Meet Christina Kantzavelos

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Kantzavelos a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Christina, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

I grew up in a very generous Greek household. It was ingrained at a young age that we help anyone in need (if we are able to). Be it with actual money, food, water, resources, or a hand. We were taught that being in-service is one of the most beautiful things that we as humans can do for one-another. It benefits our mental health, and it raises the vibration of the world.

Growing up in a Greek household, also meant that it was ingrained that we offer something to drink or eat, to anyone who visits us (even a delivery driver). And if someone really likes and enjoys something of ours (and there isn’t a true sentimental or a vital attachment), that offering/ gifting it to them can be such a wonderful thing.

Generosity with healthy boundaries has been one of the best values I’ve received from my parents, and family. I feel very fortunate and grateful for it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Christina P. Kantzavelos and I’m a California-based licensed psychotherapist, freelance writer and app founder. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and my Masters of Library and Information Sciences from San Jose California State University (SJSU).  I have visited over 30 different countries and documented most of it on social media. However, it was in completing the Camino de Santiago (500-mile pilgrimage across Spain) at the end of 2015, where I realized my strong affinity with writing. I decided to start BuenQamino, an award-winning, gluten-free and health-conscious lifestyle, and travel publication.

In clinical practice (@BeginWithinToday), I treat and am an advocate for those with chronic illness, and physical, developmental and age-related disabilities.

I published ‘Begin Within – A Daily Healing Journal’ (www.beginwithintoday.com) in 2020 for those living life with chronic illness or other health-related challenges that I both wholesale and sell directly on my website. This journal was created while I was couch-bound due to illness. I looked for a mind-body journal to help track and manage my symptoms, however, it didn’t exist. I needed a way to track my health and connect the dots, to share with my various practitioners, to make collaborative evidence-based and informed decisions alongside them. So, I started jotting prompts down into an empty notebook, including what things worked, what didn’t work, as well as recognize when days were challenging, and honor my accomplishments (big or small).. Doing this was especially helpful during healthcare appointments to recall my symptoms. I was also able to see the positive changes, that I was indeed on the road to healing, even if it was only incremental. Healing isn’t linear after all. Once I also realized this would be a helpful tool for others, I designed and printed the journals to sell. The only true complaint I received was, when would the app version be available, which leads me to…

The WithinMe App! This is an extension of the Begin Within Journal, and nothing like it exists on the market. As a therapist specializing in chronic illness, and as someone who has struggled with debilitating chronic health symptoms from Lyme disease and other diagnoses, I realize a lot of the magic happens between healthcare appointments. WithinMe App is an innovative health tracking tool that allows individuals to track and monitor their symptoms and status. With over 50 prompts, including sleep hygiene, nutrition, mental, spiritual, and physical health, WithinMe App enables users to easily monitor changes in their health, identify triggers, and manage their conditions more effectively. One of the key features of WithinMe App is its minimalistic design, which makes it easy to use and navigate. Users can save and send PDFs of their tracked data to healthcare practitioners throughout any span of time, helping them to communicate and collaborate more effectively with their care team.

The WithinMe App will be available for purchase on May 22, 2023, at withinmeapp.com, with pre-orders beginning May 15. The app offers a 7-day free trial, after which users can purchase the app for $2.99 a month or $19.99 per year. For more information about the app’s features and capabilities, visit the Within Me App website at: www.withinmeapp.com.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Just three??? I would say, self-compassion, humor, and a consistent urge to act on my ideas. I also got into Human Design years back, and learned that as emo 5/1 Manifestor, I learned it’s important for me to sleep on big questions (fourth skill?), before saying ‘yes,’ or ‘no.’ And also, (maybe this is a fifth). that delegation is vital. I now have a brand manager and VA and I am so grateful to them.

For those early in your journey, YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or support. There are many free resources out there (including free biz coaching through the SBDC and others). The self-compassion piece is necessary, because we aren’t perfect. Nothing is. And the sooner we radically accept that, and even laugh at it, the easier things appear to be. This is a beautiful journey, not a destination.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
The WithinMe App has been completely self-funded, and I continue to apply for grants in hopes that we will receive further funding to both enhance the app, and get its name out to the world.

I am also looking for investors, if you, or anyone you know may be interested :>

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Matt Stomper

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