Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Belaga.
Irene, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Throughout my almost 20 years of doctoral training and clinical work, I have learned that psychological healing could be a profound and spiritual experience, not merely a product of symptom reduction. To that end, I work with my patients on their over-all lifestyles, including how to eat for optimal immunity and brain health, integrating individualized meditation techniques and yoga postures into the therapeutic process. Most recently, my work has evolved into a very special offering: intensive brief psychology retreats which patients experience from the comfort of a beautiful boutique hotel on the intra-coastal waterways of Fort Lauderdale. I feel blessed to do the work that I do and to bear witness to the growth and healing of my patients. I’m excited to see what comes next.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As on most paths, there have been moments of uncertainty. When I was growing my practice in NY, I had decided to make the move to FL, recognizing that the sun and surf of Florida living was more conducive to a healthy lifestyle than NY city, which, while exciting and engaging on so many levels was also plagued by air pollution and vitamin D deprivation. I took a risk in moving and starting a new practice in FL, but I believed that if I was taking a path toward healthier living, success would follow. It’s been four years now and my practice is flourishing.
MindHolistic – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
People come to me most frequently for doctoral level holistic mental health care. I am proud of so many aspects of the work that I do. I assist all of my patients with healing from emotional disturbances without the use of medication. It is so empowering for people to learn how to manage their emotional worlds naturally without the numbing emotions and unfortunate side-effects that come along with psychiatric medication. Certainly, psychiatric medication is sometimes warranted, however it’s also tremendously over-prescribed. My practice is helping people move away from the false assumption that medication is always the first course of action.
Another aspect of my practice that makes me proud is its flexibility. I am able to treat people from all over the world since I’ve opened my web office. There are no longer geographical limitations for clients who are looking for cutting edge mental health care. The combination of web appointments and intensive retreats in Fort Lauderdale allows people to engage in the services that are just right for them.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is defined by the state of our shared world and my ability to do as much as I can to better the world in some way. Helping my patients develop the lifestyles that are meaningful for them is incredibly rewarding. Living a healthy lifestyle is important to me personally, however achieving an optimal lifestyle is meaningless if I don’t continue working toward the improvement of the world at large. To that end, sustainable living and environmental awareness is a necessity. Seeing the world as a whole and choosing the causes that resonate is a critical marker of success because my work has taught me that success comes out of what we give, not from what we get.
Pricing:
- Evaluations are 1 hr and 15 minutes in length and cost $220 (in office or web office).
- Therapy appointments which follow evaluations are 1 hr in length and cost $165 (in office or web office).
- Intensive retreats, including 2 therapy sessions, yoga, meditation and accommodations cost $452 per day.
Contact Info:
- Address: 101 Plaza Real South, Suite 226
Boca Raton, FL 33432
16 SE 18th St
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 - Website: Mindholistic.com
- Phone: 800-232-5037
- Email: doctor@mindholistic.com
- Facebook: facebook/mindholistic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindHolistic
- Other: doxy.me/drbelaga
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