Stephanie Fazio shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Stephanie, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One of the biggest misunderstandings about counseling today—especially in the age of social media—is that people often come in with unrealistic expectations. While online content can help reduce stigma and increase awareness, it also spreads misinformation. Many begin self-diagnosing, or they approach counseling expecting a quick fix or a band-aid solution.
The reality is that true healing isn’t instant—it requires time, consistency, and the courage to face difficult truths. Growth often calls us to humble ourselves, acknowledge when something isn’t working, and let go of old habits or identities that no longer serve us. Sometimes this means making significant life changes: releasing relationships we’ve clung to, shifting careers, finding healthier ways to cope with painful emotions, or finally pursuing something we’ve long been afraid of. Counseling is hard work, and not everyone chooses this path—it is a narrow one. But here, we believe each person is worth the effort. We commit to walking alongside our clients at a pace that is safe and sustainable, because moving too quickly or forcing change before someone is ready can create further harm and trauma. Our goal is to help break old patterns and support lasting transformation.
Another common misunderstanding is around the word ‘holistic.’ It has become a buzzword, but in our practice, holistic doesn’t mean simply offering surface-level tools to manage symptoms. Instead, it means going deeper—sitting with the struggles rather than avoiding them, and working through the root causes so that true healing can take place. This includes exploring every area of life that shapes well-being: how we are nourishing our bodies, sleep, movement, nutrition, relationships, and even finances. Each of these aspects affects the whole person, and we believe they all deserve attention in the healing process. For those open to it, we also integrate our Christian foundation into the counseling process. We believe caring for the soul is an essential part of true healing. This may include deepening one’s prayer life and relationship with God, discovering one’s God-given gifts, finding peace in the Sacraments, addressing wounds related to faith or church experiences, and learning how to invite God’s grace into daily life. We believe healing involves the whole person—mind, body, and soul—and we honor that sacred process with reverence and compassion.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Stephanie Fazio, a Christian-Catholic Licensed Professional Counselor and the Founder of Live Your Best Life Counseling Services, PLLC. I’m passionate about helping others become the healthiest, most authentic version of themselves through a holistic counseling approach that honors the whole person—mind, body, and soul. As EMDR-Trained and Certified trauma specialists, we work with motivated teens, adults, couples, and families who struggle with trauma, grief, and related challenges and those who are ready to address the deeper patterns and root causes that keep them from fully thriving and truly living the life they were created for.
At Live Your Best Life Counseling Services, our mission is to empower individuals to heal at the source—not just manage symptoms. We integrate Christian-Catholic values for those open to it and are deeply committed to making holistic mental health care both accessible and comprehensive. We are telehealth-only for convenience and comfort, accept several insurance plans to reduce barriers to care, offer services in Spanish, and collaborate with trusted providers who share our mission to ensure whole-person support.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to expand beyond one-on-one counseling that brings holistic mental health resources to communities across Texas. We’re also exploring partnerships with like-minded organizations to offer clients and communities deeper tools for healing, prayer, movement, and education. For us, this isn’t just a practice—it’s a calling. Our heart is to walk alongside people on their healing journey, helping them reconnect with themselves, their faith, their relationships, and the abundant life God created them to live.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was simply someone created by God with purpose—even if I didn’t fully understand that yet. But like so many of us, I got caught up in the noise of the world—the very kind Jesus warned us about. A world filled with confusion, temptation, false prophets, and ever-changing voices telling us who we should be, what we should value, and how we should live. A world that justifies sin, glorifies performance over presence, and downplays the importance of love, connection, and authenticity.
Until a few years ago, I didn’t have a good relationship with God. I wasn’t confident in who I was and I was constantly striving to meet others’ expectations—driven by perfectionism, people-pleasing, and struggling with the core belief of not being good enough. I thought I was healthy, but I wasn’t truly well or aligned. Everything began to shift during my conversion process. Not only did I start to deepen my faith, but I also met my health and wellness coach, which led me down a completely different path—one that taught me how to care for myself from the inside out. I began to understand what it meant to truly nourish my body, reduce inflammation, restore my energy, change my relationship with food, and partner with my body rather than continuing to work against it. That transformation extended beyond just health. It challenged the culture I was living in—a culture obsessed with speed, convenience, and surface-level solutions. My experiences abroad shortly after opened my eyes even more to the reality that not all parts of the world live this way. There is a better way—slower, more intentional, and more connected. Sometimes we have to make the challenging decision to leave behind what no longer serves us. It’s scary, but it’s also freeing. I truly believe God allows seasons of hardship, isolation, or suffering to draw us closer to Him—like being called into the desert. It’s often in that wilderness that we discover who we really are.
