testimonials

Over-caffeinated, over-sugared, over-stressed, over-committed is how Sharon Song described herself. She was on the verge of burnout and completely disconnected from what her body really needed.

“Alive and Well helped me learn to listen to my body— especially the stress that was telling me I needed better self- care. I learned that loving and caring for myself is a way to connect to God’s love for me.”

Sharon lives and works in South Los Angeles with an urban ministry community. Inspired by her own transformation, Sharon became a certified fitness trainer and is a spiritual director. She’s committed to using what she’s learned to support others in living healthy, sustainable, urban spiritual lives. Sharon blogs on wellness related topics for Asian American Women on Leadership. For a beautiful expression of the fruit of her Alive and Well training, check out her blog about listening deeply and accepting her limitations.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for the Alive and Well program and the tools it equipped me with to better learn how love myself. I am learning that a contemplative path to health and well-being asks that you be courageous and brave as well as reflective and accepting in order to fully embrace self-love and the love of others. It is both a process of fully letting go as well as leaning into and walking toward a complete love that was always there.”

Emma Gonzalez is studying Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. She is passionate about cultural and religious diversity and their relationship to the study of human behavior. Read Emma’s blog posts about her experience for the rest of the story.

“The gifts that I received from participating in the mindful eating dinner will stay with me for a long time. I learned a very valuable skill in self-care that night. I learned that I am worth the time that it takes to slow down and properly enjoy a meal. I learned that so often, we celebrate around food and hardly ever take the time to enjoy it…If we rush through every meal and feel guilty after eating foods that aren’t “clean” or otherwise virtuous, chances are that our lives are sprinkled with unwarranted shame in areas that we may not even be aware of. We deserve to have our needs met and to be heard. We deserve connection with others. Evenings like this truly illustrate the healing powers of community and the fact that we are not alone.”

Kelly Mach is a licensed mental health counselor and yoga instructor. Her passion is helping others to thrive, live their best life and find self-acceptance and peace through yoga and positive psychology. For more from Kelly, check out our blog posts about the mindful eating dinner.