Healing ·
Transformation ·
Sustainability ·
Wellness ·
Mindfulness ·
Safety ·
Healing · Transformation · Sustainability · Wellness · Mindfulness · Safety ·
Our Story
2020 was a year of extraordinary vision and evolution worldwide.
We remained agile and we elevated our commitment to self-care. From that experience, an opportunity to work towards helping others make health and wellness a priority in their lives and in the community was evident. Because of our wellness experience, we felt anchored in the midst of all the uncertainty.
In 2022, the Spel~Well Foundation was officially established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a dedicated mission; to provide resources that benefit and elevate wellness in our community.
In 2025, we will launch the Spel~Well 100 Inaugural.…
…and provide mental wellness therapy, by licensed therapists, to our first 100 women. Our wellness has always been the cornerstone of our mission to serve our community and our families. It is the anchor to support positive change in the individual and in their legacy.
Our Mission
“When the seed is well, so will its fruit be.”
With proceeds from our annual fundraiser, we commit to giving to the education of women in our community and to enrich a legacy of wellness.
Through our collaboration with licensed mental health therapists, we offer resources to fund mental and emotional wellness therapy for women of color in the U.S.
We provide engaging resources that influence positive change in mental and emotional health.
Our WHY
Women of color face significant disparities in mental health care.
Understanding why these differences occur requires an appreciation for not only the multiple roles that Black women play in society but also for the racial and social injustices they have historically faced.
Some mental health providers believe that they are some of the most disadvantaged people in the United States, often simultaneously experiencing racism, sexism, and, at times, financial inequality.
Others believe that this same concept makes Black women one of the most resilient groups around. Both may be true in different settings; consequently, it is important to navigate these concepts carefully to understand the state of mental health of Black women and to optimize treatment outcomes.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
Founder & Advisors
Carla Byrd Simmons
Founder & Executive Director
Savannah, GA Native
Spelman College Alumna
United Way Coastal Empire BIPOC Symposium 2022
Nonprofit Learning Academy Training 2023
Over 10 years in Creative Strategy
Advocate for self care and wellness
Commitment to supporting and serving others
Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Friend, & Soror
Woman of Faith
Executive Director
Lesley D. Riley
Senior Advisor
Yale University-B.A., The University of South Carolina-M.Ed. & Ph.D.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)- Georgia
Counselor Educator & Supervisor
National Certified Counselor
Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS)
Wellness presenter and advocate
Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, and Friend
Senior Advisor
Karen Bass, CEO of We Will Walk
Karen Brown, Lead Advisor & LPC, NCC, ORDM
Davida Campbell, Advisor & Coordinator
Tihera Clements, LCSS, Licensed Holistic Mental Health Therapist, TBG
Cheri Dean, Vice President, United Way of the Coastal Empire
Angel Fisher, Wellness Advocate & Educator
Pia Forbes, Communications Strategist & SME
Brittin Heaps, Brand Development
Talisha McClaney, Executive Producer & Creative Strategist
Cytra Parker, Solutions Expert
Michelle Reed, Director & Physician Asst.
Angela B. Sims, Esq., Lead Counsel
Lesley D. Riley, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, CPCS, Sr. Advisor
Lesley is a licensed professional counselor, a certified professional counselor supervisor, and a nationally certified counselor. She is a faculty member in a graduate clinical mental health counseling program and maintains a private practice. Her work with clients integrates holistic wellness approaches with cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused interventions.
Advisors & TEAM
Founder’s Letter
In 2000, I experienced a robbery and my assigned company car was stolen while working as a sales representative. It was during the day and I was in the parking lot at a customer’s medical office. On that day, the company car was taken, but so much more. The incident triggered high levels of anxiety and ongoing depression. Alopecia returned from about 10 years, previously and I had ongoing complications from fibroids. Needless to say, I was emotionally exhausted. In the midst of it all, I felt alienated and experienced retaliation from my employer. The silence from people in my work life and personal life added to this depression.
The “silver liner” for me was Yoga and Talk Therapy; the divine universe led me to two places to detox and to restore…..which offered healing. This cleared my vision to see that I had been faking normal like so many women. It’s so incredibly taxing on us when the isolation and the need for validation will cause us to take on the imposter syndrome. For me, it was learned and enabled behavior that fueled overthinking and low self-esteem.
So 2020, I had time to reset and to really see myself, authentically. Who I am and what wellness would be best for me was a refreshing encounter. I discovered that I could spell wellness for Carla…just for me. Wow, if I can spell my wellness, I could share a wellness experience that would influence others to do that same self discovery and self care work, with intention. It begins with asking and answering the question, how do you Spel~Well?
Spel~Well requires us to remove the mask and to refuse to suffer well, as if it’s normal. Spel~Well is the difference between a good day and good living! It is healing and leading others into healing so that the legacy is well. It is birthing lives that will be nurtured and reared into a life they don’t have to heal from.
I’m grateful to be the guardian of that vision and I’m grateful for the community that supports this purpose!
With Gratitude,
Carla
DISCLAIMER
Spel-Well, LLC and The Spel-Well Foundation, Inc. is not licensed to provide diagnostic or medical treatment. We encourage you to consult with the expertise of professionals before implementing any recommendations.