OUR SERVICES
We believe in creating platforms for authentic engagement & respectful dialogue between compassionate individuals from all walks of life.
We are committed
to exploring how identity and lived experience shapes one’s approach to wellness, and using this understanding to craft customized wellness practices aligned with their purpose and values.
We value authenticity and mindfulness because introspection and self-awareness are key to developing a sustainable plan. We believe that everyone has worth outside of their roles, and deserves to live in a world free of discrimination with access to the resources needed to thrive, not just survive
Speaking Events
TEDx Talk
Black thumbs welcome: Gardening and lessons on resilience
Our Approach
Our Signature Talks
COVID-19: Stress and health inequity
In this talk, I provide a friendly explanation of the factors that are driving health inequities in marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants learn how social determinants of health (e.g. education, income, and housing) and stressors such as discrimination contribute to poor health outcomes. They will leave with a deeper understanding of the efforts needed at multiple levels in order to advance towards health equity.
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Community, non-profit, higher education
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60-90 minutes
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Community health
Foundations of personal and professional well-being
In this talk, I discuss wellness as a foundational practice for fulfilling your organizational mission. Participants learn how elements of their lived experience and identity characteristics shape how they define wellness and cope with stress. They explore how self-compassion, time management, and other tools can help them reframe their approach to wellness and create a sustainable practice.
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Corporate, non-profit, higher education
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90 minutes
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Workplace well-being, wellness practices
Walking the talk: Creating a culture of wellness
In this talk, participants explore wellness as the foundation of effective leadership. They explore how their wellness practice and work style influences whether or not wellness is an option for those they manage or lead. Participants discuss strategies to refine their leadership style, and identify priority areas of wellness to address moving forward.
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Leadership in corporate, non-profit, higher education
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90 minutes
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Incorporating wellness into organizational culture.
Foundations of personal and professional well-being for educators
In this talk, participants identify major ongoing stressors (e.g. uncertainty, delivery of instruction, availability of support services). They explore how elements of their own identity and lived experience shape their approach to wellness, and identify tools to support their practices as they support students and colleagues. This talk can be customized for staff, teachers, and administrators.
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K-12 and Higher Education
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90 minutes
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Workplace well-being, wellness practices
Caring for others means caring for yourself
In this talk, participants identify stressors that have contributed to secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and a sense of moral injury among health care and public health professionals. They explore how these stressors can affect their ability to care for themselves and those they serve. Tools are provided to help participants explore individual and organizational approaches to promote well-being, and develop proactive strategies that address their needs.
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Healthcare and Public Health
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60-90 minutes
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Workplace well-being, wellness practices
We empower leaders to intentionally develop organizational cultures that prioritize sustainable performance by addressing systemic barriers to wellness, particularly for marginalized populations.
Empowered to Exhale Retreats
Images provided courtesy of Civana Resort
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This four-day retreat provides the space for leaders to take a deep dive into their wellness journey. Participants will come out of the retreat with a personalized wellness plan that is realistic for their daily lives. Empowered to Exhale will provide group coaching sessions to foster a supportive community as participants develop and refine their individual plans based on their needs and preferences. Group meals provide time for reflection on new experiences, sharing lessons learned, and celebration of our collective humanity and joy. Time will be provided for personal reflection, as well as to enjoy the spa and wellness classes at Civana. Participants are encouraged to take turns leading small group activities to help them further embody wellness as a core leadership practice.
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We welcome you to join us at Civana Resort, named the #4 destination spa for the 2021 World’s Best Awards by Travel + Leisure. We have chosen this location for our retreats for several reasons. Its location in the Sonoran Desert, along with an age restriction (14+) sets a serene environment for your relaxation. Access to a world class spa and daily wellness classes ranging from meditation to yoga, dance, and cycling, provide a blank canvas for your wellness journey.
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A great conference is energizing, stimulating - and you learn something new. This retreat experience is all that and more - it’s also rejuvenating & sustaining. I learned that I need to better understand the true demands of my personal and professional life - and what I need to do to restore myself from those demands. The restoration allows me to live the life I want to live and to be the person I want to be in all the roles I want to enjoy in my life.
