We had the good fortune of connecting with Dina Yousef and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dina, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I have done a much better job of maintaining a work life balance now that I am out of school and more settled into my career. Self-care and work life balance were concepts that were drilled into my training as a therapist. However, that became more difficult to manage the further I got into my education. I had many responsibilities as a doctoral student as well as various requirements I had to meet before I could move on to the next phase of my degree. I was in my mid twenties and really took advantage of the energy I had to complete my tasks. I often stayed up very late and ran of not a lot of sleep to ensure I could get things done. If I could go back and redo it, I would. But I also believe that experience taught me the real importance of having balance. I continued to struggle with balance after I graduated and through my own personal counseling I was able to recognize what I wanted for myself and what I needed for myself in order to be a happy person and to continue to do well in my career as a therapist. I’m currently in private practice and I am grateful for my supervisors as they also encourage maintaining work life balance. I no longer stay up late to complete tasks and do my best not to work on “work” when I’m home. I’ve been able to implement more activities I enjoy and connect with loved ones more often.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I recently wrote about experiences for Voyage, but am happy to continue building upon my previous lessons, etc. I’m currently a therapist and clinical manager in a group private practice. While I believe that we never stop growing, I am fortunate to be in a place that continues to push me out of my comfort zone and provide me with opportunities that support further growth, either personally or professionally. I have struggled with my own feelings of anxiety related to imposter syndrome and will likely always have a “tinge” of that from time to time. However, my greatest risk was leaving a place I felt the most comfortable in and starting in an environment that forced me to stretch. (Always be careful what you ask the universe for, you might just get it!) I would also like to add that while I’ve been seeing clients for about 10 years (whoa), I am still humbled by my experiences and the people I have the opportunity of working with on a regular basis. My greatest teachers have been my clients. They continue to challenge me in ways that textbooks or trainings could never do. I am grateful to be alongside them in their journeys and feel most honored by their willingness to trust me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Denton, Texas is the place to be! First and foremost, I’d probably take them to brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Barley & Board and catch up over their mimosa flight. Then I’d probably want to take them on a walk around the downtown square and take pictures in front of the multiple murals around town! For lunch, we’d probably head on over to LSA for burgers and their famous garlic Parmesan fries. Then I’d likely want to invite them out to a night of salsa dancing at Mulberry St Cantina and attend a lesson by Salsa with Jo and get some delicious tacos and elote from El Taco Taxi. Finally, depending on the time of year, I would also want to invite them to our Arts and Jazz festival or Denton’s Dia de Los Muertos event and get tickets to see Cirque du Horror. If we had enough time, we might grab a nightcap at one of the local bars. Favorites include: Paschals, Miss Angeline’s, or Oak St Drafthouse.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to recognize my former LPC supervisor, Michelle Fox, as someone who first believed in me as well as set the precedence in maintaining care for myself so that I could take care of others. Not only did she provide me with such valuable teaching moments, she also became my friend and continues to believe in me to this day. I am thankful to have met her and continue to see her as my greatest mentor.

Instagram: daamn_dina