
From Psychotherapist to Hospital MD: Leah Athanassopoulos on Scaling with Empathy
From Scale Her Up: Female business stories and expert tips for business growth and success by Brenda Hector
April 24, 2026 · 37 min · Season 3 · Episode 152
About this episode
Leah Athanassopoulos shares her journey of transforming a plastic surgery clinic into a private hospital while emphasizing the importance of empathy in leadership.
🎙️ In this episode of Scale Her Up , Dr Brenda Hector talks with Leah Athanassopoulos , the owner and managing director of Alpha Hospital Group . Leah shares her incredible journey of scaling a part-time plastic surgery clinic into a fully regulated private hospital, filling a critical gap in women’s health and fertility services in the North of Scotland. Leah discusses how her background in counseling and psychotherapy has been her "secret weapon" for leadership, staff management, and building a patient-centered culture. We also dive into the reality of the "juggle"—balancing a business, a lecturing career, and a growing family (including a third child on the way!)—and why "starting small" is the safest way to take a big leap. 📝 Platform Show Notes The Hook: From a counseling room to the operating theater—Leah Athanassopoulos is redefining private healthcare in Scotland. Key Topics: Filling the Gap: Why Leah expanded Alpha Hospital Group into fertility and women's health to save patients from traveling to Glasgow. Clinic vs. Hospital: Understanding the massive regulatory shift and the technical challenges of building a hospital in a granite building. The Therapist’s Edge: How…
People in this episode
Host: Brenda Hector
Guest: Leah Athanassopoulos
Topics covered
- women's health
- entrepreneurship
- leadership
- psychotherapy
- business growth
- work-life balance
Keywords
- scaling business
- private healthcare
- patient-centered culture
- staff management
- fertility services
- psychology in leadership
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Alpha Hospital Group
Places: Scotland, Glasgow
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