Be prepared to experience relaxation, restoration, growth and enjoying the company of others who are there with you to enjoy the experience as you take the time to reflect, learn, plan and practice healthy and healing living.
--Heather R., Physician & Public Health Professional
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Individuals who lead with compassion, and are supportive of this retreat’s focus, which will center the experiences of Black women in leadership. Our careful selection process helps us to ensure participants are committed to exploring their own wellness in ways that will stretch them, and engaging in collective care rooted in compassion and seeking to understand, rather than to be understood.
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Three nights of lodging at Civana Resort in Carefree, Arizona (double queen or king bed). Each room has patio or balcony with pool or desert views, television, fridge, and extra large shower (spa tub available for a fee)
Three group coaching sessions during the retreat
Restaurant credit for breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday, to dine at your leisure
Group dinners Thursday through Saturday
Group breakfast on Sunday
Spa treatment and access to aqua therapy circuit on day of treatment
Two private wellness classes specially curated for our participants
Access to 10+ classes and workshops held by Civana Resort each day (it is recommended to reserve two per day in advance)
Access to on-site amenities (pool, hot tub, fire pit, gym, water bottle with filling stations, labyrinth, bicycles)
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PERMAH well-being survey assessment and debrief
Swag bag curated by women of color vendors to enhance your retreat experience
Pre-retreat group call and resources to help you maximize your time at Civana
Post-retreat group call and resources to support your continued wellness journey
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$4000 per person for Double occupancy (choice of two queen beds or one king bed)
$4550 for Single occupancy (choice of two queen beds or one king bed)
Pricing quotes are per person. They do not include roundtrip transportation to and from the retreat site. It is recommended to fly into Phoenix Airport (PHX). Uber/Lyft (roughly $60) or a car service ($100) may be used to travel to the resort, but car service is recommended for the return, to ensure timely arrival at airport for departure. -
This retreat is a professional development opportunity suitable for leaders across sectors (entrepreneurs, non-profit, corporate, higher education, government). We encourage organizations to use professional development funds, wellness stipends, or other resources to make it possible for participants to attend.
We welcome organizations who are aligned with our mission to sponsor attendees who are from or support marginalized communities.
Customized Retreats
Organization/Team Retreats
We have had the honor of developing meaningful workshops and retreat experiences for organizations such as NASA, San Joaquin Delta Community College, and California State, University, Fullerton. We would welcome the opportunity to work with your team to create a unique and memorable virtual or in-person experience to support individual and organizational well-being.
Personalized Retreats
Are you interested in curating a retreat right where you are? Whether you are looking for an individual or small group experience, we welcome you to use leverage our learning resources
Our video page features two TEDx talks delivered by Dr. Portia Jackson Preston, and a guided meditation
Our resources page features a 15-page workbook to guide your wellness journey, along with discussion guides for both TEDx talks. These resources can be used to develop your own wellness plan, as well as to cultivate meaningful discussion among friends, book groups, teams in the workplace, and other settings.
If you are interested in traveling to create your own retreat, we welcome the opportunity to support you in creating a meaningful stay, as well as integrating what you have learned once you return home. We have more than a decade of experience traveling to wellness workshops and retreats in which we were often the only people of color. We now draw upon those experiences to curate meaningful, restorative journeys for clients who are members of or work to support marginalized communities.
“You must nurture what you want to see grow… in a way, I am watering myself when I slow down and engage in practices that allow me to recover”
TEDx Talk - Black thumbs welcome: Gardening and lessons on resilience
Virtual Programs
We are developing virtual programs to support individuals as they develop a sustainable wellness plan that fits their lifestyle. We will guide you on your journey, and provide tips to address common barriers that often sabotage our best efforts. Spaces are limited to provide a platform for an intentional and engaged community to form. Sign up for our mailing list to be notified when our next cycle of programming opens.