17 June 2025
52:47
Zoey Cotton
OVERVIEW:
Curly Steve interviews Zoey Cotton, founder of Saunassa, a contrast therapy space in Cornwall. Zoey shares her journey from managing a $6 million ski bar in Whistler, Canada, to establishing Saunassa. She emphasises the benefits of contrast therapy, including improved cardiovascular health and mental well-being. Zoey discusses the importance of community, inclusivity, and social prescribing, where GPs can prescribe sauna sessions. She highlights Saunassa's unique features, such as wood-fired saunas and cold baths, and her commitment to making wellness accessible. Zoey also mentions her involvement in the British Sauna Society and the Sauna Aid Project, which provides saunas to vulnerable communities.TOPICS
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hi I'm Curly Steve We're searching for a greener room Today I'm joined by Zoe Cotton founder of Sornasa Sornassa is a contrast therapy space in Cornwall that's rethinking how we do wellness She's on a mission to make sauna and cold dips more than a
lifestyle trend turning them into powerful tools for connection recovery and mental health And when she's not creating communities she's saving lives as part of the RNLI
lifeboat crew in Nuki Zoe welcome to the show [Music] So Zoe welcome to the show Thank you How are you Thanks for having me Yeah I'm really good thank you Yeah really good
Excited to be here So yeah thanks for having me My pleasure Nice to see you So um let's crack straight into it I want to rewind first and take you back to you used to run a a big bar in uh in Canada didn't you Tell me a little bit about that and your journey from the bar to Sa
Yeah So um really lucky really I've lived a very privileged life if you like I left Nuki I grew up in Nuki Um left Nuki in 2011 to go to Canada for a few months uh drove up the sea to sky highway and I don't know if you've ever been to that part of BC but it's
absolutely stunning like the mountains coming out of the ocean and I was my friend at that was traveling with me that moment we were just like we're not going to leave here for a long time um walked into the biggest appro bar in North America if you've ever been to Whistler it's you know you walk into this bar and it's just like if you can
imagine appro it's that's what it is everyone standing on the tables dancing and just the maddest party Just the maddest party And also that you walked in there and for me I walked in there and I felt this connection of like family and just like that you knew everybody that worked there just loved being there and that's what drew me to
that space Not necessarily the party but obviously yeah it was fun It was a fun atmosphere But personally I was drawn to the feeling I got when I walked in there And I remember saying to my friend like "I'm going to work here and I'm going to manage this place." And I had uh my interview literally um we didn't even
have visas So I managed to get a visa Obviously I didn't work illegally I managed to get a visa and then I walked in had an interview and the guy interviewed me Mike Wilson who ended up being one of my biggest mentors like such a great guy Um he interviewed me and he said to me in the interview "And
where do you see yourself in five years?" is I said "I'm going to have your job." And he just laughed at me He was just like "Wow okay that's bold." Uh why Yeah And then five years later I was sat in his role uh at the G it's called the GLC uh not Goldie looking chain Gary Gold lift company Um but yeah so such an
interesting journey for me because like working for a huge corporation like lots of training lots of support and just like I said had like really good support from good leaders leaders who put people first um you know working around
somebody that actually had people that work for him and just loved being there and just like I just it was such an amazing experience Amazing Did you get a chance to get up the mountain a bit Yeah a bit Um I did actually bike and ski quite a lot out there I used to go bike I went for the skiing and ended up
falling in love with biking Okay Yeah So lots of biking lots of injuries Uh it's pretty um pretty serious stuff It's pretty hardcore Yeah I've got a concussion which meant I couldn't leave the house for 2 months That was an interesting one Sit in darkness Yeah No but it was it was amazing What an
amazing place to live And the the bar tell me a little bit about the bar So 120 staff Um what Yeah I had 120 staff How many working at a time Um well servers alone was about 20 servers on That's some place isn't it Yeah it was pretty impressive Food as well or just
food Yeah So daytime it's like a restaurant and then you would we would just quickly change into this uh parties It's like we literally we had this like system where all the chairs came out and then we were like a nightclub and the biggest parties like the floor moving
kind of the shots turned on and shot skis Yeah Is that that's a ski with lots of shots along the Yeah Yeah But what was really cool for me and I think you know this is where I guess my journey of understanding what lights me up began is
the actual being um manager but also supporting people because they're all kids basically Everybody that goes there is on uh they've left home for the first time and they've got their first visa and they're just like they're out there and they're like you know they want to
enjoy themselves but they're also like they don't know how to wash properly you know So I I I had the same experience I managed hotels in in the French Alps for a short time and um I had the same sort of situation and everyone's there just to get pissed and and and ski and snowboard and actually there needs to be
a little bit of work in there at the same time as well So it's quite a hard dynamic isn't it Quite challenging It is Yeah Hard dynamic And also I think there's a lot there's there's a lot of party there So there's a lot of highs and a lot of lows So actually that balance was quite you know
there's a lot of breaking points for people and like being there as that kind of leader is where I kind started to find my I guess my purpose Um and I set up um I started to lead a mental health initiative um within Worester Blackhol
which is now being taken on companywide throughout the whole of Veil Resorts So Veil Resorts which is part of Whistler Backcom is owned by Veil Resorts They've got 27 ski resorts all over the world Wow And this uh mental health it was basically a mentorship program that I
