Why I Work with Business Owners and Entrepreneurs: An Autistic Therapist’s Perspective
My name is Mackenzie (she/her) and I live, work and play in K’jipuktuk/ Halifax, Nova Scotia with my daughter and husband. I am honoured to be the Owner of Find Your Voice Music Therapy and Co-Founder of Costron+Co. In both practices I have the privilege and blessing of working with an inspiring group of therapists, collaborators and consultants. In this blog, I answer four questions to help you understand why I am positioned well to help both neurodivergent and neurotypical business owners using a unique combination of business coaching and therapy.
What inspired you to combine music psychotherapy, counselling, and business coaching?
I saw that creativity was a catalyst for healing, self-understanding and business growth, and I wanted to create a space where both can flourish together. Some of the most powerful moments in sessions come when clients realize they can approach challenges from new angles—whether through creative problem-solving, shifting perspectives, or exploring alternative communication strategies.
The areas that I often speak to folks about in therapy for business owners and entrepreneurs include:
1. Working With Your Brain, Not Against It
Many of the entrepreneurs I support struggle with executive function — things like planning, prioritizing, and following through — especially when tasks feel boring, overwhelming, or unclear. Together, we find systems that work with your neurodivergence, not against it, so you can run your business in a way that honors your strengths and energy patterns.
2. Navigating a Neurotypical Business World
From networking to self-promotion, many standard business norms weren’t built for neurodivergent minds. I help clients find authentic ways to connect, communicate, and market their work — without masking or burning out.
3. Building a Sustainable Business (and Life)
Burnout is real, especially when you’re doing all the things — leading, creating, managing, dreaming. Whether you’re scaling up or trying to stay afloat, therapy can be a space to untangle the pressure, reassess expectations, and build a business that supports your well-being, not just your bottom line.
How does your neurodivergence impact your therapy work with business owners and entrepreneurs?
Discovering my neurodivergence later in life helped me recognize that my way of processing the world—non-linear, deeply felt, and embodied—has always been a strength, even before I had words for it in my youth and young adulthood. Healing isn’t just about words; it’s about connection—connection to emotions, identity, and resilience in ways that feel natural and intuitive.
Business isn’t separate from who we are—it’s an extension of our values, experiences, and inner landscape. By integrating music psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching, I create spaces where people can explore, express, and build businesses that align with their true selves.
How does family (biological, chosen, business) and motherhood influence your approach to entrepreneurship?
Family, both chosen and biological, is at the heart of my work. Our closest relationships teach us about connection, boundaries, resilience, and the importance of feeling safe to be fully ourselves.
As a mother to a toddler, I’m constantly reminded of the importance of holding space for emotions. When my daughter expresses her frenetic, defiant ‘no’s,’ I often remind myself to meet her with patience rather than reacting from a place of frustration or overwhelm. Instead of seeing disruption as something to be controlled, I aim to see it as an opportunity to listen and honor expression.
This lesson translates directly into entrepreneurship. Just as a healthy family system thrives on respect, boundaries, and emotional nourishment, so does a successful business. Entrepreneurship, much like parenting, requires the ability to sit with discomfort—recognizing that we don’t have to suppress or push past difficult moments. Instead, we can listen, tend to our needs, and nourish our systems rather than reacting from a place of urgency or fear.
Beyond parenting, my approach to business is also shaped by the supportive relationships I’ve built with colleagues, mentors, and my broader community. Feeling truly seen and supported within my own “business family” has reinforced my belief that entrepreneurship isn’t just about strategy and growth—it’s about building something that reflects who we are and how we want to relate to others. This perspective guides my work, helping clients build businesses that not only support them financially but also honor their emotional and relational well-being.
What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to value-centered entrepreneurs?
Trust that your way of doing business is valid, even if it doesn’t fit traditional models. A personal, and transformative connection to this is how I’ve integrated gentleness into my businesses—embracing a four-day work week, something many entrepreneurs aspire to for greater life satisfaction. This shift has helped me feel more connected, less reactive, and more focused on my priorities, values, and productivity at both home and work. If I can do it, so can you!
As a neurodivergent, value-centered entrepreneur, I’ve learned that our unique rhythms, thought processes, and approaches aren’t things to fix or hide—they are strengths. Your values are your compass, and building your business at a pace and structure that supports your well-being isn’t just acceptable, it’s necessary.
Create systems that work for you, rather than forcing yourself into ones that don’t. And reminder – rest, reflection, and authenticity are not barriers to productivity; they are productivity. You don’t need to hustle to prove your worth. Your presence, integrity, and unique perspective are enough. Whenever I feel pulled in different directions, I return to this grounding reminder:
"Your parts are doing their best to keep you safe and comfortable. Lean in, and listen to what your heart is telling you to do—or not do."
