Esthetics with Heart

After my grandmother passed, I was devastated. What began as a way to channel that grief turned into something much bigger. I started volunteering at her facility, offering spa services to the residents – facials and moments of meaningful connection. It was healing for them, but honestly, it was healing for me too. 

 Other estheticians began reaching out, asking how they could offer similar experiences in their own communities. Because I had served as my grandparents’ health surrogate, I already had strong connections in the senior living industry. I started helping match estheticians with nearby facilities and that’s when I realized this could become something more. 

 The Golden Glow Project was born from loss, but it’s grown into a mission rooted in radical compassion. The name originally came from our focus on seniors in their “golden years,” offering comfort and connection to those often overlooked. Today, we connect professionals with opportunities to serve not only seniors, but also cancer patients, first responders, and others in need of rest, relaxation, and meaningful human connection. 

How did your own journey as a licensed esthetician inform your decision to create this project? 

I actually became an esthetician because of my grandmother. I wasn’t the “beauty type” growing up – I was a total tomboy. In my early 20s, I worked as a mechanic at Valvoline, rode motorcycles, played video games, never wore makeup, and couldn’t tell you what a serum was. 

 But my grandmother was the picture of grace. Her hair was always in a perfectly styled bun, her nails were manicured, and she had a full skincare routine before most people even talked about routines. When her Alzheimer’s progressed, I started to see that part of her slip away. On visits, I’d sometimes find her disheveled, chin full of hairs needing to be tweezed and I remember thinking, “If she were lucid, she would never want anyone to see her like this.” 

That moment stuck with me. I went home, googled “beauty classes near me,” half expecting a weekend workshop and stumbled onto esthetics school. I thought, What the hell, and applied the next day. 

She unfortunately passed away before I graduated, but every single day I’m in my spa, I think of her. She’s the reason I found this path. And she’s the reason The Golden Glow Project exists. I didn’t become an esthetician to do facials – I became one to help people feel like themselves again. 

Can you share a standout moment or transformation from an oncology skincare session you’ve led?

It wasn’t during a facial, but at a cancer support event we hosted at Advent Health for women in treatment. The focus was on education – teaching them how cancer treatments can affect the skin, how to choose safe, supportive products, and what to expect during each phase of the healing process. 

 My friend Sherri, an RN, a cancer survivor, and the reason I became certified in Oncology Esthetics, was co-hosting. Toward the end of the event, she shared something that stopped everyone in their tracks: an audio clip called “The Most Beautiful Sound” a recording of a single cancer cell being destroyed by radiation. 

 The sound itself was haunting and ethereal – almost like a soft laser or a frequency from another world. The room went completely silent. You could feel the impact ripple through every woman there. We weren’t just listening to science, we were listening to hope in its rawest form. 

 It reminded us that healing doesn’t always look the way we expect. And it reinforced why oncology esthetics matters: because even in the smallest moments of care, something powerful is happening beneath the surface. You can listen to the clip at themostbeautifulsound.org. It’s something I’ll never forget. 

How do you select the communities or individuals to support—especially survivors or vulnerable groups?

The Golden Glow Project is a nationwide initiative (and we’re working toward going global!) that connects spa, beauty, and wellness professionals with volunteer opportunities in their own communities. The placements are passion-driven – if someone feels called to work with seniors, we match them with a nearby facility and help coordinate everything from scheduling to supplies. It can be a one-time event or an ongoing relationship, depending on what works for them. Same with other areas of service. 

 In addition to facilitating connections, we also host our own signature events throughout the year. One of my favorites is Operation: Wellness, where we welcome 10 first responders suffering from PTSD to Bok Tower Gardens for a healing day that includes facials, massage, yoga, and a sound bath. 

 We’ve also hosted events like a “Senior Prom,” where we partnered with hairstylists, nail techs, and makeup artists to pamper residents at a senior living community before throwing them a full prom, complete with music, dancing, and a crowned king and queen. 

 Our next event will be focused on supporting grieving mothers – those who have experienced the loss of a child. It’s the hardest grief of all, and one no one should ever have to experience. We want to create a space where these mothers can simply be cared for. The day will include spa services, calming wellness experiences, grief support and time to rest. 

 Whether it’s seniors, cancer survivors, first responders, or families coping with loss, we focus on people who need these services but may not have access to them – the ones who are often the most deserving. 

As a mother, entrepreneur, and national trainer, how do you manage your time between being a mother of 3, working at Posh Salon and Day Spa, running The Golden Glow Project, and educating at 360 Wellness Education? 

I have no clue, honestly. It’s full-on controlled chaos. With my ADHD, it feels like I’ve got 1,000 tabs open in my brain all the time. I’m always preparing for one event, following up on the last one, and mentally planning three more. My life runs on caffeine and alarms I constantly snooze. 

As for motherhood, it doesn’t really have an off switch – it just blends in with everything else. I’m the mom creating Canva graphics during taekwondo practice, taking Zoom calls from my car in the driveway because it’s the only quiet space I can find, or booking venues while I’m cooking dinner. I couldn’t do any of this without my fiancé, John. Every time I have an event or convention, he takes time off work to stay with the kids. I’ve been so blessed to have such a supportive partner who understands how important this project is to me. 

