I moved my home from Alexandria to Middleburg Va. almost four years ago. I suppose I was seeking a new source of inspiration in my own life, having lived and raised my daughters in the city for the past 30 years. I was craving the opportunity to be outside, care for a garden and a myriad of creatures. It is impossible not to be awestruck when I see a brilliant sunset, a complete rainbow over the pasture after a storm or feel the ground shake as our horses gallop toward the barn at dinner time.
I still work in Alexandria three days a week and sometimes the contrast from the farm can be jarring, but my path to this Jekyll-and-Hyde existence has evolved quite organically and intentionally.
The Del Ray community continues to provide inspiration every day, ESPECIALLY given the current political and economic climate. The vibe in Alexandria/Del Ray has always maintained a fairly high-stress hum. The type-A culture is part of what keeps this community vibrant, creative, successful and ever-changing. But when the high-energy buzz shifts to a stressed-out existence, our personal and collective health can take a hit.
I thoroughly appreciate the diversity here. I look forward to learning about every single new patient that comes to Willow Wellness Center. Their talents and accomplishments are endlessly fascinating and often reveal an inevitable load of stress that manifests as pain, illness and malaise. This is the downside of living in a DC suburb – especially right now.
So what inspires me? I am inspired by my patients and the entire Del Ray community during this tumultuous political season. Their sense of humor, outrage, creativity and resilience is amazing!
At Willow Wellness, my colleagues and I can certainly provide a host of services to ease some of the physical manifestations of stress, but perhaps the most important thing we can do is to remind everyone that this period of time is, in fact, a season. The winds will shift again. We will breathe easier. And when that change comes, we will be ready — not just to heal, but to thrive, fueled by the energy and spirit of this remarkable community.
Dr. Cynthia Durakis has been practicing in Alexandria, VA for over 30 years. She has recently expanded her chiropractic practice to include functional and nutritional medicine in an effort to provide her patients a “root cause” approach to healing chronic conditions. Willow Wellness Center offers massage therapy, chiropractic, functional medicine, and functional fitness. Learn more at willowwellnessva.com.
