Press pause and mentally reset before the holiday rush begins with The Wellness Collective and The Handle Bar spin studio! Join us on December 3rd at 2:00pm for a spin class followed by a panel discussion on how to stay well mentally and physically during the stressful holiday season and beyond!

We’ll get your endorphins flowing with a 35 minute spin class led by The Handle Bar instructor Sarah Maguire and then we’ll dive deep into selfcare practices and practical tips to boost your mental health with an expert panel discussion led by The Handle Bar owner and founder of Handle with Care, Jessica Fracalossi and holistic mental health counselor Rachel Duda. Enjoy farm-to-fork salads from honeygrow , sip on beverages from Teaonic and enjoy energy-boosting herbal tinctures from Urban Moonshine while Jess and Rachel answer your questions on ways to reduce your stress and feelings of exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm so you can live a healthier, more vibrant life. The panel will be moderated by The Wellness Collective Co-Founders, Ana Alarcón and Kerri Axelrod. To submit your questions for the panelists to answer, email wellnesscollectiveboston@gmail.com.

Please plan to arrive promptly by 2:00pm as class will start at 2:15. All participants will receive a signature Wellness Collective gift bag featuring your favorite wellness brands. 10% of ticket sales from the event will also be donated to Handle with Care, a nonprofit arm of The Handle Bar that focuses efforts on raising awareness on mental health and battling the stigma associated with mental illness.

About the Panelists:

Jessica Fracalossi:
Jess is The Handle Bar's founder and operator. In 2017, Jess launched Handle With Care, a nonprofit arm of The Handle Bar that focuses efforts on raising awareness on mental health and battling the stigma associated with mental illness.

Jess has been passionate about mental health, and battling stigma associated with mental illness for many years. She has immediate and extended family members who have struggled with chronic mental illness and Jess has witnessed the hardships that come along with a diagnosis first hand. While working in the fitness industry, Jess has also seen the huge overlap between physical fitness and mental well-being in her ridership and community and is excited to keep the conversation going and raise awareness on topics that remain taboo for so many.

In addition to her indoor cycling efforts, Jess leads a very active lifestyle and can be found walking the city, running or swimming with her 3 year old yellow lab, Brett. She practices mindfulness and meditation and believes that true wellness is the union and balance of physical fitness, mental health, human connection & community.

Rachel Duda:
Rachael Duda, M.A., is a mental health professional, yoga instructor and energy worker with passion and dedication for empowering individuals in their healing process with respect to the mind, body and spirit. Rachael completed a Master's degree in Holistic Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in 2016 and has worked in community-based mental health with adults and children. Rachael has been teaching yoga since 2008 with over 500-hours of training, including training in Ayurveda and Polarity Therapy. Rachael has studied the relationship between yoga and psychology, with particular interest in somatic psychology, trauma, neuroscience, and the embodied spirit. She believes in the capacity of yoga to manage manifestations of stress on all levels, and to offer a sanctuary for healing. Rachael is dedicated to enhancing individual and collective healing, and passionate about social justice. She currently works as a clinician for a grant-funded position with the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) in Lynn and Salem, where she helps individuals and families who are experiencing barriers to accessing services. She is also active in creating yoga and mindfulness programs in schools, and continues teaching yoga in Boston and the North Shore, as well as retreats worldwide. Rachael likes to sum up her works as a "heartist," where she believes in bringing us closer to our hearts and to one another in peace and love.