Don’t just dream to have it all—make it your reality.
That’s the message Dr. Brittney Chisholm has for women who feel there are too many roadblocks in their way of having a fulfilling career and a family.
“You can run a business, be a mother, a partner, a friend, have hobbies, and still make time for yourself,” says Chisholm who owns and runs Suncoast Integrated Health in Powell River. “Women can have it all. It’s often just harder.”
Yes, there are often challenges many women face as they seek their dreams, something Chisholm says she faced.
“Early on, I had some untrustworthy business associates whose main goal was to make money,” she says, adding that as she recovered from that setback, and a serious car accident, she decided to focus her efforts on partnering with other women to embark on a journey towards her goals.
“Sure, we all strive to be financially successful and independent. But I have chosen to surround myself with like-minded women because they seem to prioritize ethics in business, and building each other up. Women often recognize that when one of us succeeds, it benefits all women,” Chisholm says.
Helping her along the way was the belief and support of Don and Ann Shelton, owners of Malaspina Massage, who rented her a room in their practice.
“And by putting in some hard work and remaining dedicated to the patients, my small business grew until the point where I had to hire another chiropractor. We’ve been growing ever since by putting patients first,” Chisholm says.
Part of that patient-first philosophy was amassing a multidisciplinary set of healthcare professionals to offer a variety of services all in one, convenient place.
“I had a vision to work in a multidisciplinary setting where there were no egos, and the staff worked together as a team to determine which course of treatment(s) was best for the patient,” Chisholm says.
“It’s about accessibility and communication; making it easier for patients to access care in a timely manner and to have their practitioners share useful information about what’s helping or roadblocks they’ve encountered makes for better overall patient care.”
It also creates a positive team-based workplace of like-minded individuals, and an environment conducive to family needs such as flexible hours and autonomy over days off.
“I am trying to give women the opportunity to be in the workforce, but also be mothers,” Chisholm says. “That means we have a flexible work situation to accommodate that. “If my employees need to pop out for an hour in the middle of the day to take a child to an appointment, or they need a mental health day, I support that.”
“More employers would benefit from providing that freedom because it generates employee loyalty, trust, and prevents burnout.”
For more information about how you can benefit from a team of healthcare professionals, visit suncoastintegratedhealth.com.
