The Millennial PhD: Creative Survival at Work & Beyond

Ep 7. Movement & Wellness for Liberation ft. Dr. Laurence Agénor

November 24, 2021 Carmela Season 1 Episode 7
The Millennial PhD: Creative Survival at Work & Beyond
Ep 7. Movement & Wellness for Liberation ft. Dr. Laurence Agénor
Show Notes Transcript

Physical Therapist Dr. Laurence Agenor talks about how movement can open up new avenues for healing and liberation work.

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Speaker 1 (00:09):

Welcome to the Millennial PhD, a podcast about creative survival and beyond. My name is Dr. Carmela Muzio Dormani, and I'm a sociologist, dancer and creative consultant from New York. In these episodes, you'll find inspiration, ideas, and actionable tips for building new pathways forward in work and life. You'll hear from artists, activists, creative entrepreneurs, PhDs, and professional pivoters. We talk about radical humanity and practical steps to follow your dreams, even in the context of challenging social conditions. Before we jump into today's episode, a quick reminder to follow the millennial PhD on Instagram. And to please take a minute to rate and a review the millennial PhD on Apple podcasts. Your rating really helps the show reach as many listeners as possible. You can learn more about me and get access to free creative resources on the millennial PhD Instagram page, or@themillennialphd.com. I hope you enjoyed the episode. 

(01:14)
Okay, so welcome back to the millennial PhD, where we've been talking art, creativity, and radical humanity in motion. Today we're talking with Dr. Lawrence aor, who earned her doctor of physical therapy degree from New York University. While in physical therapy school, she became a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Lawrence is also listed as a dance specialist on Doctors for Dancers, a nationwide online network of health practitioners serving the dance community. Her interests include dance medicine, sports performance, women's health therapy, orthopedics, and manual and visceral therapy. In addition to being a physical therapist, Lawrence is also a dancer, as well as a dance Pilates and bar instructor. And she enjoys photography, weightlifting, practicing Pilates and yoga, volunteering, traveling, meditating, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends and family. She's also got a really lovely online presence at the handle, Be Well and Bloom on Instagram. Um, so Lawrence, thank you so much for participating. 

Speaker 2 (02:22):

Thanks for having me, Carmella. I'm so excited. 

Speaker 1 (02:25):

<laugh>, I'm very excited to talk with you too. Um, so you and I met in college on the dance team, Ford and Flava <laugh>. Um, 

Speaker 2 (02:33):

They're still going strong too, 

Speaker 1 (02:35):

So we're still, well, they're still going. Um, <laugh> and you were, you were our fearless leader for most of that time, where you were a big creative force on that team. Um, and now it seems like you've made all these ways to weave dense and other cre your creative eye and, and your other creative passions into your day to day practice and your work and your, you know, the things that you do outside of work, which is really amazing. Um, so I, I just wrote off some of the cliff notes from your bio, um, but why don't we just start with, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Speaker 2 (03:11):

Um, so I mean, the bio is very, very thorough. I would say the only thing that it's sort of missed was that, um, while I was in college, I majored in psychology, which then somehow led me to elementary school education. So after college, I started working as an educator at a charter school. And that was a pivotal experience in my career. Um, it made me realize that I love working with kids, but that I'm also better one on one. And so that is actually what sort of catapulted me into looking at the different kinds of therapies, uh, that children could receive, um, as different services. So I looked into speech therapy, looked into occupational therapy, and then sort of finally settled on physical therapy. And it wasn't until I got to grad school in physical therapy school where I discovered all of these other domains, um, and other areas of movement and therapy within physical therapy that I could, you know, specialize in or get more involved in. So, um, it's been a big journey, um, and I'd say that I'm still still discovering what my talents are, where my services are best, you know, so it's still, it's still, uh, a work in progress, I'd say. 

