We were lucky to catch up with Katerina Captanis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Katerina 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?
I believe I developed the habit of working hard from my parents who always encouraged perseverance, and stressed the importance of doing things the right way without taking short cuts. Therefore, work ethic is something that has always been important to me, and something that I take pride in. I also attribute my lifelong role as an athlete to my consistency in my life and my career. I do my best to show up for each day with an earnest effort and mindset so that I can deliver dependable results to my patients, and be someone they can count on.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have had the honor of being a Chiropractor for over 10 years. In addition to receiving my Doctorate of Chiropractic, I have earned the credentials of “Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician.” I find my career to be extremely rewarding in the sense that I have the opportunity to enhance people’s lives. Physical pain affects emotional well-being, and the treatment I am able to provide enables my patient’s to feel better and happier daily. I was drawn to this career because I value the idea of helping people achieve health naturally, without the use of drugs and surgery. My week consists of working alongside my mother, fellow chiropractor, Dr. Robyne Captanis, at our private practice in Long Beach, CA – as well as working as a concierge chiropractor at the homes and offices of my patients. In this profession, I communicate with my patients almost every day. For this reason, I find my interpersonal skills to be very important in my practice. Having the ability build a positive relationship with my patients through friendliness, empathy and patience, has allowed me to build trust and a deeper connection with those I am working to help. In 202o, I decided to expand this idea of connection through self-care, and developed weekend wellness retreats which I call “Mindful Weekends.” One of my patients, Monica Williams, who has become a close friend and colleague of mine, asked if I was interested in hosting wellness retreats with her with the idea of promoting healing from the inside out – and I immediately was on board. Since coming up with the idea a few years ago. we have hosted two successful weekend experiences that embodied the idea of unplugging, relaxing, reseting and connecting with like-minded individuals. We are expanding the mindful movement and will be hosting our first single-day event in May 2023.
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?
Despite the natural doubts and insecurities that may come along in life, I do my best to keep a forward-looking outlook. Every morning when I wake up, I remind myself that I am writing my own story, and that I can achieve anything I set my sights on. I do not let fear limit my vision. I believe my talent, work ethic and self-worth empower me to transform any fears into freedom. How I think and feel about myself remains consistent in any circumstance or setting. The goal is to be happy, healthy and flowing with self-love so that I am a magnet to good vibrations. I am constantly shifting and taking on new forms, learning about myself and figuring out what drives my passion. Life is good, so feel it, know it and live it. If there is any advice that I would give to someone who is early in his or her chiropractic career, or really any career, it would be to first and foremost build self-confidence. Make a list of everything you are proud of in your life, and continuously add to that list. When you are low in confidence, use this list as a reminder of everything you have achieved. It is so important to be your biggest fan. I love the cliche saying “fake it till you make it,” when it is in reference to confidence. If you walk into a room with your head held high, and repeatedly tell yourself you are deserving of your goals, you will consciously start to believe that you can do anything. Also, recognize what you are good at, and build on those skills, don’t spread yourself too thin… aka, stay in your lane. And last but not least, be mindful of who you surround yourself with. Ask yourself: Are you surrounded by people who are igniting you and helping your life be everything it can be? If not, what payoff are you gaining by surrounding yourself with others who hold you back? Get rid of negative people who bring you down. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, lend you knowledge and help you learn from your mistakes. Raise your standards for your inner circle.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
There are times when my life feels like a never-ending to-do list. The most difficult challenge in my life is finding the balance between work, health, relationships, errands, etc. Unfortunately, the feeling of being overwhelmed has become the new normal amongst myself and my peers. I put a lot of pressure on myself to work to the point of exhaustion. I feel anything less would demonstrate laziness. From the outside looking in, my life may seem hectic, but I work more productively when there is a lot on my plate. Once I reach that “burnt out” feeling, my first step is to identify the root cause of my overwhelment – which is often taking on too many tasks per day, every day. I am guilty of cramming way too much into my schedule without giving myself breathing room or time to rest, and then feeling guilty if I don’t check everything off my to-do list. I would have to say, my saving grace is my husband who is my biggest cheerleader and supporter. I find it very helpful to be reminded by him that I can’t do it all, and that it is ok to take a break. He gives me the space to set goals and work hard, but helps me to recognize when I am overdoing it and need to take time for myself to rest, mentally and physically. I also find voicing my emotions and experiences allows me to connect with others that may be feeling the same way, which is helpful in allowing me to feel less anxious. I am blessed to have a very supportive core group of family and friends who care honestly about my well-being. I often repeat to myself “what you focus on expands.” So, I use journaling to check-in and keep myself mindful and positive. I am a firm believer in manifestation and the law of attraction. If you believe in something, it will be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.drkatdc.com
- Instagram: @dr_kat_dc
