Female Empowerment Group 'She Collective' Opens In Lakewood

LAKEWOOD, OH — Samantha Walters has spent much of her career helping women understand and trust their bodies. As a lactation consultant, doula and sex education teacher, Walters has seen firsthand that many women simply do not trust their own bodies. She's hoping to change how women connect to themselves with her new business, She Collective.

She Collective is operating out of Faith Lutheran Church, 16511 Hilliard Rd. Walters said the group is offering yoga classes, education series, empowerment classes and more. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there's even childcare for mothers that want to bring their children with them.

The ultimate goal of the business is to create a world where women aren't afraid of their own bodies, Walters told Patch. (Subscribe to the Patch Lakewood newsletter for local news and updates.)

"If we had a good understanding of our cycles, and of the power in our bodies, then our lives would be much easier and more empowered overall. That was the thought process that led to the creation of She Collective," she said. "We wanted to provide this type of education to women and girls."

Working with new moms gave Walters a unique insight into women and how contemporary culture impacts their views of themselves. She said she would frequently have to convince women their bodies were capable of producing enough milk to feed a child.

She also pointed out the predominant language surrounding natural female phenomena, like periods. So often, she said, women quip that their period is "happening to them" or "doing" this to them. It's like an alien force wreaking havoc. Walters wants to change that perception, she wants to change the whole dynamic of self-relation for women.

The classes the group is offering are certainly geared to helping women understand various aspects of their bodies. For example, there's a free Period 101 class for teenagers and pre-teens. There's yoga four days a week. There's even Rhythm of Life Women’s Group, a class led by a music therapist.

Those are just a handful of the classes and offerings that She Collective provide or plan on providing.

"I’m also working with an organization called Healthy Living Kitchen to do some lunch and learns," Walters said. "They’re hoping to get a class together for eating for a hormonal balance and talking about eating for your health. They'll talk about how to avoid certain foods during a cycle. I think that could be a really interesting class right before the holidays."

At some point in the future, Walters would also like to unveil She Talks, a TED Talks-style event, that will give self-identified women 15-minutes to discuss a topic of their choosing. She believes that event could keep women tethered together emotionally and keep everyone informed of what's going on in Greater Cleveland.

In the short term, she's working to create more consistent program offerings. She wants to expand how often yoga is being held and create more long-term education series to bring people into the church.

"I want this to be a safe space for everyone," she said.

To register for a class or learn more about the She Collective, click here.

Lead Photo from She Collective