Whole-Person Care: Lessons from Valentina Khoury Dubasik
00:41
Mara Kamat
Welcome back to In HerLand, the podcast where we explore women's journeys, leadership, and what ittruly means to build a life and career that feels aligned, grounded, and whole.I'm so excited to welcome Valentina Corey Dubasik, the founder and owner ofPerspectives Wellness. Val is a naturopathic doctor, entrepreneur, and motherwho has built a thriving wellness practice while raising her family and stayingdeeply connected to her values. I personally go to Vail and am so excited tohave her on In Her Land today and to share not only her story, but also thevalue and experience of being a naturopathic doctor and what we as women canbenefit from. Welcome.
01:52
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Thank you so much for the opportunity. It's an honor and a pleasure to be here.Look forward to sharing with you my story with you guys.
01:58
Carrie Aguilar
That's awesome. Well, thank you for joining us. We always like to start at thebeginning. Will you tell us a little bit about you? Where you grew up, whatshaped you early on, and perhaps what planted the seeds for the work you dotoday?
02:12
Mara Kamat
Sure.
02:13
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
So I grew up in a household of physicians. Both my mom and dad are doctors. Mydad's a general surgeon and my mom a psychiatrist. So the idea of being adoctor was always there in the background. Ever since I was little, I wasreally familiar with it, and it's to some degree what I identified with. Myparents met in medical school in Italy, and I spent the first part of my lifethere. We lived in Florence until I was about 5. Yeah, so it was really cool.But then we relocated to Ohio for better work opportunities. I know, right? I'mlike, mom, dad, of all the places, I love Ohio now. But, like, when I tellpeople my story, they're like, why? Why did you guys do that?
02:48
Carrie Aguilar
It's like, florence might have been cool.
02:50
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I know, right? But to keep it all kind of like, full circle, I ended up meetingmy husband here and everything. So it was like part of the grander plan. Butanyways, yeah, we would go back often to visit relatives that lived there. AndI remember always being drawn to the local herbal shops that are called there.And so every summer we'd go back and visit. And no summer was really completeuntil were able to stop at one of those. And I got to look around and buy thedifferent creams and whatever little products they had there. That was like abig part of my upbringing. And also my mom, having grown up in Italy, wasalways exposed to more of their health modalities, which include homeopathy.
03:25
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
There's a lot of homeopathic medications and whatnot in the differentpharmacies in Italy, like in the mainstream pharmacies. That was something werealways exposed to as well. Yeah, we always had our little arnica with us whenwere growing up. So she was a big guiding force on exposing me to that kind ofother way of doing medicine, for lack of a better way to put it.
03:47
Mara Kamat
So your path into naturopathic medicine and entrepreneurship isn't necessarilythe traditional route.
03:54
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Correct.
03:54
Mara Kamat
Talk to us about what did that path look like. What were the ups and downs ofit, and what inspired you to just fully commit to it?
04:02
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes, it was not an easy choice. Cause as I said before, I was as much as I wasexposed to those other alternative modalities. My parents were very much liketraditional medical people. So they were grounded in Western medicine. I thinkat first, when I started going down the search and stuff for naturopathicmedicine, my dad was, what is this? What are we doing? Is this something that'sreal? Cause my dad's a. And it's like very much a different way of looking atthings and wonderful and necessary. But certainly has its own viewpoint goingforward. I was at college. I went to Pitt and again there too. It's a very kindof like strong science school. And so I felt like I was floundering. I didn'treally know what career path to choose.
04:39
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I was torn between wanting to do something medical, but also remembering, wereyou med at Pitt? I wasn't actually. For the first few years, I was reallyundecided. And I ended up doing anthropology because it was like a nice sort ofsoft science. Because I was also like, I don't know, do I want to do somethinglike international affairs? Because again, having traveled back and forth toEurope and having that exposure, that always resonated too. So I wasn't reallysure. So it was like a good way to include cultural, but also Some science,but, yeah, going back to that, I really didn't know what I wanted to do. I wentto Pitt for undergrad. Great school, but a very strong sort of sciencebackground there.
05:17
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And I felt torn between wanting to continue and pursue more of a Westernmedical field and then also being not sure, just because I remember some of thedissatisfactions that my parents had with the healthcare system. The longhours, the calls, et cetera. None of it really resonated with me.
05:35
Carrie Aguilar
Weren't super excited to. 90 hours.