set up with for leaders to support and actually give people one-on-one time because there's a lot people just need to hit have that voice heard right So what was happening is people were just coming into work They weren't actually getting that they're like why are you late you know it wasn't like okay what's
going on here Yeah there could be something going on in the background Yeah absolutely Yeah Yeah Interesting Okay So that was was that would you could Would would that be safe to say that was the start of your journey towards Sonasa It was Yeah Mainly because in Whistler there's this really cool uh spa called the Scandinav right Um and me and my friends like obviously
biking skiing there was a lot of recovery time needed for that Um I also working in a bar when I first went there I was into the party scene Um but I think over the time you know I started to realize that that was actually quite damaging for my own mental health So yeah I started to look at alternative
ways to kind of sit with things I guess and actually face my own demons if you like Um so hot and cold contrast therapy in the spa out there was one of those places Um pretty exceptional like contrast like you wouldn't get anything
like that here It's like massive hot tubs ice baths with like freezing cold water that are coming down waterfalls on top of your head Like so literally straight from the mountains Yeah And it's just looking you know looking at mountains It was pretty exceptional Diving into the snow after the sauna
maybe Yeah you could do You wouldn't need to though But yeah you could do the but the um Yeah the spa was pretty exceptional So we used to go there um quite a bit and it was a silent spa so you weren't allowed to talk there either Oh okay So I I wanted to get into that later on actually Um but did you use the
uh the the the contrast therapy Um we'll get on to that name later as well But did you use that um for after partying as much as um after skiing and because that's a sort of different kind of therapy isn't it Yeah could definitely I mean there was a point when the partying
stopped actually and it was more that was probably one of the darkest times Okay Uh I would say hard times you know you kind of have to start actually sitting with things and not using an escape Um so that was when contrast therapy came in Lots of meditation just
you know really sitting with things And Whistler and Canada's a really great place for that There there's a lot something about being in the wilderness there And there's something you know there their communities and um the native like Canadians you know it's very
spiritual place So yeah really that's where that side of my journey started Nature is so important for all of that stuff isn't it 100% Yeah absolutely So um so moving a little bit further forward what happened in between there and uh and actually getting back to Cornwall Well CO happened which happened
for all of us right So where where were you when that started in Whistler Okay So I remember the day um I had to tell all 120 staff that we were closing 17th of March whatever was it 2019 can't remember Anyway so yeah we to remember that day really well and the bar shut
and then for the next year or so it was just very strange you know you like especially over there It's very different over there to what it is if it was over here I believe But you know I then went from being a manager just to then serving pop in a little stand
outside the front because the man they didn't because we were all salary We laid off all our hourly employees but we stayed on So it was just a very different like time Yeah Very strange time Um and I just really wanted to come home Yeah There was something about me
It was really strange actually walking outside every day and being like "Wow this place is beautiful but I don't belong here right This isn't my place Need to go home I need to go home." And my mom was turning 70 I was just ready to come home Yeah Yeah I think like 10 years is a good time I'm now a
Canadian citizen so that's something that I got Let's just let's just pause there At the beginning you said you were going for two weeks a month Uh I think we were going for like six weeks and you stayed for 10 years I stayed for 10 years Yeah Yeah Those are the best journeys Oh it was the best Yeah Such a
growth Yeah So much growth happened there So you came back to the UK then Yeah I came home and everything just fell into place the moment I walked back into it I just knew this is I still feel like that now It's like this is my body every It's so hard to explain how I'm
know I'm meant to be here Uhhuh Uh just like I just feel so much happier Yeah And all the aches and pains that I had and everything like things just go away don't they when you cuz with when you're given resistance to things your body starts to say hang on a minute like I'm going to give you a little pain in your shoulder or in your back here to make
you think you know is this actually you know your body what your body actually does is quite remarkable really it's very telling isn't it yeah absolutely so um so that's quite a contrast from uh what was it $6 million bar to a to a a
a contrast lost therapy experience Where did what how did that come along Well I think that's um like I was saying earlier there was a lot of things that came out of that role which have brought me to where I am now Like
learning how to run a business and to be a good manager and to be a have people want to work with you is why we have part of the reason why I have a successful business And then also learning in that role that actually there's elements of this that I love I
love making people feel good Yeah I love supporting people in growth and I love giving space to people Um do I love working till for 3 or 4:00 in the morning No I don't You know do I like working around drunk people No I don't
So there was like elements of everything isn't there You're like "Okay yeah I like this bit but I don't like this bit." Yeah Okay Um and then obviously my own interest too like what I love to do in my own in my spare time and that's sit in a sauna and feel the benefits of the contrast basically So so just
explain to me the contrast The contrast is hot to cold right Okay that makes sense Yeah Yeah So contrast therapy I guess is one way of I think it's we say we're a Nordic spa but actually contrast therapy explains like because there's lots of soreness popping up everywhere which is amazing Um and um the contrast side of
