About Us

Melissa and J. A. I'm Melissa, the co-founder and CEO of Uplighten. In the fall of 2021, I was diagnosed with a serious case of viral meningitis (that’s when the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord swell). The pain was excruciating, and I could barely move for weeks. Medication didn’t lessen the pain, but one thing helped get me through – fidgeting with small things around the house such as hair elastics, coins, and especially beads. It would redirect my attention from the pain to the object in my hand. As I started to recover, I noticed I was dealing with severe anxiety and difficult emotions because of my illness and how it had impacted my family – particularly my then-5-year-old daughter. I leaned into fidgeting even more and started incorporating mindfulness practices. It really helped my anxiety, and my mission became clear: I was going to create products to help others take better care of themselves.

My husband, J. A., is co-founder and Head of Education here at Uplighten. With almost 30 years studying and teaching in the self-care space, he is a multi-award-winning author, TEDx and mindfulness speaker, trainer, and creative, bringing his passion for self-care and mindfulness to Uplighten’s products and education.

We hope you find something that suits your self-care style here at Uplighten! And please, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’d love to hear from you: uplightenlife[at]gmail[dot]com.