Physical therapy is not about exercise and healing the injury. It is a transformational program which imbibes confidence in an individual to get back to life activities without dependencies. It a journey in which one needs more than a therapist who can instruct you to follow steps and exercises. You need an environment which with all facilities to provide the care and you a need a humane intervention beyond science can provide to make the journey more magical. In case you need to embark on this journey, look no further. Proaction Studio 5 is your destination and the coach who will guide you in this is Dr. Sunita Dave.

A renowned physiotherapist with an experience of over 25 years in the field of physiotherapy, she is the founder & director of Mumbai based proaction studio5 Dr. Sunita Dave graduated from Seth GS medical College and KEM Hospital. Motherhood at an young age of 22 didn’t stop her passion for Physiotherapy, which continued with earning a master’s degree in Physiotherapy in Intensive Care and a second Masters degree in Psychotherapy. Hunger to keep learning and passion to do research led Dr. Sunita to complete her PhD in Fibromyalgia. Her forte as a rehabilitation Specialist is in providing complete, precise and customized therapies for her patients. She also specializes in programming fitness routines to prevent workplace hazards for doctors. The benign benefits have been well documented by the Consultants themselves. Dr. Sunita Dave has thus created a transformational space for her patients, where they enter feeling incapacitated with their prevailing conditions or pain and emerge with their functional capacity restored to perform activities independently.

In an in-depth interview with the Women Entrepreneur Magazine team, Dr. Sunita shares with us her thoughts on leadership and professional experience as the founder director of PROACTION STUDIO5.

Give us an overview of Proaction Studio 5. What are some important features about your expertise as a physiotherapist that you want us to highlight through the article?

PROACTION STUDIO5 is unique in its own way. We provide a holistic approach to our patients with an evidence based practice. We offer solutions to all the patients coming at our door step with their health related issues. At the clinic we offer a methodical regimen that takes patients limitations into consideration. It is easily accessible to one and all.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table. What motivated you to venture into the healthcare sector and specialize in physiotherapy?

To be honest initially, I wasn’t having a keen interest in the medical field. In fact I wanted to pursue a completely different path in computer engineering. But on the strong persuasion of my father who had undergone physiotherapy treatment abroad and was convinced that it was a new field in medical science and it will have a promising future, I went ahead with his decision and chose the same. I received my undergraduate degree from Seth GS medical College and KEM Hospital and Masters Degree from TNMC & BYL Nair hospita.

And eventually there was no turning back from here. I was hired by Godrej and Boyce LTD as an occupational safety and health specialist which is centered on ergonomics and work related hazard prevention of the employee and the workrs specialist who is centered on ergonomics and work hazards of the industrialists and their workers.

To broaden my expertise I decided to take up a second Masters degree in psychotherapy and received a degree from IPMS. I also hold a PhD in fibromyalgia from Sri Lanka in addition I also obtained intensive clinical training in psychotherapy I completed my PhD in 2015 and I am steadily improving my knowledge by enrolling in a variety of courses. I stay updated through reading and interacting in international conferences which has helped me stay updated.

Tell us about the foundation journey and the underlying philosophy behind Proaction Studio 5. What are some of the unique techniques and therapies that you offer to your patients? What makes them different from other physiotherapy techniques?

The journey to establish PROACTION STUDIO5 dates back to 2010 with a belief that when any patient steps into my clinic they go back home with a sense of complete satisfaction with respect to their complaints. The notion was that all my patients should be proactive in their approach towards treatment.

“The journey to establish proaction studio5 dates back to 2010 with a believe that when any patient steps into my clinic they go back home with a sense of complete satisfaction with respect to their complaints”

People despair at times that it is really difficult to recover from their problems. But with the correct diagnosis and treatment regimen it is not impossible to get what they desire.

PROACTION STUDIO5 has a consultation room, an Electrotherapy room and a therapeutic gym as well. It is a safe haven for doctors undergoing fitness training due to occupational hazards. The key to being a rehabilitation specialist is to give comprehensive and accurate strategic treatments after correlating the diagnosis and listening to the patient’s complaints thoroughly.

How do you manage to maintain a work life balance? Are there any hobbies or activities that you like to indulge in?

My work is the centre of my balance, it is the most joyful and serene state for me. While many people consider work as a burden I utilize my time by spending it with my patients, understanding their problems and providing them with solutions. I raised my 23-year-old daughter while working and pursuing my higher education, and today she is a physiotherapist herself. She is not only my child but also my best friend. So as time flew everything worked out on its own. Apart from work I love playing the guitar and keyboard and I love singing as well. I am an amazing chef as per the claims of my family and friends. I love travelling and meeting people across the globe.

As a successful business leader what would your advice be to young women and girls aspiring to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

I am a firm believer of the “nothing is impossible”. Nobody can ever stop you from reaching the pinnacle of success if you keep a positive attitude and eradicate all the negativity from your mind. Every day remind yourself with an affirmation or mantra that the fear of failure should never stop you from trying, failure is the first step towards success. The only person you should be concerned about is yourself. Whatever be the situation, you should constantly go forward and never look back. Follow your principles and stick to your morale and everything else will fall into place. Discipline can take you places where motivation can’t.

Dr. Sunita Dave, Director, Proaction Studio 5

Dr Sunita Dave offers a customised treatment and fitness program to her patients after confirming the differential diagnosis, she identifies the root cause of stress pain posture weight and other impairments.