it is more going to somewhere to get that um that heat and that cold Yeah absolutely Um so tell me a little bit about the RNLI because you're also you you're you're out saving lives on the uh on the lifeboat or I drive the tractor actually
You drive the Oh wow That's that's a machine isn't it I drive the amphibious tractor Um there's a couple more women just training up to do it down there at the minute but I was the only female down there for quite a few years driving the big tractor that drives into the ocean Um but yeah super I love it It's
super cool Um and the small tractor and I'm shore crew So when I joined the when I got home because I was actually on search and rescue in Canada as well Marine search and rescue there Marine search and rescue Yeah So how close are you to the ocean there Well that's Squamish So it's 45 minute drive So I
have to go down there and sleep in my camper when I was on call Oh wow So yeah So we would get shouts Most of the time the shouts we would get in Squamish were just drunk people on their sailboats Okay thank you Canadians Yeah Uh yeah having a good time So yeah so when I
came home I felt that need for that community connection That's I think really where another part of this all comes into that story and why I'm drawn to doing what I do because I understand the benefits of that community and the community in like little harbors with you know the rowing club there and
absolutely um live boat crew and some of them have been on that crew for a very long time Um and they're extremely committed aren't they Oh extremely to the point where because obviously my life's taken a bit of a different turn in the last year or so You get a bit bit of guilt sometimes because I have to you
know we still show up for shouts but they show up like training three four times a week and you know there has to be some balance right and everything uh for me But yeah it's I I do love it I do love it I guess like there's it's that also that part of me that sometimes has to be like
okay do I need to go to training right now or do I need to have a bit of time to myself Yeah because life's been a bit busy over the last couple of years Well it sounds like many many years Yeah Yeah Right And and I'm interested in the contrast between um running a a massive uh bar
and um do going sort of on shouts where you've got to be pretty um ready to go haven't you And then the contrast between and running a business and then actually getting into the sauna and uh getting into the the jacuzzi baths what
hot tubs It's not jet It doesn't have a air Oh is that what makes the difference Okay I see So what tell me about the sort of contrast between Yeah that's a good question Um so one thing I think is really the contrast of it is like that learning of it's going to be okay you
know like when you're in a highpaced environment like a $6 million restaurant and believe me hopefully I can swear here but hits the fan like you know computers go down you got servers crying you got customers like screaming in your face and this is in Canada so everything
has to be absolutely perfect Yeah So you know and like you just have to be that person that's grounded You have to be that person that's like "It's all right Nobody's nobody's dying It's okay." you know like or just like be that calm because actually I think that now has
taken me to where I am here at home and you know in the lifeboat crew and the pager goes off and you know you do see some of the crew you're just like you get down there and they're adrenaline and you're just like you're like it's okay you know like because you have to you know do your smiak so you have to do the run through and be calm and like run through everything that what's happened
what's the incident like you know especially if you're driving the tractor and that I don't know if you've seen how small that boat house getting that is getting that big tractor in and out of the boat house with the trailer on it If you're not centered and calm and grounded then shit's going to go wrong
So absolutely And like especially because you would have loved Derry he maybe another time Maybe another time He you know he definitely needs that that calm from me Um because he'll just you know he'll just I'll be
like "It's okay." You know like and I think even in the spa now when things are you know things go wrong they're always going to go wrong but you just have to just be like "Okay let's just not lose ourselves here." Like what what can we do to fix this And that's what being running a business is It's always just fixing problems basically Yeah
Literally Literally That's that's what it's all about isn't it Finding solutions to problems Yeah Exactly Yeah Absolutely Yeah Interesting And um I think uh the um being able to find calm in chaos is such a fantastic skill Yeah It's really good And it it takes uh a proper
character to be able to deal with that situation and practice I think And practice There's lots of uh personally I practice meditation like that's my practice that works for me but that's what I do every day and if I don't do it I know that I've not done it because I'll just be like what I'll feel my feel
my energy you know I'll just be like oh god I'm getting like quite stressed at the minute you know so I think that's just what works for me though that's what when did you find meditation when I was in Canada um I guess around that time when I was you know partying too hard Um had various personal things going on
and just really needed to you know sit with things and like that for me was the it was really really interesting time of my life just like learning to actually just feel and and that's why I love the sauna so much I I
understand that I think in in my world there's two things that ground me more than anything else One is meditation and one is nature Mhm And the two just fit together so perfectly you know it's not like I don't physically sit down and meditate but I'll walk in nature or I'll
go surfing or I'll you know do do something that takes me into a beautiful place where I can breathe and where I can look around and see what's going on And I think that's um again a beautiful skill to be able to have Oh 100% And that is a form of meditation Yeah Absolutely Absolutely Yeah Yeah Yeah
