Jacia Kornwise ( a.k.a. Jill) is a Master Embodied Soul Coach, Transformational Experience Facilitator, Inspirational and TEDx Speaker, and Author of “The Love Ball Game – Embracing Yourself and Embodying Your Soul.” Born Blind in her left eye, and a multiple time trauma and grief survivor, she has dedicated the past 31 years helping humans transform their pain into purpose, listen to their bodies intuitive wisdom, and live their authentic joy. She has touched the lives of tens of thousands working both in person, online, at corporate and private events and on stage with her Masters in Integral Counseling and Shadow Coaching, 5 Rhythms Dance, Breathwork, Mindfulness, Intuitive and Somatic tools.

Jacia Kornwise, Master Embodied Soul Coach
Jacia, We are delighted to have you introduce yourself to us. Tell us something most people won’t know about you and your life.
Hi! You asked for me to share something many people don’t know about me. My birth name / legal name is Jill Kornwise. I’m happy for those who grew up with me to call me Jill if they have trouble with the name I choose to go by. I call myself Jacia because, at about 27 years old, I woke repeatedly to a voice at night. A dream or vision which continually says, “Your name is no longer Jill. Your name is Jacia. It means God's Love, Vision and Clarity/Light.” This voice didn’t let up. Now, let me tell you, at this time in my world, I thought changing your given name was a goofy thing to do. There was no interest on my end to change my name. Still, this name continued to repeat itself for over a year, and I could no longer pretend I was not experiencing something extraordinary. Eventually, I surrendered as I knew embracing this new symbolic self was a part of my evolution.
I was born blind in my left eye. People always ask me, completely blind? I always marvel at that, as the word blind can only mean one thing. I understand now that people have a hard time believing I have had a visual handicap as I have managed through the world pretty well using a bright smile and a deep, fierce tenacity, which both genuinely come from within. I learned that in many tribal societies being born blind in one eye marked you as a “Seer” or a “Shaman” who could move in both realms, the inner and outer. I eventually used this metaphor to empower me. As a child, it was a huge challenge, and of course, I developed a story that I was deformed, not enough, ugly, etc.; but as I grew, I allowed it to become my sacred tool to find my superpowers as an intuitive healer and guide. I also wore big thick glasses didn’t need to see with my right eye to protect it from a flying object, blinding me completely until vanity took over! Life was a combination of fantastic and horrible for me. In many ways, I had awful experiences, yet I also was deeply loved by my family to the best of their ability. This foundation did help me navigate, not so much because they could help me emotionally, but because deep inside, I knew I was loved and I mattered. I now find myself reminding all parents I speak with about this. As a mom of a 17-year-old myself whom means the world to me, I know parenting in these times is not an easy task. It comforts me greatly to know that if we do our best to show up and let our kids know they are loved, held safe and wanted, it makes a huge difference, even in the worst times.
Can you tell us about your background and expertise in the area your website covers?
As a survivor, let me rephrase that a sur “thriver’ of multiple traumas, violent crimes, divorce, and the loss of my best friend and only sibling to a car accident and a father battling physical illness throughout most of my life and much more; I have had to ask myself what has truly changed my life and allowed me to survive, blossom, and thrive? The answer always comes back down to moving deeply enough through my feelings to release trauma and find joy, freedom, compassion and forgiveness. Aliveness can only happen when we live in the present moment. We get stuck in our past traumas and stories as they are locked inside our bodies cellularly. For me, Free form movement was that medicine that always helped me release emotion, feel my self in the present moment, become enlivened, find joy and reignite compassion, creativity and connection.

