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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Motivational Speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos

Agapi Stassinopoulos is a bestselling author and speaker who inspires audiences around the world. A four-time author, she is currently conducting workshops for Thrive Global, a company founded by her sister, Arianna Huffington, to help change the way we work and live. She’s bringing her expertise to the W.E.L.L. Summit this year and we asked her to share a little bit about herself before we all meet in person.

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? I love country western music!

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? The organizers have the best interest for women and truly wish to see all people thrive!!

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I am going to teach people that they can find their joy and their calm, in the midst of the challenges that we face in our lives. We can access our mighty resilient heart to create a life with meaning and to show love to others so that we can all take part in making this world better place.

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness means to live a life where you are present, where you don’t live off of an agenda but, instead, see a larger vision of what life has in store for you.

Taking very good care of yourself by learning to make yourself a priority, too!

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? To leave with tools to find their inner calmness and joy!

What breakout session are YOU signing up for? I’m excited about ALL of the speakers! Everybody is contributing all of their unique gifts and that is what the makes this Summit so great.

What exciting things are you working on this year? Working on continuing spreading the message of joy and keeping an open heart, at many conferences and events, as well as working on Thrive Global seminars with my sister, Arianna.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? I thought I would never write a book but I ended up writing 4 books and I am sure there are many more in me!

What book(s) are you reading now? Telomere Effect, Elizabeth Blackburn & Elissa Epel

What quote inspires you? “My heart is at ease knowing that what was meant for me will never miss me, and that what misses me was never meant for me.” —Imam Al-Shafi’i

How do you feel good about yourself on bad days? I acknowledge what is going on with me and I share it with somebody that I feel safe with. I let myself be loved and allow myself to receive it from somebody else.. I also try not bring any judgements to what is going on, including my feelings and circumstances, especially towards something that I do not like. Basically, learning to love myself unconditionally!!
What’s your favorite ritual for health? Sleep and meditation.

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Author Cassandra Bodzak

Cassandra Bodzak helps people “design a life that lights them up.” She’s the best-selling author of “Eat with Intention: Recipes and Meditations for a Life that Lights You Up.”, a mindful cooking host, and a meditation guid/spiritual business mentor for ladybosses all over the world—and she’s bringing all that to this year’s W.E.L.L. Summit. Read on for a peek inside what she’s sharing Nov. 3 & 4 (and check out her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds in the meantime).

What are you known for? I help people design a life that lights them up (and it tends to include owning their own heart-centered business). I believe in ‘the well being trifecta’ which is the trinity of food, meditation and self care being used to energetically create a foundation for expansion. I believe that we can have it all (the amazing relationship, business, hot bod, money, etc.)—we just need to create the container that’s capable of holding it all. I help people expand their wingspan and create a solid foundation to build their dream life upon.

…And what would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? They might be surprised to know that I used to be a TV and film actress for many years and that it wasn’t until five years ago when I had my dark night of the soul that my world flipped upside down and I was thrown onto my soul’s mission and the life I now have. They also might be surprised to know that I started daily visualization exercises five years ago about what I wanted my life to look like and with just a couple years started living that vision and have been expanding and meeting, expanding and meeting those visions ever since.

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? I love Gianne, her energy is infectious and I was so drawn to the heart and soul she has put into this conference to create a space where all of us wellness nerds can come together, geek out and have a collective lovefest in one place!

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I will be speaking on a couple panels but my break away session will be all about powering your morning for an epic day. I am big believer that our daily rituals create our reality so we will be going through creating the foundation for what we want to create in our lives starting by our morning wellbeing trifecta. I will be making a few different power breakfasts (you guys will get to taste them!) and explaining why each one will help fuel your mind, body and soul for the day. I will also being giving everyone some tips and tools of effective morning practices and meditations to help them align themselves for the day. Attendees will curate their own perfect morning ritual complete with breakfast, meditation and self-care ritual so they can bring all of the amazing energy of W.E.L.L. Summit and my class with them onwards!

