My name is: Tammy Fender.

I’m known as: An aesthetician and pioneer in holistic living.

My expertise is in: Nurturing spirit, mind, body and skin, especially through working with plant remedies.

I stay physically healthy with: Spending time in nature, especially with my family, whether at home in our garden, at the beach in the Bahamas or on vacation. This summer, we hiked through Ireland and the French Alps.

I keep my emotions balanced with: I devote the first hour of my early morning time to contemplative silence, as well as the last hour before I sleep. It is the foundation on which my days are built and keeps me healthy, steady and connected.

I’m intellectually stimulated by: I’m never without a book. Right now I’m reading Soulcraft by Bill Plotkin and Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson.

I was recently transformed by: In my experience, transformation is something that happens naturally; and, most often, when we become aware of our connection to nature, others and our own deep sense of spirituality. For me, I feel connected and transformed in moments of solitude, when I can reflect on the magnificence of this earth, the plant kingdom and the beauty of intuition.

In the last six months, the ritual that has become so important for me is: Over the last six months, I’ve made time to experience the incredible feeling of renewal that comes through a weekly, two-hour, traditional Thai massage with herbal poultice, as offered at my Spa. I’m usually so busy—as we all are—but making time for deep relaxation and the incredible massage, which uses medicinal herbs and stretching techniques, has been a soulful gift to myself. It’s physical, in the most profound way; and it’s more than that, too.

Here’s how you can do it too: Every day in the treatment room, as I help clients reach their holistic goals, I see how our embodied experience catalyzes transformation. I am such a fan of massage—giving yourself a few moments of reflexology, massaging the bottoms of your feet with Bulgarian Lavender Body Oil, or giving yourself a scalp massage before taking a shower. Stimulating the body’s reflex centers seems like such an effective, nurturing and relaxing practice.

It helps me live my process because: I am devoted to caring for my clients, my family and my friends, and it all flows so much more easily when I take wonderful care of myself.  

Take a “Moment” to learn more about Tammy Fender’s journey here.

Photo by Carlos Neda