At 19 years old after I had my first panic attack in a public speaking class and losing my brother to a fatal car crash; I began seeking support from therapists, teachers, healers, coaches, books, different spiritual path , movement , yoga. Breathwork , meditation to help me. After I was victim to a violent crime ; the only tool that effectively and continuously brought joy back into my life was Free- form Dance. It helped me get through all the tough times, and the feelings consistently brought me to release stuck emotions and thoughts stored deep inside and arrive back into my body where true joy and presence can exist in the freedom of the now.
Free-form Dance and Breathwork, Somatic and Mindfulness tools, shadow coaching and intuitive counselling combined, have been my go-to spots for transformation. It is now a proven fact that we store frozen unprocessed trauma and stress in our bodies and movement is a effective solution when held in a safe intentional and conscious container of awareness.
I moved quickly towards graduate school receiving my Masters in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies by the time I was 24; as well as a Master Shadow Coaching Certificate with Debbie Ford at 33. We do what we need to heal and when we heal we help others to do the same. I am a certified and trained 5 Rhythms Movement Teacher with Gabrielle Roth as well as received certifications in Somatic Experiencing, Breathwork and various mindfulness trainings and creative and intuitive practices. When I moved from San Francisco where I lived and studied and worked as a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern with a private practice of over 30 clients weekly, women's groups and offering movement therapy classes; I knew I needed to build a dance studio into my healing center in Chico California. I now work as an Embodied Soul Coach where I like to offer ‘the whole enchilada’ ; all the tools and formats that helped me really transform from stress and trauma to resilience and embodied resourcefulness.

I use pieces of all that I have learned in both my online and in person Embodied Soul Coaching courses and classes and workshops. When I speak at events I bring practical tools and engaging stories and information to inspire. With corporate events I tend to bring my speaking skills in and add in tools in ways that their facility requests. Recently, I published my book, “The Love Ball Game – Embracing Yourself and Embodying Your Soul”. I am super excited about this share and the 3 month and 6 month programs I developed to help people dive deeper into these “L.E.A.D” your Love Ball Game maps. This project has been simmering for decades and it felt important to me to finally share both memoir, inspiration, information and practical tools woven together for anyone to dive deeper into their authentic and embodied healing journey.
What inspired you to created your website and share the purpose it holds?
I love that you asked me to discuss what inspired me to create my website. No one has asked me that before! I have been t that WordPress is the way to go, yet I am still attached to the creation made with Wix as it felt like a creative process when I built it in 2018. Even as I write this, I know anything we are attached to eventually goes! HAH! At a certain point, I recognised that an updated website is essential for anyone who wants to reach a more global or virtual audience, not just a local community. This website lets viewers learn about my services. Embodied Soul coaching courses, online platforms, and books. I will share my speaking and workshop events and opportunities, dances, breathwork courses, and special events, but I also share a bit about my own story and development in colorful and unique ways that reflect my authenticity. I have had coaching clients tell me my website was a huge reason they chose to work with me, as they could feel the authentic me in it.

It can be challenging to feel safe to show up with our honest to goodness real selves in a business world or structure that tells us to play it safe. Yet, it is only through deep dives and risks that all good things have transpired for anyone. In today’s world, people are hungry to hear the authentic voices and stories. The good, the bad and the ugly all have its place in our development and without recognizing this we do a misservice to those who seek out our guidance or skills.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far?
A hard question in some ways. Certainly knowing I have absolutely helped 1000s of people love themselves and land in their bodies is the clearest career achievement. Yet, one of my favorite moments in my career came when I landed a talk on the TEDxCherryCreekHS stage. Surprise! It seemed as if the breakthrough to reaching the world had just magically opened up. My father had recently passed and I had been his in home hospice alongside my mother and experienced a profound transformation. It became so clear I was ready for anything. I knew with every cell in my body that there is no time like the present, no person every totally perfect or ready, and nothing more important to do than to fully give what we can to support others on their human journey. I knew I had to open wider and bare my soulful bones to the world if the depths of my message was going to be received. It was a thrill to feel so respected and seen for not only my gifts as a healer …which have always been reflected to me; but instead my worth and resilience as a human being. So many people are shocked when they begin to understand what is sitting deep inside. I have done many more large stages since, The Tag Talk stage and the Thought Leader stage being two of them; and all of these experiences have continued to be opportunities to dedicate myself to condensing vulnerability and wisdom and offering it up. As an Author, a Speaker and an Embodied Soul Coach I have found it essential to go beyond my own perceived limits of visibility and to leap with a boundless knowing that life has a need for my story just as it has a need for yours.
If you could change one thing about your industry what would it be?
If I could change one thing about my industry, it would be the false notion that there is perfection and guarantees that anyone can give you to heal you or help you. What can be given is tried and true tools and authentic presence. I know the only guarantee is your own personal commitment to keep coming back to your own willingness, to care for oneself with more and more devotion, to be willing to understand your impact on others, and to be open to becoming more embodied, kind, and present. From those decisions, whatever is meant to move and manifest and transform to allow what is meant to come through you an absolute certainty.
