“When you learn, teach. When you get, give."

My name is Susan Dongarra, and I’m so glad you’re here.

This space was born from my own healing journey, through seasons of chronic stress, burnout, overwhelm, loss, and rebuilding. Like many women, I spent years caring for everyone else while slowly becoming disconnected from myself, my body, my needs, and my sense of peace.

North Carolina has marked the beginning of a quieter and more intentional chapter in my life. A return to nature. A return to simplicity. A return to myself.

What I’ve learned through that journey is that healing is rarely about perfection, and it’s rarely about doing more. Often, it begins with learning how to feel safe in your own body again. Learning how to slow down. Listen inward. Nourish yourself well. Honor your limits. Trust your intuition. And create a life that supports your nervous system instead of constantly working against it.

Self-Care Mastery and The Ten Pillars of Health were created from that understanding.

This work is not about chasing a wellness ideal. It is about creating a more grounded, sustainable, and compassionate relationship with yourself, one small step at a time. Through education, reflection, practical self-care practices, mindful movement, and supportive conversation, my goal is to help women reconnect with their own inner wisdom and build lives rooted in greater balance, clarity, and resilience.

Whether through private mentorship, restorative and trauma-informed yoga, healing circles, or educational workshops, I will strive with grace and compassion to create spaces that feel safe, supportive, honest, and deeply human.

I bring both lived experience and professional training in holistic health, nutrition, life coaching, and yoga education. My background also includes more than two decades of experience in business ownership, leadership, wellness education, and holistic client support. But more than anything, I bring compassion, understanding, and the belief that meaningful healing happens gently, intentionally, and in community with others.

You do not need to become someone else to heal.
You simply need the space, support, and tools to return to yourself.

Self-Care Mastery & The Ten Pillars of Health 

This is the heart of my work.

Self-Care Mastery & The Ten Pillars of Health was born from my own journey through chronic stress, burnout, loss, grief, nervous system overwhelm, and the long process of rebuilding my life with greater intention, compassion, and self-trust.

This offering is designed for women navigating seasons of transition, exhaustion, emotional overwhelm, caregiving fatigue, relationship loss, trauma, or the quiet realization that they have become disconnected from themselves.

Through education, reflection, supportive mentorship, and practical self-care tools, this work helps women reconnect with their inner wisdom, restore balance, strengthen resilience, and create more sustainable ways of living and caring for themselves.

Rather than striving for perfection or becoming someone new, the goal is to help you return to yourself, honor your needs, trust your voice, and build a life rooted in greater clarity, meaning, and well-being.

The Ten Pillars of Health serve as a compassionate guide for understanding the interconnected relationship between physical health, emotional well-being, nervous system regulation, mindset, relationships, lifestyle, and purpose.

Restorative Yoga & The Art of Self Care 

Restorative Yoga is a gentle and mindful approach to healing that blends supportive movement, breathwork, meditation, somatic awareness, rest, and intentional self-care practices.

These classes are designed to help you slow down, reconnect with your body, calm the nervous system, and create space for greater balance, presence, and self-awareness.

Each session weaves together gentle movement, guided breath, mindful reflection, and compassionate self-care guidance in a way that feels grounding, supportive, and accessible for all levels.

This is not a traditional fitness-based yoga class. My approach is rooted in holistic and trauma-informed mind-body practices that support emotional well-being, nervous system regulation, inner calm, and a deeper connection to yourself.

Whether you are navigating stress, burnout, emotional overwhelm, life transitions, or simply seeking a softer and more intentional way of caring for yourself, these classes offer a space to pause, breathe, restore, and reconnect.

The Healing Circle

The Healing Circle is a supportive and nourishing community experience rooted in the principles of Self-Care Mastery & The Ten Pillars of Health.

Created for women navigating life’s tender seasons, this gathering offers a space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and experience the comfort and strength of community.

Together, we will explore mindful movement, restorative and grounding practices, self-reflection, nourishing food, meaningful conversation, and gentle self-care rituals that support emotional well-being, nervous system restoration, and personal growth.

Each participant will receive the Self-Care Mastery & The Ten Pillars of Health Workbook as a companion guide for reflection, learning, and continued support beyond our time together.

The Healing Circle is not about perfection or having all the answers. It is a space where women can gather honestly, share experiences, reflect on the lessons life has taught them, and support one another through compassion, wisdom, presence, and connection.

Above all, this is a reminder that healing does not happen in isolation, and that we are not meant to carry life’s challenges alone

Work With Me

Choose the path that fits your needs, whether it's a small, supported yoga class, private holistic yoga sessions, a one-on-one mentorship, or bundled sessions for deeper exploration, we’ll start small with a free discovery call, then create a plan that feels supportive, suites your specific needs, and will sustain you in your healing journey for years to come.

Giving Back

Care for the women in our community matters. A portion of my time and energy is dedicated to outreach and support and help women in crisis because healing ripples outward when we share our stories.

One final thought. 

Now more than ever, we need one another.

In a world that has become increasingly disconnected, distracted, and digitally driven, I believe there is something deeply healing about returning to genuine human connection, face-to-face conversations, shared experiences, compassionate community, and simply feeling seen and supported by one another.

My hope is to create spaces that bring us back to ourselves and back to each other, through presence, conversation, co-regulation, learning, reflection, and meaningful connection.

Consider this my personal invitation to join me in a more grounded, compassionate, and grassroots approach to healing, self-care, and community.

I hope you’ll join me.

With Love & Grace,

Susan