We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amaka Zazzy Uche Ra a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amaka Zazzy , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My mother’s story is one of resilience, faith, and determination.
She immigrated from Nigeria to the United States in her early twenties with very little money and built a life through hard work, education, and unwavering faith. She eventually became a Certified Nursing Assistant and later a Licensed Vocational Nurse, raising three daughters along the way.
From her, I learned the value of perseverance, discipline, education, and prayer. She believed deeply in personal growth and made sure learning never stopped, even during summer break. While my friends were enjoying vacation, I was often completing reading, math, and science workbooks before school started again. At the time, I wasn’t always thrilled about it, but looking back, I realize she was teaching me habits that would serve me for the rest of my life.
When it came time to choose a career, she strongly encouraged me to pursue nursing. Although I wasn’t immediately convinced, I applied, was accepted, and ultimately discovered a profession that shaped who I am today.
Many of the opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve helped, and the paths I’ve explored can be traced back to the foundation she provided. Her sacrifices, guidance, and belief in me helped make my journey possible, and for that I will always be grateful.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My journey into health and wellness began with a simple desire: I wanted to learn how to live a healthier life.
As a teenager, I struggled with my weight and watched family members navigate chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Concerned about my love of sweets, my mother encouraged me to learn more about nutrition. What began as watching cooking shows and experimenting in the kitchen soon grew into a passion for nutrition, public health, and ultimately healthcare.
I initially studied public health education because I wanted to understand why so many people struggle with their health. As I learned more about health disparities and the challenges facing communities, I became increasingly interested in helping people on a larger scale. That path eventually led me to nursing.
Working as a Medical-Surgical Orthopedic nurse was one of the most rewarding and eye-opening experiences of my life. I had the privilege of caring for people during some of their most vulnerable moments. At the same time, I noticed a recurring pattern: many patients would leave the hospital only to return months later facing the same health challenges. It led me to ask a question that continues to guide my work today:
“What helps people create lasting positive change in their lives?”
That question took me beyond traditional healthcare and into the study of holistic wellness, behavior change, nervous system regulation, plant medicine, nutrition, trauma-informed practices, sound healing, and coaching.
Today, my work combines nursing, nurse coaching, functional nutrition, integrative wellness, sound healing, Reiki, yoga, and community education. Rather than focusing solely on treating symptoms, I am interested in helping people cultivate healthier relationships with themselves, improve their quality of life, and develop sustainable habits that support long-term well-being.
One of the things that sets my work apart is my desire to bridge multiple worlds that are often viewed separately: conventional healthcare, holistic wellness, community support, and research. I believe meaningful transformation can happen when we combine scientific curiosity with human connection, personal responsibility, and a willingness to learn from both modern and traditional approaches.
Currently, I am developing a community-based research initiative exploring iboga microdosing and its potential impact on self-awareness, behavior change, mood, and overall quality of life. As interest in psychedelic research continues to grow, I believe there is value in studying not only clinical outcomes but also the lived experiences of individuals seeking personal growth and transformation.
My interest is not in promoting a particular substance. Rather, I am interested in understanding how people create meaningful change in their lives and contributing thoughtful research, education, and community dialogue to an area that remains relatively understudied.
What I am most proud of is having the courage to follow my curiosity. My career has taken me from hospitals and healthcare systems to wellness education, product development, community building, and research. Through every chapter, my mission has remained the same: helping people live healthier, happier, and more fulfilling lives.
If there is one thing I hope people take away from my work, it is that transformation is possible. No matter where someone begins, small consistent changes, the right support, and a willingness to learn can create profound shifts over time.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the most significant pivots of my life occurred in 2020.
At the time, I was working as a Registered Nurse and had begun exploring leadership opportunities within healthcare. I was excited about the possibility of influencing health systems on a larger scale and helping improve patient outcomes.
Then the pandemic arrived.
Like many healthcare workers, I witnessed firsthand the strain placed on patients, families, and healthcare systems. I saw overflowing units, exhausted staff, and people struggling not only with illness but also with isolation, stress, and fear.
Even before the pandemic, I had begun noticing something that stayed with me: many patients repeatedly returned to the hospital despite receiving quality medical care. I started asking myself whether there was more we could be doing upstream to support people’s health and well-being before they reached a crisis point.
The answer wasn’t a single solution. It was realizing that health is influenced by far more than medicine alone. Nutrition, mindset, community, purpose, nervous system regulation, environment, and our relationship with ourselves all play important roles.
That realization inspired me to leave the traditional healthcare path and explore wellness, education, coaching, and community-based approaches to transformation.
Since then, I have developed wellness products, facilitated educational experiences, supported individuals on their personal growth journeys, and continued studying the factors that help people create meaningful and lasting change.
Today, that journey has led me to Guatemala, where I am developing a community-based research project exploring the effects of iboga microdosing on behavior change, self-awareness, mood, and quality of life. What excites me most about this project is not simply the research itself, but the opportunity to contribute to a broader conversation about transformation, healing, and human potential.
Looking back, leaving the path I originally envisioned was one of the most challenging decisions I have ever made. It was also one of the most important. It taught me that sometimes growth requires stepping into uncertainty and trusting where curiosity, purpose, and service are leading you.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Other than training and knowledge, I believe one of the most important factors for success is learning to move beyond self-limiting beliefs.
Many of us have ideas about what is possible for our lives, careers, and impact, and often those beliefs become the very things that hold us back. Throughout my journey, I have repeatedly found that growth begins when we are willing to question those limitations and pursue the questions that genuinely inspire us.
One person who has always inspired me is Florence Nightingale. She challenged existing assumptions about healthcare and demonstrated that relatively simple changes, such as cleanliness, fresh air, and improved living conditions, could dramatically improve health outcomes. Her willingness to think differently created lasting change.
A question that has guided much of my own career is: “How can I achieve my highest good?”
That question has led me from public health to nursing, from nursing into holistic wellness, and now into community-based research. Rather than following a predetermined path, I have tried to remain curious, open-minded, and willing to explore new ideas when they have the potential to help people.
The projects I am most proud of have emerged from that mindset. Whether developing wellness programs, supporting individuals in their personal growth, or conducting research into emerging areas such as iboga microdosing, my goal remains the same: to contribute something meaningful that improves people’s lives.
Success, in my experience, comes from combining knowledge with curiosity, courage, and a genuine desire to be of service.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gaine-and-grow.carrd.co/
- Instagram: Wellness4thepeople
- Linkedin: Amaka_Zazzy
- Youtube: @wellness4thepeople