We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Arianne Missimer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Arianne, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
’ve faced my fair share of adversity—losing my brother, battling cancer, and navigating life’s unexpected turns. But I realized early on that while I couldn’t always control what happened to me, I could control my response. Optimism isn’t about ignoring hardships—it’s about acknowledging them and still believing in possibility. During cancer treatment, I trained for American Ninja Warrior because I refused to let my circumstances define me. That mindset of resilience and growth has shaped everything I do today.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder and CEO of The Movement Paradigm, a unique integrative health and wellness practice that blends functional medicine, physical therapy, and nervous system regulation to help people heal from complex health issues, chronic pain, inflammation, and movement dysfunction. My passion is rooted in identifying and addressing the root causes of health issues—whether it’s gut dysfunction, nervous system dysregulation, or movement limitations—so that people can truly thrive, not just survive.
What makes our whole-body wellness approach special is the ability to connect the dots for our patients. Too often, people feel like they’ve tried everything, but they’re only addressing symptoms rather than underlying causes. We take a whole-body and evidence-based approach, integrating visceral release, lymphatics, breathwork, movement, and functional medicine to create long-term, sustainable healing. This isn’t just about managing pain and conditons—it’s about restoring resilience in the body and mind.
Exciting Updates & What’s Next
STRONG Fitness Magazine Cover & Advisory Board – I recently had the honor of being a cover athlete for STRONG Fitness Magazine and now serve on their advisory board. As a columnist focusing on whole-body wellness, this has been an incredible opportunity to amplify the message of holistic health, strength, and resilience.
New Group Coaching Programs – I’m developing women’s and men’s health group coaching programs, focusing on hormonal balance, nervous system health, and movement to help people optimize their health in a structured, accessible way.
YouTube & Education Expansion – I’m scaling my YouTube channel to provide weekly high-value educational content on functional medicine, movement, and nervous system health. This is part of my mission to democratize access to holistic health information.
Movement Paradigm ‘Pay It Forward’ Campaign – I’m launching a crowdfunding initiative to support those who need care but may not have access to it. This initiative is deeply personal, rooted in my promise to honor my brother’s legacy by helping others.
The Movement Paradigm App– We continue to expand our app offerings, monthly challenges, and subscription options to make whole-body health accessible to all.
Final Thoughts
At the core of everything I do, my goal is simple: to help people move, feel, and live better—not just through treatment, but through education, empowerment, and community. I truly believe movement is medicine, mindset is power, and healing is possible when we look at the whole person.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilience – The Ability to Adapt and Keep Moving Forward
Why it was impactful: Life has thrown some serious challenges my way—losing my brother, battling cancer, and building a business from the ground up. But resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about getting back up. Training for American Ninja Warrior during cancer treatment wasn’t just about physical strength—it was about proving to myself that I could keep moving forward, no matter the circumstances.
Advice: Resilience isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build. The best way to strengthen it is to embrace discomfort, lean into challenges, and reframe failures as lessons. One practice I swear by is nervous system regulation—breathwork, movement, and mindset shifts help you stay grounded and keep showing up even when things get tough.
Curiosity – The Relentless Drive to Learn and Grow
Why it was impactful: I’ve never stopped learning. From earning my Doctor of Physical Therapy to diving deep into functional medicine, visceral manipulation, and nervous system health, I’ve always believed that there’s no limit to what we can understand about the body, mind, and healing process. This relentless pursuit of knowledge has allowed me to connect the dots in ways others don’t, giving my patients truly individualized care.
Advice: If you’re early in your journey, stay curious. Don’t just check the boxes—go deeper. Seek out mentors, courses, books, and experiences that push you beyond your comfort zone. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to challenge conventional thinking—ask “why” and keep searching for better answers.
Authenticity – The Courage to Be Unapologetically Yourself
Why it was impactful: There were times I felt pressure to fit into the mold of traditional physical therapy or medicine, but I knew my approach was different. I’ve built my career by leaning into what makes me unique—combining movement, functional medicine, and mindset coaching to create an approach that truly helps people heal. Being authentic in my work has allowed me to connect with my patients, grow a thriving practice, and inspire others.
Advice: Find your unique voice and own it. Don’t be afraid to do things differently. Whether you’re in healthcare, fitness, business, or another field, what makes you different is your superpower. Stay true to your values, trust your instincts, and don’t let fear hold you back from building something meaningful.
Final Thoughts for Those Starting Out
Take action before you feel ready. You’ll learn by doing.
Surround yourself with people who push you to grow. Find mentors, peers, and communities that inspire and challenge you.
Take care of your mind and body. Burnout is real—build habits that keep you strong, mentally and physically.
Keep asking, ‘How can I make a bigger impact?’ Your work should always be about serving others and solving real problems.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I firmly believe in going all in on your strengths while strategically addressing weaknesses that hold you back from achieving your full potential. Trying to be great at everything can spread you too thin, but doubling down on what makes you exceptional allows you to create real impact.
Why Strengths Matter More
Your strengths are what make you unique. They’re where your passion, talent, and natural abilities intersect. When you focus on them, you operate in your zone of genius, which leads to better results, more fulfillment, and ultimately, greater success.
I’ve always been deeply passionate about movement, healing, and human potential. Instead of following a traditional path in physical therapy, I leaned into my strengths—connecting functional medicine, movement, nervous system regulation, and mindset—to create something entirely different. If I had tried to fit into the conventional mold instead of embracing what made me different, The Movement Paradigm wouldn’t exist in its current form.
When to Work on Weaknesses
That said, weaknesses shouldn’t be ignored—but they should be addressed in a way that enhances your strengths rather than distracting from them. The key is identifying whether a weakness is truly limiting your ability to succeed or if it’s just something that doesn’t align with your purpose.
For example, I used to struggle with delegating. I always felt like I had to do everything myself—whether it was treating patients, creating content, or managing the business. But I realized that this was holding me back from scaling my impact. So, instead of trying to be the best at everything, I focused on hiring and empowering the right people who complement my strengths. This allowed me to expand my reach without burning out.
A Personal Story: Strengths Over Weaknesses
When I was training for American Ninja Warrior during cancer treatment, I didn’t focus on becoming great at every skill. Instead, I leveraged my strengths—my background in movement, my resilience, and my ability to adapt. I leaned into my knowledge of progressive loading, strength, mobility, and recovery to train smarter, not harder. If I had just focused on my weaknesses—like certain grip challenges—I would have lost sight of the bigger picture.
That experience reinforced a critical lesson: Play to your strengths, refine your weaknesses where necessary, and don’t waste time on things that don’t move the needle forward.
Final Thoughts: Striking the Right Balance
Lean into what makes you different. Your strengths are what will set you apart, so embrace them fully.
Recognize and refine weaknesses that may be limiting you. Growth happens when we challenge ourselves, so improving in key areas can help create new opportunities.
Surround yourself with people who complement your abilities. No one succeeds alone—collaborating with others who have different strengths can help you grow in ways you might not expect.
At the end of the day, success isn’t about being great at everything—it’s about knowing what you excel at, continuously growing in meaningful ways, and building a well-rounded skill set that supports your larger vision.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.themovementparadigm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themovementparadigm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movementparadigmintegrativehealth/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-arianne-missimer-8709a59/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themovementparadigm
Image Credits
Paul Buceta
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