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

Hi Ilana, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“What have you done for you today?”

This is my favorite quote/affirmation/question to ask myself.

I find that in our daily lives, between kids, working, social media, etc. we often forget to take care of ourselves. I believe that by asking ourselves this question, we can make sure to pause and reflect on our days and the ways in which we cared for ourselves. Perhaps the answer is that it was not the best day for self-care. If that is the case, we can make a concerted effort the next day to make ourselves more of a priority.

Since becoming a therapist, answering this question honestly allows me to reflect on how I have set aside time for myself while I am caring for others. This is essential to my work and allows me to be my best self for my clients and loved ones.

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 run Daily Therapy Dose, a company that aims to bring more awareness to mental health and create a community of like-minded individuals. DTD launched during the pandemic through social media and has expanded to support groups, an internship program, and merchandise! However, we have no intention of stopping there – we have many more audiences to reach (hopefully a mobile app and podcast launching soon!). I think DTD grew to over 40 thousand followers across all platforms because there is a real need for mental health resources provided in an easy, digestible way!

DTD is exclusively run by women of many different diverse backgrounds and sexual identities, which we are so proud of. Starting and maintaining DTD is definitely not easy, and continues to be a challenge. Running a full-time private practice, an internship program, and continuing to learn what is missing in this field requires a lot of work!

I believe the challenge is continuing to learn what is important to our community and learning how to meet their needs while juggling my own needs. However, I am confident that being a life-long learner will continue to help me throughout all of my endeavors. I am so proud of what DTD has become in its first year, and can not wait to see its future!

This is definitely only the beginning.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh my! Where would we begin?

I would pick up my best friend from LAX. Because my friend would undoubtedly be hungry hopping off the flight, we would head to Urth Caffe on Melrose for some good food and people watching. I would then give my friend a tour of Hollywood by car, continuing through Laurel Canyon, giving them a taste of LA traffic and sights along the way. We would wind down with a meal at Stanley’s in Sherman Oaks, and watch the sunset over Mulholland.

Throughout the week, I would make sure to take my friend to Rodeo Drive for some stereotypical LA shopping. We would also be sure to go down to Orange County to check out the crystal blue beaches and contrast them to Malibu or Santa Monica pier. At some point, I’d be sure to take my friend to The Arts District in Downtown LA followed by drinks at Perch.

Some food places I’d definitely take my friend:
– Lunch at my favorite restaurant —The Honor Bar off of Beverly. The Honor Bar’s crispy chicken sandwich is to die for (order extra spicy slaw on the side). We’d grab some dessert at Milk Bar afterward.
– Back on the Beach Cafe in Santa Monica.
– If my BFF is trendy, we would definitely check out Yamashiro Hollywood or Catch LA!

Activities:
– Dodgers or Lakers Game
– Swan boats at Lake Balboa
– The Getty Museum
– Hike at Griffith Observatory
– A concert at the Hollywood Bowl!

We would have some jam-packed days full of sights, and memories!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My first shoutout goes to Dacher Keltner. After taking Professor Keltner’s course, The Psychology of Happiness, at UC Berkeley, my career in therapy was set in stone. My second shoutout goes to Esther Perel. My graduate thesis centered on Perel’s book “Mating in Captivity,” and Perel continues to be a huge inspiration to me and my practice. Finally, my loud, eclectic, Jewish family deserves the greatest recognition. Without my immigrant grandparents and parents, and my 3 amazing siblings, I would not have a story. My family colors my world and supports all of my craziest endeavors.

Website: ilanagrines.com

Instagram: @dailytherapydose

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dailytherapydose

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourtherapydose

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailytherapydose

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailytherapydose

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