Meet Kathryn Annis, founder of the Dawning Institute—a wellness initiative born from her own journey of survival, resilience, and transformation. After years of misdiagnosis, overmedication, and personal struggles including multi-generational trauma and sudden displacement during the pandemic, Kathryn rebuilt her life from the ground up.
Her vision is bold: to establish wellness centers across the U.S. and beyond that integrate counseling, spiritual guidance, somatics, nutrition, fitness, and community support—all accessible regardless of socioeconomic status. Kathryn’s mission is to show people that healing is possible, personal, and powerful.
At Humans of Fuzia, we are honored to feature Kathryn because her story is a testament to courage, persistence, and the belief that compassion can—and must—reshape the way we heal.
Q: Kathryn, can you share your mission behind the Dawning Institute?
My mission is simple yet deeply personal: to bring humanity back into healing. I want to show people that trauma can be overcome—not only through traditional practices, but by finding what truly resonates with the individual. Nobody heals the same way.
I know this because I lived it. For 21 years, I was overmedicated and misdiagnosed with mental illnesses I never had. Counselors and doctors often made things worse. It wasn’t until I reconnected with myself—mind, body, soul, and lifestyle—that I truly began to heal. I became someone no one, not even myself, thought I could be.
Now, my mission is to lead others through their own fire—not to do the work for them, but to show them the way forward.
Q: What do you envision for your wellness centers?
The centers will be holistic spaces that meet people where they are. They will offer:
- Traditional counseling and recovery groups
- Spiritual guidance and hypnotherapy
- Somatic work for trauma release
- Sound baths, yoga, and meditation
- Nutrition and fitness programs
And most importantly, care will be accessible to anyone, regardless of socioeconomic background. Through outreach programs and funding, no one will be turned away. Healing should not be a privilege—it’s a human right.
Q: How do you create awareness about your work?
I’m building a presence across major platforms: TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Reddit. My website, dawninginstitute.com, is my main hub.
I recently brought on someone to help with marketing, because I know my strengths—and tech isn’t one of them! (I once crashed my own website trying to build a CRM funnel.) It’s been humbling, but also a reminder that collaboration is essential.
Q: What are your aspirations for the next couple of years?
By 2025–2026, I aim to secure grants and investment to open the first Dawning Institute wellness center. Alongside that, I’ll continue my own personal growth, because healing is an ongoing process.
Ultimately, I want to prove to people that you don’t need wealth or privilege to deserve care. You are worthy of healing simply because you choose to work on yourself.
Q: What challenges have you faced on this journey?
Funding is the biggest challenge. I’ve been bootstrapping everything from my paychecks. When you build from nothing, it’s not easy—but it makes you strong.
Technology has also been humbling, but I’m learning to lean on others for support. And on a personal level, the pandemic forced me to start over. I left California with nothing but my two dogs and drove to Seattle, where I rebuilt my life from scratch—living in a parking lot at first, then finding work, housing, and eventually, my vision for the Dawning Institute.
I’ve burned all the boats—there’s no going back. This is my life purpose.
“There are two types of pain you will go through in life: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons.” – Jim Rohn
Connect with Kathryn Annis
You can connect with Kathryn on https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-annis-tdi/
✨ Want to be featured?
If you’d like to be featured in the Humans of Fuzia series, email us at fuziatalent@fuzia.com.