05:38
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Exactly. Exactly. No, it didn't feel like that's really what I wanted to delveinto, but I had a really strong drive wanting to help people and have apositive impact. And that was really the part of the medical profession thatreally felt like I wanted to pursue. So in my search for that, my mom and Iactually ended up attending a, like, a functional medicine conference. It wasvery early on at the time where, like, functional medicine is now like abuzzword and everybody knows about it, but at the time, it really wasn't verymainstream yet. And so my mom's kind of cool. She's a trailblazer and kind ofalways had this nudging me, hey, check this out. There's different things outthere. And so I attended a conference with her, and one of the providers thatwe're talking was actually an nd.
06:19
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And so after the presentation, I was really impressed by her, and I went and Italked to her and just kind of picked her brain a little bit. And ourconversation piqued my interest.
06:27
Carrie Aguilar
How old are at this time are you?
06:29
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
So I must have been, what, 19? 19, 20. I was still in college. Yeah, I was,like, a sophomore at that time. And so, anyway, so, you know, gave me some timeto do my research, shadow other providers which are few and far between,because naturopathic medicine now is more commonplace than it was when I wentto school. But it's still a really small profession overall, so it was tough tofind.
06:49
Carrie Aguilar
People, I would say, regionally.
06:51
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Oh, 100. Yes.
06:52
Carrie Aguilar
Like, Cleveland is not necessarily the hub.
06:54
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
No. Yeah, there's not. There's not many of us here. Yeah. Again, I've been herefor about 10 years. I want to say there's maybe 45 of us in the entire state ofOhio. Like, just for reference, in, like, the city of Phoenix, there'sprobably, like, 800, which is still a large number, but, like, in the grandscheme of, like, how many doctors. Doctors there are, it's still pretty small.Yeah. So, anyway, so I met with her. I shadowed some different providers. Andjust doing the research. I really just loved how the principles of naturopathicmedicine aligned with what I was passionate about, which at the time was likeenvironmental, like wellness and health of the environment that you're in anddiet, nutrition and exercise and all that and stress management. So for me itjust really spoke to me.
07:37
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And after shadowing these docs and I actually did a one year long stintshadowing an acupuncturist and working with him and just loved the results thathe got for people. So it just. That exposure sealed the deal for me and I justdecided to go forward and not look back. That's awesome.
07:52
Mara Kamat
What did it look like to establish your practice? I knew you spent some time inArizona and then came back to Cleveland. Tell us a little bit about that.
08:00
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Definitely. So I graduated with my degree in naturopathic medicine and I workedfor a variety of different clinics while I was there, just till I found theright fit. And then while I was working at one of the clinics who the woman atthe clinic was the doctor, medical director and kind of a mentor for me. But Iwas also going and doing my master's of Oriental medicine and acupuncture inPhoenix. So there was a combination of working as a physician in Arizona andthen also still continuing education to deepen my understanding of acupunctureand traditional Chinese medicine. That really set the stage for me when wedecided to move back to Ohio. Certainly not for the naturopathic medicinecomponent of being here. Because as we said earlier, we're not really on theforefront of that unfortunately yet. We're working towards it.
08:46
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
But again, it's still like great business opportunity. Exactly right, exactlyright. You gotta be a trailblazer. No. And it's been great. I love, actuallylove being here. I love being close to my family. I love the people in Ohio.And it's cool. Cause you can make more of an impact. So it's been a blessing.But at the time it was scary, right? Of course, yeah. So the first year ofcoming back here, I worked with another ND just to kind of understand the layof the land, what it was like to practice in a state. Because the scope ofpractice here is much more narrow compared to Arizona. In Arizona we basicallyfunction as primary care providers so we can write prescriptions, do minorsurgery, injectables, et cetera. And here we're much more limited.
09:24
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
So it was mainly just understanding how what my practice would look like beinghere. And so for the first probably year and a half of being here, it was moreof me going there and working there underneath his sort of practice. And overtime, I realized that in order to fully do what I wanted, I really needed toeither be okay with letting go of some of the things that I felt important tomyself for the practice, or take the leap, just go for it. And that was theimpetus was like, you know what? I. This isn't rocket science. Like, I canfigure it out. It's scary, but I've been out enough in the world that I can seethat if other people can do it, like, I can do it, too.
10:03
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And, yeah, so it took about three to four years after I actually graduated andthen moving here and everything before I started my own thing.
