A Beautiful Space for You
For those of you who are new to The Embodied Way…Welcome! I send this newsletter out once per month, usually mid-month. You are always welcome to unsubscribe, which you can do at the bottom of this newsletter. My intention is to provide more value to you, when it comes to your life and your skin without being an annoying nuisance in your inbox! Thank you for being a client and for spreading the word about The Embodied Way:)
One of the most pleasurable things I do at The Embodied Way is set up a room for a service. I have my little rituals for preparing the room and ensuring I have all the things I need to make your experience personal and memorable.
You might recall that I asked you what your favourite colour was when you filled in your intake form. Well, I now use that to set the light on my diffuser to your favourite. It reminds me of who you are and of things that matter to you, and it hopefully lets you know that this time and space is just for you.
Notes from Glenda
A little more of the behind the scenes story of The Embodied Way…
When I first opened my business back in 2007 in Cobble Hill, I named it The Beauty Room. Its focus was not only on the outer beauty of a person, it’s intention was to help all my clients access their inner beauty, too. My focus was to build quality relationships and deliver exceptional esthetic services.
That business did very well and I had a wonderful clientele that kept me busy everyday of the week. In 2017, I wound it down considerably, when I trained to be a High Performance Coach™ and my body needed a rest.
After about a year of a slower pace, I stopped operating The Beauty Room and put my focus on the lifestyle medicine business (and coaching) that I built with my husband. We worked primarily with the RCMP. This led me to becoming a trauma-informed coach, and then a body-oriented coach.
It was a very rewarding and challenging role and I loved it, but with COVID our business needed to shift and we had to move…we chose the Comox Valley.
As part of the shift, I took a part-time job at The Kingfisher. What a wild ride to be back in esthetics again but in an environment where I had very little control or choice in how services were delivered. Plus, it was a back-breaking pace at the spa. I decided to open an esthetics business again so that I could do esthetics the way I was convinced they should be delivered. This time I wanted it to have a different tone altogether - for myself and for the client.
Enter…The Embodied Way. Here’s what’s changed and how my business now is trauma-informed and body-oriented focused. Plus, I aim to deliver exceptional esthetic services using products that are of the highest quality.
But, what does it mean to have a trauma-informed and body-oriented coach mindset as an esthetician and how this has changed my delivery of services?
Here’s a little (big) list of the biggest shifts:
- New levels of listening and compassion for you and your story
- I check in on the experience you are having. I do this by paying attention to body signals as well as direct communication
- Inform and encourage you to notice different sensations you might experience during a service
- Grounding in the experience with opening and closing rituals
- Asking for permission to do certain things in the service and encouraging you to ask for what you need and want.
- More time and space for services and enough space between services- this is so I can reset and so you are able to complete your experience at a pace that feels unrushed.
- The practical transaction of the service is wrapped in a genuine relationship where listening to you and your needs, goals, and desires is my highest priority
- Check in’s on your life, there is always room for you to talk about what your life looks like in the moment (or to hold a space for silence if that is what is needed most)
- Ask about intention/goals for your service or what you want (quiet or to be informed of what I am doing when I am doing it) and taking note of the personalized way you like to be treated
- I resource myself regularly and am much more present in services than before. In other words, I know that my energy impacts you, so I do things (internally and externally) to ensure I am putting out good vibes!
- An even deeper appreciation for the trust that you place in me and to honour that trust
Now you know some of my secrets, you can call me out if I don’t deliver!
Product of the Month
An anti-aging night mask for fragile lips that plumps, smooths, and protects while offering a truly indulgent experience.
Formulated with Maxi Lip® peptide, hyaluronic acid microspheres, and a plant-based protective complex, it reshapes the lip contour, smooths vertical lines, and shields delicate skin from environmental aggressors. Its melting texture, enriched with shea and mango butters and subtly scented with frozen raspberry, provides intense hydration and wraps the lips in a protective veil.
Formulated with Inca-Inchi and argan oils, plus caper extract, it strengthens the skin barrier and improves comfort without leaving a greasy feel. Its light texture absorbs quickly, leaving skin soft and rested.
You can get this lip mask in studio or online HERE. Please enter The Embodied Way in the drop down menu in your cart where it says 'Which institute or spa do you frequent?
Need even more help for your lips? Pair this with the Oxygenating Fundamental Facial (my Signature 20-Step facial) and ask me when you come in for the 'secret' collagen lip treatment to be added on.
The Giving Corner
This month, I will be giving to the Red Cross to support the community of the Tumbler Ridge Tragedy. They have put out a direct appeal for support.
The Canadian Red Cross is working to support those impacted by the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. Money raised will be used to support those affected by the devastating events, helping to meet immediate needs and address the impacts on individuals, families, and communities.
Quotes
This month's quotes are centered on grief. There's so much to grief and to how we process it. It is an essential part of healing and the human experience, but wow, is it hard- especially when tragedy strikes us individually and collectively.
These quotes come from Andrea Gibson, a poet who passed away from cancer not too many month's ago (they were in their 40's). I am not usually a poetry reader, but their poetry is understandable and beautifully conveyed. You can read more of Andrea's work on Substack: Click HERE to read more.
"Let your heart break so your spirit doesn't."
"When nothing softens the grief, may grief soften me."
Endnotes
Remember to secure your favourite time for a service with early bookings, especially if you are planning a trip. Wishing you a fabulous last half of February and warming up for Spring start of March. I still have my fingers crossed for some skiing though!
See you soon,
Glenda