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness to me is mind, body, soul happiness. It’s having energy, enjoying life and being the author of your life’s story.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I will empower attendees with real life examples of how these tools that I am sharing have been complete GAME CHANGERS in my life and in the life (and businesses) of my clients. I will talk about how setting up your day effects your productivity and how these exercises will help you making forward progress in the direction of your dreams even on your “off” days.

What other W.E.L.L. Summit Speaker are you excited to hear from? I’m excited to hear from Kathryn Budig, we have a couple close mutual friends in common but our paths have yet to cross. Love everything she is about!

What exciting things are you working on this year? I am writing my second book right now and leading an amazing LightMaker Book Birthing Club for first time writers in the meantime. I’m working on doing a lot more TV wise than I have in the past—coming full circle from my start on ABC’s The Taste and enjoying every minute of it. I’ve also spent time (and money!) this year to reorganize my business so that I have more time in my schedule to be able to take on several one on one clients again because it brings me such tangible joy to help women design a life and business that lights them up and watch their lives transform before my eyes as we navigate the expansion process together—so suuuuupppppeeerr excited to be able to create space in my schedule for that again!

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? EVERYTHING! Ha. People though it was crazy for me to be on National TV cooking when I was a self -aught homecook with absolutely no TV connections and I’ve done that a few times over. When I started telling people about my book, they would laugh and humor me but I could tell that they didn’t actually believe me and it was great to have “Eat with Intention” not only hit bestseller status on Amazon after it was released but also has been distributed internationally. These days I don’t really even listen to what other people say is impossible because I know that I get the privilege of living the life I have because I don’t have those ceilings and I believe it’s all possible.

What book(s) are you reading now? As a Man Thinketh on repeat by James Allen, Braving The Wilderness by Brene Brown and Proof of Heaven just came in the mail and I’m excited to dive in!

What quote inspires you? “Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.” —Oscar Wilder

How do you feel good about yourself on bad days? First, I recognize that I’m going down into a negative spiral (and it totally happens) and I usually try to switch up the scenery and go for a walk to get some fresh air, listen to my “pump up playlist” to get my mood in a better place.

Secondly, I do a thought purge where I write down all the thoughts that are floating in my head and get them down on paper. This always makes me feel better, it’s like a brain vomit of the toxins.

Lastly, I re-choose my thoughts, sometimes it’s as simple as realizing the recurring thought is, “I’m failing at adulting” and then asking myself, “Okay—what would not failing look like? Let’s write a list of what I would need to do to eradicate that thought. Then I get into action on it and I feel a million times better.” Sometimes it’s choosing an affirmation mantra, “I am powerful beyond belief” or “I am infinite,” and meditating with it for 20 minutes. Long story short, I go into my tool box and give myself the same love and care I would a client that was struggling.

What is your surprising/secret empowering practice? My secret empowering practice is getting into the kitchen. I’m a literal wizard in the kitchen (and it’s a power way beyond me) so whenever I need to remember just how freaking magical I am, I cook or bake something that I have never made before. I play music or mantras, I dance and I give myself over to my personal art—recipe creation. For me, taking that first bite into whatever masterpiece I’ve made reaffirms and empowers me so much. It’s my magic made tangible and I get to re-consume it! 🙂

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Sarah Villafranco of Osmia Organics

Sarah Villafranco, MD, is not just a skincare founder and CEO—she’s an expert in helping people manage difficult skin, especially conditions like acne, eczema, allergies and perioral dermatitis. Her line, Osmia Organics, capitalizes on her medical background where she trained to look at each person’s whole health instead of blindly pushing product on someone. She’s a big believer in high-quality ingredients and simple formulations. When you pack too many ingredients in one product, she says, it’s really hard to know what’s helping and what’s causing trouble. She’s bringing that expertise (and more!) to the W.E.L.L. Summit this year, but before you meet her in person, take a peek into her thoughtful mind with our latest speaker profile.

What’s something new you’ve taken on recently? I’m becoming an expert in how to stop coloring your hair and #displaythegray, as you’ll see in a few weeks! I love sharing that journey, and it’s amazing how many people want to talk about it. Between me and Lisa from This Organic Girl, we have lots of show and tell!

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? That I was in a ferry crash a few hours after first meeting Gianne this summer—and I was the only doctor on board!