People think you have to sit there and shut your eyes and not think about anything but actually it's more about just being present And you know uh that could be a walk that could be sitting in the ocean It's just paying attention to what's actually going on around you Right And you've been a great surfer for many years as well Thank you I've uh
seen you surfing past me gliding past me on many occasion Not at the minute unfortunately I'm injured Oh no Oh dear Yeah But that's all right I'm trying to stay positive with that and just realize it's okay I still got my legs just not a shoulder at the moment Oh okay Okay Is
that u is that something that's going to that's temporary Yeah Excellent Yeah Let's move on Yeah Yeah Let's not talk about that Let's not give it any energy So tell me all about Sonassa So Sonasa um well yeah you went there the
other day Hopefully enjoyed it It was beautiful Yeah Um what can I tell you about Sonassa Sornasa is birthed from just such I guess a healing space Like it's a healing space It's a space for community Um it I went into business with uh Derry who I didn't hardly know
at the time Luckily it's worked out really well He's ended up being like one of my closest friends Like he's really good to work with And also um as a female I find it really amazing that I've got a business partner that just encourages me to be me and empowers
me to be the leader that I am Um so he's he's a carpenter by trade So he helped build the space Ah he's responsible for that He's what an amazing space it is to Oh it's so beautiful Tell us what you've got there So you walk in through the main door and you've got your reception area So I'll tell you yeah start of the
story is we actually um went to see Tom and Johnny who own feelgood building Okay Yeah So they originally around the back of the yoga studio if you've ever been there's a yoga studio and the hairdressers there was like brambles and you know it was just derelic land And I said to John and Tommy at the time "Can
um Johnny and Tom sorry Can we potentially take this space around the back?" And they were just like kind of just like "Yeah okay." Just like didn't really get it Whatever Yeah whatever Just like um Bert believed in me cuz I know them from you know growing up around here Anyway so um yeah so we
started to discuss the plans of building a spa and it originally was going to be around the back but then we kind of had this vision of walking in between the yoga studio there's a little pathway and you get transported basically So we've now taken over the car park around the front So instead of just walking into the spa in the car park you actually
walk in uh in the middle of the hairdress and yoga studio into the changing rooms and then you slowly get like transported by walking round the other side of the yoga studio and then into this space And it's so interesting that people kind of come in there and they don't even realize that they've walked past the spa already You know you
kind of like get transported when you're in there right You do Yeah It's pretty cool It's that's the vision of it really So the vision was always to kind of make you feel like you're somewhere else and not in a car park behind Asda Uh because we get quite a few people that you know say to us "Wow I Google map this." And my husband was laughing at me going "I
can't believe you've just booked a spa in a car park behind Asda." And uh then they get there and they're just like "Wow this is incredible." Like the changing rooms are all like really well thought out Um I found this really cool idea on Pinterest to use like really old recycled doors Um and just showed it to
Derry and said "Can you build me this?" And he did it He drove up to Birmingham got the doors and you know within a week I had these changer rooms and it was just And then you walk around and then when you walk into the spa we've got two woodfired they're woodfired at the moment they're going to heat pumps in the next month Okay Um and then hot tubs
And then we've got a chill out area which is really important part of the journey of contrast therapy which And then we've got a woodfired sauna and three cold baths Um hot showers um plunge bucket So yeah that's the layout of the spa Awesome And so
um so you said there about the importance of the the seating area Why is that important Because a mass it's so I think people just go in there and and just think oh hot cold hot cold but actually there's
the element of sitting and relaxing and regulating is just as important as heating and cooling your body So I guess there's called the Nordic cycle or some people call it a Viking bath or but traditionally you would have that stage of rest So the rest part of regulation is yeah equally as beneficial as the
heat and the cold So talk me through the way it should be Do you go cold hot hot cold cold hot There's no right way No Okay Yeah there's no right way But the way that I would do it because I'm a bit of a wimp and I don't get in the cold straight away is I go hot and then cold Yeah Um and then rest Okay So hot for 15
minutes maybe less if you don't want to do 15 minutes Um our sauna is typically quite hot It's we we don't um we want people to get the benefits from it So it normally sits between 80 to 100 degrees Um so that's where you're really getting
those um you know those growth hormones those stressors in your body which is what you know what helps all the cardiovascular and like you know brings on you get all those benefits basically So you sit in there and then you come out have a shower very important to wash that sweat off your body Derry will like
it that I've just said that and then jump in the cold bath So our coldest bath is set to 4° Um the middle and then we've got one at 8° So I typically go to that one the 8° one And that's the tub And there's So there's a proper bath Yeah the metal bath So that's normally
ambient So in the winter it's quite a bit colder than it is in the summer Okay And then you have two tubs which are a cold and a colder one Yeah 8° and four degrees Okay Yeah And so um tell me tell me the the the health benefits of of contrast therapy
So well so many benefits but from a I guess cardiovascular like um you know just your blood flow uh injury just recovery just the getting those the blood pumping around your body um health mental health you know just um
