Born in Poland, Maya Skupien, partner at Palazzo Fiuggi, has called Italy home for more than 30 years. With a degree in motor rehabilitation, she works as a physiotherapist. Over the years, she has also specialized in naturopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which allows her to take a holistic approach when working with patients, focusing not only on physical health but also on energy balance and overall wellbeing.
In 2023, she completed a master’s degree in Quantum Medicine and Bioresonance at La Sapienza University in Rome, where she presented a thesis on a method she developed herself called MSRemedy Body Work System. The system combines manual therapies, bioresonance technology (specifically BICOM by Regumed), and frequency-based physical medicine, all within a holistic framework. Its goal is to support the body’s natural healing abilities, improve health, and promote graceful aging. Skupien is passionate about integrating science and holistic medicine to create personalized treatments that respect the individuality of each person. Her, she shares how she incorporates her work into her day-to-day life.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, to me, is a heightened state of energy—feeling in flow with life, awake to its beauty, and grounded in gratitude. It’s the quiet confidence of being fully present and deeply alive. It’s waking up with enthusiasm and going to bed with gratitude. It’s also feeling well without needing three coffees just to form a complete sentence.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
Movement is my anchor. I exercise regularly, practice Zinen Qi Gong and yoga, take long walks, breathe deeply, and nourish myself with simple, essential hydration. These small acts and rituals are my reset button. They return me to myself.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
Hiking. I love to be outside, practice breathwork, and swim, but Zinen Qi Gong holds my heart. Its ability to synchronize my body, breath, and energy creates a sense of balance that feels both ancient and transformative. It harmonizes my body and calms my mind.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
Fermented beets and cabbage are vibrant, humble, and deeply connected to my roots. It’s nourishment that carries tradition, a reminder that sometimes the healthiest things in life come in jars that fizz a little when you open them. Apart from that, I have been eating healthy food for many years, lots of fresh vegetables, good proteins, and a little sugar. I follow a dietary approach based on the Mediterranean tradition and the wonderful ingredients it offers, as well as developments in nutritional science.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
Blueberry juice is my antioxidant superhero and a glass of good red wine, because wellness also includes pleasure—and grapes deserve appreciation. But first of all, I love to drink energized water.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
Maintaining an active, supple, and strong body and preserving joint mobility, muscular strength, and the freedom that movement brings. My goal is to keep my body active, flexible, and in balance.
What person in wellness do you most admire and why?
I admire athletes and anyone brave enough to redesign their lifestyle. Their discipline inspires me. All those who are dedicated to maintaining good health, who seek and want to devote time to themselves in the pursuit of harmony between mind and body, who wake up in the morning to go running even when it rains. Determination deserves applause and possibly a standing ovation.
What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received and from whom?
“Move your body.” Simple, universal, and profoundly true. Activity increases blood circulation and improves energy flow, making you feel more energetic. It also preserves mitochondria in muscle tissue and keeps your metabolism healthy.
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
An energetic vision of health and wellbeing, the development of biophysical medicine, and emerging synergy of body work techniques, which modalities are designed to release stagnant energy, release tension, and dissolve emotional blockages—giving support to emotional and physical flow. Synergy of body work practices that free energy are like pressing refresh on the entire system.
What is your idea of balanced healthy happiness?
Inner harmony. It’s feeling aligned with myself, connected to others, and in rhythm with the universe.
What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness?
Detox is the most exploited and often misunderstood concept. True detoxification involves opening up the pathways for the elimination of toxins.
Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share?
Liver detox rituals, intermittent fasting (even multi-day fasts), solitary walks, dancing freely, and occasionally releasing emotions through a deep cathartic cry. Sometimes the body knows exactly what the soul needs. Trust me. It works better than many didactic books.
What is your favorite place for a healthy vacation or escape?
Sea, sun, mountains, and snow. I love living each season fully and refuse to escape winter by flying to summer. Nature knows what she is doing. Every season, I prefer to live fully within its rhythms. I love immersing myself in warm thermal waters and breathing in nature. I enjoy saunas, ice-cold pools, and Russian banya baths with a venik ritual.
Is there a particular wellness company or brand that truly impresses you with their efforts and why?
Chenot is where I began, and I owe it a great deal, but today the brand that impresses me the most is Palazzo Fiuggi. The variety of offerings, enchanting location, and excellent team provide an unforgettable experience.
What is your favorite self-care routine?
A foot and face massage, a cold shower, grounding barefoot walks, breathwork, Qi Gong, and beginning each day by thanking God and the universe for abundance and joy. It’s a full ritual—just to do, just to be present.
What is your go-to for de-stressing?
Meditation, music, and walking in the forest, where sounds of nature become medicine.
What aspect of your wellbeing do you struggle with the most, or would most like to improve?
Discipline and time management. I’m learning to shape my days with more intention and flow. Let’s just say my inner clock sometimes enjoys improvisation.
What wellness-related books or authors do you recommend, and why?
I really enjoy reading and am an avid reader. One of my favorites is Your Brain Explained: What Neuroscience Reveals About Our Brain and Its Quirks by Marc Dingman.
How do you celebrate small victories?
With friends, with joy, and by dancing the sirtaki folk dance—because happiness should always have a soundtrack.
What brings you joy?
I’m proud of my family, moments with friends and my Qi Gong community, and being surrounded by people committed to growth creates a powerful, coherent field of shared energy. Sharing energy with people is like tuning into the same frequency of love and joy.
