Meet Zarya Rubin

We recently connected with Zarya Rubin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zarya, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

When I was five years old, I was told I only had a few months to live. Obviously, a misdiagnosis meant that I am still here, five decades later! I went on to experience several other serious medical issues as a child, including major surgeries, that inspired me to become a physician. I had to endure many physical challenges, limited mobility, not being able to do the things other kids did, but I was a superstar in the classroom, and knew that I could use my skills and knowledge to change lives and help others through extremely challenging times. My experiences paved the way for my journey to become a doctor, but the path wasn’t easy or straight and narrow! Chronic stress and burnout also threatened to derail my dreams, but I held fast, knowing that there was a reason I was put here, my purpose was so ingrained in me, and I learned how to persevere from a very early age. That sense of optimism and resilience has served me well throughout my life.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a Harvard-educated functional medicine physician, TEDx speaker, and burnout expert. I help passionate, high-achieving women get to the root cause of chronic symptoms and stress so that they can heal from the inside out and truly thrive.
I’m also the founder and CEO of Dr. Zarya, a boutique, virtual functional medicine practice in Portland, OR.
My background is in conventional medicine and I studied neurology at McGill University and the renowned Neurological Institute at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. I received my integrative nutrition training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying with Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Deepak Chopra and other leading influencers in the world of holistic health, and went on to complete advanced Functional Medicine training at the School of Applied Functional Medicine.
I live in Portland, OR with my husband, 11-yr-old daughter, and Bichon miniature poodle puppy.
“I help overwhelmed, burned out, high-achieving women get out of survival mode and heal the nervous system, so they can show up and achieve their dreams without sacrificing themselves. This work is so important to me because I have lived it! I know the toll that burnout can take on our physical and mental health, and I also know how to heal from it. By merging my medical knowledge as well as my advanced training in functional medicine and integrative nutrition, I am able to offer a unique combination of skills that is hard to come by and highly effective.”
I am also a TEDx speaker and facilitator and happy to speak at your next event or conference, lead a workshop, or be part of a retreat.

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?

1. Personal Experience – I think having been a patient myself for many years, having struggled with chronic illness and burnout, I have a unique perspective as a physician and practitioner. I have lived through what many of my patients have gone through, and that gives me empathy beyond measure.
2. In-Depth Functional Medicine Knowledge – When I was in medical school, we were taught the disease model of health – look for symptoms, make a diagnosis, treat. Rinse and repeat. After discovering Functional Medicine, my entire approach and mindset changed; rather than emphasizing disease and illness, I was focused on the dynamics of health and wellness, how to rebalance the nervous system, immune system, gut health, hormone health, and how all of these systems were both interconnected and specific to the unique individual in front of me. I learned to focus on the root cause, rather than the surface symptoms in order to achieve true healing and repair.
3. Creativity – I’m an artist at heart, and a creative problem solver. I think sometimes you have to look for creative solutions to tricky problems, think outside the box, and truly listen to your patients as their story will often reveal all the clues you need to create a plan for wellness. Creativity isn’t often valued in medicine, but I think it’s what sets me apart.

Early on in my health journey, I was very pessimistic about my health – I thought I would always feel awful and would continue to deteriorate; I didn’t believe things could get better, or that controlling stress would have such a positive impact on my health. I also tried to do everything on my own, not seeking help or guidance. Find a trusted practitioner who can guide you and offer you inspiration and encouragement along the way.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I am always looking for like-minded collaborators! I think as a solopreneur, life can get very lonely. I’m an extrovert, an ENFJ, an Enneagram 7, and I gravitate towards connection and deep conversation. I would love to connect with other healthcare professionals who treat women in midlife and are seeking a Functional Medicine consultation.
I am also launching a podcast next year, the “Outsmart Burnout” podcast! Right now, it’s an Instagram Live show, which has been exciting, but I am looking forward to the transformation. I welcome any guests who serve women and address stress and burnout in some form. I am also always looking to speak on stages, both in-person and virtual, to share my message about burnout and how to outsmart it. Keynotes, summits, panels, retreats, I would love to collaborate and connect.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos: Sarah Waters, Dijana Szewczyk

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