also the cold for inflammation um so many benefits enefit just trying to think There is a massive long list of benefits isn't it Yeah And to to the point where I think you know it's really just about that there's so many other sides to it as well which come into the community aspect of it and that
socialization and how good that is for you And I think that's heavily where my focus is on those benefits is like yes you get all these health benefits from it but actually going somewhere when you potentially could just be we've got quite a lot of members that live alone they have their membership they come
there for their socialization So there's that community which we're starting to understand is such a massive like has such a big impact on our health Yeah absolutely Um so that aspect of community and you know going in there and sharing and also just
sitting and not being on a screen for sure Do you do you have a a screen policy We don't but I don't think it'd be a good idea to take your phone in the sauna anyway I don't think it would last very long Nobody takes their phones in there Um yeah I mean obviously we don't
to be honest we're not a big pusher on rules like that Good Good I like that So you said that uh in in Canada there was silent sauna How does that go with community Yeah So silent it wasn't actually a silent sauna It was a silent
spa which I thought was quite strange actually They had shushers that work there Shushers I'd love to have a job Love to be a They literally said shush on the back of there and they walk around and shush you That was really weird They had shush t-shirts Yeah they had shush t-shirts I mean at the time it was what I needed I
needed quiet cuz I worked in a crazy bar and all you know when you're working as a server in Canada you get so drained You know you make a lot of money but you talk a lot Yeah absolutely So it was good at the time but here we have silent sessions So some people like quiet some people like socializing Yeah And I guess
some people like different things at different times as well you know So uh and and you advertise them as silent sessions It's actually one of the biggest challenges that we come up with because people like you say people want different things So some somebody we have some customers that tell people to be quiet even though it's not quiet
sauna Yeah And I find that's a struggle for us right because people do come there to socialize So and it is their socializing you know they may have a life which doesn't involve being around people that much So they come in there as they're socializing And you know recently I sent out a questionnaire to our members because we're growing this
year which is super exciting Um about asking them what they wanted and it was so divided over the silent Some people like more silent some people like we don't come anymore because it's silent So I guess I guess at some stage you you'll have to have silent sessions where this is a silent session and this is not or or have another sauna where
you can say this is like like when you get on the train Yeah There you go You're already catching on here Ah okay Am I sailing down are we sailing down the same stream Yeah Yeah Yeah Smart You know you know Yeah So that's it isn't it can't I guess like that's really us why you do these questionnaires and why you ask people because you know I can come
up with an idea which I think's really great and oh this is what I'm going to do to the business as we grow but actually oh okay this is what people want Yeah and that's important right Yeah You want to be able to please your customers Yeah Yeah For sure So talking of your customers um you spoke of uh of
inclusivity and how important that is to you Yeah And right now the whole sort of um well-being um ecosystem seems to tends to sort of on the expensive side doesn't it Yeah Um and I
recognize that it costs money to provide the services and you've got to pay for that However how do you become more inclusive How do you uh how do you allow different people to pay Could you could you do that Different people paying different prices or Yeah So you can do
like a low wage um initiative like we're also looking at doing some CIC stuff I give away a lot of free sessions to charities when we're not because we are closed for a few hours in the day So I do give um if anybody has got a charity and they you know we've we've been
working with Sunrise who support families that have been affected by suicide Nookie Blue Balls which is the guys that you know get together and use that as that socializing we're giving them a couple of free sessions in May So like there's that element to it but then there's also how do we make it accessible every day So it's a really
good question Um and it's something that I've ever since we started this business have been really passionate about because at the end of the day you know you can think yes we're in a tourist town and oh yeah this is great opportunity to like make some money when people around but is that sustainable
Does that align with my values and it doesn't No I get that So what we've what I've tried to do while building this model is understand okay so we have these memberships if you like that potentially don't make us really any money but then it balances out with um
people that do drop in Um you know and also then how do we grow and how do we allow more people to use the space Because actually if we can get more people in and um then we're able to kind of still retain those prices and still because if somebody has got a membership
with us an unlimited membership they're paying very little every single time they if they come every day For sure Yeah Yeah And um I found it intriguing over the years these uh new initiatives that have come in where they've offered people to pay what they can Um and I've spoke to several
people who have who have started these initiatives Um and I've said you know do people just take the piss And they're like no no people people will are if they're earning more they're happy to pay a little bit more And and that allows people who aren't earning as much or who aren't earning to be able to get
involved as well which is which is a beautiful thing Yeah we have people that have gifted passes to people Ah there you go Um we also you know like you said it's just it's so interesting because pricing is such a hard you know you worry about it as a business owner but it's just getting that reassurance from
