Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Alba.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Denise. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in sunny San Diego, the youngest of three to an immigrated family from Mexico. Growing up I was always guided to work hard, get an education and help others. At eight years old my parents got a divorce, which was such a traumatic experience for me, that I began to develop a lot of anxiety symptoms, causing my mom to take me to see a therapist. As a young adult, I continued to struggle with anxiety for many years, which heightened as I faced obstacles in my life. I struggled to find something that made me feel whole again.
I started seeing a therapist for support and guidance with my own divorce, and with her suggestion to seek something new, I found yoga. I started to feel like a new and improved version of myself with those two new aspects in my life, so much so that I changed my major. I started grad school in Marriage & Family Therapy, meanwhile, dreamed of one day building a space that housed both yoga and therapy. A space for others to also find the healing that I did. Fast forward to 2018, with the support of my family and friends, I was able to create Brave Wellness Studio. This Journey has been a humbling experience that has pushed me to build comfort in the most uncomfortable situations.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Fear. Fear has been the biggest struggle on this journey, the fear of the unknown, the fear of not knowing if I could actually do this. Growing up with parents who left their homeland to find better opportunities, made me question if leaving a stable job for the unknown was worth it. I wanted to make them proud. While building Brave, many things did not go according to plan and many times I cried, not knowing if this place was meant to be. What kept me going was knowing that I needed to help others. I wanted to reach people in a different way and provide that support that I was once given. I wanted to help others heal and take control of their lives again.
Brave Wellness Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Brave Wellness Studio is a space for healing and growth. Brave offers holistic individual psychotherapy, yoga, and monthly workshops, all to deepen your reconnection with mind, body, and soul. We love empowering humans and those ready to seek change. Brave is known for its home-like atmosphere where one on one connection is felt. We strive to guide in whatever healing process you need, whether emotional or physical.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is seeing and hearing the change in our clients. When a therapy client walks into a session with a journal filled with notes, a yoga student with a new perspective on their body; that is success. We are here to simply walk alongside our clients on their journey of healing and growth. When we are allowed in, hear their story, and see them walking towards growth, that is an honor.
Pricing:
- Yoga-$15/Class
- Psychotherapy- $70-125/session
- Workshops-$25
Contact Info:
- Address: 5250 Murphy Canyon Rd. #118
San Diego, CA 92123 - Website: bravewellnessstudio.com
- Email: info@bravewellnessstudio.com
- Instagram: facebook.com/bravewellnessstudio
- Facebook: instagram.com/bravewellnessstudio
- Yelp: Bravewellnessstudio
Image Credit:
Nila B Photography
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