FOUNDERS STORY
Julie Frizzi, Founder of Powerful You
I’m Julie Frizzi, a retired school counselor with 37 years of experience supporting students and educators. During my most impactful years, I replaced classroom desks with yoga mats and taught social-emotional learning through movement, helping students regulate, connect, and thrive.
As I worked with children, I collected true stories from my experiences. The kids loved these real-life stories and deeply connected with them. I started using these stories to introduce social-emotional themes, making learning meaningful, repetitive, and relatable.
I quickly discovered a simple and effective rhythm: begin with breathwork and gentle movement to get the wiggles out, then transition into a short, engaging story. This approach helped children regulate their emotions, build self-awareness, and stay engaged — all in a way that felt natural and enjoyable.
Today, I support school counselors and educators by sharing practical SEL strategies that begin with self-care—because when adults are regulated and present, students benefit. I currently teach yoga in the Florida Keys, where I continue to learn powerful life lessons from nature. Through my books and resources, I help educators care for themselves while bringing meaningful, movement-based SEL into their classrooms.
MISSION
At Powerful You, we empower educators and families with simple mindfulness, breathwork, and movement practices that strengthen social-emotional learning, restore balance, build resilience, and reconnect them to their purpose and joy.
VISION
We envision a world where every educator feels grounded, supported, and empowered through mindfulness and movement to cultivate families and communities rooted in compassion, connection, and well-being.
CORE VALUES
The 5 Core Values of Powerful You—self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and relationship skills—are not just SEL concepts to discuss. They are skills to experience.
Through breathwork, mindful movement, and Powerful You’s easy-to-use lessons, students don’t just learn these skills—they feel them in their bodies.
Each lesson includes a relatable story, thoughtful reflection prompts, and engaging activities. When breath and movement are added, the learning becomes powerful, practical, and lasting throughout the school year.
Breathwork helps students slow down, notice their thoughts and feelings, and recognize how their body responds.
Using the Powerful You Cards for role-play and reflection helps students actively practice solutions instead of just reading about them.
Listening to a Powerful You story helps kids understand experiences that may be different from their own and feel empathy towards others.
Moving together in sync fosters social bonds and connection among individuals and groups. By listening closely to students’ perspectives during reflection prompts, educators better understand students’ strengths and needs.
Movement teaches students to regulate their emotions, focus their attention, and control their reactions.
Ready to Get Started?
To help you bring these ideas into your classroom right away, I’m sharing 26 SEL classroom signs that pair with the Powerful You book for grades 2–6. After completing each lesson, display the sign on a bulletin board or refrigerator to reinforce the message and keep students connected to the theme.
Download your free set and start building calm, confident classrooms today. Use Code: FOOTPRINT at checkout.