At Posh, I genuinely couldn’t do what I do without my amazing boss and team. Esthetics isn’t easy to build a career in – so many people still don’t see it as a necessity. And honestly, if I didn’t have the support I do from the people around me, I probably would’ve left this field a long time ago. Lindsay Theise, the owner, gave me a chance years ago and has supported me every step of the way since. I truly owe everything to her for believing in me from the beginning. 

 The Golden Glow Project only works because of our volunteers and brand partners. I organize the vision, but they’re the ones who make it come to life – whether it’s a local spa day or a full-scale wellness retreat. These events would not be possible without them. 

 I’ve learned I function best when I’m busy and there’s a deadline. If things slow down too much, I lose momentum. It’s not always pretty, but as long as I know why I’m doing it, I can keep going – even if my notes and to-do lists are scribbled on the back of a piece of mail. 

You often work alongside massage therapists, yoga instructors, and sound therapists—how important is this multidisciplinary approach? 

 I feel that wellness is holistic. It’s not one-size-fits-all. We carry trauma all over the body – physically, emotionally, and energetically. That’s why a multidisciplinary approach is crucial. What works for one person might not work for another, and healing rarely happens through just one modality. 

 In addition to estheticians and bodyworkers, we also work with mental health counselors and often incorporate group therapy sessions into our events. Creating space for emotional processing is just as important as physical care, especially for people who are navigating illness, grief, or trauma. 

 For example, People often think sound baths are just relaxing but did you know they can actually help shift your body into a parasympathetic state? Our bodies are made up of about 60% water, and sound travels through water much faster than it does through air. So when you’re in a sound bath, those vibrations move through you at a cellular level -almost like a gentle internal massage. The ripples created by the sound can help regulate the nervous system, lower cortisol levels, reduce anxiety, and even support better sleep. It’s more than just relaxing – it’s a physiological reset. 

 When we bring together touch, movement, sound, and emotional support we’re helping people feel whole again. That’s true wellness. 

What kind of training do your volunteer estheticians receive, particularly in handling oncology clients?

If our volunteers want to work with oncology clients, proper training is absolutely mandatory. Some people assume that if they’re just doing a “gentle facial,” it’s safe – but the truth is, without specific oncology education, you could unintentionally do more harm than good. 

For example, if a client has had lymph nodes removed, performing the wrong type of massage could trigger lymphedema – which can be painful and sometimes irreversible. If you’re not trained on how radiation changes the skin’s barrier function, you could apply ingredients that irritate or even damage compromised tissue. 

 That’s why we’ve partnered with several trusted organizations to make sure our volunteers have access to high-quality, affordable training: 

• 360 Wellness Education offers a 20% discount on their comprehensive Oncology Esthetics course accredited by NCEA. 

• Oncology Training International (led by Morag Currin) offers 30% off her globally recognized course for our volunteers. 

• Holly Brown with Looking and Feeling FAB also provides discounted oncology hands-on training and resources for our estheticians. 

Tell us more about the brands that partner with you.

We’re building a growing network of brand partners who truly believe in giving back to those who give so much. These companies offer our volunteers exclusive discounts on products, equipment, events and education as a way to recognize and support their generosity. 

 Right now, our partner network includes industry leaders like NeoGenesis, Hale & Hush, Herbal Skin Solutions, Bioskin Aesthetics, Dermastart, Bonblissity, 360 Wellness Education, Oncology Training International, NASNPRO, and more. 

These partnerships aren’t just about discounts or perks – they’re about building a community that genuinely cares. Our volunteers are out there making a difference, and we’re proud to collaborate with brands that see that and want to be part of it. It’s about showing up for the people who show up for others. 

What else would you like everyone to know about The Golden Glow Project? 

One thing many people don’t realize is that we’re also a certifying organization for the Presidential Volunteer Service Awards, which allows our volunteers to earn national recognition for their impact. It’s one of the ways we ensure the professionals who give their time and heart to this work are truly celebrated. 

Whether it’s providing one-on-one spa services, helping host a wellness event, or supporting from behind the scenes, every act of service through The Golden Glow Project matters. Our vision is to continue expanding access to compassionate wellness care while celebrating the professionals who make it possible. 

 As a certifying organization, we can track and submit verified hours so our volunteers receive official recognition from the White House. And it’s not just for professionals; some volunteers even bring their children as support staff, and we’re able to track their hours too. It’s a beautiful way to pass down the spirit of service across generations. 

What advice would you offer new estheticians who want to get into the community and volunteer? 

That’s exactly where The Golden Glow Project comes in. If your heart is pulling you toward this kind of work, we’re here to help you take that first step and every step after. We even connect students, because volunteering is such a powerful way to build real-world experience and confidence. 

 A lot of people assume volunteering means just giving your services away, but it’s so much more than that. It’s relationship-building. It’s networking. It’s showing up in a way that people remember. And when you do that, you become the esthetician everyone wants to refer, the one who leads with compassion and actually cares.