Mental Health Champions: Why & How Geri Topfer Of Kula for Karma Is Helping To Champion Mental Wellness

An Interview With Michelle Tennant Nicholson

Lead by example and mentor — I run a non profit organization that is committed to the underserved. My kids, now adults, have been watching me since they were 4, 7, and 10 years old. Volunteering in shelters, boys and girls clubs, Big Brother Big Sister, etc. Wherever they are in their respective lives they find a way to give back, and blend their professional careers with giving back and making a difference.

As a part of our series about Mental Health Champions helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Geri Topfer.

As Founder and President of Kula for Karma, Geri has established strategic and meaningful partnerships with hospital systems, schools, treatment centers, homeless youth and crisis centers and yoga communities. Prior to Kula, she was an advertising executive for Gruner and Jahr Printing & Publishing Co., Parent and Child Magazines, Conde Nast, and Glamour Magazine. Geri received her B.A. in Communications with a minor in Women’s Studies from Hunter College in NYC. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), Life Force Yoga Practitioner (LFYP), and certified with Kundalini Research Institute (KRI).

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

I was born in the Bronx to parents that were 18 years old, and a huge community of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and one sister 6 years younger. We were blue collar, very gritty and very loud. There was always lots of laughter, dancing, and love! We moved up and out of the Bronx to Flushing Queens. My parents divorced when I was 16 years old, and that childhood trauma informed my life. I moved to LA with three months left in High School where I sold cars. Shortly after, I auditioned for Lee Strasberg and moved to NYC to study with him. Eventually found my way to Hunter College with a degree in Communications and minor in Women’s Studies. My story was definitely gritty all the way!

You are currently leading an initiative that is helping to promote mental wellness. Can you tell us a bit more specifically about what you are trying to address?

At Kula for Karma, we are addressing populations struggling with mental health issues, trauma, and addiction by offering integrative tools that can help manage stress, anxiety, depression, isolation, and more. So often, marginalized and underserved communities don’t have easy access to tools like this.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

I suffered from intense social anxiety and over the years it progressed. An acting teacher shared with me that yoga, mindfulness and breathwork may help, and so my journey began. Social anxiety is a disease that I manage every day. With a daily practice, recovery, surrounding myself with like minded people, and feeling like I am enough, my insides finally match my outsides and I live with peace of mind. It has been a life journey, one that I am grateful for, because without the intensity of my trauma, I would not have hit rock bottom and found the tools that saved my soul.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

I come from a family of sales people. My dad was an aluminum siding sales person and mom a car salesperson. After experiencing trauma at a young age, I went in the direction of overcoming, rolling up my sleeves and grinding. It takes tenacity, being fearless and utter insanity. My yoga teacher in New Jersey had come back from a trip abroad with the Smile Train, helping children prepare for surgery and came back excited to be of service. In that moment it was a god shot, literal visceral experience that I knew that I was going to help children in our own backyard deal with trauma. I reached out to Children and Family Services and began working with the most vulnerable teens in the state of New Jersey. I said yes to every population going forward that I could find, offering yoga at no cost, used yoga mats coming out of my garage at home, and started pounding 24/7. I was on a mission and found my life purpose. .AND then an angel showed up to help teach at one of the sites. That angel was Penni Feiner, Executive Director of Kula for Karma and my business partner for over 16 years…Boy do we have stories!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

There are way too many….One that comes to mind is when we were teaching at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, where prisoners were brought into the cafeteria in handcuffs along with patients suffering with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and more to practice yoga. There were at least 50–60 patients which was one of our largest groups at the time. Many of them were larger than us as well. Penni and I had to stand on cafeteria tables to teach. We made eye contact, we illuminated love, and at the end in savasana, while everyone was in resting pose and quiet we could hear the sobs and watched the tears flow. It was a magical moment!

Kula for Karma was selected to go to Rwanda and work with survivors of genocide. We worked with communities of women and children throughout the country, offering yoga and mindfulness with a translator. We also brought yellow tee shirts, the color of the Rwandan flag, with the poem Imagine A Woman written by Patricia Reilly, in English and translated in Kinyanwanda. Without speaking the same language we were able to connect with circles and circles of women, crying and touching each other’s hearts in such a profound way. We gave them tools to help them manage trauma, grief, and tremendous loss.

None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?

When you do this work everyone becomes a mentor, guru, or teacher. My mother was my first mentor. She was the first woman that introduced me to service, opening our home and hearts to everyone. She was vocal for women’s rights, and as a single woman/mother of two she navigated life with grit and grace. She embraced LGBTQ and people of color back when people did not talk about racism or gender equality and fluidity. She taught me to be fearless, listen to my heart, and that what other people think about me is none of my business. When she died my three kids and all of their friends were at the funeral of GRANDMA B. She was a legend!!

