Rewrite Your Diagnosis: What This Therapist Wants Every Woman to Know

In this inspiring episode of Soma Says, Dr. Soma Mandal interviews Virginia “Gin” Oman — a transformational expert, licensed clinical mental health counselor, certified life coach, personal trainer, and harp therapist. Diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis in the late 1980s and told she’d never walk again, Gin rebuked expectations. She used the healing power of the mind-body connection, movement, music, and intuition to reclaim her life — going from wheelchair-bound to cycling and eventually serving as the MS Association’s National Ambassador.

 

🌟 Topics Covered

• Resilience and defying the odds

• Mind-body healing, intuition, and small daily steps

• Sound and movement therapy for trauma and chronic illness

• Building a life of purpose and inspiring hope

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & Disclaimer 00:53 – Meet Virginia "Gin" Oman 01:19 – Gin's Journey with MS 04:35 – Intuition & Overcoming Adversity 09:39 – Crafting a Unique Therapeutic Practice 11:21 – Music & Movement as Medicine 18:10 – Therapy’s Triumphs & Trials 22:29 – Learning to Ride Again 26:05 – Becoming a Voice for Hope 26:40 – Inner Voice & Small Shifts 28:49 – From Ashes to Flight 29:27 – Writing for Healing 30:48 – The Joy of Helping Others 34:26 – Daily Rituals for Balance 35:52 – Gratitude & Nature’s Role 41:42 – Engaging the Audience 42:10 – Final Thoughts + Contact Info

👥 Connect & Learn More

Virginia “Gin” Oman

• Instagram: @virginiaomanofficial 

• Website: virginiaoman.com

Dr. Soma Mandal aka "Dr. Soma"

