Meet Dr. Valerie Akinwande, DPT | Physical Therapist, certified in Women’s Health, Pregnancy, and Postpartum

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Valerie Akinwande, DPT and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Valerie, what do you attribute your success to?
I firmly believe that the most important factors behind my success are the grace and favor of God and the accumulation of my daily habits over time. My best efforts pale in comparison to the grace and favor I’ve experienced over my lifetime. My habits change personally as I think and pray about the ways that my family needs me in every season and adjust my work schedule to meet those demands. My professional habits shift as I get a sense of what my patients need to achieve their goals. I cater to my clients’ learning styles and preferences for remaining active/engaged as they grow through our interactions. This strategy consistently drives the success of my business.

What should our readers know about your business?
My small business, WomansDPT, [https://www.womansdpt.com] is dedicated to empowering women through specialized mobile physical therapy. I understand that women lead busy lives and need comprehensive care to thrive in pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. We stand out by meeting moms where they are, educating and empowering them, and equipping them with the tools and skills needed for success after therapy. Beyond my professional training and education, I’m a mom who has experienced breastfeeding, sleepless nights, menstrual pains, and many of the challenges I help my clients overcome. WomansDPT addresses a wide range of health issues, including incontinence, prolapse, constipation, and pain during intercourse. Clients can schedule in-person or virtual sessions that fit their busy lives without the need for a sitter or having to deal with traffic. Each woman receives a personalized plan tailored to her learning style, personal goals, and hobbies.
We also support women worldwide who may lack access to essential care by sharing free valuable content on my YouTube channel, Pelapy [https://www.youtube.com/@pelapy?sub_confirmation=1]. Additionally, we offer several in-person and online, on-demand courses such as the Birth Prep Solution, Postpartum Masterclass, and the newest addition, a Mother-Daughter Menstrual Cycle class [https://www.pelapy.com]. I am most excited about the impact that my newest class is making on mothers and daughters in my local community, offering a safe space to share stories and bond. We have more classes in the works!
Establishing WomansDPT has come with challenges: from paying for post-doctoral training, to learning how to network with like-minded professionals, and figuring out how to effectively outsource as the business grows. The process has not been easy. Thankfully, we have acquired valuable resources that have worked to our benefit. Each obstacle has strengthened my faith and enhanced my professional development in ways I never imagined possible. I have encountered many growing pains in every stage. In my experience, when resistance is at its highest, something great is usually waiting on the other side. So, I remain patient and trust that God, who knows every aspect of my future, is a reliable guide.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The places I would take my best friend would depend on what season she visited. I love a good physical challenge so I would take her to enjoy: an escape room at City Centre, a wild adventure at Activate Katy; Strawberry picking at Froberg’s farm; the Houston Interactive Zoo/Aquarium; a day trip for some fun roller coasters at Pleasure Pier; a riveting play at the Hobby Center; The Houston Rodeo if she came in the spring; and the Go Ape Adventure in Sugar Land if she showed up in the fall for a blast outdoors!
Regardless of the season, I would make sure to take her to my favorite restaurants in Houston: Local Foods & Local Table, Eloise Nichols, Federal American Grill, Taste of Texas, lunch in the downtown tunnel and Sunday brunch at the Four Seasons.

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?
There are many people that God has used to shape me into the person I am today. In childhood, my desire to make my Nigerian immigrant parents proud motivated me to want to do something “significant” with my life. I had a strong sense of the struggle my parents were facing raising 5 kids in a foreign country with little money and was determined to make my life meaningful.
In my childhood and teen years, I yearned for mentorship but struggled to find a good fit because of my maturity and circles of influence. I spent many hours as a teen volunteering at a children’s hospital. I was highly motivated by my peers in that setting who were surviving unthinkable odds. In high school I also became a Peer Assistance Leader (PAL) mentoring elementary kids and felt inspired by the classroom teachers who lifted me up to the kids I mentored. As I went through rigorous training in undergrad and graduate school, I was fortunate to encounter professors who invested in me and activated my resilience.
In young adulthood, my first professional boss, Sonya, poured into me in ways I’ll remember for the rest of my life. She was a voice of reason when I struggled to extend grace to my students as a young college professor, an encourager who saw something special in my husband while we were still dating, and a big reason I pursued my current career as a physical therapist. She wrote a recommendation letter and walked with me through the journey to my doctorate degree. My first boss after PT school, Tonya, helped me prepare for my board exam and let me bring my infant daughter to work which was an incredible support for me as a first-time mom.
As a married mom of 3 young kids, I finally feel like I’ve hit the gold mine of mentors among women in my church who speak life over me and genuinely want to know my story, hold me accountable in marriage and motherhood, and support my family. The most significant champion in my life and credit to my success in business is my husband. He has been part of my story for 17 years. From the beginning, he never shied away from pushing me to and through uncomfortable places all the while enduring and trusting that God would take care of the details. He keeps me organized, sees the best in me, and supports our family so that I am able to work in a way that fits our vision for our family.

Website: www.pelapy.com; www.womansdpt.com

Instagram: @womansdpt

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pelapy?sub_confirmation=1