Founder, Executive Director

Pronounced: ZAH·edge ZAI BAH·jee·pooh·rah

Origins: Sanskrit meaning of “Sahaj”= “born within,” “spontaneous,” or “effortless”

Baijpura: Paternal Grandfather’s village in Gujarat, India AND my anti-caste name

I see myself in others and see others in myself as if I am looking in the mirror. I believe all humans are connected to one another in ways that cannot meet the naked eye but can be felt with an open heart.

As a public school teacher, I became aware of the lack of positive media representation and mental health resources accessible to students of the Global Majority/BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and/or queer backgrounds which is why I founded Show and Heal in 2016. Through Show and Heal’s documentaries/social media and innovative yoga, mindfulness and diversity curriculum, I strive to uplift youth of all identities with a holistic approach to mental health, including emotional, physical, and social.

Over the last 17 years in positive youth development, I have had the honor to serve and learn from thousands of youth who have diverse lived experiences and originate from all corners of the globe, including the slums in India, to the streets of San Francisco, a juvenile jail in LA, to public schools and therapeutic residential facilities in Florida. I have discovered that youth are longing for connection, love, acceptance, and belonging. It is my life’s purpose to channel my authenticity and inclusiveness to empower and inspire young people to fully accept themselves and others.

My personal and professional development are intertwined with my training/teaching in yoga, mindfulness, and diversity education.

Currently, I am living in India to center my own mental health, practice what I teach, and develop myself first in order to develop as a leader. As a result, I am integrating my personal experiences/training in 5,000-10,000-year-old practices such as yoga, ayurveda, and meditation into Show and Heal’s offerings to youth. Through social media, I am breaking stereotypes and preconceived notions about India, documenting the diversity of Indian religions, traditions, and practices, and teaching yoga as a holistic lifestyle rather than solely a physical fitness/stretching/asana class.

In my free time, you can find me losing myself in the mountains, laughing with family and friends over home-cooked meals, or exploring like a local.

Follow and reach out to me on Instagram and LinkedIn.

IG: @XahejXi @ShowandHeal

http://linkedin.com/in/xahej/

Vice President

I founded Bloom, a Centre for Excellence in Education, Training, Development & Research, in the pandemic with my TEAM.

I am a Maharashtra State SECRETARY of the National Child & Woman Development Council India NCWDC.

As an Entrepreneur, Core Transformer, Therapist, Keynote Speaker, and three times International Bestselling Author, I have carried on my family legacy of social service for 25 years.

My interest in mental health grew after I was faced with heart-wrenching events and realized the importance of mental health. I am a Licensed Psycho-Geometrics Master Facilitator, Coach, Gestalt Therapist & NLP programmer, who continues to contribute to the mental health sector on a broad scale.

I studied extensively in Switzerland & London. I also received a lot of opportunities to work in different roles and segments. This has helped me a great deal in widening my horizons and has also shaped my outlook on life.

I also manage a school in Haridwar to educate students for a bright future. My happiness comes from empowering children and women.

I am a WICCI member of the Malaysian Council. I am currently the Convener of South Mumbai for SMEs start-ups held by the governing council.

Organizational & Leadership, Development Advisor, Program Evaluation Consultant

I am passionate about helping leaders and businesses in addressing their talent and organizational development needs. At Show & Heal, I have been involved in an advisory/consultative capacity on the evaluation of the organization’s training programming and offerings as well as leadership development and coaching.

I have experience in implementing evidence-based solutions within industries including legal services, retail, IT, and leadership consulting. With an industrial-organizational psychology and human resources background, I have over 10 years of experience in leadership and organization development, learning management, and program evaluation, managing change, and statistical analyses. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with Honors from the University of Delhi, India. I graduated from Claremont Graduate University – The Claremont Colleges, California, with a Master’s degree in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation. I am a certified Leadership Assessment and Development Practitioner by the Center of Creative Leadership (CCL). I am also a certified Wiley DiSC®️ Trainer and utilizes the psychometric DiSC®️ assessment model to help individuals and leaders improve productivity, teamwork, and communication in organizations. In my free time, I enjoy reading, traveling, painting, and spending time with family.

Mental Health Advocate Advisor

I am a 31-years-young artist, mental health activist and motivational speaker, YouTuber and author. I am pansexual, born and raised in Riviera Beach which locals call “Da Raw” for its violence, gangs, and street racing. I am a multimedia artist who graduated in Class of 2010 from Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts. I was originally interviewed in 2017 for Show and Heal’s Young & Queer documentary. Another participant from that interview, Kanon Wigal, connected me to Show and Heal. I survived 3rd degree burns from a suicide attempt in 2019 and although I live with its life-altering consequences I don’t let it keep me down. I share my mental health and healing journey with Show and Heal’s youth audience and motivational speaking so we can learn from one another, be vulnerable, and know that we are not alone.

