Our Story

Habitual Roots began after two engineering students saw a gap in the way our society was supporting those with mental and emotional needs. 

Our founders, Justin Ervin and Kevin Wong, felt disconnected and unsupported throughout their educational, work, and societal experiences when it came to their mental and emotional health. 

As two curious engineers, they realized that the habits they developed to cope with emotions had an enormous affect on their personal lives and overall well-being. They began to question the common routines we were developing as adults, the habits we were building, and if they were beneficial for our mental health. After doing a little digging, turns out they were out to something...




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See the 3 astonishing facts we found...
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  1. ​Almost 50% of Americans will experience a mental illness within their lifetime. [1]
  2. 1 in 4 Americans said they had to choose between getting treatment and paying for daily necessities. [2]
  3. 74% of Americans do not believe that mental health services are available for everyone. [3]

Through this discovery, and their lived experiences, Justin and Kevin were led to create Habitual Roots as a nonprofit organization. 
​They built what they felt was needed most – a positive community for those looking to live a heathy and balanced lifestyle; a community centered around wellness and affordable  access to practices that combat mental illness and its symptoms.  

​Habitual Roots is a 501c(3) serving as the integration point of intention-based living and positive habits of self-care.
Our Motto:
Put the 'U' back in hUman
​Our Vision:
To be the first choice for a fun, accessible, and stigma-free community supporting mental and emotional wellness
 

 
 

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​Our Mission: 
To create intentional space for meaningful connection, community and well-being - expanding the awareness of individuals to mindfully care for each other and themselves

Meet Our Team

  • JUSTIN ERVIN
    Executive Director
    NIKKI SEWARD
    NC Retreat Coordinator 
    KEVIN WONG
    Lead Visionary
    AMANDA ANSPACH
    LEAD PROGRAM Support
    ​CO Coordinator
    KATIE ERVIN
    GRANT WRITER/CONTENT EDITOR
    HALI GRANTHAM
    LEAD PROGRAM SUPPORT
    ​NC COORDINATOR
    GENEVIEVE SCOTT 
    UX STRATEGIST
    HALEY SKLUT
    Social Media Strategist
  • JUSTIN ERVIN
    NIKKI SEWARD
    KEVIN WONG
    TERRY BUDLONG
    JIMBO LORD
    SHANNON HANSEN

  • % Increase in Happiness

Our Impact

At Habitual Roots, we are continuing to transform the way we think about wellness and well-being for those coping with mental illness, and its symptoms. As we look into the future of  building a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, we will continue to move towards integrated care for our members.​