Philosophy
MOONWELL is a movement. A calling. A re-awakening for all women to unearth and rediscover the truth of who they are. MOONWELL creates safe opportunities for women to release what is holding them back so they can step into their light, creativity and gifts.
Everything offered in this space is to support and nourish the health of women. Through new and full moon circles, retreats, nutrition, herbalism and soulful gifts. MOONWELL is committed to bringing self nourishment back into women’s everyday lives through rituals, education and empowerment.
THE WOMEN BEHIND THE MOVEMENT
Amanda Cook
Amanda’s journey started over 20 years ago working with and counselling at-risk youth in the community and the education system. Through her experience and years in the field, she shifted her focus from a reactive approach to one of prevention and went back to school for holistic nutrition. However, after her studies, consulting, public speaking and years of program development, she became acutely aware of the gaps in the wellness industry. She pivoted back to where she started and further studied trauma and the mind body connection.
Through Amanda’s continued commitment to education and her personal healing journey, she has learned the power of stepping outside of her comfort zone to connect to her inner desires to experience growth, fulfillment, and joy. Rooted in meditation and gratitude, Amanda has found a deep passion for living mindfully to capture the moments of joy in the messy chaos of motherhood and family life, while also refining her self care through rituals that create empowerment, inspiration and rejuvenation.
Amanda is a practitioner of mind body therapy, a trauma-informed counselor, holistic nutrition practitioner, teacher of meditation and breathwork and a busy mama of two. Amanda has been working with marginalized and disenfranchised women for the last few years, facilitating workshops, teaching meditation, mindfulness and counseling as they create their lives on their terms. She also has a private conscious counseling practice where she supports women as they reconnect to their body, learn their unique and powerful body language while unboxing and discovering their deepest truth. To connect with Amanda about her offerings, explore here:
@amandacook.ca / www.amandacook.ca
Lauren Mary
As a young child, Lauren knew that she wanted to be a Mother. One of her greatest joys growing up was nurturing and taking care of others and tapping into her intuition to bring healing to those who needed it through simple acts of nourishment through food, touch, and ritual.
Lauren has an innate gift of healing through multiple modalities through the use of herbal medicines, nutrition, aromatherapy, flower essence therapy, and the art of alchemy. Her healing path began in 2009, where she found herself in ‘the dark night of the soul’. While attending Nursing school, Lauren made the bold move to withdraw and buy a plane ticket to India- knowing that something there awaited her. It was in Mama India that she discovered Ayurvedic medicine and the teachings of preventative medicine for longevity and radiance.
When she returned home, she began her training as a Clinical Herbalist (Wild Rose College, 2012) & a Holistic Nutritionist (Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, 2014). Over the last 12 years, she has had the immense privilege of training under Indigenous Herbalists, Naturopathic + Functional Medicine Doctors, Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctors, & Wise Women Birth Keepers & believes that in the natural realm, you are always a student of the Earth.
Lauren is also a certified birth + post partum doula (DONA International, 2014), serving her community and walking with women in their healing and birthing journeys for nearly a decade. A legacy, passed down from her Metis Grandmother who was a traditional Midwife- supporting, nourishing and holding space for women runs in her blood.
Her company, Elle Wellness, is founded on the belief that women deserve better care when it comes to their physical, emotional and spiritual health. Lauren is an alchemist, weaving together science and ceremony to create beautiful green beauty and wellness potions that have reached women from all corners of the Earth. In addition to Elle Wellness, Lauren’s passion for radical reproductive health also extends into her sister company, Sacred Stools- a commerce boutique for handcrafted, cedarwood yoni stools + herbal vaginal steams. Lauren is also the founder of Wild Roses Festival, an annual gathering for women to relearn, reskill and reconnect in Sisterhood.
When Lauren isn’t gardening, wildcrafting, circling, teaching, crafting or birth keeping- you will find her loving on her two little girls, Freya + Forest. To find out more about her many offerings, explore here:
@ellewellnessco / www.ellewellness.ca
@sacredstools / www.sacredstools.com
@wildrosesfestival / www.wildrosesfestival.com