We were lucky to catch up with Dori Iris Zabari recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dori Iris, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Four years into my PhD program, I started getting panic attacks. It was a time when a lot was happening on a personal and professional level in my life, and it became the perfect storm that led to a major depressive episode, or as I like to call it, my breakdown (as Brené Brown has termed it).
Both of my grandparents in the Middle East had tragically passed away within three months of each other, and I took time away from work and school to be with them.
I then began to look at my life very differently, from more of an outsider’s perspective. I saw that much of my life felt unfulfilling, like I was settling, and that I wasn’t truly living for myself. It was someone else’s life and dream. Not mine.
When I came back, I ended a six+ year relationship with my partner and I was starting to rethink my path in graduate school.
That’s when the panic attacks began. It got to the point where I was having about ten a day. I ended up taking a medical leave and went to the Pacific Northwest, where I grew up, to stay with my family for a while and heal.
That was actually the very beginning of my two (or so) year breakdown. I hit a depression that was all encompassing, an existential crisis of the soul perhaps, and became the seeds of what is now the life of my dreams (not someone else’s).
I started practices like meditation that helped me understand my mind, heart, and myself better. I became committed to moving my body, like dancing, in ways that helped me feel connected to myself and my community.
It was the start of a new adventure and a life that wasn’t easy by any means, but it was mine and it felt like I could breathe again.
I ended up leaving my program with a Master’s degree and entered into business and entrepreneurship. My mom and I worked together for several years and then I felt ready to go out on my own, taking all of my interests and skills to create something new for myself.
Meditation has continued to be a practice that’s now supported me for over ten years, since the beginning of my breakdown. It’s been incredibly meaningful, helping me through some of my darkest times and just the ups and downs of daily life.
It’s changed me from someone struggling on the regular with anxiety and depression to someone who feels very capable and supported, even amidst life’s challenges.
This beautiful gift has continued to enrich my life, and I recently joined a two-year certification program to learn how to teach meditation and mindfulness. I’m now well into the second year with my first opportunity ever to teach and guide meditations.
I still have no idea where this is going to take me and I’m definitely going against the safe and secure route of “staying in my lane” with the work I’ve done up until now.
But I’m continuing to learn to trust what my heart, soul, and full body are telling me, knowing that I will be led to spend my time and efforts on what feels purposeful and meaningful. And over time, as I build trust, I can create a new definition of what safety and security mean for me.
Because I didn’t let my logical mind hold me back from joining the program, I now have an opportunity to share something that’s impacted my life on such a deep and personal level. I’ll be able to help people who are struggling, wanting to find a new way to manage pain (physical, emotional, spiritual), or curious about slowing down to a more joyful, meaningful, and connected life.
This fills me with purpose and helps me see how everything I’ve gone through is now an offering to share with and support others on their own path of healing and self discovery.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Putting vision into practice is what I love to do!
The bigger picture…
With a Master’s degree in anthropology and education and over ten years of experience in the field, I have a unique perspective of, and appreciation for, the student perspective.
My expertise as a conscious educator is in creating highly engaged experiences that can improve the lives of educators and learners.
I want to use my gifts and skills to give back to our world and I want to make it better. Partnering together with those of us who have a similar vision allows us to create something more meaningful and powerful than we could on our own.
On a personal note, I’m a cat mom and a first-time mom-to-be, a dancer, meditator, and nature lover. My family and I live in the beautiful mountains of San Diego County in California on the unceded land of the Kumeyaay and Payómkawichum people.
As a 4/6 Emotional Projector in Human Design, I thrive in meaningful connections with people, feeling my body’s full range of emotions, and carving out lots of downtime.
Getting more into the details…
I have a diverse perspective in almost everything I do, which stems from having a multicultural background (being born in Jerusalem and growing up speaking two languages). Having a worldly awareness gives me an eye for the unique qualities of the amazing people I am privileged to support.
From an early age, I marveled at mentorship and took the path to becoming a university professor. On my way, I completed a Master’s degree in education and soon found the system too rigid and my love of teaching taking a backseat to the industry’s demands. I pivoted from academia and applied my expertise to online business education.
Since then, working alongside experts, I have been fueled by their commitment to making a meaningful impact in their fields. My teaching background has been instrumental in helping to bring their ideas to fruition by breaking down complex projects, planning incremental steps, and allowing the learner to lead.
My business, DIZI (“dee-zee”) strategies, was created for big-picture thinkers who want to turn their ideas into a tangible reality and contribute to a better world — virtually supporting them by prioritizing quality over quantity, focusing on our natural gifts, and high-quality student engagement.
I help bring our visions to life!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1) Learning self-trust: No matter what advice you get from whatever experts are out there, following your own way and listening to your gut and heart will always be the right path.
2) Simplify: Less is more, and choosing quality over quantity every time. There’s so much in this world and in the realms of self and business development. It can be overwhelming and we’re constantly inundated with the newest and the latest whatever it is. We can easily lose sight of what truly matters to us and we can miss the quiet voice within ourselves. Approaching work and life in a simpler, slower tempo gives us the space to reconnect to who we are at our core and what we really care about.
3) We have everything we need within us: There’s nothing we need to seek outside of ourselves to feel whole, worthy, or successful. The gold and the wisdom come when we seek to know ourselves better and begin to heal the wounds that keep us feeling like we’re missing or lacking something.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always interested in connecting and collaborating with big-picture thinkers who want to bring their vision to life and contribute to a better world.
I’m currently focused particularly on contributing to our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
But I’m pretty open because I know we each have our own unique lens into how we want to use our gifts, interests, talents, and dreams to support our communities and future generations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dizistrategies.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dori-iris-zabari
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@doriiris?si=Bvu-KgWdu-gBcbMH
- Other: https://linktr.ee/dori.iris
Image Credits
Wedding photo: Chris Howard Imagery
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
