We LOVE a good story, especially when it’s a heartwarming one. Below, you’ll hear some amazing stories from incredible business owners, practitioners, and creatives and artists.

Colleen O’Brien

There are heartwarming stories constantly, which among the many reasons, is the most compelling one that brings me to this work. My work involves being invited in to the most intimate and vulnerable spaces in a person’s self, soul, psyche, or whatever you choose to name it. Read more>>

Dore Pei

I once had a case with a large-breed senior dog who came to me after suddenly becoming paralyzed in his hind end. His dad was heartbroken—this dog had always been his active companion, joining him on beach walks and even early morning swims. Practically overnight, the dog went from running by his side to barely being able to walk. Read more>>

Darcy Perdue

When I first began practicing craniosacral therapy, I thought of it mainly as a way to help people with physical discomfort, conditions such as headaches, back tension, or jaw pain. One of my earliest clients, though, shifted my entire perspective. They had come in for chronic jaw pain that had been bothering them for years. Read more>>

Shelia Robertson

As the Executive Director of HAPS, I’ve been in this industry for a while now. Clients come and go. There will be some that break your heart. You will often be their loudest cheerleader. I am reminded of one gentleman in particular. We’ll call him Ivan. Ivan is in his 70’s. Read more>>

Matthew Bishop

I’ve worked with teenagers as a therapist in San Diego for over 10 years. I didn’t set out with the intention of specializing in this age group, but a decade later, here I am. It’s a tough time to be a teenager. Read more>>

Arielle Jordan

There’s one moment that stays with me. Not because it was big or dramatic, but because it was real. I was in a therapy session with a veteran. Tough guy. Quiet. He sat across from me with his arms crossed and said, “I don’t even know why I’m here. Nothing’s going to change what I’ve seen.” But he kept coming back. Read more>>

Nirvi Sharma

A Quiet Corner, A Loud Victory: A Story from My OT Journey In the busy hum of a kindergarten classroom, it’s easy to overlook the quiet ones—the children who don’t raise their hands, who shy away from group activities, who seem to live in the margins of the school day. Liam was one of those children. Read more>>

Michael DeMarco

In our lives there are many chance encounters that influence us to various degrees. When I started college, I already had a strong interest in Asian philosophy and martial arts. There was a gentleman who worked in the library and also taught Mandarin language courses. He was born in China, a scholarly type, soft-spoken with a polished character. Mr. Chou was always kind and supportive. Read more>>

Michelle Smith

As a mental health clinician, I’m privileged to witness heartwarming stories through the transformative work I do with clients. Therapy often involves navigating trauma and hardship, but it’s the moments of connection, vulnerability, and humanity that truly inspire me. Early in my career, I worked as a therapist in nonprofit schools, substance abuse rehabilitation centers, and programs in South Florida. Read more>>

Sam Widerschein

One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching Tai-Chi/QiGong is seeing when a student makes an emotional ‘breakthrough.’ One of the many places that I teach Tai-Chi/QiGong is at a transitional living substance use program. At this particular time, we had an older patient who was a career Navy veteran. Read more>>