Adversity does not ask permission. It arrives unannounced, reshaping lives, testing belief systems, and often leaving people questioning their next step. For Jaclyn Fortier, licensed counselor and founder of Carolina Counseling Wellness Associates, these moments of uncertainty are not just hurdles, they are opportunities for growth, clarity, and building personal depth.
Transforming Struggle Into a Mission
Fortier has spent years guiding others through life’s rougher waters, and she has learned something profound: pain can reveal purpose. Her work draws from personal experience and is rooted in the emerging field of post-traumatic growth, a psychological concept that explores how hardship can awaken untapped creativity, compassion, and resilience.
“Healing through finding purpose, we can do big things together,” she shares. “Collective change begins with individual clarity.”
This clarity isn’t something you find by avoiding discomfort. Fortier teaches that it comes by moving through it, honoring each moment of doubt, fear, or grief, and allowing it to shape a new path forward.
A Framework for Mindfulness, Rooted in Real Life
Fortier’s mindfulness framework does not require silence on a mountaintop or hours of daily meditation. Instead, it calls for presence, the ability to stay connected to your body, your feelings, and your values, even in the midst of change and challenge.
She encourages small, daily practices: noticing how emotions land in the body, naming what you need, and staying grounded through intentional pauses. It’s not about fixing yourself; it is about listening to yourself.
“Purpose isn’t something we find outside of ourselves,” Fortier explains. “It’s something we nurture through awareness, healing, and intention.”
Women as Catalysts for Collective Strength
A central theme in Fortier’s work is how women hold space for one another. “We are all life rafts for each other,” she says. “We rise and sink at different times, and when we reach out, even in small ways, we can help others find their way back to balance again.”
Whether through seeking counseling or providing mentorship, Fortier believes that one woman’s healing has ripple effects. She emphasizes that women carry unique emotional depth and creative problem-solving skills, and when those are harnessed in community, they can drive cultural change.
Purpose in the Face of Resistance
Citing figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Fortier doesn’t shy away from the bigger picture. She acknowledges that while individual healing is essential, there is still work to be done, particularly in the fight for gender equality and the freedom to leave unsafe relationships.
Still, her message remains one of hope and action. When women rise from adversity with purpose, they light the way for others. Fortier’s approach blends personal empowerment with social responsibility, creating a roadmap for healing that does not end with the self; it extends into community, leadership, and legacy.
About Jaclyn Fortier
Jaclyn Fortier is a licensed counselor, founder, and advocate for self-empowerment, mental health, and wellness. After experiencing adversity as a young mother before attending graduate school, she built her life from the ground up, founding counseling centers in North Carolina. Today, Jaclyn helps others heal through the power of story. She speaks, writes, and consults on topics ranging from domestic violence prevention to creating psychologically safe workplace cultures. A former Navy service member and first-generation college graduate, Jaclyn is now using her journey to inspire others to create and design the lives they dream of.
About Carolina Counseling Wellness Associates
Carolina Counseling Wellness Associates is a North Carolina–based mental health practice founded by Jaclyn Fortier. The organization offers trauma-informed, client-centered counseling services and wellness education designed to support individuals on their journey of healing, empowerment, and personal growth. With a focus on emotional resilience, psychological safety, and storytelling as a therapeutic tool, the practice blends traditional therapy with innovative consulting to help clients and organizations thrive.
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