Speaker 1 (04:45):

Yeah, definitely. I feel like, so this whole, this whole kind of podcast has just been, um, having conversations with people who do kind of different creative, um, you know, creative work or, or, you know, for some people it's not their main, main thing, but part of it has just been talking about the journey of how many of us have gotten to where we are now, um, but also with the recognition that those journeys are still in progress. Um, I feel like a lot of people in around our age or kind of in our generation are looking right now at, at their work, um, and trying to figure out if it's, if it's what they still wanna be doing, if it's an exploitative environment, or, um, if it's something that they feel like, you know, they can, they can flex their full selves in. Um, so I love talking about like the, the bumps in the, the turns. I know I've done like seven different things <laugh> about 10 years. 

Speaker 2 (05:40):

Yeah. I mean, and also sort of maintaining that creative aspect and that creative facet and side of your personality throughout those, you know, engaging in those different endeavors and, and diving into other passions. You know, I know that while I was in physical therapy school, one of the hardest things was that I, I didn't have time to dance. I didn't have time to dance. I didn't have time to choreograph. And so I really felt like I had to put dance and creativity on the back burner in order to focus on sciences and become, you know, a doctor of physical therapy. So I think that it really took a toll on me. Um, but then, you know, I started to get back into it as I started to get more comfortable with my schedule and working full time, and then the pandemic hit <laugh>, right? So then that, um, you know, sort of through a wrench in things, but I always sort of admired you because I feel like you, you know, were still able to dance throughout all of your academic pursuits. And I, you know, not only were you able to dance, but you were able to dance at a professional level and shine in a way that, you know, I didn't, I didn't expect from college. And, and you found this whole new dance style that you excel in. And every time that I saw your videos, I was always so happy and so excited, like, Oh my goodness, she's so good. <laugh> 

Speaker 1 (07:19):

<laugh>, thank you, you, 

Speaker 2 (07:21):

And it was so exciting. And it was also like, um, a reminder that, you know, I gotta keep dancing and I gotta keep up with it. So, 

Speaker 1 (07:30):

Yeah, for sure. And I definitely felt like, yeah, every step of the way, even from young childhood, I'd be like, um, it was always this idea of like, Well, how do you keep Dan? I think for, for us, for you and I specifically, a lot of the times it's dance, but for different people it might be different things, but how do you keep that in your life? And every step of the, the way I was like, Well, I'm not gonna be a dancer, so I guess I'll just stop after high school, or I guess I'll just stop doing that after college. Yeah. Um, and when I started grad school, you know, a little bit different than what you were saying in kind of the opposite way, I was like, it was so cerebral and there was so much pressure. I was like, I need to, uh, you know, have an outlet and then wound up doing a hard pivot into the Latin dance scene and then writing about that. 

(08:18)
Um, but I, I still feel like I'm on that same like, curvy journey, just figuring out like, what does that look like now? Then, um, and, and, you know, where does it go from here? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so what, when you it now, if you, when you meet new people and they say, What do you do? Or, you know, we ask those questions when we meet new people, like, what are you, what do you do? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like, what do you do for a living? How do you, how do you answer that question? How do you describe what you do? 

Speaker 2 (08:45):

I mean, I spend the majority of my time, uh, working as a physical therapist in a clinic. So that's definitely the first thing that I'll say that I'm a physical therapist. Um, but then I also teach, like actively teach Pilates on the side now. And during the pandemic I was teaching actively teaching bar as well, and occasionally some dance fitness. So generally, you know, I refer to myself as a movement specialist, but again, within, you know, under that umbrella is physical therapists and, you know, Pilates and bar instructor. Um, and it's been interesting sort of, uh, you know, growing in those two branches or in those two avenues because I feel like even though I'm not choreographing, even though I'm not dancing, I'm still moving my body. I'm teaching others how to move optimally. And then I'm also using my creativity to either create individualized care plans or to create class flows and class sequences that make sense and that challenge people in a different way. 

(09:59)
So my creativity is still being utilized just not in the way that I'm used to. And I still think like maybe on a spiritual level or on, uh, you know, a self care level, I still need to incorporate that dancing and that choreographing to really feel more well rounded. But, you know, there, it can be kind of scary when you've taken a break from it. Like, Can I still dance? Can I still choreograph? Can I still put things together? But, you know, whenever I hear a song immediately, what do I see? A whole production <laugh>. So it's still there, <laugh>, Um, I just, you know, don't necessarily have bodies to try it out. <laugh>. 

