About Denise
My journey into this work began over 15 years ago after hearing a story on the news that deeply changed me. A young girl who had been bullied shared her experience with the world through a simple video made with flashcards. Not long after, she took her own life. I remember feeling shaken to my core — unable to comprehend how unkindness could lead to such devastating consequences.
That moment planted a seed. I began speaking and teaching about the power of kindness, believing — and still believing — that one kind act can lead to another, creating a ripple effect that has the power to change lives. Over the years, this belief became my life’s work. I taught kindness classes in elementary schools, gave a TED Talk on kindness, wrote and published a book on the subject, and gradually became known as a trusted voice in the conversation around kindness and compassion.
Alongside this work, I spent 30 years as a nurse, caring for people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Nursing taught me not only about compassion for others, but also about the importance — and difficulty — of compassion toward ourselves.
For more than 20 years, I have also been deeply committed to my own personal development and inner work. This journey eventually led me to become a transformational coach, supporting others through meaningful inner change, self-awareness, and growth. Through coaching, caregiving, and lived experience, I’ve come to understand that true transformation doesn’t begin with fixing ourselves — it begins with kindness.
What I’ve learned through decades of caregiving, teaching, coaching, and personal reflection is this: kindness must begin within. How we treat ourselves directly shapes how we show up for others. When our inner critic is harsh, that harshness often spills outward. When we soften toward ourselves, our relationships soften too.
As a woman, I understand firsthand how critical we can be of ourselves — the voices we carry from childhood, family expectations, societal pressures, and the constant influence of social media. Somewhere along the way, many women forget to care for themselves with the same kindness they offer everyone else.
Today, my work focuses on helping women reconnect with self-compassion, quiet the inner critic, and create supportive communities where women genuinely cheer for one another. Kindness and compassion are not just values I teach — they are values I live by. I believe deeply in women supporting women, celebrating one another’s growth, and creating spaces where everyone is allowed to win.
This retreat is an extension of that belief — a place where self-kindness becomes a practice, connection becomes a source of strength, and meaningful change begins gently, from the inside out.
