Recognized as part of the March 2026 San Diego Weekly Standouts Series honoring leaders shaping San Diego, California, the Cali-Baja region, and communities connected to the region around the world.
San Diego Weekly San Diego Standouts | March 2026 Honoree
Through her wellness counseling and coaching practice, Ms. Stubbornness, Josie Fouts helps individuals transform resistance into resilience while creating space for those often excluded from traditional wellness systems.
SAN DIEGO, Calif.
For Josie Fouts, inspiration begins with something most people rarely pause to consider: the human body.
“I’m inspired every day by the human body, especially bodies that break the mold of conventional beauty and expand what we think is possible,” she says.
To Josie, the body represents something extraordinary.
“To me, the human body is as astonishing as outer space. There’s endless variation, strength, and expression contained within a single physical form.”
That sense of wonder shapes the foundation of her work.
Today, Josie is a wellness counselor and the founder of Ms. Stubbornness, a counseling practice dedicated to helping individuals uncover their untapped potential and reconnect with the strength that already exists within them.
A Perspective Shaped by Lived Experience
Josie approaches wellness not only through academic training, but through lived experience.
As a Korean woman born with a congenital upper limb amputation, Fouts represents an extremely small portion of the global population, roughly 0.000318% worldwide.
Growing up in systems largely designed for the majority forced her to develop a unique perspective on adaptation and resilience.
“Growing up in systems designed for the majority taught me how to think differently, question assumptions, and see obstacles as challenges that can be navigated.”
Rather than seeing those challenges solely as limitations, Josie learned to interpret them as opportunities to expand what is possible. That perspective now sits at the center of her work. Fouts helps clients reframe situations that once felt limiting into sources of strength, agency, and possibility.
Today that philosophy sits at the core of her counseling work.
Combined with her accreditation and education through Cornell University, her lived perspective helps her guide others toward recognizing their own inner strength.
Creating Space for Those Who Don’t Fit the Mold
The clients Josie works with often share a common experience: they feel like exceptions within systems built around narrow definitions of “normal.”
“My clients are the people who don’t fit neatly into society’s idea of normal,” she explains. “The exceptions, the rare cases, and those navigating life at the intersections of race, gender, and disability.”
Many face daily barriers that go beyond surface-level obstacles.
Infrastructure may limit mobility. Social expectations may create exclusion. Systems may overlook their experiences entirely.
Over time, those patterns can leave whatJosie describes as identity wounds.
Because she also lives at the intersection of minority identity, her work prioritizes equity-centered care.
“My practice is built around equitability, intentionally prioritizing care and opportunity for those who have historically been left out of traditional wellness systems.”
Rethinking the Way Change Happens
Many people arrive in Josie’s practice after years of trying to “fix” themselves.
“They’ve tried conforming, minimizing parts of their identity, or disconnecting from their experiences in order to fit into systems that were never built for them,” she explains.
That process often leads to an exhausting internal struggle.
“It becomes a tug-of-war between the desire to change and the deeper, protective parts of ourselves that resist being forced.”
Rather than encouraging clients to push harder, Josie introduces a different approach.
“My clients aren’t looking for another quick fix or product to consume. They’re seeking lasting change that is within their control.”
Through guided reflection and counseling, she helps individuals shift their relationship with resistance.
Fouts explains that many of her clients discover something surprising during the counseling process: success does not come from pushing harder.
“My clients often discover that success doesn’t come from pushing harder, but from shifting their relationship with resistance.”
When struggles are approached with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment or force, she says, those internal barriers often begin to soften.
“Real change happens when the part of someone that’s resisting finally feels seen, heard, and safe.”
By the end of their work together, many clients leave with the awareness and tools needed to navigate future challenges independently.
Stubbornness in Action
The philosophy behind Ms. Stubbornness is not theoretical.
It is something Josie has lived through personally.
At one point she suffered a broken back, a devastating injury for anyone, particularly for someone passionate about rock climbing.
Many athletes might view such an injury as the end of competition.
Josie approached it differently.
Within a year, she recovered and returned to paraclimbing competition, eventually earning a place on Team USA and finishing 8th at the World Championships.
The experience reinforced a belief she now shares with her clients.
Setbacks can become turning points when met with adaptability and resilience.
The Philosophy of Ms. Stubbornness
Josie often describes her work through a phrase that captures both persistence and awareness.
“Ms. Stubbornness: Turning Persistence Into an Unstoppable Force.”
For her, stubbornness is not about refusing to change.
It is about remaining committed to growth and authenticity.
Her philosophy centers on:
Adaptability
Growth mindset
Resilience
Self-trust
Freedom of identity
At the core of the Ms. Stubbornness philosophy is a belief that adversity can become a catalyst for growth.
“My work is grounded in adaptability and a growth mindset,” Fouts says. “I believe challenges are opportunities for evolution rather than limitations.”
One of Josie’s favorite quotes is:
“Nothing can Stopper.”
Josie explained that she believes freedom is a foundation to personal exploration and learn about themselves and not fall into the trap of being ‘normal.’
“Most importantly, I believe every person deserves the freedom to explore who they are without being forced into society’s narrow definitions of ‘normal.’”
Building Equity Into the Structure of Wellness
Josie has intentionally built her business model around accessibility and fairness.
Her standard counseling rate is $300 per hour, reflecting the depth of individualized support she provides.
However, her practice operates on an equity-centered pricing model.
Clients who choose to disclose aspects of identity such as race, gender, or disability may receive a rate adjustment through a transparent global representation calculation.
The goal is to ensure the principles of equitability are embedded directly into the structure of the practice.
Rather than treating inclusion as an afterthought, Josie believes it should be foundational.
Why Her Story Matters Now
In a world where people are often encouraged to conform to rigid expectations, Josie offers a different perspective.
Her work reminds individuals that strength does not come from fitting into predetermined molds.
It comes from understanding who we are, embracing our experiences, and learning to navigate life with resilience and self-compassion.
Through Ms. Stubbornness, she is helping individuals who once felt excluded from traditional wellness systems rediscover their own power.
Connect With Josie Fouts
Instagram
instagram.com/ms.stubbornness
More information and resources
http://linktr.ee/ms.stubbornness
Email
ms(dot)stubbornness(at)gmail(dot)com
This recognition is part of the March 2026 San Diego Weekly Standouts Series honoring leaders shaping San Diego, California, the Cali-Baja region, and communities connected to the region around the world.
San Diego Weekly Standouts | March 2026 Honoree
About the San Diego Standouts Series
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