Stephanie Cantu is an educator and Founder of Happy Spots by Empowered Minds. She is passionate about supporting youth in developing healthier habits that support mental and emotional well-being leading to lives of limitless potential and resilience. On her own journey, Stephanie discovered that one of the key pieces we often miss to support youth with their mental health is to give them ownership and empower them to take responsibility for their own well being, a tool they can use throughout their lives. Everyone is waiting for someone or something to “fix” them. She spent her childhood avoiding situations that were challenging or anxiety provoking and as a young adult, would spiral into severe anxiety every time she had a significant life adjustment like a new job, relationship, or a move. While therapists suggested self-care activities and meditation, like most young people, she always felt too busy or that it wouldn’t work for her, so she skipped the development of coping skills. After having her first child, she fell into post-partum anxiety and depression that impacted her ability to work and properly care for her child. This is where her long and bumpy journey led her to discover the error of relying solely on outside supports to maintain well being. After experimenting with every modality you could imagine along with every natural supplement under the sun with limited success, she stumbled across visualization. This opened up the world of mindfulness and practical meditation to her and helped her to discover the limitless power within herself, just waiting to be unlocked. Daily implementation of visualization and meditation allowed her to recover from debilitating anxiety and heal from stress-related physical ailments. She went on to have another child and had a peaceful and gratifying post-partum experience. While the results took time, she learned that all the quick fixes our society turns to do not offer lasting results or true change. Stephanie is inspired by helping kids discover the unique light within themselves so they can overcome perceived limitations and fearlessly follow their dreams.