10:12
Carrie Aguilar
So during this time, I know that you're a mother, so you've built this businessraising children. And something that we talk about in this area, or I guesslike on this podcast, is just connecting the dots between raising children orraising a child and excelling in your career and what that looked like. So canyou tell us what ex. How, first of all, how has that experience been for you?How do you keep your sanity? How are you able to run this thriving practice andalso do everything that you do raising children?
10:47
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Sure. I don't think anybody has, like, the magic formula. I think flexibilityis a big part of that. But for a little history, like, I actually started mypractice six months before I got pregnant. So not great timing, for sure, froma business landscape, really.
11:02
Carrie Aguilar
Drinking from a fire hose.
11:04
Mara Kamat
Exactly.
11:05
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. And, like, the morning sickness was real. So to some degree, like, it wasreally difficult, but it was also like a godsend because it made me look beyondmyself and focus on something greater to get out of my own head about all ofthe minutiae of being pregnant and not feeling well. So, yeah. And then, justas luck would have it, about the same time that I found out I was pregnant, itwas six months into the practice, I was renting space from another provider,and without warning, the provider was like, look, you've got to find adifferent spot. We don't have, like, room for you here. And that was honestlyterrifying because, again, I was just starting out. I was trying to keep myoverhead low. I was pregnant, not feeling great.
11:42
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And so that was like, a really big moment in time where it was like sink orswim. And so I was really fortunate. I had really great support system, myparents, my husband. But it was just a really, like, a time where you reallyhad to look inward and be okay with, like, just jumping in all that to say thatmy practice, for me has been so many different things at so many differentpoints in time. It's been challenging, it's been fun, it's been tiring, it'sbeen uplifting, it's been grounding, as any woman with kids and a job canappreciate. But it's also been anchor for me. I love being a mom. I lovewearing that hat. I feel very blessed to be able to do. But I also really lovebeing with my patients. Having that connection and that workflow.
12:20
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
It just gives me a different sense of purpose. Yeah. I think going back to yourquestion of what that experience has been like, for me, it's been humbling.Right. Like you really have to learn how to create a support system around youbecause nobody can do it all alone. It takes a village. It sounds cliche, butit's real. It takes a village to raise a family, to own a business, to do allthe different things.
12:40
Carrie Aguilar
I knew that Hillary Clinton writing a book that's called index of obscurity 20,25 years ago. That's so true. Sorry.
12:48
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
No, it's true. But yeah, it's just so. I think part of that is like building asupport system for yourself so that you can be successful.
12:56
Mara Kamat
And I don't know if you mind sharing, but you have three boys. Yes.
13:00
Carrie Aguilar
Oh, wow.
13:01
Mara Kamat
You are very busy. And can you tell us how old your kids are?
13:03
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. Eight, six and one.
13:05
Carrie Aguilar
Oh, cool. So you also just had a kid.
13:08
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. Yep.
13:09
Carrie Aguilar
Wow.
13:09
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Which was like actually easy. I felt like I getting through the first pregnancyand dealing with maternity leave cause I had somebody cover me the first twotimes and this last time I was like, eh, I'll just, I'll deal with it. Cause hewas born at the end of October before the holidays, so just figured it out bythen. But yeah, so it's busy.
13:27
Mara Kamat
And you did like great with it by the way. As like a patient of Val's who seesher, it felt seamless, like she was out, I don't know, four to six weeks maybe.It wasn't a huge amount of time. I think one of the things I really admire isthat she's so flexible. Like you're very flexible in how you've curated yourschedule and your life and the support system around that. So you'reintentional about. I'm going to be in my office from this time to this time,but I have a time, an eight week old baby and so like I can't be here.
14:00
Mara Kamat
The number of hours that I can be when I have a six month old baby or a yearold baby And I think you did that kind of beautifully that you, like, flex yourschedule to keep your practice alive while at the same time trying to keep yoursanity and balance through it.
14:16
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Thank you so much for saying that. Yes. I appreciate that felt that way becausethat was very much what I hoped that what I conveyed to my clientele. So Ireally appreciate that. Yes. And I agree with you. I think a really big thingabout being a parent in general is staying flexible. Right. It's important tohave routine and stay on schedule and everything. But I think one thing thatI've learned over time with kids is that you can have a plan. It will never goto plan. So stay flexible. Right. Because that's, I think, our biggest muscleto be able to flex.