• Instagram: @drsomamandalmd 

• Website: somamandalmd.com

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hi, this is Dr.
Soma.
Just a disclaimer, this podcast is for informational purposes only and isn't intended as medical advice.
Always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen.
Let's go to the show. 6 00:00:53,570.023 --> 00:01:02,330.023 Meet Virginia Jen Oman, a dynamic transformational expert, blending deep clinical insight with powerful healing tools. 7 00:01:02,660.023 --> 00:01:15,345.023 Jen holds a master's in counseling and is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, a certified life coach, and a nationally certified personal trainer with specialties in senior fitness. 8 00:01:15,970.023 --> 00:01:19,330.023 Corrective movement and behavior change motivation. 9 00:01:19,690.023 --> 00:01:22,360.023 Gin's own journey is nothing short of inspiring. 10 00:01:22,720.023 --> 00:01:33,925.023 Diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis in the late eighties, she defied expectations, reclaiming vitality, riding a bike again, and becoming the MS. 11 00:01:33,925.023 --> 00:01:40,915.023 Association's national Ambassador, her blend of MINDBODY connection, positive psychology. 12 00:01:41,120.023 --> 00:01:42,950.023 Fitness and sound therapy. 13 00:01:43,160.023 --> 00:01:57,740.023 She's also a trained heart therapist, empowers others to rise above adversity, winner of best holistic Life Magazine's 2023 Traumatic Coach of the Year, and one of North Carolina's Women of the Year. 14 00:01:57,950.023 --> 00:02:06,620.023 She brings decades of experience helping people transform their mental, emotional, and physical health's here today. 15 00:02:06,830.023 --> 00:02:13,430.023 To share how we can defy the odds and create a life filled with joy, resilience, and radical wellness. 16 00:02:15,579.023 --> 00:02:18,369.023 I wanted to officially welcome you to my podcast. 17 00:02:18,369.023 --> 00:02:19,869.023 Soma says, thank you. 18 00:02:20,889.023 --> 00:02:21,459.023 So happy to be here. 19 00:02:21,769.023 --> 00:02:29,89.023 We have this connection, you and I, where we have patients where they need us for their mental health. 20 00:02:29,569.023 --> 00:02:33,709.023 And you have a fascinating background, which I'm going to let you talk about. 21 00:02:34,199.023 --> 00:02:39,329.023 And you help so many people, but you yourself have been through. 22 00:02:39,874.023 --> 00:02:41,284.023 Your own struggles. 23 00:02:41,344.023 --> 00:02:54,904.023 And I'm sure that not only did it, not that you didn't allow it to bring you down, but you fought through it, fought through your illness and continue to help people. 24 00:02:54,904.023 --> 00:03:04,594.023 So talk to us about how your past experience with all of that has shaped who you are and how it helps you help others today. 25 00:03:05,464.023 --> 00:03:09,274.023 First and foremost, the fact that I've been down there. 26 00:03:09,274.023 --> 00:03:14,194.023 I've been down in the dark, dismal places of lost hope. 27 00:03:14,694.023 --> 00:03:21,774.023 Which for me, what I found when I was there was at, that's the worst state anybody can be in. 28 00:03:22,194.023 --> 00:03:28,44.023 If you don't have hope for a meaningful tomorrow, all is lost. 29 00:03:28,524.023 --> 00:03:41,324.023 So I was there, MS and watching my body just deteriorate month after month and then become secondary progressive and then ending up in a wheelchair. 30 00:03:41,684.023 --> 00:03:53,204.023 And here I was listening to the medical establishment and taking all their advice and taking their medications and all of that, and it was just. 31 00:03:53,864.023 --> 00:03:54,644.023 Disheartening. 32 00:03:55,124.023 --> 00:03:56,534.023 It was a horrible experience. 33 00:03:57,84.023 --> 00:04:00,374.023 When I got to that place I'm very much a lover of life. 34 00:04:00,374.023 --> 00:04:10,754.023 I'm involved in so many different things in terms of my interests, and when I got to the place where I was no longer mobile, that was bad enough. 35 00:04:10,854.023 --> 00:04:17,424.023 But I couldn't participate in any of the many activities that fill my life up. 36 00:04:18,4.023 --> 00:04:20,344.023 I didn't want to be around. 37 00:04:20,494.023 --> 00:04:23,564.023 It just was not a meaningful experience for me. 38 00:04:23,869.023 --> 00:04:27,559.023 I didn't wanna just take up room on the planet, so to speak. 39 00:04:27,949.023 --> 00:04:33,579.023 And it was just, psychologically not a place that I wanted to be in. 40 00:04:33,849.023 --> 00:04:34,119.023 Yeah. 41 00:04:34,389.023 --> 00:04:35,349.023 I was so miserable. 42 00:04:35,349.023 --> 00:04:46,924.023 So when I got to the place, the thing that changed that for me was that there was a part of me that wanted to live. 43 00:04:47,734.023 --> 00:04:51,464.023 I really, inside of me, I'm a lover of life. 44 00:04:51,464.023 --> 00:05:04,574.023 I wanted to live, and so I just decided at the last minute to listen to my intuition, and fortunately, very fortunately, my intuition spoke to me at that time. 45 00:05:05,969.023 --> 00:05:20,249.023 And it gave me a message and I followed it and I latched onto that message and I didn't deter for it, even though I wasn't seeing results right away at all. 46 00:05:20,699.023 --> 00:05:28,329.023 But I refused to give up and I just kept going and I found a way out finally. 47 00:05:28,689.023 --> 00:05:33,239.023 It started to make a difference but it was slow going. 48 00:05:33,929.023 --> 00:05:42,959.023 by consistency in believing and having a big enough WHY of what you want you can do. 49 00:05:43,139.023 --> 00:05:44,219.023 You're limitless. 50 00:05:44,249.023 --> 00:05:44,729.023 You're amazing. 51 00:05:45,724.023 --> 00:05:47,664.023 All of us, every single one of us. 52 00:05:49,79.023 --> 00:05:50,509.023 And did your. 53 00:05:51,394.023 --> 00:05:56,604.023 Inspiration come from within, or was it friends, family members? Oh, no. 54 00:05:56,634.023 --> 00:05:58,764.023 Nobody knew I was at this place. 55 00:05:58,794.023 --> 00:05:59,184.023 Okay. 56 00:05:59,229.023 --> 00:06:01,89.023 I kept all of that to myself. 57 00:06:01,639.023 --> 00:06:06,349.023 No, it came right from inside my core being Okay. 58 00:06:06,649.023 --> 00:06:07,9.023 Yeah. 59 00:06:07,939.023 --> 00:06:14,529.023 And did you find other people, other doctors who maybe had a different way of treating ms? No. 60 00:06:14,979.023 --> 00:06:23,709.023 The medical establishment at that time was dead set against everything that I decided for myself. 61 00:06:23,739.023 --> 00:06:29,49.023 the message basically was, listen to what your body wants. 62 00:06:30,264.023 --> 00:06:37,984.023 And so what my body wanted was the total opposite of what the medical establishment had been telling me. 63 00:06:38,944.023 --> 00:06:43,774.023 And so that's when I just abandoned it and went my own journey. 64 00:06:43,774.023 --> 00:06:47,794.023 I developed my own course of action and stuck to it. 65 00:06:48,304.023 --> 00:06:50,704.023 And no, there was no medical. 66 00:06:51,469.023 --> 00:06:55,609.023 Person around at that time that was saying, oh yeah, this is the way you should handle this. 67 00:06:55,669.023 --> 00:06:55,939.023 Okay. 68 00:06:55,939.023 --> 00:06:57,739.023 No, it, that was just the opposite. 