Embody Love Movement was founded out of the inspiration from a group of a few young women who, together, found a passion for inspiring and empowering other girls and women to recognize their value and their potential. Their mission is to empower girls and women to celebrate their inner beauty, commit to kindness, and contribute to meaningful change in the world.

The Embody Love Catalysts are a group of young women who have radically embraced their bodies and, therefore, themselves.  In 2011, the catalysts were the initial recipients of a workshop that included media literacy education, yoga, and self-acceptance exercises.  Each of them felt a personal transformation, and together, they dreamed up ways to share the experience with other girls and women. In collaboration with Dr. Melody Moore, they developed Embody Love Movement’s founding programs: the Inner Beauty Shop and the Mentorship Program for younger girls struggling with eating disorders, self-esteem issues, and depression. Through giving back in service of others, the Catalysts have found a greater purpose in their journey to self-love and self-acceptance.  They have brought the Embody Love Movement to schools, camps, and organizations in Dallas and on their college campuses.

Jasper & Fern's founder, Alyson, knows these struggles all too well. She has fought with self-esteem issues her whole life, struggled with bulimia during most of her adolescence and still battles depression. When Kristen Williams, owner of K10 Yoga, approached Alyson about bringing the Embody Love Movement to North Carolina, it was kismet. Built on love, support, grace and compassion Jasper & Fern, K10 Yoga and Embody Love are the perfect fit.

Want to make an impact? You can!
Embody Love Facilitator Training is coming to Winston the end of September!!

“This workshop is going to be powerful. It’s not going to be something you can attend and simply absorb information. It’s going to move you. It’s going to grow your heart and it’s going to give you the skill set to make a deep impact on your loved ones and your community.”

— Alyson, owner of Jasper & Fern

Give the gift of self love to yourself and other women and girls in the community. Become a facilitator for the Embody Love Movement! Celebrate inner beauty, commit to kindness, contribute to meaningful change in the world.

Note: You do not have to be a yoga teacher to complete this training and share this work. Email Kristen Williams for details and to register! K10yogas@gmail.com

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I do my best to keep the practice of not working on Sundays. There's a reason the seventh day was made for rest, after all. For the past few months, I've been making time on Sundays for refilling my body and soul; I am making efforts to get in a better routine of self care. That means anything from spending time with family, napping, cuddling with my puppies, napping, making good conversation with my husband without distractions, walking, napping (I like naps), taking a hot bath, creating and (another favorite) sitting in silence surrounded by nature. I'm stepping outside of my habits today to share part of my self-care journey with you while it is fresh on my heart and I have the words to say what I mean.

Today, part of my self care was opening a book that took me three years to crack the cover and has taken me two years to get to the midway point. This book is both thrilling and unnerving. It's the source of both joyful and disquieting self-examination. In the oddest of ways perhaps, it is a source of self care.

You see, the woman who wrote this book, as an autobiography and memoir of her own struggle with bi-polar disorder, seems like she wrote MY biography. Her experiences, her actions, her struggles - they resonate with me on a deep level. For so long I've felt alone in my bi-polar. I've felt alone in the darkness of my depression. I've felt alone in the joys of my mania, never sure which loneliness is worse - not having someone who understands the depth of the pain in the darkness or the emptiness of seeing the most beautiful moments and experiencing the highest levels of joy and having no one to share that experience with. Now, don't get me wrong, I have wonderful people in my life whom I am incredibly thankful for that love me and share space with me and share deep relationships with me but, the pain of being alone in my experiences with my bi-polar... that is a loneliness I struggle with.

That's where Kay comes in. I've never met her but I feel like I've known her my whole life. I feel like she's me - the me that knows every nook and cranny of who I am, the me that gets my existence. The Me that can relate and explain to me in my struggles what's going on, where I need to be careful and how to take care of myself. On many levels, reading this book allows me the opportunity and perspective to care for myself. It reinforces my confidence that I am not alone; it helps me watch for signs no one else may see but I may notice and helps me know how to care for myself during these times. It helps me accept me for me - especially when I'm struggling.