people that come in there and are just like no this is this is you know I'm happy to pay this um this is you know or even like I feel like this is a bit too cheap you know like and and then you get people like this is too expensive and you're just like so you have to kind of go okay what can I do in to support you
know people that potentially don't have access to this and that's like through CIC's and um charity and stuff like that Excellent And um you spoke before about um about uh prescribing so doctors prescribing Tell me a little bit about that So such an amazing initiative like uh NHS prescribe So the prescribing
basically so GPS are now starting to prescribe alternative That's incredible Yeah So if you they can prescribe the sauna So I actually was at my acupuncturist yesterday and she was telling me that somebody's just been prescribed to her for acupuncture and I
just think that's amazing right That's so it should be Yeah So it should it always used to make me laugh um you know when people said alternative therapy It's like hang on that should you know pharmaceuticals should be alternative therapy You know going into nature and having sauners and having acupuncture and stuff like that should be therapy
Exactly Well actually what is actually making you feel good and you're not you know let's take it right back to the basics You're not loading yourself up with chemicals Exactly That you have to like wean yourself off of Absolutely Absolutely Green grass therapy is uh Anyway and now a word from
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listeners Solve is offering a free website audit and consultation Just mention searching for a greener room to claim yours [Music] So next up Zoe we've got your top five top tips Okay I'm really excited about
this because we've got a new format Okay What we're going to do is we're going to give you a minute to talk about each top tip Okay Great And then Alex over there is on the uh on the dinner bell and he's going to tell he's going to when he rings the dinner bell you've got to stop Okay If you can last that long If I can
last that long I mean we'll see I don't know The pressure is like the part I'm just like "Oh wow I can talk but I don't know if I can talk for a minute about one thing but we'll see how I go I don't I don't believe for a minute that you can not talk for a minute Okay we'll see how I go Excellent So uh your first um first top
tip was to start local and support a communityrun project or venue in your area Tell me a little bit about that So yeah I guess if there's anything if you're thinking about buying or if you're thinking about going to an activity or anything think about what
you've got locally first Um obviously we want if people like myself we set up these community spaces Supporting us is great but also you know is there a community event that you can start Is there something you're passionate about that can start bringing people together
You know I've seen lots of like run clubs come up recently There's so many things going on isn't there Just like really good for people People need that They need that connection So yeah community is massive right Oh so big Yeah It's like Yeah I think it's uh it's what we need Yeah Yeah Good Good one
Alex Quick ring I said like I told you I would be able to stop for a minute Maybe we should go for 30 seconds Yeah I thought a minute It's a long time It's like okay I definitely want to talk about Let's Should we try 30 seconds Okay So let's go 30 seconds from when I
start Okay Question From when I start the question Sorry So you'll probably have somebody way better at this than me You could be like Zoe's was only 30 seconds Yeah you're amazing Right So your next top tip Zoe is reconnecting with your body Sauna cold dips
stretching or walking Tell me a little bit about that So yeah feeling the feels as I like to say Sit sit with things you know what where how can you feel things in your body Like that is such a good like place to start with like presence Um you know is that walking outside Is
it being in nature Is it you know sitting in a sauna You know all of those things that you're like I can't do this You know just try it See how you how your body feel those things in your body you know And I love the idea of just Oh there we go See if you managed Yeah see
that time I was real passionate about that one I love that idea of um of of feeling you know how are you feeling from head to toe How are you feeling How can you you know how's the air on your skin How's you know breathing in the smells Breathing in Yeah All your senses Oh yeah Seeing what's going on feeling I
um I used to get a little bit nervous in the surf when on those bigger days and then I started really feeling just being in the water and feeling the water on my hands and the wet suit on my skin and the wind on my face and uh this looking at the looking around at the surroundings and uh being mindful really Yeah Um and that changed the game Yeah
exactly That changed the game Yeah Calms you down doesn't it Yeah Absolutely Absolutely So your next one okay right we'll see if we can do 30 seconds on this one Share your space Make sure others can access what you're building Yeah So this goes back to the making it accessible to everybody really like how
you know is there a way for you to make your space access like for whether that's through charity or through vulnerable groups or people that can't afford things or you know is there an opportunity for you to make your space o like open up your space for others so
that they you know they can have a safe place to go Yay That was almost perfect So just being more inclusive inclusive That's the word That's the word I'm looking for Beautiful Then the next one we've got down for you is to question wellness trends Ask who they're for and
who they and who they leave out Okay this is one that's a bit of a bug bear of mine actually So I don't know whether I should talk about this one but I think that there's a lot of people getting into wellness at the moment that maybe haven't done the work themselves so much
and you can go there and it doesn't feel right Okay So I think like having that questioning that before you get there is just like okay is this what I need right now Like okay is this a space where it's going to make me feel better or you know is there Yeah that's it really Great one
