Carolyn Byrd is the founder of Cary Integrative Health, a collaborative of various like-minded health practitioners, located in Cary, NC. Their services include acupuncture, coaching, chiropractic care, dietetics and nutritional counseling, functional and integrative medicine care, massage therapy, and psychotherapy.
FWM: Introduce yourself and your business.
CB: My name is Carolyn Byrd, founder of Cary Integrative Health, a collaborative of various like-minded health practitioners. My academic background is in psychology. As an undergraduate, I focused on Developmental Psychobiology, and in graduate school, I studied Industrial Organizational Psychology. Those degrees are valuable, but I never put them into practical use in a career in the psychology field. I decided to pursue my licensure in massage and bodywork therapy, and certifications in coaching, yoga instruction, and personal training. Currently, within the practice, I work as a habit and health coach and massage therapist, helping my clients move through and let go of emotional, mental, and physical pain patterns that are keeping them stuck.
FWM: When and why did you start your business?
CB: My career began in 2007, and Cary Integrative Health came together in January of 2019. After several life-changing moments in my health journey, I realized how nearsighted, fragmented, and incomplete our current healthcare, or more accurately, sickcare system is. Mainstream and western medicine perspectives offer value. Heck, it saved my life, but it also ruined it! I wanted to bring together under one roof other health perspectives to address the root of any physical or mental illness and to prevent diseases and injury. Being able to collaborate and exchange ideas and knowledge is so powerful. I had to do it!
FWM: Describe your journey to success.
CB: It has been a long, bumpy road, full of learning experiences. I had the vision for this center over a decade ago and just kept working toward it, bit by bit. The crazy thing is, when the time was right, it all came together quickly right before my eyes!
FWM: What is your “superpower?”
CB: I love being real and allowing others to be. I have beliefs, opinions, and I set boundaries, but I am always honest. I love it when others are, embracing their full human experience – icky parts and all – and owning it. That is SO powerful!
FWM: What would the seasoned you tell the younger you?
CB: That is such a tricky one! Most of my failures and struggles have made me what I am and have taught me so much. I wouldn’t want to rob myself of that. I would love to tell the younger me that there is nothing wrong with her. I would encourage her to trust herself and tell her that just because she doesn’t fit into ‘the boxes’ or walk the ‘normal’ path, she’s a hell of a lot smarter and capable than she realizes. And, my goodness, she’s hilarious!
FWM: What resources have you put in place to help women?
CB: That’s another interesting question. I am a feminist in the traditional sense in that I believe in gender equality in opportunity and treatment – no male-bashing here. I believe we are all works in progress, as is the system. I see the inequalities and injustices that we are working to correct. I think embracing our inherent power as women is preferable to degrading men because they were born into a system that elevated men. That needs to change, and I think it will when we work on being the best, healthiest, most powerful version of ourselves. If we do that, there is less chance of being ignored or disqualified. When we step into our power and space, without degrading others, we will have arrived.
Most of us have experiences where we were discounted, overlooked, dismissed, or abused because we were women. Women need a safe space to share, be heard, validated, and grow. I foster a safe space in the groups I lead, and in my coaching and bodywork work. I help my clients see and change the mindsets and habits detrimental to reaching their goals and living an autonomous and fulfilled life.
FWM: How can our readers connect with you outside of this interview?
CB: They can reach us online at www.caryintegrativehealth.com, email at carolyn@caryintegrativehealth.com, or call us at 919.651.0038. We are also on Facebook and Instagram at Cary Integrative Health. We’d love for them to check us out and follow along!
