In this video:
Dr. Kaur talks about why she chose to use Feng shui in her office
Dr. Kaur talks about how Carole assessed her office.
Carole Hyder talks about her initial visit to the office and changes recommended
Dr Kaur talks about her top 3 changes and their major impact for her office, work, team and patients.
Carole Hyder walks through some of the transformations in Dr Kaur’s office and how they changed the energy and feel of the office.
Video Transcript:
Dr. Kaur: I am Dr. Tara Kaur and I practice General Dentistry and Edina, Minnesota. I'm also an eco-friendly dentist, and one of the fundamental principles in my practice is to really look at the whole picture, look at the whole person as a patient, look at the whole clinic as a comprehensive organism; a living being. One of the things that I was noticing in my office, was that things weren't feeling connected or grounded. There was a lot of turnover with staff members, and I wasn't feeling supported as well, I was feeling exhausted at the end of the day, and almost overwhelmed by some of the day-to-day tasks.
A couple of my patients that came in to see us, as regular patients, had just off of this side note conversation, mentioned Feng Shui and Carole's name came up several times with that. Some of the things that they were talking about, were the plants that we have in the office and how that brought some warmth and life into the office. They also were talking about how we have lots of color, and things like that at the front reception, in particular. So, they were already versed in what Feng Shui was and were appreciating some of the elements that we had in our clinic. It was nice to hear from them, that Carole was a good source and resource.
Dr. Kaur had a beautiful space, however, she was feeling disconnected, there was high turnover in staff and she was feeling overwhelmed.
Dr. Kaur: I ended up contacting Carole, and she came into the office, and did a very thorough walkthrough of the clinic with me. She made some really brilliant suggestions, on how we could very easily incorporate some Feng Shui concepts into the clinic, both physically and energetically, to help me feel more supported, to help the clinic feel more grounded, and to
help our patients feel more safe and comfortable, and the team members as well. She came in and we went through the clinic, we made some very simple changes, but very powerful and effective changes.
Carole Hyder: Starting off with Tara, first of all, she had a beautiful space. I knew we weren't far off the mark. I knew that there would probably be some very subtle things to do, and she could shift into it. I also, could tell she was totally open to just about anything I would say, which is a good thing. I thought for one thing I felt very privileged to be here, because she clearly knew how to put a place together. We weren't starting from scratch, we were really starting from a pretty “elevated” physical spot in her clinic. I could see that those few little things that we would do, sometimes it's just this little {adjustment} and it's just huge! It's like, you could almost audibly hear the change, like something “clunks” into place, and you go, “See that was just it, that's all we had to do!”
I was excited, she was so excited, I met the staff, we walked around; there was no withholding any information, or withholding any areas, and believe it or not I do run into that. It was just a delight right from the get-go. She has long-term plans, which she shared with me, in terms of future, which helps me put things into perspective. It's just been a delight, and it's been really beautiful to see how she's very gently, and I mean; sometimes with {customers} when I leave, I know that weekend they're just going to rip everything apart.
With Tara, it was more of a gradual, you know, she waited for the right artwork, in fact, she created her own artwork, which is even better. She created it, and she was waiting for the right thing, and waiting for the moment, and that all, timing, all comes into play with that as well. I just appreciated being part of the process!
Interviewer: As I hear you ladies talk, the word intentional keeps coming up, and it's very intentional. Beautifully done!
Carole Hyder: It is interesting, how some small things, just something subtle, and you were so open to it. Certainly, we've done a ceremony here to just shift energy, and a lot of times people aren't really open to that. They're open to Feng Shui, but that's as far as it goes. I really appreciate that, because that sort of remodels things on another level. An unseen, invisible level, which sometimes is even more important than moving furniture around.
What was the biggest, what was the one that had the biggest impact for you?
Dr. Tara Kaur: I think there were three things. The first thing was reconfiguration in the reception/waiting area. I think that was the big one. The second thing, I think was this idea of balancing the elements. I felt, now that I know more, and now that I've been through this process, I was very aware of how much metal there was in this clinic, and that's awesome for a clinic. You need the precision, that kind of laser-like focus and all of that, but that's not the warm and fuzzy stuff. So, I really appreciated balancing the elements and bringing that warmth into the clinic, still keeping it very metal, but balancing that out of it. That was another, that was the second big thing I think, that I noticed. Then the third, just has to do with feeling supported in the space. I just feel less tired at the end of the day. I feel like, it's easier for me to speak what my need is, and delegate if I'm feeling overwhelmed, or whatever it happens to be.
Carole: And do you know why that is? No?!
Dr. Kaur: We changed your office around! That probably is it!
