Meet Mona Shakibai | Physical Therapist and Industry Disruptor

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

Hi Mona, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
A book I often reference in my own head, or in conversations with friends or clients, is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. You may have heard “sparking joy” being a more and more commonly used phrase in society, especially amongst millennials, and the book walks you through, step by step, how to tidy up your physical space as well as all the mindset shifts that take place as you leave behind anything that doesn’t bring joy to your life. She teaches in the book that you have to hold each item in your hands, and little by little you become more attuned to your true sense of self and the deep desire you have within to create the life you want and deserve. I read this book almost a decade ago, and I got rid of 8 trash bags worth of items as well as a few furniture pieces, donated a ton of books to my high school library, all when I was still living at my parents house! It was crazy how this changed so many aspects of my life. It affected the choices I made in regards to food I would eat, clothing/accessories I would buy, workouts I would perform, people I would spend time with, etc. Ultimately, this concept and attainment to my truest self, led me to start Milk + Honey Physical Therapy. There were SO many aspects of this profession that I recognized needed improvement, and with time, it only became more and more clear that I was not going to be satisfied until I became a disruptor in the space. I wasn’t finding what I wanted out of this profession in different clinical settings, so I set out to create it myself. I have lofty goals that are beyond just myself. My vision is to be more concerned with the ultimate sustainability of a business, the clients we serve, the future employees I will serve, the family I will serve. I see this all as a massive opportunity and a massive responsibility to carry it out so that I can make real changes 🙂

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me and Milk + Honey PT apart from others is the emphasis on education, and individualized care. I didn’t enjoy working in a PT mill, and I know insurance-based care can negatively impact the patient experience. I also want anyone who works for me in the future to feel safe, supported, and lucky to work with me. This natural commitment to a shared positive community experience is what I am most proud of; my empathy is my superpower, and I hope for that to become the industry standard one day.

I got here with a large variety of experiences, tons of frustrations, and a deep desire to improve the patient experience. It wasn’t “easy per se, but I know there are many more people out there with much more challenging experiences out there. I recognize the great privileges I have had, while also acknowledging that my experience had its own set of unique yet universal challenges.

One challenge I’ve faced so far is believing in myself. I had a lot of mental blocks, and will continue to have some, but they get torn down bit by bit the more experience I gain!

I’ve learned that we cannot build a sustainable institution on an unstable foundation. Many spiritual concepts need to be brought into business spaces at the outset. Generosity, service, detached consultation, cooperation, grassroots, and empowerment need to be highlighted while consumerism, greed, materialism, and top-down approaches we may be better off without.

I named my company, Milk + Honey Physical Therapy, as an homage to my Persian roots, where you’re invited into an exceptionally hospitable home, and offered tea. Physical therapy has the freedom to bring aspects from both the East and the West; I actually recently learned from my mother, that her grandmother would do cupping with matches on people in their village in Iran. Now cupping is a modality I offer my patients in their treatment plan. The apple doesn’t fall far from the great-grandmother tree I guess! I also grew up massaging my mom, and getting the best massages from my mom, so I know the value of a healing touch. Tea is generally bitter, but you can make it sweeter with a little bit of milk and a little bit of honey. That is the exact feeling I want people to experience when they come to see me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coffee shops have always been a magnet for me, and I’ve recently discovered a couple new ones nearby that I would definitely take friends to check out. Moonphaze is a new place in Agoura Hills inside of a beautiful interior design studio with SO MANY PLANTS. Calabasas Coffee House is also a relatively new business with a great vibe for working. I’m actually sitting here right now! My friend, Ella, started a wellness business called Sunburst Vitality in Thousand Oaks that offers acupuncture, massage, foot soaks, and facial services that I’ve sent a lot of people to! I’m going to be getting a facial treatment there very soon 🙂 My husband and I have gravitating towards Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Carpinteria lately, for super relaxed weekend vibes. We go to a lot of different places and just being in a new town refreshes your spirit. I just went with him to Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands, that is also known as the Galapagos of North America. It was AMAZING. I grew up watching nature shows on repeat as a kid, and I lived my Jane Goodall, Steve Irwin, Charles Darwin dreams out that day. We got to kayak in sea caves, hike, see wildlife and animals that aren’t found anywhere else in the world. It’s also a National Park, so the efforts they take to keep the space free from litter is inspiring. Whenever friends visit, I usually end up taking them on a hike somewhere as well, so maybe the Griffith Park Observatory so they can also see the Hollywood sign, and drive around afterwards to check out the awesome real estate there in the hills, with the Spanish style architecture and amazing views!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
SO MANY PEOPLE! First of all, my parents, who bravely escaped religious persecution in Iran for their beliefs in the Baha’i Faith, and built a life for themselves as well as for my sister and I that gave us the absolute privilege of choice, while showing us how to be of service to our families and communities. My Faith, and the community that raised me with the ideals of “Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined toy our own self” and to contribute to “an ever-advancing civilization.” A local mentor of mine, Dr. Rachael Cappuccino who is making waves in the world of women’s health with her pelvic floor PT practice, and who is actually subletting her space to me as I begin my journey into business-ownership. My nieces for inspiring me from the day they were born to make the world a safer space for women; I’ve tried to be a role-model for them and institute ideals into my business model that will be inclusive of women and minorities. I hope they see me and recognize within themselves everything they are capable of. My best friends who keep me laughing every single day. Perhaps most of all my husband, Alex, who has been an absolute pillar of support for me in every way imaginable since the day he first texted me a couple years ago. His certainty in me from day one, and his selflessness, I appreciate every single day.

Website: https://www.milkandhoneypt.com

Instagram: @milkandhoneypt

Other: milkandhoneypt@gmail.com

Image Credits
The headshots were taken by Leigha Smith Photography