Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Phylicia Harris, DNP, APRN, FNP-C. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dr. Phylicia , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?
I am still in the early days of starting, but a major step I took when first deciding to start my own practice was investing in myself by enrolling in business coaching and a private practice consulting program. As a nursing professional, I was not taught about business in school. I had a lot to learn about starting my own practice, especially starting a practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). This included everything from the steps to get a business registered, to business legalities and requirements for APRNs, business financials, formulating policies and procedures, and even branding and marketing strategies. Starting and establishing your own practice or business properly can be a major challenge to take on alone. Enrolling in these courses and seeking out other APRNs and like-minded individuals who already built their own successful practices helped greatly in providing me resourceful information I needed to start my own practice.
I would definitely encourage anyone hoping to start their own practice or business to seek out help from willing individuals who have already done what you desire to do. They will often provide useful information you didn’t know you needed, while also offering encouragement when you feel unsure or doubtful. Don’t be afraid to pay for their expertise! Look at it as a business expense that will save you time and pay off later. Also, I would say to get rid of perfectionism! When starting a business, you want everything to be perfect, but I’d advise to get rid of perfectionism because it is the greatest enemy of progress and action impact. Yes, you can and should plan, prepare, obtain additional knowledge, and sharpen your skills. But, mostly you must do. You must act! I was encouraged to “do it ugly”, and this was great advice for me. Thoughts of needing all to be perfect prevented me from progressing towards my goals. I had to remind myself that all could continually be perfected as I acted and then figured out what needed perfecting. You may have heard the saying, “Messy action will always be better than no action.” It is true and I continually remind myself of this. You must act to move forward with making dreams of having your own practice or business a reality. It is important to keep your goals at the front of your mind along with a time line. Writing out your goal date on the calendar with reminders of when you want to have specific tasks done may drive you to act and complete your goals as planned.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
As a child, I witnessed my grandfather’s battle with the progressively, worsening chronic disease of Alzheimer’s. This, along with the care he and my family received during the time, is what sparked my initial interest in nursing. Over the years, I developed a desire to help lessen suffering from the chronic illnesses I frequently saw within my community. Educating individuals of their disease risk at a level they easily understood and encouraging preventative lifestyle changes had positive effects on a low-income community I assessed and met with for a semester during my undergrad nursing program. But, I questioned if more could still be done. Over the last 12+ years working as a registered nurse and family nurse practitioner, Ive had the same question. I’ve seen numerous patients continually suffer with worsening, chronic illness despite ongoing medications, treatments, and doctor visits. Many tired of taking medication after medication while experiencing adverse effects or continued poor health and wondering if there will ever be true relief.
Then in 2022 I learned of functional medicine, a nonconventional, patient-centered and science-based approach to healthcare that looks to uncover and address the “root cause” of your chronic illness. This is different from conventional or traditional medicine which treats diagnosed symptoms of disease with medications and other prescribed treatments. The conventional approach is great at addressing acute illnesses but acts more as a “band-aid” for chronic illnesses, as the underlying contributing causes are not corrected.
After beginning my study of functional medicine, I decided to start my telemedicine practice, Functionally Balanced Health, PLLC, in the hopes of restoring patients with true, lasting health and instilling them with increased hope, joy, and an improved quality of life. While I am not opposed to the use of medications, the intent at Functionally Balanced Health is not to simply treat diagnosed symptoms of disease with medications or other prescribed treatments, but to instead dig deeper to identify and correct the underlying root cause of a person’s chronic illness. A thorough amount of time will be spent getting to know patients, taking an in-depth look at both their medical and personal history to learn more of who they are and what experiences or exposures may be contributing to their health concerns. Functional medicine takes a more holistic view of your overall health, considering the unique mental, emotional, nutritional, environmental, and genetic contributing factors, while uncovering the interconnectedness that lies within the body’s symptoms. We ultimately partner with patients to determine a unique plan to help correct the root functional imbalances in their body.
The aim of Functionally Balanced Health is to help professionals who are tired of suffering from progressively worsening chronic illnesses, specifically those causing debilitating pain and inflammation, by addressing nutrition and promoting gut health using a functional medicine approach. Introductory calls will take place to determine if Functionally Balanced Health is an appropriate option to address a potential patient’s health concerns.
Our products and services offered include:
• Chronic pain and inflammation management
Receive treatment via a functional medicine approach with a strong focus on correcting nutritional imbalances and healing the gut. Lab work and in-depth patient intake questionnaires will be reviewed prior to developing treatment plans. Management of other chronic illnesses are to be determined on individual basis. Our telemedicine practice will serve patients in TN, AL, and GA.
• Concierge intravenous (IV) and injectable nutrient therapy services
Our concierge services are provided at a location convenient to you. IV nutrient therapies provide not only hydration but also a blend of essential vitamins and minerals often missing from your diet. Nutrients are replenished in the body intravenously, bypassing the gut and avoiding issues of inadequate intake, maldigestion, or impaired absorption. IV therapies we offer include Myer’s Cocktail, Immunity, and Recovery & Performance.
Intramuscular injections offer a quick boost of essential vitamins and minerals. These are great alternatives if you don’t have time for an IV infusion. We offer methylcobalamin (vitamin B12), B-vitamin complex, and tri-immune booster injections.
• Personalized vitamin and supplement support.
High-quality, medical grade oral supplements are offered and prescribed via our Fullscript account. Evidence based resources are provided as well.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
For me, mindset has always significantly impacted my ability to succeed. Throughout my life I’ve had recurring struggles with negative thinking, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs. This is how I knew there was a greater purpose for my life. Countering these thoughts with God’s uplifting Word and positive affirmations always helped improve my mindset as it related to whatever I was hoping to achieve. Past experiences, discouraging words from others, or just a lack of faith can cause your mindset to easily falter, but what matters most is what you think and what you intentionally set your mind to continually believe. “As a man thinketh, so is he” [Proverbs 23:7] is a verse I’ve quoted to myself often, and it emphasizes the power of one’s mindset in influencing their emotions, behaviors, and ultimately their success.
What you think you will definitely become, so having a positive mindset is imperative for your success. Belief in yourself is everything, and if your mindset is negative, you can only expect negative outcomes. I am unsure who authored this quote, but I agree with it wholeheartedly. The quote states, “The gap between the life you want and the life you are living is called mindset, focus, and consistency.” With proper mindset, [along with focus, and determined consistency], you can succeed in whatever you choose to put your mind to.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Manifest Now by Idil Ahmed is a book I read as I decided to work towards launching my own practice. It helped improve my mindset by assuring me of all that is possible for me, even in the now. At one time, I thought entrepreneurship and starting my own practice could only be possible years down the road. That thought was framed by what others said and experienced, along with an underlying lack of confidence in my own abilities. Ultimately, this book helped me reframe my mindset and thoughts I had on becoming an entrepreneur so it is one I’d recommend.
I have had several other books recommended to me that may impact my management and entrepreneurial thinking. Some of these include Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear, The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone, and The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and Eat to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.functionallybalancedhealth.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/functionallybalancedhealth
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/functionallybalancedhealth
- Other: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/functionallybalancedhealth
Image Credits
Christian James of The Other Brother Photography