Leading with Purpose: A Heart-Centered Journey to Success
- Jun 30
- 3 min read
By Viviana McGovern
When I started Full Vida Therapy, I wasn’t just launching a private practice—I was reclaiming the narrative of my own life. I wanted to write the script for what therapy could look like when it’s rooted in authenticity, compassion, and purpose. I knew I didn’t want to work under someone else’s limitations or rules. I wanted to build something that felt like me—something that reflected what I care about and how I actually want to help people.
At the heart of this journey was a very personal truth: I became the therapist I once needed. As a teen and young adult, I didn’t have access to the kind of support that could have helped me navigate those tough years—and I lost many people in my life that I needed at the time. I often wonder how different my path might have looked if I’d had someone to guide me, to validate me, and to remind me I wasn’t alone. So now, I work hard every day to be that person for someone else—to show up for the teens, young adults, and even older adults who are trying to make sense of a world that doesn’t always make space for their voices. There’s no age limit on when you can seek support, grow, and heal.
Of course, building a purpose-driven business hasn’t been without its challenges. Some days still feel like an uphill climb, but I keep going. I had to figure out a lot on my own growing up, without much support around me. I had to learn the hard way how to navigate life without a safety net, and that experience has shaped the way I lead—with grit, empathy, and heart.
Thankfully, I now have a chosen family and a circle of people who pour into me the way I strive to pour into others. They’re part of the reason I keep going, and they’re part of the legacy I’m building—for my children, for my clients, and for myself.
Heart-centered leadership, to me, just means remembering why I got into this work in the first place. It’s not about metrics or milestones—it’s about mission. Every time I support someone through a dark season or help someone feel seen, I’m reminded of why this work matters. Life can feel really heavy sometimes—especially if you’re someone who’s felt invisible or overlooked. I want to be a light for them. I want to help them thrive.
Success, for me, isn’t measured in numbers. It’s found in the moments of quiet joy when I know I’ve helped someone find their voice, heal a wound, or take a step forward. It’s in the ability to provide for the people who’ve stood by me and to give back to the relationships that have sustained me. True success means living a life I’m proud of—one built on integrity, service, and love.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of Full Vida Therapy, a telehealth private practice based in Orange County, California, I now serve teens, adults from all ages, and families across the state. My practice focuses on trauma, anxiety, grief and loss, life transitions, and relational healing, and I also provide clinical supervision to emerging therapists as they grow in purpose and confidence. For me, this practice isn’t just a business—it’s a mission. One that’s grounded in making emotional support accessible, real, and human.
If there’s one message, I hope to leave other women with, it’s this: challenges are inevitable. Expect them. But don’t let them break you. You don’t have to do this alone. Surround yourself with the people who see you, who cheer for you, and who show up consistently. Let them pour into you. Let them remind you of your strength. And let the rest—the critics, the doubters, the ones who never really showed up—fade into the background.
You’re capable of more than you think. And your purpose? It really does matter.
Viviana McGovern, LMFT
CEO, Founder & Clinical Director
Full Vida Therapy
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