14:47
Mara Kamat
And you just took your kids to Italy?
14:49
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. Yeah, we try to go annually if we can, again, because I have relativesthere, My mom's from there, trying to impart the language on them. I'mbilingual. And so I really want that for them because I think it just opens upso many different ways of seeing the world and appreciating culturesdifferently. So it's a work in progress.
15:06
Mara Kamat
But yeah.
15:07
Carrie Aguilar
Has your one year old been to Italy already?
15:09
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes.
15:10
Carrie Aguilar
Wow.
15:10
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. I also just got it is. He did great. I was actually, like, very worriedabout him, but he did amazingly well. Yeah. We recently got dual citizenshipfor all three of them, too. So that's been very cool. Like, working on thepassports now.
15:23
Mara Kamat
But. Yeah.
15:24
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
So good things.
15:26
Carrie Aguilar
That's awesome. Okay. I do not go to an acupuncturist.
15:29
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes.
15:30
Carrie Aguilar
I don't know that much about naturopathic doctors. Sure. Except to say that Iused to live in Phoenix and there literally was, like, a modern acupuncture onevery corner. You can go on your lunch break and get acupuncture for 20 minutesand then be done. Whereas here I feel like it's few and far between.
15:51
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Definitely.
15:51
Carrie Aguilar
So for someone like me who doesn't know that much, can you unpack what you doand how you do it?
15:57
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Definitely, yes. So a couple things to consider. Naturopathic medicine andacupuncture are like separate medical traditions. No, that's cool. Just becausein. Actually, in Arizona, like, as a naturopathic doctor, you can doacupuncture. But again, that sort of speaks to, like, medical licensing and howthat's state by state versus federal. It is, yeah. They also have a nice variedage demographic there. I think that also has lended itself to letting peoplemaybe try other modalities of medicine that maybe wouldn't necessarily be thecase elsewhere. So yeah, Arizona is a cool space for that. But coming back toOhio. So naturopathic medicine in its definition is like a holistic system ofmed. Of healthcare that emphasizes on prevention, whole person wellness and thebody's innate ability to heal itself.
16:44
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
It combines modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural therapieslike nutrition, lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine, homeopathy, stressmanagement. And again like I mentioned in Arizona it could be injectables, itcould be prescriptive medicines, et cetera. But again it's dependent on thestate.
17:01
Carrie Aguilar
So here. So I'm just like. To like dumb it down for me, not for anyone else.But let's say that I go to you and I say, I don't know, just choosing out oflike random. I'm overweight, I'm exhausted, which is like totally me by theway. And like all of. And my feet are in really poor shape. Like I think onefoot is dead. It's really gross looking and I can't fix it. And something tellsme that it's like a naturopathic medical. Exactly. So what would you do? Whatare the questions that you ask? Like what do you do?
17:32
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Totally. Yeah. So again, one of the things about naturopathic medicine, likethe foundational pull of it is that we try to seek the underlying cause ofdisease. Right. And so we're looking at the person kind of whole health. Sowhen you come in to see me, we might talk about the dead foot or being tired orthe overweight or whatever that is for you. But the desire to eat refrigerator.I think we all feel that we just got over the holidays.
17:54
Carrie Aguilar
Right.
17:54
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
We all have sugar cravings right now, but no going back to that. We reallyfocus in on like past medical history. Get a real good understanding of what'sled you to this point. Now focusing in on those chief concerns that arebringing you to me at that time and really getting a better understanding ofyou as a whole person. Not just the physicality of the symptoms, but also themental, emotional. Right. What stressors could play in. Everybody's gotdifferent things going on at life and different points of time. Who you aretoday is not who you're going to be six months from now. It's not who you weretwo years ago.
18:24
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Understanding that and trying to meet people where they are in that moment andcoming up with a good kind of treatment protocol that will allow them to seeimprovement and success where they are. Amazing. Yeah.
18:36
Mara Kamat
So like on a personal note, what I really appreciate from this experience.Experience that of being with Val For, I don't know, a couple years. Maybealmost three years now, actually. Sometimes I'll come in and we will doacupuncture because, like, my stomach's a mess, and I've been traveling andjust eating different things. And she'll focus on acupuncture of, like, my GIto get me moving. Or maybe I've been traveling a lot, sitting on a plane, Myback is killing me, and I've been sitting at a laptop, and we'll focus on,like, my right side. But then that's one piece of it. But then the other pieceof the whole health that I really appreciate is I just was with her earlierthis week, and I was like, we're just getting over the flu in our family. I'mexhausted.