Speaker 1 (10:45):

Well, we, and we, we've been talking about that a little bit, so we'll see about those bodies <laugh> for sure. For sure. And you have the most amazing, like, choreographic vision, um, that you had even when we were, were really young. Um, so I'm sure there's a lot to come. I know for, I don't wanna put this on you, but I know for me, I also, every step of the way, um, the like age question was always very present for me. Like, I even at like 19 or 20, I was like, I'm dual to death, none at 24, 25. I was like, Interesting. I'm too to dance. I'm like, 

Speaker 2 (11:20):

That's really, and yeah, 

Speaker 1 (11:21):

We're, it 

Speaker 2 (11:22):

Was like full blown, like through yourself into it and learned a completely new dance style. Yes, 

Speaker 1 (11:28):

Yes. 

Speaker 2 (11:29):

So that to me is also really inspirational. And I had never considered, you know, salsa or, or ballroom dancing or anything like that, But after seeing you dance, honestly, I was like, Oh, I could see myself sort of going into, um, salsa because I feel like, I don't know, there's, it seems like there's a level of embodiment in that particular discipline, um, and uh, sort of a celebration of the body and of the woman that is, I think, kind of unique. Um, maybe flamenco would be kind of similar, but again, with those Latin and Spanish influences, I think that those dances are, uh, very celebratory of, of, uh, being a woman. And I think as I'm, you know, kind of affirming my womanhood, that's something that I'm definitely eager to explore. 

Speaker 1 (12:28):

Yeah, definitely. I definitely feel like there's opportunities there to, um, explore how one like expresses and embodies the feminine. Um, that's not the only thing there is, but for sure, like that piece is there. Um, and I also really loved, uh, and, and continue to love, cuz I'm still around, um, the community component mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, it is just amazing getting to connect with people in partner dancing and social dancing, uh, which I also feel like is something that, that you would really love and connect with. Yeah. 

Speaker 2 (13:01):

Yeah. Absolutely. 

Speaker 1 (13:04):

Um, so you started to talk about this a little bit, actually before I jump into that, would you, do you consider yourself, uh, would you consider your work part of like the wellness industry or just straight up medical pro? I mean, you're a medical profe professional, um, for sure. But do you also consider it kind of part of that, that umbrella term? 

Speaker 2 (13:26):

Totally. I mean, and I think that there's, that there's a shift in the industry, um, on behalf of physical therapists and different clinicians, and the shift is sort of happening as well amongst the clients and the patients. Um, even the fact that now we start to refer to patients as clients as opposed to patients, which kind of suggests sort of a passive individual who's just receiving interventions and who's not, um, as involved in their care and their goal setting. So I feel like in general, I mean, traditionally physical therapy has been associated purely with rehabilitation and just, you know, you have an injury and you go to the physical therapist to get it better. You know, you get some electrical stimulation, some heat, and then you're on your way. And now I think people are recognizing, you know, sort of the mind body connection, um, and how that affects healing and how that affects, you know, someone's rehabilitative journey. 

(14:33)
Um, not only the mind body connection, but also just the overall effect and impact that physical therapy can have on someone's quality of life and wellbeing. You know, if you're injured, and I'm sure you've had injuries with dancing, um, in your troupe, you know, you automatically, your morale is low. You know, you can't do what it is that you wanna do. You can't function, uh, the way that you want to function. And so I think in that regard, then it does kind of spill into the world of, of wellness because in order for you to live your best life, you have to have a sound body and a body that functions functionally and you know, beyond. Um, so I do think it's starting to spill over into the wellness field, and I consider what I do wellness because it's not just treating the physical body, but it can also be, you know, addressing the physical mind and helping patients and clients feel empowered through their journey to, you know, optimal performance. 

