Some women have found a new haven in a business that recently opened in Rockland. Be Enriched (BE) is an enrichment center for women, located behind the Nyack Library.
BE offers individual and group sessions to women to pursue personal discovery, growth and fulfillment. These sessions are therapeutic experiences with practical and real-life solutions in a safe, comfortable and confidential environment.
Founder Andria Merlo Cometa, 46 of Northvale, is a transformation facilitator and hopes for BE to “be a place that really helps to empower, enrich and expand women’s lives and experiences so they can find true fulfillment in all that they do.” BE is a women-only center that opened last May.
“There’s a number of ways to interact with BE,” said Cometa. “It’s all about women coming to find peace fulfillment. I love what I’m doing. It’s fulfilling to see women helping each other.”
When you first walk in, there’s a “Shine Your Light” area. You light a candle from the main candle and “as you do, think of someone who needs light in their life.”
The room is cozy with a couch and a few chairs next to a fireplace. There is a second small room for group sessions and activities.
“I’d love to have a bigger space. This is a beginning space,” she said. “The door’s always open,” I welcome all women to come check it out or call for a personal session.”
What BE Offers
- Individual sessions where a woman can delve significantly into personal growth and transformation. “Each session is client specific, there’s no cookie cutter in this.”
- Group session are safe, secure and confidential. About 8-10 women are in a group, which runs for 10 weeks. “Exercise and topics will be pertinent to that group’s focus. Specialists will come in, such as a doctor from a Maryland community wellness center.” In January, new group sessions begin, such as "Mid-Life Mayhem," "Breaking up is Hard to Do," "Could this be Hormonal?" and "Who is this Kid and What has he done with my Sweet Baby?"
- Evening workshops – “they’re more on the educational side”
- Evenings of interest – “these will be a more fun. Every month we have a theme at BE. November was gratitude, so on gratitude night, we talked about things we were grateful for. Women do so much, you’re thanked sometimes, but a lot of times you’re not. So it was nice to have a night just focused on gratitude and all the things women do.” December’s theme is “Giving.”
- Events. There will be creative avenues for women to express themselves through such activities as poetry or collages. The events are women-only and open to the public. Coming up, there will be a Pie and Poetry event on Thursday, Dec. 13 from 7-9 p.m.
“Growth, development, fulfillment. Those are words in my hearts,” she said. “Its very real. We talk about stresses, kids, teens, relationships, everything going on in a woman’s life.”
As for the reaction, one resident describes the business as a “haven” and Cometa said the response has been amazing.
“When I tell women about it, they’re just wowed. It really resonates with women to have a place for themselves just for them,” said Cometa. “I think it’s needed and its different. It’s not being done. Women want to be heard. This is a place for women to come and be seen, be heard and be safe.”
About Cometa
Cometa has a Masters in social work from NYU and is a trained psychotherapist. She has worked for the New York Institute as a school social worker as well as other institutes in New Jersey and New York.
“I was raising children and formulating this idea for about 15 years. The time was right,” she said. “My sons are almost 15 and 9. It just seemed like the time is right and things are shifting. At this stage in my life I wanted something more.”
50 Piermont Ave, Suite L1
845.535.3600
