Highlights From The Chatelaine Wellness Event

On a gorgeous mid-May day, Chatelaine readers and editors gathered for the second annual Chatelaine Wellness Retreat at the serene Vettä Nordic Spa in Oro-Medonte, Ont.

Hosted in partnership with TENA—the world’s leading incontinence brand dedicated to empowering women who experience incontinence to live fearlessly and without compromise—the event delivered both inspiring conversation and the opportunity to completely disconnect, relax and rejuvenate. 

To kick off the day, guests enjoyed breakfast overlooking the outdoor Finnish-style spa circuit, before taking advantage of the various hot and cold therapies as well as guided breathwork and sauna sessions that culminated in the cold plunge pool.

At midday, Maureen Halushak, Chatelaine’s editor-in-chief led a candid conversation on how to smash the stigma surrounding aging, menopause, incontinence and more.

Media personality, author and mental health advocate Varda Étienne shared her experience of living with bipolar disorder. "For me, every year that I'm still on this earth is truly a gift,” she says. "I've never felt as good as I feel now—I've gained so much wisdom over the years, I'm so much more secure and so much more confident."

Identical twin sisters Leslie White and Cynthia Heyd (a.k.a. the Twin Agers) talked about their mission to change society's narrative around aging with fun and humour. “We started using the term 'magic hour' to describe this stage of life because we felt there was no term for midlife and beyond that really articulated how we felt in this moment," says White. "For us, it's about power, it’s about freedom, it’s about owning who you are."

From there, guests enjoyed lunch alongside glasses of crisp Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Stoneleigh Lighter Sauvignon Blanc before heading back outdoors to bask in the sun and surroundings.

They departed feeling relaxed and reinvigorated, toting gift bags filled with skin- and body care from NEOSTRATA, Lotus Aroma and Bath & Body Works, as well as a TENA affirmation journal and TENA Sensitive Care Pads—and already looking forward to doing it all over again at next year’s event.