Meet Vassilia Binensztok | Psychotherapist & Business Owner

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

Hi Vassilia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I reached a turning point in my career when I was in my PhD program and simultaneously getting divorced. Getting divorced caused me a lot of anxiety and I left my marriage feeling very disempowered. As I think is the case for a lot of women, I believed then that men were inherently better than women at things like managing finances, buying a car, getting contractors to remodel the house, and, of course, doing business. These beliefs were something I just absorbed from society – the old myth that boys are better at math still haunting me from elementary school days. I worried about how I would take care of everything in my life without a partner.

At the same time, I found myself always feeling overworked and underpaid. I often made myself a martyr, going out of my way to take care of everyone but myself. I found myself resentful of many of my personal and professional relationships. As someone who is always working on self-growth, attending therapy and working on self-help, I reflected a lot on my situation and realized how much of it I was causing. I was the one giving up my power. I was the one choosing to overextend myself. I was the one devaluing my work. This was a pattern I recognized well, having grown up in a dysfunctional family where love was always commensurate to how much I was achieving or doing for others.

I realized it was time to stop repeating this pattern and time to stop complaining about the results. I was the one who needed to change. I started my business in a pledge to myself. I wanted to be able to provide the lifestyle I wanted for myself. I wanted to be paid what I was worth. I wanted to nurture myself first. Most importantly, I wanted to create something bigger than myself. I realized true empowerment was being able to lift myself up while lifting others up. Starting and growing my psychotherapy group practice has allowed me to realize my own dreams, employ other therapists, train new therapists in clinical work, and, as a team, we have been able to help thousands of people improve their mental health.

I own a counseling and wellness practice. We provide psychotherapy and other complimentary services for individual adults, children, teens, couples, and families. Something that sets my business apart is our focus on holistic, nervous-system focused care.

Although I was trained in traditional talk therapy, I recognize the need for therapeutic interventions that go beyond what the conscious mind can process. Too people spend years processing their problems, talking about their thoughts and feelings, and experiencing little change or having to spend years in therapy to feel a difference. Although we know talk therapy works, it often falls short when treating concerns that are strongly influenced by the nervous system, like trauma or anxiety.

New research shows us that when clients are stuck in chronic fight or flight states, they struggle to think and behave differently, making traditional talk therapy methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) more challenging. I continuously bring new offerings into my practice that help clients go beyond traditional therapy to work with the nervous system like sensory tools, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and now, an Opus sound bed. We even have an entire sensory room built out for neurodivergent clients, featuring LED and fiber optic light features in a dark room to help calm sensory overwhelm.

I am really proud of how my team has been able to stay on the cutting edge of mental health care. One of our company values is commitment to excellence; I think we demonstrate that every day by going beyond the status quo and bringing our clients a higher standard of care.

Another thing that sets us apart is our commitment to the community. Personally, I love volunteering and community service. I volunteer for several organizations and serve on a couple of Boards of Directors for local nonprofits. Because giving back is so important to me, I encourage my team to do the same by coordinating regular service opportunities. So far, my team has helped process baby formula for Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, collected pet food and supplies for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue, cooked meals for families at Quantum House, packed Thanksgiving baskets for families at Boystown, and more. It is amazing to see my team make such a huge difference in the community.

How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?

My business got to where it is through perseverance and help from supportive people. There are so many ups and downs in business and a lot of unexpected challenges. I have dealt with everything from the financial burden of scaling to employees that were a poor fit for my company. I found that problems and stressors always arise in business and, if you allow it, the business can overtake your life. It can feel like the business is running you instead of you running the business. Prioritizing tasks, making time for yourself, and relying on trusted friends and colleagues can make a huge difference in growing your business while maintaining your sanity.

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

One thing I learned is the importance of trusting yourself. Entrepreneurs tend to be visionaries. We have ideas that others have not heard of before or goals that others might deem too lofty. There will always be naysayers and words of caution. There will always be people who doubt us or even try to discourage us, and this is often not a reflection on how well we are doing. People can project their fears and personal values onto us; it is up to us to learn how to discern good advice from unhelpful opinions. When we learn to trust our own judgment and business acumen, we can stay on course rather than be pulled in different directions by other people’s opinions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I live up in Palm Beach County, I’ll give some Palm Beach recommendations.

Buccan – This is my favorite restaurant. As a foodie, I have dined at many Michelin star restaurants but Buccan is still one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. Try the Hamachi tiradito and the sweet corn agnolotti.

Aioli – They know me by name here. Everything is made from scratch, and they serve this amazing spiced coffee with coconut oil, cayenne pepper, and other spices.

The Restaurant at the Norton – I love art and the remodeled Norton Museum does not disappoint. The museum restaurant serves creative, gourmet dishes that can be followed by a stroll through the gallery.

Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens – This is one of my favorite places. The Ann Norton Sculpture Garden features incredibly tall and awe-inspiring sculptures placed throughout a beautiful garden by the water. I love coming here to clear my head, write poetry, and read.

Spa day at the Eau – The Eau spa is the epitome of luxury. This is the perfect place to escape your stress and emerge rejuvenated. I especially love their body scrub followed by a private outdoor shower and relaxing massage.

Shopping on Palm Beach – Palm Beach shopping is such a fun experience because it’s so immersive. People love to wear fun outfits and stroll Worth Ave or the Royal Poinciana, locations that make you feel like you could be in Europe. I would recommend an iconic photo at the clocktower, Worth Ave people watching, and a cocktail at St. Ambroeus.

Love Street in Jupiter – If you want to feel like you are in a tropical location, visit any of the restaurants on Love Street and you will be treated to the most stunning view of the Jupiter Lighthouse and inlet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my middle school and high school teacher Ms. Alexandra Dumas Rhodes. When I first had Ms. Rhodes as my eighth-grade history teacher, I was going through a rough time. My home life was full of dysfunction – my parents didn’t maintain jobs, they argued in toxic ways, and my father was verbally and physically abusive to both me and my mother. Largely because of what was going on at home, I struggled to make friends too. Even though I had a few nice friends, a lot of my peers bullied me. I felt unwanted and as though I didn’t belong anywhere.

I always looked forward to Ms. Rhodes’ class, however. She made class fun and the material easy to understand. More importantly, she treated me equally to everyone else. I noticed myself often becoming the wallflower in all my classes, with my teachers taking an interest in other kids while struggling to relate to me. Ms. Rhodes was different. She gave me compliments and asked me questions that showed she cared about getting to know me as a person. She was pivotal in making me believe in myself and feeling that I was a person who had something to contribute and deserved good things.

Ms. Rhodes and I still keep in touch, and I was able to have coffee with her just a few years ago. I told her how much she had meant to me, and she said she knew I was having a hard time at school then and that she felt her job as a teacher was to treat all kids equally and make them all feel they mattered, exactly as she had done for me.

Website: www.junocounseling.com

Instagram: dr.vassilia

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilia-binensztok-phd-lmhc-ncc-qs-26727a90/