Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Johnson.
Hi Taylor, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a teenager I struggled with physical and mental health challenges, which led me to my own wellness journey. I didn’t want to take medication or end up going on the path of endless pills and procedures that I watched my grandmother and others in my life take. I began exploring fitness, yoga, meditation, journaling, prayer, and other holistic wellness practices that supported me in living a balanced and healthy lifestyle and continue supporting me to this day. When I was 19 I became very passionate about sharing these practices with others so I became a fitness instructor. That led to holistic wellness coaching individuals and groups, which led to me starting my own business, Haya Healing, in 2020. In 2023 a local nonprofit founder noticed the work I was doing spreading health and wellness throughout the community. He gifted me his nonprofit, Spectrum New Beginnings, which was founded in 2015 to help people suffering from trauma to heal and thrive. Since taking over as the Executive Director of Spectrum New Beginnings (SNB) and partnering with local wellness practitioners and organizations we have been able to support over 1,000 individuals in Dayton through holistic well-being programs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Building a wellness-centered business and leading a nonprofit rooted in healing has come with both personal and systemic challenges. Early on, one of the biggest struggles was learning how to sustain myself financially while doing work that is deeply values-driven and community-centered. There were moments of burnout, self-doubt, and having to unlearn the idea that helping others meant neglecting my own needs.
Stepping into leadership at Spectrum New Beginnings brought a new set of challenges—learning nonprofit systems, navigating funding constraints, and balancing vision with operational realities. Many of the communities we serve face chronic underinvestment, which means we are often asked to do a lot with very little. There have also been growing pains in learning how to set boundaries, build healthy partnerships, and trust others in the work rather than carrying everything on my own.
That said, every challenge has strengthened my clarity and commitment. The struggles have shaped how I lead, how we design our programs, and how deeply I believe in sustainable, whole-person approaches to healing—not just for our participants, but for those of us doing the work as well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Spectrum New Beginnings?
Spectrum New Beginnings (SNB) provides preventive and restorative wellness services that support women, students, and frontline workers and educators—particularly in under-resourced communities. Our programming integrates evidence-based practices such as mindfulness, massage therapy, restorative circles, self-care labs, creative arts, and sound therapy to address stress, trauma, and overall well-being. These services are designed to complement traditional healthcare by focusing on prevention, resilience, and whole-person care rather than crisis response alone.
What sets SNB apart is how and where we do this work. We don’t operate from a single clinic or studio—instead, we bring wellness directly into the spaces where people already live, learn, work, and heal. Through partnerships with organizations like the University of Dayton, Omega CDC, Dayton Public Schools, Monday Community Correctional Institution, Learn to Earn, Five Rivers Family Health Centers, and the Dayton Foundation, we embed wellness into schools, community centers, correctional settings, and public institutions. Our programs are culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and community-led, often co-designed with participants themselves.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that SNB has become known as a trusted bridge between wellness and real life. We’ve created spaces where people feel safe to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and build sustainable practices for care—not just attend a one-time session. Our brand is grounded in accessibility, dignity, and authenticity. I want readers to know that Spectrum New Beginnings isn’t about wellness as a luxury—it’s about wellness as a necessity, a right, and a pathway to stronger individuals and healthier communities.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that sustainability matters just as much as impact. Early in my journey, I believed that passion, sacrifice, and saying yes to everything were signs of commitment. Over time, I learned that lasting change requires boundaries, rest, and systems that care for the people doing the work as much as the people being served.
I’ve also learned that healing—whether personal or collective—is not linear. Progress often looks like small, consistent steps rather than big, visible breakthroughs. Trusting the process, listening deeply to community wisdom, and allowing myself to grow alongside the work has shaped not only how I lead, but how I live.
That lesson continues to guide everything I do: build slowly, lead with integrity, and create work that can endure.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://spectrumnewbeginnings.org
- Instagram: @spectrumnewbeginnings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpectrumNewBeginnings
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spectrumnewbeginnings
