Women have to take time to ensure their own well being, before they can properly help their families and communities.

This came from Gita Blakeney Saltus, Regional Vice President of Caron Bermuda, who will be a speaker at the second Annual Bermuda Athena International Leadership Awards, Business Summit & Spa Retreat 'Navigating Success', in early September.

Caron Bermuda provides direct access to off-island residential addiction treatment as well as on-island non-residential continuing care and group programmes.

At the conference, Mrs. Saltus will be taking part in a workplace health and wellness segment, and will also be one of the panelists in the discussion 'Navigating Success Empowerment: Discover Your Power — Unleash Your Potential'.

"Women today wear several hats," Mrs. Saltus told The Royal Gazette "We are mothers, wives and caregivers. Then we are entrepreneurs and executives.

"We are in leadership positions within our community. Women should not have to carry the burden alone. True strength comes from getting what we need to be at our best."

She said that women need to give themselves permission to take care of themselves.

"An investment in ourselves, is an investment in our families and ultimately in an investment in our communities," she said.

Mrs. Saltus knows well what it is to carry many hats.

In addition to her work at Caron, she is also a well-known entertainer, and last year started GiMi Design Studio, a floral business with her husband Gary Saltus and friend Michelle Geary.

GiMi recently won a Best of Bermuda (award).

Mrs. Saltus previously worked for Council Partners, and the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) as the business development director.

She said that giving back to the community has become her passion.

"Helping the community through the arts, or through our social ills has been the definition of who Gita is and who I want to be," she said. "I feel like this is my calling — to work towards the betterment of our community."

But she said she also gets a tremendous sense of her own power through her entertainment career.

"Unleashing the talent within yourself is very empowering," she said. "I feel like I have balanced my life out very well.

"I have my music that I draw upon for healing and self-expression. I have the flower business which brings me great joy. You really do see the responses from the clients.

"I think I am creating a balance in the myriad of things I do right now."

At the conference, she planned to talk about the many things in her life that had empowered her to do all the things she does.

"I want women in the context of Caron Bermuda to understand, sometimes on a holistic level, that we need to remove the shame and stigma of seeking support for our emotional well being," she said.

"If we live our best lives, we can be an example of generations to come."

She said women need to have their annual health check-ups. They also need to take stock of the emotional stress in their lives.

"We need to look at how we are assisting ourselves in ensuring we are doing the best we can to be strengthened to be empowered and help others.

"If we don't take care of ourselves we will eventually break down and have nothing to give."

She said empowerment also meant striving to be the best you can be in your chosen profession.

Mrs. Saltus was classically trained in music, and at one point devoted four years entirely to her music.

"I continue to accept new and innovative ways to perfect my craft," she said. "It is also important to remain relevant. If you don't remain relevant then you have no voice."

She said it was also important to deliver a product that was both positive and hopeful.

"Hope is what heals us," she said.

Mrs. Saltus said many women need to break generational cycles of dysfunction.

"Sometimes these cycles become the albatross around our necks," she said. "We have to break-through old behaviours that have not allowed us to reach our maximum potential.

"Within the black community in particular, women tend to carry guilt and shame and don't reveal things that are going on with themselves.

"They are afraid of people finding out, so they don't seek help."

She said sometimes women's issues are topics forgotten in the Bermuda community.

"We have always taken such a leadership role, that I think women's issues get lost," she said.

"Women here tend to be very strong, taking on a lot of responsibilities and being the anchor in families.

"We need to take a stand, and address the issues (such as abuse and drug addiction) with affirmative action. It's not good enough to just talk about it over lunch with our girl friends or behind closed doors."

She said the community particularly needs to address issues surrounding substance abuse.

"We need to start talking about it frankly and without fear," she said.

The retreat is on from September 4 to 6 at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

Other speakers include Dr. Cindy Trimm, motivational speaker and expert life coach, Dr. Patricia Russell McCloud, one of America's top motivational speakers, and Nelethea Butterfield, Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Director and Founder of the Care Learning Centre.

The conference will include a parade of nations, a spa event, panel discussion, health screenings, leadership awards and 'Keep Rising', a one woman show, among other things.

The retreat is also asking people to nominate a woman they know or admire for the 2009 Bermuda International Athena Women's Leadership Awards, recognising exceptional individuals who have achieved excellence in their business or profession; served the community in a meaningful way and have assisted women in their attained professional goals and leadership skills.

Nomination forms are available at Brown & Co, C-Travel or online at www.navigatingsuccess.com .

For more information about the conference go to this website or telephone 292-2663 or email info@navigatingsuccess.com .