Meet Dr. Rona, Psyd | Mind-Body Psychologist & Certified Yoga Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Rona, Psyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Rona, PsyD, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting my own business really stemmed from being in a place in my life where I was going through some life transitions already (personally). I was in a season of change and had been craving change in my professional life as well. Starting my own business was a scary leap of faith. In a lot of ways I was leaving behind a sense of stability and security. I did a lot of reflecting and tuning in to myself, trying to bring more clarity into the stage of life I was in and how I was envisioning my life moving forward. What led me to starting my own business was a desire for more authentic alignment to who I am. I was looking for a stronger integration of my personal self and my professional self. That’s not to say that my previous employment made me be inauthentic to myself, nor did they make me be someone else. If anything, I received tremendous support and encouragement from my supervisors and I learned the value of authenticity from them. Starting my own private practice was giving myself the space to be exactly who I am and who I wanted to be. Developing a better understanding of my niches and what I could offer my communities is what drove me to take the leap.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have come to learn to be very proud of who I am as a provider, the work that I do, and the business I am building. It was not an easy road. Anyone who has any experience with higher education, academic institutions, and/or graduate level schooling and training (especially in helping professions) can probably relate to the feeling of losing yourself along the way. In these systems, one can feel like they have to put work and career above all else. I’m not proud to admit that over a decade of school and training, I did not always do a great job of taking care of myself – mind, body, and spirit. However, in full circle fashion, I’ve come to a point in my professional career where I actually feel like I have found myself again – mind, body, and spirit.

It seems fitting that I would end up in a career where I identify myself as a mind-body psychologist. I’ve not only learned to help support others in their mind-body health but I’ve learned to heal myself too. I’ve learned to overcome those challenges by re-committing myself to prioritizing a healthy lifestyle.

There were countless times along the way where I felt unsure and full of self-doubt. I didn’t know what I could possibly offer the world. I know how irritating it can feel sometimes to hear “everything happens for a reason.” Funnily enough, I truly understand that now. In retrospect, the journey I took to get to where I am today makes actual sense. By moving out of state for training, I gained a wider and fuller understanding of diversity and systemic oppressions. By meeting with communities with chronic conditions, I became more passionate about integrating yoga and other somatic practices into talk therapy. By working as a psychologist in primary care, I learned the impacts that mental health can have on our physical health (and vice versa).

For the longest time I felt like my interests and passions were “all over the place” and I thought the common thread was missing. Turns out, it was there all along – mind, body, and spirit. A holistic and integrative perspective of health and wellness. What I believe sets me apart is my ability to engage in a unique integration of ancient somatic concepts and practices (from yoga and mindfulness modalities) with the knowledge and experience gained from working in a medical setting. Having experience working in primary care, I am now able to support my clients that I see for therapy, not only with their mental health concerns, but also with their overall physical wellness. I am able to help clients maintain a healthy lifestyle by addressing things like eating, sleeping, and movement habits. The overall health and wellbeing of my clients is of utmost importance.

Furthermore, my business also has a focus of serving Filipino Americans and other Asian American and Pacific Islander folks. My work stems from feminist, decolonization, and embodiment practices. I help individuals of color dismantle things like imposter syndrome and perfectionism, and support them in navigating being first/second generation children of immigrants. The intersections of culture, social justice, and health are the pillars of my business and my brand. I’m very proud to now know myself well enough to be able to identify why I do what I do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be able to do what I’m doing now if it weren’t for the support, encouragement, and mentorship of my previous supervisors, Sahar Dorani Bizimungu, PsyD and Maya Borgueta, PsyD, Founder of Stella Nova Psychology. My friends and colleagues at Stella Nova Psychology, including Alexis Lopez, PsyD, were also an important influence in the type of provider I am today. I also have friends and colleagues who provided business mentorship when I was navigating starting my own practice – Nicole Enrique, PsyD, Anne Perez, DPT, and Jeana Abadejos, LMFT. Lastly, and definitely not the least, the support and encouragement of my husband and friends who believed in me and continue to support me in all my endeavors – I would not be where I am if not for them!

Website: https://www.ronapsyd.com

Instagram: @dr.rona.psyd