Elise Loehnen in Chicago: Top 4 Reasons You'll Want to Be In the Room

"Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing. Whether it's sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens." - Phylicia Rashad

There is magic—palpable energy in the air—when women gather in intentional, soul-aligned community. These spaces are where we share wisdom, lift one another up, and experience true sistering. We feel this power most often in our close circles, our families and friends. It’s rarer to feel this among women you’ve just met, but it’s not impossible…

On Sunday, September 21st, we’re bringing New York Times bestselling author Elise Loehnen to celebrate the release of her new workbook: Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness: An Interactive Path to Radical Freedom.

This event, in partnership with Happy Women Dinners, is more than your average author meet & greet. The alchemy of this gathering is in the unexpected intimacy—a nourishing brunch and rich conversation in ALTAR’s serene space.

We’re so delighted to host Elise Loehnen in Chicago for this experience, and we’d love for you to be in the room with us. Need some convincing? Here are 4 reasons why you need to see Elise while she’s here at ALTAR:

1. Elise Will Shift What “Good” Means to You

Elise’s work in On Our Best Behavior names the invisible “shoulds” we’ve absorbed from society—the quiet rules that dictate what it means to be a “good” woman. These rules shape how we speak, what we pursue, and even the dreams we allow ourselves to imagine. They’re so ubiquitous that most of us have never questioned where they came from and why we continue to follow them.

In Elise’s presence, these inherited rules begin to dissolve. With her gentle guidance, she’ll help you dismantle these outdated rules and teach you to hear your own voice more clearly, separate your desires from the demands of others, and trust your inner knowing.

This isn’t a quick fix. This is about planting the kind of deep, steady truths that will keep rooting long after the brunch is over. You’ll leave with new clarity, practical ways to honor it, and the courage to start living more fully on your own terms.

2. You’ll Experience the Power of Collective Feminine Insight

At ALTAR, being in the room means more than just passively listening. You’re invited to bring your own presence, energy, and curiosity into the conversation. Each woman arrives with her own story, her own perspective, and her own lived wisdom. When we gather, our stories weave into something larger, richer, and more resonant than anything we could create alone.

Elise’s storytelling is the initial spark in the conversation. She names truths and asks questions that ripple through the room. As the afternoon unfolds, ideas begin to travel from her voice to yours, to the woman next to you, and back again, all transforming individual insights into a collective knowing.

This magic can’t be replicated through a screen. This is the alchemy of shared, intentional presence. You’ll leave with Elise’s wisdom and then some: the threads gathered from the women around you, woven into a unique tapestry of understanding you’ll carry forward.

3. Hear Two Powerful Voices, Melissa Widen & Elise Loehnen, Learning from One Another

 

In addition to bringing your own questions, you’ll get to see an insightful conversation unfold between two women who know how to hold space for truth and transformation in their own distinct, yet complementary ways.

Elise brings her depth as a cultural truth-teller and her unique voice as a writer and storyteller. Alongside her, Melissa Widen—Co-Founder, Chief Legal Officer, and Head of Impact Deposits at First Women’s Bank—brings her own dynamic perspective. A lifelong advocate for women’s rights and leadership, Melissa blends sharp legal and business expertise with a grounded, heart-centered approach. She is known for her ability to inspire, challenge, and connect, ensuring this conversation will be both intellectually rigorous and deeply open-hearted.

Together, Elise and Melissa will create a dialogue that bridges the inner work of self-liberation and the outer work of expectations and shifting systems. Their exchange promises to be as thought-provoking as it is affirming, offering both the spark of inspiration and the steady ground from which to act.

4. You’ll Leave with Two Books and Many More Resources for the Road Ahead

Some gatherings only light you up in the moment, only to fade at the end of the afternoon. This Brunch and book Talk are not that kind of experience. What happens at ALTAR is meant to last: our curated events inspire powerful insight that weaves into your days, tools you can return to, and connections that keep nourishing you long after the table is cleared.

Every guest will leave with two signed books: Elise’s brand-new Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness workbook and the newly released paperback edition of On Our Best Behavior. These books are companions for your ongoing journey, filled with stories, prompts, and practices that invite you deeper into yourself.

You’ll also walk away with reflection prompts you’ve already practiced in community, giving you a head start on integrating them into your own rhythms. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll leave with the beginnings of new relationships with like-minded women in the room who are walking similar paths. Friends who are ready to remind you that you are not alone on this journey.

This gathering is designed to plant seeds that keep growing, nudging you toward greater freedom, authenticity, and wholeness each time you return to them. The self-reflection sown in this afternoon will provide sustenance for the long road ahead.

Join Elise in Chicago

Are you ready to take the plunge and experience the transformative effect of sistering in real time? If so, consider this is your invitation to join us on Sunday, September 21st. If you’ve ever felt caught between reaching for more and worrying you’ll be “too much,” or between caring deeply for others and tending to yourself, this gathering is for you. Together, we’ll explore practices that invite self-reflection, embodied truth, and the kind of wholeness that doesn’t require compromise.

Whether you’ve highlighted countless pages of On Our Best Behavior or are meeting Elise for the very first time, you belong here. Come with your curiosity, your contradictions, your stories, and your questions. Most importantly, show up exactly as you are—we can’t wait to meet you.

Tickets are on sale for this Brunch & Book Talk with Elise Loehnen through September 18th, 2025. You can secure your seat here. Looking for more thought-leaders and change-makers at ALTAR? See our full calendar of events and offerings here.