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Some stories don’t begin with a calling; they become one. We sit down with CVICU nurse and mentor Janna Holterman to trace a path that starts in a float pool, winds through critical care and credential chasing, and collides with profound personal loss. What follows isn’t a tidy comeback—it’s a grounded, step-by-step rebuild that blends EMDR therapy, mindset shifts, and the quiet power of micro-moments at the bedside.

Janna opens up about marrying during COVID, navigating her husband’s long COVID and mental health decline, moving to Florida for a PhD dream, and the day everything shattered. She shares how EMDR helped process trauma when talk therapy wasn’t enough, and how returning to a high-acuity ICU demanded new meaning-making. From holding a hand in a final hour to washing blood from a patient’s hair, she shows how dignity-centered care can restore a sense of impact and soften burnout.

We also explore why the grass isn’t greener on another unit, how “I’ll be happy when” quietly fuels dissatisfaction, and why sustainable resilience starts with tiny, consistent investments in yourself—fifteen minutes at a time. Janna’s Radiant Nurse platform, mentorship, and podcast grew from this philosophy, giving nurses practical tools to reclaim identity beyond the shift and build careers that align with their values. It’s honest, tender, and deeply actionable—an invitation to find purpose after chaos and to notice the difference you make every day.

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