We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wendy Wartenweiler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wendy below.
Alright, Wendy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I am the Founder and Director of Adventures in Wellness and Recovery. I launched this agency with my superpowers which come from decades of lived experiences + 8 years of education to help save my life and others. I knew there had to be more evidence-based practices being underutilized and more fresh light approaches to helping individuals better address mental health, substance abuse or relationship challenges. My agency’s mission is to inspire & empower others to live a more successful life with meaningful and satisfying relationships with self and others.
My struggles with addiction, mental illness, trauma recovery, and and past painful relationship dynamics have been a rollercoaster ride for over 25 years. I lived in flight or fight mode for most of my life until I had my second nervous breakdown three years ago which led me to multiple psychiatric hospitalizations and an extended stay in a residential depression treatment hospital. This experience at this residential treatment program turned out to be the greatest gift of my life. I was able to pause my life and try to save my life all at the same time. I learned the power of recovering with others. The environment allowed me to spend months with others struggling, to feel seen, to feel safe, to feel able to learn new skills, wellness management tools, bodywork, and therapies around others going through similar experiences. It was a connection I never knew one could have. I would have more intensive treatment programs and hospitalizations following this and on my adventure in wellness and recovery and I see it all now as the most transformative experience I have ever had and will ever have. I have learned from all of them, along with my own education, experience & licensures in psychology, social work, and addiction recovery principles.
I found a pathway that was unique to me, grounded in therapeutic practices, and included body, mind and spirit. A key component was the power of peers and a team behind me. This saved my life. I know I was put on earth to help save others. The time is now. I am poised to bring together a fresh and light lens and to help individuals build their own teams.
Wendy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am incredibly proud of my brand new Adventures in Wellness & Recovery agency! The lived experiences I have had and the lessons that came with it have been my greatest teachers. I am honored to be able to offer inspiration and guidance to to others. I want to rally with those coming into my venture and allow them to feel safe and for me to be able to say, “I know…” and mean it.
Everyone is on their own adventure in their wellness and recovery but if they can’t fight for it yet, I will hold them strong until they have some more strength to fight. I will help them get their family, friends & natural supports on board to be their own team!
The good news is we can have some fun along the way.
Our service area priorities in wellness include self-esteem work, mental wellness & positive relationship skill building.
Our service area priorities in recovery include changing relationship dynamics, mental hospitalization after care, and addressing substance use concerns. Adventures in Wellness & Recovery provides services in individual, couples or group session formats. We will also be holding retreats and events in Wisconsin and will have travel retreats starting in 2024!
Have you ever had to pivot?
My entire journey to starting this venture came from a giant life pivot. I took a 2.5 year mental health leave and had planned to return to my prior career in social work after that time. As I began to look at my own wellness and recovery plan and daily schedule, I could feel in my body a deep unsettled feeling and knew that returning to that career would be a giant setback. I was super scared of what to do next but after connecting with some other entrepreneurs, I knew I could kick off starting my own business which would allow me to answer my life’s calling, keep my own wellness plan in tact, make a positive impact to society, and help others.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I am a brand new business owner and am as a green as green can be! I am unlearning habits driven from fear and instead am using mantras, meditations, and positive affirmations to overcome fear and have belief that I can do this. My strength is growing every day! I am enjoying climbing this entrepreneur mountain and look forward to connecting with more and more individuals on their own adventures in wellness.” Join us to start changing your life now. Check us out at www.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.adventuresinwellnessandrecovery.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adventuresinwellnessandrecovery/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-wartenweiler-0aa971135/