AKILI WELL
Looking for support on your wellness journey? We are here to help.
BE IN THE MOMENT WITH AKILI WELL
AKILI: Wisdom
WELL: In good health; free or recovered from illness
Akili Well is a wellness service designed to connect us to the depth of wisdom our bodies hold. In essence, it's about connection. In practice, it's about combining ancient wisdom traditions with modern science to increase well-being.
SERVICES
Akili Well currently offers personalized services for the whole body to companies, groups, and 1:1 clients.
MONEY AND HEALING
A 3-session course designed to support Women of Color in moving beyond traditional principles of money management.
We discuss ways we relate to money, identify obstacles that have long held us back from financial peace, and walk away with tools to help work through our financial emotions in daily life.
We can also create a customized program for organizations seeking support for their teams. Contact us for more information.
Our vision is that all bodies, ethnicities, and identities are honored and that the practice be used as a channel to self-discovery and collective transformation.
_HEIC.jpeg)
MEET THE OWNER: JOSIE SANTIAGO
(she/her)
Josie is a Certified Co-Active Coach, a Certified Yoga Instructor, and an experienced facilitator. Many years ago, Josie began her journey to wellness through the ancient practice of Yoga as a way to recharge from the daily stresses of work-life. With the wear and tear of cumulative stress, a full work schedule, and a severe back injury; Josie was immobilized-not only in her body but in her mind’s relationship to her body. She turned towards wellness to regain her strength and connect back to her wholeness. She's deepened her practices through many programs; Co-Active Institute, Niroga Institute, Strozzi Institute, Womb Yoga with Mama Sanovia, and Mentorship with Physical Therapist, Dr. Ariele Foster, to name a few. Josie draws on Ayurveda, somatics, neuroscience, co-active coaching methodologies, to encourage self- awareness, self-care and personal transformation. Always a student, she is currently an Ayurveda Health Practitioner candidate.
Josie is a long time educator, life-coach, dancer, and social justice advocate. When she is not practicing or coaching, she can be found facilitating workshops that support leadership development, developing diversity and inclusion strategies for organizations, or designing workshops on social-emotional development, trauma sensitive practices, and personal development. Josie leans heavily on the ancient practice of Yoga to sustain her as she strives to change the world with the fullest compassion. Josie holds a B.A in Liberal Studies, with an emphasis in Physical Education and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education.
TESTIMONIALS
I really enjoyed my coaching experience with Akili Well. Akili Well is extremely knowledgeable, supportive, loving, and encouraging. Her life coaching services not only enabled me to identify areas of my life that need work and improvement but also allowed me to center and name my power as a catalyst and changemaker. I likewise enjoyed her use of embodied techniques to help me identify areas of stress and promote cognitive reframing. I can't wait for my next session and highly recommend Akili Well if you also would enjoy support on your wellness journey.
Frances B.G.
I cannot praise Josie enough as a yoga instructor. We are fortunate enough to have her come to our office monthly and she transforms a usually hectic environment into a serene oasis. As someone who has done yoga, but not a regular, I greatly appreciate how she meets students at their own abilities. She encourages us to listen to our bodies and demonstrates variations so we are all are active, but not overwhelmed. Her high level of knowledge and her respect for the practice is apparent in every class. I encourage you to seek out her classes.
Diana Rojek, Development Data Manager
Working with Josie and Akili Well has been a transformative experience. From our first conversation to the completion of our project Josie is patient, aims to inform and teach and has created a holistic learning and working partnership. I'm so excited to continue working with Akili Well and foster our continued professional relationship.
Laila Mohib, Director of Special Projects
I recently started 1:1 online gentle yoga sessions with Josie. At first I was not sure how this would work, since it was my first time doing online yoga classes, but I am so glad I did it. I reached out to Josie because I had taken one of her classes in Oakland before and loved it. I was also going through a really tough emotional time in my life and needed healing. Josie's class has healed me in many ways. I felt better and better after each class. My body became less sore. My mind awakened with clear thinking. I connected back to myself, especially when doing the warrior pose. I received so much more than I expected. Josie is a magnificent yoga & meditation instructor and I am grateful.
Sandra Blanco
I was able to have a series of coaching interactions with Josie and each one just got better than the one before. And the first one was very good to begin with! She has a truly beautiful way of coaxing out hidden threads of truth, feelings and words, weaving them together into patterns and observations that are transformative. I came away not only with a sense of truly being heard and seen but also with some very useful guidance for next steps of my journey. Her smile, insights and warmth are gifts in and of themselves! I would fully recommend her to anyone looking to map out next steps of their life and soul path.
Kathy S.
Thich Nhat Hanh
"Our practice is to live our daily lives in such a way that every act, every moment, becomes an act of love"
