Program Information
Females Finding Financial Freedom: What to know before and during retirement, with Julie Henderson CFP®, CIM®, Assante Capital Management
Session: In the 30-minute session Julie will cover various areas you need to start considering whether you are 5, 10, 15 or 20 years away from retirement. We will talk about the new financial literacy you should begin to start understanding, from government pensions to the different features of your retirement income accounts to being able to split income with your spouse in retirement. We will also discuss if downsizing your potential largest asset, your primary residence, is the right decision for you and your family. Julie will also touch on other important financial planning areas like estate planning and helping your children purchase a home. Julie will wrap up the session with a 30-minute Q & A which will most certainly get the conversation going.
Bio: For more than 6 years, Julie has been helping individuals and families achieve their financial and lifestyle goals. Working with a network of highly skilled professionals, she is dedicated to providing high-quality advice and integrated wealth management solutions that simplify and enhance the quality of her clients’ lives.
Among the greatest strengths she brings to her client relationships are her knowledge, integrity and commitment to exceptional service. Building on a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wheeling Jesuit University, Julie has earned the Certified Financial Planner designation, recognized internationally as the top professional accreditation. As well, Julie has earned the Chartered Investment Manager Designation, which is the industry standard for discretionary investment and portfolio management services. Julie is securities and life insurance licensed and has an in-depth knowledge of personal income taxes.
Julie enjoys spending her spare time being physically active, traveling and watching sports, especially enjoying the New England Patriots football team.
“Our Women’s Weekend” is presented by Assante Wealth Management.
Embrace the Power of Mindfulness and Movement in Midlife, with Shellie Suter and Judith McDermid
Session: Are you ready to unlock the potential of midlife, where change offers an opportunity to thrive? Join us for an enlightening session to experience how mindfulness and movement practices can help cultivate a sense of balance in your work, home and personal relationships.
Together, we will cultivate contentment through:
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Mindfulness techniques to help you focus, reframe negative reactions and prompt you to remember when to prioritize your self-care when midlife throws you a curve.
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Yoga: Enjoy an accessible practice and experience how yoga can help you develop strength, energy, calm, clarity and self-awareness. We will combine traditional and adapted postures with powerful breathing techniques and watch what happens!
"Respect your body when it's asking for a break.
Respect your mind when it's seeking rest.
Honour yourself when you need a moment alone."
Bio: Shellie Suter, midlife midwife, bravacalm
With 30 years as a successful corporate communications executive, Shellie trained as a Life Coach with a grounding in neuroscience, mindfulness and positive psychology. She developed Mindfulness@workTM training for organizations and people seeking a saner working environment post-pandemic, delivered to hundreds of North American corporate leaders.
In addition to her communications consulting, Shellie’s coaching focuses on guiding women through midlife with an intentional goal to thrive. In a time when physical and emotional changes wrestle for control, child-raising and aging parents often simultaneously vie for attention. Many women are also at the peak of demanding careers. So, it’s no wonder “overwhelmed” is often the adjective of choice. Shellie helps her clients embrace new challenges and renew their focus and goals for what can be the most fulfilling stage of life.
Shellie is certified as a Life Coach by the Centre for Applied Neuroscience and accredited by the Canadian Public Relations Society (APR).
Bio: Judith McDermid, yoga teacher & therapist, viniyoga connection
For 25 years, Judith has taught yoga to a wide variety of communities and people at all levels of health and well-being. In 2004, she discovered the deep teachings of viniyoga in the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya, TKV Desikachar, which is the foundation of her approach. This subtle method emphasizes the connection between breath and movement and provides individualized attention that is relevant and accessible for each person.
Judith’s teaching is inspired by these ancient principles: that yoga is available at all stages of life, that people can develop stability and ease, and that these practices benefit us on a physical, energetic, mental, intuitive and spiritual level.
Judith teaches individual and group classes and offers yoga therapy in her private studio in Toronto. She has created programs for caregivers, osteoporosis, low back health, meditation, etc. Judith is a certified Yoga Therapist through IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists) and a certified teacher through AVI (American Viniyoga Institute), among others.
Ask Dr. B. - Perimenopause and Menopause, with Dr. Leslie Beyers
Session: We need to know more about our own health! Join Dr. Leslie Beyers in this session about the health issues women face as they age – especially during perimenopause ("A Turbulent Time") and menopause (Items such as hot flashes, sleep, sex and intimacy, mood and anxiety, brain fog/ fatigue, more injuries and therapies including HRT. We may also cover sexual health and HPV, osteoporosis, Genitourinary syndrome of menopause and heart disease). Dr. B will share the things that are key for all “prime time” women to better understand, and then will take your questions. You won’t want to miss this!
Bio: Dr. Leslie Beyers completed her medical degree and family medicine residency at the University of Toronto as well as her Masters in Education at OISE. Having always had an interest in women’s health, she began her career at Women’s College Hospital where she had an obstetrical practice as a primary care physician. She currently is a lecturer with the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto and practices in North Toronto as a community family physician associated with Sunnybrook.
Leslie has three daughters aged 26, 24, and 21. In the city, she spends her time practicing yoga, walking the city trails and finding new brunch spots. She is happiest when she is hiking, canoeing or swimming at the cottage.