If you would like to support any of my artistic endeavors such as my book and artwork, or contribute to my restorative surgery GoFundMe please see these links:

GoFundMe

A Generational Transition Book

Instagram:@Waltesse

Facebook: @Waltesse Hall

Email: Nocarnalmind@gmail.com

Website: Qupidking.com

Patreon Fundraising Co-Advisor

I love to share and explore with others through music, movement, laughter, love and rest. I am grateful to be living on Tiwa Land/Tewa land in so-called Albuquerque, NM and is at the beginning of a relationship-building journey with the land and beings here.

A favorite quote of mine is something my mama says to me: "Perfect in growth, not yet fully formed." I came to Show and Heal through meeting Xahej in the Embrace Yoga's Roots 300 hr YTT with Susanna Barkataki and many amazing mentors.

Along with Megan, I am supporting Show & Heal with our Patreon fundraising efforts and community care events.

Patreon Fundraising Co-Advisor

I connected with Xahej and her Show and Heal mission during our 300 hr YTT with Susanna Barkataki and her impactful team of yoga change makers and leaders. Working as an Occupational Therapist in the school system, I emphasized deeply with the need for mental health resources centering children’s well-being. Show and Heal’s mission felt similar to my own as I was starting a private practice to be able to more holistically care for the health and wellbeing of those I serve. 

I am the founder of Shoreline Shine LLC, which provides occupational therapy, private yoga, and intuitive healing services along the Connecticut shoreline. Focusing on the education of deep self-care by teaching tools for self regulation by daily acknowledgement and integration of your nervous system. I love to recharge by listening to the sounds of nature, running, snuggling her puppies, and sharing a meal with my friends and family. I am always in awe of the water and land of the Western Nehantick and Mohegan Peoples, the place I now call home.

Along with Maria, I am supporting Show & Heal with our Patreon fundraising efforts and community care events.

One of the first quotes that left a big impact on me is: “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia

Mental Health Counseling Advisor & Resilience Guru

I’m a polymath, a Dakini, and a Mother to the World. 

I heal the earth and its inhabitants, carefully, courageously, holistically, and metaphysically. 

I founded the Ardhanarishwara Temple to support the LGBTQIA+ community (our most vulnerable and at-risk community), protecting non-binary living and expressions, including drag performance, under Freedom of Religion. 

I own my own global brand, Life in the Bliss Lane®️, which includes the temple, my coaching practice, my political positions (I’m an elected official and an environmental caucus VP), my books/publications, and my other empowerment and transhumanist ventures. 

As a practitioner for over 15 years in the autism world, and in opposition to the dehumanizing ABA trend, I developed a consciousness-centered autism paradigm, which focuses on new research in brain health and uplifts the autism community rather than pathologizing them.

More info on all my offerings is available at my website: www.lifeintheblisslane.com

When I have free time, I enjoy Sci-Fi, karaoke, trivia, board games, drag shows.

Before Show and Heal was conceived, I have supported Ms. Xi on her personal holistic journey as a friend and soul sister as we have very similar intersecting cultural identities. She is like the younger sister I never had. Once she founded it, I have advised her and Show and Heal in various capacities from mentoring, coaching, creating and implementing Self-Care 101 curriculum, and public speaking engagements.

One of my favorite quotes is “The cloud does not put out the sun.”

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging Education & Multi-Cultural Cuisine Advisor

I am an Educator, Chef, and Inclusionist originally hailing from Haiti.

I embrace my roots and culture by being very active in the Haitian community, catering, mentoring, and dressing culturally so that my students - a majority from the Global Majority - also respect and celebrate their identities.

I was Ms. Xi’s former co-teacher, Co-Sponsor of Show and Heal’s after-school program Self-Care 101 in our last year at John I Leonard High School, and co-facilitate Show and Heal’s diversity trainings for BIPOC/BIPGM and Queer youth.

Exceptionally-Abled Advisor

I know I’m healing because I no longer question the reason I’m still breathing. I want to help others no longer question that for themselves.

I am from Western North Carolina and pursuing a psychology major at Western Carolina University with the goal of becoming a therapist. I have been in long-term recovery from severe mental illness (depression, ADHD, and anxiety).

As a differently-abled person living with severe vision impairment (cane-dependent), I advocate for the Exceptionally-Abled community with physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual limitations.

As a public speaker, I have spoken about a range of topics including ableism, mental health, recovery, and accessibility.

I am drawn to Show and Heal because of their commitment to raising the voices of marginalized groups. Like Show and Heal, I want to amplify the voices of people of all identities that often go unheard.