Bringing together a new generation of girls through movement, meaningful connection, and open conversations around mental health, Wellness Wave is redefining what wellness looks like for young women. At a recent gathering at The Shore at Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach, the teen-founded nonprofit created space for girls to connect, recharge, and feel supported. We connected with co-founders Chloe Carson, Isla Breneman, and Amalie Viscusi to learn more about the heart behind Wellness Wave, the power of bringing girls together, and their vision for making wellness a more accessible, uplifting part of growing up.
What inspired the three of you to create Wellness Wave, and why did this mission feel especially important to you?
We created Wellness Wave because we see how much pressure girls our age are under every day—whether it’s school, sports, friendships, home life, social media, or just feeling like you have to have everything figured out. The three of us wanted to create something positive where girls could come together and feel supported by other girls who are going through the same things.
Mental health is something that affects everyone in different ways, but it isn’t always easy to talk about. We wanted Wellness Wave to make those conversations feel more normal and remind girls that they don’t have to handle everything on their own.
There can be so much pressure on young women today. What do you hope Wellness Wave gives girls that may be missing from their everyday lives?
We hope Wellness Wave gives girls a place where they can just be themselves without feeling like they have to be perfect. There’s so much comparison now, especially with social media, and it can be easy to feel like everyone else has everything together.
We want girls to leave feeling more connected, supported and confident in who they are. Sometimes just knowing that other girls have the same insecurities, stresses and struggles that you do can make you feel so much less alone.
Movement is such an important part of Wellness Wave. How have you seen physical movement impact your own mental and emotional well-being?
Movement has always been a big part of our lives. We’ve realized that being active isn’t just about staying physically healthy—it really changes how we feel mentally too. Getting outside going for a walk being by the ocean really can instantly change our mood in a positive way.
If we’re stressed or overwhelmed, moving our bodies helps us clear our head and reset. It doesn’t have to be an intense workout. It can be tennis, Pilates, a walk, or just getting outside with friends. We think movement is one of the simplest ways to take care of yourself mentally as well as physically.
What does a healthy relationship with wellness look like to you, especially in a world where “wellness” can sometimes feel like another thing to perfect?
To us, wellness is really about balance, not perfection. We don’t think being healthy means doing everything right all the time or following the perfect routine. Some days you might work out and eat really healthy, and other days wellness might mean getting more sleep, spending time with your friends, or giving yourself a break.
We think a healthy relationship with wellness is learning what makes you feel good mentally and physically and not comparing that to what everyone else is doing. Wellness should make your life better, not become another source of pressure.
As Wellness Wave continues to grow, what do you hope girls walk away feeling after attending an event or becoming part of the community?
We hope girls walk away feeling happier, stronger, more connected, and less alone. We want them to feel like they were part of something where they could genuinely be themselves, meet new people, move their bodies, and talk about things that girls our age are actually experiencing.
More than anything, we hope they leave knowing that taking care of their mental health is something to be proud of and that asking for support is a strength. If a girl leaves a Wellness Wave event feeling a little more confident in herself and knowing she has a community around her, then we think we’ve accomplished what we set out to do.
Want to learn more about Wellness Wave and support their mission to empower the next generation of girls? Explore their programs, discover ways to get involved, and help foster a community rooted in connection, confidence, and well-being.
Join the movement: wellnesswaveoc.com