Speaker 1 (15:45):

Yeah, that's so interesting, that distinction between, um, client and patient that you just mentioned. I would never have thought of that. Yeah. Um, but yeah, that it does seem like a little bit more holistic, um, and I guess with more treating the full person and more input from the person. Um, I think also when I think about the wellness industry, kind of like looking from the outside looking in, um, there's this kind of toxic tradition that can sometimes come up when in association with it, like the individualism or body shaming or toxic positivity. But on the other hand, I always see, I've been seeing in recent for a long time, but in recent years, even more, um, a wave of people trying to kind of create safe respe spaces and wellness for people of color for other people who have been minoritized or marginalized, um, in traditionally in wellness spaces. I know you've mentioned that in some of, um, <laugh>, some from some of the online stocking that I did of you <laugh> in, in preparation for this conversation. Yeah. Um, can you talk about, or would you like to talk about any of that, how that plays out for you? Or how that, uh, factors into your practice? 

Speaker 2 (16:59):

Yeah, I mean, you know, I do, I do believe that movement is something that's therapeutic for everybody, but unfortunately the way that the healthcare system is set up in the US it's not always accessible to everybody. Um, and so, you know, part of my mission is helping to create spaces where people feel safe, where, um, aesthetic and, um, body size, shape, ethnicity, uh, sexual orientation, you know, whatever, um, however you identify, um, is not a factor. You know, I see you as a person first and um, from there, you know, I sort of look at your impairments from an objective point of view and then help you reach your goals. Um, I think the, the spaces that I, you know, sort of navigate in cannot can, or maybe, uh, historically or traditionally have been, uh, less than welcoming to marginalized groups. And so I do think that part of my job as a practitioner and as a fitness instructor is helping to bring awareness to the spaces that I'm working in, um, and then also try to think of initiatives and think of programs that we can put in place or sort of policies to put in place in order to make it a more welcoming space. 

(18:35)
Um, one of the things that I have been working on, um, is creating, uh, a mentorship program for physical therapy students and pre-physical therapy students of color in order to bring more diversity in the field. So, you know, if you look at the statistics, uh, you know, marginalized groups are very underrepresented. So my solution to that is, or at least in a small way, <laugh> my solution to that. It's kind of creating a mentorship program to help them feel more confident in their physical therapy program and provide them with the resources and the knowledge and the support that they need in order to be successful, and then to be able to pass it on to future generations of physical therapists. So I think to me, I see it as my personal duty to make the spaces that I navigate in more accessible to others that look like me and others that don't look like me. Um, but that's really one of the things that I'm actively working on right now. 

Speaker 1 (19:46):

Yeah. Um, and me mentorship is just so I, I feel like it can be so make or break for people. Um, and I think as a sociologist, a lot of times for me, we deal in like really big identities and really big systems of power, um, and sometimes don't kind of hone in on the one-to-one relationships that can structure people's day-to-day lives. But, but, um, I really feel like for in, in, in, in my experience, and I think when you talk to many people, like there was somebody along the way that kind of like, um, stuck with you at a moment that maybe you weren't willing to stick with yourself mm-hmm. <affirmative> and that can be so transformative. 

Speaker 2 (20:27):

Yeah, yeah, for sure. It's crucial. It's crucial. 

Speaker 1 (20:32):

How, um, has your work changed during the pandemic? Um, if you'd be open to talking about that. 

Speaker 2 (20:40):

Yeah. Um, so it's, it's been an interesting shift. I mean, you know, of physical, physical therapy as well has traditionally been in person, you know, And, um, the company that I work for, uh, Synergy Physical Therapy did a really great job of quickly pivoting, um, at a time where there was a lot of uncertainty and a lot of, uh, you know, stress and anxiety regarding our profession and how we were supposed to continue to stay afloat amidst this crazy time. So the idea already of telehealth had been floating around probably for two or three years prior, but, um, you know, and it was probably a topic that we talked about at conferences as an option, and then all of a sudden, like that became the most viable option to keep your business alive. So, um, yeah, sure. You know, it did take a little bit of, uh, there was a little bit of a learning curve on my end, you know, how do I teach people how to move and I can't touch them, I can't provide those tactile cues, You know, I have to be really clear and specific in my verbal cueing and then if need be, you know, provide visual cues. 

