Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Akinwande.
Valerie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to healthcare & small business ownership began in childhood. As a young girl, I dreamed of growing up to become a doctor so I could help people. I also got involved in various leadership roles growing up, like being a crossing guard and in the honor society. Over time, I was usually the one in my friend groups that was counted on to organize events.
When I got to college at Baylor University, I studied abroad for a semester and backpacked across 20+ countries in Europe. This experience changed how I saw things and made me rethink becoming a doctor. After college, I met my husband, who pushed me to go to grad school, even though it wasn’t part of “my plan.”
Eventually, I gave in and applied to grad school. I was accepted into a Master of Science in Biology program and offered a graduate assistantship where my love for exercise developed. I wrote my thesis on an exercise and nutritional program to combat childhood obesity. After grad school, I was offered a position to teach at a college in Oklahoma. While there, I developed a great relationship with my boss, who encouraged me to apply to physical therapy (PT) school. I got in, faced challenges with school, got married, and became a mom. It was a lot!
After completing PT school, I was pregnant with my first child. A turning point in my career came during pregnancy when I noticed a lack of healthcare support for pregnant women. Attending a national conference opened my eyes to a specialized field of physical therapy.
I invested the next few years taking classes and exams and eventually becoming certified in pregnancy, postpartum, and the pelvic floor. At the same time, I worked in multiple settings: hospitals, heart clinics, rehab facilities, etc. I landed a job at a clinic focused on women’s health that gave me the flexibility I needed as a mom. I felt like I was living my dream. My career trajectory took a significant turn when the pandemic forced the closure of the women’s health clinic where I worked.
During this time, my husband’s decision to purchase a domain for my future website proved to be a crucial moment. Patients from my clinic were still reaching out for help. Scared but determined, I started my own business. Three years later, it continues to be better than anything I imagined. From the beginning, I committed to small business ownership in a way that prioritized my roles as a mother and wife without compromising on family time. This approach has proven not only sustainable but remarkably efficient in meeting the needs of the women I work with. In the face of challenges, my business has become a platform through which I can empathize with and empower women, offering the support and care that I wished for during my own pregnancy journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a rocky road to get where I am today. In every stage of my development, from childhood to adulthood, I have been met with resistance. This has helped me to figure out how to survive (and eventually thrive) in the face of adversity. As a child, resistance looked like standing up for myself when other kids tried to bully me. In young adulthood, it looked like studying hard to make a good grade in class after failing a test. As an adult, it has looked like seeking out professional resources when I feel stuck. I also keep people in my life who are a few years ahead of me in parenting to encourage me when I feel like I am failing. Professionally, it looked like seeking out mentorship in the face of a global pandemic.
One of the biggest obstacles I encountered when establishing my practice was deciding to be an out of network provider. Some health professionals and companies can only think in terms of insurance. Because of this, some do not recommend out-of-network providers. And unfortunately, it sometimes takes women being traumatized, neglected, or disappointed by the same traditional providers before they seek out someone like me.
To overcome this reality, I network with non-traditional providers: midwives, doulas, etc. These providers often share the same mindset as I do, offering preventative holistic care to clients. I also speak to moms in various class settings throughout the community. I have gained a positive reputation and following within the community, and this continues to help my business grow.
My small business is a 2 person-show operating with all the creativity that comes between myself and my husband. He is the brain behind the business that suggests new content and puts all of my ideas in working order. It has been a struggle to figure out how to outsource tasks as the business grows, but we have acquired resources along the way that have worked to our benefit. Every bump in the road has matured my faith and developed me as a professional in ways I never imagined possible. I am not foolish enough to believe that I have “arrived” at a point of no future obstacles. In fact, in my personal experience, when resistance typically is highest, something great is waiting on the other side. So, I remain patient. I also know that God knows every aspect of my future and is a trustworthy source. Therefore, I continue to count on Him.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about WomansDPT?
WomansDPT is a venture aimed at empowering women through specialized physical therapy. As a traveling physical therapist, I come to you wherever you are. Part of the mission is understanding that moms live full lives and need to be cared for well in order to thrive in pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.
WomansDPT [Click Here – Link to https://www.womansdpt.com] is unique because we meet moms where they are, educate and empower them, and provide them with tools and skills to be successful in life after therapy. I’m not just a professional with extensive education and training. I’m a mom who has breastfed, lost sleep, and overcome many of the very things I treat my clients for. WomansDPT treats an extensive list of healthcare problems, including incontinence, prolapse, constipation, pain with intercourse, and beyond. Clients have the option to book in-person and/or virtual sessions that fit their busy schedules without having to find a sitter or drive in traffic. Every woman treated through this practice has a unique individualized plan created for her that incorporates her learning style, personal goals, and hobbies.
We also meet the needs of women all around the world who may not have access to the care that they need. I do this by releasing content on my YouTube Channel, Pelapy [Click Here – Link to https://www.youtube.com/@
What do you think about happiness?
I find happiness & joy in simple things: conquering physical/mental challenges (ropes courses, escape rooms, intense cardio-strength workouts); listening to audiobooks that tell great stories; cooking new cuisines and traveling and exploring new places with my family.
When I can conquer a physical challenge, it reminds me that my body can accomplish amazing things. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, and now that I’m a busy mom, I find that my current reading choices give me the opportunity to hear people’s personal stories and remind me that each of us fits into a much bigger story that continues through many generations. The kitchen is my happy place where I tend to create meals from an array of recipes (I never follow a recipe exactly), and I get really excited when I try something new that my family and friends love. I have always loved to travel! Seeing and appreciating different cultures and parts of the world and the U.S. reminds me how little my world is in comparison to everything and everybody else that exists. Vacationing near islands or any body of water also brings me a peace I can’t explain. The sounds of the water, the beauty in the sky, the creatures in the ocean–all of it is beauty to marvel.
Pricing:
- In-Person “Birth Prep” Class: $155 per couple https://www.womansdpt.
com - Online “Birth Prep” Class: $199 (save $25 with code VOYAGEHOU) https://www.pelapy.
com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.
womansdpt.com - Instagram: @WomansDPT
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/@pelapy?sub_confirmation=1
Image Credits
@tinycheersphotography
Abigail Kirchhoffer
