About
Greetings
Greetings from the beautiful Front Range of Colorado! I’m Jo Pat Ozambela, aka JP—a Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBCHWC), yoga and fitness instructor, licensed esthetician, and writer. My journey in the wellness industry has been long and multifaceted—spanning over 40 years. Now, at 60, I consider myself a wise elder. My deepest hope is to share my experiences and all that I’ve learned in a way that provides a blueprint for others to achieve well-being. To me, health isn’t just about the body—it’s a holistic experience shaped by the vitality of all dimensions of life. I like to think of each dimension as a pearl we polish, stringing them together to create the unique work of art that is our overall well-being.
Born in South Florida in 1964, I took my first steps into the wellness world at age 15, working at Here’s to Your Health, a local health food store. Under the mentorship of its owner, nutritional consultant and podcaster Joshua Lane, I was introduced to the fundamentals of health—an experience that became my launching pad. At 18, I worked as a cook for The Unicorn Village, a natural food store and restaurant in Miami, and later for Regency Health Resort and Spa, where my interest in skincare was sparked. By 1990, I transitioned from cook to esthetician, earning my license and stepping into a new chapter.
In 1993, I met the love of my life, Rafael, and a year later, we moved to Boulder, CO, where we married, and I opened The Face Place, a natural skincare studio. Now, 45 years after that first job, I look back on the journey that brought me here.
How did coaching emerge from all of this?
To answer that, I need to take you back even further. I entered the wellness industry as a broken child. At just 10 years old, I witnessed my brother-in-law take the lives of my mother, my 22-year-old sister, and himself. When I got my first job, that introduction to the concept of health quite literally saved me. For the first time since that tragedy, I began nourishing myself—not just emotionally, but physically. Surrounded by healthy food, I was encouraged by Josh to eat well, and for the first time, I did.
But the true life raft came when I stumbled upon a book while dusting shelves: Seeing With The Mind’s Eye: The History, Techniques, and Uses of Visualization by Michael and Nancy Samuels. That book ignited my journey of self-healing. I won’t say my healing is complete. I’ve struggled with PTSD my entire life, and every day, I continue working on my well-being. I cannot change my past, but I can find meaning in it. I can share my story and everything that has helped me in the hopes that it may help someone else. And let me tell you—having a sense of purpose plays a powerful role in well-being.
The Path to Coaching
Once my daughter went off to college, I felt a deep calling to integrate everything I had learned—my experiences, knowledge, licenses, and certifications—into a more meaningful career. In 2018, I became an ACE-certified health coach, and by 2021, I earned my national board certification.
Today, I am proud to say that my husband, Raf, and I are still married and very much in love. One of my greatest joys is our daughter, Sofia, who earned her Master’s degree in Human-Centered Design from Cornell University. I was honored to collaborate with her on Inner Visions, a digital wellness tool she developed as part of her thesis in 2024. This year, I am thrilled to introduce it into my private practice.
My journey continues, and I look forward to sharing it with you.