The other woman in this role is my business partner Penni. She has always believed in my vision, and as the operation and systems guru she would listen to my ideas, and put them into play. She believed in me until I came to believe in myself. She loves me unconditionally and allowed me to navigate over a lifetime coming to eventually believing in myself, loving myself and giving my life — as a woman and as a business woman — purpose! I love my kids and my husband dearly, but having an identity aside from mother and wife rounds out my life. Penni and I are wired similarly, working 24/7, holding each other accountable, flowing with intention and integrity. We both do our deep mental health work individually while keeping our eye on the Kula for Karma ball, never letting petty stuff get in the way of doing good in the world, and leaving this world a better place. We are ‘yes’ sisters, and continue to dive in experiencing life with fresh eyes and excitement every day!

According to Mental Health America’s report, over 44 million Americans have a mental health condition. Yet there’s still a stigma about mental illness. Can you share a few reasons you think this is so?

As we continue to educate and make it safe to have these difficult conversations we will continue to see the shift. It’s happening, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it is finally revealing itself.

I am in recovery and it took me a long time to be comfortable sharing with my family and friends. Now I share when I know it can potentially help someone. I felt ashamed and did not want to be found out. I can now say 11 years later that I am a grateful alcoholic.

Covid was the catalyst for people to experience mental health issues at a very high level and finally become willing to talk about it. I am feeling very hopeful that we are moving the needle and making it safer for people to talk, and share. Actors, athletes, and professionals in every industry are making it safer by sharing their personal stories. Our medical community is supporting it more aggressively and corporations are paying attention to their employees mental health by offering a plethora of resources.

In your experience, what should a) individuals b) society, and c) the government do to better support people suffering from mental illness?

A mental health crisis is plaguing our nation. Fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the grief, trauma, depression, and anxiety of the last few years have driven Americans to a breaking point. While the demand for mental health services is skyrocketing, high costs and insufficient insurance coverage, limited options and long waits, lack of awareness about where to go for services, and social stigmatization serve as barriers keeping Americans from seeking treatment. ⁠

The government and our health and social institutions should be making mental health more accessible, equitable and affordable. This is part of Kula for Karma’s mission, and our programs are a solution that can help make this happen in the United States. Listen to beloved actor Sam Waterston talk about Kula for Karma’s work on our homepage at KulaforKarma.org, and check out Our Programs and Our Impact.Companies are moving the needle and as individuals we all can begin to make real human contact. When you ask someone how they are feeling, ask them “How are you really feeling?” Have conversations, make time, listen more. Teach our children about community service, and always blend your life with service. Find a cause that lights up your heart and get involved! Stay connected, reach out to people that are suffering in your community or family. We CAN make a difference!

What are your 5 strategies you use to promote your own well-being and mental wellness? Can you please give a story or example for each?

1. For me personally, AA- I attend meetings every day, and sponsor 6 women. Going to meetings, praying, meditation, has taught me to pause, be mindful of what comes out of my mouth, and look at my piece in any situation. By sponsoring I am also in service. AA has transformed my life and allowed me to live a life beyond my wildest dreams.
2. Yoga, Mindfulness, Prayer, Kula for Karma service — I take a yoga class twice a week with fifty 20–30 year olds — packed room, lots of sweet, amazing music and it lights up my heart that I can still keep up. My yoga practice is the practice that keeps on giving. It has taken me through many life stages — when my mom was in hospice I would go to yoga class at 5am so not to see anyone or have to talk, jump on my mat and cry through the practice. It allowed me to go back to the bedside and be there for my mom, kids, and extended family.
3. Lead by example and mentor — I run a non profit organization that is committed to the underserved. My kids, now adults, have been watching me since they were 4, 7, and 10 years old. Volunteering in shelters, boys and girls clubs, Big Brother Big Sister, etc. Wherever they are in their respective lives they find a way to give back, and blend their professional careers with giving back and making a difference.
4. Make five phone calls a day to friends and family checking in — I make a list of friends and family every day that I need to connect with. I visit older relatives and check in. This is again another opportunity to model for my children. They see me suiting up and showing up, jumping on planes, doing what I can to always be there for loved ones.
5. Fitness — I love Barry’s Bootcamp and surround myself with young people who Padel, strength train, and run marathons! Community is very important to me and I create communities within communities. Even if it’s a smile, a chat walking into the class, exchange in the locker room, etc., I feel a connection. I love dancing so the music in Barry’s fills my heart like Studio 54 did at one time. I try to identify what I love and thread it into my life. I’m committed to doing things that I love and finally am at a place in my life that I feel in constant flow.

What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a mental health champion?

There are so many, I’m reading Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia. Some other favorites include Rich Roll Podcast, Pivot Kara Swisher and Scott Galoway, Ester Perel, Ten Percent Happier, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, The Positive Psychology Podcast, The Body Keeps The Score. Our website also has a list of resources we are building at KulaforKarma.org/resources. I love Maria Sirois, aPositive Psychologist who is a leader in the field.

If you could tell other people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

It feels so good — and service is great for our mental health! WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. There is nothing like community and you will be surrounding yourself with like-minded people.Love makes the world go around…corny but true!

How can our readers follow you online?

Go to KulaforKarma.org or on social @kulaforkarma

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!