ID: white woman with long curly blond hair, wearing a black and white print top, looking over her right shoulder.
Welcome to the transformative power and joy of mind-body care
I’m Jillian Gross Fortgang (she/her) and am delighted to introduce you to yes, and… journeys. This work is a lifelong practice, and I definitely don’t have it all figured out, far from it! I still make mistakes all the time, AND I’ve also learned a lot of lessons along the way that I can’t wait to share with you.
When I started on my own transformational journey, I was welcomed by friends and mentors who offered me unconditional love and acceptance. They helped me see this practice as a lifelong process rather than a checklist I could complete perfectly! Without judgment, they embraced me just the way I was in all my messiness. They offered gracious space, shared resources and experiences, and prioritized connection.
My life has been deeply transformed by the beautiful struggle toward liberation. I yearn to walk with you as we transform ourselves and the world together. I offer companionship that will support you on a deeply personal path toward reclaiming your full humanity and leading the live you imagine for yourself.
"The way to alchemize a soulless world into a sacred world is by treating everyone as if they are sacred until the sacred in them remembers."
- Sarah Durham Wilson
What’s in a name?
yes, and… journeys is about embracing the complexity of life. It’s so easy to get stuck in a binary, either/or way of thinking, often heard in the phrase “no, but…” Y&J invites you to practice “yes, and.” Rooted in the world of improv, “yes, and” is an expansive way to move through the world.
Y&J offers an emphatic “YES” to accepting and adapting to what is, while also saying AND to the possibilities of what could be. YES this is hard, AND you can live the life you imagine.
My Story
I’m a cis, queer, white woman (she/her/hers) who grew up in the proverbial “middle class” in the suburbs of Detroit. Raised as a well-meaning white woman, I’ve spent my personal and professional life as an educator, nonprofit professional, researcher, consultant, and community volunteer. In this work, I largely fell into the trap of believing my intent mattered more than the impact of my actions, words, and thoughts. I’ve made countless mistakes along the way, and understand now that I have caused real harm to individuals, communities, and myself. And, I have not let that stop me. Instead of living in fear of being found out, being judged, or being canceled, I have spent the last decade-ish healing those wounds (an ongoing process) and developing an intentional practice toward liberatory living. My life has been transformed by this journey. Yours can be too.
With yoga, somatics, embodied social justice, and therapy as my primary practices, I have come to understand how we can enter this work through our head or our heart, and the ultimate goal is a seamless connection between the two. As a dear friend and disability justice movement builder says, “we all have a mind and a body that need care.” Too often the mind gets prioritized and only certain bodies receive the care they need. That means we end up disconnected from our bodies and each other. We can’t think our way out of this lack of care, we have to feel our way through.
Incorporating mind-body care practices, I will support you to identify what you need, ask for what you want, and hold loving boundaries, so you can stay aligned with your values as you care for yourself and each other. I do this by listening deeply with compassion and asking powerful questions that help you tap into the wisdom that already exists inside your body and our collective conscience. By taking the time to slow down, get curious, and think expansively, we will create a path forward that nourishes body, mind, and heart to sustain you on this lifelong journey.
I currently live in Minneapolis with my spouse. Our delightful rescue dog, Lettuce, recently crossed the rainbow bridge and we are looking forward to the right time to adopt another pup, who will definitely be named Mayonnaise . I love to share the story behind our ridiculaous dog names, so be sure to ask!
ID: Jillian, wearing a green sweater and dark pants, and Lettuce, a black labrador, snuggling on a blue couch
“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
— Lilla Watson, Aboriginal elder, activist and educator from Queensland, Australia
My Experience
ID: White woman with short hair, wearing a blue t-shirt, sitting at a table in front of greenery
“Jillian was the first person I turned to when I needed to hire a coach to guide highly motivated undergraduate students deeply involved in community building, entrepreneurship, and leadership learning as part of our Leadership Certificate Program at Michigan. As a coach, she meets students where they are, listens with empathy, and holds them accountable to their set goals. She is thoughtful with her words and has a razor sharp intellect that allows her to see through "the noise" of daily interactions to hone in on a particular idea or goal that you may be grappling with.
In response to a coaching evaluation, one student shared,"Jillian affirmed my feelings…emailed resources that piqued my interest…was able to tie the importance of this individual action with my values and hopes for the future. I learned the importance of proactive self-care, which does not need to happen when I am in survival mode... I rate the session 100000/5."
-Mary Schlitt, MPA, Associate Director -Barger Leadership Institute, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
I am a lifelong educator and coach with over 20 years of experience in equity focused nonprofit organizational leadership, teaching and facilitation, and collaborative research. I specialize in holding space with loving accountability that allows individuals and groups to do their inner work as the foundation for transformational change. I have worked with clients across the nonprofit and educational sectors.
I am an intuitive and joyful coach, storyteller, and relationship builder. A love of learning, growing, and creating with others is at the heart of how I walk through the world. No matter what role I’m in, I embrace a growth mindset by holding space for reflection, nurturing relationships, and connecting in community.
I promise I have all the formal credentials you might think are important. I also recognize that formal education is not a measure of my value, worth, or credibility. Yet, it has helped me develop into the coach, facilitator, and community member I am today. So, if you’d like to learn more about my educational and professional journey, I’d love for you to connect with me on LinkedIn.
Perhaps more importantly, I want you to know a bit more about the sustained commitments that I have engaged with to support my transformational journey toward healing and justice. I have a deep commitment to being a student and teacher of embodied social justice. Through ongoing learning and personal reflection, informal accountability groups, and community involvement, my learning and growth has been propelled by participating with:
The Reset that helps purpose-driven leaders escape burnout by providing solutions for work-life liberation.
International Coaching Federation® (ICF®) as a certified Coach
Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) as a Qualified Administrator.
Facilitator and mentor with Racial Justice from the Heart
Certified yoga instructor (200 hr) and current student in Embody Yoga’s Roots (300 hr) with Ignite Institute
Headwaters Foundation for Justice Development Committee
Showing Up for Racial Justice’s (SURJ) Education into Action Committee