69 00:06:57,769.023 --> 00:06:59,569.023 They were trying to talk me out of it. 70 00:06:59,869.023 --> 00:07:13,839.023 In fact, later on when I started having such good luck with good results, I should say, with the path I was forging and I got to the point where I was not only walking, but. 71 00:07:14,334.023 --> 00:07:18,324.023 I was walking upright and I decided to. 72 00:07:19,479.023 --> 00:07:26,829.023 Take to another dream I had of riding a two wheel bicycle unassisted again, which was nuts. 73 00:07:26,829.023 --> 00:07:33,99.023 'cause when you don't have a sense of balance, that's what you need the most to ride a two wheel bicycle unassisted. 74 00:07:33,164.023 --> 00:07:33,494.023 Right. 75 00:07:33,494.023 --> 00:07:38,434.023 And my neurologist all talk me out of it, they said, don't do it. 76 00:07:38,464.023 --> 00:07:39,364.023 It's crazy. 77 00:07:39,364.023 --> 00:07:40,324.023 You'll never do it. 78 00:07:40,324.023 --> 00:07:42,164.023 You'll hurt yourself by trying. 79 00:07:42,794.023 --> 00:08:04,994.023 And once again, I just went kamikaze and just went for it and proved them wrong, but that was my own path Everybody has to listen to their internal message and if there are experts or even non-experts that you can find that can support you in your quest. 80 00:08:05,354.023 --> 00:08:06,464.023 Absolutely. 81 00:08:06,764.023 --> 00:08:07,874.023 Take them up on it. 82 00:08:08,294.023 --> 00:08:13,604.023 But for me, there wasn't anyone I had to go on this journey solo. 83 00:08:14,384.023 --> 00:08:33,734.023 And that's pretty much what I'm doing here right now is because when I had all that wonderful results starting to happen, it was very clear to me that I wanted to devote my life to sharing my message of hope and inspiration. 84 00:08:34,244.023 --> 00:08:47,754.023 And going for it, going beyond whatever limitations you think you have because we only have one life and it's so short and it's sacred. 85 00:08:48,414.023 --> 00:08:53,934.023 And don't stop yourself from doing what brings you joy. 86 00:08:54,319.023 --> 00:08:57,969.023 Were you a therapist at that time I was a therapist. 87 00:08:57,969.023 --> 00:09:00,579.023 I was a therapist starting in my thirties. 88 00:09:00,609.023 --> 00:09:00,759.023 Yeah. 89 00:09:01,179.023 --> 00:09:12,99.023 I graduated from, I got my graduate degree late thirties, but MS, even though it had come into my life, hadn't taken things away. 90 00:09:12,99.023 --> 00:09:15,729.023 It hadn't progressed to the point yet where. 91 00:09:16,164.023 --> 00:09:18,264.023 MS is a series of losses. 92 00:09:18,444.023 --> 00:09:18,564.023 Yes. 93 00:09:18,564.023 --> 00:09:26,454.023 It'll take this away from you and then that, and you don't really even get a chance to recover from one loss before there's another one. 94 00:09:26,784.023 --> 00:09:29,214.023 At least that's the way the course went for me. 95 00:09:30,54.023 --> 00:09:31,34.023 And yeah. 96 00:09:31,94.023 --> 00:09:38,294.023 And so I was hell bent on not allowing that to happen so that I could live a full and fulfilling life. 97 00:09:39,854.023 --> 00:09:53,214.023 And I know you're based in Asheville and North Carolina, and your therapy focuses on talk therapy, on fitness, on positive psychology and sound healing. 98 00:09:53,754.023 --> 00:10:02,984.023 tell us how you came to establish all these different realms within your therapy and what sets you apart from other therapists. 99 00:10:04,959.023 --> 00:10:15,369.023 I think, and to answer your very last question, it's the very fact that I have these varied specialties. 100 00:10:15,429.023 --> 00:10:15,669.023 Yeah. 101 00:10:16,59.023 --> 00:10:25,179.023 And, but when you look at them all together, they're all connected by my belief in the mind body, mind connection. 102 00:10:26,9.023 --> 00:10:27,779.023 Created in the 1990s. 103 00:10:28,319.023 --> 00:10:30,809.023 And then I got into positive psychology. 104 00:10:31,499.023 --> 00:10:34,229.023 But it was a combination of all my interests. 105 00:10:34,279.023 --> 00:10:46,639.023 I became a certified personal fitness trainer because I got tired of when I was working out at the gym, seeing unqualified personal fitness trainers. 106 00:10:46,639.023 --> 00:10:50,419.023 So I thought, I'm just gonna go and get this knowledge for myself. 107 00:10:50,819.023 --> 00:10:55,989.023 And then after I got it, I thought I couldn't possibly market myself. 108 00:10:56,19.023 --> 00:10:58,119.023 'cause here I am using a walker. 109 00:10:58,749.023 --> 00:11:03,999.023 But it turns out I was the number one fitness trainer in the whole gym. 110 00:11:04,29.023 --> 00:11:06,489.023 it had nothing to do with my limitations. 111 00:11:06,489.023 --> 00:11:16,629.023 It was showing others to go beyond and that I could do all these exercises even though I was there standing there in a walker. 112 00:11:17,89.023 --> 00:11:21,859.023 It really helped motivate a lot of people in the gym. 113 00:11:21,909.023 --> 00:11:44,144.023 With your sessions, do you do a combination of, obviously talk therapy in your office or virtually what have you, but is there a hybrid approach where you also incorporate physical activities with your patients and or music therapy? Can you describe to us what that's like? I prescribe. 114 00:11:45,764.023 --> 00:11:57,954.023 Music therapy, but I'm a big proponent of prescribing movement because it's all about our state of happiness and wellbeing that is determined by our emotional state. 115 00:11:58,624.023 --> 00:12:07,774.023 we have the power to change our emotional state any instant that we want, and the fastest way to do that is through movement. 116 00:12:08,419.023 --> 00:12:21,779.023 So I prescribe movement to my clients right off the bat and watch it do its magic for those people who choose to try it and stick with it. 117 00:12:22,19.023 --> 00:12:26,969.023 It just has amazing results to help diminish. 118 00:12:27,269.023 --> 00:12:29,459.023 Depression and anxiety. 119 00:12:29,909.023 --> 00:12:39,279.023 So I'll chart a course for them and walk them through that and we'll track it and, it's a big part of my prescription pad. 120 00:12:39,639.023 --> 00:12:39,939.023 Okay. 121 00:12:40,59.023 --> 00:12:43,389.023 As far as music therapy, I went and got. 122 00:12:43,729.023 --> 00:13:06,654.023 I did, I got so involved with that after finding out about matics and the magic of semantics to change molecules and turn them into these beautiful patterns like mandalas of, they do that in our cells with certain vibrations of music. 123 00:13:07,404.023 --> 00:13:10,44.023 So I got so interested in that. 124 00:13:10,54.023 --> 00:13:17,944.023 I chose to go and study harp therapy because HARP has the longest unimpeded vibrating string. 125 00:13:18,694.023 --> 00:13:23,794.023 So it had amazing powers to heal and calm. 126 00:13:24,154.023 --> 00:13:28,994.023 So I went to harp therapy school in California. 127 00:13:29,879.023 --> 00:13:35,769.023 Studied that and then started volunteering at hospice. 128 00:13:35,859.023 --> 00:13:36,39.023 Okay. 129 00:13:36,909.023 --> 00:14:20,419.023 So you were asking, I think in one of your initial questions, is there experience I could talk about where that was really effective with someone I worked with? And the prime example that always resonates with me is it was one of the first times I was at hospice and playing bedside, playing harp, and I was actually playing out in the hallway between two rooms with open doors and both these patients in the room were. 130 00:14:21,169.023 --> 00:14:22,579.023 On their last day. 131 00:14:24,589.023 --> 00:14:34,489.023 And so I was playing my repertoire of what I was taught and doing some improvisation on with certain modes of music. 