Ashton Cradit
Renewing Health, Happiness, and Healing
story by ERIN WALLACE photos by PAUL NURNBERG
Something is happening in society, a new cultural norm where individuals are becoming more aware of their body through a holistic mindset. This includes, but isn’t limited to: being mindful of what’s put in and on their body, making sure to go to the doctor more often than not, and giving emphasis to mental health. If you look back at your parents’ generation and most definitely your grandparents’ generation, this full-body health/wellness movement wasn’t as prevalent. A big part of this new body awareness is due to our current “information age”; we are an economy fixated on information technology. With this lightning bolt information at our fingertips, we can quickly realize when something is not right with our body, and I don’t know about you, but I am thankful we live in this modern age where we have quick access to the help we need right at that moment. Yet, even with all the information, we sometimes need a guide to know the best decision for our health journey.
There is a young woman in our Beaufort community with a new — yet already thriving health practice — focused on helping you retrain your brain and build healthy habits for whatever lifestyle you have or the lifestyle you desire. Her name is Ashton Cradit; she is a Health and Wellness Coach for Rooted Renewal Health. She started her practice in 2021, building off her education as a national board-
certified coach (NBC-HWC) through the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching and completed her M.A. in Health & Wellness Coaching through Maryland University of Integrative Health. Ashton is set apart from other practices in how she partners with her clients to develop insight into their goals and then discover the tools that align with her client’s values, all with a holistic emphasis. Through this unique partnership, one is able to create and sustain life-changing behaviors. This is because Ashton takes a mindfulness-based approach to working with clients who experience chronic pain, anxiety, or general life changes affecting their health and well-being.
Although Ashton isn’t from the Lowcountry, her South Carolina roots run through her story. Originally born in Italy, her dad’s military position next moved them to North Carolina. Around age five, she moved to Spartanburg, SC. This town is the only one she remembers as her home. Ashton’s family unit consists of her mom and dad, both living in Beaufort now, and brother, Justin, who lives in Paris for his political and civil work.
Ashton’s post-high school education began at the College of Charleston for her undergrad, where she studied sociology. During her senior year of college, she met her now boyfriend, James Babalis, via a dating app. He was from good ol’ Beaufort and was living here at the time they began dating! As Ashton says, she got “pulled into the magic of Beaufort,” and who could blame her? James is part of a family business that many are familiar with called Custom Clean Car Wash on Boundary Street. This was one of the draws for the couple to be in Beaufort together, as James helps run the family business.
It was perfect timing for Ashton to relocate to the Lowcountry in 2019 as she had started grad school online for health and wellness coaching, so it was an easier transition for her. When it came time for Ashton to figure out what she wanted to do for a career, her heart had always been set on a focus of helping others. She was drawn toward public services, and in the years between undergrad and grad school, the direction of holistic coaching came to light.
It all started with Ashton’s very own health and wellness journey, which began at a young age. Growing up, Ashton experienced a variety of mental health struggles, such as anxiety and depression, with no way for her to navigate these specific mental struggles. Ashton shares that the mind and body communicate with each other, and she had no idea what impact that would have on her life until that period between taking a break and receiving her two degrees.
It was around this time, at age 23, that Ashton ironically endured health scares of her own while she was working at a local health and wellness shop in Mount Pleasant, SC. Though the situation was far from perfect, the timing at the shop meant she had resources at her hands and coworkers who were supportive and understanding through the ups and downs. These downs looked like debilitating migraines, head pains, and unexplainable events happening within her own body. Ashton admits even though she had an incredible support system, “it was scary, and I felt so alone” as the migraines were getting to the point that they were mimicking seizures. Through all the chaos, Ashton was regularly going to the doctors, getting tests done, and genuinely trying everything in her power to get to the bottom of the never-ending pain.
As Ashton continually searched for answers, all doctors now had more questions, wondering if she had such bad migraines that were mimicking seizures or if she had minimal seizures that were mimicking migraines. This made things even scarier for Ashton. Confusion and questions grew in number as the days went on. At this point, Ashton realized there had to be more she could do for herself. She took a step back while accessing her priorities, and the result was choosing to look at her life holistically and supporting herself. By the time grad school came around at age 24, her health was better than it had been in a long time due to daily tools she built into her routine to prioritize healing. An immense pivotal moment for Ashton would occur through grad school when she learned the concept of neuroplasticity in class, which is understanding how our brains can powerfully rewire themselves through thoughts, behavior, and actions.
The lightbulb went on for Ashton at this moment. She realized that she held onto a vast amount of fear and trauma related to her head that were all connected: the migraines, concussions from playing sports in high school, and the mental health struggles that had begun in even younger years. They all had affected her physical health and her story. While Ashton began to piece her storyline together, she realized that all her mental health struggles, as well as the migraines, didn’t have to remain her story. She had the power all along to create a new reality for herself through the structure of her brain.
When I asked Ashton how long healing took for herself, she said, “I believe healing is always an ongoing process as there is always something new to learn.” She couldn’t be more right; although Ashton is the healthiest, most confident version of herself today, she’ll still have days when old patterns, pains, and habits emerge. These times will bring her back to the holistic foundation she has laid down for herself.
When Ashton isn’t coaching, she’s going on walks with her best furry friend, heading up Beaufort Litter Patrol (check them out on Facebook), and teaching yoga at Celadon. She intentionally fills her life with these areas of joy, service, and connection.
Ashton’s powerful story of holistic healing can ignite a spark for you to step forward into seeking healthy change in certain areas of your life. With the background of a radical transformation in her own life and now continuing to help others in the same way, this is the kind of person you want in your corner. Ashton is passionate, relational, and committed to your Rooted Renewal. This pursuit and the name of her practice is her distinctive approach to “renewing” health, happiness, and healing as a coach while ensuring that the efforts are “rooted” in values and strengths. Thus, there is a solid foundation from which to sustain, build, and grow.
If you desire a Health and Wellness coach, Ashton is a dependable companion for the journey. She offers in-person and online coaching. To see if this type of coaching is a good fit for you, she offers a free 15-minute consultation to start, no commitment required. You can look her up on Facebook or Instagram for more information, where she is very active on both. Her Instagram handle is coachingwithashton and her page to follow on Facebook is called Rooted Renewal. She can additionally be contacted by her email: rootedrenewal@gmail.com.