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? I had seen it buzzing around Instagram, and then I met Gianne this summer on Nantucket, and she said she’d love to have me attend the event. It’s packed with great speakers and events, and I’m a huge fan of 360-degree wellness.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I’m talking about how to separate skincare fact from fiction, because I think it’s incredibly hard as a consumer to know what’s actually important in caring for your skin, and what’s just a gimmick or marketing fluff. I want to cover what impacts skin health from the inside out, and help people become their own skin advocates, rather than feeling they’re at the mercy of a dermatologist or always searching for a miracle product.

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness is when your diet, activities, family life, work, stress levels, and joy are all at the right levels—like when you used to adjust those little sliding tuners on your stereo. When things are in balance, it shows in your posture, your face and your skin. And when you get things mostly balanced—because you’re the only one who can do that—you’re more equipped to deal when things tilt out of balance, which they always will.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I want people to leave with a clear understanding of how to care for their skin and their health in general. I also hope they’ll leave my session fired up to change some things—there is lot of unhealthy imagery and vocabulary out there in the beauty world, and we need to work together to shake things up a bit.

What other W.E.L.L. Summit Speaker are you excited to hear from? I’m excited to see so many people! I hope to learn from dear friends like Josh Rosebrook or Rebecca Casciano, and from new people like McKel and Jessamyn! I’d love to connect with some of the other physicians there, as I’m always interested in how people blend traditional medical training with other wellness methods.

I hope to meet some new yoga friends, like Kathryn Budig and Koya Webb. I’m always so glad to see the blogger buddies, like Chelsea, Lisa and Suzi, as well as my long-time green beauty friends like Brandie and Nicolle! Was that too many things??

What exciting things are you working on this year?  We have our Craft Series of body oils coming out soon—I’m really excited to introduce this concept to people. Basically, it’s a way to release small batches of limited-edition body oils. I have endless combinations of essential oils to play with, so my creative juices are always in flow mode!

But we can’t scale up a line with 75 body oils—it’s just not practical. Instead, we’ll use the same luxurious base we used in our Gem Series, and I’ll be able to play with new scent combinations. Some batches will be 10 bottles, others more like 100—but I hope it will give Osmia lovers something new and beautiful to incorporate into their rituals from time to time.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? I had lots of eyebrows raised in my direction when I decided to leave the ER. People asked how I could let go of medicine when I’d worked so hard for it, or how I could possibly go from doctor to ‘just a soapmaker’? I think what I’m proving with Osmia is that there are lots of ways to heal people, and that sharing my passion for simple, natural ingredients and healthy, joyful living is my true brand of medicine.

What book(s) are you reading now? Just finished reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey—for the second time. I plan to read it a third time, maybe even a fourth. I think it’s one of the most perfectly crafted novels I have ever read.

What quote inspires you? “If it’s important to you, you’ll make it happen.” It’s the perfect inspo quote, because it’s empowering, but also makes you take responsibility for your choices and actions.

What do you do when you feel out of balance? When I don’t exercise. If I’m a crabby mess, I need a run.

How do you deal with negativity? From self? From others? I try to think of my thoughts like water, and allow them to flow to positive places. When they’re unruly and try to flow to negative places, I gently redirect them. As for the negative energy from others, I think that’s something I’ll always struggle with—I tend to take on other people’s emotions. I’m working on listening to people’s thoughts and feelings without feeling like I need to carry those feelings on my back for the rest of the day—but it’s not easy!

What is one thing you had to overcome that helped you get where you are today? My ego! I had to let go of lots of ego-related things to pursue my dream.

What is the single most powerful piece of advice you’d like to share? Don’t ever let anyone define beauty for you. Only you can define your unique beauty, and only you get to share that beauty with the world.

What is the most important thing to you? My family, including the furry ones.

WS is all about tribe. How do you ensure the right people are around you? By listening to my instinct. I’ll work hard to keep great people on my team, and I’m not afraid to let go of those whose goals don’t align with mine. (That was a hard lesson, too—but I’ve learned it!)