You did Were you saved by the bell then Yeah saved by the bell Excellent And number five is make room for rest So important Uh you can you can't build a better tomorrow if you're burnt out today Go for it Yeah Just take time out really like you know you can't
go 100 miles per hour all the time Um so much so much importance in just sitting and doing nothing Yeah And I've that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned in the last four to five years is actually the good stuff comes when I've actually had a bit of time out and walked on a mountain for a week
Definitely Definitely And I find um I I will actually schedule in my diary nothing Yeah And my my friends will call me There you go Um my friends will call me and say "Oh what are you doing this weekend?" And I'll say "Nothing." And they'll say "Excellent Let's do something." I'd be like "No I'm doing nothing." Yeah that's what I mean That
means that I'm doing actually nothing Yeah absolutely nothing Yeah definitely Oh that's a great one Okay so we're going to move on to your evidence now Yeah Okay cool Now um you're going to have one minute again to do your evidence So what do you want 30 seconds Oh yeah Maybe I don't know I feel like if I was able to read from this then I'd
be all right for a minute but I'll be all right I got this Well let's see how we go So the first one is uh the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Yeah So this is but research really It's actual tangible research over what the sauna does So they've done a study on
thousands of people because obviously everyone in Finland uses the sauna and it's they've studied how it helps you from cardiovascular mental health social study around it So really really interesting If you you know aren't so sure about whether it is good for you I think that's a good place to start is
just to have a look at all of that actual science back sciencebacked evidence and that's um that includes how to use the the the sauna as well or Yeah it I don't know if it necessarily does that It's more just like studying groups of people because in Finland everybody uses a sauna So you know they've studied things from like you know how long these
people are living like how you know what diseases are dying from if you like and how actually using sauna has prolonged life or given these people more you know happier lives or there's lots of study that's actually gone into the real benefits behind using the sauna in a
country which is part of their daily where where does where do sauners come from originally They um well they go way back to Vikings Um but Lithuania Finland you know there's real culture there But they thou hundreds Yeah You know there's even
evidence of a sauna in Ornne Okay Yeah In the one of the first settlements on in in the British Isles Oh okay Yeah That's cool I guess all all around that sort of northern areas Yeah Yeah around the uh snow and ice I guess Yeah Or just like that's probably one of the first settlements right They say isn't it Or
they there's the there's a settlement up there Viking settlement and they found evidence of like some kind of steam room Yeah Um so you know that would have been part of their ritual if you like is sitting in those I guess maybe just a warm up You never know You don't know
how cold it was to me We were all going on about the well-being and they just wanted to get a bit cold I don't know quite what happened to the bell then What happened to the bell Alex I thought the flu was going well So
okay See I managed to actually talk then Yeah it's good Do I get less time for all the others Right The next one is the NHS social prescribing link worker toolkit Yeah So this is what we were talking about earlier So this is where you go to kind of if you want to be part of that social prescribing how the
toolkit behind how you can get involved with it and it is so brilliant like you know GPS working with sauners like saying acupuncturists like like massage like even just walking and getting people outside and getting them moving like how do you if you want to get involved and be a something that the GPS
are prescribing a service if you like then this is a good place to start and for me it's something that I'm super passionate about at the moment and becoming you know it's something that's going to be coming to Sonasa more and more over the next year that's fantastic that's really cool and that obviously um
in includes people as well um exactly yeah perfect u the rest is resistance by Trisha Hersy yeah so this is quite a good book to read I read it a while ago now So that's why I was It's a lot This is about you know how important that
rest is and actually how that then sets you up for that resilience and you know how important that is in just being able to operate you know we I think we've lived in a I don't know I have personally lived a life of like go go go Yeah for sure So
there's a lot of lesson here and actually rest is such an important part of a cycle like we I think even in the winter we don't even understand that actually we are meant to rest and we are hibernate like absolutely it's actually
really good for us so slowing down and yeah yeah excellent and that's what that's all about Yeah Yeah Okay Ah I love this one Donut economics Yeah By Kate Warworth That's that's a super book Tell us about that So yeah So this is
really about how businesses look after people right So it's more about okay what kind of world are we building Uh are we building a world where it's all about money or we actually investing in our people And this is goes back to um
my GLC days if you like So actually what actually if you put that time into people and their happiness and like their growth and then what you get from that is a better world M so yeah that's so on the donut you've got like is it um
people on the inside and planet on the on the outside is it and it's um yeah it's I think that's um that's a sort of definite direction that the world is going into now isn't it that uh um people and planet before profit
um and I think it just it it just makes sense yeah yeah exactly it's not it's not out of this world to think it is it just it seems to me extremely obvious obvious Yeah I quite often can't understand how it's not No And unfortunately it's quite sad that it's still not in quite in a few countries
Yeah Yeah So not to Yeah get into that Yeah Absolutely So your number five is the Sauna Aid Project International Sauna Association Yes So this is actually something that um I'm on the British Sauna Society Um I
