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You are the JOY you are looking for!
Fit for Joy offers pathways to help you remember and celebrate this truth.
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THE JOYLAB OF YOU!
As you explore this website, may you find something that supports your healing and softly reminds you of the beauty and sacredness of your existence.
To serve reveals love, making it visible, felt, and sustained.
- V I S I O N -
An earth inhabited by humans fully aware of their interconnectedness with all of life. In harmony with our innate joy, kindness and curiosity, we honor our individuality while contributing to the well-being of others and our natural world.
- M I S S I O N -
We educate, empower, and inspire individuals and our community to cultivate joy through holistic well-being, playful and creative practices.
A QUEST FOR WELL-BEING PODCAST
An eco-retreat space dedicated to holistic healing, creativity, connection with nature, and Hawaiian cultural education.
VALERIA KOOPMAN - Founder, Executive Director, and Board Chair of FIT FOR JOY: Garden of Well-Being on Kaua’i, Hawai’i — 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Author, Facilitator
After years of trauma, I chose love for life, curiosity, and resilience over fear and despair. That choice transformed pain into a pathway back to the joy, wholeness, and wonder that had always been present beneath it all.
Since remembering that joy is always available, I have devoted my life to cultivating pathways that can help others uncover the joy they already are!
T H E S H O R T S T O R Y
I was born in Brazil and deeply affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). From an early age, I promised myself I would be resilient in my quest for well-being. Yet with limited resources and education, my teenage years were marked by unnecessary suffering and a longing for something I could not quite name.
At nineteen, I met an American mentor who brought me to the United States and introduced me to healthier eating, regular exercise, and the healing power of creative expression through music, dance, and singing. My curiosity and willingness to heal opened the door to inspiring experiences and new possibilities.
I learned to dance flamenco and performed professionally in Miami. I wrote songs and played guitar. Through movement, creativity, and connection, I began catching glimpses of a joy that had never truly left me. Later, in New York City, I became a certified personal trainer and helped many people improve their health and well-being. I went on to win first place as a fitness competitor in two divisions, a reflection of my dedication and commitment to growth.
For a time, I believed I was arriving at the destination I had been searching for. In reality, I was only beginning a much deeper journey.
In my mid-thirties, I fell into a deep depression and was diagnosed with complex PTSD (C-PTSD) rooted in childhood trauma and sexual abuse. The work I had done to strengthen my body and mind was meaningful, but I realized my healing journey was only halfway complete.
Then, during one of the darkest periods of my life, a simple yet profound realization emerged:
YOU ARE FIT FOR JOY.
In that moment, something shifted. It was as if a spell had been broken. I saw that joy was not something I needed to earn, achieve, or find outside myself. — NO MORE PERFORMING — Joy had been quietly waiting beneath the layers of fear, trauma, conditioning, social demands / standards and lots and lots of self-doubt all along.
My entire being said yes to what felt utterly truth, and my life was never the same.
I spent years searching for joy in experiences, accomplishments, relationships, and healing practices, only to discover that joy was never missing—it was my true nature all along.
From that moment forward, I felt free to explore both my inner and outer worlds with greater courage and trust. I traveled, wrote books, got married, became a dog mom, and launched a podcast that has connected me with hundreds of well-being facilitators across the United States and around the world. Each conversation continues to deepen my understanding of the many pathways that help us remember who we truly are.
Through it all, I have come to know that joy is our nature—an unlearned expression of gratitude, appreciation, and presence in the dance of life. Our limitations do not need to become our destiny. They can become invitations, guiding us back to the joy, wholeness, and wisdom that have always lived within us.
We are all FIT FOR JOY. :)
“Six hours later I had finished reading Fit for Joy and found myself sitting there deep in thought about the cause of my present discontent.
~ Terry Clayton, Psychologist and Educator
“We must find our peace and happiness inside ourselves if we hope to find it in the world around us. Valeria's story is powerful and personal. You will find deep meaning in these pages and be encouraged to transform your life.”
~ Elisa Robyn, Renaissance Educator, Leader, Consultant and Astrologer
“Changing the meaning that we give to events, circumstances, and creating our own positive inner self-talk are such valuable lessons that can take our joy of life to new levels. I could not put the Fit for Joy book down. It's a true story, that could change your life, maybe forever.”
~ Cliff Yates, Retired from Police work, Actor and Comedian
“Through a practice of awareness and self-love, Valeria consciously chooses to connect to the power of her heart as she embraces the joy within rather than seeking external sources to attain the joy. As an Intuitive Medium and Conscious Creator, her message is in alignment with my own heart-centered practice and teachings. It's time for all of us to step into our power fully, embody a practice of well-being and love ourselves fully.”
~ Shelly Wilson, Intuitive Medium, Reiki Master and Spiritual Teacher
“Fit for Joy is not as much about physical fitness as it is about internal fitness – love and acceptance for yourself.
In the last part of the book Ms. Teles goes deep into her personal journey of self-discovery. She shares her views of heart-based love, of what matters in life.
If you have been chasing external validation, seeking happiness outside yourself, it will be easy for you to see the futility of your efforts.”
— John Chancellor, Author and Amazon Reviewer
“Valeria's books help those of you ready for more peace and less fear to remember how. Where we place our attention is our choice. Love just FEELS better than fear, when we learn how. Allow Valeria to show you.”
~ Lynn Telford-Sahl, Author, Psychologist, and Coach
“Valeria writes with intelligence, heart, and genuine wisdom. If you read her books with attention and put the wisdom into practice, you will transform your relationship with your mind, and therefore, with life.”
~ Josh Sandeman, Zen Buddhist and Writer
“Valeria’s insights and perspectives are transparent and authentic, and her journey will inspire your own. If you are ready for physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation, then Fit for Joy is for you.”
— Michael Thomas Sunnarborg, Wellness Wrangler | Coach | Relentless Optimist
You Are the Journey & the Destination.
It’s by realizing that You are the impossible that everything else becomes possible.
info@fitforjoy.org
NATURE CALLING: HONORING THE SACREDNESS OF LIFE