her family and herself. “Nine to five has never worked for me, personally,” she admits, “So I just made sure I did the necessary things in my life, education-wise. Now if I want to go to the beach in the morning, I can do that. If I want to just go to Starbucks and sit there and read a book, I can do that. I wanted to be a therapist, but I wanted to have my own practice where I can have my work be my passion, but also have balance.”
Monday, 10:30 AM
Tahara, now home, prepares to begin her therapy sessions. She sets her own schedule, and sees clients from 11 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Thursday. After working in substance abuse settings for three years, she knew she had to have more control in her life. “I just worked really hard to the point where I just wanted to make my own schedule,” she shares. “Grow Therapy really helps with that. They’re here for support, but this is my practice, right?”
Monday, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tahara therapy sessions begin. Licensed in Connecticut and newly credentialed for Telehealth in Florida, she sees clients from the comfort of her home office. “I started with the group practice, doing it in office, but I really like telehealth. It just fits better for me.” Tahara is also able to choose her own caseload and clients. “I get to choose who I want to work with. My office hours are Monday through Thursday, 11:00 to 4:00. That works for me, and I get no complaints from Grow. You know what I mean? Having a minimum amount of clients and maximum amount of clients – I don’t have to worry about any of that.”
Monday, 1:00 PM
One of Tahara clients cancels their session. She takes this opportunity to catch up on some writing for the Grow Therapy blog. “I’ve been contributing to a lot of different blog articles based on my professional and personal experiences,” she says. And she’s not worried about the empty slot – she gets referrals whenever she needs them, but her caseload is where she wants it for now. “Right now, I’m at a good number of clients. If I can, I’ll try to reschedule. I’ll still try to squeeze them in. But I’ve never had an issue filling my caseload – [Grow Therapy] has always been really great with referrals.”
Monday, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
After her sessions, Tahara takes time to decompress and review her notes. She also responds to a few emails from clients. “Even though my hours may seem limited to other people, I’m still available. My session hours are 11-4, Monday through Thursday, but my office hours are 8 AM to 8 PM, Monday through Sunday.”
Monday, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Tahara picks up her daughter from camp, and they spend some quality time together. Her evenings are reserved for family and personal time, ensuring a balance between her professional and personal life.
Friday, all day
Fridays are dedicated to Tahara’s self-care, which she calls her “me time.” “My partner knows even if she works from home, it’s ‘Okay, bye, I’ll see you when I get off work.’ Sometimes she’ll come downstairs, and I’m still here taking a nap, watching movies, or sometimes I’m going and I’ll say, ‘I went shopping’ or ‘I went’—anything, right? I love having that balance.”
Throughout the week
Beyond her therapy sessions, Tahara explores other professional opportunities. “The freedom that Grow gives me allows a lot of opportunities to do other things in therapy. I was part of a maternal mental health panel last year around May. That was really fun.”
For Tahara, working with Grow Therapy isn’t just about flexibility — it’s about having a safety net when it really matters. When an insurance hacking issue hit, threatening her income, Grow Therapy didn’t just leave her to figure it out alone. “This is what I do, this is it,” Tahara says. “If that gets screwed up, it’s really bad. But Grow said, ‘No, you’re still gonna get paid. We’re working through it.’ They were really transparent with the emails and things like that.” For a small business owner, that kind of support isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s everything.
At Grow, therapists get more than just flexibility — they get the peace of mind that comes with someone’s in your corner when it counts. For Tahara, and therapists like her, that blend of freedom and support turns a job into something more.
Interested in joining our network? Learn more about joining the Grow Therapy as a provider here.
