TRUST YOUR HEART by Kate Usaj, LISW

  • Home
  • TRUST YOUR HEART by Kate Usaj, LISW

TRUST YOUR HEART by Kate Usaj, LISW I teach Social Workers exactly how to INTENTIONALLY create a six figure Career by Design on their own terms! Let's redefine success together!

Welcome to Intentional Career by Design for Social Workers! In March 2020, I stood in my office, gazing beyond my manager as her words faded away, my attention drawn to the breathtaking view of the grounds I had called my workplace for eight years. This was the job I'd retire from, surrounded brilliant colleagues with the grand sendoff party for which our department was known. On that fateful day, as I was asked about a personal laptop and instructed to go home, I knew I could never return to the conventional 9-to-5 grind. Driving home, the realization struck me like a lightning bolt—it was time to transition from the role of a 'good and faithful' employee, but to who/what? Fast forward two years, and I've emerged as the CEO of my own six-figure business, making a profound impact as a social worker. Working just two days a week, I've discovered a newfound freedom that goes beyond the boundaries of a traditional career. Now, my mission is clear—to empower fellow social workers who are teetering on the brink of burnout. Like many social workers, I hadn't fully explored how my education and career experiences positioned me to reimagine my skills and talents. Since March 2020, I meticulously planned and developed three pillars for the career I had always envisioned:

1) Self-pay clients ~
https://www.kateusaj.com/Psychotherapy%20services%20for%20women

2) LSW Supervision ~ providing services to 75+ social workers to become independently
licensed
https://www.kateusaj.com/Ohio-LSW-Supervision

3) Coaching for Social Workers ~launched a step-by-step program with online lessons
for experienced social workers to intentionally design a social work career making more
impact, work less hours and drastically increase their income as well as emotional and
financial freedom. https://www.kateusaj.com/IntentionalCareerByDesign

I have the unique skill set, specializing in supporting social work colleagues who yearn to break free from the agency grind—a place where burnout is inevitable, and compensation is often insufficient. My boutique, supportive mentorship offers a step-by-step guide tailored to meet your individual goals. My programs aren't for every social worker; they're crafted for those seeking a shift—from indentured employee to a CEO mindset. If you're a social worker ready to intentionally design your career, reach out! Join a community of like-minded professionals and gain the support of an experienced mentor, guiding you toward building a six-figure business on your terms.

Before January ends, pause and ask ourselves;What do I want to carry forward this year?And what am I finally ready to se...
26/01/2026

Before January ends, pause and ask ourselves;

What do I want to carry forward this year?
And what am I finally ready to set down?

Not everything from last year deserves a place in this one.

Comment on one thing you’re leaving behind.

Your license can give you options, not just obligations.Private practice isn’t just about income. It’s about choice.Choi...
23/01/2026

Your license can give you options, not just obligations.

Private practice isn’t just about income. It’s about choice.

Choice in how you work.
Choice in who you serve.
Choice in how your life feels.

If you want help building toward that kind of choice, join my exclusive supervision group where I provide training supervision and help Ohio LSWs learn the art and science of social work practice to build a career they design intentionally.

Tap the link in my bio to learn more.

22/01/2026

Most people think job security comes from a job.

That is backwards.

Your employer can love you on Monday and replace you on Friday.

Your “security” is just a feeling until you build it into your life.

That post nailed it.

No car payment.

Six month emergency fund.

Two to three income streams.

$100,000 invested.

And I will say the part that makes people mad.

If you do not have those things, you do not have job security.

You have a paycheck addiction.

I learned this the hard way.

When I was a new financial advisor, I watched smart people with big titles get blindsided.

Not because they were bad at their jobs.

Because they had no margin.

A car payment they could not miss.

No cash buffer.

One income.

No investments doing work in the background.

Then I deployed to Iraq in 2005.

You want to talk about perspective.

You realize fast that control is limited.

But preparation is not.

I read money books over there and made a decision.

If I got home, I was going to build a life where one job could never hold my family hostage.

That mindset is why I obsessed over paying off debt.

That mindset is why I built my RIA.

That mindset is why I built an online business on top of it.

Not because I was chasing yachts.

Because I wanted freedom.