actually help them with their monthly newsletter and I'm part of their committee and there's people on there that do this sauna aid project and it's all about putting sauna in I guess vulnerable places It's actually you know the sauners going
into places you know where poverty is just you wouldn't even we wouldn't even like we're so privileged here you know and it this the project it kind of is about building these spaces where people just don't they wouldn't even know what a sauna is And it's giving them a safe
space a space to like even just go through and experience these It's it's really very very a lovely um project that's set up to support some Yeah really hard um and difficult like you know people that are going through some really difficult times Yeah Yeah And
quite often I think those people need sort of therapy more than anyone else Yeah and they don't even they don't even they're not even aware of that you know cuz they got so much disruption going on around them with war and whatever that could be That's where these projects are popping up So yeah it's really I
definitely would go and check that out Yeah So Zoe tell me um what's the Oh before we move on uh tell me how we can support you Where can we find you You can find me Well you can find Sonasa on Instagram um sassa_gore spar and you can find me on
there as well zoe a cotton and then um you can find us on our website as well sassa.co.uk SASa I should say sassa apparently is how you pronounce it Okay Um but it means in the sauna in Finnish Excellent And LinkedIn I'm on LinkedIn
too Yeah Excellent Okay And um last but not least um what's the one thing we can all start doing today to make a better tomorrow Um just be a kinder person you know just actually I think lead with kindness Um
don't be a dick Absolutely I couldn't say it better myself Zoe thank you so much for coming on the show today It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you and uh love to maybe a bit further down the line to get you back in and see how things are going and uh see how your new plans go Yeah I
love that Excellent Thank you very much indeed Take care and uh thank you Welcome That's it for this episode of Searching for a Green Room We'd love to hear your thoughts Let us know what you think who you'd like to hear from any topics you want us to cover Drop us a
comment Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode See you next time
The Chat
The Guest: Zoe Cotton
Founder of Saunassa Nordic Spa and RNLI Lifeboat Crew Member
The Chat
From Party Bars to Purpose-Driven Wellness
Zoe shares her journey from managing a $6 million après bar in Whistler, Canada, to returning home to Cornwall and founding Saunassa Nordic Spa. We hear how a love for community, a growing interest in mental health, and a need for stillness brought her back to her roots and into the world of contrast therapy.
Discovering the Power of Heat and Cold
Her time in Canada introduced her to Nordic spas and the mental reset that comes from sitting in silence, breathing mountain air, and diving into ice-cold water. This experience planted the seed for Saunassa — a place not just to feel good, but to face things and grow.
From RNLI Tractors to Sauna Construction
Zoe talks about her role with the RNLI, driving the amphibious tractor and supporting the lifeboat crew. That calm-in-chaos mindset now helps her run a business rooted in stillness and regulation, offering sanctuary amidst a busy life.
Saunassa: Built with Heart and Intention
We walk through the creation of Saunassa, a carefully designed wellness space hidden in plain sight in a Cornish car park. Everything from repurposed doors to woodfired saunas was built to make people feel transported, connected, and cared for.
Inclusivity in Wellness
Zoe reflects on the exclusivity of modern wellness and the need to do better. She explains how Saunassa offers access to charities, gives away sessions, and is exploring CIC and pay-it-forward models to make the benefits of contrast therapy available to more people.
Prescribing Connection, Not Just Pills
We explore the growing movement around social prescribing, where GPs are beginning to refer patients to saunas, acupuncture, walking, and other community-based therapies as a way of improving mental and physical health.
Silent or Social? Navigating a Shared Space
Zoe shares the challenge of managing diverse needs. Some guests crave silence, others community. By listening to her members, she’s shaping Saunassa to accommodate both — possibly with designated sauna spaces for different styles of rest.
Zoe’s Top Achievable Tips
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Start local: Support a community-run project or venue near you
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Reconnect with your body: Sauna, cold dips, stretching or walking — whatever brings presence
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Share your space: Make what you’re building accessible to others, especially those who might not otherwise have access
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Question wellness trends: Ask who they’re for and who they leave out
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Make room for rest: You cannot build a better tomorrow if you’re burnt out today
Zoe’s Evidence
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Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare: Long-term studies show saunas benefit cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing, and longevity
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NHS Social Prescribing Link Worker Toolkit: A growing NHS initiative allowing GPs to prescribe access to services like sauna and acupuncture
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Tricia Hersey’s ‘Rest is Resistance’: Advocates for rest as an act of resilience and a rejection of burnout culture
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Donut Economics by Kate Raworth: A model that puts people and planet at the centre of economic thinking
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Sauna Aid Project (International Sauna Association): Brings saunas into vulnerable communities globally, creating safe, healing spaces for those in crisis
What One Thing Can We Do Today to Make a Better Tomorrow?
Zoe says: Lead with kindness. Don’t be a dick.
Contact Details
Website: sornasa.co.uk
Instagram: @sornasa_cornwallspa and @zoeacotton
LinkedIn: Zoe Cotton
