Aruma Talks
Aruma Talks are immersive conversations and presentations focused on mental and emotional wellness, designed to inspire growth, reflection, and meaningful connection. Led by experienced speakers, each talk combines thought-provoking insights, discussion, and space for self-reflection, leaving participants with fresh perspectives and deeper compassion.
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Explore our range of Talks, or connect with us to create a session tailored to your group’s size, focus, goals, and unique needs. Whether for a workplace, organization, agency, school, retreat, or community gathering, we are happy to customize a meaningful and grounded experience that aligns with what your group is looking for.
Available Talks
the power of boundaries
Led by Haley Bowes, RSW
The Power of Boundaries is a direct, honest, and impactful talk about one of the hardest — and most necessary — parts of being human: setting boundaries. Boundaries sound simple in theory, but in reality they can feel uncomfortable, guilt-inducing, confronting, and even physically painful to put into place. Many of us were never taught how to say no, express our needs, disappoint others, or choose ourselves without shame attached to it. Instead, we overextend, people-please, suppress, tolerate, and carry more than our bodies and nervous systems were ever meant to hold. In this TALK, Haley Bowes explores what boundaries actually are, why we need them, and how the absence of healthy boundaries can deeply impact our mental, emotional, relational, and physical health. Chronic stress, burnout, resentment, nervous system dysregulation, autoimmune disease, and other physical ailments are often connected to lives lived without enough safety, honesty, rest, or self-protection. This is not a surface-level conversation about self-care. It is a deeper look at the reality that boundaries are foundational to our relationships, emotional well-being, nervous system regulation, and the way we move through the world. If you want a healthier, more connected, and sustainable life, it starts with boundaries. This talk is well suited for workplaces, agencies, schools, sports teams, clubs, organizations, wellness events, conferences, and retreats looking to support more honest communication, stronger relationships, emotional well-being, and sustainable ways of living and working.
the heartbeat of a business
Led by Haley Bowes, RSW
The Heartbeat of a Business is a grounded and thought-provoking talk for entrepreneurs, business owners, leaders, and creatives who are craving a more connected and sustainable way of building. In a world constantly telling us what we should be doing — how often to post, how much to spend, who to follow, what strategy to chase — it becomes incredibly easy to lose ourselves, our vision, and the original heartbeat of why we started in the first place. We become flooded with information, pulled in every direction, and disconnected from our own inner knowing. This talk invites people to slow down enough to truly listen to the heartbeat of their business. To remember that the idea, the vision, the pull toward creating something meaningful came from within them first. Before the algorithms, the coaches, the experts, and the noise, there was a seed planted somewhere deep in the psyche asking to be brought to life. Haley Bowes explores the importance of learning how to co-create with your business instead of constantly forcing, performing, chasing, or abandoning yourself in the process. While mentorship, strategy, marketing, and support all have value, this talk challenges the idea that someone outside of us always knows better than we do. This is a conversation about intuition, nervous system regulation, alignment, burnout, creativity, leadership, and staying connected to the deeper purpose underneath what we are building. Because when we lose connection to ourselves, we often lose connection to the very thing we set out to create. This talk is well suited for entrepreneurs, business owners, leadership teams, wellness professionals, creatives, retreats, networking communities, and organizations looking for a more human and grounded approach to business and leadership.
NOt JUST 'DISTRACTED': UNMASKING ADHD IN WOMEN
Led by Veronica Felizardo, MSW
Forget the hyperactive boy stereotype. ADHD in women often looks like chronic overwhelm, perfectionism, people-pleasing, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, and the constant feeling that everyone else seems to manage life more easily. Many women spend years wondering, "Why is everything so hard?" without realizing ADHD may be part of the story. In this engaging and eye-opening talk, Veronica Felizardo draws on her clinical experience supporting neurodivergent women to explore how ADHD uniquely presents across different stages of life. Together, we'll unpack masking, rejection sensitivity, time blindness, emotional regulation, executive functioning challenges, and the invisible mental load so many women carry. We'll also explore how ADHD can impact relationships, parenting, work, self-worth, and identity. Grounded in research, clinical expertise, and practical strategies, this conversation moves beyond deficits and diagnoses. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the ADHD brain, tools to navigate everyday challenges, and a new appreciation for the creativity, intuition, resilience, hyperfocus, and strengths that often accompany ADHD. Whether you're newly diagnosed, questioning if ADHD may fit your experience, or supporting someone who is, this talk offers validation, understanding, and a compassionate path forward.
