Hello! I'm Dr. Sam Graber.
I approach my work with a specific person in mind. She is a she, but the same characteristics apply to a he as well. I just envision someone like me when I write.
You see, I get her. I am her.
I was an active holistic health clinician for over 25 years. And have always been drawn to forging my own path, so I walked alone...many a time. I am cool with that. I'm fiercely independent, in fact it is a core value.
That said, it did get quite lonely at times on this solo trek. I had always wanted to find a group of ambitious, impact-driven women whom I could lean on, cheer on, and feel like I was part of something bigger than just my business (and life). I never found that, so I am building it with the Unraveling Together community.
Now, it is unusual for a career of that length to be all roses and carrot cake (my fave by the way)...and my story is not unusual. My story is mired in madness (with a heaping dose of stubbornness...I’m Irish, what can I say?)
My story is also steeped in success. Success isn’t always found on the winning side of the ledger either. Sometimes success comes with a painful price tag. It’s how we apply that cost to said ledger that makes the impact. Now THAT’s creative accounting at its best, my friend.
Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt...a closet full in fact.
I’ve been running my own business since I graduated with my professional degree in 1997. I played it safe by renting a clinic room for a couple years, then I went out on my own and got my butt handed to me. It was not pretty.
I was so ill-prepared for the many curveballs lobbed my way. It almost seemed like a cruel joke. Get into over one-hundred thousand dollars of debt for the privilege of running your own business and driving yourself straight to the poor house in a vehicle that is anything but drool-worthy.
I was at a loss. I didn’t know what else to do. I’d seen a few ads for business coaching in an industry-focused periodical, so I signed up for a coaching package. That helped for a moment in time, but there was nothing in that type of structure that addressed the underlying problem I faced. Even after years of expensive "coaching", I was left with the same problem I had when I started out on my entrepreneurial pursuit.
My problem, you ask?
Me. I was the problem. The same ME was still there. I was showing up every day and getting memories of my past failures all over that day’s brand spanking new potential.
I was the source of my problem. AND my solution.
It was time to get real with myself. And your journey will require the same.
This scenario has played out for every single professional woman I’ve ever worked with. And it is why I developed the Unraveling Together project. When we hit midlife, all bets are off. If you're not prepared to do the work, you'll get your arse handed to you. I can vouch for that!
You may be raising an eyebrow my way right about now. I’ll dive into this deeper during our work together, but the long and the short is that if WE don’t address our beliefs, our habits, our deepest desires, and resolve our past experiences; WE will spin our wheels and possibly fall square on our bum.
I should know, I had my fair share of tread wear and sore bottom moments. Not to mention bruised ego…yeouch, that one stung!