Today we’d like to introduce you to Doctor Alexandra Chaux.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Doctor Alexandra. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
Your dreams come true when you don’t give up, and fight for them! My story begins the day I decided to leave my country and move to the United States with the goal of learning new techniques in Physiotherapy. Never did I think it would be so difficult to fulfill my dream. I started visiting hospitals and talking with the physiotherapists to guide me in my purpose.
The first step was volunteering at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami, in the Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Department to learn more about physiotherapy in this country. I met physiotherapists from other countries who were working on validating their degrees in this country as well during my volunteering time, and we all helped each other.
This began the four hardest years of my life: I work as a nanny, cashier, waitress, and physical therapy aide to be able to pay for my accreditation as a physiotherapist in the United States. At the same time, I went to college to study English, and study for the national Physiotherapy exam. During these four years, I took the National Physiotherapy Examination many times.
Why? Because it was hard for me. English was my second language to Spanish, and the technical jargon was very difficult to understand. In addition, I was working over eight hours a day to be able to feed myself and travel to work and school. At times I slept four hours a night for months.
It got to the point that some people told me it would be best if I dedicated myself to do something else, and not keep wasting time. But something in my heart told me, that I would not give up and keep fighting no matter what. It was after all my dream, and I couldn’t give up.
Finally, the great day came: I passed the exam and officially got my a physiotherapy license to be able to help people in need in this great country! I applied to a position called “Physical Therapy Traveler,” and to my surprise, the phone did not stop ringing with many job offers in the United States!
I decided to take a position as a traveling physiotherapist in a little town in Indiana named Monticello. The position was for 13 weeks, and in the end, it became a year.
Why one year and not thirteen weeks as the contract said? Because this little town was so isolated from the city that it was very difficult to find physiotherapists. Every time the contract was getting to the end the Physiotherapy Director, begged me to stay longer and I resigned many times.
It was very hard to be a physiotherapist in a place where nobody spoke Spanish and where I did not know anyone. Many times I felt super lonely, and for that reason, I decided to invest the time in studying more, in learning new techniques to help my patients recover from their ailments.
This was the reason why I decided to return to a university upgrade my certifications and knowledge. I enrolled in the new, at the time, Doctor of Physiotherapy Program!
I decided to return to California after one year in Indiana and stay with family as I worked on my Doctor Degree. I still worked at different places as I intensified my studies to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. After three more years of study, I graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy! This was my long term goal, and through determination and help from friends and family, I achieved it!.
While plying my practice as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I continued to study related fields and earned my certification as an Ashtanga Yoga Instructor. While in India I studied Ayurvedic medicine and vegan cooking for health and vitality.
Always wanting to offer my patients more insight, I traveled to Spain to study under Dr. Marcel Caufriez and his ‘Hypopressive Method’ for women’s core and gut health. I then became the first Dr. of Physical Therapy certified in the Hypopressive Method in the United States! Now I opened my own clinic! My American dream of only learning techniques for physiotherapy became bigger than I was expecting!
I accredited my career in California, I passed the National Physiotherapy Board Exam, I obtained my Doctorate in Physiotherapy, I became certified as an Ashtanga Yoga Instructor, and earned the distinction of being the first Physiotherapy Doctor certified in the hypopressive method in the U.S!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was very hard for a Spanish speaking physical therapist from Colombia to start all over again, in a Country where few people spoke Spanish and where I did not know any other foreigner physical therapist.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Core Fit Yoga story. Tell us more about the business.
I offer a holistic approach for healing body-mind connection. I teach my clients to recover their Core and Pelvic Floor Muscles to prevent pelvic dysfunctions and to improve their quality of life.
I add to their transformation: healing recipes, healthy lifestyle tips, and yoga sequences to improve their health and quality of life. I am very proud for helping women to restore their core and pelvic floor postpartum with the innovative Hypopressive Method.
In addition, I am the only health professional in the USA who went to Spain in January 2014 to get certified by Doctor Marcel Caufriez the creator of the Hypopressive Method. The results have been outstanding for her clients and students.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
The rule of luck is called dedication, persistence, and faith.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.corefityoga.com
- Email: alexandra@corefityoga.com
- Instagram: core_fit_yoga
- Facebook: Core Fit yoga
- Other: YouTube: Core Fit Yoga
Image Credit:
Vanessa at www.vdukphotography.com
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