We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julietta Wenzel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julietta below.

Julietta, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I chose “taking a risk” because it pretty much defines my whole career as a physical therapist. From my first job out of school taking a position that I didn’t feel even remotely prepared to handle, to accepting a senior therapist position with only 3 years experience when senior therapists I knew had 10+ years of experience, to taking a job that required I also treat children when I never had before. The biggest and best risk I have taken in my career was to fully embrace my connection to spirit, intuition and energy in my practice. In a field that is very western and evidence based, I often take criticism, from others in health care because my methods are not proven by research. My response is always that my results are proof enough for me. My clients often describe what I do as magic, voodoo, witchcraft, etc. which has led to the name “The Magical PT”. It was too difficult to be employed and play by someone else’s “rules”, so I had to take the risk and start my own practice. Nothing in PT school prepared me for starting my own practice and running a business. I knew how to treat patients, but I did not know the first thing about owning and operating a PT practice. Fortunately, I believe everything is figureoutable. I just dove in and found my way. It hasn’t been easy, there have been many challenges along the way. I wake up everyday excited to see my clients and what the day has in store for me. I love what I do and I can’t imagine doing something else for a living. The career expectancy in Physical Therapy is 9 years and I am 31 years in. I don’t think I could have made it this long if I hadn’t taken the risk of going my own way in this career. I encourage everyone to be true to themselves. Living your life authentically is better for you and better for the world.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My profession is physical therapy, but what I am is a healer. When I was young I always said I wanted to be a hair stylist like my mom and my grandma. When I got older, my mom said she wouldn’t allow me to be a hair stylist because I was too smart. I said ok, I’ll be a doctor instead. In high school I decided I would become a PT instead because I wouldn’t have to go to school as long (it was a bachelors degree back then). I really had no idea then what my true calling was, I guess I was fortunate that I was on a path that would allow me to use my gifts. An important thing for people to understand is that, as a healer, I do not heal you. Only you can heal you. I am the guide that can show you the way. I help people experiencing pain, find the source of their pain, which could be structural, muscular, or neurologic, and sometimes, it’s energetic, emotional or something else. I look at the whole person which is why I named my business Body & Soul PT. If you are truly going to create an environment for healing in the body, you must look at the whole. The pain is just a symptom, it is not usually the source of the problem. Most western medicine is symptom management, not true healing. I don’t limit my healing to my physical therapy practice. I also have a jewelry and art business called Soul Candy. I use crystals and gemstones as well as color and symbols to support the healing process. I also have a podcast I co-host called Voices of the Goddess. We interview mostly women who by sharing their stories support other women in healing and living their best life.
I think what sets me apart from others is love. I know in my heart that love is the most powerful source of healing. I pour love into all my work, whether it’s physical therapy, art, or podcasting. I want everyone to truly love themselves. When you love yourself completely, then you can have love for everyone else on this planet and recognize that we are all one. When this happens, all the problems we have here on earth will cease to exist. Love is the solution.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

It hurts my heart, but I have to say no. While there are many wonderful PTs out there, in general, I am very disappointed with my profession and western medicine in general. Most of what is being practiced is symptom/disease management. It is being done because that is where the money is. They are not treating people as individuals, but rather putting people through protocols that match their diagnosis. It’s all about symptom management and making money. Where is the love? Also, physical therapy has become a doctorate degree profession. It’s been promoted that it will give PTs more autonomy. The level of autonomy has slightly increased since when I became a PT, but what has drastically increased is student debt and difficulty paying it back because the salaries do not match what is needed to be able to pay the student loans back. Our educational system has become a greedy business.
When I started in the profession, PTs spent time treating their patients one on one. Now, because of insurance reimbursement rates, therapists are treating 4 patients at a time. It’s not rewarding for the PT or the patient. I feel bad when someone tells me they want to go to PT school and I tell them to examine why they want to become a PT and look for other options that would allow them to fulfill their “whys”.
I hope that one day western medicine can find it’s way back to healing and love.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think 2020 was a defining year for all of us. It showed you who you truly are. I co-owned 2 PT clinics for 14 years. Just before the pandemic hit, I decided I wanted to simplify my life and work solo. During the pandemic, I closed one office, separated from my business partner and went to work alone. I was creating a new business that from everyone else’s perspective was wrong. I would no longer be accepting insurance for my services. My business was dependent on people leaving their homes and coming to my office when everyone was isolating and staying home. I was asking people to pay top dollar out of their own pocket in a time when people were losing their jobs and felt financial insecurity. I gave gratitude to the universe for supporting me in choosing to take care of me so I could take better care of my clients. I thrived throughout the pandemic. I was happier than I had been in years. I started a podcast and my Soul Candy business because I had the time and energy to do it. There were days I felt a little bad that I was enjoying life so much at a time when so many were suffering. I know that my happiness comes from choosing to live from love instead of fear. I trust that the universe is conspiring in my favor. I don’t know if that is resilience. Resilience feels like there is effort behind it. I don’t feel like there was effort, but rather ease and flow. When I stay true to myself, it all feels like flow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bodyandsoul-pt.com/, https://soulcandy.love, https://www.votgpodcast.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themagicalpt/, https://www.instagram.com/soul_candy_/, https://www.instagram.com/voicesofthegoddess/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMagicalPT, https://www.facebook.com/soulcandybyjulietta, https://www.facebook.com/votgpodcast/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocean-therapy-center, https://www.linkedin.com/company/voices-of-the-goddess
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VoicesofTheGoddess

Image Credits
Graciela Valdes for photos of me