132 00:14:36,169.023 --> 00:14:46,939.023 And all of a sudden as I'm playing out from one of these doorways comes this woman walking very briskly towards me in a determined expression. 133 00:14:47,719.023 --> 00:14:56,149.023 And she bent down and looked me straight in the eye and with tears in her eyes, and I thought to myself, oh my God. 134 00:14:56,359.023 --> 00:15:08,179.023 But she said, I cannot possibly thank you enough for the music that you are playing, because I am in this room now with my husband who's dying. 135 00:15:09,79.023 --> 00:15:41,909.023 And ever since you started playing, He came conscious and he started to talk with me, and his eyes opened and he claimed to me, he said, doesn't it sound like we're hearing the music of Angels She was so grateful to have had that moment with him and have him experience that right at his very ending point. 136 00:15:42,959.023 --> 00:16:00,749.023 And that to me, when she told me that, it was like, if that's not proof positive of the healing and peaceful results that music can bring on the human body, I don't know what is. 137 00:16:01,949.023 --> 00:16:03,539.023 That was proof positive for me. 138 00:16:04,149.023 --> 00:16:04,749.023 Of course. 139 00:16:04,749.023 --> 00:16:07,99.023 I'm, a musician myself. 140 00:16:07,99.023 --> 00:16:09,944.023 what do you play? I play the piano mostly. 141 00:16:09,984.023 --> 00:16:11,964.023 I was also a violinist in high school. 142 00:16:12,514.023 --> 00:16:16,504.023 I was a concert mistress from elementary school all through high school. 143 00:16:16,724.023 --> 00:16:16,994.023 Yeah. 144 00:16:16,994.023 --> 00:16:18,734.023 So music is in my Oh, I got it. 145 00:16:18,734.023 --> 00:16:18,794.023 Yeah. 146 00:16:19,359.023 --> 00:16:23,739.023 and my kids also play instruments, so I personally know that. 147 00:16:24,189.023 --> 00:16:26,109.023 Music does have healing properties. 148 00:16:26,439.023 --> 00:16:26,799.023 Oh my gosh. 149 00:16:26,809.023 --> 00:16:32,759.023 I remember even as a kid, when I was having a bad day, the music calmed me. 150 00:16:33,29.023 --> 00:16:41,699.023 And even now if I have a bad day at work, I just, put on some classical music and it is so calming and relaxing. 151 00:16:41,919.023 --> 00:16:46,19.023 And it takes your mind off of, whatever was going on at that time. 152 00:16:46,109.023 --> 00:16:48,659.023 The music it's the language of the soul for sure. 153 00:16:50,99.023 --> 00:16:57,919.023 So with the music therapy and, you prescribe the physical aspects of treatment, right? Yeah. 154 00:16:57,919.023 --> 00:17:01,189.023 You think that most of your clients are. 155 00:17:02,239.023 --> 00:17:15,869.023 Attracted to you because you are different right? In the way you approach things? Or do they just seek you because you know they wanna get better and then they're surprised that you have different modalities. 156 00:17:16,139.023 --> 00:17:16,829.023 Yeah. 157 00:17:17,309.023 --> 00:17:18,509.023 It depends. 158 00:17:18,609.023 --> 00:17:19,509.023 Some people just. 159 00:17:20,439.023 --> 00:17:26,889.023 Choose me because they liked the way I looked or sounded in my introductory video on Psychology Today. 160 00:17:27,249.023 --> 00:17:39,939.023 Other people have done their homework and they actually looked at my website and found, listened to podcasts I've been on and read about me, and so they know they come seeking that. 161 00:17:40,539.023 --> 00:17:42,219.023 So it's a combination of both. 162 00:17:42,519.023 --> 00:17:45,279.023 For a lot of people though, it's a total surprise. 163 00:17:45,379.023 --> 00:17:49,69.023 Or if their insurance company just happened to recommend me. 164 00:17:49,199.023 --> 00:17:53,99.023 They have no idea that I have this different approach. 165 00:17:53,99.023 --> 00:17:54,119.023 Very holistic. 166 00:17:54,299.023 --> 00:17:54,539.023 Yeah. 167 00:17:54,809.023 --> 00:18:00,764.023 But because it works they stay with it and benefit from it. 168 00:18:01,609.023 --> 00:18:05,809.023 Are most of your clients, both men and women, or do you see a Yep. 169 00:18:06,49.023 --> 00:18:06,469.023 Okay. 170 00:18:06,589.023 --> 00:18:07,9.023 Oh yeah. 171 00:18:07,9.023 --> 00:18:07,309.023 All right. 172 00:18:07,789.023 --> 00:18:08,509.023 Absolutely. 173 00:18:08,509.023 --> 00:18:08,959.023 Okay. 174 00:18:09,379.023 --> 00:18:09,829.023 Okay. 175 00:18:10,369.023 --> 00:18:14,149.023 As you probably know, I'm sure you've done a little research about me. 176 00:18:14,149.023 --> 00:18:16,849.023 I am a women's health specialist. 177 00:18:16,849.023 --> 00:18:16,939.023 Yep. 178 00:18:16,939.023 --> 00:18:18,469.023 So most of my patients are women. 179 00:18:18,469.023 --> 00:18:22,639.023 Not to say that I don't see men at all, because I definitely do. 180 00:18:23,59.023 --> 00:18:29,419.023 But it's interesting that your clientele is half and half because I, no, I can't say it's half and half. 181 00:18:29,419.023 --> 00:18:31,69.023 I see both men and women. 182 00:18:31,129.023 --> 00:18:31,459.023 Yes. 183 00:18:31,459.023 --> 00:18:33,229.023 the majority of people. 184 00:18:33,709.023 --> 00:18:34,429.023 I see. 185 00:18:34,489.023 --> 00:18:34,999.023 Are women. 186 00:18:35,54.023 --> 00:18:40,374.023 I, in many ways I attribute that to women are more likely to reach out. 187 00:18:40,524.023 --> 00:18:40,794.023 Yeah. 188 00:18:40,794.023 --> 00:18:44,814.023 But I also think because of the inherent inequality, I. 189 00:18:45,654.023 --> 00:18:57,864.023 Between men and female rights and expectations and standards, et cetera, et cetera, that have been here in all cultures for generations and generations. 190 00:18:58,584.023 --> 00:19:02,904.023 Women a lot of times end up getting the short end of the stick. 191 00:19:03,684.023 --> 00:19:09,109.023 I cannot tell you the amount of women I've worked with who come to me because. 192 00:19:10,179.023 --> 00:19:26,719.023 They were made to feel invisible right from when they were a little child, and both their parents, or at least one, chose to favor the male her brother, or her brothers, and they get left. 193 00:19:26,839.023 --> 00:19:30,199.023 They get left in the dust, and growing up with. 194 00:19:30,889.023 --> 00:19:33,709.023 A negative self-esteem and self-concept. 195 00:19:33,709.023 --> 00:19:48,829.023 Because of that, a lot of women end up coming and seeking help with me, it's a perfect fit for me because I do a lot with eliminating negative self messages and transforming. 196 00:19:48,879.023 --> 00:20:01,749.023 Of course, the ability to overcome your condition, I'm sure also helps you to motivate your patients. 197 00:20:01,759.023 --> 00:20:11,944.023 Do you share that you've had this experience and how it's shaped your life? Is that something you freely talk about with your patients? On my. 198 00:20:12,739.023 --> 00:20:14,989.023 Website, Virginia oman.com. 199 00:20:15,349.023 --> 00:20:18,709.023 There's a four minute video where I do share. 200 00:20:19,699.023 --> 00:20:22,429.023 A lot of people click that and listen to it. 201 00:20:22,909.023 --> 00:20:27,829.023 A lot of people now, they're just such limited attention spans. 