The Well 52 with Whitney Ellison
Meet lawyer, author, and artist Whitney Ellison.
Tell us a little bit about yourself...
I am an artist, writer, certified enneagram teacher and attorney. Professionally, my morbid elevator pitch is that I work with the deceased and those planning for their future demise. In other words, I am an estate planning and probate estate-administration attorney. My professional purpose is to destigmatize the topic of death, so I can help people create plans that preserve their legacy and cultivate a generational wealth plan that can be managed strategically and responsibly after they pass on. I am also the resident Enneagram Facilitator for Galia Collaborative, a group of incredible female therapists. We conduct corporate events that link human behavior and neuroscience (as taught by the amazing Dr. Ashley Solomon) with enneagram work. It is a ton of fun!
What is the most important thing you do for your wellness?
The number one thing I do for my wellness is make time for rest. Rest can look different, depending on what I need. It can be a nap (I am a big nap advocate), or it can be reading a good book. I love fiction. Rest can be sitting down by myself at a restaurant for a really good meal, or having coffee, cocktails or a delicious meal with a friend, and catching up. It can be a long hot shower, or a nice slow walk after dinner. I always, always, always make time to breathe, release, and decompress. And lately, now that my youngest is almost 5, I try very hard to get a solid 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is crucial to my mental health.
A close second in my personal wellness are my creative endeavors. I love putting in my airpods and listening to an Audible book or classical music while I work. I paint - mostly watercolors right now, write essays and poetry, and love performing spoken word art - primarily poems, but you might also catch a solid Christopher Walken impersonation, or a song or two - I'm known to write parody songs to popular music and then unabashedly sing them to my audience in my own off key, Phoebe Buffay-ish way.
I also run, do restorative yoga with Logan Brookbank, owner of Flourish Ayurveda, pilates at Fit Philosophie, and pelvic floor PT at Anchor Wellness.
I also run, do restorative yoga with Logan Brookbank, owner of Flourish Ayurveda, pilates at Fit Philosophie, and pelvic floor PT at Anchor Wellness.
Last, I make time for my doctor appointments and advocate for my mental and physical health. I see a therapist, and am unashamed of the fact that a small dose of Lexapro has kept depression mostly at bay for me for almost 20 years. I recently had a much needed surgery that relieved me of enormous pain I'd been living with for over 3 years. My only regret was not doing it sooner. It's so important to take care of yourself, and with medical expenses being so high, you have to plan and prioritize it - even if it means forgoing other things like travel, eating out or shopping for a bit. None of those other things are fun if you're in constant pain.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to others?
Lift others while you climb. Allow others to lift you. Congregate with people who do the same. Then we can all rise together.
What is one quote/ mantra you live by?
When rising, let what falls away, fall away.
Let gravity be a gift.
(a poem I wrote a few years ago)
Let gravity be a gift.
(a poem I wrote a few years ago)
Brag on yourself- what is something you are REALLY proud of.
I just published my first book of poetry! Under the Covers - available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
For more information Whitney visit https://www.kbhlawyers.com
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