Dr. Joseph Yi (@joyimd) is changing the stigma surrounding mental illness. He prefers to call it Behavioral Health, and he thinks that the current practitioners of mental illness care aren’t doing patients justice.
He has since started his own practice called Modern Behavioral. Modern Behavioral is on a mission to change the Stigma of Mental Illness to that of Mental Wellness.
Labeled by many colleagues and patients as the “Starbucks of Mental Health” – Modern Behavioral has a warm, stylish and comfortable atmosphere that helps people truly relax during their sessions. Whether you need a warm cup of tea, or a healthy snack, this is not your average mental health experience. They do not mindlessly prescribe drugs to patients, instead taking an integrative holistic approach to enhancing one’s body, mind and spirit. So many doctors over prescribe and typically are just treating the symptoms, not the deep roots of the behavioral health condition. Although prescription medications can be helpful, Modern Behavioral views them as part of the solution and NOT the solution itself.
Most doctors listen to a patient and instantly consider what drugs will make the patient feel better – they are typically treating the symptoms, not the underlying conditions. With an emphasis on dietary changes, exercise regimen and other psychological tactics, Dr Yi helps people not only feel better, but helps them address the deep rooted feeling or circumstances that lead to addiction and drug use in the first place.
Dr. Yi has learned a lot during his entrepreneurial journey. He believes that entrepreneurship is about being able to identify what is truly broken in a system, and finding the appropriate solution that adds value to people’s lives. This is the backbone of any successful company. In the beginning it’s very important to not only tell colleagues what you are doing, but more importantly “Why” are you doing it. Getting people to align with the core message of a business idea is key when trying to galvanize a group of people to all work towards one goal. Getting people to believe in you, to not only spend their money, but in most cases their time – is the most important part of building a successful and sustainable business that lasts perhaps decades not years.
Dr. Yi also believes that mindset is everything. “One must not only have a vision but a powerful enough reason as to why it must be realized are essential mental elements required to start a business. Don’t let anyone talk you out of something you are truly passionate about, because it’s typically these kinds of people with the fusion of purpose and vision who bring great value into this world,” Dr. Yi states.
Dr. Yi believes that perseverance, hard-work and dedication are necessary tools for any business, let alone a scalable one. Hiring the right people, delegating just the right amount of work to be efficient, but not too much to lose quality. Embracing technology, especially in times of exponential change is absolutely fundamental to the scale of the business.
Without question Dr Yi’s single most painful moment in life was “Failing The National medical board exam not just once, but twice.” Being the only person in his class to accomplish this feat was also an extremely embarrassing experience to say the least, where he had to study in secrecy to save face.
“It is hardship experiences such as these that helped thicken the callous around my mind and soul which readily allowed me to keep moving towards the discomfort zone while so many others would back away. I’ve come to understand that Success comes with a price tag of pain and my ability to endure excruciating amounts of discomfort for an extended amount of time is single handedly the most important quality I have that allows me to succeed in medicine and business,” states Dr. Yi.
Dr Yi’s hope is that one day, mainstream psychiatrists would be more open minded to Holistic remedies of treatment and to see symptoms as a ‘distress signal’ from the body rather than a checklist to diagnose disorders. His legacy will be empowering the people to become their #1 advocates for their mind & body health, NOT their doctors.
To keep up with Dr. Yi on his journey, follow him on Instagram.