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Jewelry Designer Satya Scainetti

Jewelry designer, yoga teacher, inspirational speaker… Satya Scainetti wears many hats. She’s built a wellness business that gives back to children across the globe, and her Satya Jewelry has been featured in Vogue, Yoga Journal, Self magazine and more. She’s a favorite of Gabby Bernstein and Kimberly Snyder, and we’re so excited she’s teaching mala making at this year’s event. But before then, read up on Satya and how she persevered when people told her it was impossible.

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? That I went to school for social work.

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? The community of  inspirational game changers within the wellness industry is what attracted me to the WELL Summit.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? The sacred art of mala making.

What does wellness mean to you? Balance of mind body and spirit.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I want attendees to leave my workshop having set an intention and feeling empowered with the the tools to manifest that intention.

What breakout session are YOU signing up for? OR What other W.E.L.L. Summit Speaker are you excited to hear from? I am really excited to hear Agapi Stassinopoulos and Nitika Chopra this year!

What exciting things are you working on this year? I am really excited to be working on my own book and a new part of my business called Satya Journeys. Stay tuned for more information about my upcoming yoga and creative retreat in Mexico this Spring!

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? Starting a multi-million dollar intentional jewelry company that gives back.

What book(s) are you reading now? Real Love by Sharon Salzberg and The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering our Children by Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D

What quote inspires you? “Be the change.” —Mahatma Gandhi

What is your surprising/secret empowering practice? Breath walks.

What do you do when you feel out of balance? Yoga, breath, meditation.

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Author + Yoga Teacher Kathryn Budig

Photo courtesy of Stark Photography.

Kathryn Budig is a quadruple-threat in the wellness world: She’s a celebrated yoga teacher, a two-time author, a body positive + LGBTQ advocate and she founded the animal project Poses for Paws. Oh, and we didn’t even mention that she’s a well-known recipe creator. So we guess that makes her a quintuple-threat? Basically, she’s a powerful voice in our community and we’re honored to have her at the W.E.L.L. Summit this year. Follow her journey on her website or podcast, or on social media (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter)—and read on for a little peek inside her session at the W.E.L.L. Summit.

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? That I experience major anxiety about writing and delivering speeches!

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? The amazing line-up of speakers.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I’ll be delivering a talk on how my concept of aiming true has evolved through the years and where we find our happiness.

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness is about mental and physical health, and the constant pursuit and awareness of how to be in tune with both.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I’d like to alter the perspective of what brings happiness and success and give people permission to exist in the unknown.

What other W.E.L.L. Summit Speaker are you excited to hear from? I’m thrilled that my Vapour Beauty friends are there! I think the education of organic beauty and what we put on our skin is just as important as what we eat.

What exciting things are you working on this year? I’m working on my third book proposal, starting interviews for season two of our espnW podcast, Free Cookies, and starting the design process for a very special capsule I’m creating with Electric & Rose. Kate and I also have a retreat coming up all about creative storytelling in writing and in teaching.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? Finding success without burning out. You don’t have to be in 6th gear constantly to achieve.

What book(s) are you reading now? I have two going—Nocturnes by John Connelly and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.

What quote inspires you? From Seane Corn: “Forget the soul and see the story.”

What’s your favorite ritual for health? Essential oils—I have an entire drawer full of them, and am always concocting a potion to help whatever ails me.

How do you affirm yourself? Through daily personal work. I’m human and normally affirm myself through the approval of others. I’m a constant work-in-progress slashing through the chains of the need of accolades to feel personally affirmed. I’m currently speaking weekly with a therapist and keeping the conversation open and honest with close friends.

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Astrologer Jennifer Racioppi

We loved hearing from Jennifer Racioppi on how menstrual cycles relate to the moon, and we’re completely smitten that she’ll be bringing her expertise to this year’s W.E.L.L. Summit too.

Jennifer is an Astrologer, a Holistic Health Counselor (AADP), a Behavior Change Specialist, a Duke Certified Integrative Health Coach and a Registered Yoga Teacher who blends her expertise in astrology, positive psychology and women’s health to coach high achieving women in reaching their next level of success. Her Lunar Logic philosophy integrates the deep wisdom of both science and astrology, helping women build a foundation of resilience, step into their authentic selves, and stay faithful to their dreams.  Her motto: Success isn’t a race, it’s a rhythm. You can find Jenn on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram—and you can meet her in person in November!

