{ther • happy} Healing for Mamas

What is {ther • happy}?

In her 14 years of Pilates teaching experience, Natalie Garay, Founder of {ther • happy} listened to one too many stories from women about their unfortunate experiences with bladder leakage, abdominal wall separation, c-section surgery, and chronic neck and back pain after having children. She decided to take her Pilates and Flower Essence Therapist certifications and incorporate her personal mindfulness practices to create a Methode to help women feel stronger from the inside out. With that, women can continue to care for themselves, their family, and their community happy and pain free.

It's a National issue:

Women aren’t receiving any information about how to rehabilitate their mind or body after birth or surgery which is leading to increased numbers of women experiencing incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, postpartum depression, and chronic pain.

Among the various health issues faced by women each year, postpartum depression (PPD) ranks the highest, with approximately 10 to 15% of women experiencing this condition, according to postpartumprogress.com.

Besides PPD, women also typically have to deal with issues such as neck pain, back pain, poor posture, mood imbalances, incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti, and the overall lack of energy after childbirth. These conditions are seldom given much attention to.

Giving birth through C-section is yet another issue. Cesarean section is a major abdominal surgery and should be rehabilitated as such. According to studies, around 32% of women in the U.S. undergo a C-section; a percentage much higher than the World Health Organization’s expected 10-15%. While having a C-section may have certain benefits, notable negative effects such as postpartum pain, bleeding and the effects of anesthetics remain real concerns.

Common But Not Normal

While many women experience many of these ailments after birth, they’re not normal and should not be left to “live with” as “part of the territory” that comes with having children. It can have a long-lasting effect causing women to feel shame, embarrassment and lead women to fear leaving their house or play with their children.

Oftentimes, women will use Google to look for solutions only leaving them feeling overwhelmed with too much information to process, even O.B.s aren't sure where to send women for support, at best, their suggestions for treatment are pills or surgery.

What {ther • happy} Provides

Services:

• One-on-one, tailored Pilates Sessions

• Pelvic Floor, Cesarean Section, Diastasis Recti Rehabilitation

• One-on-One Flower Essence Therapy support for emotional healing

• Massage Therapy

• Acupuncture

Events:

• Educational Postpartum Mind & Body Workshops

• Sunday Brunches

• Ladies Night Dinner Gatherings

• Women's Circles

Scholarship model

At the core of our business is a 5-for-1 scholarship model to offer membership to women in the SLO County community who meet specific socioeconomic needs, creating a truly diverse and inclusive environment. For every five members, we'll fund one full scholarship. Scholarships will be based upon applications and recommendations given by local practitioners or women's organizations.

The Space

The vision is to create a warm, inviting gathering space for women to come in for their weekly Private Pilates, massage, acupuncture or Flower Essence Therapy sessions. As well as hold birth and postpartum related workshops, social gatherings, or just to hang out with a cup of tea, or a glass of bubbly.

Amenities will include:

• Private Pilates stalls for sessions tailored to meet your body’s specific needs

• Journaling nook to relax, rejuvenate, journal or pray

• Showers with towel service and a changing room equipped with carefully selected locally-made products

• Infrared Sauna

• Tea nook with comfortable seating to socialize or get more quiet time in

• Food and beverages for purchase and snack options

• Coffee & tea or bubbly provided

• Cozy sitting area and Wi-Fi for light working

• Gift boutique with locally-made goods

• Opportunity to rent office space or open studio for workshops, private events or meetings.

Programming:

A rich calendar of programming and events featuring national and local educators. Learning opportunities for personal growth, plus fun social gatherings, and community building opportunities.

• Empowering workshops across a variety of topics: preparing for birth, physical and emotional postpartum healing, managing hormonal shifts, and mental health and wellness.

• Panels and speaking events

• Women’s Circles

• Wellness Retreats

Why Crowdfunding?

{ther • happy}’s power lies with our Members and our community. We want our Members to feel as much a part of building who {ther • happy} is as we do. We’ve partnered with IFW, a female-only crowdfunding platform, to help get the job done. Funds secured through our crowdfunding campaign will be used to build a new physical space, the most critical component of {ther • happy}.

Thank you for helping us bring this vision to life! We look forward to serving more mamas and creating a warm, gathering space for our community.

Timeline:

The goal is to have this baby built and ready to rock by late Fall 2019 or early 2020. 

Phase 1: Funding 

Phase 2: Secure location + Confirm building plans

Phase 3: Break ground! 

Phase 4: Tell the masses!

Phase 5: Launch Party!!

Phase 1 funding:

The 50k (or more that we raise here on iFundwomen) is to secure funding, bank or otherwise to buy the property and begin the buildout. The estimated cost is about 700k for the buildout. 

Phase 2 addition:  

Yurts! {ther • happy} will host weekend getaways for mamas who'd like a rejuvenating staycation or a quick reprieve from the LA or SF city life. We expect to have this addition 6-12 months after {ther • happy} is up and running. 

Founder, Natalie Garay: The Pilates Mama is the owner of {ther • happy} studios, Founder of The Natalie Garay Methode, and creator of {ther • happy} Flower Essence Remedies. She specializes in pelvic floor, c-section, and Diastasis Recti rehabilitation, and as a Flower Essence Therapist, she supports emotional imbalances. She is a mama to 3 teenage daughters, 16 year old twins, Nia & Kaia, and Ava, 14.

She holds a B.A. in Dance from UCSB and has been featured on POPSUGAR.com, HauteMomslife.com, ModernMom.com, Examiner.com, Soles4Souls.org, EveryMotherCounts.org, HuffingtonPost.com, Consciousmagazine.co, CentralCoastMama.com, New Times San Luis Obispo, and hosts her own podcast, {ther • happy} for Mamas.