Mind, Body, and Soul: Soulstice
Kit-Tena “Tena” Ferguson never expected to learn so much about her health through facing a journey with illness. But in 2018, when she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, she was forced to prioritize her health. Despite being a person who always considered herself fairly healthy – she even worked closely with her husband, Hilton Ferguson, on his personal training business, Full Time Fitness – Tena realized wellness had to be more than an exercise routine or healthy eating habits.
Because for Tena and Hilton, health and wellness has always played a significant role in their stories. The couple, who met while they were both in college at East Carolina University, have been married for 15 years. In college, Hilton studied exercise physiology, and Tena studied psychology – so the couple already had a pretty good understanding of the mind and body connection that contributes to an individual’s overall health. After returning to the Triad to be close to Tena’s family, the two began to put their degrees into practice. Hilton began personal training before opening his own business, and Tena went on to pursue her master’s degree in Family & Community Services, even becoming a clinically licensed addiction specialist.
“You grow and you learn yourself,” she explains, discussing the career path she had initially carved out for herself. But when Tena was diagnosed with her illness, her world turned upside down.
“I went on a healing journey that deepened, but I didn’t plan on sharing,” Tena admits, thinking back to 2018. “I began learning about myself – my mind, body, and soul."
Her healing journey entailed strengthening that connection between the mind, body, and soul, as she began to consider ways to improve all aspects of her health through holistic, natural methods.
“I’ve been healing myself since 2018,” Tena explains, “and I have totally thrown my diagnosis into remission.”
And as Tena saw the undeniable benefits of her own wellness practices, she found herself realizing how many people around her were facing the same kinds of diagnoses, chronic illnesses, and more – leading her to reconsider how public she wanted to be about her healing journey.
“It really led me to share my story with people on their own healing journeys,” she says. But it didn’t stop with sharing that story. Tena and Hilton began to consider: what would it look like to actually educate and empower others to put into practice the wellness techniques Tena herself was benefitting from?
Using a blend of physiological interventions and mental mindfulness practices, Tena outlined the plan for her wellness lounge, Soulstice.
“Soulstice offers a space for people to come in and learn and they can share about their healing journey, whatever that may be on that journey,” she explains. Soulstice, a membership-based business, offers a variety of wellness-focused services to their members, from health consultations to mindfulness practices like yoga, reiki, and tai chi, to herbalist tinctures, to a wellness bar and lounge space with non-alcoholic beverages.
“Healing is an everyday journey,” Tena explains. And with the belief that “your vibe attracts your tribe,” Tena felt it was imperative to give others seeking alternative solutions to healing had a space that would give them the tools they need to heal themselves.
For example, the Hiltons strongly believe that “movement is medicine,” and in a society where the average person ends up sitting still for up to 10 hours a day, their yoga and tai chi classes offer the chance to incorporate movement in a calming, centering way. Specialties around classes like womb yoga even aim to improve health in very specific areas.
And for Tena and Hilton, they truly practice what they preach. Despite running two businesses and parenting 5 kids, the two have made a commitment to prioritize their family’s health first and foremost.
“Balance is key,” Tena asserts, noting that finding a balance of leveraging her own passions and education, as well as her role as a wife and mother is always a high priority for her.
“What we’ve done is be conscious of what we have on our plates and our responsibilities,” she explains. “We set our goals together in our intentions for our family, and we structure our lifestyle around those things.”
Hilton and Tena regularly sit down with their kids to help them align their own goals and intentions for their lives, so that even from a young age their kids know how important it is to set structure and balance for themselves.
“It’s a togetherness,” Tena adds, noting that the commitment she and Hilton have to one another comes first. “We are two different people, but we’re in this thing together.”
Because when Tena and Hilton think on the legacy they want Soulstice to leave in High Point, it extends far beyond just the years they’ve spent in the city thus far.
“The Triad has been a wonderful place to raise children,” Tena says, “and it’s clear we have work to do here.”
Hilton adds that they see themselves not just impacting their clients and their immediate family through their children, but generations to come in the Triad by promoting what it means to be truly well.
Tena quotes philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti, saying: “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
Instead, the Fergusons are walking hand-in-hand to create a society that seeks wellness and health, right here in High Point.
“Healing is an everyday journey.”
Tena Ferguson, Owner of Soulstice
Discover our High Points,
The HPD Team
Photography by Madalyn Yates Brand Photography
Making High Point Discovered Possible
High Point Discovered is a 501(c)3 – a non-profit that exists solely for the growth and betterment of our city. Our staff of talented writers, photographers, and creatives works hard to tell the stories of our city so that you can connect to businesses that need you as patrons, non-profits that need you as givers, and – most importantly – neighbors that need you as friends. Our content is always free to our readers (that's you!) and free to the incredible entrepreneurs, artists, educators, and changemakers we feature.
We exist to communicate the stories of our city to connect our citizens and catalyze economic growth. But we need your help to continue. When you give to High Point Discovered, you're giving to support citizens – just like the ones in this story – who are making the city we call home better.
If you enjoy the content brought to you by High Point Discovered, consider giving today.
THIS STORY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
