Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Bubla.
Hi Cindy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My life experiences have shaped who I am—not just as a therapist, but as a person.
I’ve walked through some very challenging seasons in my life, including losing my brother to substance abuse, navigating and ultimately leaving an emotionally abusive relationship, and experiencing the fear and uncertainty of having a premature daughter at 28 weeks. Those experiences gave me a deeper level of empathy and understanding, and they continue to shape how I support the people I work with.
Because of that, I bring a grounded, compassionate presence into my work. I create a space where people feel safe enough to be themselves—without pressure, without judgment, and without needing to rush their healing process.
I am a wife, a mother to two beautiful daughters, and someone who has rebuilt herself more than once.
For years, I worked as a school social worker, believing I was in my dream role. But as I continued to grow, both personally and professionally, my understanding of therapy began to shift. I wanted more for my clients and more for myself, and I realized I was being called to take a different path.
Right before we moved, I felt a strong pull for something more. I made the decision to step away from what was familiar and move toward something more aligned.
In February, I enrolled in a holistic therapy certification—without fully knowing where it would lead. Then in August, we decided to move, and by November, we were fully relocated to North Carolina. It was a season of rapid change, but one that felt deeply aligned.
During that first year, I traveled back and forth from North Carolina to New York to complete my certification while also building my own practice. It was a challenging time, but it confirmed that I was moving in the right direction.
Through that experience, I began to explore a more holistic approach to therapy. I trained in somatic work and deepened my understanding of how healing involves both the mind and the body. I also immersed myself in a year-long holistic therapy certification, which was transformative for both my personal and professional growth. During that time, I truly found myself and opened the door to doing my own deepest healing work.
From there, I continued to expand into different modalities, with a strong focus on Internal Family Systems (IFS), which has had a profound impact on how I understand and support healing. I am currently working toward my Level 1 certification, with a long-term goal of integrating and teaching this work within my wellness center.
My own healing journey has been an essential part of this process. I’ve had to rebuild my self-esteem and work through unresolved grief. There’s often a misconception that therapists have everything figured out—but the reality is that I continue to do my own work, and that’s what allows me to connect with others in a meaningful way.
There are moments where I pause and reflect on how far I’ve come. The growth hasn’t been easy, but it has been meaningful. It’s allowed me to become a more grounded, self-aware, and present therapist.
At the core of my work is the ability to sit with people in difficult moments and hold space for them. I value creating an environment where people feel supported, seen, and safe enough to open up and grow at their own pace. Being able to witness that growth and reflect it back to my clients is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
This work has also led me to create something bigger.
I have opened a wellness center designed to take a more holistic and integrative approach to healing. The space brings together a variety of practitioners and modalities, including somatic work, energy healing, yoga, and other supportive practices. My goal is to create a collaborative environment where both clients and practitioners can grow.
I’ve always known I was meant for more—and now I’m building it. A space where I can collaborate with incredible practitioners, hold meaningful events, offer trainings, and support people in healing in a way that goes beyond the surface—on a deeper, more holistic level.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but growth rarely is.
There have been personal challenges, professional transitions, and moments of uncertainty that pushed me in ways I didn’t expect. Moving to a new state, starting over, and building a business from the ground up while also raising a family required a lot of resilience and trust in the process.
At the same time, I was doing my own inner work—rebuilding my self-esteem, processing grief, and continuing my own healing journey. Balancing that with being present for my clients and my family wasn’t always easy, but it was necessary.
There were also moments of doubt—questioning if I was making the right decisions or if everything would come together the way I envisioned. Stepping away from what once felt like a “safe” and stable career path into something unknown takes a lot of courage.
But every challenge has helped shape me.
It’s deepened my understanding of what it really means to support others through change, discomfort, and growth. It’s also reinforced my belief that healing and building something meaningful takes time, patience, and a willingness to keep going—even when it feels uncertain.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change any part of the journey. Each obstacle has led me closer to the work I’m doing today and the space I’m continuing to build.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Pathways to Holistic Healing and Wellness?
My practice is rooted in a holistic approach to healing one that goes beyond traditional talk therapy and looks at the whole person: mind, body, and nervous system.
I work with individuals, couples, teens, and families, integrating approaches like somatic work and parts work Internal Family Systems (IFS). My focus is helping people learning there body and what they are experiencing. As well as helping them move through anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions, and deeper emotional wounds in a way that feels safe, supportive, and sustainable.
One of the things I often say to my clients is, “you have to feel to heal.” That really captures the heart of my work. Healing isn’t about avoiding or bypassing emotions it’s about learning how to safely experience them, process them, and move through them.
What sets my work apart is the balance between clinical training and lived experience. I don’t just bring knowledge into the room I bring presence, authenticity, and a deep understanding of what it feels like to navigate hard seasons. My goal is to create a space where people feel truly seen, not judged, and not rushed through their healing.
In addition to my therapy practice, I’ve been in the process of working on creating my wellness center that reflects this same philosophy. It’s an integrative space that brings together a variety of practitioners and modalities somatic therapy, energy work, Reiki, yoga, and other holistic services. I wanted to build something that goes beyond one approach and offers people multiple pathways to healing under one roof.
I’m excited about the community impact that will come from what I’m building. This isn’t just a business it’s a collaborative space where practitioners can grow their work and where clients can feel supported on multiple levels. We also offer workshops, events, and trainings to continue expanding access to healing in the community.
What I want people to know is that healing doesn’t have to look one specific way. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. My work and the space I’m creating is centered around meeting people where they are and helping them reconnect with themselves in a way that feels empowering and lasting.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I love most about Wake Forest and the surrounding Raleigh area is the sense of community and possibility. Moving here gave my family a fresh start, and it’s truly become a place where I’ve been able to grow—both personally and professionally.
I also really appreciate how accessible everything is. Coming from New York, it’s been refreshing to be somewhere that feels so much easier to navigate. The city is close, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming, which creates a really nice balance between opportunity and everyday life.
As I’ve been building my practice and opening my wellness center, I’ve connected with so many incredible people who are aligned with this work. There’s a real openness to healing, growth, and collaboration, which has made it feel like the right place for me to build something meaningful.
What I like least is how quickly everything is growing. With that growth can come a sense of busyness and sometimes a loss of connection if you’re not intentional. But in a lot of ways, that’s also what motivates me to create a space where people can slow down, feel supported, and reconnect with themselves and others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pathwaystohealingservices.com
- Instagram: @pathwaystoholistichealing / @pathwaystohealingservices
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558411886415
- Other: www.pathwaystohealingservices@gmail.com