19:22
Carrie Aguilar
The flu is terrible.
19:23
Mara Kamat
Yeah, the flu is terrible. What should I. What protocol should we be putting inplace right now in this moment, in this season? We upped my vitamin C. We addedviracon. We put in a cortisol, like, stress supplement reliever to help me tosleep better. Magnesium, which is always a part of it, just making sure thatI'm doing that. And so this is now my protocol for the next couple months,maybe more beyond that, but we'll figure that out. And what I really appreciateis it's like a more natural way of healing my body. But then, funnily enough, Icame to her in November right after Thanksgiving, and I had all theserespiratory things, and she did what she could, and then she was like, mara,you need to go see your primary care physician. Like, you're legitimately,really very sick.
20:17
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
You need to go.
20:17
Carrie Aguilar
You would benefit from a Z pack.
20:19
Mara Kamat
Exactly.
20:20
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Antibiotics are your friends.
20:21
Mara Kamat
They are.
20:22
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
They do have their place rfk.
20:24
Mara Kamat
So I really appreciate that, though, and how you practice that. Like, I don'tfeel like I'm going to somebody that is, like, functional medicine 100%. Thisis the only way you can do things. You're also very balanced when it's. No,you're, like, legitimately sick. We should put these protocols in place becausethey're going to help you. But you now need antibiotics, correct?
20:46
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yes. So you could just. You could just plug for me. I don't even have to sayanything. No. But, yeah, going back to that, I think the main thing is I thinksometimes people have this false understanding of naturopathic medicine, and Ican't speak to all providers. Right. Because everybody's different in the waythey practice. But the way I practice, I don't see as Western medicine orEastern medicine as good or Bad or right or wrong. A lot of times people cometo me like, oh, I'm on this medicine. And they feel badly about it. I'm like,look, it's a tool like everything else. It's a tool like everything else. Ihave tools that I can offer you. Western medicine has tools that they can offeryou. They're both wonderful and all have their place.
21:22
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And in the ideal world, we would be able to play nicely together more often.And I think we're moving towards that. Certainly more so than when I evenstarted practicing. But, yeah, you have to really look at the person and seewhat they need. It's not about me. I think that is really important too.Medicine is about the person that you're working with and meeting them wherethey are and what they need. And like I said, if it's antibiotic, then great.If it's a different medication, great. And if we can do some adjunctivetherapies while you're on that medicine and improve your. Your wellness andoptimize your health, then that's what we're doing.
21:55
Carrie Aguilar
That's awesome. What do you say to. And I would say, I think I've gotten betterat this, but I feel as a mom, as a wife, as a fill in the blank of whatever hatI'm wearing. And I would say, like, in general, people, right. They're allmulti dimensional, got lots of things going on. What do you say to people whopotentially just don't put themselves where they should, meaning they don't putthemselves first? It's. I feel especially. And maybe I'm like, making this up,but I feel like, especially in Cleveland, it's like a badge of honor. Like,never go to a doctor.
22:27
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Okay.
22:27
Carrie Aguilar
To like, to like, literally put. I don't know, not even worry. You're justlike, oh, it'll go away.
22:33
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yeah.
22:33
Carrie Aguilar
What. How do you position. Because I. I feel like this is like acupuncture andnaturopathy and like, functional wellness in general. And I don't mean to bebuzzy, but I just think. And maybe it's me getting older, but I am so much morein tune to my body and what it means rather than just being like, I havediarrhea today. I don't, like, now I think about what's causing it potentially.I should think about it.
22:58
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Let's recap what we've done this week.
23:00
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah. So I guess my question is something along the lines of, like, how do youeducate? How do you, like, you know, help people potentially like me who arelike, oh, I'll take a pill.
23:10
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
But yeah, no, I get that. And I think. And I'm gonna speak to everybody butwomen more specifically, because this is the focus of this podcast. But aswomen, I think we tend to be givers. We tend to put others ahead of ourselves,which is a noble trait, but really doesn't align with self care. And self careis healthcare, in my opinion. If you're not the best version of yourself, youcan't show up for others, you can't show up for self. So you really need tofocus on doing what you need to do to be able to keep yourself at the optimalfunctioning that you want. And so I think, speaking to what you're saying, Ithink we need to be more aware of ourselves from a mental, physical, andemotional basis versus waiting until something does go wrong.
