In the field of healthcare, where challenges are constant, there is a demand for leaders who look beyond mere solutions. It requires professionals who work towards the cure rather than just treating the ailment. This belief resonates with Dr. Yatri Thacker, a popular face in India’s healthcare landscape for the past two decades. With expertise in Homeopathy and Mental Health, Dr. Yatri has served the community with compassion and dedication.
She specializes in treating a variety of psychosomatic disorders such as allergies, migraines, infertility, depression, and PCOS through counselling, medical guidance, and homeopathy to provide relief and healing.
Driven by her own experiences as a parent, Dr. Yatri established the Baby & Me Programs, offering valuable support and guidance to parents-to-be and new parents. These programs provide practical tips and medical insights to help navigate the challenges of parenthood with confidence.
Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Yatri is committed to raising health awareness. She has conducted informative sessions for corporates like BNP Pariba, Sharekhan, Johnson & Johnson, Bioderma, BabyChakra, Mylo, Times of India, Capgemini- India, UPL, Walmart, HPCL, Total energies and YB Chavan. She is also associated with a prestigious NGO, CFBP, where she promotes fair medical and business practices.
Through her association with Times foundation and Parisar Asha, she has conducted various free medical camps. As an active in-house medical doctor with Women’s Movement for Peace and Prosperity foundation, she conducts free medical camps and lectures for the underprivileged. With her expertise and genuine care, she continues to make a positive impact in the lives of her patients and the community at large.
Our recent interview with Dr. Yatri offers a glance into her journey:
Can you walk us through your journey in the healthcare sector, highlighting key milestones and experiences that have shaped your career?
My life so far has been an enchanting journey justifying my name.
There have been various milestones in my healthcare journey. As a child I always wanted to be a doctor as I was curious to know what exactly was inside the body. I was influenced by my grandfather who used to conduct free medical camps at our hometown for underprivileged.
An instance that changed my outlook towards connecting with patients was in 2000, post-earthquake at Kutch. I was fortunate to join a team of doctors to help those injured. There was total chaos and due to lack of medical amenities and surgeons, I was given a vital role. I soon realised that just by communicating with patients I could make them feel better, so I decided to do my post-graduation in psychology after homeopathy.
This helps me even today wherein with a blend of both homeopathy and counselling I treat both mental and physical psychosomatic ailments. Other milestone in my life came early in my practice while working at Times of India as a doctor and mental health expert. There I understood the need to bridge a gap between mind and body.
We are constantly exposed to stress, performance and peer pressure, competition in the corporate world, leading to increase in chronic diseases.
Use of holistic approach, skill development, introspection, stress management techniques led to increase in efficiency and positivity at work.
One more milestone came in my life as a parent. Experiencing few hiccups post-delivery, despite coming from medical background, realised the importance of support system, practical yet medical knowledge on handling post-delivery, pregnancy and parenting needs.
I decided to become an international childbirth educator and soon became the founder/ director of Baby & Me Programs.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in healthcare leadership, and how did you overcome them?
Women are empathetic and empowering. Both these qualities help a woman to overcome any challenge.
Luckily, I have not faced many challenges in healthcare leadership role.
Discipline, consistency, empathy and role modelling are few qualities that helped me to become a good leader.
One of the challenges that homeopaths face is the belief that it has only placebo effect. Over 20 years of practise and learning under world renowned homeopaths, have seen the effect and power of homeopathy in acute as well as chronic cases.
I believe that every pathy has its own limitation, accepting that makes us a better physician. Patient benefit and ethical medical practise has been of utmost importance to me. This way a physician can overcome any challenge.
Tell us about your organization and highlight its mission and vision in the healthcare landscape.
Dr Yatri Thacker’s clinic at Mumbai provides four services. Holistic Homeopathy treatment, Counselling for mental health, Baby & Me programs, and Dr Yatri’s products. Available for both online and in person consultations. We cater to pan India and international clients since last 20 years.
My vison has been to spread Holistic health awareness. Through the power of media, social media, newspaper, webinars, seminars, and events.
My mission is to cure patients rather than just treat them.
As a woman in a leadership role, how do you approach strategic decision-making in the healthcare sector?
I believe strategic decision making comes by clarity in thoughts and clarity in mind. This can be achieved by introspection, meditation, and self-learning.
What initiatives or strategies have you implemented to drive innovation and positive change within your organization?
Imbibing feeling of oneness and feeling of succeeding together as a team leads to positivity and drive in any organisation.
What specific areas of healthcare are you most passionate about, and how have you made a significant impact in those areas?
I am most passionate about treating women.
Women go through a lot of hormonal imbalances right from menarche to menopause with irregular periods, prenatal, post-delivery issues, perimenopausal and menopausal in their life span. Lifestyle changes, body image makes it more complicated.
I have made a conscious effort to spread awareness through educational videos, media, events regarding women hormonal changes and its holistic treatment.
I am also passionate about treating allergies, especially in children. This can be dealt well with homeopathy. Here too parents are educated on avoiding triggers of allergy, lung exercises and others.
Finally preventive psychiatry has become need of the hour. Post covid a surge in anxiety, panic attacks, depression cases have risen. Breaking the taboo of taking timely help from experts has immensely helped. I have recently launched few medicated products to treat such chronic cases.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue leadership roles in the healthcare sector?
Never give up, never give in as you have chosen a Nobel profession. Be humble and kind as you have the power to make the world disease free.
An Honoured Healer
Dr. Yatri’s innovative approach towards the mind-body connection has gained international acclaim across numerous platforms, earning her awards such as the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and recognition among the 99 Women Achievers of India. She was recently honoured with the Nari Bhushan Puraskar by the Maharashtra Government.
She has authored various health-focused articles featured in publications including the Bombay Times, Femina, DNA newspaper, and Mother & Baby magazine.
