Meet Joanna Annie Tsotas, the Heart Behind Root to Rise

I’m a life coach. I help people navigate life by staying curious, courageous, and deeply authentic to who they are.

I don’t believe the goal is to have all the answers. None of us do. I believe the goal is to keep moving forward with honesty, even when life feels uncertain. Growth isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about uncovering who you’ve always been beneath the expectations, fear, and noise.

That’s why my coaching is rooted in three simple foundations: movement, nourishment, and reflection.

Movement reminds us that we are capable of change and our confidence is built. Nourishment through food and hydration teaches us to care for the body that carries us through life without restricting our pleasures. Reflection, whether through writing, doodling, storytelling, painting, photography, or any other creative outlet, helps us make sense of our experiences and reconnect with ourselves.

These aren’t just healthy habits. They’re your roots.

When your roots are strong, you don’t just survive life’s challenges. You rise through them.

I will help you face your roots, strengthen them, tend to them, and celebrate with you when they rise.

A lot of people think coaching is about:

  • strict plans
  • perfect routines
  • pushing harder
  • holding people accountable

And while structure matters, that’s not where I start.
Because most people don’t struggle from lack of information.
They struggle with inconsistency, overwhelm, and disconnection from themselves.
So what I focus on is different.

I Focus on Building Self-Trust First

Before anything else, we work on this:
Can you rely on yourself?

Not in a perfect way.
Not in an all-or-nothing way.
But in a consistent, honest way.

Because without self-trust:

  • no plan sticks
  • no habit lasts
  • no progress feels stable

So we start small.
We build follow-through.
We close the gap between what you say and what you do.
That’s the foundation.

I Focus on Nervous System Safety, Not Just Discipline

Most people try to change their life while their system feels overwhelmed.
And then wonder why they can’t stay consistent.

But if your body feels:

  • stressed
  • pressured
  • overloaded

You’re not going to sustain change.
So instead of forcing discipline, we build habits in a way that feels safe enough to repeat.
Because consistency comes from regulation; not pressure.

I Focus on Simplicity Over Perfection

You don’t need a perfect routine.
You need something you can actually follow through on.
So we strip things back:

  • simple nutrition
  • realistic movement
  • routines that fit your life

No extremes.
No all-or-nothing.
Just what works and what lasts.

I Focus on Identity, Not Just Habits

Anyone can follow a plan for a short time.
But lasting change happens when your identity shifts.

So instead of:
“What should you do?”
We focus on:
“Who are you becoming?”

Someone who:

  • shows up even when it’s not perfect
  • follows through in small ways
  • adjusts instead of quitting

That’s what makes habits stick.

I Focus on Consistency Over Intensity

We don’t go all in.
We go repeatable.

Because doing something consistently, even at a lower level, will always outperform doing everything for a short period of time.

This is how we avoid:
start → stop → start over

And replace it with:
show up → repeat → build

I Focus on Supporting You, Not Fixing You

You’re not a problem that needs to be fixed.
You don’t need to become a completely different person.
You need:

  • structure
  • guidance
  • support
  • a way to build habits that actually fit you

So instead of pressure, you get a process you can grow into.

What This Actually Leads To

Over time, things start to shift:

  • you trust yourself more
  • you stop starting over
  • your habits feel more natural
  • your energy improves
  • things feel less overwhelming

Not because you forced it, but because you built it in a way that lasts.

Joanna Tsotas Joanna Tsotas smiling
Let’s talk

I am a 200-hour certified yoga teacher, an adaptive fitness coach, and a certified behavior technician. I am also CPR/AED certified, a certified Nutrition Coach, a certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, a certified Personal Trainer, and a certified Neurodivergence Life Coach. I bring these practices together in an encouraging, non-clinical, and strength-based way, always honoring each person’s pace, preferences, and individuality while celebrating wins and capabilities.