202 00:20:27,829.023 --> 00:20:29,419.023 They just, they don't even listen to it. 203 00:20:29,969.023 --> 00:20:30,419.023 Yeah. 204 00:20:30,419.023 --> 00:20:33,849.023 But I do talk about it and I do share with them. 205 00:20:34,179.023 --> 00:20:34,419.023 Yeah. 206 00:20:34,489.023 --> 00:20:36,379.023 But I don't think a lot of them. 207 00:20:37,399.023 --> 00:20:37,729.023 No. 208 00:20:37,729.023 --> 00:20:42,24.023 The extent of that, of what you've been through? Yeah. 209 00:20:42,324.023 --> 00:20:50,944.023 Of what I've been through and the fact that I still am, visibly I look different because of MS and the way I walk. 210 00:20:51,574.023 --> 00:20:59,404.023 But sitting here at my desk from the waist up, it's hard to tell that I have a different kind of lifestyle. 211 00:21:01,714.023 --> 00:21:11,794.023 So in addition to being a therapist and a fitness instructor you are also a fellow author and a podcaster. 212 00:21:12,964.023 --> 00:21:19,694.023 Yeah I don't have my own podcast yet because I don't have time to pursue that. 213 00:21:19,874.023 --> 00:21:20,204.023 Okay. 214 00:21:20,204.023 --> 00:21:25,84.023 I've been a guest on various ones that I think highly of. 215 00:21:25,84.023 --> 00:21:25,174.023 Yes. 216 00:21:25,204.023 --> 00:21:35,74.023 And like I was explaining to you in the beginning years was my number one pick when I was looking for where I might wanna land on a podcast. 217 00:21:35,534.023 --> 00:21:37,274.023 Because of your. 218 00:21:38,109.023 --> 00:21:48,249.023 dedication and commitment to women's health as a physician yourself, but especially because you include the psychosocial aspects. 219 00:21:48,369.023 --> 00:21:48,589.023 Yes. 220 00:21:48,594.023 --> 00:21:53,44.023 That's very important and so often, those get left out of the equation. 221 00:21:53,614.023 --> 00:21:57,784.023 No, it's a very important part of what I do. 222 00:21:58,114.023 --> 00:22:02,704.023 A lot of times I serve as my patients therapist because they can't find any. 223 00:22:03,184.023 --> 00:22:07,564.023 Oh please feel free to pass them on to me. 224 00:22:07,834.023 --> 00:22:08,104.023 Of course. 225 00:22:08,514.023 --> 00:22:11,274.023 I always offer a free consult. 226 00:22:11,434.023 --> 00:22:13,494.023 For either coaching or therapy. 227 00:22:13,494.023 --> 00:22:15,294.023 It is so difficult, I can't tell you. 228 00:22:15,294.023 --> 00:22:18,224.023 it was difficult even before the pandemic. 229 00:22:18,284.023 --> 00:22:18,704.023 Yes. 230 00:22:18,764.023 --> 00:22:22,394.023 And now it's become even more difficult. 231 00:22:22,424.023 --> 00:22:28,354.023 And I feel so badly at times, where patients are not getting the care that they truly deserve. 232 00:22:29,194.023 --> 00:22:29,284.023 Yes. 233 00:22:29,334.023 --> 00:22:38,724.023 You were talking about one of your goals when you were down with MS was to ride that bike again. 234 00:22:39,534.023 --> 00:22:40,44.023 Oh yeah. 235 00:22:40,404.023 --> 00:22:41,964.023 Tell us about that experience. 236 00:22:42,454.023 --> 00:22:52,114.023 I had just come out of my experience of getting myself out of the wheelchair. 237 00:22:52,954.023 --> 00:23:02,804.023 And because I had been able to do that, I decided I wanna be able to stand up and use lightweight hiking poles. 238 00:23:03,449.023 --> 00:23:05,99.023 Stand up straight to walk. 239 00:23:05,579.023 --> 00:23:28,619.023 So when I conquered that, I was so jazzed I thought, what else do I wanna be able to do? And it was springtime here in Asheville and I used to be a cyclist and I hadn't been able to ride a, I had tried a trike, a three wheel bike, but for me it didn't, you know it when you can't. 240 00:23:29,219.023 --> 00:23:35,789.023 Have that lean and freedom of feeling the bike move through space. 241 00:23:36,389.023 --> 00:23:43,649.023 It's, to me, it wasn't what I was looking for, so I wanted to ride a two wheel bicycle again. 242 00:23:45,254.023 --> 00:23:47,14.023 And I just went for it. 243 00:23:47,74.023 --> 00:23:49,654.023 Even though my friend said, don't do it. 244 00:23:49,804.023 --> 00:23:52,264.023 You'll really endanger yourself. 245 00:23:52,264.023 --> 00:23:56,614.023 And my neurologist, I said, told you, said impossible. 246 00:23:56,804.023 --> 00:24:00,94.023 But I went back to what I had used before. 247 00:24:00,94.023 --> 00:24:05,854.023 I devised a plan and I charted the course and I stuck to it. 248 00:24:06,244.023 --> 00:24:10,114.023 And I did two and a half hours of work every day. 249 00:24:10,939.023 --> 00:24:23,419.023 An hour and a half before I left for work and an hour and a half when I came home working step by step, and I had to start on a child's bike. 250 00:24:24,9.023 --> 00:24:27,409.023 I couldn't even lift my leg to get over a full-size bike. 251 00:24:27,649.023 --> 00:24:34,519.023 And then when I was on the child's bike, I didn't even have the leg strength to lift my feet to the pedals. 252 00:24:34,749.023 --> 00:24:44,619.023 So we had to take the pedals off and I worked on just balancing and doing that for several months. 253 00:24:44,979.023 --> 00:24:51,69.023 Then we were able to put the pedals back on and move up in height. 254 00:24:51,684.023 --> 00:24:54,834.023 To a bike and I had a wonderful bike store. 255 00:24:54,834.023 --> 00:24:56,274.023 I enlisted their help. 256 00:24:56,274.023 --> 00:25:02,484.023 I said if, because I didn't have a bike, I had sold mine a long time ago because of ms. 257 00:25:03,144.023 --> 00:25:13,194.023 And so I went to them and I said, if you will loan me a bike to learn on when I'm able to ride this. 258 00:25:13,569.023 --> 00:25:18,9.023 I'll be happy to give you all the publicity that you could possibly want. 259 00:25:18,909.023 --> 00:25:26,569.023 And so they were very generous and gave me a bike, a loaner bike, and I just worked with that Every day. 260 00:25:26,569.023 --> 00:25:30,259.023 And I refuse again, refuse to give up. 261 00:25:30,919.023 --> 00:25:32,779.023 Just keep at it. 262 00:25:33,79.023 --> 00:25:38,149.023 Remembering, keep your eyes on the prize of what it is you are going for. 263 00:25:38,869.023 --> 00:25:41,299.023 And it was. 264 00:25:43,49.023 --> 00:25:53,644.023 Okay, looking back, it was 56 steps that I had to go through to get to the final aspect. 265 00:25:54,34.023 --> 00:26:03,724.023 11 and a half months it took me, but I got there and I defied the medical profession. 266 00:26:03,724.023 --> 00:26:04,864.023 Still can't believe it. 267 00:26:05,554.023 --> 00:26:07,84.023 So then I was chosen by the. 268 00:26:07,934.023 --> 00:26:18,714.023 Association of America to be their ambassador and just come out and do some television and radio broadcasting to share my message of inspiration. 269 00:26:19,224.023 --> 00:26:28,424.023 'cause that's all I wanna do is give people hope that no matter what it is that you feel is impossible in front of you. 270 00:26:29,459.023 --> 00:26:39,989.023 It's not, you are limitless and there's always a way, if you have a big enough why and if you have a good plan of action. 271 00:26:40,599.023 --> 00:27:00,459.023 And during that time, what was your inner voice saying to you? Was it just this voiceless? Desire to live or were there actual whys that perhaps you can share with us? prior to that, when I was still in a wheelchair, that was different. 272 00:27:01,59.023 --> 00:27:12,519.023 That's when my desire was just to live, to keep alive on the planet, to not take myself off the planet. 273 00:27:13,239.023 --> 00:27:15,939.023 And that was my why at that time. 274 00:27:16,359.023 --> 00:27:22,239.023 And that was little tiny steps of going into the water. 275 00:27:22,269.023 --> 00:27:38,709.023 'cause I couldn't do anything on land and I would just, I would mark off inches on the side of the pool for how many, if I could get an inch further down in the lane. 276 00:27:39,209.023 --> 00:27:40,829.023 That's how I marked my progress. 