(22:01)
But that was a learning experience in and of itself. You know, how do you assess movement? How do you assess strength through a screen? Um, and then also, you know, making it enjoyable for people. Um, because 45 minutes on Zoom can be a long time <laugh>, and, and how do you get people excited about their own physical therapy session when they don't have access to the equipment that they usually do within the gym? You know, all those little things I think, um, were sort of, uh, items or things that we had to troubleshoot in the beginning. But, you know, I think people, people quickly adapt. Some people still hate it. Um, but I think that a mix of the two is, is, I don't know, it's kind of enjoyable. Um, and I think that it's cool because things like commute, convenience, you know, no longer are really a factor because you can, you know, cook your dinner and then hop onto Zoom for your physical therapy session right after. 

(23:10)
Um, and I think that it's also, yeah, it's a great viable option for a lot of people. Um, so yeah, I think it did take a, a little bit of adapting, but I think for the most part it's been really, it's been a great addition to the profession. I also think that you have the ability to reach more people, um, within the greater state of New York. You know, as a physical therapist, I'm licensed in the entire state of New York, so if I wanted to see, you know, somebody in Ithaca or wherever, I could continue to provide them physical therapy services. If I wanted to reach an even greater audience, then I would be, then I would get licensed in another state in order to provide them with telehealth services so I could be a practitioner in both California and New York and be bio coastal. Um, so that's kind of cool, you know, um, cuz you can see more people, you can reach more people. And so, I don't know, I think that's, um, that's been a great, uh, you know, revelation that you can still be a physical therapist, uh, through a screen. 

Speaker 1 (24:23):

Definitely. And, um, why I, it feels like the, of the couple of different things that you do, they all kind of, I mean, they're all centered around movement, physicality. Um, so I know the dance industry was kind of not kind of, was, was struggling and, and still is. I think it's one of the, the industries that's having a hard time recovering. Um, and then, um, things like your classes, bar classes, Pilate classes, and then of course like the physical therapy itself. Um, so it's interesting to see the way that people have adapted. Um, and I agree with what you're saying, that it's, um, hopefully moving forward, being able to take the access part of it, um, and then maybe still have some in person stuff in the future. Yeah. Would be wonderful. Um, what would you say is a ro a rose and a thorn of your work? So something that you love about it and something that you don't love so much? 

Speaker 2 (25:24):

Um, I love empowering people through movement. Um, that's probably not very original, but, um, I think it's, it's really great to see somebody who never thought that they would get better, get better, you know? And knowing that you had a, a role in that, um, is, I think it's a really good feeling. But also it just, I think it just makes me happy to see people be happy and moving. I have dealt with chronic pain probably since I was 14 years old. And even when we were dancing together with Flava, I don't know if you remember, I threw my back out like <laugh>. I 

Speaker 1 (26:10):

Did. 

Speaker 2 (26:11):

You 

Speaker 1 (26:11):

Do? 

Speaker 2 (26:13):

I went to go something up on the ground and I, I had to lie on 

Speaker 1 (26:17):

The floor. Yeah, you would lie, you would lie down <laugh>. 

Speaker 2 (26:20):

Yeah. I couldn't, I couldn't do it. So, you know, that was, that's always been really difficult. And it really, it wasn't until, you know, my late twenties or early thirties that I found a physical therapist who was actually skilled enough to deal with my chronic pain and help me find confidence in moving again, validated what I was feeling, what I was going through, and then kind of let me, um, explore movement again for myself while encouraging me along the way. So, you know, the opportunity to do that for other people is really meaningful to me. Um, on that same note, I can be so invested in somebody's wellbeing that sometimes I, uh, take it on as my personal mission to get them better. And, you know, you can't, you can't fix everyone. You can't, you know, you, you do your best to provide the highest quality of care and give them the tools that they need to succeed and the information that they need to manage their symptoms and then refer out if need be. 

