We were lucky to catch up with Toni Tizon-Damiano recently and have shared our conversation below.

Toni, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I launched my practice in the midst of one of the most uncertain times in recent history—the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Like so many others, I found myself facing reduced hours at my job in functional medicine. But with over a decade of experience as an emergency nurse, I knew deep down that I was being called to something more. I wanted to move beyond treating symptoms—I wanted to uncover and heal the root causes of illness.

I had always envisioned starting my own practice one day, and with telehealth becoming the new normal, I saw an opportunity to begin. I started small, seeing a handful of patients virtually, focusing on functional wellness and personalized care. The results spoke for themselves, and those early patients began referring friends and family. That’s when I knew I had something special.

One day, I came across a listing in a local Facebook group for a medical office space near my home. I toured it, and it felt like the perfect fit. But I was starting from scratch, with little savings, so I needed to be resourceful. To support myself while building my dream, I returned to the emergency department—this time as a nurse practitioner—right in the middle of the pandemic’s second wave.

For over a year and a half, I balanced both worlds: three intense shifts a week in the ER, and the rest of my time growing my practice. Every spare moment was spent helping patients feel better—and word of mouth became my most powerful growth tool. As my patient base grew, I gradually began hiring help and transitioned into urgent care part-time to make space for the business.

Eventually, it became clear: I was ready to go all in. I left my other job and committed fully to my practice.

Today, I’m proud to say that Roots Wellness is thriving. I’m supported by an incredible team, and we’re growing a community rooted in true healing. What began as a leap of faith during a crisis has turned into a calling—and a business that reflects everything I believe healthcare should be.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My journey into functional medicine began after years of working in emergency care. I had seen the aftermath of so many health crises—people coming in again and again without ever truly healing. I knew there had to be a better way. I wanted to understand the why behind the symptoms. What was at the root of all these issues?

One day, while trying to navigate my own health questions, I met a woman at my gym who introduced me to the concept of functional medicine. I asked her, “What is that?” and she simply said, “It’s about finding the root cause.” That struck a chord with me. I instantly knew I needed to learn more. I made an appointment with her, and that experience completely changed the course of my life.

It was through my own personal healing journey that I realized this was exactly what I wanted to do for others. That same woman, Bonni—who is truly one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever met—became my mentor. When I graduated from nurse practitioner school, she offered me a job and took me under her wing. Looking back, I often wonder if we’d still be working together today had the pandemic not changed everything.

Building a Practice Around Whole-Person Wellness

Eventually, I stepped out on my own and created a practice that reflects what I believe healthcare should be. My approach is different from where I started. At Roots Wellness, we focus on inside-out healing. We specialize in hormone balance, gut health, and IV therapy. We also have an aesthetic nurse on staff, because I believe feeling good on the inside and outside go hand in hand.

The most rewarding part of what I do is hearing my patients say things like, “I feel like myself again” or “You’ve changed my life.” Sometimes, something as simple as rebalancing hormones can restore someone’s energy, mood, even relationships. I’ve had patients tell me, “You saved my marriage,” because they finally felt like themselves again after years of feeling off.

Functional medicine isn’t just a career path—it’s my calling. And it all started with one conversation, one personal transformation, and one incredible mentor who believed in me.

Can you open up about how you managed the initial funding?

Starting my own practice wasn’t easy—especially financially. In the beginning, I had to work another job just to make ends meet. I had drained my savings and was operating the practice entirely on my own until I could afford to hire help. I used personal credit cards to cover business expenses and took on a lot of risk, knowing that I was building something I truly believed in.

There were times when money was tight, and even now, I still experience the natural ups and downs of running a business. I made some purchasing mistakes early on and took a few financial losses along the way—but every one of those missteps taught me something valuable. I wouldn’t change any of it, because those experiences shaped how I operate today.

Eventually, I was able to get approved for a business line of credit and a business American Express card, which helped stabilize things and allowed me to invest back into the practice. It’s all part of the journey—messy, humbling, and completely worth it.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience isn’t just something I talk about—it’s something I’ve lived through. One of the hardest times in my life came during graduate school at the University of Southern California. I was pursuing my nurse practitioner degree, which was already intense, but I also decided to plan a wedding and get married in the middle of it. I wanted it all, and I wasn’t willing to put my dreams on hold.

But life didn’t slow down for me—it sped up. I was helping navigate being a step mom, caring for two of my own children (one still school-aged and active in sports), and juggling transportation, homework, and daily life. I was still working at least 20 hours a week in either the ER or PACU, doing everything I could to contribute to my family while showing up as a good partner, mother, and student. I cooked meals. I studied late. I barely slept. I gave everything I had—and then some.

At the same time, my family was going through a very difficult season. My mother, who lived out of state, was sick. We were dealing with complicated dynamics that were emotionally draining. And then, completely out of nowhere, my brother passed away. It was sudden, and to this day, we still don’t know what happened. That kind of loss—mixed with everything else—nearly broke me.

I wondered how did I survive this? Honestly, I don’t have a perfect answer. I just kept going. Some days, it was minute by minute. I cried in my car between shifts. I studied with tears in my eyes. But I never lost sight of why I was doing all of it: to build a life and a purpose bigger than myself.

That time taught me that resilience doesn’t always look strong on the outside. Sometimes it’s messy. It’s full of doubt and exhaustion and heartbreak. But it’s also where we find out what we’re made of. And now, when my patients tell me they feel like giving up, I can sit with them in that feeling—not just as a provider, but as someone who understands what it means to keep going when it feels impossible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Rootswellnessfm.com
• Instagram: Toni_tizon_np

Image Credits

Photo credit is Talia Karp