Why Community and Mutual Aid Matter More Than Ever

and how Rooted Woman is where we begin

Over the past few years, I’ve felt an ever-growing pull toward something deeper than individual wellness. I’ve been navigating my own healing journey as a single mom, a trauma-informed practitioner, a neurodivergent woman with CPTSD and ADHD, and a human simply doing her best in a world that often feels uncertain and disconnected.

That slow unraveling has brought me face-to-face with a truth I can’t ignore:

Healing isn’t meant to be done alone.

We are living in a time where isolation, burnout, and collective grief are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Whether it’s the pace of modern society, the heaviness of the news cycle, or the quiet ache of needing support and not knowing where to find it—so many of us are carrying so much, silently.

Introducing: Exhale Collective

Out of that awareness, Exhale Collective was born—not as a business extension, but as a living, breathing space for mutual care, belonging, and embodied connection. A place where wellness means access. Where community isn’t a buzzword. Where we move from me to we—intentionally, imperfectly, and together.

Mutual aid, for me, is not charity—it’s reciprocity.

It’s asking: How can we show up for one another in ways that are grounded, relational, and real?

Sometimes that looks like sharing a meal. Other times, it’s holding space in silence. Or it’s walking side-by-side on a forest trail, remembering how good it feels to be seen.

This isn’t about adding more to anyone’s plate.

It’s about creating something that feeds us all.

Rooted Woman: A Beginning, and a Return

Rooted Woman is the heart of this first offering.

It’s not a program or a club—it’s a space to come home to ourselves and each other. A place to gather, stretch, breathe, hike, cry, laugh, share food, or say nothing at all. It’s a soft landing for those of us craving connection that feels natural, unrushed, and honest.

This is for women and female-identifying people of all ages—mothers, daughters, aunties, elders, and every woman in between. This is a safe and inclusive space, where our stories, identities, neurodivergence, trauma histories, and unique ways of being are not only welcomed—they are honored. No one needs to explain or perform. We just show up as we are, and that is enough.

Rooted Woman was born out of a deep desire to create a circle of women who want to do meaningful things together—whether that’s practicing yoga under the trees, organizing aid for neighbors in need, or simply being in a world that constantly asks us to do more.

This is my love letter to that vision. To doing cool things with cool people who want to do it too.

To sacred slowness. To relational resilience.

To remembering that we heal more deeply when we heal together.

Join Us for Our First Gathering

Our first Rooted Woman gathering will be held on:

Saturday, May 17 at Deane Park in Park Rapids.

We’ll begin with a gentle outdoor yoga class and sound bath using crystal bowls—offered as a way to ground, breathe, and arrive fully in your body.

This part is completely optional. Whether you come for the practice, the connection, or just a moment of stillness under the trees, you are welcome.

Afterward, we’ll gather for a casual potluck meal—a chance to share food, conversation, and community.

There’s something deeply meaningful about breaking bread together. Sharing a meal is one of the oldest and most tender ways we build connection, nourish each other, and make space for stories to unfold. This potluck isn’t about perfection or presentation—it’s about presence. Whether you bring a dish or simply bring yourself, there will be space for you at the table.

We’ll also share more about what’s ahead for summer and how to stay connected through our private Facebook group:

[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1195777365349780/]

This Is Just the Beginning

Exhale Collective is still unfolding, and Rooted Woman is just one branch of something much deeper—a quiet movement of care, connection, and community.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to be here.

You don’t have to be “ready.”

You just need to show up, exactly as you are.

Because you belong here.

And we’re so glad to welcome you in.