Stories are incredibly powerful – their ability to teach, inspire, and create understanding is why we are so in love with storytelling. Most stories have a defining moment and so we’ve asked some of the most talented, insightful folks across a broad range of industries and markets to tell us about a defining moment in their story.

Jayne Madigan

Defining Moment in My Professional Career The defining moment in my professional career came when I was diagnosed with lupus. This life-altering diagnosis made me realize that grief isn’t just emotional—it’s physical, and it can have a profound impact on the mind and body. Up until that point, I hadn’t fully understood the deep connection between emotional trauma and physical health. The stress and unresolved grief I carried after the loss of my uncle to suicide had taken a significant toll on me. Read more>>

Grant Brenner

My professional aspirations started early. In elementary school I wanted to be a scientist. However, defining moment for me was finding books on the psychology of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung in the Livingston malls bookstore in the early 1980s. I consume them along with quite a bit of anthropology psychology philosophy of mind, complexity, neuroscience and related work on psychotherapies. My mother had passed away when I was 9 years old after a prolonged battle with cancer. I was left with a strong sense of mission to help people. Although my course meandered as I had strong interest in physics and surgery, ultimately I completed training in general adult psychiatry and went on to get trained as a psychoanalyst, and organizational consultant. I also became very involved in philanthropic work in disaster Mental Health, working on both systemic and local levels. Read more>>

Rebecca Wiltshire

Covid 19 changed the trajectory of my career! In a time of uncertainty and isolation, I became really aware of my own health! I lost 100 pounds, I became sober, and I healed from lifelong trauma. I became really productive at work and I started my preventative health business during that time! Read more>>

Brandy Fenwick

Being a physical therapist assistant for 28 years, there was always a little side hustles. Mine was being a licensed massage therapist. I provided mobile massage services throughout Oklahoma. Combined education as a physical therapist assistant along with being a lymphedema therapist, enhance my ability as a massage therapist. This trifecta positioned me in becoming a Postop specialist in the cosmetic/plastic industry. I prefaced with the above information because it was within that time the “defining ah-ha” moment occurred. However, it actually didn’t expose itself as such, for 19 years. Excitingly, it shined brightly when I entered into my new career. Read more>>

Pascale Rothman

When I moved to San Diego, I was at a pivotal moment in my life. I didn’t have family nearby and realized how much I needed to rely on myself—not just emotionally, but to shape the healthier, more balanced lifestyle I wanted. This shift wasn’t just about living longer; it was about living better. I began to focus on healthspan over lifespan, valuing the quality of the years we have and the precious time we spend with those we love. In this journey, I saw opportunities to approach wellness differently. While there are many great products out there, I felt from a consumer’s perspective that I could create something that didn’t cut corners—offering transparency, premium ingredients, and flavors people could genuinely enjoy. This became the foundation for More.Longevity & Wellbeing. It’s not just a brand to me—it’s a reflection of my journey and my commitment to making wellness accessible and enjoyable for others. Read more>>

Phylicia Roybal

I believe the defining moment in my career is currently on the horizon. I’m not entirely sure if it was due to changes in my physical location or heavy and distinctive impulses that helped me peel away and discover what these defining moments are? I’ve spent most of my life focusing on a single point for my career, not realizing that it continues to be the many different appendages that is going to make me feel whole. Time and dedication has also lead me to what feels like a pivotal moment in my career. I began studying and understanding movement as a way to connect, to express the feelings that words never had the power to describe. Read more>>

Jasmine Koo

Yes. A defining moment in my career came when I treated a patient suffering from Chronic Venous Insufficiency who had seven venous ulcers (skin defects) and severe leg swelling. Chronic Venous Insufficiency is unique in that patients often endure it for decades—some first notice symptoms around childbirth but don’t seek help until their 50s or 60s. This condition can be both medically significant and cosmetically distressing, so successful treatment not only alleviates pain and discomfort but also restores patients’ confidence. Read more>>

