Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Phylicia Harris.
Hi Dr. Harris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since being a child and experiencing my grandfather being sick and hospitalized, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in nursing and make a true impact in caring for patients and their families. I started my nursing career as a registered nurse in 2011. I knew from experiences in nursing school, primarily seeing the effects of poor health literacy and a lack of access to quality care, that I wanted to go on to become a nurse practitioner. I returned to school, completing doctoral studies as a family nurse practitioner, in 2018.
Throughout the years I gained experience in various settings. Along the way, I learned of functional medicine and was amazed at the potential outcomes and ability to improve patients’ health by incorporating methods to correct the root cause. I enrolled in a functional medicine program with the School of Applied Functional Medicine and completed Wholistic Wellness Coachingᵀᴹ with STORRIE Methodᵀᴹ. I continue to further my studies in functional medicine as a lifelong learner.
Ultimately, Functionally Balanced Health was formed after continued experiences witnessing patients, friends, and loved ones suffer from their progressively worsening chronic illnesses despite ongoing medications and treatments from conventional medicine practitioners in multiple specialties. I knew entrepreneurship would provide me with increased personal and professional fulfillment.
Having seen friends and family continually suffer from chronic, debilitating pain as a result of various inflammatory conditions, I decided this would be a focus of Functionally Balanced Health. Our goal at Functionally Balanced Health is to not only restore patients with true lasting health but also to instill hope, joy, and an improved overall quality of life. As I am just starting my journey of entrepreneurship, I look forward to what is to come.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
While I won’t say I’ve had “struggles”, I will say I had much to learn as a new entrepreneur. This was already an expectation before even starting my journey because no classes on business and entrepreneurship are taught in nursing programs, or at least not in the ones I attended. Because of this, I decided to invest in business coaching programs tailored to nursing professionals and those interested in functional medicine.
And I must say, these investments proved to be much more needed than I thought. I am so grateful to have had mentors and loved ones present along the way, acting as helpful resources as I stepped out into entrepreneurship. All has not gone “perfectly”, and I have done things in a manner I’d do differently if I could rewind time. However, I know this is a road where there will be continued learning experiences. I am learning to enjoy the journey without being too hard on myself.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Functionally Balanced Health is a telemedicine functional medicine practice that focuses on treating patients primarily via a functional medicine approach. At Functionally Balanced Health the care we provide is much different than care provided by conventional or traditional medicine practitioners. We are not opposed to the use of medications, but simply treating diagnosed symptoms with “a pill for every ill” is not our goal.
We treat holistically and dig deeper seeking to identify and correct the unique, underlying root cause of a patient’s illness or disease. Our care is personalized, scientific-based, and patient-centered. A thorough amount of time is spent getting to know patients, asking more about who they are and what experiences and exposures they’ve encountered, to understand the “why” behind their illness or disease. Ultimately, we partner with patients to determine a unique, customized plan to help correct the root functional imbalances at play in their bodies.
We aim to help busy professionals who are tired of continually suffering from progressively worsening chronic illnesses and diseases, specifically those causing debilitating pain and inflammation. With a strong focus on nutrition and supplementation and improving gut health, we feel we can help restore patients with true, lasting relief and health.
Convenience is offered to professionals via telemedicine and mobile IV (intravenous) and IM (intramuscular) micronutrient therapy services. Other services currently offered include 1-on-1 consultations, comprehensive and functional lab testing, personalized supplement recommendations, and high-grade supplementation via our virtual dispensary. There will be additional services added in the future to further meet our patient’s needs.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
While this is not a book, it is a quote that has been one I’ve often repeated since starting my journey of entrepreneurship. It is a quote that has been rephrased by many but overall it states, “What you focus on you will find”. This quote, and a book titled “Manifest Now” by Idil Ahmed, really helped me move past limiting beliefs related to starting my own telemedicine practice.
I hoped to have my own practice one day but thought this would only come about years down the road. No matter how many years of experience we have, we are still continually learning. Reframing my mindset and focusing on what I wanted to be allowed me to realize entrepreneurship was a possibility even now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.functionallybalancedhealth.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/functionallybalancedhealth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/functionallybalancedhealth
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@functionallybalancedhealth
- Other: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/functionallybalancedhealth/signup
Image Credits
Christian James of The Other Brother Photography