277 00:27:40,829.023 --> 00:27:42,689.023 That's how slowly it went. 278 00:27:43,649.023 --> 00:27:53,579.023 But again, don't give up and it's amazing what transpires if you stick with things like that. 279 00:27:54,149.023 --> 00:27:56,39.023 So with the bike it was different. 280 00:27:56,39.023 --> 00:28:01,139.023 I was mobile by that time and the voice was just. 281 00:28:01,529.023 --> 00:28:03,389.023 I could see the bike I wanted. 282 00:28:03,929.023 --> 00:28:17,339.023 The specialized bike company that I had been in touch with was thinking about giving me a top level bike if I was able to do this. 283 00:28:17,339.023 --> 00:28:21,149.023 I had some things I was really going for, but mostly it was. 284 00:28:22,184.023 --> 00:28:28,814.023 I wanna conquer this, okay? I wanna have this freedom again, this feeling of freedom. 285 00:28:29,174.023 --> 00:28:32,984.023 'cause bike riding to me is the closest I can get to running. 286 00:28:33,224.023 --> 00:28:35,744.023 That's my first love was long distance running. 287 00:28:36,224.023 --> 00:28:43,724.023 And that is just a total feeling of freedom, which is the nearest and dearest to my heart of all. 288 00:28:44,354.023 --> 00:28:49,434.023 So being on a bike, a two wheel bike, can give you that feeling. 289 00:28:49,984.023 --> 00:29:10,988.023 Is this part of the video series that you made of the Ashes to Flight? Is that why you named it the way you have ashes to Flight was ashes of being in the ashes of death and not being alive to rising up into flight. 290 00:29:10,988.023 --> 00:29:12,398.023 And that's why it's a phoenix. 291 00:29:12,398.023 --> 00:29:13,118.023 And that's my. 292 00:29:13,523.023 --> 00:29:15,383.023 Logo, as you can see behind me. 293 00:29:15,843.023 --> 00:29:16,293.023 Yes. 294 00:29:16,593.023 --> 00:29:20,343.023 And yeah it's all about overcoming. 295 00:29:20,493.023 --> 00:29:20,763.023 Yeah. 296 00:29:21,303.023 --> 00:29:23,973.023 Whatever you think is impossible. 297 00:29:24,333.023 --> 00:29:24,933.023 It's not. 298 00:29:27,528.023 --> 00:29:52,308.023 You're also an author, and I'm sure that happened for a reason, but what does that connection mean to you and why is it important for healing and growth for you? think for any of us, we, it's so important that we utilize whatever skills, Any talents we have and also what brings us joy. 299 00:29:52,438.023 --> 00:30:00,748.023 And I happen to have a gift at writing, and so I utilize that to share my message. 300 00:30:01,48.023 --> 00:30:03,918.023 And that's my interest in being an author. 301 00:30:04,848.023 --> 00:30:09,108.023 It's not money or fame or anything like that. 302 00:30:09,498.023 --> 00:30:14,88.023 It's to share my message and get my message out to as many people as possible. 303 00:30:14,538.023 --> 00:30:17,868.023 So that it can help change their life. 304 00:30:18,208.023 --> 00:30:39,528.023 I always say to people even if you are working on something and you only have half the success I have, that could totally transform your life for the better Have that much progress being made, that can take you to a whole different level of reality. 305 00:30:39,918.023 --> 00:30:43,788.023 But secondly, go beyond what I did. 306 00:30:43,848.023 --> 00:30:47,158.023 I always encourage people, you can go way beyond what I did. 307 00:30:47,158.023 --> 00:30:57,608.023 Go for it, so you sound and I know you are, you have been, but you also speak, you're an inspirational speaker. 308 00:30:58,88.023 --> 00:31:07,338.023 Tell us about that part of your career how you became a speaker and what inspires you to do something like that. 309 00:31:09,413.023 --> 00:31:11,3.023 I don't know where that came from. 310 00:31:11,3.023 --> 00:31:22,933.023 I think it's just my motivation, my heart, my purpose of sharing these techniques that I developed that work. 311 00:31:24,133.023 --> 00:31:28,423.023 And I just wanna get that message out there and share it. 312 00:31:28,843.023 --> 00:31:31,633.023 That's what life is all about, is helping each other. 313 00:31:32,48.023 --> 00:31:32,49.023 Yeah. 314 00:31:32,323.023 --> 00:31:38,863.023 We're all connected and that's why we're all here is to help each other, and that's all I wanna do. 315 00:31:39,193.023 --> 00:31:45,343.023 So that's my motivation in writing and also in speaking, same thing. 316 00:31:47,408.023 --> 00:31:55,448.023 What lies ahead in terms of new books, new programs? Yeah what's on the horizon for you? Thank you for asking that. 317 00:31:55,448.023 --> 00:32:06,228.023 I, I put together a self-paced video program that anybody can look at and if they are interested in purchasing it. 318 00:32:07,8.023 --> 00:32:08,88.023 It's on my website. 319 00:32:08,88.023 --> 00:32:10,428.023 it's called Your Path to a Happier Life. 320 00:32:10,708.023 --> 00:32:14,668.023 And it's a self-guided program, step by step. 321 00:32:15,178.023 --> 00:32:28,328.023 I walk them through every step of the way, giving them tools and techniques of things that can help transform a person's life for more happiness and fulfillment. 322 00:32:28,558.023 --> 00:32:33,598.023 And then I'm a regular writer for Best Holistic Life Magazine. 323 00:32:33,678.023 --> 00:32:43,328.023 Which is a very well known, nationally recognized holistic magazine in this country and also in Europe now. 324 00:32:43,608.023 --> 00:32:47,538.023 And then I am this year. 325 00:32:48,348.023 --> 00:32:57,748.023 Starting on my own book, 'cause I have several books inside me and so I wanna get started because I'm 72. 326 00:32:58,448.023 --> 00:33:03,33.023 And I, with the amount of things I wanna share with the world, I need to get going. 327 00:33:04,33.023 --> 00:33:08,613.023 So I guess retirement is nowhere in the near future for you. 328 00:33:08,613.023 --> 00:33:11,733.023 No, I love I love helping people. 329 00:33:12,223.023 --> 00:33:17,623.023 Am hoping maybe to have a little increase in time off Yes. 330 00:33:17,833.023 --> 00:33:23,873.023 Available to me if I'd like it, but that, my, my life is filled with things. 331 00:33:23,873.023 --> 00:33:35,433.023 I'm a multi-instrumentalist, i, when I'm not working with a patient, I'll reach down and pick up one of my many instruments and play it and just get so much joy. 332 00:33:35,433.023 --> 00:33:51,943.023 And, every one of us needs to have those little moments scattered throughout our week where we have something, a hobby something that really fills us with joy, takes us away to another zone. 333 00:33:53,128.023 --> 00:33:56,368.023 Even if it's only for 15 minutes at a time, it doesn't matter. 334 00:33:57,898.023 --> 00:33:59,608.023 Yeah, I totally agree with you. 335 00:33:59,818.023 --> 00:34:01,858.023 These are the things that keep us whole. 336 00:34:02,248.023 --> 00:34:02,638.023 Yes. 337 00:34:02,638.023 --> 00:34:03,958.023 And keep us grounded. 338 00:34:03,958.023 --> 00:34:06,978.023 It can't just be about work and you're a caregiver. 339 00:34:06,978.023 --> 00:34:08,118.023 I'm a caregiver. 340 00:34:08,328.023 --> 00:34:16,588.023 Even though we are, f fulfilled by what we do in helping others, as you well know, it does take something out of you. 341 00:34:16,733.023 --> 00:34:24,288.023 So if you don't feed your soul in some way, then it's very easy to get depleted. 342 00:34:24,978.023 --> 00:34:25,848.023 Absolutely. 