23:53
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Because I think all too often that's what we do, right? We wait until the balldrops, and then it's a little too late or it takes longer to dig yourself outof that hole. And I'm guilty of it, too. When I'm home with my kids or I'msuper busy at work, I'll make them a meal, and then I'll get distracted and godo something else. And then, like, hours have passed and I haven't eaten ordrinking anything, and I'm like, why am I feeling tired and irritable all of asudden? Oh, wait a minute. Why did I just eat them?
24:14
Mara Kamat
I fed them.
24:15
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Why didn't I eat when I fed them? It's silly as an example, but it's a basichuman need and a foundation for health. Same speaks to exercise, sleep, socialconnection. So I think just being aware of what your needs are and preemptivelytrying to support yourself before you hit that wall and then are flounderingthereafter.
24:35
Mara Kamat
In the spirit of being proactive about your health, I actually go toacupuncture about every other week, sometimes every three weeks. It dependswhat my schedule is and where I'm traveling and what's going on. But one of thereasons established in.
24:50
Carrie Aguilar
February, she'll be here for two days, so we'll sneak.
24:53
Mara Kamat
And I was actually gonna get to that. Actually, that was like, what I was gonnasay. No, it's great. And so, like, I do try to proactively be mindful around,like, scheduling with her, knowing that I'm probably gonna be tired. I'mprobably like, where am I gonna be at in the next four weeks? How do I makesure that I continue to make this a priority along with working out as well, soI can Support that in a more proactive way. And let's be honest. Honest.Sometimes we're all really good at that, and sometimes we're awful at that.Right now it's the beginning of the year. Yeah. So, like, I'm decent right thismoment now. I was just talking to Val and Carrie before the podcast. I didn'trealize how much I was traveling in the month of February for, like, work andlife.
25:39
Mara Kamat
And so as Val was sitting here, I'm like, oh, wow, I gotta make sure I'm on hercalendar for the days I'm in February. And then also, like, proactively talk toher about, okay, here's all the things I'm doing and all the places I'm goingto be. What supplements should I be taking to best support my energy andwellness, knowing what I have in front of me?
25:59
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Absolutely. Absolutely. And if I may, Mara, like you said, we've been seeingeach other for three years now, and I think part of it is you've done such agreat job at flexing that muscle of self care. I think so many people fall offthe beaten path or don't even actually even really make time for themselves tobe able to be aware enough to know when they need something. So good on you fordoing that, and good on you for reminding yourself also in the moments whereyou need it a lot. But even staying consistent in the moments where maybethings are fine, you're ebbing, you're flowing, you're doing great, like,everything's going well, but you're still keeping with it because it's veryeasy to fall off when everything's, like, going, yeah, that makes sense.
26:41
Carrie Aguilar
So yesterday I watched this. I'm. My resolution is one hour of social media aday. You can judge me for the hour, but it's, like, a hard thing for me. So inthat hour yesterday, I watched this, like, short reel or clip of this comedian,and he's, you. There are all these, like, LGBTQ and women that have dietaryrestrictions and gluten sensitivities.
27:04
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
He's.
27:05
Carrie Aguilar
Do you ever hear of a white, straight, like, CIS man with gluten sensitivities?He's no, we all just have unexplained diarrhea. It was just so funny. We alljust go into the bathroom, punish the toilet, and not even worry thatanything's wrong. We're just like, this is who we are. And then we, like, ragon all women and, like, all these other groups that are, like, not eatinggluten. I love it. Anyways, I just thought that Was really funny because I wasgiggling at that moment. Okay, so as you look back on building your practicewhile raising your family, how has this journey changed you as a woman, aleader, human? And then what advice do you have for other women who areconsidering starting their own business?
27:49
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Sure.
27:50
Mara Kamat
I.
27:50
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Overall, I spoke to this earlier about having started my practice when I was,like, just newly pregnant and all the things, so.
27:57
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah, exactly.
27:58
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Exactly. 100%. Timing was not of the essence there, but that's okay. But no, inthat light, I think it's made me a lot stronger and more resilient. Sometimesthings that challenge us give us the opportunity to rise, to meet the occasionand really see what we're made of. And that was something that really made meflex that muscle. So, Yeah, I think that was a big part of it. And again, maybejust as, like, advice for other people who are considering starting their ownbusiness. Do your research, be prepared, but don't let fear keep you frommoving forward. I was really kind of apprehensive about starting out originallybecause I didn't have a strong business background, and I felt that I wouldmess something up if it wasn't perfect. And since then, obviously, I've learnedthat experience. You did everything perfectly.
