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.

Toni Bergins

I was on the road to be a corporate New Yorker. It was perfectly normal as the expectations of my time period and my family of origin. It would have been a life, a choice, a blessing, a sacrifice, and all of it. But something changed my life and I swerved off the path of what some would have called normal. I had a dance experience that dropped me into my body in such a way, that I didn’t even know I wasn’t really in my body. I had a big emotional release, a catharsis of a kind, and a personal and spiritual realization that I needed to change course immediately. Read more>>

Fanny Tristan

I’ve been working as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma for the past 15 years. Over time, I began noticing a pattern—many women were coming to me post-breakup, seeking therapy not just for grief but for a deeper transformation. Their heartbreak had become a catalyst for self-reflection, but they were struggling with fears about the future, tying their self-worth to their relationship status, and feeling unmoored from the life they had envisioned for themselves. Read more>>

Malaika Woods

My journey onto the road less traveled began in 2011. At this point I was six years into a very busy OB/GYN group practice, doing what should’ve been my dream job. I had wanted to deliver babies since eighth grade and there I was, a full-time OB/GYN. But, for some reason, I felt unfulfilled. I was seeing 30-35 patients every day and my group was telling me I needed to see more. I was not given the opportunity to really get to know my patients and I felt like I was not practicing good medicine. This was not what I had signed up for… Read more>>

Raj Singh, Md

In 2017, I was experiencing tremendous stress in my personal and professional life. I worked a relentless schedule as a kidney specialist, and was going through a divorce. To say things were hectic and complicated would probably be an understatement. To deal with my personal relationship crisis and the stresses of work, I did what a lot of other people do. I turned to coffee, alcohol and smoking in order to cope. Read more>>

Kara Ballard

My son passed away April 27, 2021. This is when I “woke up”. I realized life is short. If you are not happy with where you are in life, change it. Stop talking about how you wish you could do this or that. Just do it. We are not promised tomorrow so don’t wait to see what life would be like if you make that big, scary change for the sake of happiness. Do it now. Read more>>

Juliana Vasquez

A defining moment in my career came unexpectedly, and it happened during a casual conversation that turned into something much more profound. At the time, I was already working with highly ambitious individuals, helping them overcome mental blocks and achieve their personal and professional goals. I had honed a process that worked for clients across various fields—business, health, and personal development. But what I hadn’t fully recognized yet was how that same process could be applied to professional athletes. Read more>>

Sanaz Missaghi

I started practicing medicine over 20 years ago. In medical school, you learn about different diseases and different medications to help with either improving the condition or hopefully the cure. There was a lot of memorization about different medications. Over five years ago, I went to a conference seeking alternate ways of treatment, that’s when I got introduced to the book the China study. Reading that book made me change the way I eat and the way I approach medicine. Read more>>

Dr . Phyllis Alongi

A defining moment is often characterized as an event, a major realization, or a slice of time that ignites change. Some pivotal snipet of life that brings great relavance and meaning to a person-a woman.
My life altering shift consumed my mind, my, body, and my spirit. A monumental shift in my consciousness was coming to the epiphany that I was strong and powerful enough to leave a toxic marriage as an emotional hostage for 17 years. I literally woke up one morning declared my freedom, with $117.00 dollars in the bank and my 15 year old daughter by my side. That was end that ignited the beginning of the rest of my life. Read more>>

Matthew Wunsch

It’s 2022 and I am an EMT amidst the chaos of Covid. My wife, Kate, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. My son is only 2 years old. The stress was getting to be too much. One night after a long day of chemo Kate says while curled up on the, what I would call overly blanketed, couch “You need to do something for yourself. You’re stuck.” Read more>>

Vindeira Resaul-maraj

Five years ago, my children were facing significant health issues, and I had my own as well. However, as a parent, my priority was always my kids. I had learned to “manage” my own health problems, but I didn’t want my young children to struggle. My journey began when we visited a pediatrician, where I felt gaslit into thinking that my parenting skills were the problem instead of recognizing that my child might have food allergies. That visit was the last straw for me. I decided to take matters into my own hands. Read more>>