As a convert, I’ve learned—and continue to learn—that being who God created me to be means being willing to stand apart. It means being bold when the world urges conformity, and choosing truth when it’s unpopular. It means being a follower of Christ, not just a believer—living out the values I hold and practicing what I preach. Today I choose to instead focus on protecting my peace by getting to choose who and what I surround myself with, being confident in who I am, and most importantly pleasing God by growing in discipleship and glorifying Him in all I do.
Who I was before wasn’t wrong—just incomplete. And now, I feel whole. My hope and prayer is that everyone I encounter in this work can experience the same sense of peace, purpose, and transformation.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me things that success never could—things that reshaped my identity, my priorities, and my relationship with God. While success often brings validation, comfort, and praise from the world, suffering strips all of that away. It humbles you. It slows you down. It reveals what’s real and what was only temporary or performative. In my own life, it was through seasons of pain, loss, and deep uncertainty that I truly encountered God—not just as a concept, but as a Father, a Healer, and a constant companion. Suffering taught me how to sit with discomfort instead of running from it, how to depend on God instead of trying to fix everything myself, and how to be present with others in their pain with deeper empathy and compassion. It reminded me that my worth isn’t tied to how productive or successful I am. That anything truly good—deep joy, wholeness, holiness—will often be preceded by or intertwined with suffering – “There is no love without suffering, just as there is no resurrection without the cross.” – Pope St. John Paul II.
Success never challenged me to slow down and question what I was chasing. Suffering did. It invited me into the desert, where I had to let go of who the world told me to be and listen instead for who God was calling me to become. Without those seasons of hardship, I wouldn’t be the person—or the counselor—I am today. Suffering gave me depth, clarity, and purpose in a way success never could.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes—and that’s actually what my whole practice is about: being authentic. The version of me you see publicly is the same person you’d meet in a session, at church, or out living life. I’m someone who genuinely loves helping others, who’s passionate about Jesus, a proud millennial and dog mom, and someone who finds joy in traveling and exploring the world and growing through every season God leads me into.
Of course, I practice what I teach my clients—things like setting healthy boundaries, striving for work-life harmony, showing up with intention, and doing the deep inner work it takes to heal and grow. I use the same tools and resources I encourage my clients to try. But I’m also still human. I have hard days, I get overwhelmed, and sometimes I need to unplug and be reminded that I, too, am a work in progress.
The real me is someone who’s committed to showing up fully and imperfectly. My goal is never to appear polished, but to be real. That’s the kind of space I try to create in my practice—where being fully yourself isn’t just welcomed, it’s celebrated. Because healing starts with honesty, and I want to lead with that in every part of my life.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Something I’ve come to understand deeply—both through my own healing and in walking alongside others—is just how much our health impacts every part of our lives: our relationships, our purpose, our mental clarity, and how we show up in the world. So many people don’t see the full picture. They’re stuck in a short-term mindset—chasing convenience, numbing discomfort, or clinging to the ‘YOLO’ mentality. While that might feel good in the moment, it’s often a form of avoidance. And honestly, it can be selfish. It’s the easier path, but it comes at a cost—to our future, to the people who love us, and to the generations that follow us.
The truth is, a lot of health conditions—both physical and mental—are preventable or manageable through proper nutrition, movement, nervous system regulation, and doing the deep inner work. But most people aren’t willing to face that. Some are open to change, and it’s beautiful when they step into that transformation. But many won’t—and that’s heartbreaking. As someone who sees their potential and loves them deeply, it’s painful to watch people settle for less than they were made for, especially when you know how good it can be on the other side.
We were made for more. Caring for our mind, body, and soul isn’t just personal wellness—it’s sacred. It’s stewardship of the life and gifts God gave us. And while the journey isn’t always easy, the peace, clarity, and purpose on the other side are always worth it. That’s what I wish more people understood.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://liveyourbestlifecounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_lyblcounseling_/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LYBLCounseling
- Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lybl_counseling?lang=en
Image Credits
Logo cred: Ariana Pinilla
