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.
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.
THE MENTAL LOAD WE CARRY
Led by Haley Bowes; RSW
A Conversation About Stress, Capacity, and Well-Being. Many of us move through life carrying far more than we realize. Between work responsibilities, family demands, relationships, finances, health concerns, and the countless decisions that fill our days, the mental load can quietly build until we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, exhausted, or stretched thin. The Mental Load We Carry is an interactive and reflective Aruma Talk that invites participants to pause and take stock of what they are carrying. Through guided discussion, practical exercises, and self-reflection, participants will explore how stress and mental load show up in the mind, body, relationships, and overall capacity to navigate daily life. Together, we will explore: The pace of modern life and its impact on well-being How stress and overwhelm often show up before we recognize them The connection between mental load, capacity, and burnout How to recognize when we are carrying too much Practical ways to restore capacity and access support before reaching a point of crisis Participants leave with greater awareness of their own mental load, a deeper understanding of their personal capacity, and practical insights that support sustainable well-being at work and in life. Ideal for workplaces, organizations, leadership teams, community groups, conferences, and retreats.
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Goals With Soul: Creating a Meaningful Year Ahead
Led by Jennifer McMaster; RSW
Many people begin a new year with goals, resolutions, and good intentions, only to find themselves feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of where to focus their energy. This Talk offers a different approach. Using Jennifer’s holistic Wellness Wheel, participants are invited to reflect on the areas of life that matter most, identify gaps between where they are and where they want to be, and create goals that feel aligned with their values, energy, and vision for the future. Through guided reflection, practical exercises, and Jennifer's Language Technology framework, participants learn how to move beyond “shoulds”; and create goals that are meaningful, sustainable, and deeply connected to who they are becoming. Grounded, hopeful, and engaging, this interactive Talk helps participants release limiting beliefs, reconnect with what matters most, and create a clear path forward for the year ahead. And while this conversation naturally aligns with the beginning of a new year, meaningful reflection doesn't need to wait for January. Every season and every transition offers an opportunity to reset and intentionally choose how you want to move forward.
Goals With Heart: Building a Relationship with Intention
Led by Jennifer McMaster; RSW
Strong relationships don’t happen by accident—they are built through intention, communication, shared values, and a willingness to grow together. Goals With Heart is an interactive Talk designed for couples who want to strengthen their connection, improve communication, and create a shared vision for the future. Using Jennifer’s Couples Wellness Wheel, partners explore areas of strength, identify opportunities for growth, and engage in meaningful conversations about what matters most. Through guided exercises, reflection, and practical communication tools, couples will learn how to move from assumptions to understanding, from frustration to collaboration, and from simply managing life together to intentionally creating it. Whether couples are newly together or have shared decades of life, this Talk offers an opportunity to reconnect, realign, and move forward with greater clarity, compassion, and purpose. If you're planning a couples' getaway, looking for a unique group experience, or simply wanting to spend time with people who value growth and relationships, Goals With Heart offers something different from the typical night out. Because some of the most meaningful investments we make are not in what we do, but in the relationships we choose to nurture.
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Language Matters: The Words That Shape Our Lives
Led by Jennifer McMaster; RSW
The conversations we have with ourselves shape the way we experience our relationships, our work, our goals, and our lives. Yet most of us have never been taught how language influences our thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and sense of possibility. In this engaging and thought-provoking Talk, Jennifer introduces the principles of Language Technology—a practical framework for understanding how the words we use can either reinforce limitation or create momentum toward meaningful change. Participants will explore concepts such as soft talk versus solid talk, architect language, and how the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) acts as an internal GPS, helping us notice opportunities that align with what we focus on most. Blending neuroscience, psychology, and real-life application, this conversation offers practical tools to help participants communicate with greater clarity, build self-trust, strengthen relationships, and become more intentional about the stories they tell themselves and others. Well-suited for: Workplace teams and leaders Couples and families Community groups and organizations Professionals navigating change or growth Anyone interested in strengthening communication, self-awareness, and personal development This Talk offers practical tools and powerful insights that can immediately change the way participants communicate—with others and with themselves.
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.