John Giancarlo

The defining moment came when, while in my forties, I received a diagnosis that my bones were thinning and that there was nothing that I could do to improve my condition. I was told by my doctor that I would be taking strong medications for the rest of my life and that that would only slow the degeneration. I chose instead to pursue an Eastern approach to wellness and within a year I was tested again and showed dramatic improvement. Something that I was told was impossible. I was so inspired by my recovery that I began formally studying a form of Japanese Acupressure known as Jin Shin Jyutsu. Read more>>

Milo Fox

One of the defining moments in my career came from working with a client who had never exercised before. She wanted to lose weight and improve her mobility but faced significant challenges, including multiple past injuries and a double knee replacement. An avid sewer, she loved creating beautiful quilts in the upper room of her home. However, when we first met, she often avoided her passion because the thought of climbing the stairs felt overwhelming. After about six months of working together, she shared an incredible milestone: “Milo, I walked up my stairs without holding on.” She had gone from fearing the stairs to confidently climbing them without using the railing. That moment truly highlighted the profound impact I can have on someone’s overall quality of life and happiness. It put into focus that the biggest impact I can have is not on a persons aesthetics but so much more. Read more>>

Britt Handler

One of the most defining moments in my journey that has completely shaped the way I show up today with Wild Human Collective—an evolution from what was once Wild Feminine Collective—was the day (seven years ago this year!) I decided to cut alcohol and substances out of my life. The decision was far from easy; it felt like stepping into the unknown without any safety net. I knew that without this coping mechanism, I’d have to confront what I had been running from for so long: the layers of shame, unresolved grief, and deep-seated fears that had taken root in my body. And I also knew that by continuing to avoid it, I’d continue living a life that felt fractured and far from the the truth of my essence. Read more>>

Brittanni Norbut

In August of 2023, I saw a need within my local fitness community for a sense of support among peers, a desire to be acknowledged, and for ideas to be heard. I decided to take action and create a safe space, in what is typically a competitive environment, for fitness instructors to come together to talk about their desires, their struggles, their lives, and to be supported and heard. It started with brunch at my home with a few instructor friends, and has since evolved into a beautiful, diverse community of women with a variety of wellness focused individuals – not just fitness instructors. The group spans from fitness instructors to wellness coaches, women who love to read, to hike, to explore, all different levels and all different backgrounds.  Now we have a book club, monthly fitness meetups, photoshoots, wellness retreats, you name it! Read more>>

Jonathan Wolf

My defining moment in the beginning came on the Big Island of Hawaii. As a fledgling flute maker and 6 year yoga practitioner with one YTT under my belt (Atma Jayam Yoga with DH Parsons), I traveled to a retreat center called Tara Yoga Center. It was a wonderful opportunity to do work exchange on a macadamia nut farm turned into a yoga ashram. My journey there remarkably coincided with meeting Brian Campbell his former wife Szilvia and their 18month daughter Kassidy. Brian is a Forrest Yoga instructor and arrived at Tara Yoga a month after me, bringing with him a group of students from Los Angeles. He invited me to join his event and play my flutes during key moments like pranayama and certainly during an extended svasana. Read more>>

David Cortez

Before embarking on my journey to become a therapist, I was initially on a criminal justice path in hopes of eventually joining the FBI. This decision was due to my adverse childhood experiences, so I carved out my life in a way to where it would facilitate a career in law enforcement. I began my master’s in criminal justice and started working in corrections where I primarily worked with juveniles. After meeting an adolescent who gave me many headaches, everything changed. We’ll call him “A”. “A”’s full name struck me because it has historically been depicted as a fallen angel and with the additional meaning of being “strengthened by God”. During my time in corrections, I unfortunately witnessed a lot of abuse and neglect. Read more>>

Matt Dunatchik

A defining moment in my professional career was when my mentor, boss, and clinical supervisor passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer. I was only a few years into my career as a psychotherapist and felt grateful to be working under a brilliant minded mentor. He was one of those professionals in the field that was a “master” at the craft of psychotherapy, and I was deeply grateful to study, learn, and grow in his presence. Just over 3 years into my career journey he suddenly passed away and I was left feeling lost and confused over where my path as a psychotherapist would go next. Read more>>