(27:38)
Right? You're not, I'm not the end all be all. Um, and what I try to impart on my patients is that the strength lies within them. The consistency lies within them. You know, if you wanna get better, then you have to have a, a certain level of willingness to commit to your exercise program to commit to your wellness and commit to your wellbeing and your health. So I'm just a facilitator. Um, and so, you know, as I'm progressing into my career and becoming, you know, uh, a more and more skilled clinician, I think that that's really what I try to remind myself as well as my patients. Um, that I'm not, I'm not a healer. You have all of the tools within to heal yourself. I'm just a facilitator. 

Speaker 1 (28:34):

And speaking of empowering people through movement, um, and, uh, all of this facilitating, uh, that you've done, you have this really beautiful, um, Instagram page that I mentioned. I just love it. Uh, so I, I mean, I just think it's so, it's so beautiful. Um, <laugh> and I mentioned it right at the beginning. Um, I don't know if you would call it a brand or you would just call it like your, your, your thing that you're doing, but can you talk about that? What in what maybe inspired you to make that page? Yeah. What did you try to put there? Why, Whatever you wanna say about it. Yeah. 

Speaker 2 (29:11):

So it actually started sort of with a, a blog, really, a blog slash website. Um, while I was in PT school, my anxiety and stress level levels were through the roof. Um, and as a result, my chronic pain symptoms were through the roof. Um, you know, I would, I remember trying to sit through a lecture, you know, upright, but needed to just slide down the chair because it was just so uncomfortable. Or, you know, not being able to sit for long periods of time on a chair at a restaurant with my classmates, you know. So, um, I noticed also too that, you know, with my different issues from gut health issues to hormonal imbalances to aches and pains, everything was sort of being treated as in isolation. And so I started to connect the dots as to where my focus needed to lie in helping my body heal. 

(30:20)
And so I started, you know, paying more attention to what it is that I was putting into my body and, you know, some of the household products that I was using and some of the movement that, you know, I was most drawn to and found the, to be the most therapeutic. So I started documenting these things in blog form and doing research, um, you know, like extensive research where my psychology, you know, degree came in handy and sort of writing things up for myself. And then I figured if I'm gonna be doing this research for myself, I might as well write it up and share it with other people. So that's sort of, um, that sort of, uh, sparked the interest in disseminating information that I found valuable and that I felt like other people would find valuable as well. And then, uh, the idea for the Instagram sort of came from that, and then my love of photography. 

(31:24)
And so I was like, let me just create a beautiful page with, uh, you know, beautiful pictures and talk about, you know, my health and, and my journey to achieving, uh, sort of a better understanding of what it is that I personally need in order to live an optimal and healthful life. So then I started documenting it and, um, and then I, I came up with the name, I brainstormed a little bit, and, and the, the phrase be, Well, and bloom really resonated with me because I really felt like, or still feel like when you are well you bloom, you become, um, the person that you are intended to be. You know, you, you sort of peel all of the layers of negativity and self-doubt and insecurity and move towards a place of wellness. You can really bloom and blossom into, uh, the best version of yourself. So that's where it comes from. <laugh>. 

Speaker 1 (32:32):

I love that. Um, so I wanna, uh, pivot a little bit with our last few questions because part of what I, I'm hoping <laugh>, if people are listening to this, part of what I'm hoping they'll get out of it is a little bit of a nuts and bolts conversation, um, about kind of, um, how to go about pursuing something that sounds really interesting, like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like some of the work that you do may sound, uh, to people. So I wanted to ask, what does a typical day look like for you? 

