A Note from Your Chief Wellness Officer:
Welcome to “The New Hire”. When you are a woman with a full life and a career that keeps you very busy, you don’t always have time to “date” practitioners to find the right fit. So in The New Hire, I introduce one practitioner at a time: who she works with, what she does, why she earned a place on our “Org Chart” and what it was actually like for me to see her. These are not sponsored posts. These are real practitioners that have come to me through word of mouth references from people I trust.
First up is Abigail Mary Taugwalder, Founder of Garden of Abi in Paris. Abi came recommended to me when I truly needed it, and I want to share her precious work with you.
The essentials
Name: Abigail Mary Taugwalder
Title: Founder, Garden of Abi | Creator of The Abi Method™
Based: Paris
Also works with: Private clients, luxury brands and hotels
Her client: Women navigating demanding lives and periods of change who want to feel more grounded, connected to themselves and clear about what comes next.
What She Does
Abi helps women come back to themselves through breath, movement, sensory ritual and conscious living.
Her signature Abi Method™ — Ground • Grow • Glow — offers a framework for slowing down, reconnecting with yourself and consciously stepping into what comes next.
Sessions may combine breathwork, movement, stillness, scent, sound and ritual, creating space to quiet some of the external noise and notice what you actually need.
Through Garden of Abi, she brings the Method to life through private and group experiences, seasonal rituals, retreats and collaborations with luxury, beauty and hospitality brands.
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Why she’s on our Org Chart?
For women accustomed to managing demanding careers, families and full calendars, slowing down can be surprisingly difficult.
Abi’s work creates an intentional pause from constant doing — a space to breathe, reconnect with yourself and return to your life through a calm nervous system with greater presence and clarity.
Credentials: Trained in Breathwork and Yin Yoga, with additional training in Vinyasa Yoga, Reiki, lymphatic practices and Access Bars. Abi also works with holistic aroma blending and sensory ritual. She has created and guided experiences for clients and brands including Goop, BMW, Le Bon Marché and Guerlain.
A personal review
I saw Abi during my in-between period (transitioning from my corporate job and my new chapter, when I was still on my journey to craft “What’s Next”) and the sound of her soothing voice lulled me into a restful slumber: I was able to let go. For the chronically sleep-deprived high-achiever, that is the whole point. We had a lovely tea and discussion after the session. I’ll be booking more enriching sessions now that my sleep cycles are balanced and regular.
Rapid-fire questions with Abi:
Your top wellness non-negotiable:
Checking in with myself. Even for a moment: “How do I actually feel today, and what do I need"? Everything else can follow from there.
The quick breathwork exercise anyone can do before or after a stressful meeting/encounter:
I love a simple long exhale. Breathe naturally in through the nose, then let the exhale become slightly longer and slower through pursed lips. Repeat for a few rounds without forcing the breath. It’s discreet enough to do almost anywhere.
Your favorite place in Paris:
I find this difficult because Paris gives me different things depending on what I need! But anywhere I can walk, notice beauty and feel part of the city again — the gardens, the Seine, a flower shop, a beautiful café — can become a reset for me.
Your favorite ritual to decompress:
Changing the atmosphere when I come home: shoes off, phone down, changing out of my day clothes and into a robe, perhaps lighting incense, making tea, putting on music and taking a few conscious breaths. I love these small sensory cues that mark the transition from the outside world to home and help me feel fresh again.
Your go-to tea:
Tea has been part of my life since my years in Japan, and today I use it as much as a ritual as a drink. My seasonal Garden of Abi teas change with the rhythm of the year…right now I’m reaching for Rayonne, our Autumn blend.
For more from Abi: see her substack and check out her free ritual guide. And to experience her method for yourself, you can contact her here.
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