Meet Dr. Amy Novotny

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Amy Novotny. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Dr. Amy with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic comes from my circumstances growing up. I grew up with my mother and one of my brothers. My mother didn’t have much money and we slept on floors most of my childhood. She worked part time in the school cafeteria and we lived simply. She encouraged us to do well in school so I poured myself into my studies. I saw school as a way to live differently when I was an adult. I understood that I could earn scholarships if I studied hard and did well. I was motivated to go to college and have a career, so I worked hard to achieve that. Luckily, I saw the cause and effect relationship with working hard and still do to this day. I know that our lives are based on the work we put into them, and if I want something different, I have to do something different. I also experienced great friendships and mentorships with a good work ethic because I built trust. I needed those relationships in times of need and I value them to this day. I can’t say enough for developing a good work ethic.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Many years ago while training for marathons, I stumbled on a way to calm down my nervous system to be able to run them pain free. I worked as a physical therapist at the time but all my training was on how to implement external methods on the body to reduce pain or improve mobility. What I stumbled on was how to change the body internally by addressing the fight or flight nervous system that locks us up. Once I realized I could change my nervous system internally, I developed a method to teach this to others. I called it the PABR® method, which stands for Pain Awareness Breathing Relief. I now help people worldwide learn how to make internal changes to their nervous system so they can lessen or eliminate pain, stress and anxiety. Some even seek help with insomnia or to avoid orthopedic surgeries like back surgeries and joint replacements. Most don’t realize that most of what they’ve been taught about how to hold themselves and behave contributes to the symptoms they currently have. It’s a process to unwind this, but it’s vital to both physical, emotional and mental health. When someone feels better, that creates a cascade effect on all the people interacting with this person. The energy we used to just survive can now be used to serve others, be creative and have a greater impact on the world.

I’ve used this on people from all walks of life, from the retired person, to stay at home moms, to entrepreneurs and business owners to professional athletes in the NFL. It’s a skill that everyone should know since we will always face stressful situations in our lives. I recently launched a video course to allow people to learn the material on their own time and to reach a greater audience.

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?
Three qualities that have helped me in many aspects of life are my curiosity, my commitment, and my openness with others. Curiosity has been key to much of the success in my life. When I was curious, I was in a learning or growth stage that allowed me to take in information and process it. It allowed me to be open to ideas that I might have not considered before. I was more receptive when I was curious. Commitment is huge and can often be rare in the business world. When I say I’ll be somewhere at a specific time, I’m there. I show up even if the other person doesn’t. If I say I’m going to respond to an email by a certain time, I do it. My commitment to my word leads to trust building. It allows others to rely on you and realize you aren’t going to let them down. Being consistent to your commitment is key to building a good reputation. My openness and lack of judgement of others helps break down barriers and allows people to be vulnerable with me. I’ve made mistakes in my past and I’ve learned many lessons. I appreciate when I can share without judgement so I work hard to do the same so my clients have a safe space to be able to heal. If you want to develop any of these qualities, start practicing with those around you. When someone is talking, ask questions about that person and the subject matter instead of turning the conversation on yourself. Make sure you follow through with whatever you say or promise…every time. If you don’t think you can commit, don’t agree or say you’ll do something. When in conversations, choose words that show the other person you are listening and not judging. This can be hard because we like to insert our opinions but daily practice will help you achieve these qualities and develop them over time.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
My biggest area of growth has been in my personal life. I gave birth to a baby boy in May 2023, experiencing the greatest accomplishment of my life. I’ve worked hard to achieve many goals, but this one was the most rewarding. I’ve loved every second of being a new mother and watching the development of my baby boy. My clients have all been supportive and ask for weekly updates on his growth. Much of what I teach my clients I can see in my baby and I use the same methods to help him stay calm or calm down quickly. He has also helped me slow down in life and enjoy simplicity. Just recently, I introduced him to swings and I swung for the first time in decades with him in my arms. I’ve grown alongside him during these months and have learned how to navigate running a business and serving my clients while enjoying my time with my son. I live in a lot of gratitude for the life that I’ve worked hard to create.

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