Bounce: Building resilience for Life's Inevitable Setbacks
Led by Veronica Felizardo, MSW
Resilience isn't about never falling—it's about how you bounce. This dynamic and engaging talk moves beyond clichés and toxic positivity to explore what resilience really looks like in everyday life. Learn how to navigate adversity, cultivate a growth mindset, and build a personalized "resiliency reservoir" of skills, supports, and strategies that help you adapt, recover, and move forward when life feels difficult. In this practical and thought-provoking conversation, Veronica Felizardo explores why some experiences impact us more deeply than others and how resilience can be intentionally strengthened over time. Participants will gain insight into the relationship between stress, the brain, the nervous system, and emotional wellbeing, while learning how to move beyond survival mode and build greater psychological flexibility. Grounded in research, real-life experience, and practical tools, this talk offers strategies that can be applied immediately in both personal and professional life. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of resilience, increased self-awareness, and a toolkit of skills designed to help them face life's inevitable challenges with greater confidence, adaptability, and hope.
Beyond the Fog: Finding Your Way Through Depression & Anxiety
Led by Veronica Felizardo, MSW
Feeling stuck in a cycle of worry, exhaustion, overwhelm, or low mood? You're not alone—and it's not simply a matter of "trying harder" or thinking more positively. Depression and anxiety can impact every area of life, making even the smallest tasks feel difficult, leaving people feeling disconnected from themselves, others, and the things they once enjoyed. In this engaging and practical talk, Veronica Felizardo explores the realities of anxiety and depression through a compassionate, evidence-based lens. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these experiences affect the brain, body, nervous system, emotions, and daily functioning, while learning why many common coping strategies often leave people feeling stuck. Grounded in research, clinical expertise, and real-world application, this conversation provides practical tools to help challenge unhelpful thought patterns, manage symptoms, build emotional resilience, and create greater calm and balance. Participants will leave with a personalized toolkit of strategies, increased self-understanding, and a renewed sense of hope for navigating life's challenges with greater confidence and wellbeing.
Creative Connections: Supporting Children’s Mental Health Through Art
An Adult Workshop for Parents & Educators
Led by Emily Paris, RP; Art Therapist
This interactive workshop is designed for parents, educators, and caregivers who want to better understand how creativity can support children’s emotional wellbeing, self-expression, and connection. Through discussion, reflection, and hands-on experiential art making, participants will explore how art can help children communicate feelings, regulate emotions, build resilience, and feel more connected to the adults supporting them. The workshop combines psychoeducation with accessible creative exercises that demonstrate how art-making can become a meaningful tool for connection, co-regulation, and emotional support both at home and in educational settings. No artistic experience is needed. This workshop focuses on presence, curiosity, and relationship-building rather than artistic skill or outcome. Workshop Includes: • A presentation on creativity, emotional regulation, and children’s mental health • Hands-on experiential art-making activities • Practical strategies for supporting connection and emotional expression through creativity • Simple, accessible ideas for using art at home or in the classroom • Art materials provided for in-person workshops • Flexible workshop structure that can be tailored to parents, educators, or professional groups
Mindful Art Making for Teens: Creativity as Self-Care
Led by Emily Paris, RP; Art Therapist
This interactive workshop invites teens to explore mindfulness and emotional wellbeing through creative expression. Combining presentation, discussion, and hands-on art making, participants will learn how creativity can support stress reduction, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and self-expression. Through accessible and engaging art-based activities, teens will be encouraged to slow down, connect with the present moment, and use creativity as a supportive outlet for processing emotions and navigating everyday stress. No artistic experience is needed. The focus is on creativity as a process for reflection, expression, and self-care rather than artistic skill or outcome. Workshop Includes: • A presentation on mindfulness, creativity, and mental wellbeing • Guided mindfulness-based art-making exercises • Creative activities focused on emotional expression and stress reduction • Reflective prompts and discussion • A supportive and welcoming environment • Art materials provided for the workshop • Flexible workshop structure that can be tailored to specific group needs