28:39
Mara Kamat
Yeah.
28:39
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
All the time. I still do, actually. It's a wonderful trait now. Still perfect.
28:44
Mara Kamat
Yeah, always.
28:45
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
No, actually, to that.
28:46
Carrie Aguilar
My account loves me.
28:47
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yeah.
28:48
Mara Kamat
Oh, man. Yeah.
28:49
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
The math is not a strong point for me, hence the business apprehension. Butanyways. No. Like one of the kind of Voltaire quotes that I love is, don't letperfect be the enemy of the good and not. That's promoting mediocrity. But italso helps you not feel so paralyzed. I think sometimes we can get stuck inthat analysis. Paralysis. And then you end up not doing anything. At least thatwas true for me, so. Exactly. You just feel like you can't. You just gottacommit to something and then go with it and get out of your own way. And thenlife will happen organically. Yeah.
29:20
Mara Kamat
I think you've also been creative as it relates to running your business inways that make sense for you. Meaning Val recently moved. I guess not recently.Maybe like a year ago. Yeah, she moved location, which is also a big lift.Yeah, it was because I was also pregnant. You talked about it.
29:38
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
You're not having any more kids. That's it. But you talk about it.
29:40
Carrie Aguilar
You do a great job going for four boys.
29:42
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Heck, no.
29:43
Carrie Aguilar
Because that's what would happen.
29:44
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I know that's.
29:44
Carrie Aguilar
You're not getting a girl.
29:45
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I mean. Exactly. I'm Not a statistician, but given my odds, I'm gonna go. We'regood here.
29:50
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah.
29:51
Mara Kamat
So Val had to move, or chose to move her location of where she was, but shewanted to still stay in the neighborhood that she was in a nicer building, butin a way that, like, made sense for her. So she has two rooms going at any.Exactly.
30:05
Carrie Aguilar
Yeah.
30:05
Mara Kamat
She's in Woodmere, Ohio, given two rooms going at any given time. And I reallyappreciate. And she was also pregnant, and she made a choice to move buildingsand then found somebody that she could partner with to handle some of theoverhead of this very beautiful space. And, like, you didn't let it deter youfrom making this business decision to say, hey, I want to move to a differentspace that's nicer, but perhaps, like, still in the neighborhood. And how do Ido this in a way that makes sense for the days that I work and is financiallyviable?
30:40
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Totally.
30:41
Mara Kamat
Yes. Do you want to talk a little bit about those? Sure.
30:42
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Thank you. Yes. No, I. The previous space that I was in was a space that I hadgotten into when. When I was trying to get out of the other office that I wasrenting. And so I really needed to keep overhead low as I was growing things.And you pay for what you get, and it was fine for what it was, but I was reallyoutgrowing the space, and it just felt stagnant. And so I really wanted,essentially, the space that I ended up finding. And it's been amazing to beable to really see that dream come true. And, yeah, it feels like I belongthere. It's just. I honestly don't even remember the other place at this point,which is great.
31:18
Carrie Aguilar
You don't even know where it is exactly.
31:20
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I drive past it every day. I don't even know. Not looking in that direction.Yeah. But, yeah, that was something that I had always really wanted to do, ishave, like, a suite mate again, to, like, balance that overhead cost. And I wasvery fortunate to find somebody who I really love. Like, she has great energyabout her. She's in practice. She's in a different kind of career path. She is,like, a therapist. So it's a good kind of blending, but not really overlap inwhat we provide and what we see. So it's been really wonderful.
31:48
Carrie Aguilar
It's, like, additive.
31:49
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Correct.
31:50
Carrie Aguilar
It really is, like, functional. Like, whole body.
31:52
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
It's awesome. Yeah, that's been a good change.
31:55
Mara Kamat
So Carrie and I always love to ask these questions to all of our guests. We askthese last two questions. If you could go back and speak to a younger versionof yourself early in your career, early in motherhood. What would you tell her?
