Vroman’s presents an afternoon of panel discussions that will help guide you to your own Thrive Year. 

This event will be led by Brandi Sellerz-Jackson, renowned doula and author of the forthcoming title, On Thriving. Sellerz-Jackson will be joined by panelists Dr. Mariel Buqué and Arielle Estoria, discussing topics near to all their hearts such as healing from trauma and practices for thriving in our mental health, self-care, relationships, and beyond. More panelists to be announced.

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS:
*Brandi Sellerz-Jackson is a storyteller, birth and postpartum doula, and the creator of Not So Private Parts. Initially created as a women’s lifestyle blog, Not So Private Parts has evolved into a resource removing the shame and stigma surrounding women’s issues. Sellerz-Jackson is the co-founder of Moms in Color, a Black mom collective centered around celebrating diversity in the motherhood space. She is also the senior manager of social media for Ergobaby, a leading brand in babywearing and attachment parenting. She has been featured in USA Today, Essence, and MOTHER, among other outlets. Sellerz-Jackson lives in Pasadena, CA with her husband, Jon; their three boys, Jax, Jedi, and Jupiter; and their labradoodle, Chaka.

*Mariel Buqué, PhD, is a Columbia University–trained trauma-informed psychologist, professor, and sound bath meditation healer. She has appeared as an expert on Good Morning America and Today and in Allure, Self, Glamour, and Well + Good, among many other outlets, and has offered wellness talks to corporations such as Google, Capital One, and Meta. She is originally from the Dominican Republic and currently lives in New Jersey. Break the Cycle is her first book.

*Born and raised in foggy Northern California and now residing in Los Angeles CA with her spouse John, Arielle Estoria (R-E-L EH-STORY-UH) (she/her) is a Published and commissioned Poet, Author and Actor and Model. Her motto, “Words not for the ears but for the soul” stems from her dedication to remind anyone who encounters her work that words are meant to be felt and experienced not just heard. With a specific heart in empowering, encouraging and making space for audiences of women to feel free and at home in their own bodies.
Arielle is the Co-Author of two self-published collections of poetry: Vagabonds and Zealots (2014), and Write Bloody Spill Pretty (2017) which can both be found on Amazon.com and in 2016, released her EP of poetry and music titled Symphony of a Lioness. In March 2023, Estoria released her first solo book of poetry titled, THE UNFOLDING an invitation to come home to yourself, with Harper One available wherever books, e-books and audiobooks are available.

Three ticket options are available:
All tickets will include one entry and one book, depending on the title you choose.
Options include Brandi Sellerz-Jackson’s forthcoming title, On Thriving, Break The Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué and The Unfolding by Arielle Estoria.

ON THRIVING by Brandi Sellerz-Jackson
A renowned doula shares powerful lessons on healing and thriving through the murky seasons of life in this moving, intimate guide to deeper self-awareness and radical joy.
We’ve all been there: We take a pause, look at our lives, and desire more—more from our relationships, more from our wellness journeys, maybe simply more from ourselves. For some, it might be more fun, more peace, more exploration—but what does it take to get to the other side of living in survival mode? In On Thriving, Brandi Sellerz-Jackson helps us wade through what she calls the four great labors of our lives—labors that she’s had to overcome and that she has led many clients through.
Drawing from her experiences as a doula and intimate storytelling from her own life, Sellerz-Jackson guides us through the many phases of these great labors—labors that we can get stuck in, stunting our ability to thrive. Across age, gender, economic status, or background, we all move through the great labor of our relationships, our mental health, grief and loss, and the feeling of being othered. Sellerz-Jackson doesn’t shy away from the pitfalls of these labors but rather challenges us to actively remain present within them and ask ourselves: What do I need to thrive in the space I’m currently in? In On Thriving,you’ll come to recognize the survival tools you’ve picked up along the way and exchange them for thriving tools and “rich-uals.” You’ll commit to no longer making a home out of chaos and rediscovering sanctuary within yourself.
Comparing our thriving to that of plant life, Sellerz-Jackson simplifies the complicated—and oftentimes overwhelming—journey as we attempt to grow in an inhospitable environment. With insightful and vulnerable storytelling, she invites a deep, soul-stirring investigation of our past and present to gather all that we need to thrive right where we are, right now.

BREAK THE CYCLE by Dr. Mariel Buqué
The definitive, paradigm shifting guide to healing intergenerational trauma—weaving together scientific research with practical exercises and stories from the therapy room—from Dr. Mariel Buqué, Ph.D, a Columbia University-trained, trauma-informed, psychologist, professor, and practitioner of holistic healing.
When a physical wound is left unhealed, it continues to cause pain and can infect the whole body. When emotions are left unhealed, they similarly cause harm that spreads to other parts of our lives, hurting our family, friends, coworkers, and others. Eventually, this hurt can injure an entire community, metastasizing across years and generations. This is intergenerational trauma. This trauma is why some of us become estranged from our families, why some of us are people pleasers, and why some of us find ourselves in co-dependent relationships. This trauma can be rooted in the experiences of ancestors, who may have suffered due to their race or identity, and it can be collective, the result of a shared experience like systemic oppression, harmful engrained behaviors in a culture like the acceptance of physical discipline of children, or even a natural disaster like a pandemic. These wounds are complex, impacting our minds, bodies, and spirits. Healing requires a holistic approach that has so far been absent from the field of psychology. Until now.
From Dr. Mariel Buqué, a leading trauma psychologist, comes a groundbreaking guide to transforming intergenerational pain into intergenerational abundance. With BREAK THE CYCLE, she delivers the definitive guide to healing inherited trauma. Weaving together scientific research with practical exercises and stories from the therapy room, Dr. Buqué teaches readers how trauma is transmitted from one generation to the next and how they can break the cycle through tangible therapeutic practices, learning to pass down strength instead of pain to future generations.

THE UNFOLDING by Arielle Estoria
“A moving, fresh, unique poetry collection and a generous invitation into the mind of the poet. Both a galvanizing wake-up call and a tender lullaby.” — Glennon Doyle, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Untamed
“What I love about Arielle’s writing is that she takes readers on this journey step by step, filled with wisdom and grace. This book will help anyone seeking to unfold into their bloom.” — Morgan Harper Nichols, author of All Along You Were Blooming and Peace is a Practice
In this beautiful collection of poems, essays, and meditations, Arielle Estoria tenderly reveals the places in her life where she has been broken open and mended back together in new ways. In doing so, she shows each of us how when we walk through our own process of “unfolding,” though it may be uncomfortable at times, there is light on the other side. Let these words guide your soul, and return home to the person you were always meant to be.

This ticketed event will take place at All Saints Church located at 132 N Euclid Ave, Pasadena.

Books that come with the ticket will be handed out at check-in and will be pre-signed so a book signing will NOT follow the conversation. Additional copies of all titles, will be available for purchase at the event.