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? I collect trucker hats, and wear them often.

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? This event is produced and curated with a special something something that makes it stand out. I can tell the care you take in curating this event, and feel so lucky to be among your featured speakers.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? The Moon + Your Menstrual Cycle: Explore the connection between the Moon’s cycles and your hormonal rhythms. The more you tune into your body’s natural cycles as well as the celestial rhythms, the better you develop an appropriate relationship with the natural waxing and waning of life. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to  amplify your ability to work concordantly with your body and the cosmos. Most importantly, you’ll have an easier time sourcing your worth from within while being resilient in the face of external adversity. Tune in to the lunar cycle. Live in accordance with your menstrual cycle. Listen to your body, and leverage its power. At the core of your health is you, become the expert on your energy cycles. This breakout session will introduce you to these key concept of rhythmicity and cyclical living.

What does wellness mean to you? To me wellness means having enough positive momentum in my life to be able to access and execute my courage. To have enough zest in my body and heart to boldly live my truth. To have the grit and tenacity to stand up for what I believe in without wearing myself out. To have sustainable energy throughout the day and the capacity to show up for myself and others in times of difficulty. To me, wellness also means having compassion for myself in times of illness and the capacity to nourish and nurture myself and others.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I want attendees to walk away from this break out session with a deep understanding of the connection between the moon’s phases and their menstrual cycle.

It requires becoming the expert on you, and embracing radical authenticity (no matter what), leaning into your intuition, understanding and leveraging the rhythms of your body to best manage time, developing mindful self-compassion, resilience, and having the courage to stand tall in our greatest authenticity.

It’s about tapping into the rhythms that guide our world and our lives.  Radical authenticity—stop trying to fix yourself, and start getting to know yourself

What breakout session are YOU signing up for? I am so excited to hear Latham Thomas!

What exciting things are you working on this year? I am working on a year long training in astrology, cosmic health, and resilience. It includes a trip to Italy! And, I couldn’t be more excited.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? As a teenage cancer survivor so much of life has been about defying the odds. Part of my healing journey meant taking total responsibility for my life at at young age. I moved to California to restart my life and stayed for 7 years. Doing so I not only gained tremendous trust in myself, but I did what many said was impossible; move 3000 miles away from home and successfully restart my life. It made all of the difference to my life and my healing journey.

What book are you reading now? Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant.

What quote inspires you? “Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.” —Warren Bennis

What’s your favorite ritual for health? My favorite health ritual is a deep dark green juice full of kale, chard, spinach, ginger, lemon and cucumber.

What’s your secret surprising practice for empowerment? I have two. One is to embrace nature as medicine. To take lots of walks outside, no matter the season. I believe in this so much that I actually moved to the Hudson Valley just so I can have more fresh air, trees, nature, and long, daily, walks. My second surprising empowering practice? To listen to music every single day. To see live music as much as possible. And to dance as much as I can. Not formal, choreographed dancing, but free flow dancing that looks much more like rocking out than anything else.

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Yogi Jessamyn Stanley

Photo courtesy of Christine Hewitt

Jessamyn Stanley is an internationally recognized yoga instructor and a Modern Yoga authority. She works hard to illuminating the intersections of yoga, body politics, race, and gender identity in the 21st century, and her book Every Body Yoga, speaks to so many of those categories. We’re thrilled to have her at the W.E.L.L. Summit this year, and to introduce her to our tribe. Follow her on Instagram, her website, Twitter and Facebook, and read on for what she’s most looking forward to at the W.E.L.L. Summit this November. 

 

What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? I’m a very competitive board and trivia game player.

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? Currently, the wellness world is very one dimensional—W.E.L.L. Summit’s commitment to 360 degree view of wellness is a very key step in the right direction.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I’ll be discussing the importance of prioritizing self-care and regular yoga practice, and how self-care is a modern form of activism.

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness is a standard of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I want attendees to walk away with the confidence and tools to begin and/or maintain a regular yoga practice, both on and off their yoga mat.