Mindful Art Making for Adults: Creativity as Self-Care
Led by Emily Paris, RP: Art Therapist
This interactive workshop invites adults to reconnect with creativity as a form of mindfulness, and self-care. Through a blend of presentation and hands-on art making, participants will explore how creative practices can support nervous system regulation, stress reduction, emotional wellbeing, and presence. The workshop offers space to slow down, step away from performance and productivity, and engage with creativity in a restorative and meaningful way. The workshop includes both psychoeducation and experiential art-making activities, offering participants an opportunity to better understand the connection between creativity, mindfulness, and mental health while experiencing it firsthand. No artistic experience is needed. The focus is not on artistic skill or outcome, but on process, presence, and curiosity. Workshop Includes: • A presentation on mindfulness, creativity, and mental wellbeing • Guided mindfulness-based art-making exercises • Exploration of creativity as a tool for self-care and sress reduction • Reflective prompts and gentle discussion • A supportive and calming environment for creative exploration • Art materials provided for the workshop • Flexible workshop structure that can be tailored to specific group needs
Creative Connections: Art, Connection & Children’s Mental Health (Family Workshop)
Led by Emily Paris, RP; Art Therapist
This interactive workshop invites parents and children to explore how creativity can support emotional wellbeing, self-expression, and connection. Through engaging creative activities and discussion, families will experience how art can help children communicate feelings, regulate emotions, and strengthen connection with themselves and others. Parents will also participate in a deeper discussion and hands-on creative workshop focused on the therapeutic benefits of art-making and simple ways to bring creativity into everyday family life. No artistic experience is needed. This workshop is about presence, curiosity, and connection. Workshop Includes: • Interactive creative activities for parents and children • A parent-focused presentation on creativity, emotional regulation, and connection • A hands-on experiential art-making workshop • Simple, practical ideas for supporting connection through creativity at home • A take-home guide for parents on creativity at home • Art materials provided for the parent workshop • Flexible workshop structure that can be tailored to specific needs, including parent-only presentations
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Beyond "I'm Fine": A Conversation for Men
Led by Jennifer McMaster
Many men find their way into counselling, coaching, or personal growth work when life has already become overwhelming. Stress, burnout, relationship struggles, disconnection, anger, anxiety, exhaustion, or simply the feeling that something isn't working anymore. Often, they know something needs to change, but they aren't sure where to start. This conversation offers a different starting point. Rather than focusing on fixing, performing, or pushing through, we explore what happens when we slow down long enough to listen. What is your nervous system trying to tell you? What do you actually need? Is it counselling? Coaching? Breathwork? Movement? Connection? Or perhaps simply a space where you can think, feel, and be heard without judgment, expectations, or the pressure to have it all figured out. Led by Jennifer McMaster, this talk explores nervous system regulation, stress, emotional wellbeing, and the impact of carrying life's responsibilities without adequate support. Together, we'll discuss why so many men struggle in silence, the importance of friendship and circles of support, and how healing often begins when we stop pretending we're okay and allow ourselves to be seen. Grounded, practical, and deeply human, this conversation is for men who are tired of carrying everything alone. Whether you're looking for support, seeking direction, or simply curious about where to begin, this talk offers an opportunity to pause, reconnect with yourself, and take the first step toward what comes next.
Connect with Us
Connect with us to create a session tailored to your group’s size, focus, goals, and unique needs. Whether for a workplace, organization, agency, school, retreat, or community gathering, we are happy to customize a meaningful and grounded experience that aligns with what your group is looking for.