You Can’t Pour Without an Empty Cup

PHOTOS BY JORDAN RANDALL AND DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OAK WELLNESS

The assignment Stephanie Heidel had for the class attending her wellness workshop was this: Create a painting of the weather forecast that best describes you.

“Paris’s forecast was sunny with a chance of dumpster fire,” the former elementary teacher recalls with a hearty laugh, talking about her friend and business partner.

Paris Cousins is the founder and owner of Oak Wellness, and Stephanie is the founder and owner of Foundation Mindset, which offers wellness workshops as part of Oak Wellness’s holistic approach to overall health that involves laughter and tears, deep conversations, and proven modalities that bring healing and wellness to the forefront.

For anyone who has ever felt intimidated by the sterile white walls of a doctor’s office or felt like the world of “wellness” is just an endless stream of expensive, confusing, and conflicting advice, the story of Oak Wellness is a breath of fresh air. Tucked away near downtown Bartow, this space is not a spa, and it is certainly not a clinical facility. It is a mission-driven home base for people who are tired of striving for perfection and ready to start living a healthier, more balanced life—one that, contrary to popular belief, can actually be fun.

A “CUTE MEET” WITH A DEEPER PURPOSE
The genesis of Oak Wellness wasn’t some calculated corporate merger or five-point business plan; it started, as Paris likes to say, with a “kink in the neck.”

Stephanie was a client of Paris’s private massage therapy practice. The two hit it off immediately. They shared a desire to do more than just treat physical symptoms; they both saw a gap in the community for a holistic, faith-based space where people could feel safe.

“I had this idea: I wanted to do women’s retreats where we hit all the aspects of wellness,” Stephanie explains. “I obviously wanted to speak to Paris because she’s a massage therapist, and that’s a huge part of it.”

As it turned out, Paris—a George Jenkins High School alum—had been nurturing a similar dream. She was in the process of purchasing a building, one that had served as everything from a dentist’s office to a court reporter’s space since 1955. She didn’t want to just offer massages, she wanted a place where the physical, mental, spiritual and nutritional needs of a person could be addressed under one roof.

“Our purpose is to bring truth and wellness to the community in a way that is not intimidating and is fun,” Paris says.

To understand why Stephanie is so passionate about this mission, you have to understand where she has been. Following the departure of her youngest child for college, she hit a wall of exhaustion and depression that “every antidepressant” and “every kind of therapy” struggled to touch.

“I found myself in a very dark place,” Stephanie admits. “I was really planning my own death—not to get too dark, but that’s the reality.”

It took a stint at Honey Lake, a Christian inpatient facility in North Florida, to find the root cause. She wasn’t just battling depression—she was battling PTSD. She had been living on autopilot for years, suppressing trauma from her past so she could keep the family moving.

“When you’re in the middle of the battle, just like someone in war, you don’t break down,” she explains. “You can’t. You’re doing what you have to do.”

At Honey Lake, she was introduced to modalities that moved beyond talk therapy: massage, equine therapy, EMDR and education. She learned that while you might not be able to avoid life’s curveballs, you can build a toolbelt to handle them. 

From Left to Right: LMT Michelle Schaal, Personal Trainer Keith Russell, LMT Jorden Mathis, LMT and Oak Wellness Owner Paris Cousins, Scheduling Specialist Kyline Lanier and Stephanie Heidel, Owner of Foundation Mindset.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Paris understands the need for that kind of toolbelt, and part of the beauty of Oak Wellness is its diversity of offerings. It is a space built on the idea that humans were designed for rhythms we often no longer access in our fast-paced modern lives. In addition to what Stephanie refers to as “fireside chats” (without an actual fireplace) through Foundation Mindset, Oak Wellness offers:  

Therapeutic Massage: Led by Paris, Jorden Mathis and Michelle Schaal, these sessions aren’t just for luxury. They are “root cause” focused. The massages at Oaks Wellness encompass a wide range of techniques, each with its unique benefits and applications. Massages can be standalone treatments or integrated into a comprehensive wellness plan. 

Cold Plunge & Red Light Therapy: These aren’t just “bio-hacking” trends. Paris and Stephanie see them as ways to reclaim natural benefits our bodies were meant to experience. For example, a cold plunge can decrease inflammation and offer a dopamine boost that lasts up to six hours—a natural alternative to the artificial highs people often seek to mask their pain. The red light therapy simulates what the body and mind gains from being outside to experience a morning sunrise for an hour, in just a fraction of the time. Paris acknowledges there are plenty of “vanity reasons” to use red light therapy, but it is proven to help with mitochondrial function, decrease inflammation, boost muscle recovery and help with sleep, among other findings. There are single therapy and monthly membership options for cold plunge and red light therapy.

Personal Training: Independent personal trainer Keith Russell brings eight years of experience to the on-site gym where he helps clients build a healthier foundation to achieve their fitness and health goals. The Fort Meade High School alum creates personally tailored workout plans for each client and motivates them and holds them accountable to reach their full potential.

SLOW DOWN, REFLECT, RESET
Going back to the tools analogy, when Stephanie left Honey Lake her therapist told her, “You have tools that you didn’t have before.”

That phrase became the heartbeat of Foundation Mindset, where she leads everything from “Resilience 101” workshops to classes for caregivers and those battling Parkinson’s disease to workshops where painting, journaling and even a glass of wine are present. 

Stephanie isn’t a counselor, but she is a facilitator of those tools. She helps people understand that wellness isn’t a destination—it’s a journey.

Her workshops encourage vulnerability and reflection to create a space where people can talk about real problems without the pressure of a traditional clinical setting.

Both Paris and Stephanie refer to the book “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. as a great resource to understand the toll stress and trauma has on people’s bodies throughout their lives.

BUILDING SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOUR FUTURE
Running a wellness business in Central Florida is not without its challenges. Paris and Stephanie readily admit that wellness can be a “hard sell” in an area that has historically leaned toward traditional comforts and ways of dealing with physical and mental challenges.

But both ladies absolutely love Polk County, and they believe the tide is shifting. With new residential developments, the expansion of local healthcare providers and an influx of people moving to Polk County, there is a growing population that values the very things Oak Wellness offers. They are playing the long game, and Paris loves the team she has assembled.

“We are all on the same page, we all want to support each other and we all want to support the community,” she says. “And that team isn’t going to be found anywhere else.” 

Ultimately, the goal of Oak Wellness is to help you see yourself in their story. Whether you are a retired widow looking to reconnect with the community, a young parent dealing with the invisible weight of past trauma, in need of a healing massage, or someone who just wants to improve their sleep score, there is a place for you.

They aren’t trying to help people become perfect. In fact, their entire business model is built on the fact that no one has it “figured out.” They are inviting you to stop striving, stop hiding, and start stacking small, healthy habits that help you feel better from the inside out.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup,” Stephanie reminds people.

You just need a few solid tools in your toolbelt, a little bit of laughter, and perhaps a partner or two who can help you navigate the weather forecast—even if it calls for a chance of dumpster fire.

After all, as Paris and Stephanie have found, that’s how the best stories start.

To learn more about the workshops, modalities, or to book a session, visit www.oakwellness.center, download the Oak Wellness app or give the team a call at 863-533-0330. 
Learn more about Foundation Mindset at www.foundationmindset.com. Located at 190 S. Oak Ave., Bartow.