Today we’d like to introduce you to Mercia Martin.
Hi Mercia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in the Republic of Congo, a small, developing country in Central Africa. After graduating high school, I decided to move to the United States to pursue higher education. I landed in Huntsville, TX, and began university classes with the initial goal of becoming an aerospace engineer. My first couple of years in the US were marked by a lot of culture shock, homesickness, and learning a new language. Those years also came with a lot of self-growth and discovery. By the time I reached the end of my freshman year of college, I realized that, although I loved sciences, engineering was not the career path for me. I was passionate about public health and people-oriented professions, but I knew I did not want to be a physician. After a knee surgery brought me to physical therapy, I was completely amazed at this profession. I watched my knee progress from a limited range of motion to being able to return to the activities that I love, and along with my own rehab journey began a new academic one toward becoming a physical therapist.
I still remember the day I sat down with my father to tell him I did not want to be an engineer, but instead, that I was interested in a profession he was not very familiar with. I struggled with the African cultural expectations that perceive being a physician, an engineer, or a lawyer as the only mark of success. However, I was soon amazed at how his initial reticence eventually washed away to be replaced with understanding and acknowledgment that this career was best suited for me and that the passion growing inside of me was evident.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in health sciences and obtaining my doctorate in physical therapy, I began working at Spero Rehab, in Katy, TX as a “northo” physical therapist. This unique specialty merges the worlds of orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation and allows me to see patients with a wide array of diagnoses. Today, I primarily treat individuals living with Parkinson’s Disease or recovering from a stroke, spinal cord, or brain injuries. I love what I do. I help people regain movement and independence and I walk alongside them through some of their hardest moments. I also get to fulfill a deeper passion to positively impact public health in local communities. When I am not working, I am volunteering with various health organizations, mentoring students, participating in diversity & inclusion research, building outreach programs, or creating digital health & wellness content.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has definitely been everything but smooth. One of my biggest struggles that I still wrestle with today is anxiety.
I first experienced anxiety in the fall of 2015. During that year, my sister moved out of the United States for medical school, and my younger brother moved to Texas to begin high school. With my parents both still living back home in Congo, I found myself with a plate of new responsibilities. I struggled to balance caring for my brother, preparing my physical therapy school application, and maintaining high grades while working as a math tutor and I began to worry about finances as well. This prolonged stress culminated in a panic attack which brought me to the hospital thinking I was experiencing a cardiac event.
Through lots of health education, I learned to recognize triggers for my anxiety. When it resurfaced later in graduate school, I was better prepared to manage the stress; although I still recall key moments when it felt like my cup was overflowing.
Today, I continue to experience anxiety moments. It seems that my tendency to fill my plate with life, work, and projects is at war with my worrying nature. The very ambitions and passions that light up my soul, are the same triggers that can ignite anxious thoughts. However, with every passing year, I get better equipped to overcome those struggles. My Faith in God has tremendously helped me in dealing with stress, and He has filled me with Peace during some of the wildest storms. I am also VERY grateful for my amazing husband Eric, my family, and my friends who all keep me grounded and supported.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a full-time physical therapist and digital creator. I love creating social media content highlighting neuro-rehab interventions that can help clinicians, students, but also individuals living with neurological injuries. One of the things that make my content unique is my video audio. Each reel features an African song as the background which allows me to also share a piece of my culture.
Ultimately, my background and upbringing are what I am most proud of. I am the product of two middle-class Congolese parents who sacrificed a lot to allow me to be where I am today. They did not always give out of abundance, but out of love and dreams to see their kids succeed. I am proud of my journey as an immigrant and am motivated by a strong desire to give back to my family, and my home community. I believe that what sets me apart the most is how my unique story has shaped and influenced me. The little Congolese girl who had no idea what physical therapy even was -yet grew up seeing people experiencing mobility deficits- now gets to firsthand help individuals overcome physical injuries. It’s a blessing to be able to do this, and I am grateful to God for all that He has done.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
One of my favorite podcasts, and my go-to listen for long car rides is by a dear friend of mine Amy Hooper. In her podcast Eastside Movement Podcast, she interviews healthcare professionals or talks about a topic related to movement or physical therapy.
When I want to listen to something non-work related, I tune in to Jesus & Jollof’s podcast by Yvonne Orji and Luvvie which is a good blend of humor, faith, and African culture. In terms of blogs, I love reading Crystal Obasanya’s blog on her website www.crystalotv.com where she covers various topics like lifestyle, beauty, faith, etc.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegratefulpt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegratefulpt/
