After his deployment during Katrina relief, Schmid Etienne realized that he was having flash backs. Upon returning home, smells of certain types would give him some of the same negative and fearful feelings of being back in New Orleans. And at times these flashbacks, would feel so real it was like he was there all over again. This led him to question that if a smell could bring about such powerful memories at random, then what would happen if he was capable of controlling his flashbacks by creating specific cues such as a smell, taste, sight or word. Combining this vision with positive psychology, neuroscience and emotional intelligence, Schmid Etienne teamed up with co-founder, Lauren Ruckheim, to create R.E.S.S.E.T. 

Prior to R.E.S.S.E.T Studio, Lauren spent several years in the fast-pace world that is Corporate America. While she thrived professionally, she realized that emotionally she was drowning under intense levels of stress and anxiety. Instead of accepting this as the status quo, she sought to find a solution where she could thrive both professionally and emotionally. To her dismay, most of the help she sought out suggested medication as a way to cope. Not wanting to be dependent on medication for the rest of her professional career and life, Lauren started to investigate other ways to manage stress such as mindfulness, sensory deprivation, and emotional intelligence. This truly led her to a breakthrough! For the first time in her career, she had the tools she needed to effectively manage intense stress levels. Building from these techniques, Lauren joined Schmid in creating R.E.S.S.E.T as a way to share these incredible techniques with others.

Our mission, at R.E.S.S.E.T, is to help the busy individual practice mindful living in every moment so they can live happier and healthier. Our cards and R.E.S.S.ET App show people how to use their senses to replace stressful moments with JOYFUL & HAPPY ones anytime, anywhere.

Schmid Etienne, CO-FOUNDER & CEO

Schmid Etienne is a Minority and Service-Disabled Veteran-Entrepreneur, and the owner/president of Seraphim Exercise Engineering Studios (SE2 Studios). He is also the co-founder and CEO of R.E.S.S.E.T Studio, a research-backed stress management and mood-altering program that is designed to teach individuals how to effectively manage stress in under 3-minutes by simply using their senses. Schmid’s R.E.S.S.E.T process is currently being utilized by the master’s in health administration program at the University of Minnesota.   

Schmid has a master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Exercise Science with a focus in Biochemistry and Human Movement as well as numerous graduate and advanced level programs in neuromuscular systems, rehabilitation and biomechanics such as MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques), RTS (Resistance Training Specialist) and MSS (Muscle System Specialist). He completed the Bunker Labs veteran entrepreneur programs in Chicago through Chicago’s center for technology entrepreneurship best known as 1871. He has been featured in the Chicago Sun-times and has been in the health and wellness field for fifteen plus years. He has lead workshops on postural ergonomic, health and stress management at Google, DePaul University, Loyola University, and several Law firms across Chicago. He is an Illinois approved sponsor of legal continuing education. Schmid is currently focusing his time and energy in learning and understanding psychophysiology and its role in the improvement of health while in the pursuit of his Ph.D.

Lauren Ruckheim, CO-FOUNDER & CMO

Lauren Ruckheim has a BA is Marketing and Graphic Design from Loyola University, is a Co-Active Life Coach and is completing her Masters in Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has managed Marketing for financial institutions and runs her own branding & coaching company, Encompass Creative Branding & Coaching. 

Lauren's path to creating R.E.S.S.E.T sprung from a personal journey. In her fast-paced career, she regularly experienced high anxiety and stress levels. But, she decided that she would not allow this to become her "normal" life and started to investigate holistic and healthy ways to manage stress. This led her to create R.E.S.S.E.T Studio with Schmid in order to provide others struggling with the demands of Corporate America with the techniques they need to live optimally and manage stress without sacrificing their career goals.

Mindful living is about the potential that exists in the multitude of single moments that are all around us all the time. Life is not one big moment, it’s a series of small moments. In our society, many people get so caught up in busy daily routines, that they are not truly present for most of the moments of their life. When you practice mindful living, you are able to live happier and healthier lives by becoming aware of the beauty and power of every little moment. From having a cup of coffee in the morning to seeing a beautiful view on your commute to work or having a intimate conversation with a loved one, life is filled with powerful moments. Mindful living is living each single moment to its fullest potential.

R.E.S.S.E.T is built upon two key processes: R.E.S, which stands for Reduced Environmental Stimuli, and S.E.T, which stands for Self-Evaluation Techniques. Reducing Environmental Stimuli is the process of tuning out the world around you, both internally and externally, and immediately transitioning yourself to a better state of mind. Self Evaluation Techniques allow you to process your underlying thoughts, emotions and behaviors that impact your physical, mental and emotional well-being. In other words, by reducing environmental stimuli you give yourself the space to properly practice self-evaluation techniques that improve your long-term