We had the good fortune of connecting with Deniss Cantor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deniss, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Managing work-life balance has been something that I work with my patients on for some time now but when I started to extend my work to Instagram and YouTube, I found it harder to keep my own boundaries. I absolutely love being a therapist and creating mental health content to help increase access and understanding about mental health– I loved it so much I was doing it 12-14 hours a day.  The problem was that I kept telling myself: “I’ll work really hard right now and then I’ll rest.” Except the rest never came because there was always something to do. It was definitely NOT sustainable and eventually I felt burnt out. I struggled with concentration, sleep, and I was constantly tired.

It served as a wake-up call. I decided to make use of the strategies I develop and implement with patients and took time off to recharge. Once I came back, I had to rework my schedule to make sure I was committing to responsibilities I could manage in the long-term.  Creating a set schedule with boundaries that allow for me to get enough sleep, eat, rest and quality time with my loved ones on a DAILY basis is important. I create what I call “sacred time” for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in which I do NOT schedule anything and I keep a list of activities that I also prioritize like spending time with my partner and visiting my parents.

This has allowed me to maintain a good balance of professional fulfillment, alone time, and loving relationships. At the end of the day what it comes down to is this: prioritizing my own physical and mental health so I can be present for the things– and people– that matter.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

TOC Therapy is a culturally sensitive and trauma informed mental health practice in CA tailored to meet the needs of BIPOC Adults. TOC Therapy began as an idea back in 2016 when I was finishing up my graduate training. I dreamt of a practice where BIPOC could feel welcome and understood. Where our experiences, culture, and language would be not just respected but seen as what they are: valuable pieces to our growth, mental health, and fulfilling lives. This is the basis for our clinical practice and any of the advocacy and educational work that comes from TOC Therapy. We recently added another therapist to the practice which will allow us to increase the number of people who receive mental health services.

Being a therapist is extremely rewarding and knowing I make a difference is what keeps me going. My patients allow me to witness their pain and their strength and they are the reason I do what I do.

As I got more involved on social media I realized I wanted to do something outside of the therapy couch. I decided to start a YouTube Channel called Therapy, Explained and a podcast called My Therapist Friends. This took a big leap of faith that I could do it but the idea that I could help one person out there somewhere– even if I never meet them– that’s what keeps me going.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The hikes here in LA are beautiful. We tend to think of the city as just the city but there is so much beauty and nature here.  I don’t eat meat and it’s hard to get a good vegan hot-dog but my favorite spot in DTLA is Wurstkuche– they have vegetarian hot dogs and great beers!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A big, big shoutout to my family and partner who support me and cheer me on when I need it most. They are my biggest fans. I also owe a lot to my community (online and where I grew up)– they inspire me to continue to create content and free mental health information and education.

Website: www.toctherapy.org

Instagram: www.instagram.com/toctherapy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYWjjwXmZVBdVYvTgjCo64A

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