Carole Hyder: She was in a, you were really in a much less supportive area. You were very vulnerable in that office. We moved a couple pieces of furniture. I think it was more than that, but it looked like a couple pieces of furniture. It was just flip-flopping it basically. It really was flip-flopping and suddenly there you are, in a place that makes you really the leader. It does, it feels more protected, yet it feels more powerful, and I definitely get more done throughout my day, because I'm not interrupted, and not in {peoples’ line of sight}. I would say, those are the top three things that I really notice, pretty much right away, from our initial time together.
Carole Hyder walks us through the transformation of Dr Kaur's office:
Carole Hyder explains: One of the things that Tara talked to me about was feeling unsupported, and that was a cue, that I should look to see what she was saying about her space. She's a dentist, so I'm not going to start moving her dental chair around, and have her patients in some weird place.
We look in her office, and this is what we were seeing in her office. She actually had her desk right in here. When she was sitting at her desk, she was vulnerable to the door to the entry door to her clinic, and to people sitting in the waiting room. Which leaves you feeling exposed, you were feeling like you're just not protected and supported; a lack of support. It was lovely. She had done a beautiful job in here of course; she had a little round table over this nice little area, but my suggestion was to exchange the table and her desk, and she did. Now, we have a roundtable {positioned here}, which means that she could be here with a client, she could be here with an employee, and that's more of “public experience.”
Then she is protected by the wall, and sits in this office in a very strong and powerful way; she's got this strong, solid background, she's got her credentials behind her. It's like the wind beneath her wings, and she can sit here, and the only time she would be seen, is if actually, a patient were leaving, or an employee was walking by, but not just accidentally, just sitting over there and somebody coming in and watching her. It really shifted things a lot for Tara, because it gave her a sense of some privacy and that's really what she needed.
Carole and Dr. Tara walk us through the front desk / reception area:
Carole: This was an area where I wanted to incorporate the five Chinese elements. This area is people's first impression and what's happening here, (she's done such a great job with it, unbeknownst I think to her), I don't think she quite realized what she did, but this is indicative of a person who's really in touch with her space and energy, that you can do that without much guidance. She has water, she has plants, she has this metal, and look at the ceiling its metal. It's white; it's round, it's really pretty. She has a lot of Earth. Earth in terms of the countertops, the wood tops, all Earth energy. Of course, the one thing we were missing was that fire piece. She happens to have a receptionist who is very “Fire,” but we don't wanna come to people. She added some artwork that had the "fire" in it, which was some reds, and that really nailed it.
Carole and Dr. Tara walk us through the changes in the Break Room
Carole: My experience is that break rooms, usually, they tell the true story about a business. They're kind of the junk room because nobody knows what to do with the stuff and we’ll just put it in the break room. Then people try to eat there. Well, this is a whole different story. She has set up an incredible room. We had some ideas in here, she implemented everything, which was fabulous. It's a nice storage under the smocks, a great place for them to eat. She's got a little kitchenette for them. It's just a fun, beautiful little place.
Dr. Tara: I loved the scrubs, the color of the scrubs was a big deal for me and having the organization. I'm a very organized person, but I really love not having open shelves, just having something that has a little softness with the fabric and yet there's a place for everything to be.
I also like the fact that there are these pops of colors. I really love the bright artwork, and I love the furniture that's back here. I think the size is appropriate, and it's welcoming. I value my team. I couldn't do it without my team, so I wanted a place that was a nice spot for people to take a break, and feel comfortable and still feel bright and enlivened, even though it is a space without windows and things like that.
After the Transformation:
Dr. Tara says happily: It seriously has been an incredible journey to watch the space change, to watch how I feel in the space, feeling much more supported, and connected, and grounded in the space. Watching my team members and how they're interacting with the space, with our patients, and then also with each other in the team.
Then watching the growth of the business in it as well. It's been a fantastic journey both personally and professionally, and I'm so grateful for your wisdom, and your ability to come in, and really identify areas, and that your simple changes made such an effective transformation!
Special Thanks to Carole Hyder, MA, Consultant (Integrative SpacesTM) for inviting us to see this transformation! Integrated Spaces StrategyTM combines ancient strategy (Feng Shui) with modern research to create superior environments within the healthcare industry. Using her Integrated Spaces StrategyTM, Carole has done wonders redesigning waiting room, hospital rooms, treatment areas, assisted living, and senior care facilities, just to name a few!
Carole holds an MA in East Asian Studies and has been a Feng Shui Consultant since 1992, having studied with His Holiness Grandmaster Thomas Lin Yun, Her Holiness Crystal Chu Rinpoche, and Roger Green, all master teachers in the respective philosophies of Feng Shui.
To book an Integrative Space Consultation, please contact Carole Hyder at
email: carole@carolehyder.com
Phone 612.823.5093
Website: www.CaroleHyder.com
Carole has a beautiful guide for Doctors and Clinics highlighting key elements in designing the perfect space. Click here to access the guidebook.
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Carole has a beautiful guide for Doctors and Clinics highlighting key elements to designing the perfect space. Click here to access the guidebook.
