About Lucia Bellafante

Lucia Bellafante, is a mother, grandmother, author, speaker, coach and educator who applies her professional, and personal knowledge and experience as a parent, educator and master coach to help parents raise happy, healthy, safe and successful children.

Lucia has always been a story teller and teacher. As a child she crafted stories and taught her precocious brother to keep him occupied. An educator with two specialists and two teaching degrees, who taught for 35 years, Lucia implemented the art of story telling to help both children and parents. Today, Lucia has blended her passions, and expertise to help children and parents through her children’s books which serve as a bridge for parents and children to communicate, learn and spend quality time together.

Lucia created THANKS to further support parents and caregivers along their journey by providing a blueprint for establishing and maintaining a healthy, strong and supportive relationship with children so that children grow to be happy, healthy, safe and successful.

For a list of credentials please see below.

Author

 
You read with your child for many reasons: there are times you want to read with your child and laugh, there are times you want to read with your child and cuddle, there are times when you read because you’re searching for the right words to help explain something, or maybe you’re looking for a story that’s uplifting and inspiring.
 
As an author writing children’s picture books I write to entertain, educate, and enrich the lives of parents and children through story. My stories help you raise happy, healthy, safe and successful children and set the stage to have conversations with your child about all sorts of topics, some challenging, some enlightening, and some just for fun.
 
I have developed three series, written expressly so that you have the opportunity to choose the book that best suits your and your child’s needs at a particular time. Each series and story is written and illustrated to be representative of IDEA, (inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility). Books can be easily applied to the Ontario school curriculum and are accompanied with activity suggestions for parent and child to extend learning and fun.
 

Speaker

 

When you need a well rounded, soft spoken and passionate speaker who’s able to effectively communicate with a group of students about anti-bullying, or speak with parents about how to move forward after learning about a child’s diagnosis, or even talk about surviving divorce so that everyone not only endures but thrives, Lucia is the person to call.

As a speaker, I come from a place of compassion, honesty, and respect. I can tailor talks to your specific needs for time, topic and audience. My years as an itinerant vision teacher working with children who were blind and partially sighted taught me how to accommodate for the needs of my clients.

 

Coach

 

For the times in your life when you need a friendly, well-informed, non-judgemental guide who will help you to be accountable and encourage you to achieve your parenting goals.

As a coach, I ask questions and guide you to find the answers that are best for you and your family. You might be searching for a way to get your child to do homework, or stop biting, or throwing temper tantrums; together we get to the root of the problem and craft a solution so that peace and harmony reign within your home.

Educator

 

Sometimes you need a little more than questions, you need answers, support and education.

As an educator, I present workshops that inspire, and empower parents through knowledge and practical information so that both parents and children are respected, supported and grow.

As an experienced educator, I help teachers, and support staff understand the value of inclusivity and accommodations so that all students reach their full potential.

 

Professional Credentials

Bachelor of Education
Blind and Low Vision Specialist
Elementary Writing Specialist
AMI – Montessori Casa Teacher

Certified Master Coach Practitioner
Certified Professional Speaker
Certified Yoga Instructor
Certified Yoga Nidra Meditation Instructor
Certified Soul Realignment ® Practitioner

Certified Reiki Master 
Certified Stress Management Coach
Certified Sleep Science Coach
Certified Weight-loss and Lifestyle Coach 
Certified in Hyponolinguistics

Did you know you use your frontal lobe every day? The frontal lobe is the part of the brain we engage when we make decisions. Everything we do, from what to eat for breakfast to studying for a test, is the result of our brain’s frontal lobe.

We need our frontal lobe to function in a healthy manner because it affects everything we do;  our reasoning, decision making, and even deciding on what impulses to act on are affected by our frontal lobe. But without physical exercise, the frontal lobe ceases to work properly, resulting in what many people call brain fog. And in a world where 1 in 4 adults is insufficiently active and 80% of the adolescent population is not getting enough exercise, our sedentary lives are at risk of more than just gaining a bit of unwanted weight.

You see, everything is connected.

Many western athletes and health enthusiasts are beginning to embrace what spiritual teachers have been saying for thousands of years; everything is connected. Our body’s health is directly tied to our brain health, and consequently to our spiritual health. One of my desires is to help eliminate the limiting belief that we are only our bodies. We are so much more.

Life isn’t just made up of matter, it’s made up of what matters.

By taking care of our bodies, we help improve every part of our lives. If the idea of taking a 20-minute walk a couple days a week to help improve your mind, body, and spirit, sounds new to you, that’s okay. Part of life is about learning and discovering new things. How wonderful that exercise can improve not only how we feel physically but it can improve how we feel emotionally and help us gain a greater appreciation for ourselves and others.  

Exercise Unites Us

Why not go for walks with your children, friend, or partner? Have fun keeping fit. Get and stay connected through exercise. How about getting exercise while helping out a neighbour? Why not mow your neighbour’s lawn as a surprise? Don’t think of exercise as a chore but rather as an opportunity to do something nice for someone else, connecting and having fun with those you love all while keeping your mind, body, and spirit healthy.
 
If you’re somebody who enjoys diving into the data of a subject, below is some science-based information to help remedy that body/mind dichotomy I was just speaking of.

Exercise and Stress

Exercise is proven to help reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise helps stop neurons in the brain from firing that are shown to produce stress (the ventral hippocampus). I’m sure we could all use a bit less stress in our lives, and perhaps the way to do that is by simply walking out your front door! The reduction of stress also helps our minds think clearer, which can help us realize the unity of all things. Taking a walk, as Rabbi Shaispecht says, “…can remind you of the vastness to which you’re connected.”

Exercise and Dementia

Just about any type of exercise that gets your heart working will reduce the risk of dementia. Hundreds of studies have been done showing that exercise helps prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Exercise is also shown to improve spatial memory, which is the part of memory responsible for recording one’s environment (like how to navigate through a familiar city etc.).

Exercise and Depression

A review of 39 different studies with thousands of participants showed that exercise helps provide moderate relief for those battling depression. While not shown to completely relieve depression, the effects may be as great as starting with therapy or taking antidepressants.

Learning to Thrive

We were created to thrive, not just survive. Life is full of amazing people on amazing journeys, and exercise can be a great way for us to get connected, show and receive love, and bring us into deeper communion with the love of God.

If you’ve been feeling like you’ve been in a bit of a rut lately, I encourage you to get up and move. Every breath is a prayer of some kind, and every moment a gift – exercise is just one of the many ways we can embrace the gift of infinite love and unity that connects us all.