Meet Sogol Johnson of Cycle Breakers Lab
Today we’d like to introduce you to Sogol Johnson.
Hi Sogol, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I spent years climbing the corporate ladder, an award-winning designer, a Master’s degree in Human-Centered Design. I was the first 50 hires at Uber. I thrived in Fortune 500 companies, leading innovative teams across healthcare, wellness, and finance. On paper, I was successful. But behind every polished presentation and product launch was a woman carrying invisible weight, a lifetime of racism, war and immigration, narcissistic abuse, betrayal, bullying, constantly trying to fit in, and emotional neglect. I had tried so hard to have my career and my titles bring me satisfaction and fill the void. I learned the hard way that it was self-trust and peace that I was looking for.
You see, I was the child who learned to stay small to be safe, the student who had to prove twice as much just to belong, and the adult who built a life that looked whole but felt hollow. The armor I wore in boardrooms had been forged in childhood, and while it protected me, it also disconnected me from myself, from others, and from the life I deeply desired to lead.
When yet another betrayal and loss knocked on my door while I was at the top of my game in corporate America, I found myself in survival mode again. After months of sleepless nights, groggy days, and pure panic, something inside of me sparked like fire. I was done surviving, and I wanted to take my armor off and exist as my most authentic self. No one especially my son deserved a broken me.
I turned to education first. I learned about somatic therapy, dipping into Internal Family Systems (IFS), and paying attention to the quiet and not-so-quiet signs the universe kept sending me. I learned about trauma and the nervous system better. Little by little, I realized I deserved more, not from others but from myself. More safety, more peace, more presence. And when I finally allowed that truth to settle in, I found the courage to choose myself and start the healing journey that changed everything. I mean everything! The awareness literally lifted a layer off of me. I had entered a dimension. I started to notice changes in my body, my posture, my breathing, and even my choice of words toward myself. I started to write more, which has been a passion of mine peeking through the cracks, waiting to be unleashed. I picked up a watercolor palette, and nine months later I had a full-blown new hobby. One evening at a sound bath floating experience, I started to tremble as if I had just walked out of a burning car. That’s when the words of Dr. Van Der Kolk on trauma echoed, and I thought, ‘The Body Does Indeed Keep the Score. As difficult as this season in my life was it was also life saving. I literally felt like a phoenix rising.
The more I healed, the more my thriving career felt futile and soul-less. Being around kids and parents, I knew I wasn’t meant to heal just for myself. I wanted to be a bridge so the next generation wouldn’t have to start where I did. I made the bold and easiest decision of my life to switch the boardroom for the therapy room. I had dedicated the first half of my life to design aesthetics. It was time to dedicate the rest of it to myself, my child, and the next generation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think perspective matters in this answer. My personal struggle was that I was mourning and I was at a very low point in my life. Yet as any mother knows you smile and make life magical while you cry in the bathrooms and late nights. Everything else, the extra education, the exams and hustle is just logistics.
On a general note, I would add that the mental health industry needs to evolve. Coaching must be recognized as legitimate mental health care, not confused with unregulated life coaching or dismissed altogether. Did you know that coaching is still not legally considered mental health? Too often, people come to me confused after traditional therapy did not work for them, not because they failed, but because the nervous system was never addressed. It was never rewired. We can’t talk our way out of trauma. The language is thankfully changing and somatic therapy is on the rise, but it is not happening fast enough. Until this gap is acknowledged, too many people will continue to fall through the cracks.
We’ve been impressed with Cycle Breakers Lab, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Cycle Breakers Lab at a personal emotional tipping point. I love that I get to say that out loud now. It came together almost overnight, quite literally after pulling an all-nighter I got started on the protocols, the brand and on-line presence. The force that allowed it to propel quickly was and will always be authenticity. I’ve always been a big advocate for action over talking. Seeing tangible results after each session is important to me. This is why I chose to call it a Lab. The work is rooted in nervous system training rather than treating mental health as something broken that needs fixing. Just like physical fitness, the nervous system can be trained through consistent, intentional practice, which is why clients often feel shifts early on and begin rebuilding trust in themselves quickly.
Instead of revisiting trauma in endless loops, as often happens in traditional talk therapy, we work directly with the nervous system. The goal is to help the body understand that the threat has passed, allowing regulation and rewiring to take place. This is where real cycle-breaking happens. Week by week, clients notice tangible changes as they move forward using simple, actionable tools like nervous system exercises, trigger awareness, and cognitive defusion. The work is active, embodied, and designed to fit into real life. I know how first-hand how hard it can be to focus on healing while still doing life, and I believe change does not have to be overwhelming. Small shifts, big impact. That’s what makes the lab and my approach unique.
My approach blends behavioral science, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Internal Family Sysmtes (IFS), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), attachment theory, and somatic regulation into a compassionate, no-fluff protocol that meets people where they are.
Beyond my one-on-one and lab work, my bigger dream is to see “A Mental Gym” become as common as places like OrangeTheory or Equinox, accessible spaces across the country where people train their nervous systems the same way they train their bodies. As part of my commitment to the next generation, I am also the author of Wiggles McGee: The Magic Within, a children’s book that teaches self-compassion while helping parents introduce social-emotional learning in an accessible, everyday way. So I have lots of things to be proud of in 2025.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Oh Gosh, anything from Dr Peter Levine, Dr Frank Anderson Arielle Schwartz and the founder of Internal Family Systems Richard Schwartz, Dr Scott Lyons at The Embody Lab.
I meditate 3 times a day to Solfeggio Frequency sounds while I practice tapping. I make sure I get out in nature at least 30 minutes a day. Living near parks and the ocean helps of course. Monthly sound baths, water coloring, Britt Pipper podcasts and last but not least hugs from my 7 year old precious son.
Pricing:
$225/Individual session
$375/ Family Session
Monthly packages available
3 Month membership
Contact Info:
Website: https://www.cyclebreakerslab.com
