SpelLIFE – A Celebration of our Commitment to Lifelong Wellness
The third annual SpelLIFE Women’s Wellness Summit empowered women in our community to meet like-minded women, interact with local businesses that value lifelong wellness, and gain insight on how to lead richer lives – emotionally, physically and financially.
Gaynell Anderson, owner of Absolute Physical Therapy, co-founded the Women’s Wellness Summit in 2013 with her sister Jill Ciccarelli Rapps, in an effort to provide women in our community with the resources they need to achieve lifelong wellness.
“The mission of SpelLIFE is to motivate women to a pro-active approach to life, using dynamic speakers and valuable community services that center around the eight dimensions of wellness, which SpelLIFE: Spiritual, Physical, Environmental, Leisure, Local, Intellectual, Financial and Emotional,” Anderson said.
The focus of this year’s summit was brain health. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, author of the New York Times bestseller “My Stroke of Insight”, delivered the keynote address.
Her presentation – How to Get Your Brain to Do What You Want it to Do – provided an informative, colorful analysis of how each area of the brain functions.
“The amygdala tells you when you are safe…when you don’t feel safe, it goes ‘Alarm! Alarm! Alert! Alert!’” Dr. Taylor said. “In the present moment your amygdala thinks you are safe. You feel anxious when you worry about the past or the future.”
Dr. Taylor offered concrete recommendations on how to remain in control of your emotions, including what she calls the “90-second rule” – the concept that a thought will trigger an emotional response for only 90 seconds.
“We are not thinking beings who feel; we are feeling beings who think,” she said. “The reason you feel angry for more than 90 seconds at a time is that you stay in a cycle of angry thoughts. Being aware of this gives you the power to be in control.”
The women’s summit also featured five break-out sessions, showcasing experts on a variety of topics related to neurological wellness.
The speakers included Dr. Pamela Gerali, who emphasized the relationship between the human mind and spirit; Dr. William Justiz, who provided insight on diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease; Dr. Pamela Hughes, who outlined the connection between hormones and the brain; and professional organizer Marla Ottenstein, who revealed how peace of mind can be achieved by simplifying your life and getting organized.
One of the break-out sessions focused on helping participants find the purpose in their lives. The presentation was facilitated by several speakers who represented the Blue Zones Project: Lisa Gruenloh, MA, ACC, from Purpose Journey® Consulting, Training and Coaching; Kathy A. Feinstein, MS, from KAF Counseling and Consulting, Inc.; and Dr. Carol Renaud Gaffney from Behavioral Intelligence® Consulting.
In addition, the event featured 27 resource booths, where local businesses interacted with the attendees and demonstrated their commitment to the numerous dimensions of wellness.
Proceeds from the SpelLIFE Women’s Wellness Summit will benefit stroke initiatives at The Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Rehabilitation.
The event was sponsored by organizations in our community: Absolute Physical Therapy, the Blue Zones Project by Healthways, Chico’s, Ciccarelli Advisory Services, Ciccarelli Family Foundation, éBella Magazine, Hughes Center for Functional Medicine, Life in Naples Magazine, McKenney Home Care, and the NCH Healthcare System.
This year’s SpelLIFE Women’s Wellness Summit had the largest turnout on record, with more than 340 people in attendance. The event was at 9 a.m. on April 2 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Naples.
To learn more about next year’s conference – as well as volunteering and sponsorship opportunities – please contact A Euphoric Living Foundation, Inc., at info@spelLIFE.org, or call Jill Ciccarelli Rapps at 239-784-8001.
Gaynell Anderson and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor are not affiliated with FSC Securities Corporation.
