Lawyer, Musician, Therapist, Reiki Master: Career Pivots & Purpose with Suellen Fagin-Allen

What do you do when the career you chose is not a fit? In this episode, I sit down with Suellen Fagin-Allen, a Florida-based mental health therapist for women in midlife, attorney, performing musician, nonprofit leader, Reiki master, and amateur photographer. Suellen's story is one of the most honest and inspiring I've heard: she went to law school partly out of boredom, partly out of revenge, and partly because a friend secretly signed her up for the LSAT. What followed were decades of exploration and courage — finding the golden thread that was always there, and weaving it into something that truly fits.We talk about the very human experience of throwing up in the bathroom before trials, the decade-long detour that led to co-founding what became the Orlando Philharmonic, and the moment in midlife when she decided to start over again and became a licensed therapist at 50.In this episode, we explore:Why Suellen's reasons for going to law school were, in her words, "suspect" — and what that taught herHow she leveraged her legal expertise at every stage of her pivotThe concept of the "golden thread" — the through-line that runs from childhood through your career — and how to find it when it feels buriedWhy the first step to discovering your purpose might be learning to not freak out about not knowing your purposeThe somatic and mindfulness practices she uses with clients to help them get out of fight-or-flight and reconnect with what's alive in themHer journey to becoming a Reiki master — what prompted it, what she experienced, and how she incorporates it into her therapy practiceA simple, two-minute reset practice for stressed-out attorneys (and anyone else running on fumes)A practice to try:Set a random alarm on your phone today. When it goes off, step away, take a breath, and ask yourself: What am I doing right now? What am I noticing? That's it. Suellen calls it a reset — and it's more powerful than it sounds.Connect with Suellen Fagin-Allen:📧 [email protected]📱 407-929-0142🔗 LinkedIn: Suellen Fagin-AllenReturning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and other high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives.