Rise to Wellness Day shines light on mental health

On Sunday, September 7, the Maison Principale in St. Henri was filled with energy, movement, and mindfulness as the second annual Rise to Wellness Day welcomed participants eager to focus on their physical and mental well-being.

Organized by Carine Watier, certified integrative health coach and founder of Madame La Fraise, the event welcomed twice as many attendees as last year’s inaugural edition.

“We created this event to support the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation and bring more awareness to self-care and what wellness is. It’s not just exercise and nutrition, it’s so much larger than that,” said Watier.

The day began with an early bird welcome featuring coffee, tea, fruit, and a chance for guests to connect. Participants then moved through a thoughtfully curated program that blended physical activity, mindfulness, education, and self-care.

Highlights included a cardio class led by Niki Pislis of the Montreal Athletic Association, a movement meditation with Susan Homa of Welma Studio, and a workshop on mastering blood glucose with Watier herself. Skin care guru Jennifer Brodeur offered a skincare session before guests enjoyed a nutritious lunch.

According to Watier, what made the event stand out was not only the combination and flow of activities, but the sense of connection it fostered. “The energy in the room was incredible, and it was heartwarming to see participants leaving not only inspired, but already applying what they learned,” she shared.

Proceeds from the day will be donated to the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation, which is committed to advancing mental health care initiatives by raising awareness, improving access to care and combatting the stigma surrounding mental illness by funding research, treatment, and awareness programs that aim to transform the way Canadians view and experience mental health care.

Lorenzetti, who created the foundation in his name eight years ago after witnessing his uncle’s lifelong struggle with PTSD after returning from war, was impressed by the number of people in attendance at the event. “Everybody is participating so it’s a win-win,” he said, offering thanks to the instructors who gave of their time to be there.

 “Our goal was to give people practical tools to support their physical and mental well-being, while also creating a sense of community, and from the feedback we received, we achieved exactly that,” said Watier.

“Mental health is such a big issue today, so anything that we can do to promote mental health and wellness is rewarding to me and our family,” shared Lorenzetti in a video interview with Mark Bergman, which you can watch on the Inspirations Instagram feed.

To learn more about the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation, visit https://www.fondationlorenzetti.org/