343 00:34:26,358.023 --> 00:34:37,808.023 So as a therapist what do you do to avoid that depletion? I'm very much I walk my own talk in terms of, I do physical things three times a day. 344 00:34:38,108.023 --> 00:34:41,418.023 I start my day, at five 30 in the morning with physical. 345 00:34:41,898.023 --> 00:34:45,378.023 Working out and hiking and all kinds of things. 346 00:34:45,798.023 --> 00:34:54,18.023 And I do that regiment every day because how you start your day for me determines how the rest of the day goes. 347 00:34:54,18.023 --> 00:34:58,418.023 And it just puts you in a peak state of being, and I love that. 348 00:34:58,868.023 --> 00:35:05,858.023 So I do physical things in the morning, then I do a big block of work, then I do. 349 00:35:06,218.023 --> 00:35:13,38.023 Some music practicing and then I do midday hike. 350 00:35:13,278.023 --> 00:35:23,778.023 Then I do work all afternoon with clients, and then in between those I might have little tiny breaks where I can pick up an instrument. 351 00:35:24,528.023 --> 00:35:28,428.023 So music and physicality for me. 352 00:35:28,713.023 --> 00:35:31,533.023 Is where I get my therapy from. 353 00:35:32,3.023 --> 00:35:38,793.023 It's a joy for me and especially having lost my ability through because of ms. 354 00:35:39,183.023 --> 00:35:42,273.023 I appreciate what I am able to do now. 355 00:35:42,773.023 --> 00:35:45,433.023 I just feel grateful all the time. 356 00:35:45,433.023 --> 00:35:49,783.023 Gratitude's a big part of my, a big part of my life every day. 357 00:35:51,763.023 --> 00:35:52,153.023 Yes. 358 00:35:52,153.023 --> 00:35:59,233.023 I think there's more research and more coming out about how important it is to stay grateful. 359 00:35:59,283.023 --> 00:36:00,633.023 For what we have. 360 00:36:00,713.023 --> 00:36:04,433.023 And it shapes our mind in so many ways. 361 00:36:04,433.023 --> 00:36:12,213.023 I've noticed then when I fall into negativity, that's when I noticed that the universe stops giving me the gifts. 362 00:36:12,573.023 --> 00:36:21,883.023 And when I am grateful for what I do have and I stop searching for more and more, that's when more comes towards me. 363 00:36:21,883.023 --> 00:36:23,503.023 It's just something that I've noticed. 364 00:36:23,563.023 --> 00:36:24,553.023 That's lovely. 365 00:36:24,703.023 --> 00:36:25,723.023 I like that. 366 00:36:26,878.023 --> 00:36:28,768.023 It's kinda like law of attraction. 367 00:36:28,768.023 --> 00:36:32,158.023 What you put out is what tends to come back. 368 00:36:32,708.023 --> 00:36:40,868.023 And I will have, for having teaching people how to change their state, I'll have them do what I call, it's a double shot. 369 00:36:41,168.023 --> 00:36:45,988.023 Okay? it's go outside for a walk, even if it's only for 10 minutes. 370 00:36:46,438.023 --> 00:36:51,808.023 And while you're walking, look at the sky, look at the trees, and. 371 00:36:52,978.023 --> 00:36:57,418.023 come up with at least 10 things you're grateful for. 372 00:36:58,138.023 --> 00:37:10,988.023 'cause if you combine those two things together, by the time you get back from this walk, you'll be in a much higher state of being, and the rest of the day will go much better. 373 00:37:12,623.023 --> 00:37:22,983.023 It's funny because, and this happened during the pandemic where I noticed that people were walking, much more than they are now, and they had their pods in their ears. 374 00:37:23,373.023 --> 00:37:27,633.023 And so I realized like that was a way of disconnection. 375 00:37:28,83.023 --> 00:37:32,523.023 And I always tell my patients, when you are taking a walk, don't listen to your music. 376 00:37:32,808.023 --> 00:37:36,738.023 you just listen to the wind, the birds. 377 00:37:37,248.023 --> 00:37:37,848.023 Absolutely. 378 00:37:37,848.023 --> 00:37:48,68.023 What, whatever sounds, of course there are cars and everything else, but try to listen to those sounds because in, in its own way, you're actually doing a meditation. 379 00:37:48,608.023 --> 00:37:50,648.023 When you are doing those things, you are. 380 00:37:51,758.023 --> 00:37:53,108.023 Not in your head. 381 00:37:53,258.023 --> 00:37:53,918.023 You are. 382 00:37:54,188.023 --> 00:37:54,398.023 Yeah. 383 00:37:54,398.023 --> 00:37:55,628.023 Now part of the world. 384 00:37:55,988.023 --> 00:37:59,708.023 Oh, OMA I'm so glad you said that because that's so true. 385 00:38:00,168.023 --> 00:38:09,168.023 You are also connecting yourself with nature, which is another big reason why I think depression has just taken hold of our world. 386 00:38:09,198.023 --> 00:38:11,508.023 'cause we're inside all the time. 387 00:38:11,943.023 --> 00:38:14,493.023 Blocked off from the earth in the sky. 388 00:38:14,673.023 --> 00:38:15,213.023 Yes. 389 00:38:15,313.023 --> 00:38:33,253.023 And when I go out three times a day, I'll go and I'll stop at certain places and close my eyes and just listen to the sound of the wind and the birds But then in winter I'll focus on the crisp air that I'm breathing. 390 00:38:33,293.023 --> 00:38:38,183.023 When it's starting to rain, I'll focus on the smell of ozone. 391 00:38:38,733.023 --> 00:38:40,443.023 All of that stuff, It's magic. 392 00:38:40,443.023 --> 00:38:44,853.023 So thank you for saying that because it's so important. 393 00:38:45,423.023 --> 00:38:55,863.023 Well, a lot of people who don't meditate on a regular basis, they're like, oh, I don't like to meditate because I get I start thinking about other things and then all sorts of thoughts fill my head out. 394 00:38:56,388.023 --> 00:39:03,888.023 And I explained to them that's a process, right? You have to practice regularly to be able to not to do that. 395 00:39:03,888.023 --> 00:39:05,568.023 And even then it still happens. 396 00:39:06,18.023 --> 00:39:11,778.023 So like I said, I think of it as a meditation when you're doing that. 397 00:39:12,58.023 --> 00:39:13,663.023 Because you're out of your head. 398 00:39:13,663.023 --> 00:39:23,113.023 you are connected to the world and by doing that, you're not focusing on whatever problems, whoever made you have a bad day, whatever it is. 399 00:39:23,353.023 --> 00:39:26,683.023 You are focused on nature, really. 400 00:39:26,953.023 --> 00:39:30,283.023 And as you mentioned, we are so disconnected from nature. 401 00:39:30,823.023 --> 00:39:31,33.023 Yeah. 402 00:39:31,403.023 --> 00:39:35,283.023 And that I think is a root cause of anxiety for a lot of us. 403 00:39:35,588.023 --> 00:39:36,398.023 And depression. 404 00:39:36,398.023 --> 00:39:37,418.023 I believe both of those. 405 00:39:37,468.023 --> 00:39:38,938.023 I wish you were closer to me. 406 00:39:40,258.023 --> 00:39:40,260.023 I know. 407 00:39:40,265.023 --> 00:39:41,458.023 I feel the same way. 408 00:39:42,868.023 --> 00:39:48,368.023 And when I saw that you were in New Jersey and New York, that's where I'm from oh, is that right? Where are you from? Yeah. 409 00:39:48,368.023 --> 00:39:52,448.023 What part of Yeah, I'm from right outside the city in Westchester County. 410 00:39:52,598.023 --> 00:39:53,108.023 Got it. 411 00:39:53,158.023 --> 00:39:53,328.023 Okay. 412 00:39:53,483.023 --> 00:39:55,93.023 And there's nothing like New York. 413 00:39:55,298.023 --> 00:39:58,98.023 Oh, no but as it's a concrete jungle. 414 00:39:59,8.023 --> 00:40:09,798.023 It's a pretty I always say that, I had my roots there and it shaped, it was such a big part of my life and it shaped who I am. 415 00:40:10,368.023 --> 00:40:17,833.023 And that phrase, I was actually thinking about this just today, I thought to myself, if you can make it there, you can make it. 416 00:40:18,473.023 --> 00:40:19,223.023 Anywhere. 