Meet Valerie Akinwande

We were lucky to catch up with Valerie Akinwande recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Valerie, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?

My self care routine has shifted through different stages of parenting/life as I find ways to make time depending on what my family’s needs are. When my kids were babies, I would get up very early and go for runs. This was a much needed boost as I was suffering with low iron. My morning runs were a lifeline that gave me the energy to survive a day with 3 kids under the age of 3. When my kids became toddlers, my self-care transitioned to prioritizing sleep since my kids were sleeping longer stretches at night. During this time, I would also care for myself and children by spending many hours outdoors playing in the sun. My kids were happiest outside and that allowed me to enjoy them and experience the benefits of regular sunlight (better moods, calmer kids, etc). Now that my kids are elementary aged, my self care looks like spending 45 min-1hr daily purposefully moving my body. I typically work out 4-5 days each week and occasionally make time for massages or pedicures. Prioritizing self-care in these ways makes me a more present wife, mother, and provider for my patients and clients.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Physical Therapist certified to treat conditions that affect the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout a woman’s life. The most exciting thing about what I do is visualizing every client as a 500-1,000 piece puzzle with pieces scattered. I consider it my job to put the pieces together to restore their body’s optimal function. This is a process that takes time and patience, and really allows me to build relationships with my clients. Through the years, it has set my business apart from the traditional clinic model and allowed me to grow personally and professionally.

I’m really excited about my latest class developments including a Mommy and Me class on the menstrual cycle, and online options for birth preparation and postpartum! These labors of love give me an opportunity to reach a wider audience who may need education and guidance with issues and questions related to pelvic floor function even if they wouldn’t necessarily fit a “patient/client” profile which is important to me because I’m on a mission to reach 10 million women around the globe with access to education and information around the pelvic floor that many never got as young girls (myself included).

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The 3 qualities/skills I feel have been most impactful in my journey are:
An evolving faith
Resilience
Post-doc Training

Here is my advice as to the reasons why these 3 things were essential in getting me to where I am today: If you’re the biggest person in your world, it’s only a matter of time before your life becomes sinking sand. The best gift you can give yourself is the free gift of a relationship with Jesus. If you are curious about what that can look like, I recommend finding a church that prioritizes Bible teaching and someone you know (at that church or in your community) who understands the Bible so that you can ask questions in a judgment free environment.

If you lack resilience, the weight of the world will damper your ability to overcome the unavoidable difficulties of life. Resilience is something that develops over time by choosing not to give up when life is difficult. This is easiest to do when you have an evolving faith, as it will push you to constantly see life outside of your daily struggles and in the context of a bigger story that is unfolding.

To become an expert at anything, you need to be willing to practice a skill set for many hours! And even after all the practicing, you have to stay in tune with new developments by becoming a lifelong learner. As a licensed professional, this is a built in requirement as I have to keep getting educated to maintain my credentials. I learn a lot through the patients I work with every week, but the ongoing professional training keeps me confident and curious.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal client is a woman who usually falls into one of the following categories:
1. Proactively wanting to take care of their healthcare needs (i.e. minimize tearing during labor/delivery; the mom who labored with minimal complications but researched what is needed to recover well)

2. Sick of the system: These are usually women who have tried everything that traditional insurance has offered and come up extremely disappointed

3. Higher level athlete looking to hone their skills/craft and/or overcome minor inconveniences (incontinence)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.womansdpt.com
• Instagram: @womansdpt
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pelapy
• Other: https://www.pelapy.com