Vision: Seeing What Others Do Not

I was enjoying a long run in my neighborhood when I saw Patti Smith’s words staring back at me.

Not only is her book, M Train, a loved favorite, but her words have been woven into my life in ways that feel almost fated.

My most recent tattoo, inked during my days creating The EXPANDED Method in the Bay Area, is another of her lines: “A handful of days in a world of my own making.”

That phrase has been my quiet manifesto—a reminder that we are the architects of our own experience, the creators of the worlds we choose to inhabit.

This simple yet profound statement about vision speaks to the essence of transformation—whether in art, culture, or, in the case of EXPANDED Women’s Health + Wellness, the way we approach healing and well-being.

To see what others do not is to challenge the status quo. It is to recognize the gaps in care, the unspoken struggles, and the silent suffering of women navigating a healthcare system that was not designed for them. It is to acknowledge that traditional approaches to mental and physical health often fail to address the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.

At EXPANDED, we embody this vision by refusing to accept the limitations imposed by outdated paradigms. We see beyond the standard, surface-level treatments and instead embrace a model of care that integrates neuroscience, integrative psychiatry, plant medicine, and trauma-informed therapy. We recognize that healing is not linear, that suffering is not a weakness, and that true wellness requires a deep understanding of the individual’s lived experience.

Where others see symptoms, we see stories. Where others see diagnoses, we see opportunities for expansion. Where others offer quick fixes, we offer a journey—one that empowers women to reclaim their health, their autonomy, and their joy.

Patti Smith’s words remind us that visionaries do not simply accept what is—they create what should be. EXPANDED is built on this foundation. We are here to revolutionize women’s health, not by following the well-worn paths of convention, but by forging new ones—ones that honor the complexity, resilience, and brilliance of every woman we serve.

Because seeing what others do not isn’t just about vision. It’s about action. And that is where true transformation begins.