I wanted options.

I wanted to be able to say no.

I wanted to protect my wife and kids from one bad break.

Your boss is not your plan.

Your plan is your plan.

Build assets that pay you.

Build margin that calms you.

Build skills that keep you paid.

Build income streams that make you harder to break.

Here’s your next steps: 👇🏼

📍Follow and comment “STACK” and I’ll send you my FREE guide: The Wealth Stack - 7 Assets Required to Achieve Financial Freedom.

In this guide, I reveal the assets I acquired that enabled me to achieve multi-millionaire status in my 30s.

👉🏼 Follow to learn wealth-building tips your parents and school didn’t teach you.

22/01/2026

You made it through 💛

The 10 darkest weeks of the year are behind us.
From mid-November to the winter solstice — and now past it — every day from here on out gets a little brighter.

Longer daylight.
A bit more warmth.
A quiet reminder that brighter days always return.

If this stretch felt heavy, just know: you’re not alone, and you did it. 🌅

Tell me — are you noticing the extra light yet?

Photo credit 📸: Little Pine Learners

Even seasoned social workers need supervision, reflection, and support.Growth doesn’t end with licensure. It deepens wit...
21/01/2026

Even seasoned social workers need supervision, reflection, and support.

Growth doesn’t end with licensure. It deepens with the right guidance.

Save this if you’ve been telling yourself, you should have it all figured out.

21/01/2026

The Year of NO: 25 Things I’m Not Doing Anymore in 2026
No to burnout disguised as ambition

No to being available by default

No to conversations that go in circles

No to last-minute plans that disrupt your routine

No to fixing problems that are not yours

No to guilt-based decisions

No to overcommitment

No to comparison and silent competition

No to tolerating disrespect, even when subtle

No to chaos disguised as “flexibility”

No to saying yes out of habit

No to ignoring early warning signs—physical or emotional

Such sweet goodness
21/01/2026

Such sweet goodness

20/01/2026

Many people feel trapped between two narratives that never seem to forgive them. Choose school, carry debt, and hear blame for the struggle. Choose labor, earn less, and hear blame again. Society sells one narrow definition of success, then punishes anyone who fails to fit inside it. That tension weighs heavy because humans crave belonging, yet systems often reward conformity over truth.

Neuroscience shows chronic stress narrows thinking and fuels shame. Shame thrives when people believe struggle equals failure instead of feedback. Life does not move in straight lines, and growth rarely follows one approved route. Meaning grows from learning, adapting, and staying human inside imperfect systems.

Freedom begins when you stop asking which path was right and start asking what feels aligned now. Your worth never came from a title or a paycheck. What belief about success have you carried that no longer serves you, and what would it feel like to release it 🤍🌱

20/01/2026

Restart, Refocus & Reset as needed!
❤️💪✌️

After more than 30 years in this field, here’s what I know for sure:You don’t lose yourself in social work all at once.I...
19/01/2026

After more than 30 years in this field, here’s what I know for sure:

You don’t lose yourself in social work all at once.

It happens slowly — through overextension, unclear expectations, and lack of support.

But the opposite is also true.
Clarity builds gradually too.
Confidence grows with reflection.
And careers become sustainable when they’re designed with intention.

This year doesn’t need a dramatic overhaul.
It needs grounded, thoughtful steps forward.
What’s one boundary or support you want to strengthen this year?

I didn’t leave my job because I hated social work.I left because I wanted to design my own system. One that fit the life...
16/01/2026

I didn’t leave my job because I hated social work.
I left because I wanted to design my own system. One that fit the lifestyle and business I dreamed of.

Intentional Career by Design is for social workers who want to build something sustainable, flexible, and aligned with your dreamed life.

If this resonates, consider this your sign to take your social work career to the next level.

Join Intentional Career by Design. Tap the link in my bio.

Address


44060

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 21:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 21:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 21:00
Thursday 08:00 - 21:00
Friday 08:00 - 21:00
Saturday 08:00 - 21:00
Sunday 08:00 - 21:00

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when TRUST YOUR HEART by Kate Usaj, LISW posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to TRUST YOUR HEART by Kate Usaj, LISW:

  • Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic?

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram