Why I Created the WITTS Wellness Weekend
- Diana Mbaluka
- May 12
- 3 min read
(And Why I Think You Need It)
I've always believed that travel changes you. Not in a cheesy way but in a real, cellular, something shifted kind of way. It's actually why I named my company Travel is the Cure. And after years of combining travel with community for women lawyers, I wanted to create something even more intentional. Something that wasn't just about CLEs or career advancement or any of the things we spend the rest of our year focused on.
Just space. Real, unscheduled, desert-air space to remember who you are outside of your caseload.
That's how Wellness Weekend was born.
Because here's what I've noticed after years of hosting these events and talking to hundreds of women in this profession: we are really, really good at pushing through. We are not always as good at stopping. And I don't mean stopping to do nothing. I mean stopping long enough to actually ask: How am I doing? What do I need? What's working and what isn't?
That's what this weekend is designed to give you space to do.
We're back at the Ritz-Carlton in Rancho Mirage this September 17–20, and I'm so excited about what we've put together. The programming this year is centered on the things we don't talk about nearly enough — women's hormones and health, burnout recovery, how our nervous systems are holding up under the kind of pressure we put them through, and how to actually sustain energy instead of just running on stress.
Our keynote speakers, Dr. Diana Kumar and Dr. Teresa Walsh, are back and if you were there last year, you already know you're not missing this one. Their session is called Sex, Testosterone and More Sex, and it's exactly as good as it sounds. Real science, real talk, real takeaways over a plated lunch on Friday.
One thing that really stood out to me last year was just how honest everyone was willing to be. During Dr. Diana Kumar and Dr. Teresa Walsh’s session on women’s health—everything from menopause and perimenopause to HRT, peptides, NAD, and more—the Q&A went on for at least 30 minutes. Women were asking deeply personal questions and openly sharing things I think many of us usually keep to ourselves. It ended up being the longest Q&A session I’ve ever had at any WITTS event, and honestly, it was one of the most powerful moments of the weekend. It’s also exactly why we asked them to come back this year as our keynote speakers (with a different topic).
Another moment that surprised me was Joey Florentino’s self-defense class. The attendees were so into it that nobody wanted it to end. We got immediate feedback asking for more, so yes—he’s officially coming back for round two this year.
And finally, one of my favorite parts of the weekend was seeing how many women showed up for themselves in small but meaningful ways. The yoga and sound bath sessions were packed every morning. During Christina Van Ert’s breathwork session, I watched women fully let go—some even cried. There was something really powerful about watching a group of women lawyers finally exhale. Based on attendee feedback, we added an extra day this year and shortened the programming each day so everyone has even more time to relax, connect, and actually enjoy being there.
One thing I changed this year based on your feedback: I added an extra day. Afternoons are now completely open. No programming, no pressure to be anywhere. You can go to every session or you can sit by the pool the entire time. This weekend is genuinely designed to meet you exactly where you are.
And honestly? The connections that happen in those unscheduled hours are usually the ones people tell me about months later. The conversation over breakfast that turned into a referral partnership. The woman you met at the sound bath who's now one of your closest friends. That stuff doesn't happen when every minute is accounted for.
SO, WHY SHOULD YOU BE THERE?
Because the women in that room are going to get it—really get it—in a way that's hard to find anywhere else. Because every single year, someone pulls me aside at the end of the weekend and says 'I didn't realize how much I needed this'.
I want that to be you this September.
I believed women in this profession deserved more. More community, more adventure, more space to just be. Wellness Weekend is the most personal version of that vision, and every year it becomes something I'm more proud of than I ever expected.
Tickets are $495, and I've secured a room block at $339/night. Come stay on the property—it's part of the experience.
I really hope to see you there.
With Love,
Lauren Wood
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