Miriah Rutledge: From Survivor to Advocate
Just four years into business ownership, this marriage and family therapist has created a thriving practice that's reshaping how domestic violence cases are handled across the region.
At 34, Miriah Rutledge juggles the demanding roles of practice owner, licensed marriage and family therapist, mother to a one-year-old daughter, and tireless advocate for domestic violence survivors. Her Main Line-based practice, Choosing Change Counseling, has grown from a solo venture during COVID into a comprehensive group practice that donated over $29,000 in services in 2024 alone—all while pioneering a four-day work week that’s revolutionizing how mental health professionals approach work-life balance.
Miriah Rutledge is a 2025 Main Line Parent Women of Influence Award Winner
Main Line Parent’s Women of Influence Awards celebrate exceptional women making significant impacts in our community. Miriah was nominated by her “proud husband and biggest supporter,” Justin Malenich, and selected based on her achievements and dedication to creating positive change in her community. Each Women of Influence Award Winner has committed to support Family Focus Media’s core values. Together, we are committed to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for all for all families. All backgrounds, races, genders, and sexual orientations are welcome and safe with us.
Beyond the awards, our Women of Influence Luncheons and Speed Networking Night attendees come together as our Women of Influence Network, a community fostering connections, collaboration, and mutual support.
From Teacher to Therapist: A Mission Emerges
Miriah’s path to advocacy began in the classroom. As the first person in her family to attend college, education held deep significance. “I always knew I wanted to be a person of impact since I was a young kid,” she explains. While teaching high school English, she realized she wanted deeper involvement with families beyond what the classroom allowed, leading her to pursue her master’s in marriage and family therapy.
Her specialty focus took shape through personal experience as a domestic violence survivor. “I realized after going through that process in the legal system and just even navigating it with friends, family and dating again that it was very isolating. It was very lonely,” Miriah recalls. “There were times where I felt like even systems that were supposed to keep me safe were not able to.”
Rather than let this experience define her as a victim, Miriah transformed her pain into purpose. But she didn’t rely solely on personal experience—she invested in specialized certifications and training to become an expert on cluster B personality disorders (narcissistic, borderline, antisocial, and histrionic), recognizing that “my story is not everybody’s story.”
Breaking New Ground in Legal Education
Miriah’s impact extends far beyond her therapy office. She conducts training for judges, attorneys, mediators, and financial advisors—divorce professionals who often lack education about the subtleties of domestic violence. “A lot of the education is kind of basic and over-focuses on very blatant forms of abuse,” she notes. “I try to incorporate some of the more subtle tactics, especially financial abuse and psychological abuse.”
The response has been transformative. Legal professionals tell her they’re receiving new information that helps them better support their clients. Some attorneys now consult with her on cases, and she advocates directly for her clients during legal proceedings when needed.
One significant change she’s driving involves court-mandated therapy recommendations. “A lot of times there’ll be a ruling like, ‘okay, both parents need to go to co-parenting now,'” Miriah explains. “Well, if there’s someone who’s abusive in that partnership, they’re never going to be able to be a collaborative co-parent.” She helps attorneys recommend more appropriate therapeutic interventions that don’t further financially burden victims through ineffective treatment models.
Redefining Mental Health Practice Culture
Perhaps Miriah’s most innovative contribution is her approach to workplace culture at Choosing Change Counseling. Her team works a maximum of four days per week while receiving above-market compensation—a radical departure from the field’s notorious burnout rates.
“In our profession there’s so much burnout. I’ve seen many of the people that I’ve gone to grad school with just switch careers,” she explains. The traditional community behavioral health model expects therapists to see 30-35 clients weekly, often with high-trauma populations and low pay. “I don’t want a turn and burn practice. I want a place that has a feeling of stability for our clients.”
The model works on multiple levels. Clients receive care from energized, well-rested therapists. The practice has experienced minimal turnover since its inception. And perhaps most importantly, it allows her female team members to thrive in all their roles—as therapists, mothers, wives, and individuals pursuing personal interests.
“Once you get to the top, whatever that means to you as a woman, I think it’s important then to take other women with you,” Miriah emphasizes. “I want other women to experience a balanced life. I want them to feel like they can have their career, they can have their family life and do it well.”
Creating Community Through Comprehensive Care
What started as a solo practice during COVID has evolved into a one-stop shop for families in crisis. When Miriah became overwhelmed with referral requests, she strategically brought on therapists from her professional network—women she knew personally and trusted professionally.
“Everyone has a different specialized niche area. We only overlap if it’s necessary,” she explains. The practice can now serve an adult domestic violence survivor, provide therapy for their children processing trauma, and offer career counseling to help someone re-enter the workforce after abuse—all under one roof.
This holistic approach extends to their community outreach. Beyond the $29,000 in donated services, the practice offers free consultations, helps connect people to appropriate resources even when they can’t provide direct services, and hosts monthly “lunch and learns” on Instagram covering topics from PTSD awareness to financial conversations in early dating relationships.
Personal Practices That Sustain Impact
Managing such demanding work while raising a one-year-old daughter requires intentional self-care practices. Miriah’s morning routine anchors her days: coffee with her husband while watching their daughter sleep, followed by a workout before seeing clients.
“I always tell clients your AM routine and your PM routine—those are the pillars of your day. If those are stable and have a structure that really gives to you, then the rest of the day you’ll be much more able to handle the natural ups and downs that come.”
This personal practice models the work-life integration she promotes throughout her practice. Her team benefits from three annual appreciation events: a catered holiday party with partners, a February spa day for staff only (timed after their busiest season), and a summer social including families—this year featuring a VIP box at a Reading Fightin Phils game.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Educational Impact
Miriah’s 2025 goals center on broader educational outreach. She’s launching a YouTube channel and podcast to share in-depth, free information on domestic violence and mental health topics. “Most people can watch a YouTube video or listen to a podcast while they’re working out or driving,” she notes pragmatically.
She also plans to increase her public speaking engagements, potentially sharing more details of her personal story to reduce stigma. “I would like to help people understand that victims don’t look a certain way,” she explains.
A Message of Hope and Action
For women facing similar challenges, Miriah’s message is clear: “It’s okay to save yourself, to stick up for yourself, and then once you heal, stick up for somebody else. This isn’t everything you are. This is just a part of your story.”
Her own life exemplifies this philosophy. Remarried to “a wonderful man,” raising her daughter, running a thriving practice, and maintaining strong friendships, she represents tangible hope for clients in their darkest moments. “When you’re first going through it and making decisions for your safety or for your children, it feels very scary—like nothing’s ever going to be happy again. I think sometimes just them seeing me, I’m hoping that imparts some level of hope.”
Creating Lasting Change
In just four years, Miriah Rutledge has built more than a successful therapy practice—she’s created a model for how mental health professionals can serve their communities while maintaining their own well-being. Her influence extends to every legal professional she trains, every family she serves, and every woman on her team who experiences what it means to be fully supported in balancing career and personal fulfillment.
Her story proves that sometimes our greatest wounds become our most powerful tools for healing others—and that true leadership means creating space for others to thrive alongside us.