100 Acre Challenge
Session: This game is designed to spark people’s creativity and motivation to win. Each team is given a list of missions, some may need photo evidence, some require answers to riddles - this game is time sensitive so there is no room for dilly-dallying! The missions will take you around the property and show you some of our many `hidden gems´. Teams will choose strategically which missions to complete. For example, take the whole team up to the beautiful pinnacle and take a team picture - worth 1,000 points. It may be worth more, but it will take longer! When the teams return after 45 minutes, one member from each team will come up to the front to present the answers and proof.
Wine Tasting with Windrush Estate Winery, with Marilyn Field
Session: Enjoy some of the amazing wines that Windrush Estate Winery in Hockley Valley creates and learn more about each wine and the process to create them.
Bio: Marilyn Field, MSM, General Partner and Co-Founder of Windrush has 30 years international executive experience as Founder of arts education charities, including DAREarts, LEAD and youthLEADarts, and conducting at the 100th anniversary concert of the Nobel Peace Prize. Awarded Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal and the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals, she is an inductee of the Caledon Walk of Fame. She acts as Windrush Corporate Secretary and is the Chateau Windrush land owner.
Information: Windrush Estate Winery incorporates art, wine and nature to rival the world – right here in Ontario. Moreover, every bottle you buy helps empower kids through the Windrush Foundation.
An hour’s drive northwest of Toronto, top-quality grapes from the Niagara bench are fermented in our state-of-the-art system. Computers maintain exact temperatures as our chief winemaker, Jonathan Boyle, and legendary vintner, Jim Warren, create great VQA wines for select restaurants and clubs.
Owning Your Story Through Life's Transitions, with Kate Hilton and Neelam Bains
Session: Life transitions (such as divorce, empty-nesting, career shifts, bereavement, health challenges, and menopause) can be startling and overwhelming. They also offer the possibility of transformative reinvention. Join Kate Hilton and Neelam Bains on a journey of the self as we explore how to emerge from your life transitions with a clear sense of who you are and what you want from your next chapter.
In this workshop, we will:
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Learn how to “read” and interpret emotional signals from our bodies;
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Connect to the ways in which our bodies change through life transitions, and identify the stories we tell about ourselves and our bodies as we experience these evolutions;
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Engage in a creative exercise in which we imagine ourselves emerging from our life transition in an empowered way;
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Consider how we might craft a new narrative about our life today that will allow us to embody the change we want to see in ourselves and our lives.
Bio: Kate Hilton is a bestselling novelist, a neuroscience-based life coach, and a psychotherapist. Kate has a particular interest and expertise in transformational life changes. No stranger to personal reinvention, Kate has had prior careers in law, university administration, publishing, and major gift fundraising. She lives in a blended family – including a husband, two sons, a stepdaughter, and a rescue dog – in Toronto. You can learn more about Kate and her work at www.katehilton.com.
Bio: Neelam Bains is a neuroscience-based coach, counsellor, and somatic educator. Neelam has practiced as an osteopath for two decades while exploring the mind-body relationship, and she has taught internationally in the field of embodied self-realization. Neelam is passionately committed to accompanying individuals and groups in rediscovering the guidance of their inner selves and navigating their unique life journeys with vision and purpose. Beyond her professional
endeavours, Neelam is an avid gardener and the mother of twin boys.
Draw Your Line, with Elissa Lansdell, Rockstar Communications
Session: Are you a people pleaser? Do you oscillate between guilt and resentment? Or just uncomfortable saying no? Most women will say yes to at least one of these questions. It’s making us sad, stressed and sick. Join Communications Expert Elissa Lansdell (Rockstar Communications) for “Draw Your Line,” a workshop designed to help you build and protect your boundaries.
You’ll learn:
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Why boundaries aren’t just good but necessary for your career and personal happiness;
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How to decide WHEN to say no;
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How to say no with confidence and professionalism; and
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What to do when your boundaries are breached.
Bio: A seasoned communications pro who strikes that right balance between warm and cool, Elissa delivers with passion, care and a sharp wit. Her clients have included CEOs, managers, executives, and employees at every level and across a range of sectors - including finance, government, and healthcare.
As a sought-after coach and trainer for the past 12 years, Elissa helped corporate leaders around the world bring their knowledge, ideas and expertise to life for their audiences. Elissa’s “secret sauce”? Her 15 years of on-camera experience, spanning two countries and multiple networks, chief among them Chum, CMT, and City TV.
Elissa lives with her teen daughter and fur family and works out of her dream “she shed” in Aldershot, Ontario.
Hiking/Power of Nature
Session: The Millcroft Inn and Spa offers magnificent walking and hiking trails that are accessible right from the Millcroft property. Venture out and experience 3 great jogging and running routes, as well as 7 different nature trails. With difficulty levels ranging from easy, to difficult, guests are encouraged to enjoy the trails and lush greenery – no matter what their hiking experience may be. Take some time to enjoy nature in November!
“Our Women’s Weekend” is presented by Assante: CI Assante Wealth Management is one of the largest wealth management firms in Canada, supporting 900 professional advisors who oversee over $46 billion of wealth for Canadian families and business owners. Assante is a subsidiary of CI Financial Corp., a leading global diversified investment company.