Speaker 2 (33:04):

<laugh>, <laugh>? So keep in mind I do a lot <laugh>. Um, I love, I love everything that I do, but I also have to pace myself. But, um, so let's see, a typical day, um, I'll give you like a typical three days. How about that? Beautiful. So 

Speaker 1 (33:30):

Three times is good, 

Speaker 2 (33:32):

<laugh>, on average, I see anywhere between six and nine patients a day, but that's average ballpark. Um, I write notes and then, you know, I find time once I get home to figure out how to best prepare for my different endeavors. So, um, maybe I'll take an hour to plan the Pilates classes that I'll be teaching on Saturday. Um, after that, maybe I'll have an hour to cook, listen to some music and chill out. Then maybe another hour to go over some essays for, uh, the mentees of the mentorship program. Or maybe I have a co you know, a zoom call with one of them to go over anatomy. And then maybe another hour to work on another miscellaneous project. And I've been trying to meditate more either in the morning or in the evening. I just meditated before coughing on this zoom with you. 

(34:53)
Um, and then I watch a little TikTok and then go to sleep. Um, but within my day of seeing these different patients, I will see a variety of patients. So I see a mix of, of Pilates clients at the clinic where I work, and then traditional physical therapy. So for instance, yesterday I saw a patient with, uh, a young patient with some neck pain. The second person that I saw was an older woman in her eighties with severe knee and low back pain. After that, I saw an elderly gentleman, gentleman with, uh, uh, pretty severe forward head posture. Uh, I saw another woman with low back pain. I saw a young man with an ACL tear. So, you know, I see a variety of ages, a variety of diagnoses. And then in that, I also saw a Pilates client that, you know, I, I just did a Pilates reformer with. So my days are pretty interesting. I like the variety in it. I like, uh, you know, the camaraderie that I have with my colleagues and the fact that I'm able to bounce ideas off of them. And then I like being able to do other things as well, work on other projects, have other ideas. I think that I also cultivate my creativity through the variety of things that I do. 

Speaker 1 (36:34):

You're on the move a lot do, Is it, is it physically tiring? Well, this is not just a que no, just a question for me. I was like, well, that's <laugh>. 

Speaker 2 (36:44):

Yeah. Um, it can be, I think more than anything, it's probably like emotionally tiring because I realize that I give a lot of myself, um, and I give a hundred percent to everything, or at least I try to give a hundred percent to everything that I do. So really, I need to carve out time. And I think, to be honest, most creatives are like this, You know, when the, the creative types, whether you're a full blown artist or, you know, uh, have something creative going on in your, uh, hobbies or whatever the case may be, I think that there's a level of passion and a level of, you know, throwing yourself into things that you are excited about. And so that can be exhausting. You know, with, with Flava, we, we would stay until four o'clock in the morning, um, dancing and practicing because we were so passionate about it. 

(37:46)
So, you know, did we not sleep enough? Probably <laugh>. But, you know, at the same time, I think, I think now as an adult, I realize that it's more important for me to be intentional about the time that I have off. You know, if I have two or three hours to really chill, like, let me not be on my El electronics, you know, watching TV on the computer and on my phone, You know, maybe I just focus on one thing at a time or try to read or relax and, and just be intentional in being in the moment and, uh, trying to decompress. 

Speaker 1 (38:26):

If someone turned to you, uh, and asked how to get to do what you're doing or work similar to what you're doing, what are a few things you would tell them to get started? 

Speaker 2 (38:36):

Mm. So, you know, the first thing is to shadow. You know, if you have a, the slightest bit of interest in a field, you can either do an informational interview, um, find a practitioner or somebody that you are intrigued by or inspired by, or motivated by, and just interview them, ask them all of the questions about what they do, kind of like, you know, how we just had this conversation. What do you like, What do you not like? Uh, what the salary is, you know, what the benefits are, What is the work life balance? You know, those are important questions to figure out beforehand, before even thinking about, you know, uh, pursuing the academic courses that would be required to graduate and whatnot. So, I don't know. That would be my first step is shadowing our informational interviews. 

