What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't strategy… but permission?

In this episode of the Uncaged Clinician Podcast, Kevin DeGroot shares a powerful message that has been coming up repeatedly in coaching conversations with clinicians and practice owners: the need to give yourself permission to do things differently.

Too often, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and healthcare professionals feel stuck because of expectations placed on them by their profession, their employers, or even the broader business world. But building a business—and a life—that aligns with your values sometimes requires stepping outside those expectations.

Kevin breaks down three important permissions that many clinicians need to hear:

1️⃣ Permission to stop trying to fix the entire profession
You don't have to carry the weight of elevating an entire field. Sometimes the best thing you can do is build something better and let your results speak for themselves.

2️⃣ Permission to build the practice you actually want
Not every clinic needs to be a seven-figure empire. It's okay to design your business around your priorities, your family, and the lifestyle you want.

3️⃣ Permission to leave someone else's business
You are not responsible for keeping someone else's clinic alive. If it's time to move on and pursue something different, you're allowed to make that decision.

Sometimes the biggest breakthrough isn't learning a new strategy—it's realizing that you're allowed to take a different path.

If you've ever felt stuck between what you want and what you feel like you "should" do, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Uncaged Clinician:
https://www.uncagedclinician.com

Podcast Description:

On this episode of the Uncaged Clinician Podcast, host David Bayliff sits down live with clinic director and orthopedic specialist Eric Spencer for a powerful conversation about leadership, service, and transforming the way we practice healthcare.

Together, they challenge the transactional model that dominates much of physical therapy and explore what it really means to create an experience instead of just delivering a plan of care.

This episode dives deep into the difference between treating impairments and restoring identity. Are we simply addressing range of motion and strength deficits, or are we helping people reclaim who they are? Whether it's the grandmother who wants to confidently play with her grandkids or the athlete struggling with lost identity after injury, David and Eric unpack how true impact happens when clinicians serve the person — not just the pathology.

They also explore:

• The art versus the science of physical therapy

• Why patients buy into identity transformation, not treatment plans

• How experiences create loyalty (and "difficult discharges")

• Speaking life into patients beyond their first sticking point

• Serving your team with gratitude to prevent burnout and turnover

• The difference between serving for applause and being a servant at heart

From love languages to leadership philosophy, this conversation reframes what it means to lead in healthcare — not through ego, metrics, or transactions — but through mission, vision, and genuine service.

If you're a clinician who wants to move beyond corporate box-checking and build a culture that transforms patients and teams alike, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Pull up a chair. Let's think differently. Let's do differently. Let's uncage healthcare.

In this episode of the Uncaged Clinician Podcast, host David Bayliff shares a powerful message for clinicians who are thinking about starting a practice — and for those who already have.

If you've been wondering:

• "Is entrepreneurship really for me?"

• "What if I fail?"

• "What if people say no?"

• "What if I'm not good enough?"

This conversation is for you.

David breaks down three critical principles that separate thriving practice owners from those who stay stuck:

1. Run Your Practice Your Way
Stop chasing everyone else's blueprint. Clarity about your end goal creates discernment. Wise counsel should refine your vision — not replace it.

2. Seek the No's
"No" is not rejection — it's repetition. It's feedback. It's refinement. Often, no simply means "not right now" or "I need more clarity." Entrepreneurs who win are the ones who aren't afraid to hear it.

3. Mindset Matters: Blue Ocean vs. Red Ocean
Operate from abundance, not scarcity. Celebrate competitors. Raise up leaders. Create a culture where creativity thrives instead of tension and comparison.

David also shares personal stories of rejection, imposter syndrome, failing forward, and the long road to becoming a physical therapist — proving that facts don't define your truth.

If you've been sitting on the fence…
If you're in a tough season…
If small beginnings feel discouraging…

Remember: You can't see the view if you don't try climbing.

If you're exploring whether starting or growing your own practice is the right next step, schedule a no-pressure Growth Strategy Call at:
👉 uncagedclinician.com/schedule

Share this episode with a colleague who needs the encouragement.