Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melanie Schwieterman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Melanie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to leave a legacy of warmth and inclusivity. I pride myself in the creation of experiences and environments that feel friendly, intentional, and accessible for everyone. I want my time on Earth spent (mostly) living in alignment with my core values, and I want to acquire experiences that cause me to grow and expand. I dream of travel, taking risks, saying ‘yes’, saying ‘no’, loving others well, asking big and hard questions, and then admitting when I’m wrong. My (hopeful) future grandchildren will remember me as a big personality with lots of stories, lots of compassion, and lots of shenanigans. Professionally, I want to be remembered as an extremely intentional provider of healing. Yes, I DO want to see pictures of your dog, your kids, and of your house plants.

Melanie, 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 a small-business owner in Medina, OH where I provide therapy, coaching, and groups to willing and lovely individuals. I grew up in Zanesville, OH as a competitive basketball player, where I was no stranger to pressure, which created an amount of anxiety I experienced, even from a young age. I have also experienced bouts of depression throughout my life, and seen a handful of helpful and compassionate mental health providers. Throughout my athletic career and own difficulties with mental health, I decided to pursue a degree in Counseling after graduating undergrad. I worked in the field for a few years for different organizations, though I knew almost immediately that at some point I’d like to branch out on my own. Currently, you can find my in my small, cozy office in the town square. I assist adults with a variety of difficulties, though I mostly assist in creating space around anxiety and depression. I think what sets me apart from other providers is the unique background and approach I take with each individual. I have background experience in competitive athletics, working with kids and teens, and hold a variety of fitness-related certifications. With this background I believe I am really able to ‘marry’ the mind and the body and create treatment modalities that treat the whole of the individual. I see each individual as unique, and work with them to contextualize their situation, and collaborate with them the entire journey of treatment so that they might find exactly what they’re looking for. I find great reward in holding loving space, and feel honored to hear bits of people’s stories. I feel most proud of the intention and effort I put into seeing each person or cultivating each yoga space. Life gets to be sacred if we let it be that way. I want anyone I am surrounded by to know that I am committed to growth, learning, and in the words of Brene Brown… “I am not here to be right.. I am here to get it right”.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I have had to pivot many times. To be honest, I’ve also failed many times at things, and I think those stories are more valuable than my resume of successes. One of the biggest times in my life that I was almost ‘forced’ to pivot was the end of my junior year in college. I was gearing up for my senior basketball season, and our post-season workouts were about to begin. I was faced with debilitating anxiety. I felt like my body couldn’t get out of bed, and the thought of attending the upcoming week’s workouts felt nauseating to me. I knew I had to do something. My body was communicating to me, “not this. not anymore”. I am proud to say that I heeded that call, and decided to end my basketball career. This decision wasn’t an easy one. What about my support system and friends? Would my parents be disappointed? They spent so much money and time and love making my collegiate basketball ‘dream’ come true. Would my hometown think I couldn’t cut it? Was I lame? Was I just weak and mentally unstable? Head on I had to face those narratives. I could write a poetic outcome about what the pivot brought me and how it was the best decision for me (it was, ultimately), but I would be remiss to only spin it into a ‘meant to be’ story. It was filled with a ton of tears, embarrassment, weight gain even, growing pains making new friends, and having no idea how I identified socially. It was awkward. It was embarrassing. I tried really hard to fit in in different arenas. It’s pretty cringy.
I’m damn sure proud I did that, though. I was vulnerable, open, and wanted to be loved and to belong. That girl was cringe, but she tried hard. I like people who try. I’m happy I was that person. I learned a lot.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience (it’s honestly really small still, lol) through being super authentic to myself. I decided right from the jump that I would only post things that I actually give a shit about. I still abide by that ideology. I only post things that are true for me at that moment, and I worry less about the aesthetic of it. I’m sure marketing saavy individuals would disagree with every ounce of that, and that’s okay! It’s just what works for me. I think people can feel my authenticity, though. The individuals I work with tend to align with me and the direction I want to take my business, so I think my messaging has caused me to find the best-suited clients for me. Which not only benefits me, but them as well! Basically, my non-professional advice is: post stuff you actually care about… don’t post the dumb cliche quotes and all that.. take some time and ask yourself if you really care about what you’re putting out there!

Contact Info:

• Website: bloomcounselingmedina.com
• Instagram: @bloomcounselingmedina.com

Image Credits
Amanda Hemstreet Photopgrahy McKenzie Luree Photography