Every once in a while, something happens that really matters. Something that will define at least the next chapter of your journey – perhaps it’s a conversation with a client, a meeting with a visionary or a major event in your personal life. Below, you’ll find some very insightful folks sharing defining moments from their journeys.

Dr. Ashley Wade

A defining moment in my life is realizing that I can be more than my profession. I kept getting signals from the universe through patient experiences in the pharmacy. Here are a few that were memorable. One was being able to support a military vet on his quest to manage anxiety holistically. He came by the pharmacy and shared how proud of himself he was once he realized the power of mindfulness, while overcoming episodes of panic. Read more>>

Norman Mackenzie

I have worked for The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center for 7 years. During that time I held 4 different positions at the center Assistant Resident Manager, Resident Manager, Program Secretary and Intake Coordinator. During that time and the many positions I held as I moved up in different positions I was going to school for a Behavioral Health Degree at City College as well as working on getting my certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Read more>>

Rosemary Carrera

I had been practicing optometry for 13 years. As I was in-between patients on a Thursday afternoon, I received the call that would change everything…”You have breast cancer,” the voice said. I set up my appointment to see the surgeon and went on with my day seeing patients until I could break the news to my family. Despite all of the support I had from family and friends, this was a really difficult time. I was no longer able to practice due the side effects that lingered after treatment (and still persist 3 years later). Read more>>

Gianna Mauceri

I always knew I was meant to help people. The defining moment for me that really set me on this path of healing and counseling for certain, was after I was involved in a car accident and near death experience that changed my life. When I woke up from a coma with many severe injuries, unable to move my body, I truly felt that if I could make it through something this traumatic, that I would want to be a light for other people who have experienced anything like this. Read more>>

Samuel Wagg

There have been both personal and professional defining moments in my career. Personally when I was about a year into practice I was about to leave the office to head home one evening. Our receptionist at the time let me know that a patient had added to the schedule. When I got back to my office I saw it was a hall of fame NFL player that had added on. He usually saw several providers when he came into the office but this afternoon it would be just me. We had a great visit and I definitely fought back some nervousness. Read more>>

Alexa Fitzpatrick

I could never figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and with each upcoming year after highschool the question continued to weigh on me. I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping people, but with so many choices, I felt that I would have to try everything until something stuck out. I started my journey into healthcare in the fall of 2019 thinking it would just be another opportunity to try something new and see what came out of it.Soon I found out how much I loved working with people in the medical field and was starting to realize my interest in the different routes that healthcare had to offer, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit in 2020 that things really started to change for me. Read more>>

Amy Paulson

As a survivor of orphan trafficking and child sexual abuse, I grew up with symptoms of trauma: suicidal depression, anxiety, and bulimia, unrecognized by both me and my adopted family and hidden behind the facade of being a perfectionist overachiever. I navigated the medical mental health system for decades. But all of my practitioners were elder white folks – no one shared my lived experience, nor even mentioned the word “trauma”. I was medicated, but I never healed. Read more>>

Shandelynn Hillard

My entire life I’ve been a talker, I believe that God optimized my ears for this very career and that I’ve been led to discover the person that is buried deeply. It took a while for me to become the woman that I am today and I’m holding on to her. I am witty, sarcastic and challenging in both by personal and therapy life. Through my spiritual journey, I have grown to love my flaws and treat myself with kindness-after all, it’s free. Read more>>

Jeannine Coulter Lindgren

In February of 2015, I took a bus from Vista to Encinitas with a pair of 10 year old spin shoes in a Vons bag. My mom let me borrow an old iPod to make an audition playlist – I did my best with my recollection of music stopping at around 2010. I had 19 days clean from a crippling, five year meth and heroin addiction. I had been a homeless IV drug user for years, in and out of jails and institutions. I showed up at 1465 Encinitas Blvd and auditioned to teach spin and barre. Read more>>

Ben Fairbrother

There definitely was, this defining moment took place in 2019 and gave me the push I needed to start my business. For about 6 years before I started my coaching practice, I had been writing a blog about everything that I help people with now: self-love, emotional mastery, open-mindedness, and growing through the adversities and traumas of life. In my heart, I knew I wanted to help people more directly as a coach, but I didn’t feel ready to make that leap, and I wasn’t sure exactly how to either. Read more>>

Kimberlee Wambua

Beauty For Ashes Yoga Wellness LLC was founded by Brooklyn, New York native, Kimberlee Wambua and was inspired by one of her favorite Bible scripture Isaiah 61:3. In 2009, her personal practice began in San Diego, CA after going through a devastating divorce. She saw yoga as a way to stretch and exercise but what she received from the practice of yoga and meditation was so much more. Read more>>

Jeffrey Zipper

After attending medical school I decided to do my residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, sub-specializing in interventional pain management. Back in 1990 this was a new cutting edge specialty. Upon completion of my residency program, I left NYC for Florida where I started my first practice, the National Pain Institute. Over the years my practice grew into the largest regional provider of pain management services within the State of Florida. Read more>>