Fourth Street Founder Spotlight: Neurvana Health’s Liz Johnson

From simple beginnings in Sylvan Lake to working at the helm of an integrative medical clinic dedicated to helping people with chronic health conditions, Liz Johnson’s journey has been one driven by the needs of others.

In the latest installment of our Fourth Street Founder Spotlight series, Neurvana Health founder and clinic manager Liz Johnson talks through her journey to curating truly collaborative care for patients across Alberta, and the Fourth Street community Neurvana Health calls home.

Brain Training

Growing up inspired by her mother’s natural and alternative health approach, Liz went to university with ambitions to work in biological science. However, after becoming fascinated with the brain, the nervous system and human behaviour, her interests quickly shifted to psychology.

From here, Liz worked at the celebrated Brain Treatment Centre of Alberta, where she discovered both physical and emotional trauma can shape a person's health first-hand. 

“It completely changed the way I thought about healing,” she said. “I realised that symptoms often tell a much bigger story than we're taught to look for,” she began.

This experience led to the inception of Neurvana Health in 2016 - an endeavour with one mission: ‘to empower individuals to understand their health and reclaim their lives’. 

Likewise, its solar eclipse-inspired logo acts as a symbol of “that moment when darkness gives way to light; when uncertainty becomes understanding, and you begin to recognise your own capacity to heal.

“Starting a business has been one of the most rewarding, and humbling, experiences of my life,” Liz continued. “Like many founders, I quickly learned that running a business is about far more than being good at your profession. I've been the accountant, HR department, IT support, facilities manager, marketer and occasionally the furniture mover. 

“Every challenge has taught me something new,” she concluded.

Letting the Light In

Today, Liz focuses on Neurvana’s strategic growth, supporting the efforts of her clinical team, and building systems in order to deliver ‘truly collaborative care’ for patients. Yet, she maintains the most rewarding part of her job is “watching our practitioners do what they do best and seeing patients regain hope”.

“I'm incredibly proud of the culture we've built; one that values curiosity, compassion, collaboration and treating each patient as a whole person rather than a collection of symptoms,” Liz said. “Seeing that culture develop has been incredibly fulfilling.”

Adapting to a constantly evolving field such as healthcare has prompted Liz to be resilient in Neurvana’s growth, but being able to provide meaningful improvements in her patients’ health, Liz remarked, is something she does not take for granted.

On the topic, Liz explained: “Neurvana Health was created for people who feel like they're not getting answers. We take the time to understand their concerns, explain our approach, and connect them with the practitioner best suited to their needs.

“Whether someone is living with chronic fatigue, hormone concerns, persistent pain, trauma-related nervous system dysregulation, MCAS, cognitive changes, or other complex health challenges, our goal is to help them understand why they aren't feeling well and what options they have,” she continued.

Outside of her work, Liz’s website cites her guilty pleasure as french fries and exploring - both of which are at her fingertips on Fourth Street.

“Fourth Street has such an incredible sense of community. There is a genuine culture of supporting local businesses, and it's wonderful to be part of that,” Liz said.

“I love exploring the incredible restaurants and cafés along Fourth Street. Whether it's grabbing coffee between meetings or trying somewhere new for lunch, there's often something happening that makes the neighbourhood feel vibrant and welcoming,” she concluded.

Interested in finding out how you can benefit from Neurvana Health? Get in touch today for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with a Patient Care Advisor.