We sat down with our owner Sarah Hamelin to chat about Pause Wellness Center through her eyes and learn more about her. Take a look at our interview questions and her answers below!
What made you want to start PWC?
I had been working as a solo practitioner and my caseload was full. I could see that the demand for therapy was high, so I wanted to start group practice to be able to help more people.
What makes PWC different from other practices in the area?
I respect and collaborate with many practices in the area, and we all have great things to offer. Pause is in a convenient location on Main St in Northborough MA. We have many skilled clinicians with varying specialties, as well as a dietician on staff. Good communication with existing and prospective clients is one of our top priorities. If a prospective client submits a new patient form and we don’t feel that we are the right fit for them, we will still try to provide them with appropriate referrals. In addition, after the pandemic, many practices moved to telehealth services. While we still provide some telehealth services, most of our clinicians offer in-person sessions multiple days per week. At the forefront of my mind is providing excellent client care, and that guides every decision we make at Pause. I believe that by treating my employees well, they can provide their clients with the best caliber of services possible.
What are some of your favorite parts of your job/ owning PWC?
I really enjoy taking a step back to look at what I built. To see employees enjoying interacting with each other and hearing their clinical opinions is nice to see. It feels so good to be able to help so many people through quality mental health services. I also like collaborating with outside businesses and working together to help people.
What are some of the practice milestones you are proud of?
The amount of growth we have had in the past year has been exciting. Every new milestone we reach with the number of sessions we perform each week feels great. Two years ago, we were doing about 100 sessions a week; now we are doing anywhere from 150-200 sessions! This means we are helping at least 150 people a week, and that feels amazing.
What is one of your favorite pieces of mental health advice?
I gave the practice the name “Pause” because I find that taking a pause before reacting is so important. When you do this, it allows you to organize your thoughts and communicate in a constructive way, which increases your chances of being properly heard/ seen by others.
What are some of your goals for the practice?
I am looking forward to us increasing our social media and blog presence this year. Of course, I’m always looking forward to continuing to serve the community and help more and more clients.
What are some of your personal goals?
This year I want to get back out into the community more. When I first opened my solo practice, I did some trainings at the local libraries, with the girl scouts, and at schools. I want to get back to all of this. I love making connections in the community. I want people to know me and know that they can always reach out; I will do what I can to help regardless of whether it’s within Pause or providing a referral to somewhere else that can help.
What do you like to do outside of the office?
I love baseball. I don’t care how terrible the Red Sox can be, I love being at Fenway Park. I also love fireworks nights at the Woo Sox. The beach is one of my favorite places to be. I am a warm weather girl, so I just want to be outside enjoying the sunshine as much as possible.
If you weren’t in the mental health field, what do you think you would be doing instead?
My dream job is to be a dolphin trainer. Otherwise, I have no idea. I feel like I am right where I should be.
Fun Fact:
I have a dog named Greta