Speaker 1 (39:32):

Great. Um, and so final question. Do you have any general parting advice you'd like to give? Um, actually those are pretty similar questions, but do you have any other, any other stuff you feel like you haven't? Um, 

Speaker 2 (39:51):

I, um, I would say that, you know, I encourage people to dream big and I encourage people to, you know, really, really think about what their truest desires and real dreams are, and not stop until they achieve those dreams. You know, I think we often sell ourselves short, and it can be hard when people are naysayers or will try to de deter you from doing what it is that you really truly wanna do. And, um, you, you gotta just keep pushing and, and make it happen and, and believe in yourself enough to know that in your heart you can make it happen, because there's no reason why the other person next to you can't. Your journey there may look different. You know, you may have to tap into different resources or be, you know, a little bit more perseverance or determined than the person next to you, but I still think that, you know, everyone should dream big, um, and keep going no matter what. 

Speaker 1 (41:09):

Beautiful. I'm into it. <laugh>. Uh, is there anything I didn't ask you that you would've liked to say or would've liked to talk about? 

Speaker 2 (41:19):

Um, I think, um, more creativity in schools and, and, and, and teaching movement in schools. I think it should be universal. I've seen, you know, firsthand the effects, the positive effects and the positive impact that movement and dance in particular can have on kids. Um, one of my affiliations for physical therapy school was in a school in East Harlem, and one of the little boys, he was five, uh, was having a hard time in school. He was disruptive in class, you know, wasn't getting along with his classmates and academically was sort of falling behind. And so he had the service. Uh, you know, he was signed up for several services, like occupational speech and physical therapy. And so he was on my caseload as a physical therapist, and instead of doing regular movement or working on a gross motor movement with him, we worked on dancing. 

(42:28)
And, um, he loved, loved, loved to dance, and the music in and of itself was therapeutic for him. But, you know, the focus, the, um, desire to do better, the, uh, receptiveness, uh, and sort of the sense of pride that he got from receiving praise, um, was really, was really beautiful to watch. Also a little heartbreaking because it was like, Okay, well when I'm gone then, then what? You know, he kind of yeah. Uh, doesn't necessarily have access to, to somebody one on one that could work with him in that capacity. Um, but it, again, it just reinforced the idea and sort of the necessity for teaching movement, um, because it can be really a great tool to support emotional, um, and mental health. And I think that, you know, it's a great form of release. It's a great form of stress reduction, a great form of anxiety reduction, and I think more, more people need to recognize its true therapeutic benefits. 

Speaker 1 (43:39):

Yeah. Um, yeah. That's, that, that's, that's really beautiful. And also I think it would, it would've meant thank you for sharing, uh, that story by the way. Um, and I think it would've meant, it would've meant a lot to me, and I'm sure it would mean a lot to many people to, to have that introduced so early. And by being there, it also reaffirms that it's important mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and that's something that people can carry with them, right? Yeah. Through a lot of stages in addition to all the benefits that you just like outlined. And I'm, I'm sure you know a lot more about <laugh>, all of that than, than I could really articulate. Um, it's just, it would also be great if we reinforced how liberatory movement can be mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, and by its inclusion, we, we stamp it with approval, right. And say, this is something you can come back to and turn to. Um, it took me years and years to be comfortable with even thinking about movement as important mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so I love that. 

Speaker 2 (44:42):

Yeah. 

Speaker 1 (44:44):

All right. Thank you so much for sharing. Um, where, where can people find you if they would like to reach 

Speaker 2 (44:50):

Out here in the New York City area? You can come visit me at my clinic at Synergy Physical Therapy, Midtown East. Um, and otherwise you can catch me on Instagram at BeWell and Bloom and, uh, message me on there. 

Speaker 1 (45:10):

Okay. Great. Thanks so much. 

Speaker 2 (45:12):

You're welcome. All right. A good one. 

Speaker 1 (45:18):

That's it for this week's episode of the Millennial PhD. You can find more content, resources and information on Instagram at the millennial PhD and@themillennialphd.com in this collective moment of reevaluating our relationships with work and exploitation. I look forward to connecting with you and building stronger bonds of community and collaboration. I would love to hear from you via email at the millennial phd@gmail.com with any feedback, comments, questions, or concerns, or if you're interested in coming on the show as a guest. That's all for now. It's been real. See you next time.