15th Annual Wellness Expo at Georgian Court University
March 21 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Free
The Department of Integrative Health and Exercise Science at Georgian Court University invites you to our 15th Annual Wellness Expo — a free, daylong community event celebrating integrative health, wellness, and whole-person well-being.
Join us for a vibrant showcase of health and wellness practitioners, interactive workshops, and outdoor activity sessions. From acupuncture and acupressure to chair yoga, meditation, nutrition, and sound healing, there’s something for everyone — whether you’re just starting your wellness journey or deepening an existing practice.
Event Details
Cost: Free and open to the public
Location: Georgian Court University, Lakewood, NJ
Rain or Shine: Yes – this is a rain-or-shine event
Who Should Attend: Community members, students, faculty, staff, families
What to Expect
- 50+ health and wellness practitioners and vendors
- Free workshops every 30 minutes covering a wide range of integrative health topics
- Outdoor activity sessions every 30 minutes (weather permitting)
- Opportunities to explore:
- Acupuncture & acupressure
- Yoga & meditation
- Nutrition & metabolic health
- Mental health & stress management
- Sound healing & mindfulness
- Movement, posture, and lifestyle medicine
This is a great opportunity to learn, experience, ask questions, and connect with local practitioners and wellness resources in one place.
Workshop & Activity Locations
Casino Ballroom
Free educational workshops throughout the day
Front Lawn (weather permitting; rain location: Casino Stage)
Outdoor movement and experiential sessions
The Crane’s Lair
Special wellness activities and experiences
Sample Workshop Highlights
Topics include:
- Nervous system regulation and stress resilience
- Lifestyle as medicine
- Anxiety in children
- Posture, movement, and recalibration
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Plant-based nutrition and live cooking demos
- Sound therapy and vibrational healing
Full workshop schedule and session details below.
Participating Vendors & Exhibitors (as of 1/25/26):
- Georgian Court University Graduate Admissions
- CapTel Outreach
- Wonderful World of Crystals
- Beekeeper Ray
- Healing Sound Experience
- Rutgers Master Gardeners of Ocean County
- The Black Rose Bat
- The Crane’s Lair
- Vibrations for the Soul
- K’s Kitten Rescue
- The Center for Conscious Care
- Dandelion Dreams Wellness
- Ellie Mental Health
- Nektar
- Make Wellness
- BODY20
- Olive Tree Massage
- Intentional Hearts Counseling Services
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
- Koehler Acupuncture
- Charlie Health
- Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health
- Blue Bird Divine Messenger
- GCU Exercise Science
Wellness Expo Workshop Schedule
| Location | Time | Presenter | Workshop Title | Workshop Description | Presenter Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino Ballroom | 11:00 AM | Reba Shapiro MS NBC-HWC | Learning Safety Through Experience: Nervous System Adaptation in Health and Illness | Chronic symptoms can make the body feel stuck in survival mode. Explore how the nervous system learns from repeated stress or illness—and how understanding natural protective responses and gentle signals of safety may help reduce confusion, self-blame, and overwhelm while supporting quality of life. | Reba Shapiro is the founder of For Tomorrow Wellness and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with a Master’s in Family and Human Development and training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. After overcoming her own debilitating illness, she helps others manage stress and chronic conditions to improve vitality and quality of life. |
| Casino Ballroom | 11:30 AM | Mary Flynn and Carol Strelic | You Are Here To Be Human – That is the Assignment! | Participants are invited to pause, settle into the body, and reconnect with presence through gentle meditation and reflection. This session explores how wholeness arises not from striving, but from staying present with sensations and breath. | Mary Flynn is a Reiki Master Teacher, Radical Self-Care Practitioner and Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher, Yoga Nidra facilitator, Akashic Record Reader, and Healing Rhythms Drum Facilitator. Carol Strelic serves on the Elder Council at The Center for Conscious Care and is a Radical Self-Care Practitioner, Coach, and Reiki Master Teacher with a background in hospice massage therapy and conscious aging. Carol is certified through GCU’s Integrative Health Studies Master’s Program. |
| Casino Ballroom | 12:00 PM | Sufyan Brache DO | When the Body Loses Its Neutral: Posture Stress and Recalibration | ||
| Casino Ballroom | 12:30 PM | Rozelle Holmes RRT BS Cand. MA | N=1: Continuous Glucose Monitoring Between Clinical Recommendations and Lived Experience | This N=1 project uses continuous glucose monitoring to explore how stress, sleep, caregiving, and nutrition influence metabolic regulation over time. It highlights the gap between clinical recommendations and lived experience. | Rozelle Holmes is a critical care respiratory therapist, integrative health practitioner, and MA candidate in the Integrative Health Program at GCU. Her work integrates clinical medicine, yoga, and metabolic self-experimentation. |
| Casino Ballroom | 1:00 PM | Luke Chaplain Cand. MA | From Awareness to Alignment: Regulating the Nervous System Through Mindful Practice | This workshop explores how awareness, breath, sound, and gentle mindful practices can support nervous system regulation and energetic balance. | Luke Chaplain is a master's student in Integrative Health focusing on mind–body practices, meditation, and holistic wellness. |
| Casino Ballroom | 1:30 PM | Vincent Chen PhD | Flourishing Not Fads: Nourishing Your Body Mind and Longevity | Dr. Vincent Chen is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at Georgian Court University specializing in exercise physiology, nutrition, and muscle biology. | |
| Casino Ballroom | 2:00 PM | Sachiko Komagata PhD PT | Lifestyle as Medicine: We Know What to Do but We May Not Know How | Participants explore the gap between knowledge and practice of healthy living and brainstorm actionable steps to support lifestyle change. | Sachiko Komagata is a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist, licensed physical therapist, and Associate Professor and Program Director of Integrative Health at GCU. |
| Casino Ballroom | 2:30 PM | Lori Nixon Bethea PhD | Anxiety within Children | This presentation helps parents, educators, and caretakers recognize signs of anxiety in children and offers recommendations for addressing childhood anxiety. | Dr. Lori Nixon Bethea is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at GCU and owner of Intentional Hearts Counseling Services with over 18 years of experience in mental health. |
| Casino Ballroom | 3:00 PM | Rachel Epstein | Cooking Demonstration: Fiber for the Win! | A live cooking demonstration highlighting how fiber-rich plant-based foods support gut health and overall wellness, with practical strategies for increasing fiber intake. | Rachel Epstein is a licensed Food for Life Instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and owner of Plant Based Jersey Shore. |
| Casino Ballroom | 3:30 PM | Deborah Kehoe Cand. MA | Receive Vibrational Sound Frequencies for Enhanced Wellness | Participants experience vibrational healing through sound using instruments such as bowls and gongs to support relaxation and well-being. | Deborah Kehoe is a teacher pursuing her MA in Integrative Health at GCU and holds certifications in mindfulness, sound therapy, Qigong, yoga, Reiki, and shamanic practices. |
| Front Lawn / Casino Stage | 11:00 AM | TBD | TBD | ||
| Front Lawn / Casino Stage | 12:00 PM | TBD | TBD | ||
| Front Lawn / Casino Stage | 1:00 PM | Darren Orr | Qigong | ||
| Front Lawn / Casino Stage | 2:00 PM | The Crane’s Lair | Shamanic Drumming: Connecting With Your Spirit Guides | ||
| Front Lawn / Casino Stage | 3:00 PM | TBD | TBD |
Questions?
For more information, please contact:
Sachiko Komagata, Ph.D., PT