What breakout session are YOU signing up for? I really, really hope I’m able to attend “Ferment Me Not!” with Phoebe Lapine. Probiotic health has been revolutionary in my personal health journey, and I’m excited to learn more about it.

What exciting things are you working on this year? I’m working on my second book, the follow-up to Every Body Yoga, and a yoga lifestyle advice podcast.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? I was repeatedly told that it was a waste of my time to meticulously shoot photos and post them on social media. In the years since, social media marketing has arguably become the most crucial of all marketing techniques.

What book(s) are you reading now? Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Shonda Rhimes Year of Yes and Stephen King’s The Stand.

What quote inspires you? “Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.” —Henry Miller

What do you do when you feel out of balance? I get on my yoga mat as quickly as possible. Even if I just end up crying in child’s pose, it’s always exactly where I need to be.

What’s your favorite ritual for health? Bath soaks, face masks, deep hair conditioning and lip masks—at least once a week for each. They help me remember that I am a queen, no matter how hard the winds of life are blowing.

 

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit: Meet Gluten-Free Chef and Speaker Phoebe Lapine

Meet Phoebe Lapine, gluten-free chef and author of The Wellness Project. She’s known for creating recipes for gluten-free healthy comfort food, sharing realistic lifestyle tips for finding the middle ground between health and hedonism, and being an advocate for Hashimoto’s, the auto-immune disease that impacts your thyroid. She’ll be speaking at the Summit this year and we’re excited to give you a peek into her brain before the event. Read on for more, and follow her recipes and musings online, and on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Tell us: What would WS attendees be surprised to learn about you? I have a fruit phobia! Never met a veggie I didn’t like, but it took me years to be alright with eating a raw blueberry. The issue is texture—I’ll consume almost anything in a smoothie. Everything except oranges. I can’t even touch one!

What first attracted you to W.E.L.L. Summit? So many women I admire and respect spoke at last year’s summit. I’m newish to the world of wellness (I arrived via the autoimmune superhighway from the world of food), and it was amazing to see a community sprouting up that embraced wellness from all angles—as I’ve tried to do in my personal health journey.

What are you teaching at this year’s Summit? I’m going to be talking about glorious fermented foods for your gut health! The balance of bacteria on our skin, in our nether regions, and, most notably, throughout our 25-foot long intestinal tract, can either protect us from or propel us toward a variety of “modern plagues” like obesity, depression, and, especially, autoimmune disease.

Instead of just regurgitating all the amazing research that’s been done on the microbiome, I want to make my session super practical by talking about real ways we can take baby steps in fostering a good gut diet.

A very delicious one is by incorporating lacto-fermented foods. I’ll be demo-ing how to make your own kraut and supplying the group with plenty of recipes and strategies to take home to your own kitchen.

What does wellness mean to you? Waking up with energy, excited to take on the world. That last part is important because it speaks to the state of your spirit.

I’m constantly trying to balance the things that nourish my body with the things that feed my spirit. Restrictive dieting may pull off the pounds and bring us closer to looking like a Greek goddess. It may even make us healthier on paper. But it can often get in the way of living.

What are you hoping to empower attendees with? I want participants to leave with a profound understanding of how certain foods help or hinder our gut health, why adding small amounts of fermented foods to our diet is so much more effective than a probiotic pill, and ways to make small changes in their own kitchen (and eat very tasty things in the process).

What breakout session are YOU signing up for? OR What other W.E.L.L. Summit Speaker are you excited to hear from? Sara’s session on anxiety! Who can’t benefit from more tools for taming the monkey mind?

What exciting things are you working on this year? The Wellness Project book is still a tot, so I’m looking forward to continuing to lead workshops around the launch. There will also be an e-course component come the new year, which will help other members of the #HashiPosse heal in a way that’s practical and sustainable. And finally… a podcast! It’s going to be a departure from my work in health and wellness, but I’m so excited about it. Without giving too much away, it’s going to be focusing on the intersection of creativity and parenting, how artists pass their gifts down through the generations, and how children step out of their parents shadow into their own destiny.

