From Doubt to Movement: Becoming an Ambassador for Preventative Health

This morning, as I raised the Preventative Health Awareness Movement flag at City Hall in downtown Ottawa, I had to pause.

I checked in with myself.

My feet were on the ground.
I was looking up at the sky.
The wind was blowing.
And I was standing there, slowly rolling the lever as the flag rose up the pole.

It felt surreal.

Because in that moment, it wasn’t just a flag rising.

It was my life’s work rising.

This Didn’t Start 15 Years Ago. It Started in My Childhood

I’ve been a physiotherapist for over 15 years, but my relationship with health started long before my career.

It began in my childhood.

I wasn’t a competitive athlete growing up, but I was deeply influenced by my mom. She would follow fitness programs on TV or do aerobics videos in our living room. I watched her move her body because she wanted to feel well, not because she had to.

I became the self-appointed “fitness guide” of the house.

I’d gather my brothers (who were 5 and 8 years younger than me), and we’d run through the sprinklers, do push-ups, and count down together:

“5 more… 4 more… 3 more…”

Movement was joyful. It was normal. It was part of life.

And without realizing it, the seeds of preventative health were planted.

Why Preventative Health Became My Mission

Over the years, my work evolved beyond treating injuries. As a physiotherapist, I try to educate and advocate for our profession that we are not just pain - relievers.

We can help PREVENT INJURY.

And through my yoga training, one of the most powerful ways to do this is tuning inward. Listening to our bodies. Calming the mind. Regulating the nervous system. Breath awareness. Getting to know ourselves so deeply that we know when something is imbalanced or feels off, before it becomes an injury or so painful it stops us from what we want to do.

In particular, I became deeply passionate about helping women, especially mothers, reconnect with their bodies, overcome roadblocks like incontinence and back pain so that they can stay active for life.

But choosing prevention as a mission wasn’t easy.

I was told repeatedly:

• “No one wants to pay for a problem they don’t have yet.”
• “People just want treatment covered by insurance.”
• “Preventative health doesn’t sell.”

And at times, especially as I launched my online coaching program, I doubted myself.

I wondered if I should pivot to something more lucrative.
I questioned my coaching work.
I considered changing careers entirely.
At one point, I even thought about leaving healthcare to pursue creative writing.

Because it sometimes felt like no one wanted the deeper work.

The work of awareness.
The work of connection.
The work of taking ownership of health.

But something in my heart refused to let it go.

Becoming the CEO of Your Health - meeting Margaret and the PHAMily.

I stayed the course. Deep down, I knew this was my lane.

I stayed because I believe deeply that we are meant to be active participants in our health; not passive recipients of care.

We cannot outsource responsibility for our bodies.

We must become the CEO of our own health.

That means:

• listening to our bodies
• understanding our habits
• caring for our physical and emotional well-being
• building strength from the inside out
• making daily choices that support long-term vitality

Prevention is not a quick fix.

It is a way of living.

Watching the Movement Rise

Standing at City Hall today, watching that flag rise, I felt something shift.

For years, this work has felt like swimming upstream — advocating for prevention in a world focused on reaction.

But today, I saw something different.

I saw recognition.
I saw momentum.
I saw a collective shift.

The movement is rising.

And I am deeply honoured to be an PHAMbassador for the Preventative Health Awareness Movement, not just professionally, but personally.

Because this isn’t just my career.

It is my life’s work. And I've found my community who believe in the same mission.

An Invitation

If something in you longs to feel stronger, more connected, more present in your body…

If you want to stay active, vibrant, and capable for decades to come…

If you want to take ownership of your health instead of waiting for problems to arise…

You are part of this movement.

And I am so glad you are here.

Curious what it's like to work with me?

I'm always happy to chat! Send me an email [email protected] or DM me on Instagram @tatiannagrahaminc, truly I can't wait to connect with you.

Namaste,

Tatianna