How do you build a life that actually feels good—not just one that looks good from the outside?

That question guided my deep, soul-stirring conversation with Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell, a woman who wears many hats: veterinarian, CEO of a thriving veterinary hospital, flow-state coach, speaker, consultant, and mother of three. But perhaps most impressively, she’s someone who gave herself full permission to pivot when success started to feel more like suffocation.

Stephanie’s story is one so many high-achieving women will resonate with. After earning a biochemistry degree, completing veterinary school, buying a million-dollar business with no formal business training, and becoming a mom—all within the same whirlwind year—she was thrust into CEO life. She led with passion and heart, scaling the business to 50+ employees, offering everything from dental and surgical care to pharmacy and nutrition, all while holding the weight of responsibility for her team, clients, and patients.

But somewhere along the way, burnout hit. Hard.

She was pouring everything into her business and team—but nothing back into herself. “I had to cry a lot,” she shared with me. “There was a somatic stack of years of unprocessed emotions that finally came out.” But she didn’t avoid it. She went through it.

That unraveling led her to the concept of flow—a scientifically-backed, neurobiological state of being where we’re both highly productive and deeply aligned. Through the Flow Research Collective, Stephanie trained in flow-state coaching, unlocking a method that integrates positive psychology, somatics, peak performance science, and cognitive behavioral strategies. Flow is where fulfillment and results meet.

“Freedom isn’t free. Flow isn’t free. You don’t get there without putting in the work—and sometimes that work is letting go of what no longer fits.” – Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell

And let me tell you: once she got a taste of that kind of alignment, there was no going back.

We talked about the moments that shape us—like when the power went out in her busy hospital during a thunderstorm and everyone looked to her for answers. “That was the moment I realized—I am the leader. It’s on me.” From learning how to read P&Ls to managing a growing team, Steph invested deeply in her growth, pouring millions into personal and professional development over the years. Why? Because she understood that investing in herself wasn’t indulgent—it was responsible leadership.

We also unpacked the cost of perfectionism: how our desire to control, prove, and push keeps us from ever truly flowing. Steph used the river metaphor: perfectionism is like swimming upstream to clear every leaf from the water, while flow is letting the current carry you, trusting that the small stuff doesn’t need fixing.

And maybe the most powerful reframe? That easy doesn’t mean lazy. Flow feels easy not because it requires no effort—but because it aligns with your biology, your truth, and your purpose. Steph shared that she used to equate worthiness with doing hard things. “But if I believed I was only worthy when things were hard, then I’d subconsciously make everything hard,” she said. Oof. That one hit home.

Now, she’s on a mission to bring this work into organizations and individuals alike—offering flow audits, leadership consulting, team workshops, and soon, retreats. Whether it’s a company bleeding money from poor team dynamics or a mom spinning in anxiety and to-do lists, the answer is the same: flow is the way forward.

Most of us are chasing success using a survival-based nervous system. What if the next level isn’t about doing more or trying harder—but about learning how to access a different state altogether? One where your biology, your vision, and your leadership are all working with you, not against you?

Let that simmer.

Let’s stop chasing. Let’s start flowing.

Connect with Dr. Stephanie!

Instagram: @dr.stephv

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-van-deynze-snell-556405188/

Take care of yourself and there for each other!

XO, Brooke Jean