Through my own journey, I've come to learn that self-care can come in many forms. Accepting and learning about You is a big part of that care. Setting aside time for your mind, body and heart to recover is an integral part of that routine as well. So, after turning a few pages while cuddled with my pups and giving myself the opportunity for introspection, I'm going to take a nap and continue this #selfcaresunday routine.

For the longest time, I thought massages were just for pampering. Now, don't get me wrong, pampering is an important element of self care. Honestly though, I just didn't get it. I heard people rave about their massages and I appreciated their encouragement to go and get one myself but, I never really saw a massage being for me. Massages only sounded like an expensive, awkward experience where you are in minimal clothing and vulnerable and you walk away sticky.

Then I had my first massage.

Let me tell you, my world CHANGED. I never knew just how much pain I was waking up and existing in. That first morning after my massage was illuminating. I didn't have to stretch for 30 minutes before getting out of bed. I didn't have to tenderly and slowly roll over to let all of my joints crack and bones settle with the fear of throwing my back out before my feet even hit the floor. I didn't have to limp to the bathroom barely putting pressure on my left foot. I didn't have to take slow deep, purposeful breaths to slowly loosen my shoulder pain that usually made it difficult to breathe. In fact, I didn't realize I wasn't in pain until I was halfway to the bathroom. Then, when I did, I squealed so loud I scared my poor beagle, Sadie, but I couldn't help it. I was absolutely flabbergasted at the amount of pain I had ignored and the freedom that being nearly pain free gave me.

Now, I'm a firm believer that if you say you don't want a massage or don't think they are necessary, you just haven't had one yourself. Or, at least, you haven't had a good massage. Not only do I now believe in the need for massage but many of my fears of getting a massage have been eliminated. 

Christina gave me my first massage and she is the main reason my fears were eliminated. The first step was very medical - which, I wasn't expecting but, it made sense. I filled out a form detailing my medical history and where I was currently experiencing pain; Christina had even created the form as a sensitive way to inquire about previous abuse. To some, asking about previous abuse may sound intrusive. To an abuse survivor like me, it meant that Christina cared enough to know there are potentially sensitive boundaries and she wanted to respect not only my body and mind but she also didn't make the question intrusive and ask for details or anything that would have potentially made me uncomfortable. Once I filled out the form, Christina took time to read each answer to herself and ask questions only where she had them. She then welcomed me to keep on as many or as little clothing as I was comfortable with and then to lay down on her table. She stepped out of the room and I slipped under the sheets.

The bubbling of a peaceful stream met my ears and was accompanied by the smell of essential oils. Intended to calm my mind, these atmospheric elements worked like a charm. The sheets were soft and warm and, to my surprise, there were a large number of blankets I had to crawl under too! The blankets weren't heavy or hot but they allowed just enough pressure for me to feel cocooned and covered - an effort for atmosphere I greatly appreciated. Then, Christina knocked quietly and made sure she could enter. Her demeanor was always soft and reassuring and I could tell how attentive she was to where my body felt pain and when it had had too much pain. And, yes, there were parts of the massage that caused slight pain as Christina worked out the strain in my muscles but it was never unbearable and it was truly therapeutic. The painful part of the massage coupled with the painlessness I felt the next day caused me to realize exactly how necessary and therapeutic regular massages are. It's why I am now a believer!

All in all, my first massage experience was incredible. Christina was amazing and the results were phenomenal. Which, is why I am SO excited for everyone who comes to Jasper & Fern because the miracle worker who has helped me so much with my pain is moving in!!

I hope you are dancing with excitement over this, because I most certainly am! Christina is one of the many blessings that have come our way since establishing and building up Jasper & Fern. She couldn't be a better fit for our community because she has such a pure, sweet and loving heart. She wants to help you feel better, live a happier life and to not be restricted by pain.

I truly hope you choose to try adding massage to your self care. Massage can change your life!
 

P.S. If you want to book with Christina, she's happy to help you out! 
Email : mckenzie.christina2012@gmail.com
Phone : 828-423-6281