Anyone who is at the top of their game has had to persevere and cheerleader themselves. What is one thing others told you was impossible but you proved was possible? I wasn’t told it was impossible, but there were many people who were doubtful that I could sell a health memoir without a platform that went beyond recipes, or a memoir period at the age of 29! But here I am.

What book(s) are you reading now? I’ve been on a real fiction kick recently. I just finished Lowland by Jumpa Lahiri. Now reading What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons. Going to move on to more nonfiction in the coming weeks starting with Hunger by Roxanne Gay.

What quote inspires you? “Truth is the force that guides us to where we need to be in life, but love is the power that heals us once we arrive there.” —Elizabeth Gilbert

What is the single most powerful piece of advice you’d like to share? The best way to figure out your limits—what works for your body, mind and spirit, and what despite the best scientific and spiritual intentions, may not—is to self-experiment. What I did with my wellness project was make lifestyle changes slowly, steadily, and with the first intention being to pay attention. And I did them in isolation so I could really tease out the impact on both my health and my hedonism. Only then can you decide whether or not a health practice is worth the time money and energy we spend on it.

WS is all about tribe. How do you ensure the right people are around you? Increasingly in this new age of social connectedness there’s a need for people to really step up and build communities in person. I’ve tried to get over the fear of cold emailing strangers who I feel share my ethos, because most people are hungry for some quality in person connection with like-minded women. I’m so happy to have build a whole second friend group this way who I relate to differently than my drinking buddies from college, but value equally!

 

Want more W.E.L.L. Summit? Follow along in our Inside the W.E.L.L. Summit series for more behind the scenes info about the upcoming event!

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Exclusive Deals for W.E.L.L. Summit Attendees

exclusive-dealsfor-w-e-l-l-summitattendees

We’re just about a week away from our amazing 2016 event and we are so thankful to all our attendees, sponsors and vendors for a great, healing time. As part of the W.E.L.L. Summit, we want to make sure our attendees have access to wellness brands even after the event is over—so we’re bringing you an online marketplace with exclusive discounts for W.E.L.L. Summit followers!

Thank you to all our vendors who participated in our LIVE W.E.L.L. party on Friday night, and to all our attendees who made the party so great!

Exclusive Deals for W.E.L.L. Summit Attendees

Tutti del Monte Photography (www.withlovetutti.com and www.boudoirbytutti.com): 20% off photo and video shoots booked using code LOVEWELL (applicable to both With Love Tutti and Boudoir by Tutti shoots) between now and October 31, 2016. To redeem, simply get in touch with Sara at tuttiphotography@gmail.com and reference the code in the email!

Violets Are Blue: 15% from now through December 16, 2016 with code holiday16.

Nantucket Yoga Festival: Save $75 on a full festival pass with code WELL from now through October 31, 2016.

Rishi Tea: 15% off of your entire order through December 14, 2016 with code Tealove15.

The Optimist Co.: $5 off all order over $35 for the remainder of the year to stock up for holidays with discount code WELL.

True Moringa: 25% discount from now through December 16, 2016 using code WELL.

Shift Eco-Boutique: 20% off all orders using code WELLSUMMIT through December 2016.

Satya Jewelry: 25% off sitewide (excluding sale items, gift cards, fine and charity pieces) from October 27 until November 23, 2016, using code WELLSUMMIT25.

Simply Chickie Clothing: 20% discount when using the code Well until December 16, 2016.

Organic Gemini: 20% off with code WELL from now through December 16, 2016.

LifeIce: 20% of all LifeIce orders with promo code WELL now through December 16, 2016.

Organic Bath Co.: 20% off of all orders with discount code WELL, now through December 16, 2016.

The Perpetual You‘s Conscious Maker’s Pop-Up Shop (All codes good through December 16, 2016)

  • Casa&Co (handmade pillows): 20% off with code WELL
  • Ash & Rose (sustainable fashion and accessories): 15% off with code WS15.
  • SYLK USA: 15% off with code WELLSUMMIT16.
  • Seaduced Sea Glass: Free Shipping using the code WELLSUMMIT16.
  • TPY Marketplace: 15% off anything in the marketplace with code BEWELL.

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