Sept. 2025
Tova Vertes

Building a solo practice in the mental health, therapy, and education space can be both meaningful and lonely. As the founder of Phenomenal Kids, where I work with children who have learning disabilities and neurodiverse needs, I realized I needed a stronger professional network—not just to grow personally, but to better serve the families who rely on me. Many of them needed services outside my scope, and I wanted to connect them to practitioners I knew and trusted.

Over the years, I had attended various women’s networking events, but often found myself out of place. Most were geared toward mortgage brokers, social media managers, or multilevel marketing professionals. When I did meet someone in the therapy or education space, we’d talk all evening and magic would happen. That magic sparked an idea.

I envisioned a dedicated space for women entrepreneurs in mental health, education, and related fields—somewhere to collaborate, refer clients, brainstorm, and support one another. I wanted to build a network rooted in empathy, professionalism, and repairing the world through service to others.

That’s when I turned to Andrea Zians, a dynamic educator who had recently launched her own consulting business. Zians immediately saw the potential. She encouraged me to make it happen and suggested we meet at Hamilton Jewish Family Services, which, having recently launched a new mental health-focused program, offered the perfect home for our vision. We picked a date, put the word out, and hoped for the best.

When the evening arrived, I was a little nervous. I had prepped a fun networking bingo game, unsure how easily connections would form. But the game quickly became unnecessary. From the moment people walked in, conversations flowed effortlessly.

Among those in attendance were psychotherapists from our own Jewish community—including Sari Myerson, Cortney Pasternak, and Joy Pekar—alongside ADHD coaches, holistic nutritionists, and educators. Each brought a unique perspective, yet we were all connected by the shared purpose of supporting others through healing and connection. It was tikkun olam in action.

The atmosphere was open and collaborative. We swapped stories, shared referrals, and walked away feeling recharged and inspired. This wasn’t just a networking event—it was the start of a community rooted in service, compassion, and shared purpose.

Future events are already in the works, and we look forward to expanding this circle of care. If you’re a woman entrepreneur in the mental health, therapy, education, or adjacent wellness fields, know that you’re not alone. There’s a space for you with us—where connection, collaboration, and tikkun olam guide the way.  If you’d like to participate in future programs, please email me at [email protected].