32:09
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Oh, this is a good one. I like actually had to sit and reflect. Thank you forsending me the script in advance so I could think about this. But no, you knowwhat? I would tell myself to just go for it and not perseverate on the whatifs. As I mentioned before, I think yeah, we tend to get stuck in thatparalysis. And I think part of the fun is the journey. Right. It's much easierand less scary to now me, then me that it's going to be okay. But it'simportant to remember. And yeah, I think that was, that'd probably be thebiggest thing is to just go for it more and not worry so much.
32:42
Carrie Aguilar
That's wonderful. And then the second question we always ask is, what'sbringing you joy right now?
32:48
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Ooh. What is bringing me joy right now? I think right now I'm just happy withlife as it is and not worrying too much about what's coming down the pike.Trying to live in the moment. It's not always easy to do, but I think that'swhere we can be our happiest is in the present. Yeah.
33:02
Mara Kamat
And you have little kids still, so like taking in all those special momentswith them is so important. And carving out space to be able to have the energyto do that.
33:13
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Totally, totally.
33:14
Mara Kamat
So that's really beautiful.
33:15
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Yeah. Thank you.
33:16
Mara Kamat
What is one small but powerful way women can start taking better care of theirwhole wellness starting today?
33:23
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
That answer is easy. You can come see me. No, I'm just kidding. I'm not tryingto plug myself.
33:27
Mara Kamat
But honestly, all your information in.
33:30
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Okay, cool. If you want, I do offer a free 50 minute phone consult so you canask and see if what your health needs if they fit 1145. You know what, I couldpencil you in. But yeah, it never hurts to reach out and talk. I may or may notbe the right fit for you. At least it would be something to get the ballrolling in that direction. But honestly, in a more practical sense, I think theeasiest way to do it is to make small but actionable changes that resonate withthe goal that you have. It could be as easy as drinking an extra glass ofwater, cutting back on half of your caffeine intake weekly, cutting back onscreen time, calling a friend, reading a book, what have you.
34:02
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
And do the small repeatable action to build new habits and routines and thatcan jumpstart your wellness journey.
34:08
Carrie Aguilar
Great.
34:08
Mara Kamat
I know for me I've really appreciated having you as a partner, though. Right.Like, I've definitely felt like the partnership has kept me on the right pathlonger. I think it's easy to fall back into old habits.
34:20
Carrie Aguilar
Totally.
34:21
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
I think.
34:21
Mara Kamat
And building new ones. Absolutely. I've been really appreciative to have a sucha supportive partner in you and somebody that's willing to, like, really listenand care.
34:30
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Thank you. It's been wonderful working. I love my clients. Everybody has been.They're just beautiful people. And I learned from everybody that comes in mydoor. And it's a give and a take. It's a relationship, like you said. Right.And in different moments in life, you support each other in different ways. AndI think part of that is, like you said, it's nice to have somebody to beaccountable to stay on top of it and not forget about ourselves. Because again,I think as women, as moms, et cetera, we always put people ahead of ourselves.And so it's nice to have someone to kind of be like, hey, are you doing thisthing that we talked about that is helpful for you?
35:03
Carrie Aguilar
Don't forget, lengthen your life and make you stronger for the people you love.
35:07
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Exactly.
35:08
Carrie Aguilar
Val, thank you so much for your time, your honesty, your wisdom, and the workthat you're doing to help us women reconnect with our health in a deeper andmore compassionate way to our listeners. So I know you said you didn't wantthis to be a plug, but it's going to be. Will you tell us how we can reach you?What's the best way?
35:28
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Sure. So I'm kind of old school. You can just call my office. The number is216-359-7189. Or you can always email 216-359-7189. Yes, thank you. Or justemail info. It's a very long. I didn't think about that when I originally setup the email, but it's info at P E R S P E C T I V E S followed by the wordwellness.com or check out my website, perspectives wellness.com we will.
35:58
Mara Kamat
Put it all in the post as well, so it's very easy for you to access.
36:02
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Perfect.
36:02
Carrie Aguilar
And to our listeners, thank you guys for being here. As always, if this episoderesonated, please share it with a woman who needs this reminder today. Untilnext time, stay grounded, stay curious, and keep building your life in herland.
36:16
Valentina Khoury Dubasik
Thank you.
36:17
Carrie Aguilar
Thanks guys.
36:20
Mara Kamat
Thank you for tuning in to In Her Land. If you love this conversation, pleaseshare it with a friend. Leave us a review and keep followingalong@inherland.com where we highlight more incredible women making an impact.Until next time.
