Life By Design Series: Summer Series Workshops

Buiding Your Best Life is a practical, engaging summer workshop series that explores the foundations of how to think strategically about their environment, health, mindset, relationships, and finances.

Through expert-led sessions, real-world frameworks, and hands-on exercises, attendees will leave with tools they can use immediately and for the rest of their lives.

Attendees will gain practical frameworks for:

• Designing environments that support focus and productivity

• Building healthy habits for fitness, energy, and mental clarity

• Presenting themselves with confidence and strong social skills

• Managing stress and navigating life’s challenges

• Understanding money and building a strong financial future

• Strategic thinking for a purposeful, successful life

Monday June 22 through Friday June 26, 2026

9:00 AM –12:00 PM

Location: The Sandbox, Santa Barbara

Price per day: $75 per day

Price for all 5 days: $299 (Save $75!)

Special offer: 2 tickets for the price of 1! Buy one get one free! (Two or more tickets for $37.50 each)

Susan Spieler brings over 40 years of experience in interior design, hospitality, and education. She has worked professionally in design since 1989 and previously owned, designed, and operated boutique hotels.

Her background bridges design, construction, and human-centered environments, allowing her to teach how spaces influence mindset, productivity, and well-being.

She has taught through UCSB Extension, passed the B1 General Contractor Exam, and won HGTV’s Designer’s Challenge. Her work focuses on helping people design environments that support their best lives.

Carissa Lataillade is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and founder of Paladin Psychotherapy & Family Counseling, Inc.

Her approach is grounded, direct, and focused on real, meaningful change—not surface-level positivity. She helps individuals build resilience, navigate stress, and develop healthier ways of thinking and responding to life’s challenges.

Brecia Kralovic-Logan is a nationally recognized artist, speaker, and author of The Spiral of Creativity: Mastering the Art of a Spirited Life.

She leads workshops and speaks internationally on creativity, self-expression, and personal growth. Her work encourages individuals to tap into creativity as a tool for clarity, confidence, and authentic self-expression.

Josh Nissan is a physical therapist and specialist in gut health and the microbiome.

He focuses on the connection between physical health, energy, and mental well-being, helping individuals understand how habits—especially nutrition—impact performance, mood, and long-term health.

Michael Brown-Fiedtkou is a Santa Barbara native, UCLA graduate, and ISSA Certified Personal Trainer with a strong background in athletics and performance training. He specializes in helping individuals build strength, improve fitness, and develop sustainable, healthy habits. His approach focuses not just on results, but on education—teaching clients how to train effectively, safely, and with intention.

Michael is passionate about making fitness accessible to people of all levels, helping them build confidence, energy, and long-term well-being through practical, goal-oriented training.

Louis John is a luxury lifestyle curator, retail management executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Louis John Boutique who guides individuals toward deeper self-awareness through the power of self-expression and curated style. With over 25 years working with iconic fashion houses including Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and more, Louis has transformed the way clients connect with themselves—using wardrobe as a tool for alignment, confidence, and energetic presence.

Blending intuitive insight with a refined aesthetic, he helps people elevate their potential by releasing what no longer reflects who they are and stepping into a new authentic, expressed identity. His work goes beyond style—it’s about embodying your truth, aligning your energy, and designing a life that feels as good as it looks.

Ally is a wealth management professional at Arlington Financial Advisors with seven years of experience guiding individuals and families through complex financial decisions. With a background in economics and applied psychology, she takes a behavioral approach to planning—understanding that financial success depends as much on people as it does on numbers. She is committed to ongoing education and delivering highly personalized, “white-glove” service.

As part of a collaborative, multi-generational team, Ally helps clients navigate both immediate needs and long-term goals. She is passionate about building strong relationships, empowering clients, and aligning their wealth with their broader vision for the future.

How your environment shapes how you think, feel, and perform.

Attendees will learn:

• How to design spaces for focus and creativity

• Why organized environments improve mental clarity

• Principles from interior design and human psychology

• The mystery of color in transforming spaces

• Construction elements and the building process

Instructor: Susan Spieler

Mental tools for stress, resilience, and productivity.

Attendees will learn:

• Mental frameworks for handling pressure and uncertainty

• Stress management techniques

• Building clarity, focus, and emotional resilience

Instructor: Carissa Lataillade, LMFT & Brecia Kralovic-Logan

Fitness and nutrition fundamentals for energy, focus, and long-term health.

Attendees will learn:

• Exercise fundamentals for lifelong fitness

• Nutrition basics for energy and performance

• Healthy habits that support mental clarity and productivity

Instructors: Josh Nissan of Santa Barbara Body Sculpting and Michael Brown-Fiedtkou of APEX Fitness Personal Training

How to present yourself with confidence and communicate effectively.

Attendees will learn:

• Confidence and presence

• Communication and persuasion principles

• Choosing your reactions and mindset

• Self-presentation techniques applicable to both personal and business settings

Instructor: Louis John, Fashion Consultant, and Susan Spieler

Financial basics everyone should understand.

Atendees will learn:

• Budgeting and financial planning fundamentals

• Building healthy financial habits

Instructor: Ally Meier, Arlington Financial Advisors

Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

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Host or Publisher Susan Spieler