About Me
I’m Geva Salerno. I’m a mental wellness expert and thought leader.
I help people over 40 develop their personal power and create an amazing life.
I am a mental wellness and personal growth expert. I split my time between working at a psychiatric hospital and leading the international women’s group, Over 40, Fearless, and Free. I have always been motivated to understand and improve the world. After spending a decade in nonprofit management, I did a year-long experiment to change my own life. It was so impactful that I wrote a memoir called Center of Gravity, to inspire other women.
By the end of the experiment, I had begun making some of my bigger dreams come true, including visiting and living in Europe. After living in Europe for three months and experiencing a different, more mindful and enjoyable lifestyle, I was inspired to help people in Southwest Florida and around the world improve their quality of life. In 2016, I opened Creative Connection, a business that facilitated creative arts and stress management activities for groups.
Creative Connection was closed in 2020 with the inception of the Covid 19 pandemic. However, my work with mental wellness resumed when I started working at Park Royal Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Fort Myers, FL. The Covid 19 pandemic and its ensuing mental health challenges have made it clear to me that inspiring women to improve their lives and take greater leadership within their own sphere of influence is of the utmost importance. To that end, since March of 2020, my team and I have grown Over 40, Fearless, and Free from 6,500 members to almost 12,000 members and have begun introducing local groups in the United States.
Over the last several years, I have incorporated my knowledge of biochemistry, psychiatry, and wellness into a cohesive understanding of what it means to be truly flourishing and successful in life: mental wellness.
As a writer, my interest continues to be the intersection between science, spirtuality and psychology and my work at the hospital informs both my writing and my leadership.
As a consultant, I help my clients achieve success by sharing my mental wellness expertise with their teams, constituents, and patients.
As a speaker, I Inspire and motivate people to overcome mental wellness challenges and to rebuild their lives.
Core Values
These are the Core Values which guide my life and work.
Agency
My number one core value is “Agency,” which is the capacity to act independently and to influence one’s own life.
- Albert Bandura, an influential social cognitive psychologist, studied agency extensively.
- Agency the degree to which you feel you have control over your mind, body, and environment.
- Your success in life depends on how much self-agency you have.
Power of the Mind
You have more power than you realize. Your mind is a powerful asset.
- You can figure anything out.
- By changing your psychology and core beliefs you can change your self and your world.
- By understanding your childhood programming, you can improve your beliefs and outlook.
- You can do anything you set your mind to.
Creativity
Creativity is vital for life and personal self-expression is necessary for psychological helath and well-being.
- Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate, attributed much of his success to the persistent application of “creative vision,” which is the ability to use the imagination to see future possibilities and opportunities.
- Creative vision is necessary to heal the world’s major problems.
- Creative vision can be used to change your life.
- By experimenting, you can move forward.
Independence
You are stronger than you think and you don’t need anyone’s approval.
- You have made it through many hard things and are still standing.
- You can use your voice to ask for what you need and want.
- You can set intentions and go after your dreams.
- You don’t need anyone’s approval.
Health
Health is a cornerstone to freedom. When we are physically healthy, we can acheive our goals.
- We each have the power to improve our own health.
- The mind and body are connected. How we think affects us on a physical level.
- We can use natural healing methods to take control of our health.
Community
When women work together, magic happens
- Connecting with like-minded people is healing.
- It is good to know that we are not alone.
- By supporting each other, we all grow.
- You have something to offer the world.
- We have complementary strengths. By working together, we are stronger together.
Intuition
Intuition is your connection through the subconscious to infinite intelligence.
- You can use the intuition to guide you powerfully through life.
- Your intution is your hidden navigating system.
- The intuition is a still, quiet voice or feeling that you can choose to listen to.
- The intuition is almost never wrong.
Age Appreciation
Your value increases with age. I am working to change the narrative around aging for women.
- you are never too old to change.
- You are never too old to date or remarry.
- You are never too old to start a new business.
- You are never too old to go on an adventure.
- You are never too old to express yourself.
- You are never too old to start over and change your whole life.
Alignment
- Alignment is when your mind, heart, goals, and actions are all connected.
- When you are in alignment, life flows and the universe supports you.
- When you are in alignment, you know who you are and where you are going.
- When you are in alignment, you are able to manifest your goals and dreams effortlessly.
Gratitude
Doing a comprehensive gratitude practice changed my life. Gratitude changes you on both profound and subtle levels.
- Gratitude changes the way you think.
- Gratitude changes the way you feel.
- Recognizing what is going right creates a sense of peace and stability.
- Practicing gratitude helps you sleep better.
- Practicing gratitude makes you happier.
Speaker’s Bio:
Geva L. Salerno is a mental wellness expert, consultant, and speaker. She is also a writer with a BS degree in biochemistry and an MA international policy, who has worked in a psychiatric hospital and currently leads an international network of women over 40. Passionate about understanding the world, she seeks to inspire others through her writing. She is author of a memoir, Center of Gravity, and the online course “Nutrition for Mental Wellness.” As a writer, her interest area is the intersection between science, spirtuality and psychology. She is a member of the National Wellness Institute and has lived in both India and Mexico. She currently resides in the United States.
