Meet Joy
Joy Dabo is a Christian spiritual director, teacher, and retreat host—and the Founder of The Breathing SPA and GodImprints.
She is also an author and international speaker, devoted to helping women experience rest, renewal, and a deeper connection with God.
Her work is shaped by her experience in the medical field and a deeply personal journey of faith—guiding women to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to a grounded sense of peace, clarity, and presence.
She believes every woman deserves a moment to breathe again—not only with her lungs, but with her spirit, her heart, and her whole being.
HER STORY
Joy’s journey began long before The Breathing SPA was ever imagined.
She grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where her faith was shaped by the example of her parents—her late father, a pastor and educator, and her late mother, a devoted midwife. From an early age, she carried a deep desire to know God personally.
But her understanding of God—and of herself—was not formed in comfort.
It was formed through life’s storms.
Years later, Joy found herself working as a respiratory therapist in hospital settings, including the ICU and NICU, where she cared for patients struggling to breathe.
Day after day, she witnessed the fragility of life through the simple, powerful act of breath.
But over time, something deeper became clear.
Many women weren’t just struggling physically—
they were carrying emotional weight that left them feeling breathless.
In a quiet but powerful moment, as Joy gently guided a patient into slower breath and stillness, something began to shift.
The patient began to reconnect with a part of herself she had long set aside—speaking of dreaming again and returning to painting.
It became a gentle reminder that when space is created for breath, presence, and rest, something within can begin to awaken.
That moment stayed with her—and it shifted everything.
What began as care in a medical setting revealed a deeper need—one that could not be addressed by medicine alone.
THE CALLING
In 2021, after years in the medical field, Joy made the unexpected decision to step away.
There was no clear plan.
Only a clear calling.
In a quiet but undeniable moment, she felt God place these words on her heart:
“Teach My daughters how to breathe and pray again.”
From that step of faith, The Breathing SPA was born—a sacred space for women to pause, breathe deeply, and be renewed.
A Deeper Part of The Story
There are parts of Joy’s journey that are deeply personal—shaped through seasons of struggle, healing, and restoration.
This includes her journey through postpartum depression.
It was a season that required her to slow down in ways she had never known before—to lean into God, to create space for breath, and to rediscover what it meant to be held, restored, and made whole again.
That season didn’t just shape her healing.
It shaped the way she now holds space for other women—
with gentleness,
with patience,
and with deep understanding and love.
A Few Things to Know About Joy
- A former respiratory therapist with medical experience in high-care environments
- Theological studies at Duke Divinity School and Candler School of Theology
- Fluent in English, French, and Swahili
- Passionate about creating spaces where women can breathe, rest, and be renewed
- Loves hiking, exploring parks, soaking in nature
- Encounters God in everyday moments—even while stirring pots and chopping vegetables
- Believes every breath is an invitation to slow down and return to God
Breathe. Rest. Be Renewed.
Whether you are seeking personal renewal, walking through a difficult season, or longing to reconnect with God—this is your invitation.
Every journey begins with a single breath — and an invitation to return to God.
For the Woman Seeking Peace
Breathe. Rest. Be Renewed.
A podcast for the woman who wants to breathe again — in her heart, her home, and her faith.