417 00:40:19,523.023 --> 00:40:20,183.023 That's true. 418 00:40:20,283.023 --> 00:40:34,543.023 And I actually thought to myself that I it wasn't in the context of it was more where I trained and it was so difficult because it was an inner city hospital and there were so many challenges at that time. 419 00:40:34,603.023 --> 00:40:37,123.023 And we had to do so much of our own work. 420 00:40:37,663.023 --> 00:40:41,473.023 And even though what I do now is so difficult at times. 421 00:40:42,78.023 --> 00:40:44,288.023 It seems like a piece of cake at this point. 422 00:40:46,28.023 --> 00:40:48,968.023 And someone, and I think they were blessed me at that time. 423 00:40:48,968.023 --> 00:40:53,978.023 They were like, oh, if you can get through NYU, the rest of your, oh yeah. 424 00:40:54,818.023 --> 00:40:56,618.023 The rest of your career will be easy. 425 00:40:56,618.023 --> 00:40:56,888.023 Absolutely. 426 00:40:57,728.023 --> 00:40:58,148.023 Yeah. 427 00:40:58,248.023 --> 00:41:06,38.023 Don't get me wrong, there's still things that I have to deal with, but yeah, the actual patient care it's so much easier in comparison to, yeah. 428 00:41:06,218.023 --> 00:41:09,8.023 You get to really give them care instead of just Yeah. 429 00:41:09,458.023 --> 00:41:11,648.023 Get them in and get them out Exactly. 430 00:41:11,698.023 --> 00:41:11,998.023 Yeah. 431 00:41:13,228.023 --> 00:41:13,498.023 Yeah. 432 00:41:13,768.023 --> 00:41:14,248.023 Yeah. 433 00:41:14,798.023 --> 00:41:14,978.023 Okay. 434 00:41:14,978.023 --> 00:41:16,388.023 heart and soul, always. 435 00:41:16,393.023 --> 00:41:18,103.023 I grew up, I was born in Queens. 436 00:41:18,153.023 --> 00:41:27,973.023 I was raised in Long Island, but from 18 onwards, right at college, med school training, gosh, it was like 20 years that I spent in Manhattan. 437 00:41:28,283.023 --> 00:41:28,853.023 long time. 438 00:41:29,733.023 --> 00:41:35,133.023 The Met and Grand Central Station, two of my very favorite places on Earth. 439 00:41:35,233.023 --> 00:41:35,533.023 Yes. 440 00:41:35,533.023 --> 00:41:38,353.023 I took my kids to the Met a couple of years ago. 441 00:41:38,453.023 --> 00:41:38,933.023 Yes. 442 00:41:38,933.023 --> 00:41:39,443.023 I love that. 443 00:41:42,158.023 --> 00:41:54,778.023 So we've talked about a lot and obviously there are a lot of things that we align with, even though we take care of patients and we take care of people obviously our careers are different, but we align in a lot of ways. 444 00:41:54,828.023 --> 00:42:10,473.023 is there anything that we haven't talked about that you absolutely wanted to talk about in this podcast? I, as long as I think I covered things that hopefully yes, that can give people some incentive. 445 00:42:10,503.023 --> 00:42:18,953.023 Yeah, I guess I would let your listeners know that I'm very approachable, very easy to connect with by email. 446 00:42:19,673.023 --> 00:42:23,928.023 And by my website I'm hoping you'll share those things. 447 00:42:23,928.023 --> 00:42:25,468.023 Yes, I share everything in the show notes. 448 00:42:25,468.023 --> 00:42:29,78.023 But tell us verbally, where can we find you Sure. 449 00:42:29,138.023 --> 00:42:32,198.023 In terms of your website, social media, all of it? Yeah. 450 00:42:32,948.023 --> 00:42:41,528.023 The first thing is to get the correct spelling of my name, Virginia, and then my last name is spelled OMAN. 451 00:42:43,58.023 --> 00:42:45,848.023 A lot of people put an E in there and that's not right. 452 00:42:45,848.023 --> 00:42:45,908.023 Okay. 453 00:42:45,908.023 --> 00:42:52,78.023 So it's Virginia OMAN, and then my website is just Virginia oman.com. 454 00:42:53,418.023 --> 00:42:56,958.023 I also have another one called Virginia oman.net 455 00:42:57,228.023 --> 00:42:59,898.023 that has some, a few different things on it. 456 00:43:01,148.023 --> 00:43:05,348.023 You can Google my name, it'll come up all over the place. 457 00:43:05,398.023 --> 00:43:14,308.023 If you wanna read a fascinating blog that I wrote about my journey to actually ride that two wheel bike. 458 00:43:14,908.023 --> 00:43:19,488.023 I wrote a blog about it and it's become very well known now. 459 00:43:19,668.023 --> 00:43:19,968.023 Okay. 460 00:43:19,968.023 --> 00:43:27,378.023 It's just called The Fight to Ride a bike.com. 461 00:43:27,848.023 --> 00:43:29,548.023 And I think people would. 462 00:43:30,748.023 --> 00:43:33,58.023 Find that very meaningful and interesting. 463 00:43:33,58.023 --> 00:43:35,188.023 That was my firsthand account of it. 464 00:43:36,588.023 --> 00:43:44,58.023 your book, the book that you've already written? magazines that I'm published in every month is Best Holistic Life. 465 00:43:44,58.023 --> 00:43:44,88.023 Okay. 466 00:43:45,498.023 --> 00:43:50,118.023 And that's, you can get that digitally or you can get it in printed form. 467 00:43:50,168.023 --> 00:43:55,368.023 It's an amazing magazine and it's you can get it off of Amazon, believe it or not. 468 00:43:55,368.023 --> 00:43:57,43.023 And it's pricey. 469 00:43:57,103.023 --> 00:44:01,153.023 But when you get this publication in your hands, you'll see why. 470 00:44:01,393.023 --> 00:44:10,213.023 Okay, now I've never seen a magazine so beautiful and professional and the weight of the paper. 471 00:44:10,513.023 --> 00:44:13,963.023 The quality, the photographs, it's really outstanding. 472 00:44:14,83.023 --> 00:44:14,473.023 Okay. 473 00:44:15,223.023 --> 00:44:17,113.023 And then I don't know what else. 474 00:44:17,363.023 --> 00:44:19,223.023 I have a YouTube channel they can go through. 475 00:44:19,253.023 --> 00:44:19,493.023 Yes. 476 00:44:19,493.023 --> 00:44:20,633.023 You have a YouTube channel. 477 00:44:20,633.023 --> 00:44:30,153.023 And then, they can go and if they wanna check out that self-paced video program I put together, it's on, everything's online for them. 478 00:44:30,253.023 --> 00:44:31,753.023 I made it very affordable. 479 00:44:31,753.023 --> 00:44:40,813.023 So that wouldn't prohibit anybody from doing that if they wanna do some things to really change their life up for more joy and fulfillment. 480 00:44:41,888.023 --> 00:44:44,228.023 Thank you so much for sharing those details with us. 481 00:44:44,278.023 --> 00:44:46,468.023 And thank you so much for joining me today. 482 00:44:46,718.023 --> 00:44:48,728.023 Soma, it's been a real pleasure. 483 00:44:48,848.023 --> 00:44:50,318.023 I've been honored to be on. 484 00:44:50,738.023 --> 00:45:01,778.023 If you're ever coming through Asheville, for heaven's sake, give me a couple of weeks notice and I'll clear my calendar so that I can meet up and buy you lunch. 485 00:45:01,788.023 --> 00:45:02,778.023 Yes, of course. 486 00:45:02,778.023 --> 00:45:04,968.023 I will think of you if I'm ever down there. 487 00:45:05,358.023 --> 00:45:07,368.023 Oh, yeah you'd love this area. 488 00:45:09,18.023 --> 00:45:11,958.023 I am sure I've been to other parts of North Carolina, I haven't. 489 00:45:11,958.023 --> 00:45:12,648.023 Oh, you have? Okay. 490 00:45:12,648.023 --> 00:45:12,649.023 Yeah. 491 00:45:12,678.023 --> 00:45:14,268.023 I haven't made it to Asheville yet. 492 00:45:14,338.023 --> 00:45:18,178.023 You have a wonderful day and my best to you and all your listeners. 493 00:45:18,238.023 --> 00:45:22,338.023 And don't forget to like, share and review my podcast. 494 00:45:22,888.023 --> 00:45:26,678.023 Remember, it's always ladies first on Soma Says. 495 00:45:26,978.023 --> 00:45:30,638.023 Let's make a difference one conversation at a time.