How one search for healing and connection helped shape The Aria Foundation’s approach to whole-person wellness.
Wellness isn’t only about physical health. It’s also about connection, confidence, belonging, and having a community that encourages you to keep moving forward.
My own journey with wellness began during a time when I was searching for both healing and community.
After moving to Florida, I found myself looking for a place where I could connect with others while also finding a more holistic way to care for my body. Having experienced neck and back injuries, I wanted an approach to movement that felt restorative, supportive, and sustainable.
That search unexpectedly led me to an AntiGravity yoga studio.
I walked into my first restorative class simply hoping to feel a little better. Instead, I discovered an entirely new relationship with movement and wellness.
AntiGravity and aerial-based practices use a suspended hammock to support the body through stretching, movement, relaxation, and—in appropriate classes—supported inversions. I loved that the hammock could provide support while allowing me to explore movement differently than I had with traditional exercise.
For me personally, the effects extended beyond the studio. With continued practice, I found myself relying less frequently on chiropractic visits, noticed that my discomfort had become more manageable, and experienced a meaningful improvement in my mood and overall sense of well-being.
But something else happened that was equally important: I found the sense of community I had originally been searching for.
I became so passionate about the practice and what it had added to my life that I eventually pursued my teaching certification in this form of yoga. What began as a personal search for connection and a holistic approach to my own wellness became an experience I wanted to share with others.
That journey helped shape how I think about wellness today—and how we approach it at The Aria Foundation.
We believe wellness should be about more than exercise. It can create opportunities for movement, mindfulness, stress relief, confidence, social connection, education, and belonging.
Through community-centered wellness programming, The Aria Foundation hopes to introduce women and families to accessible experiences that encourage them to care for themselves, connect with others, explore new approaches to well-being, and discover what helps them feel their best.
Because sometimes, walking into a new space looking for one thing can lead you to something much greater: a healthier relationship with yourself and a community you didn’t know you needed.
— Desiree Samuel
Founder & Executive Director, The Aria Foundation