Emilie Guimond-bélanger

I began my career as a Social Worker supporting homeless people downtown Montréal. I remember there was a distinct moment when my colleague said to me that I was living in an abusive relationship. At first, I couldn’t believe that it was true. How could that happen to me even if I’ve been trained to recognize abusive behaviors and work with it. Read more>>

Amanda Appelbaum

When I was in my mid twenties, I was newly married, fresh out of law school, and living in a condo in Georgetown, DC. On paper, everything was perfect. But under the surface, I was a mess. I had been struggling with different physical ailments for decades (some more serious than others) and my physical and mental health was in shambles. I was so unhappy. I remember laying on the floor of my bedroom, truly at rock bottom. And in that moment, I received a message of sorts – one I will never forget and that looking back was definitely a defining moment in my career and in my life. I am not Buddhist, but all of a sudden, I thought of The Dalai Lama. Read more>>

Sandy Gwaltney

For over 25 years, my work as a massage therapist focused on the physical body. I immersed myself in diverse therapeutic environments, studying a wide range of modalities—including Trigger Point therapy, myofascial release, chiropractic therapy, lymphatic drainage, kinesio taping, cupping, and prenatal/doula certification. While these methods were powerful in relieving physical discomfort, I could feel that a deeper layer—one beyond muscles and fascia—was left unaddressed. While I loved my work, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. I sensed that true healing went beyond the muscles and fascia, reaching into the nervous system and energy field. Read more>>

Piotr Ciepiel

In 2012, I faced a life-altering challenge—cancer. Sixteen rounds of chemotherapy tested me in every way possible, but it also awakened something profound within me. During that period, I discovered the power of breath, mindfulness, and the deep connection between the mind, body, and healing. It was no longer just about surviving; it became a journey of transformation. Read more>>

Courtney Smith

A defining moment in my professional career was the realization of just how significant the gap in support is for women during pregnancy and postpartum.

Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the resilience and strength of my single mother as she battled breast and ovarian cancers. Watching her navigate such a profound health challenge showed me the critical role that comprehensive support systems play in empowering women through life’s most vulnerable moments. It planted the seed for my passion for women’s health and well-being, but I didn’t yet know how that would take shape in my career.  Read more>>

Giselle Hunter

The defining moment in my career happened 7 years into my career as a massage therapist when I had a client experience a profound somatic release while I was working on her face and neck. Up until that point, I had focused primarily on deep tissue and structural work, but this moment shifted everything for me. I realized that when the body is ready, I have the ability to help facilitate deep, stored emotional and physical release. Read more>>

Dr. Angela Holliday-bell

A defining moment for me was when I suffered from insomnia during my medical training. It was the most stressful and difficult experience I’ve ever had and is what sent me on my quest to learn more about sleep. In the process, I fell in love with sleep and started to put the therapeutic principles into place that I was learning about, and I saw my sleep and my life change for the better. After seeing how significant of a difference it made in my life, I knew I had to help other people do the same. It was my struggle that sparked my passion to help others going through the same struggle. Read more>>

Leonard Shen

I spent 40 years on the straight and narrow: Harvard-trained litigator, served in all three branches of the U.S. government, corporate chief compliance and ethics officer at four Fortune 100 companies, Chairman of the Board of two companies in the U.S. and Canada.

But then I began learning about Qi Gong, a 3,000 year old Chinese healing, martial arts and spiritual practice, with common elements with tai chi, yoga and meditation. Qi Gong boils down to one principle: that your mind is incredibly powerful, much more than given credit in the U.S. (but well recognized in cultures around the world). Read more>>

Susie Pharney

In 2020, I was working as a nurse when the pandemic changed everything. I started to search for more outside of the hospital. I had a passion for yoga and started thinking about teaching. I was full of self doubt and fear. But because of the pandemic and through the support of my yoga teachers I decided 2021 was the year to face my fears and follow my passions. I started saying yes and started doing everything that scared me. Read more>>

Jenn Labonte

Shortly after turning 40, I found myself in a place I never expected to be—physically, mentally, and emotionally drained. I had spent most of my adult life as a trainer, a marathoner, a triathlete, and yet, there I was, walking with my friends in a nearly full-leg metal-plated knee brace after an osteoarthritis diagnosis. My shoulder? Torn again, and I knew exactly what that recovery looked like because I’d already been through it once. My response was to let it all become an excuse. Read more>>