Thrive
‘Rest and Re-create’ women’s healing initiative expanded
“If we rest, we allow ourselves the benefit of rediscovering who we are, who we’re meant to be and we can fully live out our purpose.”
As women face pressures from both their careers and home lives, St. Petersburg native Dr. Vikki Gaskin-Butler and Tampa-based Dr. Stephanie Reed believe self-care can make a world of difference.
They joined forces to develop Rest and Re-create, LLC in 2025. The organization provides experiences for women that support healing, sisterhood and empowerment. Currently, the two entrepreneurs are working on expanding the concept.
Last month, Gaskin-Butler and Reed hosted the ‘Virtual Taste of Rest and Re-Create’ experience on Zoom. This complimentary event helped “hard launch” the initiative.
Rest and Re-create will hold its inaugural “Stillness by the Shore” retreat at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor Oct. 9-11. Attendees will be able to participate in workshops and yoga sessions, among other activities.
Additionally, the team is planning on introducing a new six-week virtual series in September or October. It will cover topics such as practices that help nourish and sustain individuals and ways people can develop greater self-awareness.
Dr. Vikki Gaskin-Butler
Gaskin-Butler, who now resides in North Carolina but maintains a home in St. Petersburg, is a psychologist. She has worked with clients for more than 30 years. She explained that she has always wanted to host retreats for women.
“The name came from the idea that rest is something that is valuable,” Gaskin-Butler said. “We deserve it and we deserve it simply because we exist. We don’t have to earn it. We need to do it to take care of ourselves.”
She added that “resting is necessary” for people to create the lives they want. When individuals take the time they need to relax, Gaskin-Butler believes, “we experience all of our creativity.”
“If we rest, we allow ourselves the benefit of rediscovering who we are, who we’re meant to be and we can fully live out our purpose.”
Retreats, both in person and virtual, are at the heart of the Rest and Re-create experience. Gaskin-Butler and Reed are interested in local, U.S. and international trips.
“We have people complete interest forms to help us know a little bit about them and why they are choosing the retreat,” she said. “When we curate, we create a space that speaks directly to the experiences of the people we’re working with.”
The team also provides coaching in a “limited capacity.” Additionally, the women host workshops outside of retreats.
“The main thing we focus on is curating healing spaces for Black women, women of color and all women,” Gaskin-Butler said. “We also do contracts with corporations and nonprofits that are really concerned about the health and wellbeing of their employees.”
Rest and Re-create’s efforts are designed to help people “find freedom in terms of forward movement in life and relationships.”
“I know for a fact that our culture teaches us to really focus on doing and doing a lot,” she added. “That is too much. I hope that we will influence people to embrace the model of rest so that it can then transform their lives and the lives of people with whom they connect.”
